YON - Yonhap News Agency of Korea articles from May 2007

YON - Yonhap News Agency of Korea archives from May 2007

Local mobile service providers spend over 1 tln won for handset subsidies.
May 1, 2007... SEOUL, May 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's three mobile service operators shelled out more than 1 trillion won in handset subsidies over the past year to lure more customers amid intensifying market competition, a government report showed Tuesday....

Lessons from Chung.
May 1, 2007... (EDITORIAL from the JoongAng Daily on May 1): The decision by former Seoul National University president Chung Un-chan to drop out of the presidential race may teach many lessons. Those who are already in the race or young people who have...

May Day rallies.
May 1, 2007... (EDITORIAL from the Korea Herald on May 1): As with the two previous joint South-North May Day events held in North Korea, the rally in Changwon today has the inevitable political theme: "To realize the June 15, 2000 Joint Declaration." A...

Politics in Chaos -Presidential Contenders Should Offer Realistic Visions-.
May 1, 2007... (EDITORIAL from the Korea Times on May 1): The April 25 by-elections were another death knell for Koreas party politics, with the two largest parties suffering humiliating setbacks. Filling the void were independent candidates and those with...

Top headlines in major S. Korean newspapers.
May 1, 2007... SEOUL, May 1 (Yonhap) -- The following are the top headlines in major Korean newspapers on May 1. Vernacular dailies -- Seismic shift expected in S. Korean political landscape in May (Kyunghyang Shinmun) -- Former SNU chief drops...

U.S. report retains N. Korea on terrorism list but makes notable changes.
May 1, 2007... WASHINGTON, April 30 (Yonhap) -- The United States retained North Korea on the list of terrorism-sponsoring nations but made notable changes in its annual report to encourage the communist regime to change its behavior. The North Korea...

South Korea broadening counterterrorism efforts: U.S. report.
May 1, 2007... WASHINGTON, April 30 (Yonhap) -- South Korea is broadening its counterterrorism efforts beyond the Korean Peninsula by participating in regional and global initiatives, a U.S. report released Monday said. The Country Reports on Terrorism,...

(News Focus) U.S. terrorism report says more through what is omitted.
May 1, 2007... WASHINGTON, April 30 (Yonhap) -- On North Korea, the U.S. Country Reports on Terrorism 2006 stood out Monday in what it did not say -- and in the one sentence that technically did not need to be included but was. As expected, the U.S....

U.S. keeps S. Korea on IPR 'watch list' but welcomes expected improvement from FTA.
May 1, 2007... WASHINGTON, April 30 (Yonhap) -- The United States kept South Korea on its intellectual property rights (IPR) "watch list" in this year's annual report Monday but noted a recently concluded trade pact will lead to significant improvements. ...

Police to seek arrest warrant for Hanwha chairman over alleged revenge assault.
May 1, 2007... SEOUL, April 30 (Yonhap) -- Police plan to seek an arrest warrant for a business tycoon in connection with the abduction and beating of bar workers in apparent revenge for an attack on his son last month, officials said Monday. "We will...

U.S. English testing service opens exclusive Web site for S. Korean students.
May 1, 2007... SEOUL, April 30 (Yonhap) -- A U.S. English language testing service on Monday opened an informative Web site exclusively for South Korean students, an agency representing the organization here said. "The Education Test Service (ETS) will...

SK Group chairman to lead new holding company.
May 1, 2007... SEOUL, April 30 -- SK Corp., South Korea's largest refiner, decided to name its chairman as the head of a new holding company at its board meeting on Monday. On April 11, the de facto holding company of the country's third-largest family-run...

SNU's professor held responsible for errors in wolf cloning paper.
May 1, 2007... SEOUL, April 30 (Yonhap) -- A Seoul National University (SNU) panel on Monday held one of its veterinary professors accountable for errors found in a paper in which the professor claimed to have produced the world's first cloned wolves. The...

S. Korean scientists discover possible method to enhance cancer treatment.
May 1, 2007... SEOUL, April 30 (Yonhap) -- South Korean scientists on Monday said they have discovered a possible method to enhance cancer treatment. The paper, published by Kim Seong-soo and Choi Won-jai in the latest issue of the U.S.-based "Cancer...

Main opposition leader rejects calls to resign for by-election defeats.
May 1, 2007... SEOUL, April 30 (Yonhap) -- The main opposition party leader Monday dismissed calls for his resignation, insisting the resignation would lead to a party breakup due to a growing internal showdown ahead of the presidential election in December....

Roh vows to expand welfare spending.
May 1, 2007... SEOUL, April 30 (Yonhap) -- President Roh Moo-hyun on Monday pledged to expand welfare spending to encourage South Korea's growth as a truly advanced nation. Addressing a national Buddhist prayer meeting held at a Seoul hotel, Roh said South...

Supporters of former provincial governor launch organization for presidential bid.
May 1, 2007... SEOUL, April 30 (Yonhap) -- A group of celebrity artists and community leaders launched a political organization Monday in support of former Gyeonggi Province governor and independent presidential hopeful Sohn Hak-kyu, who enters a tough race...

S. Korea, U.S. postpone beef technical consultation meeting.
May 1, 2007... SEOUL, April 30 (Yonhap) -- A technical consultation meeting to discuss quarantine procedures for U.S. beef has been postponed at the request of Washington, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry said Monday. "The United States...

Ministry plans to allow more foreigners to enter S. Korean universities.
May 1, 2007... SEOUL, April 30 (Yonhap) -- The government Monday announced a plan to allow foreigners who have finished 10 or 11 years of primary and secondary schooling to enroll in South Korean universities beginning next year, aiming to woo more students...

S. Korea, Japan to spar over East Sea name at IHO meeting.
May 1, 2007... SEOUL, April 30 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and Japan are expected to collide head-on next week over the name of the waters between the two countries, a contentious issue in their checkered relationship, officials said Monday. Seoul officials...

Football player Lee Young-pyo confident of recovery from injury in July.
May 1, 2007... SEOUL, April 30 (Yonhap) -- Lee Young-pyo, a South Korean defender with the English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur, said in an interview with local sports media on Monday he expects to fully recover from an injury to play for his...

Seoul proposes military talks with Pyongyang this week.
May 1, 2007... SEOUL April 30 (Yonhap) -- South Korea on Monday proposed holding working-level military talks with North Korea this week to prepare for the agreed-upon test runs of reconnected cross-border railways. The offer is aimed for genuine progress...

Seoul shares ended lower on profit taking.
May 1, 2007... SEOUL, April 30 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks closed slightly lower Monday as institutional investors unloaded shares in the tech and financial sectors, analysts said. The South Korean won fell against the greenback. The benchmark Korea...

SK, Korea National Oil, Pertamina to join forces for oil development.
May 1, 2007... SEOUL, April 30 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's biggest oil refiner, SK Corp., and state-run Korea National Oil Corp. have reached an agreement to cooperatively explore and develop oil fields with Indonesia's state-run oil and gas company, Pertamina....

Kookmin Bank logs record earnings in first quarter.(Financial report)
May 1, 2007... SEOUL, April 30 (Yonhap) -- Kookmin Bank, South Korea's leading lender, said Monday its first-quarter earnings surged 47.3 percent from the previous year, mainly on one-off gains from selling LG Card Co. shares. Net profit in the...

Lotte Department Store aims for sales of 10 trillion won by 2010.
May 1, 2007... SEOUL, April 30 (Yonhap) -- Lotte Department Store Co., one of South Korea's leading retailers, targeted a 25 percent increase in sales to 10 trillion won (US$10.7 billion) by 2010, as it invests in overseas shopping units in China and Vietnam....

Former university head drops presidential bid.
May 1, 2007... SEOUL, April 30 (Yonhap) -- Former Seoul National University President Chung Un-chan said Monday he will not run for December's presidential election amid mounting pressure for him not to enter politics but remain a scholar. Chung, a...

. Korea's service sector output growth decelerates in March.
May 1, 2007... SEOUL, April 30 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's service sector output moved up at a slower pace in March than a month earlier due to weaker growth in the wholesale, retail and educational service sectors, a government report showed Monday. Output...

S. Korea hopes to launch Asia's top defense industry fair.
May 1, 2007... SEOUL, April 30 (Yonhap) -- South Korea plans to consolidate its three main arms and military machinery exhibitions in a bid to inaugurate Asia's top-level defense industry fair within the next decade, the Defense Acquisition Program...

Busan selected as venue for int'l port association meeting in 2011.
May 1, 2007... SEOUL, April 30 (Yonhap) -- Busan, South Korea's largest port city, was selected as the venue for the 27th general meeting of the International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH), the country's Maritime Affairs Ministry said Monday. ...

Google names S. Korean IT experts as heads of its local operation.
May 1, 2007... SEOUL, April 30 (Yonhap) -- Google Inc., the world's largest Internet company, said Monday it has named two South Korean IT experts as the heads of its local unit and research and development center here. Lee Won-jin and Cho Won-gyu have...

S. Korea-U.S. FTA to add 6 pct to GDP in next 10 years: think tanks.
May 1, 2007... SEOUL, April 30 (Yonhap) -- A free trade pact with the United States is expected to boost South Korea's annual economic growth by around 6 percent in the next 10 years and help create substantial employment opportunities, South Korean think...

Gains, losses from FTA to be fewer than expected: report.
May 1, 2007... SEOUL, April 30 (Yonhap) -- The positive and negative impacts of South Korea's free trade agreement with the United States are expected to be less than forecasted, a report by local think tanks said Monday. The report by 11 state-run...

Lawmakers, businessmen to visit N. Korea.
May 1, 2007... SEOUL, April 30 (Yonhap) -- A group of South Korean lawmakers and businessmen will travel to North Korea this week for discussions on cross-border economic exchanges, a member of the delegation said Monday. The 10-member delegation is to visit...

Today in Korean History.
May 1, 2007... May 1 1923 -- Children's Day is celebrated in Seoul for the first time. Bang Jung-hwan, an author who was devoted to children's issues, was the first one to come up with the idea of the holiday. The South Korean government later changed...

Three Chinese boats seized for violating EEZ.
May 1, 2007... JEJU, South Korea, April 30 (Yonhap) -- Three Chinese fishing boats have been seized on suspicion of poaching in South Korea's southwestern waters, local maritime police said Monday. The Jeju Coast Guard said the vessels were caught on...

S. Korean businesses upbeat about FTA with U.S.: poll.
May 1, 2007... SEOUL, April 30 (Yonhap) -- South Korean businesses were upbeat about trade remedy measures to be implemented once the free trade agreement (FTA) with the United States goes into effect, a government poll said Monday. In the survey of 600...

Seoul shares trade lower on profit taking.
May 1, 2007... SEOUL, April 30 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks trimmed earlier losses but still traded lower late Monday morning as institutional investors unloaded shares in the tech and financial sectors, analysts said. The benchmark Korea Composite...

More than 60 percent of South Koreans favor free trade deal with U.S., poll shows.
May 1, 2007... SEOUL, April 30 (Yonhap) -- South Koreans are increasingly supportive of a recently-concluded free trade deal with the United States, according to a poll published Monday. The poll by Gallup Korea, commissioned by the KORUS FTA Industry...

Korean Air signs contract with Boeing for F-15K maintenance.
May 1, 2007... SEOUL, April 30 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's largest flag carrier Korean Air Co. said Monday it has clinched a preliminary deal with U.S. aircraft manufacturer Boeing Co. to provide comprehensive maintenance and service for F-15K fighter jets. ...

S. Korean, U.S., Japanese lawmakers to meet in Washington.
May 1, 2007... SEOUL, April 30 (Yonhap) -- Lawmakers from South Korea, the United States and Japan will meet in Washington this week for talks on North Korea, the economy and other regional issues, a Korean participant said Monday. The two-day meeting,...

Destroyer sent near inter-Korean sea border to counter possible clash: source.
May 1, 2007... SEOUL, April 30 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's Navy has deployed its up-to-date destroyer to the waters near the country's western maritime border with North Korea to take swift action against possible tension on the high seas during the annual crab...

Female ex-premier discloses presidential ambition.
May 1, 2007... SEOUL, April 30 (Yonhap) -- Former Prime Minister Han Myeong-sook on Monday expressed her intention to run in December's presidential election. "I am intending to raise my flag within May," she said during a KBS radio program. "I have...

Daum Communications' Q1 earnings surge on increased online ads.
May 2, 2007... SEOUL, May 2 (Yonhap) -- Daum Communications Corp., South Korea's second-largest Internet portal operator, said Wednesday its first-quarter earnings more than tripled on increased sales from online ads. Net income surged 222.7 percent to 2.2...

Abductee issue a problem.
May 2, 2007... (EDITORIAL from the JoongAng Daily on May 2): The U.S. State Departments 2006 annual report on terrorism recently again listed North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism ? along with Iran, Syria, Cuba and Sudan. That is not a surprise,...

Diplomatic Comedy.
May 2, 2007... (EDITORIAL from The Korea Times on May 2): The news conference involving top U.S. and Japanese leaders in Washington Friday will surely go down in diplomatic history. Meeting with reporters after the summit, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe...

Confused competition.
May 2, 2007... (EDITORIAL from The Korea Herald on May 2): First Goh Kun quit, and then Chung Un-chan followed suit. Now the nation's left-center, anti-GNP, anti-Gyeongsang constituents are scurrying to find a strong candidate with only seven months to go to...

Koreas to discuss exchange of natural resources, raw materials.
May 2, 2007... SEOUL, May 2 (Yonhap) -- South and North Korea are to hold talks later Wednesday to discuss the proposed swapping of raw materials for natural resources, the Unification Ministry said. Last month, South Korea agreed to provide raw materials...

Top headlines in major S. Korean newspapers.
May 2, 2007... SEOUL, May 2 (Yonhap) -- The following are the top headlines in major Korean newspapers on May 2. Vernacular dailies -- Former Seoul mayor likely to accept current party leadership (Kyunghyang Shinmun) -- S. Korea decides to...

N. Korea's WMD proliferation serious concern for U.S.: Negroponte.
May 2, 2007... WASHINGTON, May 1 (Yonhap) -- U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte said Tuesday that weapons proliferation is Washington's most serious concern regarding North Korea's illicit activities. He said as director of national intelligence...

U.S. calls on N. Korea to immediately implement denuclearization deal.
May 2, 2007... WASHINGTON, May 1 (Yonhap) -- North Korea should immediately take the steps toward denuclearization it promised at the six-nation talks, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Tuesday. "We agreed that we must continue to expect North...

S. Korea, Canada agree to speed up FTA talks.
May 2, 2007... SEOUL, May 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean Foreign Minister Song Min-soon and his Canadian counterpart Peter G. MacKay agreed to expedite bilateral talks on a free trade agreement (FTA) during their meeting in Seoul on Tuesday, ministry officials...

S. Korea, Indonesia agree on joint oil development project.
May 2, 2007... SEOUL, May 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and Indonesia have agreed to launch a joint oil development project as part of efforts to boost bilateral energy cooperation, the nation's Commerce Ministry said Tuesday. South Korea's Minister of Commerce,...

Ulsan wins basketball league championship for second time in club history.
May 2, 2007... ULSAN, May 1 (Yonhap) -- Ulsan Mobis clinched the title of the 2006-07 season Korean Basketball League championship, beating playoff winners Busan KTF 82-68 in the seventh game of the best-of-seven format championship series in Dongcheon...

Foreign minister to leave for Egypt to attend Iraq talks.
May 2, 2007... SEOUL, May 1 (Yonhap) -- Foreign Minister Song Min-soon will leave for Egypt later Tuesday to attend an international conference on aid to Iraq, his ministry said. About 70 foreign ministers and officials from some 36 countries are to take...

Seoul to begin free trade talks with EU next Monday.
May 2, 2007... SEOUL, May 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea said Tuesday that it will hold a first round of free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations with the European Union next week, about one month after it reached a similar accord with the United States. Earlier...

Unification minister urges Japanese lawmakers to focus on six-party promise.
May 2, 2007... SEOUL, May 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's unification minister on Tuesday called upon Japan to act in tandem with a landmark six-nation agreement on North Korea's nuclear dismantlement instead of clinging to the early resolution to the communist...

Police raid Hanwha chairman's house over alleged assault.
May 2, 2007... SEOUL, May 1 (Yonhap) -- Dozens of police officers raided a South Korean business tycoon's house in Seoul on Tuesday to seize evidence related to an alleged revenge assault involving him and his son. Kim Seung-youn, chairman of South Korea's...

Samsung Electronics launches construction of LCD plant in Slovakia.
May 2, 2007... SEOUL, May 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's Samsung Electronics Co. said Tuesday it has started the construction of a liquid crystal display (LCD) plant in Slovakia. Samsung Electronics, one of the world's leading flat panel makers, said it will...

S. Korean consumer prices hit 7-month high in April.
May 2, 2007... SEOUL, May 1 (Yonhap) -- Consumer prices in South Korea increased at a faster-than-expected pace in April from a year earlier due to higher prices of service goods and oil, a government report showed Tuesday. Consumer prices gained 2.5...

S. Korean export gains accelerate in April.
May 2, 2007... SEOUL, May 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's export growth accelerated in April from a year earlier, fueled by strong overseas demand for semiconductors, ships, petrochemicals and steel, a government report said Tuesday. Overseas shipments...

Two-thirds of S. Korean experts satisfied with FTA talks with U.S.: survey.
May 2, 2007... SEOUL, May 1 (Yonhap) -- About two-thirds of South Korea's economic experts are satisfied with the outcome of the free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations with the United States, a state-run think tank said Tuesday. In a recent survey...

Top U.S. Army general visits Seoul.
May 2, 2007... SEOUL, May 1 (Yonhap) -- The top U.S. Army official arrived in South Korea on Tuesday and held talks with his Seoul counterpart on how to improve military relations and cooperate in dealing with security issues, defense officials said. ...

Ex-president Kim Dae-jung to receive award in Germany next week.
May 2, 2007... SEOUL, May 1 (Yonhap) -- Former South Korean President Kim Dae-jung will visit Germany next week to receive an award there, his aides said Tuesday. During his first overseas trip in almost two years, Kim, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in...

Koreas to discuss exchange of natural resources, raw materials.
May 2, 2007... SEOUL, May 1 (Yonhap) -- South and North Korea will hold talks this week to discuss the proposed swapping of raw materials and natural resources, the Unification Ministry said Tuesday. Last month, South Korea agreed to provide raw materials...

N. Korea rejects discussion on S. Korean POWs, abductees.
May 2, 2007... SEOUL, May 1 (Yonhap) -- North Korea on Tuesday reiterated that it holds no South Korean prisoners of war (POWs) or abductees against their will, so it is not right to accept South Korea's proposal to address the issue apart from the existing...

Hynix receives industry's first validation on its new memory chip from Intel.
May 2, 2007... SEOUL, May 1 (Yonhap) -- Hynix Semiconductor Inc., the world's second-largest computer memory chipmaker, said Tuesday it has received the industry's first validation on its DDR3 memory products from global computer central processing unit (CPU)...

UNDP wraps up operations in N. Korea: report.
May 2, 2007... SEOUL, May 1 (Yonhap) -- The U.N. Development Program (UNDP) has completed the process of wrapping up all of its operations in North Korea, a Washington-based radio station reported Tuesday. At the request of North Korea, the UNDP's two...

S. Korea's Q1 beef imports climb more than 42 pct.
May 3, 2007... SEOUL, May 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's beef imports surged 42.7 percent on-year in the first quarter due to increased shipments from Australia, a state agricultural marketer said Thursday. The value of beef imports stood at US$267 million in...

Roh sends invitation to Russian president.
May 3, 2007... SEOUL, May 3 (Yonhap) -- President Roh Moo-hyun has recently sent a personal letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin, asking him to visit South Korea for discussions on closer bilateral economic cooperation and the linkage of the...

Two Koreas continue negotiating terms of S. Korean aid.
May 3, 2007... SEOUL, May 3 (Yonhap) -- Officials from the divided Koreas were to meet for a second day of talks in North Korea's border city of Kaesong Thursday on conditions for South Korea's assistance for the impoverished North's light industries. ...

Scientists discover hepatitis B protein, liver cancer connection, can help treatment.
May 3, 2007... SEOUL, May 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korean scientists on Thursday said they have found a link between a hepatitis B protein and liver cancer that can aid in early detection and treatment of the disease. The team, led by Lee Young-ik, senior...

Abe's delusion.
May 3, 2007... (EDITORIAL from the Korea Herald on May 3): Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe seems to be under some delusions when it comes to the issue of former sex slaves to the Japanese Imperial Army. Speaking to reporters during a Middle East tour that...

Top headlines in major S. Korean newspapers.
May 3, 2007... SEOUL, May 3 (Yonhap) -- The following are the top headlines in major Korean newspapers on May 3. Vernacular dailies -- State to seize land of collaborators with Japan for first time (Kyunghyang Shinmun) -- State to reclaim...

State Sponsors of Terrorism.
May 3, 2007... (EDITORIAL from the Korea Times on May 3): Despite Pyongyangs ardent plea, Washington has recently decided to retain North Korea on the list of countries that sponsor terrorism. In its annual report called Patterns of Global Terrorism, the...

A case of corruption.
May 3, 2007... (EDITORIAL from the JoongAng Daily on May 3): The police handled the case of Hanwha Group Chairman Kim Seung-youn in a bizarre manner. Kim is accused of having been involved in a revenge attack. The police knew about the case immediately after...

North Korea joins in as comfort women resolution gains more supporters in Congress.
May 3, 2007... WASHINGTON, May 2 (Yonhap) -- North Korea expressed support for a House resolution demanding Japan's apology for sexual enslavement during World War II as more congressmen were signing on as resolution co-sponsors, campaign leaders said...

S. Korea's FX reserves up by US$3.34 bln in April.
May 3, 2007... SEOUL, May 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's foreign exchange reserves rose by US$3.34 billion in April from the previous month mainly on increased investment profits, the central bank said Thursday. The nation's foreign reserves amounted to...

U.S. commission recommends retaining N. Korea on concerns list for lack of freedom.
May 3, 2007... WASHINGTON, May 2 (Yonhap) -- A U.S. commission recommended on Wednesday the George W. Bush administration retain 11 nations, including North Korea, as "countries of particular concern" for their violations of religious freedom. The...

S. Korea proposes joint exploration of N. Korean mines: S. Korean official.
May 3, 2007... SEOUL, May 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea on Wednesday proposed a joint survey of two North Korean mines in part of efforts to facilitate cross-border economic exchanges, a South Korean official said. The proposal was made when working officials...

Asian nations urged to boost financial cooperation: state bank.
May 3, 2007... SEOUL, May 2 (Yonhap) -- Asian nations need to upgrade their financial systems and strengthen cooperation in a bid to continue growth and prevent international instabilities from jolting the region again, the head of South Korea's central bank...

Hyundai Mipo wins 228 bln won order to build five ships.
May 3, 2007... SEOUL, May 2 (Yonhap) -- Hyundai Mipo Dockyard Co., the world's fourth-largest shipyard, said Wednesday that it received a 228 billion won (US$245 million) order to build five petroleum carriers for a European company. The company will...

N. Korea calls for general-level military talks.
May 3, 2007... SEOUL, May 2 (Yonhap) -- North Korea Wednesday proposed holding high-level military talks with South Korea next week to prepare for the agreed-upon test runs of reconnected cross-border railways, the South Korean Defense Ministry said. ...

Doosan Infracrore Q1 net up 21 pct on strong overseas sales.
May 3, 2007... SEOUL, May 2 (Yonhap) -- Doosan Infracore Co., South Korea's largest maker of construction equipment, said Wednesday that its first-quarter profit surged 21 percent on increased demand for excavators and other construction equipment in China...