YON - Yonhap News Agency of Korea articles from January 2006

YON - Yonhap News Agency of Korea archives from January 2006

Uzbek dies after migrant workers fight outside Seoul.
January 1, 2006... YONGIN, South Korea, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- A fight broke out between Filipino and Uzbek migrant workers on Sunday, killing one Uzbek and injuring three of his compatriots, police said. According to police, an Uzbek migrant worker died from a...

(2nd LD) Koreans come out in droves to see sun rise on 2006.
January 1, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- Braving biting winter cold, hundreds of thousands of South Koreans flocked to the nation's scenic eastern coastal points on Sunday to welcome the first sunrise of 2006 while leaving the capital city empty and serene....

Sailor's body pulled from fishing boat wreckage.
January 1, 2006... WAN ISLAND, South Korea, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- Rescuers salvaged the body of a sailor from his fishing vessel Sunday days after it sank and continued on their fourth day of search and rescue operations for the nine remaining crew members off South...

N. Korea hands custody of S. Korean driver to Hyundai Asan.
January 1, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- North Korea has delivered to Hyundai Asan Corp. the custody of a local driver whose traffic accident led to North Korean casualties in its scenic Mount Geumgang resort, the South Korean firm said Sunday. The...

Panel to announce final report on stem cell scandal around Jan. 10.
January 1, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- An academic panel investigating South Korean scientist Hwang Woo-suk's stem cell research plans to release its final report around Jan. 10, a source close to the panel said Sunday. The source also said the nine-member...

(LEAD) Ex-president Kim Dae-jung hopes to visit N. Korea by train.
January 1, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- Former South Korean President Kim Dae-jung wants to revisit North Korea by train, according to ruling party officials who paid a courtesy call on him Sunday. "I would like to go to North Korea again by train as...

Ex-president Kim Dae-jung hopes to visit N. Korean by train.
January 1, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- Former South Korean President Kim Dae-jung wants to revisit North Korea by train, according to ruling party officials who paid a courtesy call on him Sunday. "I would like to go to North Korea again by train as...

(3rd LD) S. Korea's exports reach record high in 2005.
January 1, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's exports gained 12.2 percent from a year earlier to a record US$284.7 billion in 2005 to mark the third straight year of a double-digit growth, a government report said Sunday. The preliminary tally...

Today in Korean History.
January 1, 2006... Jan. 2 2004 -- South Korea's foreign minister summons Japan's ambassador and lodges a strong protest over Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's visit to a controversial shrine honoring Japan's war dead, including World ...

Roh accepts resignation of unification, health ministers.
January 1, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- President Roh Moo-hyun has accepted separate offers by two ministers in charge of national welfare and unification, his office said Sunday. Unification Minister Chung Dong-young and Health and Welfare Minister Kim...

Gov't to sell 5.5 trillion won of Treasuries in January.
January 1, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will sell 5.5 trillion won (US$5.43 billion) worth of Treasuries in January, the Ministry of Finance and Economy said Sunday. On Tuesday, the government will auction off three-year Treasury bonds...

(LEAD) Hundreds of thousands of Koreans view 1st sunrise.
January 1, 2006... ULSAN, South Korea, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- Braving biting winter cold, hundreds of thousands of South Koreans flocked to the nation's scenic eastern coastal points on Sunday to welcome the first sunrise of 2006. "Dae Han Min Guk (Great...

(3rd LD) N. Korea stresses importance of military, agriculture in 2006.
January 1, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- North Korea vowed Sunday to continue to strengthen its military-first policy in 2006 while trying to rebuild its dilapidated economy with emphasis on its backward agriculture. In a joint editorial by its official...

Finance minister remains upbeat over economy in 2006.
January 1, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's economy will make a strong comeback this year to end its two-year slump, helped by a steady improvement in private spending and resilient exports, the country's top economic policymaker said Sunday. ...

(LEAD) Science needs more time before retracting Hwang's 2005 paper: report.
January 1, 2006... NEW YORK, Dec. 31 (Yonhap) -- The U. S. journal Science will need some more time before retracting South Korean scientist Hwang Woo-suk's discredited stem cell paper published in its May issue, the New York Times said Saturday. The...

(LEAD) S. Korea's exports reach record high in 2005.
January 1, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's exports gained 12.2 percent from a year earlier to a record US$284.7 billion last year to mark the third straight year of a double-digit rise, a government report said Sunday. The preliminary tally...

Science to take more time in retracting Hwang's 2005 paper: report.
January 1, 2006... NEW YORK, Dec. 31 (Yonhap) -- The U. S. journal Science will take time a little more than the originally expected schedule to retract South Korean scientist Hwang Woo-suk's discredited stem cell paper published in its May issue, the New York...

S. Korea's exports reach record high in 2005.
January 1, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's exports amounted to a record US$284.7 billion last year, up 12.2 percent from a year ago, the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy said Sunday. The preliminary tally also said the country's...

Seoul launches military procurement agency.
January 1, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea launched a streamlined military procurement agency on Sunday in an effort to enhance efficiency and transparency in its arms introduction projects. The Defense Acquisition Program Administration...

Tourists view 1st sunrise on Korean Peninsula.
January 1, 2006... POHANG, South Korea, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- A cape on South Korea's southeast coast was abuzz on Sunday with a crowd of tourists watching the first sunrise of the year. Tens of thousands of tourists packed a plaza in Homi Cape in the nation's...

Every S. Korean home expected to have at least one car this year.
January 1, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- Every South Korean home is expected to own at least one vehicle this year, an industry body said Sunday. South Korea's auto registration totaled 14.35 million as of the end of November, which compared with 15.53...

(New Year Message) BOK plans to keep soft rate bias.
January 1, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- The Bank of Korea (BOK) will maintain a soft interest rate environment in 2006 in support of the recovering economy, the central bank's chief said Sunday. "The current soft policy tack will be kept this year, but...

(New Year Message) Prime minister stresses closer ties with U. S.
January 1, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan said Sunday that the South Korean government will further strengthen its alliance with the U. S. and neighboring countries in 2006 to help resolve the North Korean nuclear problem. "The...

(New Year Message) Education minister calls for human resources development.
January 1, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's Education Minister Kim Jin-pyo said Sunday that his ministry will strive to reform the assessment system for local teachers and colleges and accelerate efforts to develop human resources in 2006. "The...

(New Year Message) Chung Sye-kyun to address economic polarization.
January 1, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's ruling Uri Party leader expressed hope on Sunday that the country could effectively address the problem of widening economic polarization by establishing balanced growth and distribution this year. ...

(New Year Message) Finance minister upbeat over economy in 2006.
January 1, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean economy will make a strong comeback from a two-year slump in 2006, helped by steady improvement in private spending and resilient exports, the country's top economic policymaker said Sunday. ...

(New Year Message) Assembly regrets strife, seeks democracy.
January 1, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- The National Assembly will strive to become a model for democracy in 2006, its speaker said Sunday, urging political parties to observe the law over their conflicting interests. "The assembly has gone through...

(New Year Message) Supreme court eyes reform to protect human rights.
January 1, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- The Supreme Court of Korea is seeking reformative measures in the New Year to better serve the interests of the public and protect individuals' human rights, its chief justice said Sunday. "The Supreme Court...

(New Year Message) Park Geun-hye pledges to defend liberal democracy.
January 1, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- Opposition leader Park Geun-hye pledged on Sunday that her party will focus on helping liberal democracy and the market economy flourish in the coming year. Park, chairperson of the leading opposition Grand...

N. Korea stresses agriculture, military in New Year editorial.(Editorial)
January 1, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- North Korea vowed Sunday to strengthen its military in 2006 while trying to rebuild its dilapidated economy with emphasis on agriculture. In a joint editorial by its official press, North Korea also appealed for...

(LEAD) Hopes fade for 10 missing fishermen of capsized boat.
January 1, 2006... WAN ISLAND, South Korea, Dec. 31 (Yonhap) -- Rescuers continued to search 10 fishermen missing when their boat capsized three days ago off South Korea's southwest coast but failed to find their traces, officials said. The 79-ton 1001 Hanil...

N. Korea congratulates Cuba on its 47th anniversary of revolution.
January 1, 2006... SEOUL, Dec. 31 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-il sent a message to Cuban President Fidel Castro on Saturday congratulating the Caribbean country's 47th anniversary of military revolution, the North's media reported. "Cuba has made...

S. Korea sees largest-ever number of foreign visitors this year.
January 1, 2006... SEOUL, Dec. 31 (Yonhap) -- The number of foreigners visiting South Korea exceeded 6 million for the first time in history this year, Seoul's tourism authorities said Saturday. The new record was set on the last day of the year with the 6...

(LEAD) N. Korea says nuclear resolution unlikely due to U. S.hostility.
January 1, 2006... SEOUL, Dec. 31 (Yonhap) -- North Korea on Saturday painted a grim picture of future negotiations over its nuclear program due to what it described as U. S. hostility presenting a barrier to the resumption of nuclear talks and a peaceful...

Rescue mission continues for 10 missing fishermen.
January 1, 2006... WAN ISLAND, South Korea, Dec. 31 (Yonhap) -- Rescue missions continued Saturday to locate the missing crew members of a South Korean fishing boat that capsized earlier in the week. More than 300 rescue and police officials have been...

(LEAD) Hwang denies cloning scam: Buddhist newspaper.
January 1, 2006... SEOUL, Dec. 31 (Yonhap) -- Disgraced South Korean scientist Hwang Woo-suk has denied his landmark 2005 paper on cloning was a sham and called on prosecutors to conduct a probe into his claim that his patient-matched stem cells were stolen,...

N. Korea says nuclear resolution unlikely due to U. S. hostility.
January 1, 2006... SEOUL, Dec. 31 (Yonhap) -- North Korea on Saturday painted a grim picture of future negotiations over its nuclear program due to what it described as U. S. hostility presenting a barrier to the resumption of nuclear talks and a peaceful...

Hwang denies cloning scam: Buddhist newspaper.
January 1, 2006... SEOUL, Dec. 31 (Yonhap) -- Disgraced South Korean scientist Hwang Woo-suk has denied his landmark 2005 paper on cloning was a sham and called on prosecutors to conduct a probe into his claim that his patient-matched stem cells were stolen,...

(Yonhap Interview) Prime minister sees constitutional reform as pressing concern for 2006.
January 2, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- Vigorous debate over how to revise the nation's constitution is expected to dominate South Korean politics in the second half of this year, the prime minister said Monday. "We have not had an in-depth review of the...

(Yonhap Interview) Ban credited with improved Seoul-Washington ties.
January 2, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- Two years ago, Ban Ki-moon assumed the job of South Korea's top diplomat with the daunting task of defusing worries about the health of Seoul-Washington ties. In one of the most positive assessments of his job...

Seoul may name nominee for prized U. N. secretary-general post.
January 2, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea is likely to field a candidate to replace U. N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan when he steps down at the end of this year, the country's foreign minister said Monday. "It's true that we've been...

Working with China on N. K. one of top issues for U. S.: N. Y. Times.
January 2, 2006... WASHINGTON, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- U. S. cooperation with China to resolve nuclear problems of North Korea and Iran is one of the top 10 issues for the year 2006, according to the New York Times on Sunday. The focus on China had been delayed until...

Hyundai Motor Group targets 17.6 pct sales growth in 2006.
January 2, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- Hyundai Motor Group, South Korea's dominant auto conglomerate, said Monday it will seek to boost sales by an annual 17.6 percent to 100 trillion won (US$98.7 billion) this year. The conglomerate, whose two flagships...

Vision for the future.
January 2, 2006... (EDITORIAL from the Korea Herald on Jan. 2) In his New Year's message, President Roh Moo-hyun emphasized the need for Korea to prepare for the future. He said, "We cannot be optimistic about our future two or three decades from now, if we stick...

Other schools need research supervisory committees.
January 2, 2006... (EDITORIAL from the Hankyoreh on Jan. 2) Seoul National University (SNU) has decided to establish a permanent supervisory committee on truth in research, as a result of the falsifications of professor Hwang Woo-suk and his team of researchers....

Top headlines in major South Korean newspapers.
January 2, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- The following are the top headlines in major Korean newspapers on Jan. 2. Vernacular dailies -- 'No future without national unity' (Kyunghyang Shinmun) -- Gov't to embark on 'alcohol control' (Kukmin...

Scientists map chimps' genetic code, clarify human evolution.
January 2, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- A group of researchers from South Korea and Japan has deciphered the Y chromosomes of chimpanzees' genetic code to provide some concrete answers to the mysteries surrounding human evolution, a researcher said Monday....

(3rd LD) S. Koreans come out in droves to see sun rise on new year.
January 2, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- Hundreds of thousands of South Koreans Sunday flocked to the nation's scenic eastern coastal points to watch the first sunrise of 2006 and make their New Year's wishes. "Dae Han Min Guk (Great Republic of Korea),"...

Gov't workers to see only 2-percent pay rise this year.
January 2, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean government officials and workers will have their expected wage increase of 3 percent trimmed to 2 percent, according to officials Monday. The Civic Commission Service, which is in charge of government...

Credit card spending in S. Korea hits 36-month high in December.
January 3, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korean credit card spending reached a 36-month high in December, an indication that private spending is on a recovery track, industry sources said Tuesday. Cardholders charged a total of 19.53 trillion won...

Cabinet must not be influenced by election politics.
January 3, 2006... (EDITORIAL from the Hankyoreh on Jan. 3)President Roh Moo-hyun's cabinet shuffle appears to have failed to impress the country. To begin with, it was largely a makeshift move instead of being the result of detailed diagnosis of what has been...

Cabinet choices disappoint.
January 3, 2006... (EDITORIAL from JoongAng Daily on Jan. 3) The cabinet changes that President Roh Moo-hyun announced yesterday in four ministries were utterly disappointing. They were poles apart from the people's anticipation that he would lead the country in...

Korean peninsula in 2006.
January 3, 2006... (EDITORIAL from the Korea Times on Jan. 3) In its New Year's message, Pyongyang stressed the need for furthering inter-Korean ties with no mention of its nuclear issue. It confirmed many analysts' predictions that cooperation and exchanges...

S. Korea's foreign reserves hit US$210.39 bln in December.
January 3, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's foreign exchange reserves rose by more than US$2 billion in December to reach $210.39 billion at the end of last month, the Bank of Korea said Tuesday. The foreign reserves were up $2.16 billion from the...

Korean culture succeeds in China with Asian face on Western values.
January 3, 2006... WASHINGTON, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korean culture succeeded in winning over China, a country with which it had no formal ties until 1992, because it put an Asian face to Western culture, the New York Times reported Monday. In an extensive...

U. S. enacts law to sell war stockpile to South Korea.
January 3, 2006... WASHINGTON, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- U. S. President George W. Bush signed into law a bill for the United States to sell its war reserve stockpile in South Korea, officials here said Monday. Signed on Friday, the new law gives three years for the...

Top headlines in major South Korean newspapers.
January 3, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 3 (Yonhap) -- The following are the top headlines in major Korean newspapers on Jan. 3. Vernacular dailies -- Cabinet shakeup affects four ministers (Kyunghyang Shinmun) -- Roh replaces four ministers (Kukmin Daily) ...

S. Korea's air force chief flies over disputed islets.
January 3, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's Air Force chief of staff on Monday led a formation flight over islets at the center of a territorial dispute between South Korea and Japan to encourage his air force and check the nation's air defense...

Roh likely to retain his secretary for civil affairs.
January 3, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- President Roh Moo-hyun is expected to retain a key aide in a reshuffle of his top secretaries later this month, officials said Monday. Last month, Moon Jae-in, presidential secretary for civil affairs, expressed an...

National team goalie reviews national coaches in his autobiography.
January 3, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- Lee Woon-jae, goal keeper for the South Korean national football team, delivers insightful reviews of his past and present coaches, including current national coach Dick Advocaat, in his autography published Monday. ...

SNU panel informs journal Science of Hwang Woo-suk probe results.
January 3, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's top university said Monday it has forwarded the interim investigation results on Hwang Woo-suk's stem cell research to the journal Science. A spokesperson for the nine-member panel at Seoul National...

Yonhap News Summary.
January 3, 2006... The following is the second summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency on Monday. --------------- S. Korea's 2006 diplomacy to focus on resolving nuclear crisis: FM SEOUL -- South Korea's diplomacy in the coming...

(2nd LD) LG, Samsung develop world's first DVB-H, Media FLO phones.
January 3, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's top two electronics giants said Monday that they have developed the world's first wireless phones based on the DVB-H and Media FLO mobile broadcasting standards. DVB-H or digital video...

S. Korea's 2006 diplomacy to focus on resolving nuclear crisis: FM.
January 3, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's diplomacy in the coming year will be focused on resolving the North Korean nuclear crisis, Seoul's foreign minister said Monday. Delivering a speech to the employees of the Foreign Ministry to start...

N. Korea urges Japan to resolve its past to normalize ties.
January 3, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- North Korea on Monday dismissed Japan's demands to address the issue of Japanese abductees, claiming the major obstacle preventing the normalization of ties between the two is Japan's continued refusal to resolve its...

(LEAD) Seoul shares end higher on tech, auto gains.
January 3, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks closed higher Monday as gains in tech and auto shares lifted the market. The U. S. dollar fell against the Korean won. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 9.90...

MBC to resume broadcasting of controversial program.
January 3, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- A major South Korean TV network said Monday it will resume broadcasts of its controversial documentary program on Tuesday with the first part of a three-part series on the country's disgraced cloning scientist and his...

(2nd LD) S. Korea's annual car sales top 5 mln for first time in 2005.
January 3, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- Annual car sales by South Korean automakers, led by Hyundai Motor Co. and Kia Motors Corp., surpassed 5 million units last year for the first time, data showed Monday. South Korean carmakers sold a total of 5.21...

T-commerce expected to spur growth in local home shopping industry.
January 3, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- Television-based commerce will likely spur growth in South Korea's home shopping industry and emerge as a new distribution outlet this year, a leading private think tank said Monday. The so-called t-commerce...

Seoul shares end higher on tech, auto gains.
January 3, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks closed higher Monday as gains in tech and auto shares lifted the market. The U. S. dollar fell against the Korean won. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 9.90...

Narrowing income gap is goal of this year's state affairs: premier.
January 3, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- The government will channel its efforts into narrowing the widening disparity between the rich and poor and promoting the unity of the people in the new year, the prime minister affirmed on Monday. "The primary...

(LEAD) S. Korea's annual car sales top 5 mln for first time in 2005.
January 3, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- Annual car sales by South Korean automakers, led by Hyundai Motor Co. and Kia Motors Corp., surpassed 5 million units last year for the first time, data showed Monday. South Korean carmakers sold a total of 5.21...

Seoul issues travel warning for Saudi Arabia.
January 3, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea issued a travel warning for Saudi Arabia on Monday, citing security concerns. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said in a warning posted on its Web site (www. Mofat. Go. Kr) that there were...

(2nd LD) President Roh conducts partial Cabinet reshuffle.
January 3, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- President Roh Moo-hyun carried out a partial Cabinet shakeup on Monday affecting the science, unification, commerce and labor ministries, his secretary said. Former Presidential Chief of Staff Kim Woo-shik was...

Seoul to introduce commodity futures this year.
January 3, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea plans to introduce a futures market for commodities such as pork and petrochemical goods, the country's bourse operator said Monday. The Korea Exchange also said it plans to introduce Japanese yen and...

S. Korea's annual car sales top 5 mln for first time in 2005.
January 3, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- Annual car sales by South Korean automakers, led by Hyundai Motor Co. and Kia Motors Corp., surpassed 5 million units last year for the first time, data showed Monday. South Korean carmakers posted a combined 15.6...

(LEAD) Hyundai Motor's vehicle sales rise 11 pct in 2005.
January 3, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- Hyundai Motor Co., South Korea's No. 1 automaker, said Monday its vehicle sales in 2005 rose 11 percent from a year earlier, mainly driven by strong exports. Hyundai Motor sold a total of 2.53 million units last...

(LEAD) LG Electronics develops world's first DVB-H, Media FLO phones.
January 3, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- LG Electronics Inc., South Korea's second-largest electronics maker, said Monday it has developed the world's first handsets based on DVB-H and Media FLO mobile broadcasting standards. DVB-H, or digital video...

Kia Motors' vehicle sales rise 13.9 percent in 2005.
January 3, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- Kia Motors Corp., South Korea's No. 2 automaker, said Monday its 2005 vehicle sales rose 13.9 percent from a year ago to 1.26 million units. (THROUGH ASIA PULSE)

Ruling party leader named new commerce, industry minister.
January 3, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- New Commerce, Industry and Energy Minister Chung Sye-kyun has an extensive range of experience and connections in the business sector. Chung, 56, former chairman and floor leader of the ruling Uri Party, has been...

(LEAD) GM Daewoo's vehicle sales rise 28.6 pct in 2005.
January 3, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- GM Daewoo Auto & Technology Co., South Korea's third-largest automaker, said Monday its vehicle sales in 2005 gained 28.6 percent from a year ago, led by higher foreign demand. GM Daewoo sold a total of 1.15...

(LEAD) Renault Samsung Motor's vehicle sales jump 40 pct in 2005.
January 3, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- Renault Samsung Motor Co., South Korea's smallest automaker, said Monday its vehicle sales in 2005 jumped 39.9 percent from the previous year, buoyed by robust domestic sales. Renault Samsung, 70 percent owned by...

New unification minister likely to bring balanced view on N. Korea.
January 3, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- Unification Minister-nominee Lee Jong-seok is expected to provide new insights into the true nature of North Korea to help the ministry form a more balanced view of the communist state, observers said Monday. A...

Former human rights lawyer appointed labor minister.
January 3, 2006... SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- Lee Sang-soo, appointed labor minister on Monday, made a political comeback with the help of President Roh Moo-hyun after he was sent to prison for receiving illegal political funds during the 2002 presidential...