YON - Yonhap News Agency of Korea articles from May 2008

YON - Yonhap News Agency of Korea archives from May 2008

Power failure suspends chemical factories in Yeosu.
May 4, 2008... YEOSU, South Korea, May 3 (Yonhap) -- Several factories at South Korea's largest petrochemical complex were forced to halt operation Saturday due to power failure, resulting in huge losses in damages, officials said. "Huge losses are...

Coast Guard boat sinks off Jeju Island after hitting reef.
May 4, 2008... JEJU, South Korea, May 3 (Yonhap) -- A Coast Guard vessel was lost north of Jeju Island after hitting a reef, authorities said Saturday. The regional Coast Guard office said all 12 crew members of the 100-ton patrol boat were rescued by a...

Health authorities stress difference between human, beef-related CJD.
May 4, 2008... ULSAN, May 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korean health authorities stressed Saturday that the death of man in 2006 from Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) was entirely unrelated to the consumption of beef. The Korea Center for Disease Control and...

Gov't, ruling party to hold talks on U.S. beef next week.
May 4, 2008... SEOUL, May 3 (Yonhap) -- The government and the ruling Grand National Party (GNP) will hold talks next week to discuss the growing public uproar over Seoul's decision to import most U.S. beef cuts, official sources said Saturday. The planned...

Intelligence service must remain faithful to set role: President Lee.
May 4, 2008... SEOUL, May 3 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Myung-bak on Saturday called on the National Intelligence Service (NIS) to remain faithful to its role of serving the country's interests. The presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said Lee pointed out that...

Victims of sexual assault by teen boys change testimony.
May 4, 2008... DAEGU, May 3 (Yonhap) -- Some of the victims in a sexual assault that allegedly involved dozens of elementary school children have changed their testimonies, police officials investigating the incident said Saturday. The sexual assault case,...

Seoul bourse to be affected U.S. economic indicators, crude prices: analysts.
May 4, 2008... SEOUL, May 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's stock market will likely be influenced by U.S. economic indicators and crude oil prices that could bolster positive sentiments next week, analysts said Saturday. Local experts said the recent decision...

N. Korea continues to bash S. Korean president.
May 4, 2008... SEOUL, May 3 (Yonhap) -- North Korea continued to lash out at South Korean President Lee Myung-bak on Saturday, despite official requests from Seoul that such actions are counterproductive to bilateral relations. The Rodong Shinmun,...

S. Korea to send representatives to ASEAN meeting in Singapore.
May 4, 2008... SEOUL, May 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will send representatives to a meeting of senior officials of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), scheduled to take place in Singapore next week, the government said Saturday. It said Deputy Foreign...

Air Force to conduct mixed aircraft operational exercise.
May 4, 2008... GANGNEUNG, South Korea, May 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's Air Force said a squadron of F-4 Phantom IIs will hold a joint operational exercise with F-5E/F aircraft from Gangneung airfield on the east coast. The exercise that will take place next...

S. Korean maritime police seize Chinese fishing boat.
May 4, 2008... GUNSAN, South Korea, May 3 (Yonhap) -- The Gunsan Coast Guard said Saturday it has seized a Chinese fishing boat caught poaching in the country's exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The Chinese vessel was caught fishing Friday night in waters 58...

Nuclear breakthrough.
May 4, 2008... (EDITORIAL from the JoongAng Daily on May 3): The long-delayed negotiations to resolve North Koreas nuclear crisis is now facing a possible breakthrough. U.S. Assistant Secretary Christopher Hill told South Korean legislators who were visiting...

It's jobs, stupid.
May 4, 2008... (EDITORIAL from the Korea Herald on May 3): May Day came and went, but there was nothing much to celebrate this time. In the backs of their minds, workers knew that with the economy entering a slump, so is the job market. Job security should...

Mad Cow Scare Beef Market-Opening May Stoke Anti-American Sentiment.
May 4, 2008... (EDITORIAL from the Korea Times on May 3): President Lee Myung-bak unexpectedly faces impeachment calls not from politicians but from citizens less than 70 days after his inauguration. So what do they find wrong with him? A leadership crisis?...

Highly pathogenic bird flu strain killed chickens in Daegu: quarantine service.
May 4, 2008... DAEGU, May 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's quarantine service said Saturday that a highly pathogenic strain of the bird flu virus was responsible for the sudden death of chickens at a private home in Daegu. The National Veterinary Research and...

Quarantine checks on U.S. beef to resume on May 15.
May 5, 2008... SEOUL, May 5 (Yonhap) -- South Korea is expected to resume quarantine inspections of U.S. beef starting on May 15 after a seven-month suspension that halted all imports, the government said Monday. The Ministry for Food, Agriculture,...

Foreign tourist arrivals rise 12 pct in 1st qtr.
May 5, 2008... SEOUL, May 5 (Yonhap) -- Foreign tourist arrivals in Korea increased 12 percent year-on-year to 1.61 million in the first quarter, due mainly to the weakened value of the Korean won, the Korea Tourism Organization said in a report Monday. By...

Beefed up facts.
May 5, 2008... (EDITORIAL from the JoongAng Daily on May 5): The controversy over U.S. beef imports has snowballed into a confused and worrisome state. Following a TV show that inflamed a sense of insecurity over mad cow disease, a candlelight vigil was held...

Afghanistan redux; Sending police needs more debates.
May 5, 2008... (EDITORIAL from the Korea Times on May 5): It is still not known how much ransom Korea paid Taliban insurgents to free 21 Korean hostages last year. Some foreign media outlets made wild guesses ranging from $1 million to $20 million, quoting...

N.K.'s progress.
May 5, 2008... (EDITORIAL from the Korea Herald on May 5): After more than four months of delay, the six-party process aimed at denuclearizing North Korea seems to be finally getting back on track. A report that the North has agreed to raze the cooling...

U.S. reasserts its beef is safe.
May 5, 2008... WASHINGTON, May 4 (Yonhap) -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reasserted Sunday that American beef is "among the safest in the world" and does not pose human health risks, a message targeted at South Korea whose consumers have risen...

U.S. reasserts its beef is safe.
May 5, 2008... WASHINGTON, May 4 (Yonhap) -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture reasserted Sunday that American beef is "among the safest in the world" and does not pose human health risks, a message pinpointed at South Korea whose consumers have risen up in...

Power failure-hit petrochemical plants soon to resume operation.
May 5, 2008... YEOSU, South Korea, May 4 (Yonhap) -- A naphtha cracker and five other plants at South Korea's largest petrochemical complex that were hit by power failure, will be able to return to normal soon, company official said Sunday. The power...

Seven people killed, 15 missing after being swept away from breakwater.
May 5, 2008... SEOUL, May 4 (Yonhap) -- At least seven people were killed and 15 others missing when they were swept away by tidal waves along South Korea's central west coast, maritime police said. Twenty-seven other people were rescued by fishing boats...

Police ban candlelight vigil against U.S. beef imports.
May 5, 2008... SEOUL, May 4 (Yonhap) -- Apparently alarmed by spreading public protests over a government decision to resume U.S. beef imports virtually without any restrictions, police said Sunday that they will outlaw any further outdoor protests to be held...

S. Korea, China, Japan, ASEAN agree to launch AMF worth US$80 bln.
May 5, 2008... MADRID, May 4 (Yonhap) -- South Korea, China, Japan and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have agreed to establish an Asia Monetary Fund (AMF) worth US$80 billion to help member states cope with any liquidity crisis, a South...

S. Korea seeking to create state-by-state ban on American beef: sources.
May 5, 2008... SEOUL, May 4 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean government is seeking to create new quarantine rules to ban American beef state by state if a mad cow case occurs in the United States, sources said Sunday. The move comes amid mounting public anger...

Fresh outbreak of bird flu virus suspected.
May 5, 2008... ANSEONG, South Korea, May 4 (Yonhap) -- Health authorities have culled tens of thousands of chickens at a farm here Sunday after quarantine officials said they suspected a spate of recent bird deaths were caused by another case of avian...

Kids dig phones over Nintendo: survey.
May 5, 2008... SEOUL, May 4 (Yonhap) -- Cellular phones topped the wish list of South Korean kids, beating Nintendo video game consoles by a small margin, an Internet survey showed Sunday, just a day ahead of Children's Day. According to the kids'...

Parties wrangle over U.S. beef imports.
May 5, 2008... SEOUL, May 4 (Yonhap) -- Political parties, divided over the government's recent decision to resume U.S. beef imports, locked horns Sunday over the main opposition's move to suspend the imports if another mad cow case occurs in the United...

Korean commercial banks report deterioration in financial health.
May 5, 2008... SEOUL, May 4 (Yonhap) -- The financial health of South Korea's major commercial banks deteriorated recently due to tightened regulations for setting the capital adequacy ratio by the Bank for International Settlement (BIS) and increased...

No. of child stock barons climbs above 50: survey.
May 5, 2008... SEOUL, May 4 (Yonhap) -- Fifty-one children under 12 have listed stock shares worth over 100 million won (US$98,900) each, a Web site monitoring South Korean conglomerates said Sunday. The children, mostly born to ranking executives of...

Ex-spy claims S. Korea's spy agency ran secret team for Kim's Nobel prize.
May 5, 2008... WASHINGTON, May 3 (Yonhap) -- A former employee of South Korea's chief spy agency alleged Saturday that the agency ran a secret team under the direction of the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae in 1998 to help then South Korean President Kim...

Gov't puts relocation projects for public companies on hold.
May 5, 2008... SEOUL, May 4 (Yonhap) -- The Lee Myung-bak government has put on hold the previous administration's flagship project to relocate state-run companies out of Seoul in a shift of policy priorities to government downsizing from decentralization,...

No deportation for Turkish national after hit-and-run case.
May 5, 2008... SEOUL, May 4 (Yonhap) -- A Seoul court has ruled against the deportation of a Turkish businessman who received a suspended jail term for driving away after hitting and killing a South Korean, a court ruling showed Sunday. The ruling by the...

S. Korea improves trade balance with FTA countries.
May 5, 2008... SEOUL, May 4 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's trade volume with Chile, Singapore and the four-nation European Free Trade Association (EFTA) has been increasing significantly for the past years since the effectuation of free trade deals with them,...

S. Korea's property tax ratio to GDP higher than OECD average.
May 5, 2008... SEOUL, May 4 (Yonhap) -- The ratio of property taxes to gross domestic product in South Korea is higher than that of the average in the member states of the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), government statistics...

Hi Seoul Festival kicks off, combining Korea's old and new.
May 5, 2008... SEOUL, May 4 (Yonhap) -- Hi Seoul Festival kicked off in the downtown area of South Korea's capital Sunday, bringing together the old and new pinnacles of Korean culture; from royal palaces and traditional court music to world-class B-boys. ...

Unqualified English teachers nabbed: police.
May 5, 2008... SEOUL, May 4 (Yonhap) -- Police said Sunday they have arrested two Ghanaians and booked without physical detention eight others for allegedly conspiring in forging nationalities and academic degrees to secure jobs at English teaching schools...

More South Koreans toured North Korea despite chill in ties.
May 5, 2008... SEOUL, May 4 (Yonhap) -- The number of South Korean tourists heading to North Korea's scenic Geumgang Mountain nearly doubled in the first four months of this year, industry sources said Sunday, despite strained inter-Korean relations following...

Party leader called for questioning over seat-buying scandal.
May 7, 2008... SEOUL, May 7 (Yonhap) -- The leader of the ruling party's splinter group, accused of trading seats in the National Assembly for money, appeared Monday for questioning by prosecutors probing election irregularities. Seoul prosecutors were...

Korean veterans to establish rehabilitation center in Vietnam.
May 7, 2008... SEOUL, May 7 (Yonhap) -- An organization of Korean Vietnam War veterans plans to build next year a rehabilitation center for Koreans and Vietnamese still suffering from various ailments resulting from exposure to defoliants during the war, the...

First statue of Korean in U.S. capital unveiled.
May 7, 2008... WASHINGTON, May 6 (Yonhap) - A bronze statue of a Korean-American scholar who fought for Korean independence in the early 20th century was unveiled in the U.S. capital Tuesday as a symbol of the close alliance between the two countries, the...

N. Korea gets 7 Olympic berths.
May 7, 2008... SEOUL, May 7 (Yonhap) -- North Korea secured seven tickets to the judo competition of the Beijing Olympics, the sport's Asian governing body has said, while South Korea qualified for twice as many berths. According to the Judo Union of Asia...

Chinese leader expresses gratitude to Kim Jong Il.
May 7, 2008... SEOUL, May 7 (Yonhap) -- China's President Hu Jintao has thanked North Korean leader Kim Jong-il for sending a message of sympathy following a train accident which claimed huge casualties in east China, a North Korean radio report said...

Russia's experiment.
May 7, 2008... (EDITORIAL from the Korea Herald on May 7): Something of a political Alice in Wonderland tale is being written in Moscow where, today, Vladimir Putin will turn over the presidency to Dmitry Medvedev, his deputy for nearly two decades. Medvedev...

Street politics: Freedom of expression is basis of democracy.
May 7, 2008... (EDITORIAL from the Korea Times on May 7): Korea is generally acknowledged as a rare case that has attained democracy and industrialization in an unusually short period. As the nation's industry has yet to completely shake off the label of...

H5N1 bird flu found in S. Korea's capital city.
May 7, 2008... SEOUL, May 6 (Yonhap) -- The deadly H5N1 strain of avian influenza was detected on Tuesday in dead chickens from a bird vivarium in Seoul, government officials said, prompting quarantine officials to decontaminate and limit access to a nearby...

S. Koreans silently wave candles to protest U.S. beef imports.
May 7, 2008... SEOUL, May 6 (Yonhap) -- Over 10,000 South Koreans converged in Seoul Tuesday night to protest their government's decision to import most U.S. beef cuts, snubbing a police warning to stay away from political activities. Apparently alarmed by...

Bill Gates reveals massive investment plan in Korea.
May 7, 2008... SEOUL, May 6 (Yonhap) -- Microsoft founder and chairman Bill Gates on Tuesday disclosed a plan to invest US$147 million in Korea's information technology sector over the next five years, while meeting with President Lee Myung-bak at the...

S. Korean pastor's wife gets 6-month jail term in Thailand.
May 7, 2008... BANGKOK, May 6 (Yonhap) -- A Thai court on Tuesday sentenced a South Korean pastor and his wife to a fine of 10,000 baht (US$315) and six months in jail, respectively, for helping North Korean defectors sneak into the Southeast Asian country....

'Natural interface' will become affordable: Bill Gates.
May 7, 2008... SEOUL, May 6 (Yonhap) -- Bill Gates, chief of U.S. software giant Microsoft Corp., on Tuesday forecast that prices of more advanced user interfaces, including displays in tablet PCs, will become more affordable as they become more ubiquitous....

Power failure hits S. Korea's petrochemical complex again.
May 7, 2008... YEOSU, South Korea, May 6 (Yonhap) -- A power outage brought a South Korean petrochemical firm's plant to a halt on Tuesday, only three days after a similar accident shut down factories belonging to the company and nine other companies, company...

U.S. beef safe, poses negligible health risk: officials.
May 7, 2008... SEOUL, May 6 (Yonhap) -- U.S. beef is safe and poses no risks for South Koreans, health experts and officials said on Tuesday as they sought to calm public fears over mad cow disease transmitted by U.S. beef imports, scheduled to resume in...

Gov't to streamline R&D efforts for growth potential.
May 7, 2008... SEOUL, May 6 (Yonhap) -- The government said Tuesday that it will streamline state-funded research and development (R&D) efforts in a bid to enhance the country's growth potential. At a national science and technology committee meeting...

Korean police tracking source of 'mad cow' rumors.
May 7, 2008... SEOUL, May 6 (Yonhap) -- Police on Tuesday began tracing the source of rumors about mad cow disease that are spreading through the Internet and mobile text services in an attempt to curb mounting public anger over the government's decision to...

Lee asks nation to brace for $200 per-barrel oil.
May 7, 2008... SEOUL, May 6 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Myung-bak warned Tuesday that the nation should be prepared for international oil prices to surge to US$200 per barrel in the near future, stressing the role of science and technology in overcoming the...

Number two U.S. diplomat due in Seoul.
May 7, 2008... SEOUL, May 6 (Yonhap) -- U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte will visit South Korea this week as part of his Asian tour, officials here said Tuesday. Negroponte is scheduled to arrive here on Thursday, the first leg of his trip...

N. Korea may again bid to relocate World Cup qualifier: official.
May 7, 2008... SEOUL, May 6 (Yonhap) -- North Korea may be trying to relocate next month's inter-Korean World Cup qualifier out of Seoul, a senior South Korean soccer official said Tuesday, quoting unnamed sources. North Korea succeeded earlier this year in...

Hyundai, Microsoft form alliance for in-vehicle technology.
May 7, 2008... SEOUL, May 6 (Yonhap) -- Hyundai Motor Co., South Korea's largest automaker, said Tuesday it had signed an agreement with U.S. software giant Microsoft Corp. to jointly develop what they call a next-generation in-vehicle music and entertainment...

Seoul shares end higher on tech, steel gains.
May 7, 2008... SEOUL, May 6 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks closed higher Tuesday as investors' buying spree of tech and steel shares offset financial losses, analysts said. The local currency fell against the U.S. dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite...

Political parties bicker over U.S. beef deal.
May 7, 2008... SEOUL, May 6 (Yonhap) -- Political tension mounted Tuesday as South Korea's rival parties wrangled over the issue of renegotiating a controversial deal with Washington to fully open the country's market to U.S. beef from cattle of any age. ...

Microsoft Korea plans to support local game development.
May 7, 2008... SEOUL May 6 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean unit of U.S. software giant Microsoft Corp. said Tuesday it signed a comprehensive agreement with a state-run game industry agency to provide help to local companies in developing games. The agreement...

U.S. prepares to send food to N. Korea.
May 7, 2008... SEOUL, May 6 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will continue close consultations with the United States on food aid for North Korea, the Foreign Ministry said Tuesday, as Washington is reportedly preparing to send 500,000 tons of rice to Pyongyang. ...

Parliamentary committee to hold hearing on Korea-U.S. FTA.
May 7, 2008... SEOUL, May 6 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's parliamentary committee will hold a hearing next week on a free trade deal with Washington as public opinion appears to be turning against the trade pact, which is closely linked to a controversial deal to...

S. Korea to offer emergency aid to cyclone-hit Myanmar.
May 7, 2008... SEOUL, May 6 (Yonhap) -- South Korea said Tuesday it will provide Myanmar with emergency aid materials worth US$100,000, after the country was dealt a devastating blow by a powerful cyclone on the weekend. "The government plans to provide aid...

Shinhan Bank to take over Russian bank.
May 7, 2008... SEOUL, May 6 (Yonhap) -- Shinhan Bank, South Korea's No.2 lender, said Tuesday it has signed a preliminary deal to acquire a mid-sized Russian bank to tap the Russian retail banking market. Shinhan Bank signed a memorandum of understanding with...

Mercedes replaces sales chief in S. Korea amid slump in profits.
May 7, 2008... SEOUL, May 6 (Yonhap) -- Mercedes-Benz, the luxury vehicle unit of Daimler AG, replaced its chief of sales and marketing in South Korea as it was struggling with a continued slump in profits, according to the company's Korean unit Tuesday. ...

UN council to review S. Korea's human rights condition.
May 7, 2008... SEOUL, May 6 (Yonhap) -- A United Nations council will assess South Korea's human rights record this week under its new country review program, officials here said Tuesday. "The U.N. Human Rights Council is scheduled to make its first review...

(News Focus) Fears of mad cow disease spread fast on Web.
May 7, 2008... SEOUL, May 6 (Yonhap) -- Videos, cartoons, communities, chat rooms, and homepages of top stars: these are popular forms of entertainment for many Web-savvy South Koreans, but this week they have turned into powerful vehicles of anger and...

LS Industrial sees 8.2 pct sales growth in 2008.
May 7, 2008... SEOUL, May 6 (Yonhap) -- LS Industrial Systems Co., a South Korean maker of electric power and distribution equipment, said Tuesday it plans to generate 1.4 trillion won (US$1.39 billion) in sales this year, up 8.2 percent from last year. LS...

Samsung Heavy's Q1 net rises 29 pct.
May 7, 2008... SEOUL, May 6 (Yonhap) -- Samsung Heavy Industries Co., the world's second-largest shipbuilder, said Tuesday its first-quarter earnings rose 29 percent on-year on the back of the increased building of high-priced ships. Net income came to...

Korean consumer prices forecast to rise 4.1 pct.
May 7, 2008... SEOUL, May 6 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's consumer prices may rise 4.1 percent this year, fueled by steep hikes in energy and farm goods, a state-run think tank said Tuesday. The revised estimate by the Korea Development Institute (KDI) is a...

Yamato Logistics to tap Korea's logistics market.
May 11, 2008... SEOUL, May 11 (Yonhap) -- Yamato Logistics Co., Japan's largest logistics company, plans to spend 100 billion won (US$95.7 million) over the next five years to advance into South Korea's logistics market, an industry source said Sunday. ...

Seoul needs to get tough on unfair stock trades: think tank.
May 11, 2008... SEOUL, May 11 (Yonhap) -- South Korean regulators should impose tougher penalties on unfair stock trading practices that distort the market and undermine market participants' will for fair play, a think tank said on Sunday. "Legal and...

PM Han heads to Central Asia for energy diplomacy.
May 11, 2008... SEOUL, May 11 (Yonhap) -- Prime Minister Han Seung-soo on Sunday left the country to visit Central Asian nations in a bid to secure energy and natural resources. The 10-day trip will take the prime minister to Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan,...

N. Korean leader stresses importance of military training.
May 11, 2008... SEOUL, May 11 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-il this week called for all-out efforts to train his country's service members while visiting the command of a Korea People's Army (KPA) unit, according to a report by the North's official...

S. Korea, EU set to hold free trade talks.
May 11, 2008... SEOUL, May 11 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and the European Union (EU) will sit down at the negotiating table in Brussels this week in an effort to add momentum to their slow-moving free trade talks, officials here said Sunday. Negotiators from...

Pyongyang waiting for positive gesture by Seoul: N.K. official.
May 11, 2008... SEOUL, May 10 (Yonhap) -- North Korea is willing to resume dialogue with South Korea if Seoul's new conservative government makes a positive gesture and pledges to uphold previous agreements between the two sides, a ranking North Korean...

N.K. calls for increased grain production amid food shortage.
May 11, 2008... SEOUL, May 10 (Yonhap) -- North Korea called Saturday for nationwide efforts to increase grain production amid reports that the impoverished country is suffering from a dire shortage of staple foods. The Rodong Shinmun, the official newspaper...

Lee, Park agree to settle ruling party's internal strife.
May 11, 2008... SEOUL, May 10 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Myung-bak and his ruling party rival-cum-partner Park Geun-hye on Saturday agreed to closely cooperate in healing the factional split within the ruling Grand National Party (GNP) to better cope with...

S. Korea to raise Tamiflu reserves amid bird flu scare.
May 11, 2008... SEOUL, May 10 (Yonhap) -- South Korea plans to increase its emergency reserves of the avian influenza drug Tamiflu to cope with humans possibly contracting the deadly virus amid the country's worst bird flu outbreak, health officials said...

U.S. team fetches N. Korea's key nuclear data.
May 11, 2008... PANMUNJOM, Korea, May 10 (Yonhap) -- Carrying several boxes of confidential papers on North Korea's plutonium-producing activity, a team of five U.S. officials returned from a three-day trip to Pyongyang on Saturday. Sung Kim, director of...

Lee calls for measures to stem human bird flu infection.
May 11, 2008... SEOUL, May 10 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Myung-bak on Saturday instructed his Cabinet to take measures to prevent human bird flu infection and to secure a sufficient amount of antiviral flu drug in preparation for a nationwide spread of avian...