YON - Yonhap News Agency of Korea articles from February 2008

YON - Yonhap News Agency of Korea archives from February 2008

Seoul shares open higher on foreign, retail buying.
February 1, 2008... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks opened substantially higher Friday as foreign and retail investors snapped up shipbuilder, construction and other large-cap issues, analysts said. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index...

Korea Exchange Bank's 2007 net falls 5.9 pct.
February 1, 2008... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- Korea Exchange Bank (KEB), South Korea's fifth-largest lender, said Friday its earnings for 2007 declined 5.9 percent from a year earlier, due mainly to higher provisions against risky loans and a one-off factor. ...

Hynix posts Q4 net loss of 465 bln won.(Financial report)
February 1, 2008... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- Hynix Semiconductor Inc., the world's second-largest maker of memory chips, said Friday that it posted bigger-than-expected losses in the fourth quarter of last year on tumbling chip prices. Hynix lost 465...

U.S. meltdown.
February 1, 2008... (EDITORIAL from the JoongAng Daily on Feb. 1) - The worldwide financial crisis is no longer an ocean away. The financial rout stemming from the U.S. subprime mortgage mess is spreading all over the world. The International Monetary Fund lowered...

Nomination squalls.
February 1, 2008... (EDITORIAL from the Korea Herald on Feb. 1) - Internal disputes over nominations for the April general elections are deepening day by day in both the Grand National Party and the United New Democratic Party. The situation seems far more serious...

Pressure to cut rates: Concern grows over slowdown amid inflation fears.
February 1, 2008... (EDITORIAL from the Korea Times on Feb. 1) - Interest rate cuts by the U.S. Federal Reserve have kept up the pressure on the South Korean central bank to slash its key rate despite concerns about stagflation. The Fed reduced its key interest...

Seoul subway workers, management reach wage agreement.
February 1, 2008... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- Workers of Seoul's subway system reached an agreement with management over wages on Friday, averting a strike that could have caused inconveniences for commuters, both sides said. The labor and management of...

U.S. solon welcomes Korea's PM nominee.
February 1, 2008... WASHINGTON, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- A U.S. lawmaker welcomed on Thursday South Korean President-elect Lee Myung-bak's choice for his prime minister, saying the nominee will help strengthen the two countries' alliance. Rep. Eni Faleomavaega...

No terrorism list removal before N.K.'s declaration: envoy.
February 1, 2008... WASHINGTON, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- The top U.S. envoy to South Korea affirmed Thursday that his government will not remove North Korea from its list of terrorism-sponsoring states until the communist state provides a full declaration of its...

Some refugees treated better in N.K.: report.
February 1, 2008... WASHINGTON, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- Although North Korea's human rights conditions remain abysmal, some refugees have described "improved" treatment of those who try to flee the country, citing less verbal and physical abuse, an annual report by...

Chinese party official visits Kaseong industrial park.
February 1, 2008... SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- A senior Chinese Communist Party official pledged on Thursday to make efforts to help develop an industrial complex in the North Korean border city of Kaesong, a South Korean body handling the cross-border project...

Hyundai E&C 2007 net profit tumbles 31 pct.
February 1, 2008... SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's third-largest builder, Hyundai Engineering & Construction Co., said Thursday its net income fell 31 percent in 2007 from a year earlier. Net profit came to 275 billion won (US$291million), compared...

Korean Air's 2007 net profit tumbles 97.1 pct.
February 1, 2008... SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's biggest carrier, Korean Air, said Thursday its earnings for 2007 plunged 97.1 percent from a year earlier due mainly to its payment of fines for price-fixing. Net income came to 11.1 billion won (US$11.8...

S. Korea checks safety of Chinese dumplings.
February 1, 2008... SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korea on Thursday began safety inspections of dumplings imported from China after they were found to have caused an outbreak of food poisoning in Japan, health officials said. Dozens of people in Japan...

(2nd LD) Internal battle continues to loom over GNP.
February 1, 2008... SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- An intensifying in-house feud between the two major factions of the main opposition Grand National Party (GNP) temporarily subsided Thursday as the party's nominating committee decided to "flexibly apply" its ethical...

Asiana Airlines net profit drops 20 pct in 2007.
February 1, 2008... SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's second-largest carrier, Asiana Airlines Inc., said Thursday its net profit fell 20 percent in 2007 from a year ago due to increased jet fuel prices and the South Korean won's rise against the U.S....

Education Ministry delays announcing law school list.
February 1, 2008... SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- The Education Ministry said Thursday that it has postponed announcing the list of universities selected to open law schools until next week amid fierce protest by schools that were not chosen. The losers are...

Koreas to discuss World Cup qualifier: KFA.
February 1, 2008... SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- Football officials of the two Koreas will meet in Pyongyang next week to discuss a regional qualifier for the 2010 World Cup scheduled to be held between the sides in the North Korean capital in March, South Korea's...

Treasury sales to reach 4.6 tln in February.
February 1, 2008... SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean government said on Thursday that it plans to sell up to 4.65 trillion won (US$4.91 billion) worth of bonds in February. The Finance and Economy Ministry said it plans to float 900 billion won worth...

Korea scientists map pneumonia-causing protein.
February 1, 2008... SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korean scientists said Thursday that they have succeeded in constructing a three-dimensional map of a protein linked to pneumonia, opening new horizons for the treatment of the illness. The team led by Kim...

Seoul shares higher on institutional buying.
February 1, 2008... SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks finished sharply higher Thursday as institutions snapped up financial, shipbuilding and other blue-chip issues, analysts said. The local currency appreciated against the U.S. dollar. Reversing...

Lee vows to enhance ties with Middle East: aide.
February 1, 2008... SEOUL. Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- President-elect Lee Myung-bak promised Thursday to seek closer diplomatic ties with Middle Eastern nations through frequent summits with their leaders, an aide to Lee said. Lee made the remarks while meeting with...

Daewoo Shipbuilding wins 465 bln won order.
February 1, 2008... SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co., the world's third-largest shipbuilder, said Thursday that it has won a 465 billion won (US$493 million) order to build two liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers. The...

Woori, Aviva buy S. Korean life insurer.
February 1, 2008... SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- A consortium of Woori Finance Holdings Co. and Britain's largest insurer Aviva Plc has agreed to buy a controlling stake in a South Korean life insurer for 137.1 billion won (US$145.2 million), the country's leading...

(3rd LD) SK Telecom Q4 net dives on higher costs.
February 1, 2008... SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- SK Telecom Co., South Korea's top mobile carrier, reported Thursday a 76.4 percent plunge in fourth-quarter earnings due to increased marketing expenses to lure customers. Net income amounted to 66.08 billion won...

Ice rink planned to honor Kim Yu-na.
February 1, 2008... GUNPO, South Korea, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- Kim Yu-na, an 18-year-old South Korean figure-skating sensation, may have an indoor ice rink in her hometown named after her no later than 2016, city officials said Thursday. Kim brought her country...

Kumho rent-a-car sets up Vietnamese unit.
February 1, 2008... SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- Kumho rent-a-car Co., South Korea's largest car rental company, said Thursday it has established a subsidiary in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, to tap the Vietnamese market. The unit, named Kumho rent-a-car Vietnam Co.,...

Korea's December industrial output up 12.4 pct.
February 1, 2008... SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's industrial output rose more than 12 percent in December, buoyed by gains in semiconductors, audio equipment and greater business investment, a government report showed Thursday. Industrial production...

Samsung, Matsushita ink patent-sharing deal.
February 1, 2008... SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's Samsung Electronics Co. said Thursday that it has signed a patent-sharing contract with Japan's electronics giant Matsushita in manufacturing semiconductors. The cross-licensing deal will last for 10...

Seoul to raise spending on basic sciences.
February 1, 2008... SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean government said Thursday it will spend 857.8 billion won (US$905.9 million) this year to enhance the country's capabilities in basic sciences, space exploration and nuclear fusion energy development....

Hyundai Heavy's Q4 earnings surge to record.(Financial report)
February 1, 2008... SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., the world's largest shipbuilder, said Thursday that its fourth-quarter earnings increased 79 percent on rising demand for vessels. Net profit reached 513 billion won (US$542 million)...

17 pct S. Koreans suffer from mental disorder: survey.
February 1, 2008... SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- One out of every six South Korean adults suffers from an addiction or other form of psychiatric disorder, a survey showed Thursday. Up to 17.1 percent of South Koreans are likely to develop a mental disorder at...

SK Energy to conclude merger with its unit.
February 1, 2008... SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- SK Energy Co., South Korea's biggest oil refiner, said Thursday it will complete a merger with its unit SK Incheon Oil Co. on Friday. SK Energy and SK Incheon Oil will combined completely two years after the top...

(2nd LD) Court rules in favor of Samsung Motors' creditors.
February 1, 2008... SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- A Seoul court ruled in favor of creditors of the failed automaking unit of Samsung Group Thursday, saying the conglomerate should repay part of the bad debt in the biggest civil lawsuit ever filed in South Korea. ...

Korea's Internet banking soars 40 pct in 2007.
February 1, 2008... SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- The use of Internet banking in South Korea jumped 40 percent in 2007 from a year earlier as people increasingly went online to make financial transactions, the country's central bank said Thursday. According to the...

Seoul shares rise on institutional buying.
February 1, 2008... SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks gained momentum late Thursday morning, recouping earlier losses, as institutions snapped up tech, shipbuilding and other blue chips, analysts said. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price...

GM's Korean unit to cut Matiz price by 20 pct.
February 1, 2008... SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean subsidiary of General Motors Corp. said Thursday it will cut the price of its Matiz minicars on its home turf as it is losing sales to Kia Motors Corp.'s Morning models. Starting next month, the...

N.K. leader reaffirms commitment to denuclearization: report.
February 1, 2008... SEOUL, Jan . 31 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-il says his country remains committed to implementing the six-party agreements aimed at ending the North's nuclear programs, China's official news agency reported Thursday. Kim made...

Korean researchers develop rice instant noodle.
February 1, 2008... SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- Researchers at a state-run food development laboratory said Thursday that they have developed a new rice-based instant noodle, which they hope will help increase consumption of the staple grain and contribute to...

U.S. Forces Korea says 'no' to gambling by S. Koreans.
February 1, 2008... SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- The U.S. Forces in Korea (USFK) has ordered stricter identification checks at all gambling facilities on U.S. installations here, Stars and Stripes, a newspaper for U.S. troops overseas, reported Thursday. The...

Unmanned aircraft crashes north of Seoul.
February 1, 2008... SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- A South Korean unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) crashed into an uninhabited lot in a city north of Seoul Thursday, shortly after taking off on a routine training mission, Army officials said, adding there were no...

Hyundai's auto-parts unit may go public: analyst.
February 1, 2008... SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- An auto-parts affiliate of Hyundai Motor Co., South Korea's largest carmaker, is likely to launch an initial public offering this year, an analyst said Thursday. "Wia Corp. will reportedly list its shares in the...

Korean economy unlikely to cool sharply: official.
February 1, 2008... SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's economy is unlikely to contract sharply due to growing external downside risks because it has become immune to them to a certain extent, a senior government policymaker said Thursday. "The country has...

Festivals Calendar - February 2008.(Calendar)
February 1, 2008... SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- The following are the major cultural and tourist festivals to be held in South Korea in February. * Daeboreum Fire Festival When: Feb. 21-23 Where: Saebyeol Oreum, Bukjeju County, Jeju Province Daeboreum,...

Seoul shares open lower on foreign, retail selling.
February 1, 2008... SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks opened lower Thursday as foreign and retail investors dumped most blue chips, analysts said. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) fell 10.84 points, or 0.43 percent, to...

N.K. military eroded but still threat: Gen. Bell.
February 2, 2008... WASHINGTON, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's military capacity has seriously eroded and is incapable of a successful offensive against South Korea, but still remains a threat, the top U.S. commander in Seoul said in an interview Friday with the...

N.K. leader expects pragmatism from new gov't.
February 2, 2008... WASHINGTON, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's top leader, Kim Jong-il, expressed positive expectations that the incoming government in South Korea will adopt "pragmatic" policies, Seoul's former unification vice minister said Friday. Rhee...

U.S. signals patience on N.K. despite criticisms.
February 2, 2008... WASHINGTON, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- U.S. officials speaking on North Korea policy showed consistent patience this week despite a lack of progress in denuclearization efforts, while a former White House aide on Friday joined the criticism of the...

Chaebol small by global standards.
February 2, 2008... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's family-owned conglomerates are relatively small compared to their foreign rivals, and concerns about monopolies should be viewed in the global context, a senior official of the presidential transition...

(ROUNDUP) Lone Star found guilty of stock manipulation.
February 2, 2008... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- A Seoul court Friday found the U.S. private equity firm Lone Star Funds guilty of stock manipulation in the controversial takeover of the credit card unit of the Korea Exchange Bank in 2003. The Seoul Central...

Lee vows to tackle dust storms with neighbor states.
February 2, 2008... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- President-elect Lee Myung-bak said Friday that South Korea will strengthen cooperation with China, Mongolia and North Korea to better cope with yellow dust storms, which blow in from Chinese and Mongolian deserts every...

Ex-Super Bowl MVP to attend presidential inauguration.
February 2, 2008... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- A Seoul-born former Super Bowl MVP will attend the inauguration of South Korea's president-elect Lee Myung-bak in late February, his publicist said Thursday. Hines Ward, a 32-year-old Pittsburgh Steelers receiver,...

Watchdog to delay approval of Lone Star's KEB sale.
February 2, 2008... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's financial regulator said Friday that it will not approve a deal by Lone Star Funds to sell Korea Exchange Bank (KEB) until all legal uncertainties are cleared up. "There is no change in our position that...

Sales of Korean carmakers rise 17.4 pct in January.
February 2, 2008... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- Hyundai Motor Co. and its affiliate Kia Motors Corp., South Korea's two largest carmakers, led a 17.4 percent increase in sales last month by the nation's five automakers, mostly on solid exports, according to figures...

Lee urges speedier ratification of U.S. FTA.
February 2, 2008... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- President-elect Lee Myung-bak said Friday that he will strive to have the National Assembly pass the South Korea-U.S. free trade agreement during its special session in February. Lee, who will be sworn in on Feb. 25,...

Seoul shares end higher on Wall street gains.
February 2, 2008... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks finished higher Friday as investors picked up shipyard and brokerage stocks following a strong performance on Wall street in the previous session, analysts said. The local currency inched down...

SK Telecom outpaces rivals in luring customers.
February 2, 2008... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- SK Telecom Co. gained more customers than its rivals in January, keeping its strong leading status in South Korea's almost-saturated mobile communications market, according to data released by each company Friday. ...

KEPCO 2007 net drops 25 pct on higher costs.
February 2, 2008... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO), South Korea's state-run power company, said Friday that its earnings dropped 24.8 percent last year on increased fuel costs. Net profit reached 1.56 trillion won (US$1.65 billion)...

Combined forces of S. Korea, U.S. to hold annual drill.
February 2, 2008... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- The combined forces of South Korea and the United States will hold their first joint exercise in March to test Seoul's war-waging capabilities after it retakes the wartime operational control of South Korean troops...

Scientists create stem cells from skin tissue.
February 2, 2008... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean scientists said Friday that they have successfully produced stem cells from the skin tissue of laboratory animals without relying on the use of ovum. The move, which may skirt ethical controversy...

S. Korea to offer $100,000 in aid to snow-hit China.
February 2, 2008... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea has decided to provide China with US$100,000 to help it recover from damage caused by the heaviest snowfall in half a century, the Foreign Ministry said Friday. President Roh Moo-hyun also plans to send a...

Fingerprints to be included in passports from 2010.
February 2, 2008... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea plans to introduce chip-embedded passports later this year but fingerprints are unlikely to be included in them until 2010, officials said Friday. Officials at the Foreign Ministry said they have...

Advisor nominated as Lee's first chief of staff.
February 2, 2008... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- Yu Woo-ik, the newly appointed presidential chief of staff, is known as one of President-elect Lee Myung-bak's most trusted policy advisers who mapped out several of Lee's flagship campaign pledges. Yu, 58, led a...

President-elect Lee names his chief of staff.
February 2, 2008... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- President-elect Lee Myung-bak has named Yu Woo-ik, a Seoul National University geography professor and one of his long-time confidants, as his chief of staff, Lee's aides said Friday. The 58-year-old Yu, now...

Korea's consumer prices rise 3.9 pct in January.
February 2, 2008... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's consumer prices rose a higher-than-expected 3.9 percent in January from a year earlier due to an increase in prices of oil, agricultural goods and service products, a government report showed Friday. ...

Ssangyong Motor's auto sales drop 25.8 pct in January.
February 2, 2008... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- Ssangyong Motor Co., the South Korean unit of China's Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp., said Friday its January vehicles sales dropped 25.8 percent from a year earlier to 9,113 units. Domestic sales fell 6.6...

Kia Motors posts 12.8 pct rise in January sales.(Financial report)
February 2, 2008... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- Kia Motors Corp., South Korea's second-largest automaker, said Friday its January vehicle sales rose 12.8 percent from a year ago to 120,357 units. Exports climbed 17.5 percent to 98,320 units last month, while...

Hyundai Motor's auto sales jump 25.2 pct in January.
February 2, 2008... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- Hyundai Motor Co., South Korea's largest carmaker, said Friday its January vehicle sales jumped 25.2 percent from a year earlier to 244,148 units. Domestic sales rose 14.6 percent to 51,918 units last month and...

Kookmin Bank gets nod for brokerage purchase.
February 2, 2008... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's financial regulator said Friday it has approved Kookmin Bank's deal to buy a controlling stake in Hannuri Investment & Securities, a small local brokerage house. The Financial Supervisory Commission...

GM Daewoo's auto sales up 13.8 pct in January.(Financial report)
February 2, 2008... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- GM Daewoo Auto & Technology Co., the South Korean unit of U.S. carmaker General Motors Corp., said Friday its January vehicle sales rose 13.8 percent from a year earlier to 92,609 units. Domestic sales fell 23.3...

Renault Samsung's January vehicle sales inch down.
February 2, 2008... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- Renault Samsung Motor Co., the South Korean unit of French carmaker Renault SA, said Friday its January vehicle sales fell 0.6 percent from a year earlier to 12,417 units. Domestic sales declined 4.2 percent to 9,044...

Korea-EU FTA talks make headway: chief negotiators.
February 2, 2008... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- Chief negotiators from South Korea and the European Union (EU) for free trade talks said Friday that the latest round of negotiations was successful, although there are still some sticky issues such as auto trade and...

(2nd LD) S. Korea's trade deficit widens in January.
February 2, 2008... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's trade deficit widened sharply in January from the previous month as imports grew at a much faster pace than exports, due mainly to high-flying crude prices, a government report showed Friday. The...

WMD dismantlement program applicable to N.K.: Seoul envoy.
February 2, 2008... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's chief nuclear envoy said Friday that a program led by the U.S. to dismantle nuclear programs in states of the former Soviet Union can be applied to North Korea. At a forum here on weapons of mass...

Tension mounts over Education Ministry's law school list.
February 2, 2008... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- All eyes focused on the Education Ministry on Friday after its shadowy selection of 25 universities to open law schools provoked a chorus of nationwide protest and the presidential office pushed it to reconsider. ...

Korean firms buy oil fields in U.S., Congo.
February 2, 2008... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean energy developers have purchased operational oil fields in the United States and the Democratic Republic of Congo that hold a combined 90 million barrels of crude oil, the government said Friday. The...

Seoul shares rise on Wall street gains.
February 2, 2008... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks traded higher late Friday morning as investors picked up shipyard and brokerage stocks following a strong performance on Wall street in the previous session, analysts said. The benchmark Korea...

Korean Air expects sales to rise 7.8 pct in 2008.
February 2, 2008... SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- Korean Air Lines Co., South Korea's biggest airline, said Friday it expects sales to climb 7.8 percent this year to 9.45 trillion won (US$10 billion) on rising fuel surcharges. Korean Air aims for an operating profit...

S. Korea's raw material imports exceed US$200 bln last year.
February 3, 2008... SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korean imports of raw materials last year exceeded $200 billion for the first time amid high-flying prices of crude oil and other key products for manufacturing goods, a government agency reported Saturday. ...

S. Korean scientists develop enhanced biochip for disease detection.
February 3, 2008... SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Yonhap) -- A group of South Korean scientists said Saturday that they have developed a new high-tech biochip that would help doctors identify diseases more accurately with a small amount of blood samples. The team led by...

Presidential office denies allegation that aide took bribe.
February 3, 2008... SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's presidential office acknowledged Saturday one of its ranking officials was offered a bribe four years ago, but claimed he immediately rejected it, as the prosecution began its latest investigation...

Hyundai Motor opens second plant in India.
February 3, 2008... CHENNAI, India, Feb. 2 (Yonhap) -- Hyundai Motor Co. said Saturday it officially opened its second auto assembly plant in India, enabling the company to produce 600,00 cars annually in the country. South Korea's largest automaker said...

N.K. has not submitted nuclear declaration: U.S. official.
February 3, 2008... BEIJING, Feb. 2 (Yonhap) -- North Korea has yet to declare all of its nuclear activities, a senior U.S. diplomat said Saturday. Sung Kim, director of Korean affairs at the State Department, said the North did not give him any list of its...

GNP leadership moves to mend internal rift.
February 3, 2008... SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Yonhap) -- The leadership of the country's main opposition party reached a compromise Saturday aimed at mending an internal rift over selecting candidates for the upcoming parliamentary election. The decision reached by...