YON - Yonhap News Agency of Korea articles from January 2005

YON - Yonhap News Agency of Korea archives from January 2005

World's Leaders Send New Year Messages to N. Korean Leader.
January 1, 2005... SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao, Russian President Vladimir Putin and other state leaders sent New Year's messages to North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, a North Korean news outlet said Saturday. The others included...

Uri Party Leadership in Turmoil.
January 1, 2005... SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- A leadership crisis appears to grip South Korea's governing Uri Party, which failed to pass its major bills at the National Assembly last year. Its floor leader Chun Jung-bae resigned from his post on Saturday,...

(2nd LD) One More Classified as Dead, Two More Missing Following Tsunami.
January 1, 2005... SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- One more South Korean was listed as dead and two more missing in the wake of Sunday's earthquake-tsunami disaster, the Foreign Ministry said Saturday. A 24-year-old woman was newly classified as dead, her family...

S. Korean Tourists Greet New Year at North Korea's Tourist Spot.
January 1, 2005... MOUNT GEUMGANG, North Korea, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- More than 1,000 South Korean tourists greeted the New Year Saturday on Mount Geumgang, one of the most popular tourist attractions in North Korea. Hyundai Asan President Kim Yoon-kyu and...

(LEAD) Two More South Koreans Classified as Missing Following Tsunami.
January 1, 2005... SEOUL, Nov.1 (Yonhap) -- Two more South Koreans were listed as missing in the wake of Sunday's earthquake-tsunami disaster, the Foreign Ministry said Saturday. This brings to 12 the number of missing South Koreans, the ministry said. The...

Two More South Koreans Classified as Missing Following Tsunami.
January 1, 2005... SEOUL, Nov.1 (Yonhap) -- Two more South Koreans were listed as missing in the wake of Sunday's earthquake-tsunami disaster, the Foreign Ministry said Saturday. This brings to 12 the number of missing South Koreans, the ministry said. The...

(LEAD) Seoul to Send Premier to Int'l Summit on Tsunami Disaster.
January 1, 2005... SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan will attend a special summit of Asian countries to discuss ways to help rebuild tsunami-hit areas, officials said Saturday. The Foreign Ministry said that Lee will fly to...

Seoul Mulls Sending PM to Int'l Conference on Tsunami Disaster.
January 1, 2005... SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea is considering sending its prime minister to an international conference in Indonesia to discuss ways to help rebuild tsunami-hit countries, a senior Seoul official said Saturday. The international...

(LEAD) Report: Japan's Koizumi Says He Won't Visit War Shrine in January.
January 1, 2005... TOKYO, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said Saturday he will not pay a visit this month to a controversial shrine devoted to Japan's war dead, Kyodo News Agency reported. Asked whether he will refrain from...

Britain Welcomes S. Korea's Extension of Troop Deployment to Iraq.
January 1, 2005... SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- The British government welcomed the South Korean National Assembly's passage of a bill that extends its troop deployment in Iraq by another year, the country's foreign secretary said Saturday. Britain's Foreign...

Report: Japan's Koizumi Says He Won't Visit War Shrine in January.
January 1, 2005... TOKYO, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said Saturday he will not pay a visit this month to a controversial shrine devoted to Japan's war dead, Kyodo News Agency reported. Asked whether he will refrain from...

S. Korean Aid Group Sends Medical Supplies to N. Korean Children.
January 1, 2005... SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- A South Korean Christian aid group said Saturday it has sent medical supplies worth US$3 million to North Korean children. The shipment, which is scheduled to arrive in Nampo port on the North's western coast on...

N. Koreans Mark New Year with Pilgrimages Honoring Late Leader.
January 1, 2005... SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- North Koreans greeted the New Year holiday by holding festivals or visiting their relatives, according to the North's state-run news agency. Banners and pictures carrying messages such as "Happy New Year" were...

Kim Jong-il Inspects Military Unit: Report.
January 1, 2005... SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-il inspected a military unit and conveyed New Year's greetings to its soldiers, Pyongyang's state-run news agency reported Saturday. Kim told the soldiers to enjoy various kinds of cultural...

South Korean Shares Expected to Remain Strong in Coming Week.
January 1, 2005... SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean stock market is likely to remain strong in the first week of New Year amid hopes of a continuation of last week's rally, with the market expected to test the 900-point level, analysts said. ...

(2nd LD) S. Korea's Exports Reach Record High in 2004.
January 1, 2005... SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea exported a record US$254.22 billion worth of goods and services last year, up 31.2 percent on an annual basis, the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy said Saturday. The provisional tally also...

Mission and Role of USFK to Remain Unchanged After 2008: LaPorte.
January 1, 2005... SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- The mission and role of the U.S. troops in South Korea will remain unchanged even after 2008 when the American military headquarters will have been moved out of Seoul, a top U.S. military official said Saturday. ...

Report: Japan's Crown Prince, Princess May Visit South Korea.
January 1, 2005... TOKYO, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- The Japanese government is considering a plan to send Crown Prince Naruhito and Princess Masako to South Korea after this year's fall, a news report said Saturday. The plan is aimed at improving ties between the...

Saturday's Weather Forecast.
January 1, 2005... SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- The following is the weather forecast for South Korea's 12 major cities at 10:00 a.m. Saturday. Temperature (C) Condition Possibility High/Low of Rain (%) Seoul 0/-8 Sunny ...

(LEAD) S. Korea's Exports Reach Record High in 2004.
January 1, 2005... SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea exported a record US$254.22 billion worth of goods and services last year, up 31.2 percent on an annual basis, the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy said Saturday. The provisional tally also...

U.S. Hails Seoul's Extension of Troop Deployment in Iraq.
January 1, 2005... WASHINGTON, Dec. 31 (Yonhap) -- The United States welcomed Friday the South Korean legislature's extension of the country's troop deployment in Iraq by another year. The U.S. State Department said South Korean troops play an important role...

S. Korea's Exports Reach Record High in 2004.
January 1, 2005... SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea exported a record US$254.2 billion worth of goods and services last year, up 31.2 percent on an annual basis, the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy said Saturday. (THROUGH ASIA PULSE)

(LEAD) N Korea Urges U.S. to Change Its "Hostile" Policy.
January 1, 2005... SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- North Korea called on the United States Saturday to change its "hostile" policy toward the communist country, declaring that it is fully prepared for war or dialogue. Outlining its policy goals for the New Year,...

N Korea Urges U.S. to Change Its "Hostile" Policy.
January 1, 2005... SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- North Korea called on the United States Saturday to change its "hostile" policy toward the communist country, declaring that it is fully prepared for war or dialogue. Outlining its policy for the new year, North...

(2nd LD) National Assembly Passes Bills on 2005 Budget, Extension of Iraq Troop Deployment.
January 1, 2005... SEOUL, Dec. 31 (Yonhap) -- Rival parties late Friday passed the bills on the 2005 government budget and extending South Korea's troop deployment in Iraq by another year after a last-minute agreement to vote on 19 long-delayed bills was...

(LEAD) National Assembly Passes Bill on Extension of Iraq Troop Deployment.
January 1, 2005... SEOUL, Dec. 31 (Yonhap) -- Rival parties late Friday passed the bill extending South Korea's troop deployment in Iraq by another year after a last-minute agreement to vote on 19 long-delayed bills was mediated by National Assembly Speaker Kim...

Rival Parties Agree to Vote on Bills on Budget, Troops in Iraq.
January 1, 2005... SEOUL, Dec. 31 (Yonhap) -- Rival parties on Friday made a last-minute agreement to vote on 19 long-delayed bills, including those on the 2005 government budget and extension of South Korea's troop deployment in Iraq by another year, at the...

(2nd LD) Two More S. Koreans Classified as Missing.
January 1, 2005... SEOUL, Dec. 31 (Yonhap) -- A South Korean couple residing in Aceh, Indonesia, who have not been heard from since Sunday's earthquake-tsunami disaster, are newly classified as missing, the Foreign Ministry said Friday. This brings to 10 the...

N. Korea Affirms Alliance with Cuba Against U.S.
January 1, 2005... SEOUL, Dec. 31 (Yonhap) -- A top North Korean official said on Friday the North and Cuba will wage a joint struggle against the United States. In a message to Cuban President Fidel Castro, North Korean leader Kim Jong-il and Kim...

Korean National Railroad to Become State Corporation on Jan. 1.
January 1, 2005... SEOUL, Dec. 31 (Yonhap) -- Korean National Railroad (KNR), a state-run rail service monopoly, will transform itself into a public corporation effective Saturday, promising to provide higher quality railway services, company officials said...

N.K. Vows to Boost War Deterrent Force to Thwart U.S. Invasion.
January 1, 2005... SEOUL, Dec. 31 (Yonhap) -- North Korea renewed its threats on Friday to reinforce its war deterrent force to thwart a possible U.S. invasion. The term "deterrent force" is widely believed to be North's euphemism for its nuclear weapons...

(LEAD) Seoul Trying to Confirm Whereabouts of 499 Nationals.
January 1, 2005... SEOUL, Dec. 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korea said Friday that it is seeking to determine the whereabouts of 499 nationals still unaccounted for in the tsunami-affected Asian countries. So far, eight South Koreans have been confirmed dead on the...

Woori Group, Hana Bank, Foreign Players Seen as Eyeing LG Card.
January 1, 2005... SEOUL, Dec. 31 (Yonhap) -- As LG Card Co. was finally rescued by another bailout, attention was focusing Friday on whether the country's No. 2 card issuer will be taken over in the near future. Following a surprise announcement earlier in the...

(LEAD) Hyundai Heavy Sets 2005 Sales Target of 10.1 Tln Won.
January 1, 2005... SEOUL, Dec. 31 (Yonhap) -- Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., South Korea's largest shipbuilder, said Friday it is aiming for sales of 10.16 trillion won (US$9.80 billion) next year. "We have a target for orders worth $11.50 billion in 2005,...

Dollar Ends Year's Trading at 7-Year Low Against Won.
January 1, 2005... SEOUL, Dec. 31 (Yonhap) -- The U.S. dollar hit a fresh seven-year low against the South Korean won Friday, falling below the 1,040-won level. The greenback, which opened 3.30 won lower at 1,038.50 won, finished the year's trading at...

Yonhap News Summary.
January 1, 2005... The following is the second summary of major stories moved by the Yonhap News Agency on Friday. ------------------------------ Pyongyang to Host World Trade Fair in May: Report BEIJING -- North Korea will hold an international trade fair...

FOREX-close.
January 1, 2005... Dollar ends at 1,035.10 won DN from 1,041.80 won (THROUGH ASIA PULSE)

Tongyang Fire & Marine's Operating Profit Doubles in November.
January 1, 2005... SEOUL, Dec. 31 (Yonhap) -- Nonlife insurer Tongyang Fire & Marine Insurance Co. said Friday its operating profit nearly doubled in November from the previous month on strong investment earnings. Operating profit came to 10.5 billion won...

Cell Phone Sales in S. Korea May Shrink 9.6 Pct in 2005: Report.
January 1, 2005... SEOUL, Dec. 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's domestic sales of mobile phones are poised to decline 9.6 percent next year as stubbornly weak consumer spending continues and the market approaches saturation, a market researcher said Friday. The...

Hyundai Heavy Sets 2005 Sales Target of 10.1 Tln Won.
January 1, 2005... SEOUL, Dec. 31 (Yonhap) -- Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., South Korea's largest shipbuilder, said Friday it aims for sales of as much as 10.16 trillion won (US$9.80 billion) next year. "We have a target for orders worth $11.50 billion in...

Top Antitrust Regulator Stresses Free Competition.
January 1, 2005... SEOUL, Dec. 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's top antitrust regulator pledged Friday to continue to pursue market-friendly policies in 2005 to make sure that free competition take root in the economy. "Ensuring free competition is the surest way...

Pyongyang to Host World Trade Fair in May: Report.
January 1, 2005... BEIJING, Dec. 31 (Yonhap) -- North Korea will hold an international trade fair in May in an ambitious step toward an open economy and has already invited American and European firms as possible trade partners, a Chinese report said Friday,...

Today in Korean History.
January 1, 2005... January 1 1883 -- The port of Jemulpo, 40 kilometers west of Seoul, is renamed Incheon Port and its functions are expanded to commercial trade with foreign trade partners. It was around the time when the Joseon Dynasty, Korea's last...

Weak Economy Causes Number of Income Tax Payers to Fall in 2003.
January 2, 2005... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- The general slowdown in the South Korean economy caused the number of people who paid income taxes to fall in 2003 compared to the previous year, the National Tax Service (NTS) said Sunday. In its annual tax...

Political Crisis Erupts Surrounding Hotly Contested Bills.
January 2, 2005... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- A leadership crisis gripped South Korea's two leading political parties as critics within the ranks attacked key lawmakers over their handling of strongly contested bills, political observers said Sunday. The...

SK Telecom Attracts Majority in Mobile Service Provider Switch.
January 2, 2005... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- SK Telecom Co. attracted 60 percent of South Koreans who wanted to switch mobile service providers in the first two days of 2005, industry sources said Sunday. In the final phase since restrictions were removed on...

N.K. Says 'Epochal' Phase of S-N Reunification to Open This Year.
January 2, 2005... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- North Korea said Sunday that an epochal phase of the independent inter-Korean reunification will start this year if the two Koreas make all-out efforts to implement the inter-Korean summit declaration. "There...

(LEAD) LG Group Likely to Be LG Card's No. 3 Shareholder: Sources.
January 2, 2005... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- LG Group, a leading South Korean conglomerate, could emerge as the third-largest shareholder of troubled LG Card Co. after it agreed to join in an additional bailout of the nation's No. 2 credit card issuer, industry...

(LEAD) S. Korea May Raise Tsunami Aid by Additional US$50 Mln.
January 2, 2005... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea plans to increase the amount of money it sends to victims of the tsunami disaster by up to $50 million, Foreign Ministry sources said Sunday, Government insiders said the estimate comes after Foreign...

Welfare Minister Says Low Birth Rate May Lead to 'Catastrophe'.
January 2, 2005... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- Health and Welfare Minister Kim Geun-tae said Sunday that if South Korea's low birth rate did not change, it could lead to a "catastrophic" situation. Speaking to reporters, Kim said state policymakers needed to...

S. Korea May Raise Tsunami Aid by Additional US$50 Mln.
January 2, 2005... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea plans to increase the amount of money it plans to send to victims of the tsunami disaster by $50 million, Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon said Sunday, Speaking to reporters, Ban said the amount is...

(LEAD) Another S. Korean Confirmed Dead, Raising Tsunami Death Toll to 10.
January 2, 2005... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- A 45-year-old South Korean woman was found dead on a resort island in Thailand among the casualties from the tidal waves that hit South Asia, raising the number of South Korean deaths to 10, the Foreign Ministry...

S. Korea's Red Cross to Send Medical Team to Aceh Province.
January 2, 2005... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's Red Cross said Sunday it will send a 13-member emergency medical team on Monday to Indonesia's isolated Aceh province, where an estimated 100,000 people were feared dead from a killer tidal wave a week...

North Korea's Power Stations Begin New Year Operations: Report.
January 2, 2005... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- North Korea said Sunday its hydroelectric and coal-fired power plants have started New Year operations, pushing up electricity output drastically. "Power plants nationwide have begun their New Year output,"...

S. Korean Patients Allowed to Use Foreign Hospitals in FEZs.
January 2, 2005... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Koreans will be allowed to use foreign hospitals in three planned free economic zones (FEZs) from 2008 when they are supposed to start operations, as the National Assembly passed a related government bill...

International Oil Prices Forecast to Stay Around US$35 Per Barrel.
January 2, 2005... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- International oil prices will likely hover between US$33 and $35 per barrel this year, a local industry group said Sunday. In its report, however, the Korea Petroleum Association said the prices will likely soar to...

S. Korean Banks' Foreign Borrowing Plunges in 2004.
January 2, 2005... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korean banks' borrowing from foreign lenders dipped in 2004 from a year ago due to a rise in foreign-currency deposits and weak demand for loans, the country's financial watchdog said Sunday. Domestic banks...

S. Korea to Float 8 Tln Won of State Bonds in January.
January 2, 2005... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean government will issue 8.27 trillion won (US$7.98 billion) worth of state bonds in January, nearly double the amount of bonds floated in December, the Ministry of Finance and Economy said Sunday. ...

S. Korean Investment in Overseas Securities Doubles in 2004.
January 2, 2005... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korean investment in overseas stocks and bonds more than doubled in 2004 from a year ago as domestic interest rates remained low, a report showed Sunday. Outstanding investments by South Korean individuals...

Policy Bank Emerges as No. 1 Shareholder of KEPCO.
January 2, 2005... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- The state-run Korea Development Bank (KDB) has become the largest shareholder of Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO) by purchasing a 3.06-percent stake from the government, officials said Sunday. The Ministry of...

Hyundai Motor Aims to Increase Overseas Output 55.7 Pct.
January 2, 2005... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- Hyundai Motor Co., South Korea's largest automaker, is targeting a 55.7-percent increase in output at its overseas plants in an attempt to circumvent the won's strength against the dollar, a severe drop in domestic...

S. Korea to Support Private Investments in North Korea.
January 2, 2005... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will finance part of investments by its private companies in North Korean infrastructure in an effort to help lay the foundation for greater bilateral economic cooperation, officials said Sunday. To...

Total Apartment Market Value Rises 8 Pct Last Year.
January 2, 2005... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- The total market value of apartments in South Korea increased 8 percent year-on-year to 946.81 trillion won (US$913 billion) last year, sharply down from a 23.1-percent rise in 2003, an online real estate...

LG Group Likely to Be LG Card's No. 3 Shareholder: Sources.
January 2, 2005... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- LG Group, a leading South Korean conglomerate, could emerge as the third-largest shareholder of troubled LG Card Co. as it agreed to join an additional bailout of the nation's No. 2 card issuer, industry sources said...

Shipments to U.S., Europe, BRICs Help S. Korea Reach Export Record.
January 2, 2005... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's exports to the United States, the European Union and the so-called BRICs -- Brazil, Russia, India, and China -- increased sharply last year, the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) said...

N. Korea Raps U.S. for Human Rights Bill.
January 2, 2005... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- North Korea lashed out at a controversial U.S. human rights bill Sunday, saying the bill is aimed at toppling its regime. In October last year, Washington adopted the "North Korean Human Rights Act of 2004," which...

S. Korean Smaller Firms Pessimistic About Q1 Business Conditions.
January 2, 2005... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- The majority of small and midsize manufacturers in South Korea expect their business conditions to worsen in the first quarter from three months earlier, a survey said Sunday. The business survey index, which...

Sunday's Weather Forecast.
January 2, 2005... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- The following is the weather forecast for South Korea's 12 major cities at 9:00 a.m. Sunday. Temperature (C) Condition Possibility High/Low of Rain (%) Seoul 4/-5 Sunny ...

S. Korean Won Forecast to Rise 11 Pct vs Dollar.
January 2, 2005... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean won is likely to appreciate nearly 11 percent against the U.S. dollar this year from a year ago due mainly to America's weak dollar policy, a policy bank said Sunday. The local currency is...

Korean-American Students Run Shelter for N.K. Defectors in China.
January 3, 2005... SEOUL, Jan. 3 (Yonhap) -- A Korean-American students' group said Monday it opened a shelter in a major Chinese city last month for orphaned North Korean children. LiNK, established last year by ethnic Korean students in the United States,...

(3rd LD) Two More S. Koreans Confirmed Dead by Tsunami.
January 3, 2005... SEOUL, Jan. 3 (Yonhap) -- Two more South Koreans were confirmed dead from earthquake-powered tidal waves in South Asia, raising the South Korean death toll to 12, officials said Monday. A 37-year-old woman and her 11-year-old son, who were...

N. Korea Issues New ID Cards, Report Says.
January 3, 2005... SEOUL, Jan. 3 (Yonhap) -- North Korea has issued new ID cards to its people for the first time in five years, an Internet news outlet claimed Monday. The Seoul-based Daily NK, which specializes in North Korean affairs, said the new ID...

Local Cloning Expert's Research Team Applies for State Approval.
January 3, 2005... SEOUL, Jan. 3 (Yonhap) -- A South Korean stem cell research team led by world-renowned cloning expert Hwang Woo-suk applied Monday for government approval for the first time since new state guidelines for bioengineering came into effect this...

S. Korea Set to Mull Hike in Aid to Tsunami Victims.
January 3, 2005... SEOUL, Jan. 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will hold a meeting of civilian and government officials to discuss ways of providing more assistance to victims of the killer tidal waves that wreaked havoc on South Asian countries on Dec. 25.,...

N. Korea Sends New Year's Greetings to S. Korean Civic Groups.
January 3, 2005... SEOUL, Jan. 3 (Yonhap) -- A number of North Korean political and civic organizations have sent New Year's greetings to their southern counterparts, voicing anticipation for major inter-Korean anniversaries this year, a South Korean civic group...

Daewoo Shipbuilding Targets Sales of 4.4 Tln Won in 2005.
January 3, 2005... SEOUL, Jan. 3 (Yonhap) -- Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co. (DSME) said Monday it aims to post sales of 4.4 trillion won (US$4.2 billion) and win orders worth $6 billion this year. The sales target of the world's third-largest...

Conglomerates Spend Average 2.14 Bln Won for Entertainment.
January 3, 2005... SEOUL, Jan. 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korean conglomerates spent an average 2.14 billion won (US$2 million) on entertainment for their business partners in 2003 and contributed an average 4.3 billion won to charities, the tax authorities said...

S.Korea U-20 Team to Meet China in Qatar Invitational.
January 3, 2005... SEOUL, Jan. 3 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean under-20 football team are to play their Chinese counterparts Jan. 15, the Korea Football Association (KFA) said Monday. "The South Korean under-20 team will take part in the Qatar Youth...

Yonhap News Summary.
January 3, 2005... The following is the second summary of major stories moved by the Yonhap News Agency on Monday. ----------------------------- (LEAD) KOSPI Ends Lower on Profit-Taking SEOUL -- South Korean stocks ended Monday's session with mixed...

(2nd LD) One More S. Korean Confirmed Dead by Tsunami.
January 3, 2005... SEOUL, Jan. 3 (Yonhap) -- The confirmed number of South Koreans killed in the Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami rose Monday to 11, officials said. The Foreign Ministry said an 11-year-old South Korean boy who was listed as missing in...

Top Bracket Income Earners Number 31,000 in 2003.
January 3, 2005... SEOUL, Jan. 3 (Yonhap) -- The number of South Koreans earning after-tax incomes greater than 80 million won (US$77,000) per year rose to 31,000 in 2003, accounting for 0.5 percent of the nation's total 6.25 million registered workforce, the...

(LEAD) KOSPI Ends Lower on Profit-Taking.
January 3, 2005... SEOUL, Jan. 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks ended Monday's session with mixed results as late profit-taking overwhelmed program-buying forces. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) shed 2.21 points, or 0.24 percent, to...

(2nd LD) LG Telecom Loses Customers in Final Phase of Number Portability.
January 3, 2005... SEOUL, Jan. 3 (Yonhap) -- LG Telecom Ltd., the smallest of South Korea's three mobile phone operators, lost subscribers to SK Telecom Co. and KTF Co. as the final phase of number portability, which allows mobile phone users to switch carriers...

Roh Repeats Pledge Not to Meddle in Domestic Politics.
January 3, 2005... SEOUL, Jan. 3 (Yonhap) -- President Roh Moo-hyun Monday reiterated that he will abide by the principle of division of work between the government and the ruling party, saying he will not meddle in political affairs. While presiding over a...