YON - Yonhap News Agency of Korea articles from January 2004

YON - Yonhap News Agency of Korea archives from January 2004

(2nd LD) Roh Calls for Political Reform, Inter-Korean Reconciliation in 2004.
January 1, 2004... By Chang Jae-soon SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- President Roh Moo-hyun appealed to the nation Thursday to work together to rid political corruption and pledged to continue to seek a peaceful resolution of the North's nuclear weapons program....

S. Korean Rescue Squad to Return Home from Quake-Hit Iran.
January 1, 2004... SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- A 24-member South Korean rescue squad will return home this weekend from Iran where it helped find earthquake victims, said officials at the Ministry of Government Administration and Home Affairs Thursday. The...

(LEAD) N. Korea Vows to Rebuild Shattered Economy amid Nuclear Crisis.
January 1, 2004... By Shim Sun-ah SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- North Korea urged its people Thursday to unite around its communist leadership to rebuild the country's shattered economy but gave no fresh indications how it would achieve the goal. Describing...

Parliament Likely to Deal with Chile FTA Bill in February: Speaker.
January 1, 2004... SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's parliamentary leader said Thursday a free trade agreement with Chile and other key pending bills will likely be put to vote in February. In an interview with Yonhap News Agency, National Assembly...

South Korea Expresses Regret Over Koizumi's Shrine Visit.
January 1, 2004... SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea expressed regret Thursday over Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's visit to a controversial shrine honoring Japanese war dead, including World War II criminals. "Our government expresses...

(3rd LD) Roh Calls for Political Reform, Inter-Korean Reconciliation in 2004.
January 1, 2004... By Chang Jae-soon SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- President Roh Moo-hyun appealed to the nation Thursday to work together to rid political corruption and pledged to continue to seek a peaceful resolution of the North's nuclear weapons program....

(LEAD) Roh Calls for Political Reform, Inter-Korean Reconciliation in 2004.
January 1, 2004... By Chang Jae-soon SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- President Roh Moo-hyun appealed to the nation Thursday to work together to rid political corruption and pledged to continue to seek a peaceful resolution of the North's nuclear weapons program....

N. Korea Vows to Rebuild Shattered Economy amid Nuclear Crisis.
January 1, 2004... By Shim Sun-ah SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- North Korea urged its people Thursday to unite around its communist leadership to rebuild the country's shattered economy but gave no fresh indications how it would achieve the goal. Describing...

(2nd LD) Koizumi Visits Controversial Shrine on New Year's Day.
January 1, 2004... TOKYO, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on Thursday visited a controversial shrine honoring Japan's war dead, including World War II criminals. Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo is dedicated to 2.5 million Japanese war...

(4th LD) N. Korea Pledges Peaceful Resolution of Its Nuke Crisis.
January 1, 2004... By Shim Sun-ah SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- North Korea confirmed its willingness Thursday to resolve its nuclear crisis peacefully but vowed to continue to fight unless the United States shifts its "hostile" policy toward the communist...

New Railway Station Built in Seoul for Bullet Train Service.
January 1, 2004... SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- With its first bullet train ready to roll four months later, South Korea dedicated a new railway station in Seoul Thursday to serve as its starting point. Prime Minister Koh Gun cut the ribbon to open the new...

(LEAD) North Korea Pledges Peaceful Resolution of Its Nuclear Issue.
January 1, 2004... SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- North Korea said Thursday that despite Washington's "hostile" policy toward it, there is no change in its policy to resolve its nuclear crisis through peaceful means. The North confirmed its policy in its New...

N Korea Stresses Furthering of Friendly Ties with Cuba.
January 1, 2004... PYEONGYANG, Jan. 1 (KCNA-Yonhap) -- North Korea said Thursday it will further strengthen its relations with Cuba on the occasion of the 45th anniversary of the Cuban revolution. "The Korean people highly praise the successes the fraternal...

No South Korean Casualties in Car Bomb in Baghdad.
January 1, 2004... BAGHDAD, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- About a dozen South Koreans were near where a powerful car bomb exploded in a crowded district in Baghdad but there were no Korean casualties, witnesses said Thursday. The blast tore down a crowded restaurant,...

(LEAD) Koizumi Visits Controversial Yasukuni Shrine on New Year's Day.
January 1, 2004... TOKYO, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on Thursday visited a controversial shrine honoring Japan's war dead, including World War II criminals. Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo is dedicated to 2.5 million Japanese war...

S. Korea's Exports Record All-time High Last Year.
January 1, 2004... SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea set a new record in exports with US$194.33 billion last year, up 19.6 percent on-year, the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy said Thursday in a provisional tally. The nation's imports also...

(3rd LD) N. Korea Pledges Peaceful Resolution of Its Nuke Crisis.
January 1, 2004... By Shim Sun-ah SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- North Korea confirmed its willingness Thursday to resolve its nuclear crisis peacefully but vowed to continue to fight unless the United States shifts its "hostile" policy toward the communist...

Kindergartner Slain after Abducted.
January 1, 2004... GUMI, South Korea, Dec. 31 (Yonhap) -- A 6-year-old child was found to have been murdered by his kidnapper in a provincial South Korean city, police said Wednesday. The boy, identified by his family name Kim, was abducted on his way to...

Koizumi to Visit Yasukuni Shrine on New Year's Day.
January 1, 2004... TOKYO, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi will visit the controversial Yasukuni shrine honoring Japanese war criminals to mark the New Year's Day Thursday, the Kyodo News Service said. (THROUGH ASIA PULSE)

(LEAD) S. Korea's 2003 Exports Hit All-time High.
January 1, 2004... SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- Helped by shipments of cars, petrochemicals and electronic products, South Korea exported a record US$194.33 billion worth of goods last year, officials said Thursday. Provisional figures compiled by the Ministry of...

North Korea Pledges Peaceful Settlement to Its Nuclear Crisis.
January 1, 2004... SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- North Korea said Thursday that there is no change in its position to peacefully settle the tension over its nuclear weapons program. The North confirmed its policy in its New Year's message issued in the form of...

President Roh Calls for Political Reform in 2004.
January 1, 2004... SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- President Roh Moo-hyun appealed to the nation Thursday to work together for political reform and vowed to do his best for fair oversight of April's general elections. "We should make the New Year the first year of...

Mobile Phone Number Portability Suffers Computer Glitch.
January 1, 2004... SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- The number portability system for mobile phone users got off to a shaky start Thursday, because of a computer glitch at SK Telecom Co., South Korea's largest wireless operator. SK Telecom was only able to...

(LEAD) S. Korean Believed to Have Been Killed near Basra: Source.
January 1, 2004... Baghdad, Dec. 31 (Yonhap) -- A South Korean has been shot dead on a road between the southern Iraqi cities of Basra and Nasiriya, an informed military source said Wednesday. The death occurred during an exchange of fire between Romanian...

Man Believed to South Korean Killed in Iraq.
January 1, 2004... BAGHDAD, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean diplomats said Thursday that they were trying to confirm whether a man killed in an ambush in southern Iraq was South Korean. A man was shot dead by suspected Iraqi insurgents near the southern...

S. Korean Gov't Confirming Whether Dead Man in Basra Is Korean.
January 1, 2004... SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean Foreign Ministry said Thursday it is currently confirming whether earlier reports are true that a South Korea was shot dead by Iraqi insurgents on a road between the southern Iraqi cities of Basra...

South Korea Sends Medical Team to Help Quake Victims in Iran.
January 1, 2004... SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- A six-member South Korea medical team left for Iran Thursday with a shipment of 300 million won (US$251,400) worth of medical supplies and instruments to help earthquake victims in the Middle East country. At...

(2nd Ld) N. Korea Pledges Peaceful Resolution of Its Nuke Crisis.
January 1, 2004... By Shim Sun-ah SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- North Korea confirmed its willingness Thursday to peacefully resolve its nuclear crisis but vowed to continue to fight unless the United States shifts its "hostile" policy toward the communist...

S. Korean Believed to Have Been Killed near Basra: Source.
January 1, 2004... Baghdad, Dec. 31 (Yonhap) -- A South Korean has been shot dead on a road between the southern Iraqi cities of Basra and Nasiriya, an informed military source said Wednesday. The death occurred during an exchange of fire between Romanian...

(LEAD) No South Korean Casualties in Car Bomb in Baghdad.
January 1, 2004... BAGHDAD, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- About a dozen South Koreans were near where a powerful car bomb exploded in a crowded district in Baghdad but no Koreans were hurt, witnesses said Thursday. The blast tore down a crowded restaurant, killing five...

(LEAD) S Korean Embassy Still Trying to Identify Dead Man in Iraq.
January 1, 2004... BAGHDAD, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean diplomats said Thursday that they were continuing efforts to confirm whether a man killed in an ambush by suspected local insurgents in southern Iraq was South Korean. "We are still unable to...

Seoul's Troop Dispatch Likely to Be Delayed Until After April.
January 2, 2004... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea appears unlikely to dispatch troops to Iraq by April as intended, as the bill to send them will not to go before the National Assembly until February. National Assembly Speaker Park Kwan-yong said...

Roh Expects Rapid Change, New Social Order in 2004.
January 2, 2004... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- President Roh Moo-hyun Friday predicted South Korea will witness the formation of a "new social order" in every sector of the nation, which, though perhaps painful, is inevitable for the country to prepare for a...

Foreign Ministry Announces Personnel Reshuffle.
January 2, 2004... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- The Foreign Ministry announced a minor reshuffle on Friday that affected three ambassadorial posts. Ambassador to Thailand Choi Hyuck was named ambassador to the nation's permanent mission to Geneva, while Yoon...

U.S. Delegation to Visit Key Nuclear Complex in N. Korea Next Week.
January 2, 2004... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- A U.S. delegation plans travel to North Korea next week to visit a nuclear complex there, a diplomatic source in Seoul said Friday, confirming an earlier news report. "We understand that a group of congressional...

(LEAD) Spread of Bird Flu Tapers Off Nationwide.
January 2, 2004... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- The spread of a deadly bird flu virus appears to be under control in South Korea, with no new suspected cases reported for six consecutive days, the government said Friday. The Agriculture and Forestry Ministry...

Two Koreas Should Uphold June 15 Declaration; N.K. Paper.
January 2, 2004... PYONGYANG, Jan. 2 (KCNA-Yonhap) -- North Korea said Friday that the two Koreas should uphold reconciliation agreements they reached during the 2000 summit meeting. "All Koreans in the North, the South and overseas should take the June 15...

Former 'Comfort Women' Blast Koizumi's Shrine Visit.
January 2, 2004... GWANGJU, South Korea, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- A civilian group providing shelter to women forced into sexual slavery by Japan's military during World War II blasted Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi Friday for visiting a controversial...

Roh to Meet Farmers' Groups on Free Trade Ratification.
January 2, 2004... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- President Roh Moo-hyun will contact representatives of farmers' organizations to ask for their help in the ratification of a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Chile, presidential spokesman Yoon Tai-young said Friday. ...

(2nd LD) Seoul Summons Japanese Ambassador Over Koizumi's Shrine Visit.
January 2, 2004... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's foreign minister summoned Japan's ambassador Friday and lodged a strong protest over Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's visit to a controversial shrine honoring Japan's war dead, including World...

Pres. Roh to Hold First Press Conference of New Year on Jan. 14.
January 2, 2004... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- President Roh Moo-hyun will hold a press conference on Jan. 14 to explain his government's policy direction for the new year, an official from Cheong Wa Dae, the presidential office, said Friday. During the news...

Hyundai Motor Sales Stands at 1.96 Million Units in 2003.
January 2, 2004... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- Hyundai Motor Co. said Friday its sales hit a record-high 1.96 million units in 2003, a 5.3 percent increase from the preceding year, largely helped by a boost in exports. Of the total, 627,367 were sold at home,...

Today in Korean History.
January 2, 2004... Saturday, Jan. 3 1981 -- The military elite, led by former army general Chun Doo-hwan puts into force a law aimed at controlling and oppressing the press. Chun rose to power in 1980 through a 1979 coup after then President Park Chung-hee...

GNP Internal Feud Over Secret Audit-Inspection Intensifies.
January 2, 2004... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- A row within South Korea's main opposition party regarding the leadership's secret audit and inspection of local chapter offices has developed into a full-blown conflict between the mainstream and non-mainstream...

Gov't to Tighten Immigration Procedures to Prevent SARS Outbreak.
January 2, 2004... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea plans to launch a new crackdown on illegal migrants due to the recent surfacing of several suspected cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in the Asian region, the government said Friday. ...

N. Korea to Continue to Change: Unification Minister.
January 2, 2004... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- Unification Minister Jeong Se-hyun said Friday that he expected North Korea to continue to change this year, despite the global tension over its nuclear weapons program. Last year, the communist country took...

NORTH KOREA THIS WEEK NO. 274 (January 1, 2004).
January 2, 2004... CHRONOLOGICAL REVIEW (December 25-31) December 25 Paek Nam-sun, foreign minister, attends a banquet hosted by Andrei Karlov, Russian ambassador to North Korea, on the occasion of New Year's Day. 25 Yasser Arafat, president of...

Prosecution to Summon Samsung, SK Heads on Election Fund Scandal.
January 2, 2004... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- Prosecutors said Friday they will call in senior executives of the nation's top conglomerates to follow up allegations they provided illegal funds for the 2002 presidential election race. The chairmen of SK...

NORTH KOREA THIS WEEK NO. 274 (January 1, 2004).
January 2, 2004... NEWS IN BRIEF North Korea, China Agree to Exert Efforts for Holding Second Round of Six-way Talks in Early 2004 North Korea and China have agreed to "make necessary arrangements and exert efforts to hold the second round of six-way...

(LEAD) Seoul Summons Japanese Ambassador Over Koizumi's Shrine Visit.
January 2, 2004... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's foreign minister called in Japan's ambassador to Seoul on Friday and lodged a strong protest over Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's visit to a controversial shrine honoring Japan's war dead,...

Investment Promotion Agency Publishes Book on Domestic Labor Law.
January 2, 2004... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- Invest KOREA, an agency for attracting foreign direct investment in South Korea, has published a book on the nation's labor-related laws and major court rulings in English and Japanese, the Korea Trade-Investment...

NORTH KOREA THIS WEEK NO. 274 (January 1, 2004).
January 2, 2004... DATA ON NORTH KOREA "Let's Glorify This Year as a Year of Proud Victory through a Revolutionary Offensive on All Fronts of Building a Great, Prosperous, and Powerful Nation under the Party's leadership." (Joint Editorial published by...

NORTH KOREA THIS WEEK NO. 274 (January 1, 2004).
January 2, 2004... TOPIC OF THE WEEK North Koreans Urged to Launch 'Offensive' on Three Fronts This New Year On Jan. 1 this new year, North Korea called on Party members, army servicemen and its other citizens, notably young people, to launch a...

Public Servants to Get 3 percent Pay Rise.
January 2, 2004... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- The salaries of the country's civil servants will rise by 3 percent this year, the smallest increase in five years, the government said Friday. According to the Civil Service Commission (CSC), the pay raise for...

Prime Minister Pledges Efforts to Help Economic Upturn.
January 2, 2004... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- Prime Minister Goh Kun called on public officials Friday in his New Year's message to work together to reactivate the slowing economy and pledged to remain neutral in managing the April parliamentary elections. ...

Resolving Nuke Crisis Seoul's Top Diplomatic Priority for 2004: FM.
January 2, 2004... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- Foreign Minister Yoon Young-kwan said Friday that the nation's top diplomatic priority for 2004 will be a peaceful resolution of the North Korean nuclear crisis. "The most important diplomatic goal in the New Year...

Roh Puts Focus on Economy, People's Livelihood for 2004.
January 2, 2004... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- President Roh Moo-hyun said Friday that his government will put priority on the economy in 2004. Speaking at a meeting of senior presidential secretaries at Cheong Wa Dae, Roh said, "Let us try our best to...

Political Parties Denounces Koizumi's Shrine Visit.
January 2, 2004... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korean political parties joined forces Friday in criticizing Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's appearance at a controversial shrine and urging him not to repeat the visit. "The surprise visit by...

Security Guards Struck, Killed by Car in Ulsan.
January 2, 2004... ULSAN, South Korea, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- Three security guards, all in their 60s and 70s, were hit by a car and died here early Friday while jaywalking on their way to work, police said. The car was exceeding the speed limit as well, they...

Australia Steps Up Effort to Increase Beef Exports to Asia.
January 2, 2004... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- Australia is engaged in efforts to boost its beef sales in South Korea, Japan and other Asian countries, South Korea's main trade promotion agency said Thursday. In light of the recent mad cow disease outbreak in...

Imported Cars Cost Four Times More Than Exported Ones, Sources Say.
January 2, 2004... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- With continued improvements in quality and features, the average cost of domestically-produced automobiles for export has become higher, but is still only about one-fourth of the price of imported ones, according to...

U.S. Sets Deadline for Pyongyang to End Nuclear Program: Report.
January 2, 2004... TOKYO, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- The U.S. government has set March as the deadline for North Korea to respond to its call for dismantling its nuclear weapons program, according to a Japanese newspaper. The Sankei Shimbun reported Thursday that...

Report of S. Korean Killed in Ambush May Not Be True: Ra Jong-yil.
January 2, 2004... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- The report of a South Korean killed in an ambush in Iraq days earlier may have been fabricated, a senior presidential adviser said Friday. "It appears the report is not true," National Security Adviser Ra...

Seoul Summons Japanese Ambassador Over Koizumi's Shrine Visit.
January 2, 2004... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea summoned Japan's top envoy here to express its anger over Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's surprise visit to a controversial shrine honoring Japan's war dead, including World War II criminals,...

Two Koreas to Hold Joint Memorial Events for Rev. Moon Ik-hwan.
January 2, 2004... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- South and North Korean civilians will jointly mark the 10th anniversary of the death of a South Korean pro-reunification activist with a variety of events in Seoul, the South Korean organizers of the events said...

Korean Embassy Tries to Identify Nationality of Dead Man in Iraq.
January 2, 2004... BAGHDAD, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korean diplomats here said Thursday that they were still continuing efforts to confirm whether a man killed in an ambush by suspected local insurgents in southern Iraq was from South Korea. "We are going...

Behind-the-Scenes Talks Continuing on N. Korean Nuclear Issue.
January 2, 2004... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- Preparatory talks to draft a joint statement for a new round of multilateral talks on the North Korean nuclear crisis have been suspended, but behind-the-scenes negotiations are continuing to work out key...

Yonhap Launches New Series on Korean Traditional Culture.
January 2, 2004... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- Yonhap News Agency will begin a series of about 50 feature stories next week on Korean traditional culture during the entire year of 2004. The series, "Korean Culture: Yesterday and Today," will give insights...

Hanjin Heavy Industries Aims for 2 Tril Won in Sales in 2004.
January 2, 2004... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction Co. said Friday that it plans to increase its sales to 2 trillion won (US$1.67 billion) this year from around 1.5 trillion won in 2003. The company, which...

(LEAD) South Korea Expresses Regret Over Koizumi's Shrine Visit.
January 2, 2004... SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's government expressed regret Thursday over Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's visit to a controversial shrine honoring Japanese war dead, including World War II criminals. Civic activists also...

Korean-American Radio Station Ends 14 Years of Broadcasting.
January 2, 2004... LOS ANGELES, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- The main radio station for Korean-Americans went off the air as of midnight Thursday after 14 years of broadcasting due to a lease dispute. Lee Jang-hee, head of "Radio Korea," said through a pre-recorded...

Kookmin Bank Undecided on Joint Management of LG Card.
January 2, 2004... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- Kookmin Bank said Friday that it remained undecided on whether to participate with other creditors in the joint management of LG Card Co. A spokesperson for South Korea's largest commercial lender said board...

(LEAD) KTF, LG Telecom Gain Customers From SK Telecom.
January 2, 2004... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- The two smaller of South Korea's three cell phone operators have gained subscribers from market leader SK Telecom under a new rule that allows customers to switch carriers without having to change their phone...

Korea's Auto Sales Rise to Record 3.87 Million Units in 2003.
January 2, 2004... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- Automotive sales by South Korea's five major carmakers climbed 9.6 percent to an all-time high of 3.87 million units last year on the back of brisk exports, industry figures showed Friday. Hyundai Motor Co., Kia...

SK Corp. Affiliates Raise Stake in Their Holding Company.
January 2, 2004... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- Affiliates of SK Corp. have increased their combined stake in the oil refiner, South Korea's largest, to 17.46 percent from 13.46 percent on June 30, 2003, a company official said Friday. The official's remarks...

Won Falls against Dollar on First Trading Day.
January 2, 2004... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean won lost against the dollar on strong dollar buying by local banks Friday, the first trading day of the year, while the nation's benchmark bond yield edged down. The won fell 2.40 to the dollar...

S. Korean Firm Snubs Intel's Demands in Trademark Dispute.
January 2, 2004... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- Intel Corp. is locked in a tough struggle over its trademark in South Korea as a little-known local company rejected the U.S.-based computer chip giant's demand to change its corporate name. The dispute grabbed...

Central Gov't to Tighten Monitoring of Provincial Subsidies.
January 2, 2004... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- The central government will tighten regulatory oversight of special subsidies it gives to local administrations, Minister of Government Administration and Home Affairs Huh Sung-kwan said Friday. Speaking to...

Bank Consortium to Manage Ailing LG Card.
January 2, 2004... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- A consortium of four domestic banks will co-manage embattled LG Card Co., South Korea's largest credit card issuer, bank officials said Friday. The consortium will be composed of Kookmin Bank, main creditor Woori...

S. Korean Shares Jump in Year's First Session.
January 2, 2004... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- Share prices on South Korea's main bourse surged on expectations of a bull market in 2004 Friday, the first trading day of the year, traders said. The tech-heavy KOSDAQ market edged up. The benchmark Korea Composite...

S. Korea Postpones Raising Industrial Electricity Rates.
January 2, 2004... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea decided Friday to put on hold plans to raise industrial electricity rates and lower those for households because of increasing instability in other energy prices. The decision stems from a surge in the...

Kookmin Bank has Net Loss in Fiscal 2003.
January 2, 2004... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- Kookmin Bank, South Korea's largest lender, is estimated to have a loss in 2003, a sharp turnaround from a large net profit in 2002, the bank's head said Friday. "Kookmin is expected to post a net loss for fiscal...

Majority of Koreans Open to Choosing Imported Rice.
January 2, 2004... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- More than 50 percent of South Koreans are willing to buy imported rice if the country widens the market opening for it, according to a survey by the Korea Rural Economic Institute (KREI) Friday. In a poll of 610...

Spread of Bird Flu Tapers Off Nationwide.
January 2, 2004... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- The spread of bird flu in South Korea is under control, with no new suspected cases reported for six days in a row, the government said Friday. The Agriculture and Forestry Ministry also said three additional...