YON - Yonhap News Agency of Korea articles from November 2005

YON - Yonhap News Agency of Korea archives from November 2005

(2nd LD) S. Korea to investigate local kimchi producers.
November 1, 2005... SEOUL, Nov. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's foreign ministry said Tuesday it will conduct an investigation of local kimchi producers implicated in a recent allegation that South Korean exports of the side dish to China contained parasite eggs. ...

S. Korea to face Japan in East Asian Games football preliminary.
November 1, 2005... By Yang Te-sam MACAU, China, Nov. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and Japan will square off Wednesday night in the football tournament of the fourth East Asian Games in Macau, with the top spot in their group on the line. Due to the tournament's...

Seoul shares trade higher on foreign buying.
November 1, 2005... SEOUL, Nov. 1 (Yonhap) -- Seoul shares extended earlier gains Tuesday afternoon due to an overnight rise in US stocks and reports of brighter third-quarter earnings from finance companies. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index...

S. Korean mail agency steps up security precautions ahead of APEC.
November 1, 2005... SEOUL, Nov. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's state-run mail service agency said Tuesday it is stepping up security checks of all incoming and outgoing letters and parcels, with this year's meetings of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum less...

Seoul shares gain ground on foreign buying.
November 1, 2005... SEOUL, Nov. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks gained ground Tuesday morning as foreign investors snapped up tech and bank shares. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 26.87 points, or 2.32 percent, to 1,184.98 as of...

Tax cuts contribute little to boosting economy: ministry.
November 1, 2005... SEOUL, Nov. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's Finance Ministry said Tuesday that recent tax cuts contributed little to boosting the economy, opposing calls from political circles for further tax reductions. In a report, the ministry said that tax...

The Korea Interbank Offered Rates.
November 1, 2005... SEOUL, Nov. 1 (Yonhap) -- The Korea Interbank Offered Rates (KORIBOR) as posted by Yonhap Infomax, the financial news and information arm of Yonhap News Agency, at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday November 1, 2005. Term Today (%) Previous Day (%)...

US group picked to run international schools in S. Korean city.
November 1, 2005... SEOUL, Nov. 1 (Yonhap) -- U. S.-based International School Services (ISS), one of the world's leading providers of educational services for expatriate communities, was selected to establish and run international schools in a city west of Seoul,...

Lucent Technologies wins order for Internet telephony from KT.
November 1, 2005... SEOUL, Nov. 1 (Yonhap) -- Lucent Technologies Inc., a US telecom equipment maker, said Tuesday it has won a contract to supply Internet-based telephony equipment to KT Corp., South Korea's biggest fixed-line telecom company. No financial...

S. Korea to launch investigation into local kimchi producers.
November 1, 2005... SEOUL, Nov. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's foreign ministry said Tuesday it will conduct an investigation of local kimchi producers after revelations Monday that parasite eggs were discovered in South Korean products exported to China. On...

(2nd LD) LG Telecom's Q3 profit jumps, but outlook uncertain.
November 1, 2005... SEOUL, Nov. 1 (Yonhap) -- LG Telecom Ltd., South Korea's smallest mobile phone operator, said Tuesday it posted a nearly 91 percent jump in net income for the third quarter thanks to lower marketing costs and higher service sales. However,...

APEC host city to maintain watertight security.
November 1, 2005... By Lee Chi-dong BUSAN, Nov. 1 (Yonhap) -- Busan, South Korea's largest port city, will bristle with security at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit and forum to be held in the middle of this month. Security is one of the...

(LEAD) S. Korean exports hit record US$25.71 bln in October.
November 1, 2005... SEOUL, Nov. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's exports reached a new monthly high of US$25.71 billion in October thanks to strong shipments of cars, ships and machinery, the government said Tuesday. Last month's customs-cleared exports were up...

South Korea puts final touches to APEC.
November 1, 2005... By Lee Chi-dong BUSAN, Nov. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea is making final preparations to host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit and forum, with just two weeks to go before the annual gathering opens in South Korea's southern...

China returns as leading agricultural exporter to S. Korea.
November 1, 2005... SEOUL, Nov. 1 (Yonhap) -- China surpassed the United States as the biggest exporter of agricultural products to South Korea in the January-September period as local consumers turned to cheaper Chinese farm produce, the government said Tuesday....

NK nuke scrapping, LWR provision should take place simultaneously.
November 1, 2005... By Hwang Doo-hyong SEOUL, Nov. 1 (Yonhap) -- Russia on Tuesday proposed that the provision of light-water reactors (LWRs) to North Korea and the North's dismantling of nuclear weapons should take place simultaneously. "Here you see an...

(APEC Interview) Japan seeks to revive FTA talks with Korea during APEC meeting.
November 1, 2005... By Kim Hyun SEOUL, Nov. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and Japan will seek to resume negotiations for a free trade agreement when the two countries meet during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in Busan this month. Shotaro...

(LEAD) S. Korean inflation rate slows in October.
November 1, 2005... SEOUL, Nov. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's gain in consumer prices slowed in October, mainly due to a fall in prices of agricultural products, a government report showed Tuesday. Consumer prices in Asia's fourth-largest economy rose 2.5...

Weather forecast: Tuesday November 1, 2005.
November 1, 2005... SEOUL, Nov. 1 (Yonhap) -- The following is the weather forecast for South Korea's 12 major cities at 9:00 a.m Tuesday November 1, 2005. Temperature (C) Condition Possibility High/Low of Rain (%) Seoul 17/5 ...

EDITORIAL from the Chosun Ilbo on Tuesday November 1, 2005.(Editorial)
November 1, 2005... Is there a doctor in the house? The Uri Party's caretaker chairman Chung Sye-kyun said Monday the government and ruling party "failed to melt the frozen minds and hearts of the people." Chung, who will lead the ruling party after the Central...

EDITORIAL from the JoongAng Daily on Tuesday November 1, 2005.(Editorial)
November 1, 2005... Balanced development? The selection of locations for new "innovative" cities where public institutions will be moved is in turmoil. In the case of North Jeolla and South Gyeongsang provinces, as soon as an announcement of selected sites was...

EDITORIAL from the Korea Times on Tuesday November 1, 2005.(Editorial)
November 1, 2005... Tokyo's constitutional revision: Japanese moves alarm its Asian neighbors Two recent developments in and around Japan are worrying Tokyo's neighbors, who are aspiring for the peace and co-prosperity of Asia. Japan's ruling Liberal...

Top headlines in major South Korean newspapers: Tuesday November 1, 2005.
November 1, 2005... SEOUL, Nov. 1 (Yonhap) -- The following are the top headlines in major Korean newspapers on Tuesday November 1, 2005 Vernacular dailies -- China imposes import ban on Korean kimchi (Kyunghyang Shinmun) -- Authorities to delay cutoff of...

KAI woos Turkey on trainer jet bid with unlimited tech transfer.
November 1, 2005... WASHINGTON, Oct. 31 (Yonhap) -- A South Korean aerospace company is offering unlimited technology transfer to Turkey as it prepares to bid for a US$450 million contract to supply trainer planes, the weekly Defense News reported Monday. ...

Iraq shows how US foreign policy has failed: North Korea.
November 1, 2005... SEOUL, Oct. 31 (Yonhap) -- Increasing US casualties in Iraq and anti-war protests at home have forced the US foreign policy into a corner, North Korea claimed Monday. "As the Iraqi insurgents dealt deadly blows to the US occupants by force...

(2nd LD) S. Korea racks up three golds at East Asia Games.
November 1, 2005... By Yang Te-sam MACAU, China, Oct. 31 (Yonhap) -- Wushu athlete Lee Seung-kuen won South Korea's first gold at the fourth East Asian Games on Monday. Shortly after news came of the first gold, South Korean bowler Gye Min-young delivered a...

North Korea's ancient temple restored after 500 years.
November 1, 2005... KAESONG, North Korea, Oct. 31 (Yonhap) -- An ancient Buddhist temple in North Korea near the inter-Korean border has been restored after more than 500 years. A restoration ceremony for Youngtong Temple, founded in the 10th century and burnt...

Seoul eager for inter-Korean military talks.
November 1, 2005... SEOUL, Oct. 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will double its efforts to resume high-level military talks with North Korea this year, Seoul's point man on Pyongyang said Monday. Unification Minister Chung Dong-young said that easing military...

Seoul must be involved in peace talks on the peninsula: PM.
November 1, 2005... SEOUL, Oct. 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will have to be involved in any talks to replace the current cease-fire on the Korean Peninsula with a peace regime, the country's No. 2 official said on Monday. During the parliamentary...

UN examiner on NK human rights to come to S. Korea.
November 1, 2005... SEOUL, Oct. 31 (Yonhap) -- A UN investigator of human rights in North Korea, who has called for neighboring countries to protect North Korean defectors and refrain from forcing their repatriation, is set to come to South Korea on Wednesday,...

(LEAD) Truckers avert planned walkout.
November 1, 2005... SEOUL, Oct. 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's unionized truck drivers decided Monday to roll back their plan to stage a general strike and accept compromise measures presented by the government. The decision came from a vote of members of the...

Domestic handset market recovers for fifth month.
November 1, 2005... SEOUL, Oct. 31 (Yonhap) -- Handset sales in South Korea picked up for the fifth consecutive month in October after a decline in the first half, industrial sources said Monday. They estimated the supply of handsets at between 1.28 million...

(LEAD) Four cities compete fiercely to accommodate nuclear waste dump.
November 1, 2005... By Kim Hyun SEOUL, Oct. 31 (Yonhap) -- Four provincial cities on South Korea's east and west coasts are locked in last-minute competition for the right to host the nation's first permanent nuclear waste dump on the eve of a decisive popular...

S. Korean stem cell center receives patient registration.
November 1, 2005... SEOUL, Oct. 31 (Yonhap) -- A research center headed by world-renowned stem-cell scientist Hwang Woo-suk said Monday that it will start receiving patient registrations in November. The World Stem Cell Hub at Seoul National University...

Yonhap News Summary: Monday October 31, 2005.
November 1, 2005... The following is the second summary of major stories moved by the Yonhap News Agency on Monday October 31, 2005. --------------- (LEAD) Music industry group wins court approval to seize Soribada stock SEOUL -- A South Korean music...

US.-S Korean interest rate gap caused foreign sell-offs: report.
November 1, 2005... SEOUL, Oct. 31 (Yonhap) -- A recent foreign sell-off on the local stock market was ignited by the gap between interest rates in the US and South Korean markets, a local think tank said Monday. "With the US key rate higher than that of South...

(3rd LD) Kookmin Bank net profit nearly triples in Q3.
November 1, 2005... SEOUL, Oct. 31 (Yonhap) -- Kookmin Bank, South Korea's largest lender, said Monday its net profit nearly tripled in the third quarter from a year earlier on reduced bad debt expenses. Earnings in the July-September period rose 186.84...

S. Korea's largest Buddhist order elects new leader.
November 1, 2005... SEOUL, Oct. 31 (Yonhap) -- Ven. Jigwan, 73, was elected Monday as head of South Korea's largest Buddhist order, Jogye, which claims 10 million followers in a nation of 48 million. The new leader, who currently heads the Gasan Buddhist...

Leadership of minor opposition DLP resigns over election defeat.
November 1, 2005... SEOUL, Oct. 31 (Yonhap) -- The head and standing committee members of the minor opposition Democratic Labor Party (DLP) resigned Monday to take responsibility for the party's defeat in last week's Assembly by-elections. Party Chairwoman Kim...

Seoul set to raise US$2 bln to repay higher-rate debts.
November 1, 2005... SEOUL, Oct. 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korea plans to sell more global bonds to repay debts sold in the wake of the 1997-98 Asian financial crisis that hit it, officials at the Finance Ministry said Monday. Seoul sold about US$4 billion of debts at...

Human rights watchdog to look into Hyundai's alleged violations.
November 1, 2005... SEOUL, Oct. 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's National Human Rights Commission decided to probe allegations that striking workers at Hyundai's steelmaking arm suffered human rights violations, commission officials said Monday. The decision...

(LEAD) Seoul shares soar on institutional buying, Wall Street rally.
November 1, 2005... SEOUL, Oct. 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks closed sharply higher Monday as large-cap issues got a lift from heavy institutional buying and last week's rally in US stocks. The US dollar fell against the Korean won. The benchmark Korea...

S. Korean Bond Yields on Monday October 31, 2005.
November 1, 2005... Today (%) Previous Day (%) Change (%P) 1-year TB 4.47 4.47 0.00 3-year TB 4.95 4.97 -0.02 10-year TB 5.49 5.50 -0.01 2-year MSB 4.93 4.95 -0.02 3-year CB (AA-) 5.34 5.36 -0.02...

(LEAD) Music industry group wins court approval to seize Soribada stock.
November 1, 2005... SEOUL, Oct. 31 (Yonhap) -- A South Korean music industry group said Monday it has won court approval to seize some privately held shares of an Internet song-swapping site, Soribada, marking the latest victory in its fight against unauthorized...

(LEAD) S. Korean economy on recovery track: finance minister.
November 1, 2005... SEOUL, Oct. 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's economy is on a recovery track after a two-year slump, the country's finance minister said Monday. "The first half was sluggish, but the economy is on the way to continuous recovery," Han Duck-soo...

S. Korean MP3 maker launches Japanese subsidiary.
November 1, 2005... SEOUL, Oct. 31 (Yonhap) -- MPIO Co., a major South Korean MP3 player manufacturer, said Monday that it has launched a Japanese subsidiary to strengthen its market presence there. MPIO Japan, capitalized at 449 million won (US$430,488),...

Citibank unionists to launch one-day strike this week.
November 1, 2005... SEOUL, Oct. 31 (Yonhap) -- More than 2,500 unionists at Citibank Korea Inc. decided Monday to stage a one-day strike this week as a warning against the bank's alleged discrimination against former KorAm Bank employees. Citibank Korea,...

Roh stresses need for continued dialogue for Middle East peace.
November 1, 2005... SEOUL, Oct. 31 (Yonhap) -- President Roh Moo-hyun stressed Monday the need for continued dialogue to stabilize the Middle East. Roh made the point while receiving Palestinian Foreign Minister Nasser Al-Kidwa at Cheong Wa Dae, his spokesman...

NK leader's pledge to visit Seoul still valid: prime minister.
November 1, 2005... SEOUL, Oct. 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korean Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan said Monday that North Korean leader Kim Jong-il's promise five years ago to visit the South is still binding. "We cannot say the promise by chairman Kim Jong-il of North...

Today in Korean History: November 1.
November 1, 2005... 1950 -- The English-language newspaper Korea Times publishes its first edition. 1989 -- South Korea establishes diplomatic relations with Poland. 1991 -- The Korean-language Moonhwa Ilbo newspaper prints its first edition. 1999 -...

Peruvian president to visit Seoul for summit with Roh, APEC forum.
November 1, 2005... SEOUL, Oct. 31 (Yonhap) -- Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo Manrique will arrive in Seoul on Nov. 15 for summit talks with President Roh Moo-hyun on security and economic issues of mutual concern, Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kim Man-soo said...

S. Korea to beef up security for nuke plants during APEC forum.
November 1, 2005... SEOUL, Oct. 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korea said Monday it will step up its anti-terrorism alert for nuclear power plants and other nuclear facilities ahead of the upcoming summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in the southern...

Citibank Korea may consider buying LG Card.
November 1, 2005... SEOUL, Oct. 31 (Yonhap) -- Citibank Korea Inc., a South Korean unit of US financial giant Citigroup, may consider taking over LG Card Co. with Korea Exchange Bank, the bank's head said Monday. LG Card has been in the hands of creditors...

U.S. group picked to run international schools in S. Korean city.
November 2, 2005... SEOUL, Nov. 1 (Yonhap) -- U.S.-based International School Services (ISS), one of the world's leading providers of educational services for expatriate communities, was selected to establish and run international schools in a city west of...

KAI woos Turkey on trainer jet bid with unlimited tech transfer.
November 2, 2005... WASHINGTON, Oct. 31 (Yonhap) -- A South Korean aerospace company is offering unlimited technology transfer to Turkey as it prepares to bid for a US$450 million contract to supply trainer planes, the weekly Defense News reported Monday. ...

Top headlines in major South Korean newspapers.
November 2, 2005... SEOUL, Nov. 1 (Yonhap) -- The following are the top headlines in major Korean newspapers on Nov. 1. Vernacular dailies -- China imposes import ban on Korean kimchi (Kyunghyang Shinmun) -- Authorities to delay cutoff of electricity, gas...

(EDITORIAL from the Korea Times on Nov. 1).(Editorial)
November 2, 2005... Tokyo's constitutional revision: Japanese moves alarm its Asian neighbors Two recent developments in and around Japan are worrying Tokyo's neighbors, who are aspiring for the peace and co-prosperity of Asia. Japan's ruling Liberal...

(EDITORIAL from the JoongAng Daily on Nov. 1).(Editorial)
November 2, 2005... Balanced development? The selection of locations for new "innovative" cities where public institutions will be moved is in turmoil. In the case of North Jeolla and South Gyeongsang provinces, as soon as an announcement of selected sites...

(EDITORIAL from the Chosun Ilbo on Nov. 1).(Editorial)
November 2, 2005... Is there a doctor in the house? The Uri Party's caretaker chairman Chung Sye-kyun said Monday the government and ruling party "failed to melt the frozen minds and hearts of the people." Chung, who will lead the ruling party after the...

S. Korean mail agency steps up security precautions ahead of APEC.
November 2, 2005... SEOUL, Nov. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's state-run mail service agency said Tuesday it is stepping up security checks of all incoming and outgoing letters and parcels, with this year's meetings of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum...

Seoul shares trade higher on foreign buying.
November 2, 2005... SEOUL, Nov. 1 (Yonhap) -- Seoul shares extended earlier gains Tuesday afternoon due to an overnight rise in U.S. stocks and reports of brighter third-quarter earnings from finance companies. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index...

(2nd LD) S. Korea to investigate local kimchi producers.
November 2, 2005... SEOUL, Nov. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's foreign ministry said Tuesday it will conduct an investigation of local kimchi producers implicated in a recent allegation that South Korean exports of the side dish to China contained parasite eggs. ...

S. Korea to launch investigation into local kimchi producers.
November 2, 2005... SEOUL, Nov. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's foreign ministry said Tuesday it will conduct an investigation of local kimchi producers after revelations Monday that parasite eggs were discovered in South Korean products exported to China. On...

(LEAD) S. Korean exports hit record US$25.71 bln in October.
November 2, 2005... SEOUL, Nov. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's exports reached a new monthly high of US$25.71 billion in October thanks to strong shipments of cars, ships and machinery, the government said Tuesday. Last month's customs-cleared exports were up...

LG Telecom's 3rd-quarter profit jumps 90.5 percent to 83.7 bln won.
November 2, 2005... SEOUL, Nov. 1 (Yonhap) -- LG Telecom Ltd., South Korea's smallest mobile phone operator, said Tuesday its net income for the third quarter jumped 90.5 percent from a year ago to 83.7 billion won (US$80.4 million). (THROUGH ASIA PULSE)

Tax cuts contribute little to boosting economy: ministry.
November 2, 2005... SEOUL, Nov. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's Finance Ministry said Tuesday that recent tax cuts contributed little to boosting the economy, opposing calls from political circles for further tax reductions. In a report, the ministry said that tax...

(LEAD) LG Telecom's Q3 profit jumps 90.5 pct to 83.7 bln won.
November 2, 2005... SEOUL, Nov. 1 (Yonhap) -- LG Telecom Ltd., South Korea's smallest mobile phone operator, said Tuesday net income for the third quarter jumped 90.5 percent from a year ago to 83.7 billion won (US$80.4 million). Third-quarter operating...

S. Korean exports hit record US$25.71 bln in October.
November 2, 2005... SEOUL, Nov. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's exports rose 13.4 percent from a year ago to an all-time monthly high of US$25.71 billion in October, the government said Tuesday. Customs-cleared imports climbed 11.6 percent to $22.78 billion last...

(LEAD) S. Korea to launch investigation into local kimchi producers.
November 2, 2005... SEOUL, Nov. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's foreign ministry said Tuesday it will conduct an investigation of local kimchi producers implicated in a recent allegation that South Korean exports of the side dish to China contained parasite eggs. ...

Lucent Technologies wins order for Internet telephony from KT.
November 2, 2005... SEOUL, Nov. 1 (Yonhap) -- Lucent Technologies Inc., a U.S. telecom equipment maker, said Tuesday it has won a contract to supply Internet-based telephony equipment to KT Corp., South Korea's biggest fixed-line telecom company. No...

Seoul shares gain ground on foreign buying.
November 2, 2005... SEOUL, Nov. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks gained ground Tuesday morning as foreign investors snapped up tech and bank shares. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 26.87 points, or 2.32 percent, to 1,184.98 as of...

(2nd LD) LG Telecom's Q3 profit jumps, but outlook uncertain.
November 2, 2005... SEOUL, Nov. 1 (Yonhap) -- LG Telecom Ltd., South Korea's smallest mobile phone operator, said Tuesday it posted a nearly 91 percent jump in net income for the third quarter thanks to lower marketing costs and higher service sales. However,...

China returns as leading agricultural exporter to S. Korea.
November 2, 2005... SEOUL, Nov. 1 (Yonhap) -- China surpassed the United States as the biggest exporter of agricultural products to South Korea in the January-September period as local consumers turned to cheaper Chinese farm produce, the government said...

(LEAD) S. Korean inflation rate slows in October.
November 2, 2005... SEOUL, Nov. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's gain in consumer prices slowed in October, mainly due to a fall in prices of agricultural products, a government report showed Tuesday. Consumer prices in Asia's fourth-largest economy rose 2.5...

Seoul shares open higher on bank gains.
November 2, 2005... SEOUL, Nov. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks started higher Tuesday as foreign investors snapped up finance and bank shares. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 17.27 points, or 1.49 percent, to 1,175.38 in the...

S. Korean inflation rate slows in October.
November 2, 2005... SEOUL, Nov. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's gain in consumer prices slowed in October, mainly due to a fall in prices of agricultural products, a government report showed Tuesday. Consumer prices in Asia's fourth-largest economy rose 2.5...

North Korea expresses condolences over New Delhi bombings.
November 2, 2005... SEOUL, Nov. 2 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's No. 2 leader has sent a letter of condolence to India over the recent bombings in New Delhi that claimed more than 60 lives, the North's state-controlled media said Wednesday. Kim Yong-nam, chairman...

Training center directors meet as sports rapprochement heats up.
November 2, 2005... MACAU, China, Nov. 2 (Yonhap) -- The chief of North Korea's national athlete's training center responded warmly to news of the two Koreas fielding a joint team at next year's Asian Games and in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, his South Korean...

Head of adoption institute to climb Mount Kilimanjaro.
November 2, 2005... SEOUL, Nov. 2 (Yonhap) -- The head of South Korea's largest adoption institute, Molly Holt, will lead a group of disabled people up Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in the African continent, a local television network said Wednesday. ...

(LEAD) Voters turn out in force for plebiscite on nuclear waste dump.
November 2, 2005... SEOUL, Nov. 2 (Yonhap) -- Villagers turned out in droves in four regions Wednesday to vote in a plebiscite that decides where to build South Korea's first nuclear waste dump, the government said. The National Election Commission said that...

S. Korea edges closer to 2nd-ranked Macau with two more golds.
November 2, 2005... MACAU, China, Nov. 2 (Yonhap) -- Kim Kun-woo handed South Korea their seventh gold on Wednesday by winning the men's decathlon, edging the country closer to host Macau which ranks second in the gold medal tally. Kim beat China's Yu Bin with...

Assembly speaker stresses strong alliance with U.S.
November 2, 2005... SEOUL, Nov. 2 (Yonhap) - South Korean National Assembly Speaker Kim One-ki met Alexander Vershbow, new U.S. ambassador to Seoul, on Wednesday and stressed the importance of the strong alliance between the two nations, his spokesman said. ...

Police probed satirical photo without Cheong Wa Dae's request.
November 2, 2005... SEOUL, Nov. 2 (Yonhap) -- Cheong Wa Dae did not ask police to investigate an Internet news website that carried an allegedly slanderous edited photograph of South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun, spokesperson for the presidential office, Kim...

European ambassadors, foreign investors tour Kaesong complex.
November 2, 2005... SEOUL, Nov. 2 (Yonhap) -- Scores of European ambassadors to South Korea and foreign investors toured the Kaesong Industrial Complex in North Korea on Wednesday, according to the European Union Chamber of Commerce in Korea (EUCCK). The...