YON - Yonhap News Agency of Korea articles from November 2003

YON - Yonhap News Agency of Korea archives from November 2003

MDP Lawmaker Defects to Uri Party.
November 1, 2003... SEOUL, Nov. 1 (Yonhap) -- A lawmaker quit the Millennium Democratic Party (MDP) on Saturday and defected to a new political group composed mainly of legislators loyal to President Roh Moo-hyun. Rep. Choi Yong-gue said at a news conference that...

N.K. Says It Can Survive Japan's Economic Sanctions.
November 1, 2003... SEOUL, Nov. 1 (Yonhap) -- Impoverished North Korea said Friday its economy is strong enough to stave off any Japanese sanctions. The North's government newspaper Minju Chosun made the commentary in response to a call by Japanese...

South Korea's Monthly Exports Post All-Time High in October.
November 1, 2003... SEOUL, Nov. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's offshore shipments marked a monthly record of US$19.03 billion last month on a customs clearance basis, beating the previous record of $17.15 billion in September, the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and...

Hwang Voices Opposition to Pyongyang Security Guarantee Offer.
November 1, 2003... WASHINGTON, Oct. 31 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's highest-level defector voiced opposition on Friday to a U.S. move to offer his former communist homeland a security guarantee in exchange for it dismantling its nuclear weapons program. Hwang...

South Korean Rookie Widens Lead in LPGA Tour CJ Nine Bridges.
November 1, 2003... JEJU, Nov. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean rookie Ahn Shi-hyun shot a one-under 71 Saturday to take a three-stroke lead in the US$1.2 million CJ Nine Bridges Classic, an LPGA event. The 19-year-old Ahn finished the second round with four...

Light Plane Crashes; One Dead.
November 1, 2003... HWASEONG, South Korea, Nov. 1 (Yonhap) -- A light plane crashed in a lake in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, around 8:30 a.m., killing its pilot, police said on Saturday. Officers said the pilot, identified only as Choi, took off from a...

Seoul Envoy to Attend 100th Anniv. of Panama's Independence.
November 1, 2003... SEOUL, Nov. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea said on Saturday it will send a Cabinet minister to Panama as an envoy to attend the 100th-anniversary celebration of the country's independence. Environment Minister Han Myung-sook will attend Monday's...

Prime Minister Leaves for Mexico to Attend Global Forum.
November 1, 2003... SEOUL, Nov. 1 (Yonhap) -- Prime Minister Goh Kun left the country on Saturday to take part in a global forum in Mexico on administrative reform, his office said. The fifth Global Forum on Reinventing Government is to open on Nov. 3 in...

Forum Participants Say Six-Party Talks Essential to Peace, Prosperity.
November 1, 2003... By Kim Kwang-tae SEOGWIPO, South Korea, Nov. 1 (Yonhap) -- A group of local and foreign experts on Korean affairs said on Saturday that successful six-party talks over North Korea's nuclear weapons program are essential to keeping peace...

Opposition Vows to Refurbish as Scandal-free Party.
November 1, 2003... SEOUL, Nov. 1 (Yonhap) -- The secretary general of the opposition Grand National Party (GNP) pledged Saturday his party will not engage in any illegal activities and make efforts so that it will be revived as a scandal-free majority...

Hyundai Motor Chief Proposes N-E Asian Economic Conference.
November 1, 2003... By Kim Kwang-tae SEOGWIPO, South Korea, Nov. 1 (Yonhap) -- Hyundai Motor Chairman Chung Mong-koo proposed on Saturday a biennial conference of business leaders and economic policymakers from Northeast Asia to map out a strategy to pursue...

China, N. Korea 'Shared Wide Spectrum of Views':Wu Bangguo.
November 1, 2003... SEOUL, Nov. 1 (Yonhap) -- Wu Bangguo, chairman of China's parliament, issued upbeat comments on the results of his recent visit to North Korea, the North's official broadcasting station reported Saturday. The (North) Korean Central...

Seoul Mulls Step-by-Step Approach to Security Assurance for Pyongyang.
November 1, 2003... SEOUL, Oct. 31 (Yonhap) -- A senior South Korean foreign ministry official said Friday he planned to propose a step-by-step approach to offer a security assurance to North Korea in order to end the nuclear standoff. Wie Sung-rak,...

KOSPI Gaining Momentum to Pass 800 Level Next Week.
November 1, 2003... SEOUL, Nov. 1 (Yonhap) -- Korean stock markets are projected to rally next week, with the main market exceeding the 800-point level, analysts said on Saturday. The forecast is based on expectations that government measures against real...

South Korea Finishes Second in Asian Judo Championship.
November 1, 2003... JEJU, Nov. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea placed second after Japan Saturday in overall medal standings in the 2002 Asian Judo Championship by winning four golds. The results increased chances of South Korea's entry in the 2004 Olympics, which...

Top Headlines in Major Korean Newspapers - Nov. 1, 2003.
November 1, 2003... Kyunghyang Daily News - Opposition party receives additional corporate kickback Kukmin Daily - GNP stashes additional corporate kickback Segye Times - Opposition party receives additional corporate kickback Korea Daily News -...

(LEAD) South Korea's Monthly Exports Post All-Time High in October.
November 1, 2003... SEOUL, Nov. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's offshore shipments marked a monthly record of US$19.03 billion last month on a customs clearance basis, beating the previous record of $17.15 billion in September, the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and...

Jeju Peace Forum Urges Continued Dialogue on N.K. Nuclear Crisis.
November 1, 2003... By Kim Kwang-tae SEOGWIPO, South Korea, Nov. 1 (Yonhap) -- A regional peace forum ended here Saturday with a call for dialogue on ending North Korea's nuclear crisis. The participants also registered their support for South Korea's bid...

Gov't to Revise Customs Law to Facilitate Logistics Hub Effort.
November 1, 2003... SEOUL, Nov. 1 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean government will revise current customs regulations to facilitate efforts to transform the country into a logistics hub for Northeast Asia, the Ministry of Finance and Economy said on Saturday. ...

U.S. to Accept N.K. Demand of Simultaneous Actions, Official Says.
November 1, 2003... SEOUL, Nov. 1 (Yonhap) -- The United States will accept North Korea's demand for "a package solution based on the principle of simultaneous actions" to resolve the nuclear weapons standoff if the communist state expresses its resolve to give...

Local Governments Energetically Seducing Venture Firms.
November 2, 2003... By Lee Seung-woo SEOUL, Oct. 31 (Yonhap) -- One afternoon in June, a fire-fighting helicopter landed at the parking lot of CreaGene Inc., a biotech venture firm in Daedeok Techno Valley in the middle of South Korea. Some men in suits...

(2nd LD) S. Korea Said to Have Come Up With Troop Dispatch Details.
November 2, 2003... SEOUL, Nov. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea has reportedly come up with an outline for its planned deployment of troops to Iraq, government officials said on Sunday. A South Korean delegation will head for Washington Tuesday to hold a series of...

(LEAD)Roh Urges Thorough Probe Into Presidential Election Fund Scandal.
November 2, 2003... SEOUL, Nov. 2 (Yonhap) -- President Roh Moo-hyun called on Sunday for a "thorough and far-reaching" investigation into last year's presidential election fund scandal, nudging the prosecution toward probing other alleged illegal political...

U.S. Defense Chief to Visit Seoul on Nov. 16-18.
November 2, 2003... WASHINGTON, Nov. 1 (Yonhap) -- U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld will make a three-day visit to South Korea from Nov. 16 to take part in an annual high-level security talks between the two countries, a diplomatic source said Saturday. ...

Ahn Shi-hyun Wins Career 1st at LPGA Tour CJ Nine Bridges.
November 2, 2003... JEJU, Nov. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korean rookie Ahn Shi-hyun maintained the lead she took from the second round on and never looked back, shooting a 4-under-par 68 to capture her first victory Sunday in the US$1.2 million CJ Nine Bridges...

KOTRA to Hold Export Fair for Middle East Region.
November 2, 2003... SEOUL, Nov. 2 (Yonhap) -- The Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) said on Sunday it will hold an export fair on Tuesday at the Convention and Exhibition Center (COEX) in southern Seoul, where about 177 buyers from five Middle East...

Prime Minister Goh Kun Encourages South Korean Residents in LA.
November 2, 2003... LOS ANGELES, Nov. 1 (Yonhap) -- Prime Minister Goh Kun offered words of encouragement Saturday to South Koreans living in Los Angeles on his way to Mexico City to take part in a global forum on administrative reform. Goh was making a...

Japan to Propose Suspending N.K. Nuclear Reactor Construction: NHK.
November 2, 2003... TOKYO, Nov. 1 (Yonhap) -- Japan will propose that two power-generating nuclear reactors being built in North Korea be suspended for one year, despite what appears to be Pyongyang's moves to resolve its nuclear crisis, a Japanese public...

Singapore Firm To Invest In North Korea's Industrial Park.
November 2, 2003... SEOUL, Nov. 2 (Yonhap) -- A leading Singaporean construction company is pushing to invest in North Korea's ambitious industrial park project now under way in the border city of Kaesong, its South Korean partner said Sunday. Kim Yoon-kyu,...

S. Korean Firms Employ 0.5 Percent of Vietnam's Population: Report.
November 2, 2003... SEOUL, Nov. 2 (Yonhap) -- About 40 percent of South Korea's trade surplus with Vietnam stems from its foreign direct investments in the Southeast Asian country, according to a report released Sunday by the Korean International Trade...

2003 Korea Machinery Fair To Open in Seoul Monday.
November 2, 2003... SEOUL, Nov. 2 (Yonhap) -- The 2003 Korea Machinery Fair (KOMAF) is to begin in Seoul on Monday, featuring the latest systems and technologies in the machinery industry, its organizers said on Sunday. KOMAF, a biennial international exhibition...

Life Insurers See 30-Percent Fall in First-Half Net Profit.
November 2, 2003... SEOUL, Nov. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's insurance companies sustained steep falls in profits in the first half of the 2003 fiscal year, reeling from substantial reductions in new contracts and massive typhoon-related losses, a report said on...

Foreign Currency Deposits Wane as Dollar Gains Strength.
November 2, 2003... SEOUL, Nov. 2 (Yonhap) -- Foreign currency deposits by South Korean firms and individuals have dropped because the U.S. dollar has gained strength versus the Korean won since the middle of last month, the Bank of Korea said on Sunday. ...

Gov't Mulls Gradual Cut in Controversial Screen Quota.
November 2, 2003... SEOUL, Nov. 2 (Yonhap) -- The economy-related government agencies are considering easing a controversial screen quota system "by stages," in an attempt to conclude a bilateral investment treaty (BIT) with the United States, officials said on...

Roh Urges Thorough Probe Into Presidential Election Fund Scandal.
November 2, 2003... SEOUL, Nov. 2 (Yonhap) -- President Roh Moo-hyun called on Sunday for a "thorough and far-reaching" investigation into last year's presidential election fund scandal, nudging the prosecution toward probing other alleged illegal political...

Economic Environment for Small, Medium Businesses Remains Weak.
November 2, 2003... SEOUL, Nov. 2 (Yonhap) -- The economic environment for smaller companies has hit its lowest ebb in 13 months, the Korea Federation of Small and Medium Business (KFSB) said on Sunday. The federation said its estimate was based on the latest...

U.S., S. Korea to Meet on Iraq Troop Dispatch Next Week.
November 2, 2003... WASHINGTON, Nov. 1 (Yonhap) - South Korea and the United States will hold a series of working-level meetings next week here to draw up the details of South Korea's planned deployment of troops to Iraq, diplomatic sources said on Saturday....

Estonia's Pavel Loskutov Wins Gold Medal in Seoul's Int'l Marathon.
November 2, 2003... SEOUL, Nov. 2 (Yonhap) -- Estonia's new face Pavel Loskutov took the crown Sunday in the men's international marathon in Seoul. Loskutov broke away shortly after the 35-kilometer mark and never looked back, victorious with a meet record of 2...

S. Korean Firms' EPS Likely to Grow Most in Asia Next Year.
November 2, 2003... SEOUL, Nov. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korean companies' average earnings per share (EPS) are forecast to grow by 33.4 percent next year, the highest rate in Asia and third-highest in the world, according to a financial survey report released on...

S. Korea to Develop Domestic Flight Data Recorders by 2005.
November 2, 2003... SEOUL, Nov. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will take steps to develop and produce the flight data recording devices known as black boxes for small aircraft, the Ministry of Construction and Transportation said on Sunday. The project is part of...

DPM Kim Promotes Economic Cooperation with Neighbors at Boao Forum.
November 2, 2003... SEOUL, Nov. 2 (Yonhap) -- Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Economy Kim Jin-pyo promoted South Korea's business prospects and pledged closer cooperation with neighbors at this year's Boao Forum, the finance ministry said on...

Debt Issues by Local Banks Increase 15 Pct. Through September.
November 2, 2003... SEOUL, Nov. 2 (Yonhap) -- Outstanding debts issued by local banks reached 115 trillion won (US$96.8 billion) as of the end of September, up 15.2 percent from 99.8 trillion won at the end of last year, the country's central bank reported on...

(LEAD) U.S., S. Korea to Meet on Iraq Troop Dispatch Next Week.
November 2, 2003... WASHINGTON, Nov. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and the United States will hold a series of working-level meetings next week here to draw up the details of South Korea's planned deployment of troops to Iraq, diplomatic sources said on Saturday....

(LEAD) Civic Groups Demand Japanese Government Fire Tokyo Governor.
November 3, 2003... SEOUL, Nov. 3 (Yonhap) -- Twelve South Korean legislators introduced a resolution in parliament Monday, asking their government to try to get the United Nations to intervene in what they called "discriminatory" remarks against Koreans by a...

Ex-Presidential Aide Temporarily Released from Prison for Medical Checkup.
November 3, 2003... SEOUL, Nov. 3 (Yonhap) -- A convicted aide to former President Kim Dae-jung was temporarily released from prison Monday for a medical checkup, court officials said. Han Kwang-ok, who once served as a presidential chief of staff, was...

Senior Japanese Diplomat in Seoul to Discuss North Korea.
November 3, 2003... SEOUL, Nov. 3 (Yonhap) -- Japan's chief negotiator in nuclear talks with North Korea met his South Korean counterpart Monday to discuss the communist North's program to develop atomic weapons. Mitoji Yabunaka, chief of the Japanese Foreign...

Japanese Actress Yonekura Hopes to Learn More about Korean Culture.
November 3, 2003... SEOUL, Nov. 3 (Yonhap) -- Popular Japanese actress Ryoko Yonekura on Monday expressed hope that she would educate the Japanese people about Korea and its culture after learning them. Yonekura, who was appointed in July as a goodwill...

(2nd LEAD) Prosecution to Expand Slush Fund Probe to All Parties.
November 3, 2003... SEOUL, Nov. 3 (Yonhap) -- The prosecution said Monday it has decided to launch a full-fledged inquiry into alleged illegal fundraising by all political parties, ending a debate on whether to expand the ongoing probe of SK Group to include...

Civic Groups Demand Japanese Government Fire Tokyo Governor.
November 3, 2003... SEOUL, Nov. 3 (Yonhap) -- A group of civic activists took to the Japanese Embassy here on Monday, demanding for the resignation of Tokyo Governor Shintaro Ishihara who insulted Korea and China in a series of remarks last week. "He is...

Unification Minister Admits Perjury on N.K. Payment.
November 3, 2003... SEOUL, Nov. 3 (Yonhap) -- Unification Minister Jeong Se-hyun acknowledged on Monday that he gave false testimony to the legislature about payment to North Korea for its participation in a recent inter-Korean sports festival. In a...

MDP Received 7.2 Bln Won from Top Five Companies: Lawmaker.
November 3, 2003... SEOUL, Nov. 3 (Yonhap) -- The former secretary general of the Millennium Democratic Party's (MDP) presidential campaign headquarters said Monday the party raised 7.2 billion won (US$6 million) in political funds from the country's five largest...

Board of Audit Nominee Questioned on Private Assets, Neutrality.
November 3, 2003... SEOUL, Nov. 3 (Yonhap) -- Nominee for top auditor Jeon Yun-churl, questioned on his ability to fairly inspect government agencies, told the confirmation hearing board on Monday that he will be equally tough, even on cases involving his...

U.S. Will Give Security Assurances if N.K. Gives Up Nukes: Envoy.
November 3, 2003... SEOUL, Nov. 3 (Yonhap) -- The United States is willing to give security assurances to North Korea even before the communist nation completely dismantles its nuclear program, as long as the North makes its intention to do so clear, the top...

(LEAD) Prosecution to Expand Slush Fund Probe to All Parties.
November 3, 2003... SEOUL, Nov. 3 (Yonhap) -- The prosecution said on Monday it has decided to launch a full-fledged inquiry into alleged illegal fund-raising by all political parties, ending a debate on whether to expand the ongoing probe of SK Group to include...

Int'l Air Show to Open Tuesday in Busan.
November 3, 2003... SEOUL, Nov. 3 (Yonhap) -- An international air show featuring demonstration flights and aerial acrobatics by dozens of state-of-the-art aircraft is to begin Tuesday in the southeastern port city of Busan, organizer said. A total of 42...

N.K.'s Military Well Placed to Lead Dissident Movement: Hwang.
November 3, 2003... WASHINGTON, Nov. 2 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's military can take the lead in launching a dissident movement against its leader, Kim Jong-il, North Korea's highest-level defector said on Sunday. Hwang, who served as secretary of North Korea's...

Police to Use Surveillance Cameras to Curb Illegal Parking.
November 3, 2003... SEOUL, Nov. 3 (Yonhap) -- The National Police Agency said Monday it will increase its use of high-tech equipment, such as surveillance cameras, from next July to clamp down on illegal parking and traffic violations. The NPA said the move...

Jung Kwang-soo, 'Pansori' Vocalist, Dies at 94.
November 3, 2003... SEOUL, Nov. 3 (Yonhap) -- Jung Kwang-soo, the oldest living government-designated skill keeper for the traditional performing art of "pansori," or narrative singing, died Sunday in a Seoul hospital. He was 94. Designated as an Intangible...

Ten Arrested for Withdrawing $50 Mln with Fake Export Documents.
November 3, 2003... SEOUL, Nov. 3 (Yonhap) -- Seoul prosecutors Monday arrested 10 people, indicted five without detention and put seven others on a police wanted list, charging them with illegally withdrawing US$50 million from a state-run bank with fake export...

South Korea's Choi KJ Plays His Way into TOUR Championship.
November 3, 2003... SEOUL, Nov. 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's Choi Kyung-ju did just enough at the PGA's Chrysler Championship Monday to secure a place at the season-ending TOUR Championship later this month. Choi shot a 1-under-par 70 in the final round of the...

South Korea, Japan to Hold Consular Chiefs' Talks.
November 3, 2003... SEOUL, Nov. 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and Japan will conduct a consular chiefs' meeting in Seoul this week, the Foreign Ministry said on Monday. The one-day meeting on Wednesday is aimed at discussing exempting visa requirements for...

'N.K. Willing to Freeze Nuke Facilities, Accept Inspections'.
November 3, 2003... By Chang Jae-soon SEOUL, Nov. 3 (Yonhap) -- North Korea has expressed willingness to freeze its nuclear facilities and allow outside inspections if the United States promises to normalize ties with it, a German lawmaker said on Monday. ...

PM Goh Emphasizes Peacekeeping Nature of Iraq-bound Troops.
November 3, 2003... MEXICO CITY, Nov. 2 (Yonhap) -- Prime Minister Goh Kun moved Sunday to allay fears for the safety of South Korean troops heading to the Gulf, emphasizing that their mission was to take part in rehabilitation efforts, not to fight in a war. ...

Former President Kim DJ Calls Nuclear Situation 'Dangerous'.
November 3, 2003... SEOUL, Nov. 3 (Yonhap) -- Former President Kim Dae-jung said Monday the dispute over North Korea's nuclear development programs was "extremely dangerous" and that he would be glad to contribute to bringing peace to the Korean Peninsula. In...

U.S. Forces to Pause Operations on University Entrance Exam Day.
November 3, 2003... SEOUL, Nov. 3 (Yonhap) -- The American military command in Seoul has ordered an "operational pause" during the day of university entrance exams for South Korean students this week, a U.S. military newspaper reported on Monday. The move by...

Chip Maker Employee Arrested for Industrial Espionage.
November 3, 2003... SEOUL, Nov. 3 (Yonhap) -- Prosecutors on Monday arrested an employee at a domestic producer of semiconductor chips, charging him with leaking state-of-the-art technology secrets to a rival company in return for employment at that company. ...

South Korean Travellers Cautioned Against Passport Theft.
November 3, 2003... SEOUL, Nov. 3 (Yonhap) -- The National Intelligence Service (NIS) warned South Koreans travelling abroad Monday to be on their guard against passport theft. The nation's main intelligence agency said international crime rings are...

Choi Do-sul Allegedly Diverted Part of Slush Funds to Roh's Driver.
November 3, 2003... SEOUL, Nov. 3 (Yonhap) -- Prosecutors, probing the funneling of slush funds to a confidant of President Roh Moo-hyun from SK Group, said Monday the aide gave part of the funds to one of Roh's former drivers. Choi Do-sul, a longtime...

Korean-German Groups Call for Release of Dissident Scholar.
November 3, 2003... BERLIN, Nov. 2 (Yonhap) -- Ten Korean-German civic groups urged on Sunday that the South Korean government immediately release a prominent Korean-born German scholar under investigation for his ties with North Korea, and scrap the...

Seoul Still Undecided on Details of Iraqi Troop Dispatch: Advisor.
November 3, 2003... SEOUL, Nov. 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korea has made no new decisions related to the dispatch of additional troops to Iraq and still needs to negotiate with the United States on the issue, National Security Advisor Ra Jong-yil said Monday. "We...

South, North Korea to Open Red Cross Talks Tuesday.
November 3, 2003... SEOUL, Nov. 3 (Yonhap) -- Red Cross officials of South and North Korea will open talks Tuesday to discuss the proposed construction of a family reunion center in the North, South Korean National Red Cross officials said Monday. During the...

'Gov't Responsible for Military Violence that Cost Soldier's Life'.
November 3, 2003... SEOUL, Nov. 3 (Yonhap) -- A Seoul court ruled Monday that the government should pay compensation to the family of a soldier driven by military violence to commit suicide. "Military violence and mistreatment provoked grave mental shock in a...

Top Headlines in Major Korean Newspapers - Nov. 3, 2003.
November 3, 2003... Kyunghyang Daily News - Roh urges far-reaching investigation into presidential campaign funds Kukmin Daily - Accurate picture of political funds should be revealed:Roh Segye Times - Roh calls for full revelation of political funds...

(LEAD) Ex-President Kim Urges Peaceful Settlement to Nuclear Crisis.
November 3, 2003... SEOUL, Nov. 3 (Yonhap) -- Former President Kim Dae-jung defended his "sunshine" policy of engaging North Korea Monday and said the communist country's "extremely dangerous" nuclear weapons program should be resolved peacefully. Kim, who...

High Court Convicts Roh Supporter of Violating Election Laws.
November 3, 2003... SEOUL, Nov. 3 (Yonhap) -- A high court on Monday convicted a gas station owner of illegal campaign activities on behalf of then-ruling party presidential candidate Roh Moo-hyun late last year. The ruling was made after allegations arose...

South Korean Handset Makers Post Record Local Sales in October.
November 3, 2003... SEOUL, Nov. 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korean handset manufacturers posted record monthly sales in October as mobile phone operators stepped up their marketing campaigns ahead of new regulations that will allow subscribers to keep their telephone...

(2nd LD) Acting President to Run Korea Exchange Bank: Source.
November 3, 2003... SEOUL, Nov. 3 (Yonhap) -- Korea Exchange Bank's (KEB) board decided Monday to select an acting president to run the country's sixth-largest lender for the time being, an informed source said. "The board made the decision after accepting the...

Morgan Stanley Predicts 2.4 Pct Growth for S.Korea in 2003.
November 3, 2003... SEOUL, Nov. 3 (Yonhap) -- Morgan Stanley's top Asian economic analyst said Monday that South Korea's economy would grow 2.4 percent this year as a result of the slow recovery in consumer spending. Andy Xie, managing director of Morgan...

Won Drops vs. Dollar; Key Bond Yield Jumps.
November 3, 2003... SEOUL, Nov. 3 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean won fell 2.50 to the dollar to finish at 1,185.60 Monday on the yen's weakness, while the nation's benchmark bond yield surged 0.07 percentage point to 4.55 percent. Seoul shares finished...

SK Telecom Faces Hurdles in Launching Satellite Broadcasting Venture.
November 3, 2003... By Kim Deok-hyun SEOUL, Nov. 3 (Yonhap) -- SK Telecom's plan to launch a satellite-based digital broadcasting business worth hundreds of millions of dollars has been thrown into disarray as concerns arise that potential partners will...

S&P Says S.Korean Gov't Maintaining Consistent Economic Policies.
November 3, 2003... SEOUL, Nov. 3 (Yonhap) -- Standard & Poor's Ratings Services said Monday the South Korean government has maintained a consistent economic policy stance and that the passage of reform measures would further stabilize overall conditions. The...

(LEAD) S. Korea Carmakers Post Record October Sales.
November 3, 2003... SEOUL, Nov. 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's major automakers reported their biggest-ever monthly sales figure in October, powered by exports to the United States, Europe and other countries, according to industry officials Monday. Though stung...

FKI Calls for Early Wrap-up of Campaign Funding Probe.
November 3, 2003... SEOUL, Nov. 2 (Yonhap) -- One of the nation's most influential business organizations urged the prosecution Monday to complete its ongoing inquiry into illegal campaign funding during the December presidential election as soon as possible to...

Top Korean Companies Better Than Global Leaders in Profitability.
November 3, 2003... SEOUL, Nov. 3 (Yonhap) -- Leading South Korean businesses beat out their global rivals in terms of profitability thanks to the massive wave of corporate reform that has continued since the 1997 Asian financial crisis, the LG Economic...