YON - Yonhap News Agency of Korea articles from May 2003

YON - Yonhap News Agency of Korea archives from May 2003

U.S.-Japan Summit to Produce Similar Outcome to Korea-U.S. Meeting.
May 22, 2003... Seoul, May 22 (Yonhap) -- South Korean Ambassador to Washington Han Seung-joo said Thursday he expects Friday's U.S.-Japan summit to produce an outcome similar to that reached during the recent Korea-U.S. summit regarding the North Korean...

N.K. Wants Dialogue with U.S. to Solve Nuke Crisis: Swiss FM.
May 22, 2003... Seoul, May 22 (Yonhap) -- Pyongyang wants to resolve the nuclear standoff through dialogue with Washington and is waiting for a U.S. reply on its proposal at recent talks, Swiss Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey said Thursday after...

NSC Dismisses Speculation on 'Further Steps' Against Pyongyang.
May 22, 2003... Seoul, May 22 (Yonhap) -- The National Security Council (NSC) dismissed claims Thursday that the South Korea-U.S. summit statement's reference to "further steps" against North Korea meant a military strike. The strategic planning team...

Roh Unlikely to Attend IOC Meeting for Winter Games Bid.
May 22, 2003... Seoul, May 22 (Yonhap) -- President Roh Moo-hyun decided not to attend the International Olympic Committee (IOC) meeting in July because of his diplomatic schedule around that time, his aides said Thursday. Roh's personal attendance was...

First Korean Suspect Extradited From China Under Treaty.
May 22, 2003... Seoul, May 22 (Yonhap) -- A 44-year-old alleged drug smuggler, Woo Hyun-sik, was extradited from China Thursday, the first such extradition under a treaty between Seoul and Beijing that came into effect April 12 last year. The prosecution...

Koreans Sentenced to Prison in China for Helping N.K. Defectors.
May 22, 2003... Beijing, May 22 (Yonhap) -- A Chinese court sentenced two South Korean men to up to five years in prison for helping North Korean asylum seekers flee from China. The court in Yentai, Shandong Province, sentenced Choi Young-hoon, 40, to...

Court Makes Unprecedented Contempt-of-Court Ruling Against Lawyer.
May 22, 2003... Seoul, May 22 (Yonhap) -- In an unprecedented move by a court, a judge found a defense lawyer in contempt of court Thursday and ordered him sent to jail. Judge Sohn Joo-hwan of the Seoul District Court ordered a 10-day detention of the...

Prosecution Stance Toward Student Activists Remains Unchanged.
May 22, 2003... Busan, May 22 (Yonhap) -- Prosecutor General Song Kwang-Soo said Thursday there has been no change in his stance that he respects the Supreme Court ruling that defines a radical student activist group as an enemy-benefiting organization. ...

S. Korean Officials Cautious about Talks to Resolve Impasse.
May 22, 2003... Pyongyang, May 22 (Yonhap) -- South Korean officials said Thursday they were reviewing the results of a second closed-door meeting to resolve an impasse from the "threat statement" of the North's chief delegate at the fifth round of bilateral...

South, North Korea Exchange Views on Ways to Resolve Impasse.
May 22, 2003... Pyongyang, May 22 (Yonhap) -- South Korean officials said Thursday that the North had floated a proposal which may resolve the impasse, triggered by the "threat statement" of the North's chief delegate, at the fifth round of economic talks....

KPOU Denounces KGEU for Plan to Conduct Balloting on Strike.
May 22, 2003... Seoul, May 22 (Yonhap) -- One of the nation's two trade unions of government officials denounced Thursday a plan by its rival to go on a strike by voting to demand the right to collective action. The Korean Public Officials Union (KPOU) said...

NORTH KOREA THIS WEEK NO. 243 (May 22, 2003).
May 22, 2003... NEWS IN BRIEF North Korea Criticizes Seoul's Summit with Washington, and Asks for More Food Aid from South Korea North Korea, which kept mum on the Seoul-Washington summit meeting for more than a week, on May 20 harshly criticized...

NORTH KOREA THIS WEEK NO. 243 (MAY 22, 2003).
May 22, 2003... CHRONOLOGICAL REVIEW (MAY 15-21) May 15 The (North) Korean Red Cross Society holds a gathering in Pyongyang to report on its activities, with the participation of officials from the Red Cross Society and Flood Damage Rehabilitation...

Shin SW Named Chief VP of Unification Advisory Council.
May 22, 2003... Seoul, May 22 (Yonhap) -- President Roh Moo-hyun Thursday named former vice parliamentary speaker Shin Sang-woo as the chief vice president of the 11th term of the Advisory Council on Democratic and Peaceful Unification. Cheong Wa Dae...

Japan to Step Up Control of Missile Parts Exports to North Korea.
May 22, 2003... Tokyo, May 22 (Yonhap) -- The Tokyo government will tighten regulations on exports of advanced technologies from the private sector that could be used in the manufacture of weapons of mass destruction, the Mainichi Shimbun reported Thursday....

USFK Agrees on Earlier Payments for Victims of Off-Duty Accidents.
May 22, 2003... Seoul, May 22 (Yonhap) -- Korean victims in accidents involving off-duty U.S. soldiers will be able to receive medical, funeral and other expenses within at least four days of application before formal compensation is made months later,...

DPM Kim Jin-pyo Says Economy Can Grow by Over 4 Pct.
May 22, 2003... Seoul, May 22 (Yonhap) -- Deputy Prime Minister for Finance and Economy Kim Jin-pyo said Thursday the economy had the potential to grow by more than 4 percent if various economic policies begin to take hold. Speaking on a KBS radio...

Gov't Considers Issuing US$1 Bln in Currency Stabilization Bonds.
May 22, 2003... Seoul, May 22 (Yonhap) -- The government is considering the issuance of US$1 billion in foreign exchange stabilization bonds in New York next week, a source at the Ministry of Finance and Economy said Thursday. The move comes as the...

GNP Intensifies Call For Probe of Land Speculation by Pres. Roh.
May 22, 2003... Seoul, May 22 (Yonhap) -- The major opposition Grand National Party (GNP) Thursday stepped up efforts to demand the prosecution investigate allegations President Roh Moo-hyun was involved in his brother's illegal land speculation. "The...

Independent Counsel Questions Lim DW Over N.K. Payoff Scandal.
May 22, 2003... Seoul, May 22 (Yonhap) -- The independent counsel team probing an illegal transfer of funds to North Korea ahead of the inter-Korean summit in June 2000 summoned Lim Dong-won, a former presidential special security aide, for questioning...

Inter-Korean Economic Talks Stalled over N.Korean 'Threat'.
May 22, 2003... Pyongyang, May 22 (Yonhap) -- The fifth Inter-Korean Economic Cooperation Promotion Committee may not progress over the "threat" of grave consequences issued by North Korea, sources here said Thursday. As of 9:25 a.m. the two sides have...

Cheong Wa Dae Rejects Allegations Against President Roh's Brother.
May 22, 2003... Seoul, May 22 (Yonhap) -- Cheong Wa Dae Thursday called allegations that President Roh Moo-hyun's elder brother, Kun-pyong, was involved in real estate speculation "groundless" and part of an "irresponsible political offensive." Saying...

NORTH KOREA THIS WEEK NO. 243 (May 22, 2003).
May 22, 2003... TOPIC OF THE WEEK North Korea Reaches Another Agreement with Swiss ABB Ltd. to Rebuild Its Electricity Grid In an effort to solve its serious problems in the power sector, highlighted by its worn-out generation and transmission...

NORTH KOREA THIS WEEK NO. 243 (May 22, 2003).
May 22, 2003... DATA ON NORTH KOREA Statement of Foreign Ministry's Spokesman on Passage of Bills in Japan KCNA, May 17, 2003 - The three bills are "a bill on coping with an armed attack," "a draft amendment to the law on self-defense forces"...

Seoul City Names 7 Foreign Residents as Honorary Citizens.
May 22, 2003... Seoul, May 22 (Yonhap) -- Seoul metropolitan government named seven foreign residents as honorary citizens Thursday for their contributions to the city and the municipal administration. Officials said citizenship certificates would be...

House Purchasing Time Shortens Despite Increased House Prices.
May 22, 2003... Seoul, May 22 (Yonhap) -- Despite an ongoing sharp upswing in house prices from the second half of last year, the average period needed for married couples to buy their own home declined last year, the Ministry of Construction and...

Koreas Discuss Impasse Triggered by Pyongyang's 'Threat' Remark.
May 22, 2003... Pyongyang, May 22 (Yonhap) -- Representatives from the two Koreas held formal talks starting at 2:20 p.m. Thursday to see if they can reach a settlement on the impasse triggered by the "threat" statement issued by North Korea. "The North...

Gov't Holds Meeting to Deal Tame Real Estate Speculation.
May 22, 2003... Seoul, May 22 (Yonhap) -- The government held an extended meeting of economic ministers and heads of private think tanks to tackle the issue of real estate speculation, the Ministry of Finance and Economy (MOFE) said Thursday. At the...

Gov't Seeks to End Fingerprinting of Foreigners: Official.
May 22, 2003... Seoul, May 22 (Yonhap) -- The Justice Ministry is pursuing a revision of the Immigration Law that would not require the fingerprinting of foreigners who are at least 20 years old and have stayed in the country for over a year, a ministry...

Donators of Food Aid to Attend WFP Meeting on North Korea.
May 22, 2003... Seoul, May 22 (Yonhap) -- Major contributors of food aid to the World Food Program (WFP) will meet in Rome next week to discuss improvements to the monitoring of food aid to North Korea. At the meeting, scheduled for May 27, representatives...

Dollar Edges Up On Shrinking Yen.
May 22, 2003... Seoul, May 22 (Yonhap) -- The U.S. currency gained momentum against the Korean won in early-morning transaction due to a weakening yen. Beginning 3.80 won higher at 1,198 won, the greenback climbed to 1,198.50 won before retreating to...

Inter-Korean Economic Talks May be Ditched: Cheong Wa Dae.
May 22, 2003... Seoul, May 22 (Yonhap) -- South Korea Thursday hinted at the possibility of abandoning ongoing inter-Korean economic talks in Pyongyang, a senior official at Cheong Wa Dae said Thursday. "If the North does not change its attitude over its...

Lee Jong-wook Appointed WHO Director.
May 22, 2003... Geneva, May 21 (Yonhap) -- The 56th World Health Assembly (WHA) being held in Geneva, Switzerland confirmed Lee Jong-wook as the new director general of the World Health Organization (WHO) Wednesday. Lee had sidestepped a challenge by Peter...

President Roh to Go on Vacation.
May 22, 2003... Seoul, May 21 (Yonhap) -- President Roh Moo-hyun will start a three-day vacation from Friday at a military retreat on an island in Geoje, South Gyeongsang Province, the presidential office of Cheong Wa Dae said Wednesday. "President Roh...

Roh Thanks U.S. Troops for Service to Nation.
May 22, 2003... Seoul, May 22 (Yonhap) -- President Roh Moo-hyun sent a message Thursday to a ceremony of remembrance for fallen American soldiers, expressing gratitude for their sacrifice and devotion. "U.S. soldiers, along with us, have safeguarded the...

South Korea Ranks 21st in May's FIFA Rankings to Top Asian Teams.
May 22, 2003... Seoul, May 22 (Yonhap) -- South Korea retained 21st place in the latest edition of the FIFA World Rankings, maintaining the top spot among Asian national soccer teams. The Internet homepage of FIFA also showed Japan climbed to 23rd place...

New WHO Chief Eyes to Strengthen Global Disease Control System.
May 22, 2003... Geneva, May 21 (Yonhap) -- Lee Jong-wook, who is set to become the new head of the World Health Organization (WHO), said Wednesday the international body would immediately expand and strengthen its global disease control system. Lee said...

Won Weakens vs. Dollar; Bond Yields End Stronger.
May 22, 2003... Seoul, May 22 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean won lost slightly against the dollar on the yen's weakness Thursday, while bond yields ended higher. Stock market finished mixed, with the main bourse losing for the second straight day. The...

Gov't to Curb in Mortgage Loans by Banks.
May 22, 2003... Seoul, May 22 (Yonhap) -- Government sources said Thursday measures were being planned to curb mortgaged loans by banks in order to prevent money from being funneled into real estate speculation. The move is part of a broad campaign to put a...

Korea, Russia Near Space Technology Cooperation Accord.
May 22, 2003... Seoul, May 22 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and Russia are on the eve of reaching an agreement on bilateral space technology cooperation, according to the Ministry of Science and Technology Thursday. The two sides are fine-tuning the wording of...

Inter-Korean Relations Show Signs of Deterioration.
May 22, 2003... By Kim Kwang-tae Seoul, May 22 (Yonhap) -- The on-again, off-again inter-Korean relationship appears likely to be strained for the time being as a result of North Korea's scathing diatribe against South Korea at the ongoing bilateral...

CORRECTION.
May 22, 2003... In Yonhap story slugged "stocks-close," the date "May 21" on the dateline should read "May 22." (THROUGH ASIA PULSE)

Korea's GDP Growth Slows to 3.7 Percent in First Quarter.
May 22, 2003... Seoul, May 22 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's economy expanded 3.7 percent during the first quarter, the slowest since the 1997 Asian financial crisis, reflecting an extreme economic slump, the Bank of Korea (BOK) said Thursday. The low gross...

SK Corp. Responds Positively to Sovereign's Demand.
May 22, 2003... Seoul, May 22 (Yonhap) -- SK Corp., the nation's largest oil refiner, said Thursday it will respect and discuss any constructive demands or proposals from its largest shareholder, Sovereign Asset Management. SK Corp. made the remarks on...

Business Leaders Hold Meeting With Korean Diplomats.
May 22, 2003... Seoul, May 22 (Yonhap) -- The country's four major economic bodies held a bull session Thursday with heads of South Korea's overseas missions at the Shilla Hotel. The meeting was attended by about 220 business and diplomatic leaders,...

SK Global's Creditors Decide to Push for 'Debt Buyout'.
May 22, 2003... Seoul, May 22 (Yonhap) -- Heads of SK Global's major creditor banks decided Thursday to press ahead with a "debt buyout plan" in an effort to reduce the debts of the troubled trading company. Under the plan, the major creditors will buy SK...

Hyundai Motor India Introduces 'New Santro'.
May 22, 2003... Seoul, May 22 (Yonhap) -- Hyundai Motor India Ltd has introduced the "New Santro," a new version of India's most popular subcompact Santro, Hyundai Motor said Thursday. New Santro, which is also called Atoz in South Korea, will sell at...

Seoul Stock Markets Open Mixed; KOSPI Falls.
May 22, 2003... Seoul, May 22 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stock market began mixed early Thursday with the main bourse pulling back on foreign and institutional selling. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) started 1.51 points, or 0.25...

Korea-Japan FTA to Strengthen Political, Diplomatic Ties.
May 22, 2003... Seoul, May 22 (Yonhap) -- The possible signing of a free trade agreement (FTA) between Korea and Japan is likely to boost political and diplomatic ties as well as economic ones, according to a senior trade official Thursday. "Japan is one...

FKI to Form a Forum for Cooperation Among Different Industries.
May 22, 2003... Seoul, May 22 (Yonhap) -- The Federation of Korean Industries said Thursday it will establish a forum next month in which chief executive officers (CEOs) of major local firms and experts would discuss cooperation among different types of...

Financial Watchdog to Push for Overhaul of Money Market Funds.
May 22, 2003... Seoul, May 22 (Yonhap) -- The Financial Supervisory Service, (FSS), South Korea's financial watchdog, said Thursday it will push for an overhaul of money market funds (MMFs) to boost their stability and liquidity. MMFs, investment funds...

S.K.-China Exemption of Pension Fees to Go Into Effect Friday.
May 22, 2003... Seoul, May 22 (Yonhap) -- An agreement on the exemption of pension fees between South Korea and China will become effective Friday, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said Thursday. Under the pact, Chinese migrant workers in Korea,...

Ex-president's Son Collapses as Prosecution Summons Looms.
May 22, 2003... Seoul, May 21 (Yonhap) -- Rep. Kim Hong-il, the eldest son of former president Kim Dae-jung, was hospitalized Wednesday evening, one of his close aides said. Kim was supposed to undergo prosecution questioning, probably as early as...

SK Group Says, Sovereign May Be Hostile M&A Force against It.
May 22, 2003... Seoul, May 22 (Yonhap) -- The SK Business Group has mapped out a scenario in which Sovereign Asset Management is not its long-term investor but a hostile merger and acquisition (M&A) fund. An SK task force insisted Thursday the emergence...

Heads of SK Global's Creditor Banks Meet to Discuss Its Future.
May 22, 2003... Seoul, May 22 (Yonhap) -- Heads of SK Global's creditor banks Thursday reiterated their earlier position that they will liquidate the troubled trading company if its break-up value is found to be higher than its going-concern value. The...

Gov't Revising Economic Goals for This Year.
May 22, 2003... Seoul, May 22 (Yonhap) -- The government cannot but revise its various economic goals for this year as the gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate was a disappointing 3.7 percent in the first quarter. "We need policies to brace for adverse...

KOSPI Falls for Second Day, KOSDAQ Rises for Three Days.
May 22, 2003... Seoul, May 21 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's main bourse fell for the second day with the key index plunging below the 600-point mark, while the over-the-counter market rose for three days in a row. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index...

S. Korean Banks Put Lid on Lending to Smaller Companies.
May 22, 2003... Seoul, May 22 (Yonhap) -- South Korean banks are tightening loans to small and mid-size companies in a sharp departure from the intense lending competition to date, bank sources said Thursday. Commercial lenders' restraint is grounded on...

Roh, Political Leaders Agree to Cooperate on Diplomatic Issues.
May 22, 2003... Seoul, May 21 (Yonhap) -- President Roh Moo-hyun and the leaders of the ruling and opposition parties agreed Wednesday to take a suprapartisan approach to diplomatic issues, presidential spokesman Yoon Tae-young said. At a dinner meeting...

KOGAS President Indicted for Taking Bribes.
May 23, 2003... Seoul, May 23 (Yonhap) -- The Seoul District Prosecutor's Office Friday indicted Kim Myung-kyu, president of the Korea Gas Corporation, for taking bribes and also filed charges against Kim Dong-wook, president of a gas transportation firm,...

Police Catch 3rd Suspect in Museum Theft, Fail to Find Antiquities.
May 23, 2003... Gongju, South Korea, May 23 (Yonhap) -- Police apprehended a third suspect Friday in the robbery of ancient artifacts from a national museum here but failed to locate the stolen items. A spokesman for Gongju Police Station said it...

South Korea Dispatches Emergency Aid Team to Quake-hit Algeria.
May 23, 2003... Seoul, May 23 (Yonhap) -- South Korea sent an emergency aid team to Algeria Friday to help find and rescue survivors of the devastating earthquake that hit the country Monday, the Ministry of Administration and Home Affairs said. The...

Gov't to Push for Tough Steps to Curb Real Estate Speculation.
May 23, 2003... Seoul, May 23 (Yonhap) -- The government said Friday it will make comprehensive changes to current housing, financial and tax policies to tame real estate speculation. In a press conference held at the Gwacheon Government Complex, Deputy...

Gov't to Provide Algeria with $100,000 to Help Quake Victims.
May 23, 2003... Seoul, May 23 (Yonhap) -- President Roh Moo-hyun sent a condolence message Friday to his Algerian counterpart Abdelaziz Bouteflika over Monday's strong quake that is believed to have killed more than 1,000 people. The government also...

Kim Hong-up Summoned for Questioning Over Bribery Allegations.
May 23, 2003... Seoul, May 23 (Yonhap) -- The prosecution has summoned the second son of former President Kim Dae-jung for questioning over his alleged involvement in a corruption scandal, prosecutors said Friday. In early 1999, Kim Hong-up allegedly...

House Speaker Park to Leave for Japan Saturday.
May 23, 2003... Seoul, May 23 (Yonhap) -- National Assembly Speaker Park Kwan-yong will begin a six-day trip to Japan Saturday at the invitation of his Japanese counterpart Tamisuke Watanuki. During his stay, Park is scheduled to meet Emperor Akihito and...

NSG Meeting Calls for More Vigilance Against N.K. Nuclear Efforts.
May 23, 2003... Seoul, May 23 (Yonhap) -- The annual meeting of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) closed its five-day session in Busan Friday with a press statement calling for increased vigilance to prevent North Korea from obtaining nuclear material and...

Seoul Welcomes U.N. Resolution to Lift Economic Sanctions on Iraq.
May 23, 2003... Seoul, May 23 (Yonhap) -- South Korea welcomed Friday the resolution of the United Nations to lift economic sanctions on Iraq, saying, "The resolution represented the will of the international community to overcome the conflicts from the war...

Two Koreas Close to Drafting Agreement on Economic Cooperation.
May 23, 2003... Pyongyang, May 23 (Yonhap) -- Delegates from the two Koreas are close to drafting an agreement on further economic cooperation after "overcoming" the impasse triggered by the threatening remarks made by the North's chief delegate at the fifth...

Gov't to Extend VAT Exemption for Hotels Accommodating Foreigners.
May 23, 2003... Seoul, May 23 (Yonhap) -- The government decided Friday to extend the period under which it exempts tourist hotels from valued added tax on foreign guests until the end of this year. Originally, the current 10 percent VAT exemption was due...

Local Firm Develops Natural Hairdye from Silk Protein.
May 23, 2003... Seoul, May 23 (Yonhap) -- A natural hairdye, which does little damage to human hair and skin, has been developed. Dongsung Pharm. Co. and the Rural Development Administration said Friday they have jointly succeeded in creating a safe...

Seoul, Moscow Agree to Sign Space Technology Cooperation Pact.
May 23, 2003... Moscow, May 23 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and Russia concurred Friday on cooperation in space technology to help South Korea build rockets for placing its own satellites into orbit, said Chung Tae-ik, Korea's ambassador to Russia. Under the...

Seoul to Provide 400,000 Tons of Rice on Credit to P'yang.
May 23, 2003... Pyongyang, May 23 (Yonhap) -- Delegates from the two Koreas drafted an agreement Friday outlining further economic cooperation after "resolving" a standoff triggered by threatening remarks of the North's chief delegate. In a short release...

Gov't to Push for Tough Steps to Curb Real Estate Speculation.
May 23, 2003... Seoul, May 23 (Yonhap) -- The government said Friday it will make comprehensive changes to current housing, financial and tax policies to tame real estate speculation. In a press conference held at the Gwacheon Government Complex, Deputy...

Surveillance System To Be Created In Preparation for SARS.
May 23, 2003... Seoul, May 23 (Yonhap) -- The National Institute of Health (NIH) said Friday it has decided to set up a surveillance system capable of checking the development of patients suffering from pneumonia in a medium and long term plan to avert the...

Koreas Make Little Progress in Early Morning Talks.
May 23, 2003... Pyongyang, May 23 (Yonhap) -- South and North Korean negotiators are engaged in a "war of wills" to break the impasse that has stalled the fifth round of cross-border economic talks Friday. Southern representatives to the talks being held at...

Gov't to Enhance Accountability of Bookkeeping Practice.
May 23, 2003... Seoul, May 23 (Yonhap) -- Deputy Prime Minister for Finance and Economy Kim Jin-pyo said Friday the government will take steps to enhance the timeliness, accuracy and transparency of financial statements. Speaking at ceremony marking the...

Prosecution Searches Businessmen's Houses Over FIFA Emblem Scandal.
May 23, 2003... Seoul, May 23 (Yonhap) -- The Seoul District Prosecutor's Office said Friday it had searched the residences of former CPP Korea President Kim Jae-kee and Kolon TNS Chairman Lee Dong-bo in connection with the 2002 FIFA World Cup emblem rights...

Ambassador Calls on Local Firms to Turn Attention to Indian Market.
May 23, 2003... Seoul, May 23 (Yonhap) -- South Korean Ambassador to India Kwon Soon-tae called on Korean businessmen Friday to turn their attention to his host nation, stressing the world's second most populous country is also one of the largest and most...

One Dead, 9 Injured in 16-vehicle Pileup in Hwaseong.
May 23, 2003... Hwaseong, South Korea, May 23 (Yonhap) -- A male passenger in a minivan was killed and nine others injured early Friday in a pileup involving 16 vehicles on a road in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, police said. The accident occurred at...

FSC to Work Out Plan to List Life Insurers Around August.
May 23, 2003... Seoul, May 23 (Yonhap) -- The Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC) is expected to draw up a blueprint to list local life insurers on the Korea Stock Exchange as early as August. "The FSC reviewed developments of life insurance companies'...

Suspects Confess to Gongju Museum Robbery.
May 23, 2003... Gongju, South Korea, May 23 (Yonhap) -- Two suspects detained in connection with a robbery at Gongju National Museum have confessed to the crime, police said Friday. The two men, identified only as Hwang and Oh, initially refused to own...

Roh Moo-hyun to Make State Visit to Japan June 6-9.
May 23, 2003... Seoul, May 23 (Yonhap) -- President Roh Moo-hyun will travel to Japan June 6 for a four-day visit for talks with Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on North Korea's nuclear weapons program and other bilateral issues, presidential...

Ruling Camp to Hold Consultation Session Next Wednesday.
May 23, 2003... Seoul, May 23 (Yonhap) -- The government and the ruling Millennium Democratic Party (MDP) will hold a policy consultation session next Wednesday to discuss such issues as soaring real estate prices and the threat of industrial action by the...