YON - Yonhap News Agency of Korea articles from June 2003

YON - Yonhap News Agency of Korea archives from June 2003

S.K.'s 2002 Electronic Commerce Tallied at 170 Trillion Won.
June 1, 2003... Seoul, June 1 (Yonhap) -- The volume of South Korea's electronic commerce totaled some 170 trillion won (US$140.42 billion) last year, the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy said Sunday. The figure accounted for 13 percent of the...

U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Arrives in Seoul for 2-day Visit.
June 1, 2003... Seoul, June 1 (Yonhap) -- U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz arrived in Seoul Sunday morning for a two-day visit. The deputy defense secretary visited the ROK-U.S. Combined Forces Command, talked with U.S. soldiers based near the...

SEC's 2nd Quarter Net Profit Forecast to Fall Below 1 Trillion Won.
June 1, 2003... Seoul, June 1 (Yonhap) -- Samsung Electronics Co., the world's largest memory chip maker, announced Sunday its projected second quarter net profit could post below 1 trillion won (US$826 million). "With both the external and domestic business...

S.K. Navy Boat Fires Warning Shots at N.K. Fishing Vessels.
June 1, 2003... Seoul, June 1 (Yonhap) -- A high-speed South Korean naval patrol boat fired warning shots at three North Korean fishing vessels Sunday morning after they crossed into southern waters in the Yellow Sea, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said....

May's Exports Rise 4.4 Pct; Trade Surplus Tops US$1.2 Bln.
June 1, 2003... Seoul, June 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's exports rose only 4.4 percent year-on-year in May, while its trade surplus reached US$1.26 billion, a provisional government tally showed Sunday. The Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy said...

Korean Manufacturers Predict Business Slump to Continue.
June 1, 2003... Seoul, June 1 (Yonhap) -- The majority of South Korean manufacturers expect the current business slump to stretch into the coming quarter, according to the results of a survey released Sunday. The poll of 1,297 manufacturers, conducted by the...

U.S. Defense Official Reaffirms Force Enhancement Policy.
June 1, 2003... Seoul, June 1 (Yonhap) -- Visiting U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz reaffirmed Sunday plans to enhance U.S. Forces in Korea (USFK) as part of efforts to improve the deterrence of the threat from North Korea, the USFK said. No...

Korea: Long Way to Go to Improve Disabled's Mobility.
June 1, 2003... By Chang Jae-soon Seoul, June 1 (Yonhap) -- Jang Yeong-seop, a 58-year-old Vietnam War veteran, was on his way home from a school for the blind when he got off a subway at Songnae Station in Bucheon, west of Seoul, in mid-May. Jang,...

USFK Commander to Lecture on U.S.-Korea Ties at National Assembly.
June 1, 2003... Seoul, June 1 (Yonhap) -- U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) Commander Gen. Leon LaPorte will give a lecture on the importance of U.S.-Korea alliance and its future course at the National Assembly Tuesday, organizers of the event said Sunday. Gen....

Pres. Roh to Use Legal System, Dialogue to Tackle Labor Disputes.
June 1, 2003... Seoul, June 1 (Yonhap) -- President Roh Moo-hyun said Sunday the government will seek to settle labor disputes according to the law and through dialogue. "The government will tackle labor strife under the two principles of law and...

State Oil Agency to Import Crude for SK Corp.
June 1, 2003... Seoul, June 1 (Yonhap) -- The Korea National Oil Corp., South Korea's state oil agency, said Sunday it has decided to import crude oil worth around US$500 million on behalf of SK Corp. "The move is designed to help SK Corp., which is...

S.K. Navy Boat Fires Warning Shots at N.K. Fishing Vessels.
June 1, 2003... Seoul, June 1 (Yonhap) -- A high-speed South Korean naval patrol boat fired warning shots at three North Korean fishing vessels Sunday morning after they crossed into southern waters in the Yellow Sea, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said....

Gov't to Revise Down Its 2003 Growth Forecast Late This Month.
June 1, 2003... Seoul, June 1 (Yonhap) -- The Ministry of Finance and Economy said Sunday it plans to lower its economic growth forecast for 2003 to the 4-percent range late this month. The ministry, or the architect of the nation's economic policy, had...

President Roh to Hold News Conference to Mark 100 Days in Office.
June 1, 2003... Seoul, June 1 (Yonhap) -- President Roh Moo-hyun will hold a news conference Monday to mark his 100 days in office, the presidential office of Cheong Wa-dae said Sunday. "President Roh will assess his government's performance for the past...

Overseas Credit Card Use Falls in First Quarter.
June 1, 2003... Seoul, June 1 (Yonhap) -- South Koreans' first quarter overseas credit card bills dropped 3.6 percent from the last quarter of 2002 to US$610 million, the Bank of Korea said Sunday. The number of Koreans who used credit cards abroad also...

Education Ministry Allows Temporary Use of Controversial NEIS.
June 1, 2003... Seoul, June 1 (Yonhap) -- The Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development said Sunday it has decided to allow schools to use a controversial student database on a temporary basis. "Depending on each school's situation, the use of the...

Demonstrators Protest Wolfowitz's Visit at U.S. Base.
June 1, 2003... Seoul, June 1 (Yonhap) -- A group of 200 demonstrators rallied in front of a U.S. military base in Yongsan, downtown Seoul, Sunday to protest a visit by U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz. The U.S. defense official arrived in...

Korea, U.S., Japan to Hold TCOG Meeting June 12-13 in Hawaii.
June 2, 2003... Seoul, June 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea, the United States and Japan will hold their regular strategy forum, known as the TCOG, from June 12-13 in Honolulu, Hawaii, with the talks centering on the North Korean nuclear issue, the Foreign...

N.K. Vexed Over Independent Counsel Probe into Payoff Scandal.
June 2, 2003... Seoul, June 2 (Yonhap) -- Pyongyang has expressed its resentment at a South Korean probe into the scandal involving the illegal remittance of funds to North Korea, a government official said Monday. During April and May's inter-Korean...

Aso Apologizes for Remarks on Koreans' Voluntary Name Change.
June 2, 2003... Tokyo, June 2 (Yonhap) -- A senior Japanese politician Monday apologized for his remarks made over the past weekend that Koreans wanted to change their names to Japanese ones under Japan's colonial rule of Korea. Taro Aso, chairman of the...

Survey Suggests South Korean Patriotism on the Decline.
June 2, 2003... Seoul, June 2 (Yonhap) -- Close to a third of South Koreans do not feel especially proud of their country and wouldn't serve the nation in times of war or crisis, results of a poll suggested Monday. In a Ministry of Patriots and Veterans...

Presidential Education Renovation Committee to Be Established.
June 2, 2003... Seoul, June 2 (Yonhap) -- The government will set up a "Presidential Education Renovation Committee" to pursue educational reform and resolve conflicts between education-related entities, Cheong Wa Dae said Monday. In an announcement...

No Clear Evidence of N.K.'s Possession of Nuclear Arms: Wolfowitz.
June 2, 2003... By Kim Kwang-tae Seoul, June 2 (Yonhap) -- U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz said Monday that the United States does not have evidence proving North Korea's claim to possess nuclear weapons. "We know some things that...

Roh Marks 100 Days in Office With Pledge to Stabilize Economy.
June 2, 2003... Seoul, June 2 (Yonhap) -- President Roh Moo-hyun, marking his first 100 days in office Wednesday, said Monday he will focus all his efforts on stabilizing the national economy and improving the livelihoods of ordinary citizens. He...

Four N.K. Boats Cross Western Sea Border.
June 2, 2003... Seoul, June 2 (Yonhap) -- Four North Korean fishing boats crossed the de facto inter-Korean maritime border, known as the Northern Limit Line (NLL), in the Yellow Sea at 5:40 a.m. Monday, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said. The vessels...

Seoul, Tokyo Working on Visa Waivers for South Koreans.
June 2, 2003... Seoul, June 2 (Yonhap) -- Seoul and Tokyo will try to reach agreement on Japan's implementation of a permanent visa waiver system for South Koreans during the upcoming summit talks Saturday in the Japanese capital, a Foreign Ministry official...

N.K. Reiterates Demand to Hold Bilateral Talks with U.S. First.
June 2, 2003... Pyongyang, June 2 (KCNA-Yonhap) -- North Korea on Monday reiterated its demand for bilateral talks with Washington on its nuclear weapons program before discussions to expand to a multilateral forum, the Rodong Sinmun reported. A report...

Seoul, Pyongyang to Hold Talks on Inter-Korean Railroads, Roads.
June 2, 2003... Seoul, June 2 (Yonhap) -- South and North Korea agreed Monday to hold three days of working-level talks from Saturday to discuss a project to reconnect two sets of inter-Korean railways and roads, according to the Ministry of Unification. ...

Philippine President Arroyo Arrives in Seoul.
June 2, 2003... Seoul, June 2 (Yonhap) -- Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo arrived in Seoul Monday for a three-day state visit. She is the first head of state to visit Korea since the inauguration of the Roh Moo-hyun government. Arroyo and Roh...

Gov't to Push Ahead With Plan to Privatize Chohung Bank: Kim GL.
June 2, 2003... Seoul, June 2 (Yonhap) -- The government will proceed with the sale of state-held equities in Chohung Bank as scheduled despite strong opposition from Chohung's trade union, a senior government official said Monday. "We will push ahead with...

Song's Office Yet to Find Grounds for Prosecution Over Remittance.
June 2, 2003... Seoul, June 2 (Yonhap) -- Independent counsel Song Doo-hwan's team has yet to find any legal grounds to punish those involved in the remittance of money to North Korea in return for either the inter-Korean summit or economic cooperation, a...

Ruling, Opposition Camps Rap Japanese LDP Official Over Remarks.
June 2, 2003... Seoul, June 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's ruling and opposition camps criticized Monday remarks by a senior Japanese ruling party official that Koreans voluntarily changed their names to Japanese ones during Japan's colonization of the Korean...

Dollar Begins Week Strong.
June 2, 2003... Seoul, June 2 (Yonhap) -- The U.S. unit gained momentum against the Korean won in early-morning trading on a shrinking yen. The greenback opened the morning session at 1,209 won, up 3.1 won from 1,205.90 won late Friday. The opening...

Tariffs on Basic Raw Materials Likely To Be Cut: Commerce Minister.
June 2, 2003... Seoul, June 2 (Yonhap) -- Yoon Jin-sik, minister of commerce, industry and energy, said Monday the reduction of tariffs on basic raw materials, including crude oil, is under serious review. In a press conference, Yoon also suggested a...

Roh Marks 100 Days in Office With Pledge to Stabilize Economy.
June 2, 2003... Seoul, June 2 (Yonhap) -- President Roh Moo-hyun, marking his first 100 days in office Monday, said he will focus all his efforts on stabilizing the national economy and improving the livelihoods of ordinary citizens. "I will correct...

N.K. Fishing Boats Again Encroach Into South Korean Waters.
June 2, 2003... Seoul, June 2 (Yonhap) -- North Korean fishing boats again crossed over the inter-Korean sea border early Monday morning before retreating with the approach of South Korean naval vessels, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said. Four North...

U.S. Lawmakers Optimistic on Nuclear Issue After Visit to N.K.
June 2, 2003... By Chang Jae-soon Seoul, June 2 (Yonhap) -- A delegation of U.S. lawmakers who visited North Korea last week said in Seoul Monday that they received an encouraging response to "some ideas" presented to the North aimed at resolving the...

11 Countries, Territories to Establish Asian Bond Fund.
June 2, 2003... Seoul, June 2 (Yonhap) -- Eleven countries and territories in Northeast Asia and the Pacific region decided Monday to establish an Asian Bond Fund (ABF) worth US$1.025 billion, according to the Bank of Korea (BOK). In a joint statement,...

Car Sales in May Dips Due to Poor Domestic Sales.
June 2, 2003... Seoul, June 2 (Yonhap) -- Despite vigorous exports, South Korean carmakers' sales in May fell sharply mainly due to dull domestic sales, according to operational results released Monday by the nation's five auto-manufacturers. The five...

Biz Circles Hope Gov't Makes Business-friendly Nation.
June 2, 2003... Seoul, June 2 (Yonhap) -- Leading business organizations on the occasion of President Roh Moo-hyun first 100 days in office Monday asked him to make the nation a business-friendly country while they promised all-out efforts to revive the...

College Instructor Hangs Himself on Mountain.
June 2, 2003... Seoul, June 2 (Yonhap) -- A 34-year-old college instructor, identified by his family name of Paek, was found dead last Friday after hanging himself from a pine tree on a mountain near Seoul National University in southern Seoul. Police...

Small Enterprises Suffering Worst Crisis With Ongoing Slump.
June 2, 2003... Seoul, June 2 (Yonhap) -- Amid the continuing sluggish economy, small and mid-sized companies are at their worst, according to the Small Business Corporation and the Korea Federation of Small and Medium Business (KFSB) Monday. With...

Justice Ministry Opposes Free Internet Contact with N.K.
June 2, 2003... Seoul, June 2 (Yonhap) -- The Justice Ministry and the prosecution opposed allowing unfettered Internet contact with North Korea Monday, saying to do so would be inconsistent with the existing ban on all other forms of contact. A...

Former President's Son Summoned Over Nara Scandal.
June 2, 2003... Seoul, June 2 (Yonhap) -- The Supreme Public Prosecutor's Office summoned Rep. Kim Hong-il, the eldest son of former President Kim Dae-jung, Monday morning for questioning concerning allegations he took bribes from Ahn Sang-tae, the head of a...

Won Edges Up Against Dollar; Key Bond Yield Posts Slight Gain.
June 2, 2003... Seoul, June 2 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean won gained 0.50 against the dollar to close at 1,205.40 Monday, while the benchmark yield on three-year state bonds rose 0.03 percentage point to 4.13 percent. Local stocks got a big boost from...

Cigarette Trade Records Surplus in 15 Years.
June 2, 2003... Seoul, June 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea has registered a cigarette trade surplus for the first time since the opening of the local cigarette market in 1988, according to the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy and the Korea International...

Deputy Premier Kim Opposes Tax-cut Proposal.
June 2, 2003... Seoul, June 2 (Yonhap) -- Deputy Prime Minister for Economy Kim Jin-pyo Monday expressed his opposition to a tax-cut proposal aimed at boosting the sagging economy. The chief architect of the nation's economic policy also said the...

Hyundai Motor Sells 168,594 Cars in May.
June 2, 2003... \ Seoul, June 2 (Yonhap) -- Hyundai Motor Co. said Monday it sold 168,594 cars in May, down 11.1 percent from a month ago and 0.8 percent from a year earlier. Domestic sales fell 9.0 percent month-on-month and 27.4 percent year-on-year...

U.S. Has More Than 150 USFK Buildup Plans: Wolfowitz.
June 2, 2003... Seoul, June 2 (Yonhap) -- Visiting U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz said Monday the United States has more than 150 plans to build up U.S. forces in Korea (USFK), a significant investment in the U.S.-Korea alliance. Wolfowitz...

KOGAS Acting President Picked as IGU's New Director.
June 2, 2003... Seoul, June 2 (Yonhap) -- Kim Jong-sool, acting president of the Korea Gas Corp. (KOGAS), was chosen Sunday as new director of the International Gas Union (IGU) at IGU's plenary session in Tokyo, the KOGAS said Monday. Kim will sit on...

Korea, U.S. to Hold Trade Talks Wednesday.
June 2, 2003... Seoul, June 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and the United States will hold trade talks here from Wednesday to Thursday to discuss tricky issues related to semiconductors and steel, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade Monday. ...

EUCCK Expresses Support for Korea's Foreign Company Policy.
June 2, 2003... Seoul, June 2 (Yonhap) -- The European Union Chamber of Commerce in Korea (EUCCK) reconfirmed Monday its support for South Korea's policy toward foreign companies, pledging to help attract foreign investment. In a letter sent to senior...

KDB Seriously Considering SK's Revised Bailout Program.
June 2, 2003... Seoul, June 2 (Yonhap) -- The head of the Korea Development Bank (KDB), one of the largest lenders for troubled SK Global, said Monday his bank has a positive view of SK Group's amended self-rescue plan. "The SK side is holding final...

Korean Stocks Rise on Heavy Foreign Buying.
June 2, 2003... Seoul, June 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks rose Monday with the main bourse jumping for four days in a row. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI), the barometer of the Korea Stock Exchange, gained 15.29 points, or 2.41 percent,...

Hanaro Telecom Borrows 148.3 Bln Won from Korea Development Bank.
June 2, 2003... Seoul, June 2 (Yonhap) -- Hanaro Telecom Inc., South Korea's No. 2 high-speed Internet service provider, said Monday it has agreed with the Korea Development Bank (KDB) to take out 148.28 billion won (US$122.62 million) in loans from the...

Samsung's Internet Refrigerator HomePAD Selected as 'Best of Best'.
June 2, 2003... Seoul, June 2 (Yonhap) -- Samsung Electronics said Monday its Internet refrigerator HomePAD has been chosen as the "Best of the Best 2003" in the electronic appliance sector by U.S. monthly lifestyle magazine Robb Report. "This...

Korea, Germany to Hold Economic Talks Wednesday.
June 2, 2003... Seoul, June 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and Germany will hold talks in Seoul Wednesday to boost economic cooperation, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade Monday. During the meeting, the government will ask Germany to...

Renault Samsung, Daewoo C.V. Suffer Sales Drop in May.
June 2, 2003... Seoul, June 2 (Yonhap) -- Renault Samsung Motors Co. said Monday it sold 9,552 units in May, down 5.2 percent from a month ago and 8.9 percent from a year earlier. The figure breaks down into 9,488 units for domestic demand and 104 units...

Overseas Construction Orders Fall Far Short of Target for 2003.
June 2, 2003... Seoul, June 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's overseas construction orders fell more than 50 percent on an annual basis in the first five months of this year, according to the Ministry of Construction and Transportation and the International...

Korean Stocks Open Higher Monday.
June 2, 2003... Seoul, June 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stock markets started stronger Monday. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index, the price barometer of the Korea Stock Exchange, opened 10.51 points, or 1.66 percent, higher from last week's close, at...

Korea's Growing Leisure Market Sees More Deals for Wheels.
June 2, 2003... By Lee Seung-woo Seoul, June 2 (Yonhap) -- While Heelys, Snake Boards, Rollkys and Trikkes may not exhibit the same level of consumer recognition as their more conventional cousins, inline skates, they are nonetheless gaining rapid...

SK Becomes Only Top Group to Lose Market Value in First 5 Months.
June 2, 2003... Seoul, June 2 (Yonhap) -- Among South Korea's 10 largest conglomerates, only SK Group had its total market value decrease, according to the Korea Stock Exchange (KSE) Monday. The group's total market value was 18.68 trillion won (US$15.45...

Tax Agency to Reopen Corporate Tax Probes in 2nd Half.
June 2, 2003... Seoul, June 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's tax agency said Monday it will resume regular corporate income tax probes in the second half in an effort to manage tax sources. In March, the National Tax Service (NTS) decided to put off periodic...

Flip-flop Government Policies Driving Carmakers into Chaos.
June 2, 2003... Seoul, June 2 (Yonhap) -- The government's inconsistent auto policies are causing serious confusion for carmakers' development projects. GM Daewoo is likely to resume a suspended plan to develop a new model of its subcompact Matiz with...

Washington, Tokyo to Hold Strategic Dialogue on N.K. Nuke Issue.
June 3, 2003... Tokyo, June 3 (Yonhap) -- The United States and Japan have agreed to hold strategic dialogue next Tuesday in Tokyo to coordinate policies on the North Korean nuclear issue, the Asahi Shimbun reported Tuesday. The vice minister-level...

Arroyo Supports Leading Role by Seoul in N.K. Nuke Standoff.
June 3, 2003... Seoul, June 3 (Yonhap) -- Philippine President Gloria Arroyo threw her government's full support Tuesday behind a leading role for South Korea in a peaceful resolution of the North Korean nuclear issue. While meeting with National...

Korea-Japan Summit Likely to Produce Agreement Facilitating FTA.
June 3, 2003... Seoul, June 3 (Yonhap) -- This week's summit between South Korea and Japan will likely result in an agreement facilitating a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA), Seoul's Ambassador to Tokyo Cho Se-hyung said Tuesday. "Sufficient consensus...

Seoul, Tokyo's Participation in NK Nuke Talks "Inevitable" - Yoon.
June 3, 2003... Tokyo, June 3 (Yonhap) -- Foreign Minister Yoon Young-kwan said Tuesday South Korean and Japanese participation in multilateral talks to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue was "inevitable." In an interview with Japan's Kyodo News ahead of...

Doubts Cast on Reported Defection by Top N.K. Scientist to U.S.
June 3, 2003... Seoul, June 3 (Yonhap) -- Reports that Kyong Won-ha, a top North Korean scientist, has defected to the United States are groundless, a source at the National Assembly said Tuesday. Ko Young-koo, chief of the National Intelligence Service...

Dollar Edges Down Tuesday Morning.
June 3, 2003... Seoul, June 3 (Yonhap) -- The U.S. currency lost steam against the Korean won Tuesday morning on a strong yen. The dollar opened at 1,204 won, down 1.40 won from the preceding day's close. It fetched 1,202.90 won as of 9:35 a.m., a drop...

BAI to Conduct Special Audit on Public Funds.
June 3, 2003... Seoul, June 3 (Yonhap) -- The Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI) plans to begin a special audit on the management of 160 trillion won worth of public funds from June 16, officials said Tuesday. The BAI sent an inspector to the Finance...

North Korean Fishing Boats Continue to Cross Into S.K. Waters.
June 3, 2003... Seoul, June 3 (Yonhap) -- A North Korean fishing boat ventured into South Korean waters again Tuesday before being forced back by the South's navy, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said. The boat encroached nearly 190 meters south of the...

Woori Bank Sets Up Representative Office in Russia.
June 3, 2003... Seoul, June 3 (Yonhap) -- Woori Bank said Tuesday it has opened a representative office in Moscow. The office will support 23 major Korean companies operating in Russia and be an additional gateway to the East European market, a Woori...

Local Economic Groups Meet with Philippine President.
June 3, 2003... Seoul, June 3 (Yonhap) -- Leaders of South Korea's four economic organizations including the Federation of Korean Industries met with Philippines President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Tuesday at the Hilton Hotel in downtown Seoul. FKI Chairman...

Int'l Conference on Government's Economic Vision to Be Held.
June 3, 2003... Seoul, June 3 (Yonhap) -- The Ministry of Finance and Economy said Tuesday it will hold an international conference on the economic vision of the Roh Moo-hyun administration at the Shilla Hotel June 30. Titled "Toward a Transparent and...

Korea Enhancing Scientific Cooperation With Russia.
June 3, 2003... Seoul, June 3 (Yonhap) -- The Ministry of Science and Technology said Tuesday it is preparing science and technology projects with Russia before projected summit talks between the heads of the two countries. The ministry said it is...

Gov't to Form Committee to Improve Conditions for USFK Troops.
June 3, 2003... Seoul, June 3 (Yonhap) -- The government plans to form a consultative committee aimed at improving the conditions in which U.S. troops of the 2nd Infantry Division are stationed here, a government official said Tuesday. The committee, to...

Prime Minister Says Defense Budget to Rise from Next Year.
June 3, 2003... Seoul, June 3 (Yonhap) -- Prime Minister Goh Kun said Tuesday Korea should increase its defense budget in stages from next year till it is at least 3 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP). "Defense expenditure has been cut back every...

Roh Lauded for Reforming Prosecution, Bashed for Education Policy.
June 3, 2003... Seoul, June 3 (Yonhap) -- South Koreans heaped kudos on President Roh Moo-hyun for his efforts to reform the prosecution but are critical of his education policies and overall performance as president, according to the results of a poll...

G8 Leaders Call on N.K. to Abandon Nuclear Weapons Ambitions.
June 3, 2003... Evian, France, June 2 (Yonhap) -- Leaders of the world's eight most powerful nations joined forces Monday to urge North Korea and Iran to abandon their ambitions to develop nuclear weapons and abide by international nuclear safeguards. ...

NIS Convinced Top N.K. Scientist Did Not Defect to U.S.: Source.
June 3, 2003... Seoul, June 3 (Yonhap) -- Reports that Kyong Won-ha, a top North Korean scientist, has defected to the United States are groundless, a source at the National Assembly said Tuesday. Ko Young-koo, chief of the National Intelligence Service...

Gov't to Push Ahead With Plan to Privatize Chohung Bank: Kim GL.
June 3, 2003... Seoul, June 2 (Yonhap) -- The government will proceed with the sale of state-held equities in Chohung Bank as scheduled despite strong opposition from Chohung's trade union, a senior government official said Monday. "We will push ahead with...

Roh Moo-hyun to Leave Friday on 4-day State Visit to Japan.
June 3, 2003... Seoul, June 3 (Yonhap) -- President Roh Moo-hyun will leave Friday for Japan on a four-day state visit for talks with Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on North Korea's nuclear weapons program and other bilateral issues, Seoul's senior...

Roh, Arroyo Stress Need to Peacefully Resolve N.K. Nuclear Issue.
June 3, 2003... Seoul, June 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and the Philippines agreed Tuesday on the need to resolve the North Korean nuclear crisis in a peaceful manner. In a joint statement released at the end of a summit between President Roh Moo-hyun and...