YON - Yonhap News Agency of Korea articles from October 2004

YON - Yonhap News Agency of Korea archives from October 2004

S. Korea Most Likely to Sustain Robust Growth: BOK Governor.
October 1, 2004... WASHINGTON, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea is expected to achieve robust growth of 4 to 5 percent in the coming years by smoothly adapting to the economy's structural changes, the country's top central banker said Friday. Bank of Korea...

Protesters Clash with Police over U.S. Missile Plan.
October 1, 2004... GWANGJU, South Korea, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- A group of 120 university students clashed with police in this southwestern city Friday in protest against a U.S. plan to create an air defense brigade. The students staged a sit-in in front of...

Al-Qaida Leader Names S. Korea as Target of Muslim Resistance.
October 1, 2004... SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- A senior al-Qaida leader has called for organized resistance against foreign countries, including South Korea, for their part in the occupation of the Muslim world, according to an audio tape aired by Arab...

(3rd LD) GE, Hyundai Motor Agree to Boost Tie-up.
October 1, 2004... (ATTN: CHANGES lead, headline; UPDATES throughout) SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- General Electric of the United States and Hyundai Motor Group agreed Friday to scale up their business alliance following an auto finance tie-up two months ago,...

Chilly Weather Forecast to Bring First Ice, Frost.
October 1, 2004... SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- The mercury is expected to drop sharply Saturday, bringing the season's first ice and frost to the country's central mountains, weather forecasters said Friday. "With temperatures plunging, the first ice and frost may...

(LEAD) Sharapova Advances to Korea Open Semifinal.
October 1, 2004... (ATTN: ADDS other quarterfinal results in para 6) SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova secured a semifinal spot in the Hansol Korea Open with an easy win over Samantha Stosur on Friday, moving closer to another...

South, North Korea, Russia to Meet in Pyongyang on Railways.
October 1, 2004... SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- South and North Korea and Russia will meet in Pyongyang to discuss building railways that connect Siberia and the Korean Peninsula, Russia's Railways Minister Gennady Fadeyev said Friday in a local radio interview....

Internet Portal Daum Seeks Listing on Main Bourse.
October 1, 2004... SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- Daum Communications Corp., South Korea's leading Internet portal, said Friday it will push for a listing on the main Korea Stock Exchange. In the run-up to that, Daum's board decided to seek shareholder approval...

Sharapova Advances to Korea Open Semifinal.
October 1, 2004... SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova secured a semifinal spot in the Hansol Korea Open with an easy win over Samantha Stosur Friday, moving closer to another title in three months. Sharapova of Russia defeated her...

N.K. Leader Sends Condolences Over Death of Doctor in U.S.
October 1, 2004... SEOUL, Oct. 1 -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-il on Friday expressed his condolences over the death of his father's friend in the United States, a North Korean media outlet said. Son Won-thae, 90, a pathologist who at one time during his...

Metlife Picked as Prime Bidder for SK Life Insurance.
October 1, 2004... SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- SK Networks Co. said Friday it chose Metlife of the United States as the preferred bidder for SK Life Insurance Co. The selection is widely expected to speed up the sale of SK Life Insurance. In September last...

S. Korean Handset Sales Dip in September.
October 1, 2004... SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean cell phone makers saw their domestic sales plunge in September due to sluggish consumption and government sanctions on mobile providers, industry sources said Friday. The nation's top three mobile...

(2nd LD) GE Interested in Expanding Investment in S. Korea: CEO.
October 1, 2004... (ATTN: ADDS comments on Hyundai Motor in 9-10 paras; CHANGES numbers in 11th para) SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- General Electric's Chief Executive Officer Jeffrey Immelt on Friday expressed the intention to expand GE's investment in South...

Yonhap News Summary The following is the second summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency on Friday October 1, 2004.
October 1, 2004... ---------------------------- (2nd LD) Exports Growth Slows Down for 4 Consecutive Months to September SEOUL -- South Korea's exports growth slowed down for the fourth straight month in September as demand in the country's major overseas...

Fate of N. Korean Defectors in Limbo as China Demands Custody.
October 1, 2004... By Kim Kwang-tae SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- The fate of 44 North Koreans who sought asylum at the Canadian Embassy in Beijing earlier this week is in doubt as China is demanding their custody, sources in Seoul and Beijing said Friday. ...

Internet Auction Votes to Delist Shares from Korean Stock Exchange.
October 1, 2004... SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's Internet Auction Co. said Friday its board has voted to remove its shares from the tech-heavy KOSDAQ stock exchange, abided by a request from its largest shareholder eBay Inc. eBay, the world's...

Hyundai Motor Celebrates First Production of Hybrid Cars.
October 1, 2004... SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- Hyundai Motor Co., South Korea's largest automaker, held a ceremony Friday to celebrate its first hybrid cars to roll off the production line. The automaker presented 50 Click hybrid compacts, the first vehicles...

(LEAD) General Electric Interested in Expanding Investment in S. Korea: CEO.
October 1, 2004... (ATTN: UPDATES throughout, CHANGES headline, lead) SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- General Electric's Chief Executive Officer Jeffrey Immelt on Friday expressed the intention to further expand GE's investment in South Korea, South Korean...

Number of People Making Over 500 Mln Tops 3,000: Tax Office.
October 1, 2004... SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- The number of people earning more than 500 million won (US$434,000) a year reached 3,081 in 2002, the National Tax Service (NTS) said Friday. In a report submitted to the National Assembly, the office said the...

Hyundai Heavy Industries's 8-Month Sales Up 17.3 Pct.
October 1, 2004... SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., the world's largest shipbuilder, said Friday its sales in the first eight months of the year increased 17.3 percent to 6.06 trillion won (US$5.27 billion) from a year earlier largely...

(LEAD) U.S. Stealth Jets Said to Stay in S. Korea until November.
October 1, 2004... (ATTN: UPDATES with U.S. denial) By Kim Hyung-jin SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- A squadron of U.S. F-117A stealth fighters deployed to South Korea three months ago will remain in the Asian country until November, a South Korean official said...

Prime Minister to Attend Progressive Governance Summit in Hungary.
October 1, 2004... SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan will leave for Hungary on Oct. 13 to attend a two-day summit of the world's progressive leaders, officials at the prime minister's office said Friday. Prime ministers and other leaders...

Gov't to Legislate to Introduce Senior Bureaucrat System.
October 1, 2004... SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- The government will legislate next year to introduce a senior executive service system so a pool of senior bureaucrats could be exchanged between government agencies, a senior aide to President Roh Moo-hyun said...

(LEAD) KOSPI Up for 3rd Day; Tech, Financial Shares Lead Gains.
October 1, 2004... (ATTN: UPDATES reports of FX, bond markets at bottom) SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks closed higher Friday as overnight gains in the U.S. NASDAQ Composite Index boosted market sentiment. The benchmark Korea Composite...

Seoul Pledges Support for Iraq's Cultural Heritage Restoration.
October 1, 2004... SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- Culture Minister Chung Dong-chae said on Friday the government would consider providing support for Iraq's project to restore its world-famous cultural assets damaged by the war. Chung made the remarks during a...

South Korea, U.S. Fail to Narrow Gap on 5th Rice Trade Talks.
October 1, 2004... SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea ended a fifth round of rice talks with the United States Thursday in San Francisco without resolving differences about a wider opening of the domestic rice market, the Foreign Ministry said Friday. ...

S. Korean Bond Yields on Oct. 1, 2004.
October 1, 2004... Today (%) Previous Day (%) Change (%P) 1-year TB 3.48 3.49 -0.01 3-year TB 3.51 3.53 -0.02 10-year TB 3.99 4.02 -0.03 2-year MSB ...

SK Engineering & Construction Wins Plant Orders from Thailand.
October 1, 2004... SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- SK Engineering & Construction Co. said Friday it has won plant orders worth US$350 billion from Thailand's state oil company. With the latest order, SK Engineering & Construction will clinch four orders from the...

Strong Exports Boost S. Korean Automakers' September Sales.
October 1, 2004... By Lim Bo-mi SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's car sales increased 20 percent in September from a year ago helped by strong exports, according to automakers' sales reports released Friday. The combined sales of the country's five...

(LEAD) Chinese Police Release Two of Nine N. Korean Asylum Seekers.
October 1, 2004... (ATTN: CHANGES headline; ADDS details) SHANGHAI, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- Chinese police have released two girls from among the nine alleged North Korean asylum seekers who were taken into custody after being expelled from an American school...

Finance Minister Talks Business with General Electric CEO.
October 1, 2004... SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- Minister of Finance and Economy Lee Hun-jai and Jeffrey Immelt, General Electric's chief executive officer, met Friday to discuss outstanding investment issues. At the meeting in downtown Seoul, Lee expressed the...

Chinese Police Release Two Girls of Nine N. Korean Asylum Seekers.
October 1, 2004... SHANGHAI, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- Chinese police have released two girls of the nine alleged North Korean asylum seekers who were taken into custody after being expelled from an American school here earlier this week, a source said Friday. The...

Kim Jong-il's Doctor Arrested in China after Defection: Report.
October 1, 2004... By Kim Kwang-tae SEOUL, Oct.1 (Yonhap) -- A North Korean doctor, who is believed to have worked for leader Kim Jong-il, recently fled to China but was arrested by Chinese authorities, a South Korean newspaper said Friday, quoting Chinese...

KOSPI Up for 3rd Day; Tech, Financial Shares Lead Gains.
October 1, 2004... SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks finished higher Friday, led by computer-related shares as overnight gains in the U.S. NASDAQ Composite index boosted market sentiment. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI)...

MSD Korea Recalls Vioxx Due to Heart Attack Risks.
October 1, 2004... SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- MSD Korea Ltd., the South Korean subsidiary of U.S. drug giant Merck & Co., said Friday it is recalling Vioxx, the world's second-best selling painkiller, after testing revealed it increased the risk of heart attack...

NK defectors-release.
October 1, 2004... SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- Two children of nine North Korean defectors, who were turned over to the Chinese police after a failed entry into the Shanghai American School on Monday, have been released for humanitarian reasons. (THROUGH ASIA...

198 Businesses Report Sales in Excess of 1 Tln Won in 2003.
October 1, 2004... SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- The number of companies that reported annual sales in excess of 1 trillion won (US$868 million) grew 13.1 percent year-on-year to 198 in 2003, the National Tax Service (NTS) said Friday. The tax office said...

International Workshop on Long Life due in South Korea Next Week.
October 1, 2004... SUNCHANG, South Korea, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- Internationally renowned scholars and researchers are due here next week for a two-day workshop on the secrets of a long life, organizers of the international symposium said Friday. Six university...

'DMZ Tour' Put on Sale by Gyeonggi Tourism Organization.
October 1, 2004... SUWON, South Korea, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- Transit passengers at Incheon International Airport can buy a half-day tour to the demilitarized zone, the world's last remaining symbol of the Cold War, starting on Friday, a local tourism promotion...

Hyundai Motor's September Sales Up 13 Percent Year-on-Year.
October 1, 2004... SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- Hyundai Motor Co., South Korea's largest automaker, said Friday its sales increased 13 percent to 193,143 units in September from a year ago. The automaker said its exports surged 20.2 percent year-on-year to...

(LEAD) Kerry Says N. Korea Has Four to Seven Nuclear Weapons.
October 1, 2004... (ATTN: UPDATES with more details, background) NEW YORK, Sept. 30 (Yonhap) -- U.S. Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry said on Thursday that North Korea currently has four to seven nuclear weapons. In a television debate with...

N. Korea Committed to Six-Party Talks: Senior Official.
October 1, 2004... By Chang Jae-soon SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- North Korea appears still committed to six-party talks on its nuclear program although it failed to honor an earlier agreement to come to the negotiating table by the end of September, a...

S. Korea to Host Missile Conference Next Week.
October 1, 2004... By Chang Jae-soon SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- About 220 officials from home and abroad will gather in Seoul next week to discuss ways to prevent the proliferation of missiles, the Foreign Ministry said Friday. The meeting, scheduled for...

KTF, LG Telecom Steal Market Share From SK Telecom in September.
October 1, 2004... SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- KTF Co. and LG Telecom Ltd., South Korea's two smaller mobile phone operators, stole market share from larger rival SK Telecom Co. in September while the market leader was banned from accepting new subscribers...

ICOM Head Vows to Embrace N. Korea.
October 1, 2004... By Lee Chi-dong SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- Jacques Perot, president of the International Council of Museums (ICOM), said Friday that his organization is ready to accept North Korea as a new member. He also stressed the role of museum...

Ssangyong Motor's September Sales Up 9 Percent Year-on-Year.
October 1, 2004... SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- Ssangyong Motor Co., South Korea's fourth-largest automaker, said Friday its sales increased 9.1 percent year-on-year to 11,069 units in September. The automaker said its exports surged 95.1 percent to 3,979...

(2nd LD) Exports Growth Slows Down for 4 Consecutive Months to September.
October 1, 2004... (ATTN: CHANGES headline, lead: UPDATES throughout) SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's exports growth slowed down for the fourth straight month in September as demand in the country's major overseas markets such as China declined, a...

S. Korean Officials Prepare for Int'l Whale Trade Discussion.
October 1, 2004... SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's government officials left for Thailand Friday, as representatives of countries worldwide gather in Bangkok to make a final decision on reducing protection for whales, the Ministry of Environment said....

KT Submits Plan to Correct Brandes Investment's Stock Ownership.
October 1, 2004... SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- KT Corp., South Korea's biggest fixed-line telephone and broadband Internet company, said Friday it has submitted a plan to the telecommunications regulator to correct the overinvestment by its single biggest foreign...

KOSPI Up on Program Buying; Tech Shares Lead Gains.
October 1, 2004... SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks rose Friday afternoon, led by computer-related shares as overnight gains in the U.S. NASDAQ Composite index boosted market sentiment here. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI)...

GM Daewoo's September Sales Surge 60 percent Year-on-Year.
October 1, 2004... SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- GM Daewoo Auto & Technology Co., South Korea's third-largest automaker, said Friday that its sales rose 62.2 percent to 69,862 units in September from a year ago. The automaker, controlled by U.S. auto giant...

Kia's September Sales Up 17 Percent Year-on-Year.
October 1, 2004... SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- Kia Motors Corp., South Korea's second-largest automaker, said Friday that its sales increased 17.1 percent year-on-year to 96,529 units in September, helped by strong exports. The automaker said its exports were...

S. Korean Gov't to Hold Consultations with IMF.
October 1, 2004... SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will hold consultations with the International Monetary Fund in mid-October to discuss the country's economy, the Ministry of Finance and Economy said Friday. The meetings, which will be held from Oct. 13...

Finance Minister to Participate in IMF, World Bank Meeting.
October 1, 2004... SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- Finance and Economy Minister Lee Hun-jai will attend the annual International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank meeting next week in Washington, the government said Friday. Lee will leave for the United...

Kerry Says N. Korea Has Four to Seven Nuclear Weapons.
October 1, 2004... NEW YORK, Sept. 30 (Yonhap) -- U.S. Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry said on Thursday that North Korea currently has four to seven nuclear weapons. In a television debate with President George Bush in Florida, Kerry made the...

Chief of U.N. Nuclear Watchdog Due on Sunday.
October 1, 2004... By Chang Jae-soon SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- The chief of the U.N. nuclear watchdog will arrive in Seoul on Sunday for a four-day visit that will include talks with top security officials on nuclear experiments carried out by South Korea,...

World Cup Stadiums Losing Money.
October 1, 2004... SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- Most of the stadiums built in South Korea for the 2002 World Cup finals are suffering deficits, according to a government report released Friday. Of the 10 World Cup stadiums, eight are likely to suffer losses...

Renault Samsung's September Sales Slide 13 Percent Year-on-Year.
October 1, 2004... SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- Renault Samsung Motors Co., South Korea's smallest automaker, said Friday its September sales dropped 13.2 percent from a year ago to 7,344 units. The automaker, controlled by Renault of France, said it sold 6,862...

South Korea Rapidly becoming 'Aged Society': Gov't Survey.
October 1, 2004... SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea is rapidly becoming an "aged society" with 14 percent of the population expected to be over the age of 65 in 2019, from 8.7 percent at present, a government report said Friday. The 2004 annual survey on...

Gov't Cannot Consider Growth Under 5 Pct: Finance Minister.
October 1, 2004... SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean government cannot contemplate the rate of economic growth falling below 5 percent, Minister of Finance and Economy Lee Hun-jai said Friday. Speaking to reporters, the country's top economic policy...

(LEAD) Exports Growth Slowed to 23.5 Pct in September.
October 1, 2004... (ATTN: UPDATES throughout, CHANGES headline, lead) SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's exports growth slowed in September as demand in the country's major overseas markets such as China declined, a sign that economic growth may fall...

Commerce Ministry to Stop Monitoring Steel Exports.
October 1, 2004... SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- The Commerce Ministry said Friday it has decided to end regulation of steel exports, a temporary measure that had been in place to protect domestic supplies. The Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy has...

Yonhap News Summary The following is the first summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency on Friday October 1, 2004.
October 1, 2004... ---------------------------- (LEAD) Roh Pledges Self Defense Capability Based on S.K.-U.S. Alliance By Hwang Doo-hyung GYERYONGDAE, South Korea -- President Roh Moo-hyun Friday pledged his government will actively pursue restructuring of the...

S. Korean Stocks Rise for 2nd Day on Program Buying.
October 1, 2004... SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks rose for a second day Friday led by computer-related shares. Program buying helped boost stock indices, analysts said. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 7.95 points,...

South Korean Postal Service to Raise Charges in November.
October 1, 2004... SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's national postal service agency said Friday that it will charge its customers an average 11.8 percent more for domestic mail services from Nov. 1. Korea Post said the price of an ordinary postage...

(LEAD) N. Korea Claims U.S. Engaging in Aerial Espionage.
October 1, 2004... (ATTN: UPDATES with U.S. reaction in 2nd para) SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- North Korea accused the United States Friday of conducting aerial espionage against it 180 times last month. The communist North routinely makes such accusations...

SK Group Eyes Vietnam Market.
October 1, 2004... SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- SK Group, the country's fourth-largest conglomerate, said Friday it is stepping up efforts to tap into the Vietnamese market, a bold move aimed at expanding business in the Asian neighbor with huge market potential....

(LEAD) Roh Pledges Self Defense Capability Based on S.K.-U.S. Alliance.
October 1, 2004... (ATTN: UPDATES with statement by defense minister in 11-12 paras) By Hwang Doo-hyung GYERYONGDAE, South Korea, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- President Roh Moo-hyun Friday pledged his government will actively pursue restructuring of the military so...

Businesses Demand More Deregulation in 'Corporate Cities' Plan.
October 1, 2004... SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's biggest business association appealed Friday to the government for deregulation of its ambitious bill to build "corporate cities." The bill, which aims to persuade big businesses to invest in...

Six Russian Bears Due in Seoul for Release into Wild.
October 1, 2004... SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) - Six bears indigenous to Northeast Asian countries will arrive here Friday afternoon from Russia via Incheon International Airport, officials at the Ministry of Environment said. "The six bears will arrive here at...

China Vows to Make Efforts to Resume Six-way Talks: Envoy.
October 1, 2004... SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- China will spare no effort to resume the stalled six-way talks aimed at resolving North Korea's nuclear weapons program, said a top Chinese envoy said this week. China's Ambassador to Korea Li Bin voiced hope on...

Criticism Grows over U.S. Handling of N. Korean Asylum Seekers.
October 1, 2004... By Chang Jae-soon SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean human rights activists on Friday criticized what they called "double-standards" and "hypocrisy" by the United States after revelations that a group of North Korean asylum seekers...

U.S. Stealth Jets to Be Stationed until Nov.
October 1, 2004... SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- A squadron of U.S. F-117A stealth fighters deployed to South Korea three months ago will remain in the Asian country until November, an official said Friday. The radar-evading combat aircraft, dubbed the...

Roh Pledges Self Defense Capability Based on S.K.-U.S. Alliance.
October 1, 2004... By Hwang Doo-hyung GYERYONGDAE, South Korea, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- President Roh Moo-hyun Friday pledged his government will actively pursue restructuring of the military so it can play a leading role in the national defense with the support...

Korea Interbank Offered Rate (KORIBOR).
October 1, 2004... SEOUL, Oct. 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. Friday. Term Today (%) Previous Day (%) 1-W ...

Majority Pessimistic about Gov't Economic Revitalization Plan.
October 1, 2004... SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- A majority of South Korean people expressed their skepticism with the government's economic revitalization plan, according to an on-line survey released Friday by the Ministry of Finance and Economy. The survey,...

U.S. May Delay Reduction of Troops in S. Korea: Lawmaker.
October 1, 2004... WASHINGTON, Sept. 30 (Yonhap) -- A visiting South Korean legislator said Thursday that the United States may delay its planned reduction of its forces in South Korea. Chun Jung-bae, floor leader of the ruling Uri Party, quoted Deputy...

'Divine Bell' Retires But Casting Secret Remains.
October 1, 2004... By Kim Tae-shik SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- The sound of the Divine Bell of King Seongdeok, Korea's most beautiful bronze bell known also as the "Emille Bell," will not be heard again after more than twelve hundred years since it was cast...

N. Korea Claims U.S. Engaging in Aerial Espionage.
October 1, 2004... SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- North Korea has accused the United States of committing 180 acts of aerial espionage last month over its military facilities and other key locations, Pyongyang's state-run news agency said Friday. The U-2 spy...

Merged Entity of Citibank, KorAm to Launch in Nov.
October 1, 2004... SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- The bank resulting from the merger between the nation's seventh-largest lender and Citibank's Seoul branch will launch on November 1, financial sources said Friday. The merged bank, or Citibank Korea Inc., will begin...

Kookmin Bank's Q3 Profit Forecast to Match H1 Profit:CEO.
October 1, 2004... SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- Kookmin Bank, South Korea's leading lender, is expected to have racked up around 300 billion won (US$261 million) in net profit in the last three months, the bank's head said Friday. "Our third-quarter profits...

Number of Anti-Communist Law Violators Drops Sharply.
October 1, 2004... SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- The number of cases investigated by law-enforcement authorities for suspected violations of the anti-communist National Security Law has sharply dropped following the historic inter-Korean summit in 2000, the Justice...

S Korean Troops in Iraq to Take over Operational Command.
October 1, 2004... SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean troops stationed in the northern Iraqi province of Irbil will on Friday receive operational command in the Kurdish-controlled town from the U.S.-led coalition forces, a Defense Ministry official said. ...

Seoul Stocks Open Higher on Tech Gains.
October 1, 2004... SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks started higher Friday helped by gains in computer-related shares In the first 15 minutes of trading, the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 2.77 points, or 0.33 percent,...