YON - Yonhap News Agency of Korea articles from June 2009

YON - Yonhap News Agency of Korea archives from June 2009

Release Kaesong detainee.
June 5, 2009... (EDITORIAL from the JoongAng Daily on June 5) -- The detention of a South Korean worker in the Kaesong Industrial Complex has now dragged on into its 67th day. The government and Hyundai Asan say they have raised the issue daily through the...

Wider, louder outcries.
June 5, 2009... (EDITORIAL from the Korea Times on June 5) -- Diverse sectors of society have been calling for President Lee Myung-bak to overhaul his policies and administrative style. Most noteworthy in recent days were two new groups of critics -...

No early recovery.
June 5, 2009... (EDITORIAL from the Korea Herald on June 5) -- Korea may not have to worry about a financial crisis being induced by a shortage of foreign exchange holdings, at least in the foreseeable future. The state coffers are now bulging with foreign...

U.S. not ruling out Al Gore going to Pyongyang on detained journalists.
June 5, 2009... WASHINGTON, June 4 (Yonhap) -- The United States Thursday did not rule out the possibility of former U.S. President Al Gore flying to North Korea to negotiate the release of two American journalists detained for alleged illegal entry while...

S. Korea urges early adoption of resolution on N. Korea for nuke test.
June 5, 2009... NEW YORK, June 4 (Yonhap) -- South Korean Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan Thursday urged the U.N. Security Council to adopt a strong resolution against North Korea in the coming days for its nuclear test last month, the second in nearly three...

Seoul's ex-foreign minister warns of further nuke tests by N. Korea.
June 5, 2009... SEOUL, June 4 (Yonhap) -- Song Min-soon, an opposition lawmaker who served as foreign minister during the Roh Moo-hyun presidency, warned Thursday that North Korea will continue to test nuclear weapons, escalating tension on the Korean...

(3rd LD) Two U.S. journalists stand trial in North Korea.
June 5, 2009... SEOUL, June 4 (Yonhap) -- Two U.S. journalists stood trial in North Korea on Thursday facing charges that may send them to a labor camp for years amid sharpening diplomatic tensions between the two countries. The official Korean Central News...

U.S. looking at "all options" to deal with N. Korea: Stephens.
June 5, 2009... JEJU ISLAND, South Korea, June 4 (Yonhap) -- The United States has put "all options" on the table to counter North Korea's continued provocations, the top U.S. envoy in South Korea said Thursday, hinting that Washington may pursue its own...

(2nd LD) N. Korean naval boat returns after standoff in S. Korean waters.
June 5, 2009... SEOUL, June 4 (Yonhap) -- A North Korean patrol boat crossed into South Korean waters on Thursday and retreated after a standoff that lasted nearly an hour near their western sea border, officials said. South Korea summoned a destroyer and its...

Kim's failing health prompting N. Korean power transfer to son: Seoul minister.
June 5, 2009... SEOUL, June 4 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-il appears to be quickening the power transfer to his son because of his "worsening" health condition, Seoul's unification minister said Thursday, a rare official comment on the issue that...

S. Korea, Cambodia agree on large-scale economic projects.
June 5, 2009... SEOUL, June 4 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen agreed Thursday to significantly boost their countries' economic ties following the signing of a number of deals on aid and joint economic...

Arrest warrants issued for Ssangyong Motor's unionists.
June 5, 2009... PYEONGTAEK, South Korea, June 4 (Yonhap) -- A court issued arrest warrants Thursday for striking union leaders and workers at Ssangyong Motor Co.'s plant, which has been embroiled in weeks of protests over job cuts. The move came as the company...

S. Korean western to hit Japanese theaters this summer.
June 5, 2009... SEOUL, June 4 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's spaghetti western "The Good, the Bad, the Weird" will be released in Japan this summer with a domestic distributor directly handling the film's marketing, Korea's CJ Entertainment said Thursday. "The...

Chief prosecutor to step down over former president's death.
June 5, 2009... SEOUL, June 4 (Yonhap) -- The country's top prosecutor will step down this week, his office said Thursday, one day after he offered to resign over the suicide of former President Roh Moo-hyun who was under investigation over bribery...

Seoul shares end 2.6 pct lower on economy woes.
June 5, 2009... SEOUL, June 4 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks closed 2.6 percent lower Thursday as foreign and institutional investors dumped local stocks amid lingering woes over a global economic recovery, analyst said. The local currency fell against the...

Hankook Tire to supply tires to Germany's Audi.
June 5, 2009... SEOUL, June 4 (Yonhap) -- Hankook Tire Co., South Korea's top tiremaker, said Thursday it will supply tires to Audi, the luxury brand of Germany's Volkswagen AG. Financial terms of the supply deal weren't disclosed. In a statement, Hankook Tire...

Seoul, Washington say Pyongyang will not gain through provocation.
June 5, 2009... SEOUL, June 4 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Lee Myung-bak reiterated his call Thursday for a strong, unified reaction to North Korea's recent nuclear test while calling on the communist nation to halt any attempt to further escalate...

S. Korea hastens effort to eavesdrop on N. Korean missile bases: sources.
June 5, 2009... SEOUL, June 4 (Yonhap) -- South Korea is accelerating its effort to bolster intelligence assets designed to eavesdrop on North Korean missile bases as it faces a growing threat from rockets developed by the communist neighbor, sources said...

President Lee calls for efficient use of energy.
June 5, 2009... SEOUL, June 4 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Myung-bak called for stepped up efforts Thursday to cut down on energy waste, noting oil prices could climb back up to US$100 a barrel in the near future. "Oil used to cost $30 a barrel at the beginning...

Police lift blockade on Seoul city hall plaza.
June 5, 2009... SEOUL, June 4 (Yonhap) -- Seoul police on Thursday withdrew their barricade around a downtown plaza put in place nearly 10 days ago to prevent crowds of mourners for late President Roh Moo-hyun from staging anti-government protests. Over 30...

S. Korea's economy remains in a slump: gov't report.
June 5, 2009... SEOUL, June 4 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's economy may be recovering as a global downturn abates but it remains in a slump as domestic demand, exports and other indicators are not showing signs of marked improvement, a government report showed...

S. Korea to improve car fuel economy, develop energy efficiency technology.
June 5, 2009... SEOUL, June 4 (Yonhap) -- South Korea aims to improve the fuel economy of automobiles and develop technologies that can cut energy use in the face of rising crude oil prices, the government said Thursday. The plan, outlined at the weekly...

S. Korea's mobile content market shrinks due to unfair practices.
June 5, 2009... SEOUL, June 4 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's mobile content market shrank in 2008 due to unfair business practices between mobile-service carriers and content providers, the country's telecom regulator said Thursday. According to the Korea...

LG Chem to build electric-car battery plant in U.S.
June 5, 2009... SEOUL, June 4 (Yonhap) -- LG Chem Ltd., South Korea's leading chemical producer, said Thursday it plans to build a plant in the United States to supply electric-car batteries to U.S. automaker General Motors Corp. Last January, LG Chem signed a...

S. Korea's auto output slips 25.7 pct in May.
June 5, 2009... SEOUL, June 4 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's production of cars, trucks and buses dropped 25.7 percent in May from the same month last year as the bruising economic downturn shrunk demand at home and overseas, producers said Thursday. Output dropped...

Seoul shares trade lower in late morning.
June 5, 2009... SEOUL, June 4 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks traded 0.54 percent lower late Thursday morning as investors dumped financial and steel shares following overnight falls in U.S. markets, analysts said. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price...

Gov't to spend 271 bln won to support industrial parts industry.
June 5, 2009... SEOUL, June 4 (Yonhap) -- The government said Thursday that it will spend 271 billion won (US$218 million) by 2012 to help improve the competitiveness of South Korea's industrial parts and material manufacturers. The measures outline support...

(Yonhap Feature) Seoul's shopping district aims to retrieve cultural reputation.
June 5, 2009... SEOUL, June 4 (Yonhap) -- Famous among locals and outlanders alike, Myeongdong is Seoul's trademark fashion headquarters, packed with a mix of boutiques selling haute couture and street vendors luring visitors in different tongues. Now, this...

British financial meltdown would have limited impact on S. Korea: gov't.
June 5, 2009... SEOUL, June 4 (Yonhap) -- A possible financial meltdown in Britain would have limited impact on the South Korean economy as the chance of British investors massively pulling their money out of Asia's fourth largest economy is slim, a government...

Daewoo Shipbuilding wins this year's first shipbuilding order.
June 5, 2009... SEOUL, June 4 (Yonhap) -- Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co., the world's third-largest shipbuilder, said Thursday that it has won a US$45 million order to build a small-sized barge ship, its first shipbuilding order of the year. The...

S. Korea's only Aegis warship undergoing maintenance: official.
June 5, 2009... SEOUL, June 4 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's only Aegis destroyer will stay out of service until the end of this month when its routine maintenance is due to be completed, a Navy official said Thursday. Sejong the Great, a 7,600-ton vessel that led...

S. Korea, New Zealand to start free trade talks next week.
June 5, 2009... SEOUL, June 4 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and New Zealand are to hold their first round of free trade negotiations in Seoul next week following similar talks recently concluded with Australia, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said...

S. Korean economy to rebound fastest among OECD nations: report.
June 5, 2009... SEOUL, June 4 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's economy has already bottomed out and is expected to recover the fastest out of the world's major countries as output expands and other indicators show signs of stabilization, a report showed Thursday....

Seoul shares open lower on Wall Street falls.
June 5, 2009... SEOUL, June 4 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks started lower Thursday as investor sentiment was dented by overnight falls in U.S. markets, analysts said. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) fell 7.95 points, or 0.56 percent,...

U.S. to retire three A-10 attack aircraft in S. Korea.
June 5, 2009... SEOUL, June 4 (Yonhap) -- The United States said Thursday it plans to retire three A-10 attack aircraft based in South Korea this year as part of a global cost-saving project. In a news release, the U.S. Air Component Command said three A-10...

N. Korean leader watches art show by soldiers' wives.
June 5, 2009... SEOUL, June 4 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-il viewed a musical performance put on by the wives of Korean People's Army (KPA) soldiers, state media said Thursday. Kim enjoyed the performance by families of Korean People's Army Units...

Timing is everything.
June 6, 2009... (EDITORIAL from the JoongAng Daily on June 6) -- Blue House spokesman Lee Dong-kwan said yesterday that the presidential office was listening to the demands for reform and was in the midst of deliberations. This differs a great deal from the...

Widening income disparity.
June 6, 2009... (EDITORIAL from the Korea Times on June 6) -- It's hard to love your neighbor when you find it increasingly hard to make your living, while the other gets ever richer. Particularly so if much of this is due to one-sided systems and policies,...

N.K.'s pawns.
June 6, 2009... (EDITORIAL from the Korea Herald on June 6) -- Two U.S. journalists detained in North Korea were reportedly standing for trial in Pyongyang Thursday. Yet, there have been no reports on the results of the trial of Euna Lee and Laura Ling, who...

U.S. seeking own financial sanctions on N. Korea separately from U.N.: State Dept.
June 6, 2009... WASHINGTON, June 5 (Yonhap) -- The United States said Friday that it will pursue its own financial sanctions against North Korea aside from those discussed at the U.N. for the North's recent nuclear test. "The steps we've taken in the past in...

(3rd LD) South, North Korea to meet at joint park next week.
June 6, 2009... SEOUL, June 5 (Yonhap) -- South and North Korea will meet at a joint industrial park in the North next week, the Unification Ministry said Friday, amid sharpening military tensions and a deadlock over a detained South Korean worker. North Korea...

President to meet ruling party lawmakers amid call for major reshuffle.
June 6, 2009... SEOUL, June 5 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Myung-bak plans to meet with members of his ruling Grand National Party (GNP) next week for discussions on various ongoing issues including North Korea's recent nuclear test, an official at the...

Students nationwide issue anti-government statement.
June 6, 2009... SEOUL, June 5 (Yonhap) -- Students nationwide accused the government Friday of conducting a politically motivated probe into former President Roh Moo-hyun, who recently committed suicide, and criticized it for crackdowns on outdoor rallies. The...

Japan's opposition leader says Tokyo must admit past wrongdoings in Asia.
June 6, 2009... SEOUL, June 5 (Yonhap) -- Japan must acknowledge its past wrongdoings committed against its Asian neighbors, including South Korea, Japan's visiting opposition leader Yukio Hatoyama was quoted as saying Friday in a meeting with South Korean...

Opposition accuses Lee of illegal fund-raising, files complaint.
June 6, 2009... SEOUL, June 5 (Yonhap) -- The main opposition party filed a complaint Friday against President Lee Myung-bak and one of his confidants, accusing them of illegal political fund-raising during the last presidential campaign. The complaint by the...

Police conclude Roh's death was suicide.
June 6, 2009... SEOUL, June 5 (Yonhap) -- Police concluded Friday that former President Roh Moo-hyun took his own life by jumping off a mountain cliff near his home in the south of the country, wrapping up its investigation into the death of the former leader....

(News Focus) Talk of early economic upturn premature: economists.
June 6, 2009... SEOUL, June 5 (Yonhap) -- A spate of positive data on domestic spending is sparking optimism for an economic recovery in the offing, but analysts warned Friday talk of an early economic upturn is premature as exports and employment still remain...

Seoul shares end 1.2 pct higher on bank, tech gains.
June 6, 2009... SEOUL, June 5 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks closed 1.2 percent higher Friday as investors snapped up financial and tech shares following overnight gains in U.S. markets, analyst said. The local currency gained against the U.S. dollar. The...

Seoul to launch task force for diplomatic campaign on Asia.
June 6, 2009... SEOUL, June 5 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will soon launch a government committee headed by its foreign minister, tasked with strengthening its relations with Asian countries under a new diplomatic campaign called the "New Asia Initiative," Seoul's...

Unlicensed S. Korean firm joined construction of collapsed Malaysian stadium: ministry.
June 6, 2009... Koh Byung-joon SEOUL, June 5 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean government confirmed Friday that an unlicensed local construction firm was found to have joined in building the roof of a recently collapsed Malaysian stadium. On Tuesday, the roof of...

S. Korean female band to make U.S. debut.
June 6, 2009... SEOUL, June 5 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's top female pop group Wondergirls will debut in the United States this summer, releasing an album in English and joining U.S. idol group Jonas Brothers on a concert tour, Korea's JYP Entertainment said...

Journalists caught on suspicion of bugging police meeting.
June 6, 2009... SEOUL, June 5 (Yonhap) -- Three reporters from a local news agency have been taken into custody on suspicion of attempting to eavesdrop on a meeting convened by the national police chief, investigators said Friday. According to the police, the...

N. Korea blames Lee for former president's death.
June 6, 2009... SEOUL, June 5 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's party newspaper on Friday blamed South Korean President Lee Myung-bak for the recent death of his predecessor, Roh Moo-hyun, and rejected his criticism of Pyongyang's nuclear test as a "grave...

President calls on N. Korea to resume dialogue, give up provocation.
June 6, 2009... SEOUL, June 5 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Lee Myung-bak urged North Korea Friday to resume dialogue with Seoul and the international community, saying Pyongyang will not get what it wants through military threats or provocations. The...

Hand foot and mouth disease left S. Korean baby brain dead: authorities.
June 6, 2009... SEOUL, June 5 (Yonhap) -- A South Korean toddler has been diagnosed as being brain dead after being infected with hand, foot and mouth disease caused by enterovirus 71 (EV71), the nation's health authorities said Friday. The Ministry for...

S. Korean economy likely to recover very slowly: experts.
June 6, 2009... SEOUL, June 5 (Yonhap) -- The heads of local think tanks said Friday that the economic downturn may have passed the worst phase, but the pace of recovery is likely to be slow due to widespread uncertainty. Amid budding signs of economic...

Seoul shares trade 0.01 pct higher in late morning.
June 6, 2009... SEOUL, June 5 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks traded 0.01 percent higher late Friday morning as investor sentiment was lifted by overnight gains in U.S. markets, sending tech shares higher, analysts said. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock...

Number of unsold houses declines in April.
June 6, 2009... SEOUL, June 5 (Yonhap) -- The number of unsold houses in South Korea declined in April after hitting a record high the previous month as efforts to ease the current slump in the construction sector began to take effect, a government report...

(2nd LD) S. Korean economy grows 0.1 pct in Q1.
June 6, 2009... SEOUL, June 5 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean economy grew 0.1 percent on-quarter in the January-March period on the government's fiscal spending and rate cuts, the same pace as previously predicted, the central bank said Friday. But from a year...

Korean artist's installation sold for $110,000 in Venice.
June 6, 2009... SEOUL, June 5 (Yonhap) -- An installation work by South Korean artist Yang Hae-gue was sold for about 140 million won (US$112,000) to an American art institute at the Venice Biennale, the artist's local agent said Friday. A part of Yang's...

Landmark theater returns to heart of Seoul after three decades.
June 6, 2009... SEOUL, June 5 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's landmark arthouse Myeongdong Theater reopened in central Seoul on Friday, an emotional event for the country's veteran actors and actresses who dominated the stage throughout the 1960s and 70s. Aiming to...

U.S. not ruling out Al Gore going to Pyongyang for detained journalists.
June 6, 2009... WASHINGTON, June 4 (Yonhap) -- The United States Thursday did not rule out the possibility of former U.S. Vice President Al Gore flying to North Korea to negotiate the release of two American journalists detained for alleged illegal entry while...

S. Korea confirms 3 additional new flu cases.
June 6, 2009... SEOUL, June 5 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's health authorities confirmed Friday three additional cases of Influenza A, brining the number of new flu infections here to 46. The three patients include a 22-year-old Korean woman who recently came from...

S. Korea aims to become nationwide user of 'smart grid' system by 2030.
June 6, 2009... SEOUL, June 5 (Yonhap) -- South Korea aims to become the world's first nationwide user of a "smart grid" system that can make better use of eco-friendly power resources, a government-led committee said Friday. The future-oriented grid that will...

Seoul stocks start up on U.S. rallies.
June 6, 2009... SEOUL, June 5 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks opened 0.40 percent higher Friday as investor sentiment got a boost from overnight U.S. rallies, analysts said. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) climbed 5.51 points to...

(Movie Review) Jeon's Hollywood debut 'Blood' falls short of anticipation.(Movie review)
June 6, 2009... SEOUL, June 5 (Yonhap) -- If you find yourself roaring with laughter while heads and limbs are being atrociously slashed off in this movie, don't doubt your sanity but blame the film's creator. While botching nearly every effect it aims for,...

S. Korean oil product exports soar in 2008.
June 7, 2009... SEOUL, June 7 (Yonhap) -- South Korean oil product exports rose sharply in 2008 thanks to a rise in crude prices and diversification of export markets, a government report said Sunday. The ratio of overseas shipments of oil products to the...

N. Korean leader inspects cooperative farm.
June 7, 2009... SEOUL, June 7 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-il inspected a cooperative farm in the northern city of Hamju and called for advanced technologies to increase crop productivity, state media said Sunday. The official Korean Central News...

Traveler from China S. Korea's newest flu case.
June 7, 2009... SEOUL, June 7 (Yonhap) -- South Korean health authorities on Sunday reported that a 25-year-old South Korean woman who returned from China has contracted the new type-A flu that has spread through 69 countries worldwide. The new case brings the...

S. Korea to create industrial complexes for next-generation cars.
June 7, 2009... SEOUL, June 7 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean government said Sunday that it plans to set up two industrial complexes in the country's southern region as part of efforts to establish an infrastructure for the manufacture of next-generation...

S. Korean trade promotion agency to hold auto parts fair in Prague.
June 7, 2009... SEOUL, June 7 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's trade promotion agency said Sunday that it will hold an auto parts fair in Prague this week to help promote sales of locally made automotive parts in Europe. The Korea Auto Parts Prague 2009 will be held...

Gov't to help companies secure Middle East industrial plant orders.
June 7, 2009... SEOUL, June 7 (Yonhap) -- A trade and promotion delegation will visit the Middle East this week to help secure industrial plant orders for local companies, the government said Sunday. The Ministry of Knowledge Economy said the joint government...

Gov't to expand overseas exhibitions to support local companies.
June 7, 2009... SEOUL, June 7 (Yonhap) -- The government said Sunday that it will expand support for overseas exhibitions in order to help South Korean companies bolster outbound shipments of locally made goods. The move calls for allocating an additional 5...

S. Korea first Asian team to make 7th straight appearance at World Cup.
June 7, 2009... SEOUL, June 7 (Yonhap) -- South Korea has become the first Asian country to make seven straight appearances at the FIFA World Cup with its 2-0 victory over the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the national football association said Sunday. The team,...

S. Korea resolute on Canadian beef import ban: official.
June 7, 2009... SEOUL, June 7 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will maintain a resolute stance to defend its interests if Canada refers Seoul's beef import ban to the World Trade Organization's (WTO) dispute settlement panel, a government official said Sunday. The...

N. Korea pledges to retaliate against South Korea for joining PSI.
June 7, 2009... SEOUL, June 6 (Yonhap) -- North Korea pledged anew Saturday to retaliate against South Korea for joining a U.S.-led anti-proliferation drive, saying it would trigger a war on the Korean Peninsula. In response to North Korea's latest nuclear...

Seoul bourse to trade sideways amid lingering economic woes.
June 7, 2009... SEOUL, June 6 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's stock market is expected to move sideways next week as investors feel the burden from recent rallies amid lingering concerns that rising oil prices could weigh on the nation's export-driven economy,...

Hyundai Motor chief to visit U.S.
June 7, 2009... SEOUL, June 6 (Yonhap) -- Hyundai Motor Co. Chairman Chung Mong-koo is to visit the United States next week to encourage his employees at the company's American plants and receive an award, company officials said Saturday. During his visit,...

Credit cards account for over half of private spending in Q1.
June 7, 2009... SEOUL, June 6 (Yonhap) -- Credit card settlements accounted for more than half of the total private spending in South Korea during the first quarter of this year as a growing number of people tend to purchase goods and services on credit, a...

President Lee says no compromise against North's threats.
June 7, 2009... SEOUL, June 6 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Lee Myung-bak said Saturday his government will not make any compromise in the face of North Korea's heightened threats following its second nuclear test. "I would like to make it clear that...

U.S. to provide written guarantee of nuclear umbrella for S. Korea: FM.
June 7, 2009... WASHINGTON, June 5 (Yonhap) -- The United States has agreed to guarantee South Korea's defense against nuclear armed North Korea in writing, stipulating an extended provision of its nuclear umbrella, South Korea's foreign minister said Friday....

S. Korean FM expects agreement on N. Korea sanctions by early next week.
June 7, 2009... WASHINGTON, June 5 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's foreign minister said Friday that he expected the U.N. Security Council will produce an agreement by early next week on arms embargoes and financial sanctions on North Korea for its recent nuclear...

Clinton urges N. Korea to release U.S. reporters.
June 7, 2009... WASHINGTON, June 5 (Yonhap) -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Friday urged North Korea to free two American journalists held for alleged illegal entry while on a reporting tour. "We call again on the North Korean government to release...

Curbing energy consumption.
June 8, 2009... (EDITORIAL from the JoongAng Daily on June 8) -- The government has announced a string of measures to cope with the renewed surge in oil prices. This is significant in two ways. First, the government's action reignites public awareness to the...