YON - Yonhap News Agency of Korea articles from July 2006

YON - Yonhap News Agency of Korea archives from July 2006

S. Korean exports reach record US$28.2 bln in June.
July 1, 2006... SEOUL, July 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's exports reached a record high of US$28.2 billion in June fueled by strong overseas demand for autos, semiconductors and ships, a government report said Saturday. The figure represents a 19.2 percent...

S. Korean movie workers to take to streets to rap free trade deal with U. S.
July 1, 2006... SEOUL, July 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean movie workers will suspend their work and take to the streets Saturday to denounce a proposed free trade deal with the United States that has already dealt a blow to the domestic movie industry, organizers...

Business-friendly Jeju.
July 1, 2006... (EDITORIAL from the Korea Herald on July 1)Provinces, metropolises, and municipalities are swearing in new governors, mayors, county heads and council members today. Among them is Kim Tae-hwan, a second-term governor of Jeju Province, who...

Replace, don't reshuffle.
July 1, 2006... (EDITORIAL from the JoongAng Daily on July 1) President Roh Moo-hyun is reported to plan to replace the minister of finance and economy, the education minister, the minister of planning and budget and the chief presidential secretary for...

Kim denies being abducted by NK.
July 1, 2006... (EDITORIAL from the Korea Times on July 1)Kim Young-nam, believed to have been abducted by North Korea in 1978 when he was 16, denied that he was forcibly taken to the North during a press conference at Mt. Kumgang Thursday. Kim went...

Top headlines in major South Korean newspapers.
July 1, 2006... SEOUL, July 1 (Yonhap) -- The following are the top headlines in major Korean newspapers on July 1. Vernacular dailies -- Vice prime ministers for economy and education to be replaced early next week (Kyunghyang Shinmun) -- Three...

ITC retains antidumping duty on South Korean steel products.
July 1, 2006... WASHINGTON, June 30 (Yonhap) -- The U. S. International Trade Commission (ITC) on Thursday decided to retain a countervailing duty on steel pipe products from South Korea and other exporter countries. Revoking the antidumping duty would be...

Guam's legislator submits resolution on N. K. missile.
July 1, 2006... WASHINGTON, June 30 (Yonhap) -- A U. S. congresswoman submitted a resolution urging North Korea to abandon its missile development and pledging U. S. support for all countries threatened by such provocation, her office said Friday. Rep....

North Korea accuses U. S. of conducting 220 spy flights in June.
July 1, 2006... SEOUL, June 30 (Yonhap) -- North Korea claimed Friday that U. S. spy planes flew 220 surveillance sorties over its territory in June, with special focus paid to an area where its missile launch site is located. "The U. S. imperialists...

Hyundai Motor's union gains more power after splitting from umbrella group.
July 1, 2006... SEOUL, June 30 (Yonhap) -- Unionized workers of Hyundai Motor Co., South Korea's top automaker, voted Friday for their union to separate from a national umbrella labor group, paving the way for the union to exercise more power in disputes with...

Finance minister expresses intention to step down.
July 1, 2006... SEOUL, June 30 (Yonhap) -- Han Duck-soo, South Korea's top economic policymaker, said Friday he has informed President Roh Moo-hyun of his intention to step down. Han confirmed remarks by his spokesman earlier in the day that he forwarded...

Floor leader of S. Korea's main opposition party resigns to run for leadership.
July 1, 2006... SEOUL, June 30 (Yonhap) -- The floor leader of South Korea's main opposition party offered his resignation Friday to enable him to run for party chairman next month. Rep. Lee Jae-oh of the Grand National Party (GNP), stepped down in order...

Yonhap News Summary.
July 1, 2006... The following is the second summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency on Friday. ------------------- (3rd LD) Hyundai Motor's union gains more power after splitting from umbrella group SEOUL -- Unionized workers of...

Dominican leader says his country can serve as springboard for S. Korea's exports to U. S.
July 1, 2006... SEOUL, June 30 (Yonhap) -- The Dominican Republic can serve as an access point for South Korean companies to reach out to the eastern seaboard of the United States, the president of the Dominican Republic, Leonel Fernandez, said during his...

Finance minister Han Duck-soo wants to step down: spokesman.
July 1, 2006... SEOUL, June 30 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's top economic policymaker Han Duck-soo has expressed his desire to step down, a spokesman for the Ministry of Finance and Economy said Friday. The official said Han forwarded his position to the...

S. Korean economy to expand 5.2 pct in 2006 on private spending.
July 1, 2006... SEOUL, June 30 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's economy is expected to grow 5.2 percent this year on the back of a fast recovery in consumer spending, a private institute said Friday, upgrading its previous outlook. Asia's fourth-largest economy...

S. Korea, U. S. to begin talks on transfer of U. S. war reserves.
July 1, 2006... SEOUL, June 30 (Yonhap) -- South Korean and U. S. officials are expected to open negotiations later this year on Washington's proposal to sell its war reserve stockpiles to Seoul, the U. S. command here said Friday. The U. S. has...

Heath authorities unable to determine cause of school food poisoning.
July 1, 2006... SEOUL, June 30 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's health and food watchdog said Friday it has failed to determine the cause of widespread food poisoning that caused many schools to stop providing lunches to students. The Korea Center for Disease...

S. Korea, U. S. to begin talks on transfer of U. S. war reserves.
July 1, 2006... SEOUL, June 30 (Yonhap) -- South Korean and U. S. officials are expected to open negotiations later this year on Washington's proposal to sell its war reserve stockpiles to Seoul, the U. S. command here said Friday. The U. S. has...

Parliament passes bill requiring schools to directly manage catering service.
July 1, 2006... SEOUL, June 30 (Yonhap) -- The National Assembly passed a law Friday that requires schools to directly manage their catering services following a massive food poisoning outbreak at local schools earlier in the month. The law prohibits...

Seoul mulls population caps in capital area.
July 1, 2006... SEOUL, June 30 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's Construction Ministry said Friday that it plans to set ceilings on the number of residents in Seoul and its vicinity as part of efforts to curb population inflows into the country's most populous region....

Education minister offers to resign over food poisoning incident at schools.
July 1, 2006... SEOUL, June 30 (Yonhap) -- Education Minister Kim Jin-pyo offered to resign on Friday, holding himself responsible for this month's massive outbreak of food poisoning at local schools. "I deeply apologize for the food poisoning incident and...

Hyundai Motor's union votes to secede from umbrella labor group.
July 1, 2006... SEOUL, June 30 (Yonhap) -- Unionized workers of Hyundai Motor Co., South Korea's top automaker, voted for their union to split from the larger Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), union representatives said Friday. As a result, the...

Seoul shares stage strong rally on U. S. Fed's hint of rate pause.
July 1, 2006... SEOUL, June 30 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks closed sharply higher Friday as investor sentiment got a strong boost from the U. S. Federal Reserve's hint that it may end its two-year credit-tightening campaign soon. The South Korean won rose...

Sports complex named after Hines Ward to be built in South Korea.
July 1, 2006... SEOUL, June 30 (Yonhap) -- A sports complex four times the size of Disneyland is to be built in South Korea, with the investor planning to name it after a Korean-American football star, according to a news report on Friday. The theme park,...

NCSoft denies negligence charges in massive name theft case.
July 1, 2006... SEOUL, June 30 (Yonhap) -- NCSoft Corp., the nation's leading online game maker, denied on Friday the allegation that it has not taken enough measures to prevent identification theft, following massive thefts that swept its online game site...

Seoul shares stage strong rally on U. S. Fed's hint of rate pause.
July 1, 2006... SEOUL, June 30 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks closed sharply higher Friday as investor sentiment got a strong boost from the U. S. Federal Reserve's hint that it may end its two-year credit-tightening campaign soon. The South Korean won rose...

Hyundai Motor union set to secede from umbrella labor group.
July 1, 2006... SEOUL, June 30 (Yonhap) -- Unionized workers of Hyundai Motor Co., South Korea's top automaker, are expected to vote for their union to split from the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), the umbrella labor organization said Friday. ...

South Korean boat leaves port to survey waters off Dokdo.
July 2, 2006... BUSAN, July 2 (Yonhap) -- A South Korean boat left port in Busan at 10:30 p. M. to conduct a survey of waters off the islets of Dokdo in the East Sea, National Oceanographic Research Institute officials said Sunday. (THROUGH ASIA PULSE)

Cho Nam-chul, S. Korea's 'baduk' master, dies at 83.(Obituary)
July 2, 2006... SEOUL, July 2 (Yonhap) -- Cho Nam-chul, one of South Korea's "baduk" masters, died of natural causes on Sunday at the age of 83, his family said. Cho devoted his whole life to working to boost the popularity of the two-person board game...

Cho Nam-chul, S. Korea's 'baduk' master, dies at 83.(Obituary)
July 2, 2006... SEOUL, July 2 (Yonhap) -- Cho Nam-chul, one of South Korea's "baduk" masters, died of natural causes on Sunday at the age of 83, his family said. Cho devoted his whole life to working to boost the popularity of the two-person board game...

South Korea's 'baduk' legend Cho Nam-chul dies.
July 2, 2006... SEOUL, July 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea "baduk" legend Cho Nam-chul died of old age on Sunday, his family said. He was 83. Baduk, also known by its Japanese name "go," is a checkers-like game popular throughout East Asia. (THROUGH ASIA...

President Roh likely to carry out partial Cabinet reshuffle Monday.
July 2, 2006... SEOUL, July 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun will likely appoint new ministers for education, finance and budget in a partial Cabinet reshuffle as early as Monday, presidential sources said Sunday. "The date has yet to be...

S. Korea, China, Japan agree to boost number of visitors by 40 pct by 2010.
July 2, 2006... SEOUL, July 2 (Yonhap) -- Top tourism officials of South Korea, China and Japan agreed Sunday to boost the number of visitors among the three nations by more than 40 percent by 2010, government officials said. Under the agreement, the...

S. Korean companies likely to post sluggish Q2 earnings: experts.
July 2, 2006... SEOUL, July 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's key industries of electronics, oil refining and petrochemical and cars are likely to post sluggish second-quarter earnings reports, industry experts warned Sunday ahead of the April-June earnings season...

S. Korean scientists find cancer-causing protein, expand treatment opportunities.
July 2, 2006... SEOUL, July 2 (Yonhap) -- A team of South Korean scientists said Sunday it has verified that the growth and metastasis of human cancer is caused, in many instances, by the E2-EPF ubiquitin carrier protein (UCP). The discovery, made by a...

S. Korean husband of former Japanese abductee said wife died: family.
July 2, 2006... JEONJU, South Korea, July 2 (Yonhap) -- The family of a South Korean man believed abducted to North Korea decades ago on Sunday quoted him as having said that Japan is deliberately making false claims about his former wife, a Japanese citizen...

Eight members of opposition GNP to face off in party leadership election.
July 2, 2006... SEOUL, July 2 (Yonhap) -- Eight former and incumbent officials of South Korea's main opposition Grand National Party (GNP) completed registering their candidacies for the leadership of the party Sunday. "I will lead the party to victory in the...

Ministers of S. Korea, Japan, China agree to promote tourism.
July 2, 2006... SEOUL, July 2 (Yonhap) -- Tourism ministers from South Korea, Japan and China agreed Sunday to make efforts to raise the number of tourist visits among the three nations to 17 million in five years from the current 5 million, Japan's Kyodo News...

Gov't eyes revising law to allow spouses to inherit half of property.
July 2, 2006... SEOUL, July 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's Ministry of Justice plans to implement a law revision aimed at allowing widows and widowers to inherit half of their late spouse's property regardless of the number of children also eligible for...

Former floor leader of opposition GNP declares bid for party leadership.
July 2, 2006... SEOUL, July 2 (Yonhap) -- The former floor leader of South Korea's main opposition Grand National Party (GNP) on Sunday declared his bid for the party leadership, increasing to eight the number of people who have declared their candidacy or are...

S. Korea's exports expected to hit record high of $320 bln in 2006: report.
July 2, 2006... SEOUL, July 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's annual exports are expected to reach US$320 billion this year, the highest amount ever, despite the won's strength against the U. S. dollar and high oil and raw material prices, a state-run trade agency's...

Today in Korean History.
July 2, 2006... July 3 1961 -- Army Maj. Gen. Park Chung-hee takes office as chairman of the Supreme Council for National Reconstruction, a military junta that ruled South Korea. On May 16, Park staged a coup to seize power. 1971 -- South Korea opens...

Gov't eyes revising law to allow widows to inherit half of husband's property.
July 2, 2006... SEOUL, July 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's Ministry of Justice plans to implement a law revision aimed at allowing a widow to inherit half of her late husband's property as part of its efforts to improve the economic status of women, government...

Two-income families have three times more to save: report.
July 2, 2006... SEOUL, July 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korean households in which both spouses work have nearly three times more money to save than those in which only one spouse is employed, according to a government report released Sunday. According to the...

S. Korean high schooler clinches silver medal in international ballet competition.
July 2, 2006... SEOUL, July 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's Park Sae-eun was the de facto winner of the junior women's division of an international ballet competition this week in the United States, a local group of Park's supporters said Sunday. At the eighth...

POSCO's price hike triggers chain reaction.
July 2, 2006... SEOUL, July 2 (Yonhap) -- Recent moves by South Korea's steelmakers to lift product prices, led by the world's fifth-largest steelmaker POSCO, have raised concern over increasing raw material costs in major industries, industry sources said...

Chinese city of Harbin hopes to increase Korean investment through 'South Korea Week'.
July 2, 2006... SHENYANG, China, July 2 (Yonhap) -- China's northeastern city of Harbin is set to mark its friendship with South Korea with various festivities and events this week, city officials and Korean-Chinese organizers there said Sunday. More than...

Trade, industrial output, consumption to increase in second half: think tank.
July 2, 2006... SEOUL, July 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's foreign trade, industrial output and consumption are expected to grow in the second half of the year, according to a report released Sunday by a state-run economic think tank. The report, compiled by...

S. Korea to purchase 250-million-barrel oil sands mine in Canada.
July 2, 2006... SEOUL, July 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea plans to buy an oil sands mine in Canada that is expected to produce 250 million barrels of oil, the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy said Sunday. It said the size of the deposits of the mine...

Over 50 pct of S. Korea's CEOs gloomy on first-half earnings: poll.
July 2, 2006... SEOUL, July 2 (Yonhap) -- More than half of South Korea's top executives believe their earnings in the first half of this year may have fell short of targets mainly due to sluggish domestic consumption, according to a poll released Sunday by a...

S. Korean firm's 'diabetic phone' gets approval from U. S. drug watchdog.
July 2, 2006... SEOUL, July 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korean medical equipment supplier Healthpia Co. said Sunday the U. S. Food and Drug Administration has given the green light to its mobile diabetes monitoring service. The so-called diabetic phone, developed...

North Korean vice-premier meets Cuban leader Fidel Castro.
July 2, 2006... SEOUL, July 1 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's vice-premier of the cabinet met with Cuban leader Fidel Castro in Havana earlier this week, the North's state media reported Saturday. "Fidel Castro exchanged pleasant conversation with the visiting...

Foreign Minister Ban mentions qualifications of next U. N. secretary general.
July 2, 2006... SEOUL, July 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon, in a speech to an Africa Union meeting currently underway in Gambia, said the next secretary general of the United Nations should be a leader who can bring rivals together,...

Lawmaker calls for parliamentary probe into N. K. abduction issue.
July 2, 2006... SEOUL, July 1 (Yonhap) -- An opposition lawmaker said Saturday that the National Assembly should conduct an investigation into North Korea's alleged abduction of South Korean nationals. More than 480 South Koreans, mostly fishermen, are...

S. Korean movie workers take to streets rap free trade deal with U. S.
July 2, 2006... SEOUL, July 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean film industry employees took to the streets Saturday to denounce a proposed free trade deal with the United States that has already dealt a blow to the domestic movie industry. A cut to the country's...

China proposes unofficial six-party nuclear talks: report.
July 2, 2006... TOKYO, July 1 (Yonhap) -- China has proposed unofficial six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear weapons program amid persistent regional concerns over Pyongyang's reported plan to test a long-range missile, a news report said Saturday. ...

Dubai oil prices forecast to average US$65 a barrel in 2nd half.
July 2, 2006... SEOUL, July 1 (Yonhap) -- Prices of Dubai crude in the second half are expected to be much higher than in the first six months, officials said Saturday, pointing to their negative impact on the South Korean economy. South Korea, the world's...

Today in Korean History.
July 2, 2006... July 2 1950 -- An Australian air force unit leaves for Korea to join the U. S.-led U. N. command which fought on South Korea's side in the 1950-53 Korean War. Shortly after the war broke out on June 25 with a North Korean invasion of South...

Seoul wary of Japan's reported maritime survey plan.
July 2, 2006... SEOUL, July 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea remained cautious Saturday about Japan's reported plan to carry out a survey near a set of islets in the East Sea if Seoul pushes ahead with its own study there. Citing an unnamed Foreign Ministry official,...

S. Korean exports reach record US$28.2 bln in June.
July 2, 2006... SEOUL, July 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean exports reached a record high of US$28.2 billion in June fueled by strong overseas demand for autos, semiconductors and ships, a government report said Saturday. The figure represents a 19.2 percent...

S. Korea's machinery production increases 11 pct in H1: report.
July 2, 2006... SEOUL, July 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's machinery production increased 11.1 percent annually to 131 trillion won (US$137.81 billion) during the first half of this year, a report said Saturday. According to the Korea Association of Machinery...

Easing of uncertainty on Fed's interest rate stance likely to boost local bourse.
July 2, 2006... SEOUL, July 1 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean stock market is likely to maintain its upward momentum next week, thanks to the easing of uncertainty among investors over the U. S.'s stance on interest rates, analysts here said Saturday. The...

U. N. council reappoints special rapporteur for N. Korean human rights.
July 2, 2006... SEOUL, July 1 (Yonhap) -- The term of a U. N. council's special rapporteur for North Korean human rights has been extended by another year, a spokesman for the council was quoted as saying Saturday. Rolando Gomez, an information officer from...

S. Korean exports reach record US$28.2 bln in June.
July 2, 2006... SEOUL, July 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean exports reached a record high of US$28.2 billion in June fueled by strong overseas demand for autos, semiconductors and ships, a government report said Saturday. The figure represents a 19.2 percent...

S. Korean exporters jittery over strong won, high energy prices.
July 3, 2006... SEOUL, July 3 (Yonhap) -- A majority of South Korean exporters predict favorable business conditions in the third quarter of this year, but the optimistic view is being affected by a firmer local currency and higher energy and raw material...

S. Korean businesses pessimistic on economy in July.
July 3, 2006... SEOUL, July 3 (Yonhap) -- A majority of South Korean companies are pessimistic about the nation's economy in July as they fear rising oil prices and the won's ascent to the U. S. dollar may erode their profits, a survey showed Monday. The...

Seoul, Tokyo set for diplomatic standoff over Dokdo.
July 3, 2006... SEOUL, July 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korea appeared Monday to be on another diplomatic collision course with Japan, a day after it launched a ship to conduct a scientific survey near a set of rocky South Korean islets in the East Sea. The...

S. Korea locates presumed fuselage of crashed F-15K fighter.
July 3, 2006... SEOUL, July 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's Air Force has found out the whereabouts of what is presumed to be the fuselage of a crashed F-15K fighter jet in the East Sea, a key step toward retrieving the flight data recorder, informed defense...

Pyongyang invites Japanese journalists to purported grave of abductee: official.
July 3, 2006... SEOUL, July 3 (Yonhap) -- North Korea has offered to invite Japan's journalists to its capital Pyongyang before the end of the month in an apparent attempt to repeat its claim that a Japanese citizen it has admitted to kidnapping decades ago is...

President Roh to replace three key ministers Monday.
July 3, 2006... SEOUL, July 3 (Yonhap) -- President Roh Moo-hyun is scheduled to carry out a partial Cabinet reshuffle Monday afternoon, replacing three key ministers, including the finance and education ministers, a source at the presidential office Cheong Wa...

Kookmin Bank to push for business expansion in second half.
July 3, 2006... SEOUL, July 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's top lender Kookmin Bank will try to greatly expand its business in the second half with an improved business strategy, its chief said Monday. "With a creative mind and heightened concentration,...

Logistics firm Korea Express launches Japanese unit.
July 3, 2006... SEOUL, July 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korean logistics company Korea Express Co. said Monday it has launched a Japanese subsidiary to tap the logistics market in the neighboring country. The Tokyo-based Korex Logistics Japan Co., capitalized at...

Two U. S. chipmakers accuse Qualcomm of unfair market practices.
July 3, 2006... SEOUL, July 3 (Yonhap) -- Two U. S. chip-making giants filed a complaint with South Korea's antitrust watchdog against Qualcomm Inc., accusing the San Diego-based chip manufacturer of abusing its market dominance, sources said Monday. The...

Seoul shares open lower on recent surges ahead of CPI data.
July 3, 2006... SEOUL, July 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks started weaker Monday as institutions sat on their hands following last week's sharp rises, and ahead of the release of the consumer price index. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index...

U. S., Korea negotiating defensive missile sale: U. S. agency.
July 3, 2006... WASHINGTON, July 2 (Yonhap) -- The United States is negotiating sales of defensive missiles to South Korea in a deal that could go as high as $US111 million, the U. S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said on its Web site. In a...

Cheju Island turns into city state: expectations high for economic hub in Northeast Asia.
July 3, 2006... (EDITORIAL from the Korea Times on July 3)Cheju, Korea's southernmost resort island, was transformed into a special self-government province at a pompous ceremony Saturday. With its new legal status, the island can develop into a hub of...

Replace, don't reshuffle.
July 3, 2006... (EDITORIAL from the JoongAng Daily on July 3)President Roh Moo-hyun is reported to plan to replace the minister of finance and economy, the education minister, the minister of planning and budget and the chief presidential secretary for...

Press freedom and law.
July 3, 2006... (EDITORIAL from the Korea Herald on July 3)The Constitutional Court's ruling that disqualified key provisions of the Newspaper Act and the Press Arbitration Act last week proved the rashness of the Roh administration and his ruling party in...

Top headlines in major South Korean newspapers.
July 3, 2006... SEOUL, July 3 (Yonhap) -- The following are the top headlines in major Korean newspapers on July 3. Vernacular dailies -- New Seoul mayor supports Songpa development, plans to ban diesel-fueled cars from center of city (Kyunghyang...

South Korean boat leaves port to survey waters off Dokdo.
July 3, 2006... BUSAN, July 2 (Yonhap) -- A South Korean boat left port in Busan to conduct a maritime survey of waters off the islets of Dokdo in the East Sea, officials said Sunday. The 2,533-ton vessel with about 20 crew members departed the port at...

(LEAD) SK Telecom gains more customers than rivals in June.
July 3, 2006... SEOUL, July 3 (Yonhap) -- SK Telecom Co., South Korea's No. 1 mobile service provider, said Monday it gained more customers than its rivals in June, consolidating its dominance in the wireless communications sector. SK Telecom said it added...

S. Korea designates 42 new 'world-class products'.
July 3, 2006... SEOUL, July 3 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean government said Monday it has designated more than 40 new goods as "world-class products" eligible to receive government support for overseas sales in the future. The total comprises 16 current world's...

(LEAD) Ssangyong Motor posts 24.1 pct decline in June sales.
July 3, 2006... SEOUL, July 3 (Yonhap) -- Ssangyong Motor Co., South Korea's second-smallest automaker, said Monday its auto sales in June fell 24.1 percent from a year earlier to 10,324 units. Domestic sales declined 12.6 percent to 6,006 units, and...