YON - Yonhap News Agency of Korea articles from September 2004

YON - Yonhap News Agency of Korea archives from September 2004

North Korea Sends Congratulatory Message to Vietnam.
September 1, 2004... SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- North Korea sent a congratulatory message to Vietnam on the occasion of the 59th anniversary of the Southeast Asian country, the North's media reported Wednesday. Kim Yong-nam, president of the Presidium of the...

South Korea 23rd in Int'l Football Rankings.
September 1, 2004... SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea has slipped one spot on the FIFA rankings to 23rd place, the world soccer governing body said Wednesday. The country shares 23rd with Paraguay, FIFA said. A second straight Asian Cup title enabled...

N. Korean Workers' Party Delegation Leaves for Beijing.
September 1, 2004... SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- A delegation from North Korea's Workers' Party left for Beijing Wednesday for an international conference of Asian political parties. Leading the delegation is Pak Yong-sok, chairman of the party's Central Control...

South Korea Ranks 32nd in Global Economic Security Index.
September 1, 2004... GENEVA, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea was listed in 32nd place in a new global economic security index measuring the level of economic security as perceived by workers, a U.N. agency said Wednesday. The International Labor Organization (ILO)...

K-League Results for Sept. 1, 2004.
September 1, 2004... SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- The following are the results for the opening round matches in the K-League second phase, played on Sept. 1, 2004: Daejeon Citizen 0 Incheon United 1 (Bang Seung-hwan 34) Gwangju Sangmu 1 (Kim Sang-sik 20)...

N. Korean Leader's Wife Died Around May or June: Source.
September 1, 2004... SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- Contrary to earlier reports, the wife of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il died several months ago, a diplomatic source said Wednesday. Ko Yong-hi, who was 51, died around May or June, the source said, asking not...

(3rd LD) N. Korean Defectors Under Protection of Japanese Consulate: S Korea's Foreign Ministry.
September 1, 2004... (ATTN: UPDATES with more details) By Kim Kwang-tae SEOUL/TOKYO/BEIJING, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea confirmed Wednesday that 29 people claiming to be North Koreans had barged into a Japanese school to seek asylum earlier in the day. The...

Stem Cell Pioneer Hwang Becomes SNU's First Chair Professor.
September 1, 2004... SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- Hwang Woo-suk, a Seoul National University (SNU) professor credited with the world's first successful cloning of a human embryo for extraction of stem cells, has been named the school's first chair professor, the...

(LEAD) South Korea's Auto Sales Fall 4.2 Pct in August.
September 1, 2004... (ATTN: UPDATES throughout) SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's five automakers saw their August sales fall 4.2 percent from a month ago to a combined 333,711 units as an economic slowdown weakened domestic demand, the companies said...

Hemophiliacs Allegedly Got HIV From Tainted Injections.
September 1, 2004... SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- Several hemophiliacs may have become infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) after being treated with contaminated blood clotting agents in the early 1990s, health officials and doctors claimed Wednesday....

(LEAD) Roh Urges Japan to Deal with Historical Issues Cautiously.
September 1, 2004... (ATTN: CHANGES headline, lead, UPDATES with details) SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- President Roh Moo-hyun Wednesday urged leaders of South Korea and Japan to use their wisdom and cautiously deal with issues involving Japan's colonization of...

North Korean Defectors to Visit the U.S.
September 1, 2004... SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- Three North Korean defectors in South Korea will visit the United States next week to testify on the condition of human rights in North Korea, a human rights group official said Wednesday. Ahn Hyuck, president...

Samsung Fire & Marine's April-July Profit Edges Up.
September 1, 2004... SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- Samsung Fire and Marine Insurance Co., South Korea's leading non-life insurer, said Wednesday that it made 114 billion won (US$98.9 million) in net profit in the April-July period, up 8.9 percent from a year...

(LEAD) Seoul Accuses Japan of History Distortion in Textbooks.
September 1, 2004... (ATTN: UPDATES with remarks from S. Korean, Japanese lawmakers in paras 4-11) SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's foreign minister on Wednesday accused Japan of distorting history in its textbooks and said there is "only a single...

(3rd LD) Gov't Pushes for Excise, Income Tax Cuts to Fuel Economy.
September 1, 2004... (ATTN: UPDATES more details; ADDS comments by policymakers) SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- The government said Wednesday that it will move to scrap excise taxes on 24 goods and lower income tax rates in a bid to bolster economic growth. The...

Yonhap News Summary: The following is the second summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency on Wednesday September 1, 2004.
September 1, 2004... ---------------------------- (2nd LD) N. Korean Defectors Under Protection of Japanese Consulate: S Korea's Foreign Ministry By Kim Kwang-tae SEOUL/TOKYO/BEIJING -- South Korea's foreign ministry said Wednesday that a number of North...

Roh Praises Koizumi for Effort to Promote Peace in Northeast Asia.
September 1, 2004... SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- President Roh Moo-hyun Wednesday praised the effort by Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi to improve Japan's relations with the Koreas and China as well as promote peace in Northeast Asia. Roh made the...

(2nd LD) N. Korean Defectors Under Protection of Japanese Consulate: S Korea's Foreign Ministry.
September 1, 2004... (ATTN: UPDATES with remarks of Seoul's foreign ministry official) By Kim Kwang-tae SEOUL/TOKYO/BEIJING, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's foreign ministry said Wednesday that a number of North Korean defectors are under the protection of...

S. Korea, Taiwan Sign Pact to Resume Regular Commercial Flights.
September 1, 2004... SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and Taiwan signed an agreement Wednesday outlining the restoration of regular commercial flights between the two countries. Such flights had been severed in 1992 after Seoul established formal...

(LEAD) KOSPI Hits 4-Month High on Gains in Financial, Oil Stocks.
September 1, 2004... (ATTN:UPDATES reports of FX, bond markets at bottom) SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stock prices leaped to a four-month high Wednesday, led by financial and oil-related issues and brisk program buying. The benchmark Korea...

Creditors to Pick Prime Bidder for Pan Ocean Shipping Next Week.
September 1, 2004... SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- The Korea Development Bank, main creditor of Pan Ocean Shipping Co., said Wednesday that creditors will pick the prime bidder for the troubled company early next week. "After reviewing bids offered by seven...

(LEAD) Roh Replaces Six Vice Minister-level Officials.
September 1, 2004... (ATTN: UPDATES with more comments from Cheong Wa Dae spokesman at bottom) SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- President Roh Moo-hyun on Wednesday replaced six vice minister-level officials, presidential spokesman Kim Jong-min said. Roh promoted...

(LEAD) National Assembly Starts 100-Day Plenary Session.
September 1, 2004... (ATTN: UPDATES with more information in 4th-5th para and GNP's reaction in 18th para) SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- A tug-of-war between South Korea's rival political parties over a range of reform measures is expected in the coming three...

Tripartite Meeting to Be Convened on Labor Issues: President's Aide.
September 1, 2004... SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- A three-way meeting of labor, management and government officials will resume next week to discuss unemployment, labor relations and other major labor issues, a senior presidential aide said Wednesday. Lee...

Bush, If Reelected, Could Sanction North Korea: Donald Gregg.
September 1, 2004... SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- U.S. President George W. Bush, if reelected in November, is expected to implement strong sanctions against North Korea if progress is not made in six-nation talks on its nuclear ambitions, a former U.S. ambassador to...

Number of Mobile Phone Switchers Tops 2 Million.
September 1, 2004... SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- The number of mobile phone subscribers who switched operators has passed 2 million eight months after the government introduced the so-called mobile number portability rule, the Ministry of Information and...

S. Korean Bond Yields on Wednesday September 1, 2004.
September 1, 2004... Today (%) Previous Day (%) Change (%P) 1-year TB 3.51 3.50 +0.01 3-year TB 3.58 3.56 +0.02 10-year TB 4.15 4.11 +0.04 2-year MSB ...

LG Telecom Adds Net 67,780 Mobile Phone Subscribers in August.
September 1, 2004... SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- LG Telecom Ltd., the smallest of South Korea's three mobile phone operators, said Wednesday it added a net 67,780 subscribers last month, gaining market share from larger rivals. LG Telecom's number of...

(LEAD) N. Korean Defectors Enter Japanese School in Beijing: Japanese Gov't.
September 1, 2004... (ATTN: UPDATES with details and background) TOKYO/BEIJING, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- About 29 North Korean defectors have stormed into a Japanese school in Beijing, according to Japan's Foreign Ministry. A reliable source in Beijing also...

Seoul Prepares to Impose Retaliatory Tariffs on U.S. Goods.
September 1, 2004... SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea is taking steps to impose retaliatory tariffs on imports from the U.S. for its failure to abolish anti-dumping rules already deemed illegal by the World Trade Organization, the Foreign Ministry said...

KOSPI Hits 4-Month High on Gains in Financial, Oil Stocks.
September 1, 2004... SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stock prices surged to a four-month high Wednesday, led by financial and oil-related issues and brisk program buying. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) added 13.79 points, or...

South Korea's Auto Sales Fall 4.2 Pct in August on Monthly Basis.
September 1, 2004... SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's five automakers saw their August sales fall 4.2 percent from a month ago to 333,711 units, according to the companies Wednesday. Compared to July, domestic sales fell 0.6 percent to 84,315 units...

North Korea Condemns U.S. for Alleged Aerial Espionage.
September 1, 2004... SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- North Korea accused the United States of committing 180 acts of aerial espionage last month over its military facilities near the military demarcation line separating the two Koreas, Pyongyang's state-run news...

(LEAD) National Security Adviser Likely to Resign: Ruling Party Sources.
September 1, 2004... (ATTN: UPDATES with Cheong Wa Dae spokesman responding to allegations from 4th para) SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's top security adviser Kwon Chin-ho will soon resign as rumors have arisen of conflicts with the new national...

First Fire & Marine Insurance's April-July Profit Up 186 Pct.
September 1, 2004... SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- First Fire & Marine Insurance Co. said Wednesday it posted 6.3 billion won (US$5.5 million) in net profit in the April-July period, up 186 percent from a year earlier. The non-life insurer said the rise in net...

N. Korean Defectors Enter Japanese School in Beijing: Japanese Gov't.
September 1, 2004... TOKYO, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- As many as 29 North Korean defectors have reportedly stormed into a Japanese school in Beijing, according to the Japan's Foreign Ministry. The school site remained quiet and no one could immediately confirm or...

LG Insurance's Profit Sinks 71 Pct in April-July Period.
September 1, 2004... SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- LG Insurance Co., South Korea's second-biggest non-life insurer, said Wednesday that it had 10.7 billion won (US$9.29 million) in net profit in the April-July period, down 71.2 percent from a year earlier. The...

(LEAD) Defense Ministry Launches Special Panel on Past Wrongdoing.
September 1, 2004... (ATTN: UPDATES with the ministry's confirmation of launch of fact-finding panel) SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- The Defense Ministry said Wednesday that it launched a special committee to delve into mass killings of civilians around the 1950-53...

Listed Firms' Employment Forecast to Edge Up.
September 1, 2004... SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- Listed companies' employment between September and December is expected to edge up from a year ago, a survey showed Wednesday. A total of 416 companies listed on the main Korea Stock Exchange plan to hire 21,700...

Row Over Credit Card Fees Takes an Ugly Turn.
September 1, 2004... SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- E-Mart, the country's largest discounter, clashed head-on with BC Card Co. over commission fees Wednesday, giving an ugly twist to the sizzling fray. The make-or-break confrontation is feared to cause great...

(LEAD) Hyundai Motor Sales Rise 17.9 Pct Annually in August.
September 1, 2004... (ATTN: UPDATES throughout) SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- Hyundai Motor Co., South Korea's biggest carmaker, said Wednesday sales rose 17.9 percent in August compared to a year earlier. But sales fell 5.1 percent from the previous month,...

Athens Track-and-field Medalists Invited to Competition in Busan.
September 1, 2004... BUSAN, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- Dozens of top athletes who won medals in track-and-field events at the Athens Olympics are likely to compete in a one-day competition this month in South Korea's southern port city of Busan, its organizers said...

Roh Replaces Six Vice Minister-level Officials.
September 1, 2004... SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- President Roh Moo-hyun Wednesday replaced six vice minister-level officials, presidential spokesman Kim Jong-min said. Roh promoted Deputy Labor Minister Chung Byung-suk to vice labor minister. Kim Se-ho,...

International Meeting of Prosecutors to Be Held in Seoul Next Week.
September 1, 2004... SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- Prosecutors from more than 70 countries worldwide will convene in Seoul next week for a meeting to discuss and exchange views, organizers here said Wednesday. The ninth annual conference of the International...

Hyundai Motor Sales Rise 17.9 Pct Annually in August.
September 1, 2004... SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- Hyundai Motor Co., South Korea's biggest carmaker, said Wednesday sales rose 17.9 percent in August compared to a year earlier. But, it was a 5.1-percent fall from the previous month, Hyundai Motor said. The...

(LEAD) U.S. Seeks to Resolve Nuke Dispute Regardless of Election.
September 1, 2004... (ATTN: UPDATES with remark of South Korea's foreign minister in 10th para) WASHINGTON, Aug. 31 (Yonhap) -- A top U.S. official said Tuesday that Washington will seek to resolve its dispute with Pyongyang over North Korea's nuclear weapons...

eBay to Raise Stake in S. Korea's Internet Auction.
September 1, 2004... SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- Online retail giant eBay Inc. plans to increase its stake in Internet Auction Co., South Korea's top online auctioneer, to 85.61 percent, the Korean firm said Wednesday. The acquisition of the additional 23.41...

(2nd LD) Gov't Pushes for Excise, Income Tax Cuts to Fuel Economy.
September 1, 2004... (ATTN: RECAST headline, lead; UPDATES more details) SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- The government said Wednesday that it will move to scrap excise taxes on 24 goods and lower income tax rates in a bid to bolster economic growth. The...

(2nd LD) S. Korea Exports Lose Steam Amid Rising Imports.
September 1, 2004... (ATTN: CORRECTS dateline; ADDS ministry official's comment at bottom) SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean exports decelerated for a third consecutive month in August and year-on-year growth lagged behind that of imports for the...

GM Daewoo's Sales Rise 50.2 Pct On-year in August.
September 1, 2004... SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- GM Daewoo Auto & Technology Co., South Korea's third-largest automaker, said Wednesday it sold 67,070 vehicles in August, up 50.2 percent from a year ago. But, the figure marked a 1 percent decline from the...

Seoul Stocks Gain Further on Program Buying.
September 1, 2004... SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks rose Wednesday afternoon, led by financial and oil-related shares. Program buying pushed the Seoul bourse higher. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) gained 12.95 points, or...

(LEAD) Kia Motors Sales Fall 7.2 Pct on Month to 72,284 Units in August.
September 1, 2004... (ATTN: UPDATES throughout) SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- Kia Motors Corp., South Korea's second-largest carmaker, said Wednesday it sold 72,284 vehicles last month, 7.2 percent fewer than a month ago. Still, it was a 74.4 percent increase...

South Korea, Japan, China to Hold Consumer Policy Meeting.
September 1, 2004... SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- Consumer protection policymakers from South Korea, Japan and China will hold a meeting in Seoul to discuss ways to better meet growing demands for globalization and liberalization, the Finance and Economy Ministry...

KTF Loses Cell Phone Market Share to SK Telecom in August.
September 1, 2004... SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- KTF Co., South Korea's second-largest mobile phone operator, lost market share to larger rival SK Telecom Co. in August because of the number portability rule, a company spokesman said Wednesday. Last month, KTF...

(LEAD) S. Korea Exports Lose Steam Amid Rising Imports.
September 1, 2004... (ATTN: UPDATES with details throughout) SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean exports decelerated for a third consecutive month in August and year-on-year growth lagged behind that of imports for the first time this year because of...

Ssangyong Motor's Sales Rise 8.5 Pct to 11,014 Units in August.
September 1, 2004... SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- Ssangyong Motor Co., South Korea's fourth-largest automaker, said Wednesday its sales last month rose 8.5 percent from a year ago to 11,014 units despite weak consumption at home. That was a 23.6 percent...

Seoul Accuses Japan of History Distortion in Textbooks.
September 1, 2004... SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's foreign minister on Wednesday accused Japan of distorting history in its textbooks and said there is "only a single truth in historical facts." Ban Ki-moon called on Japan to face history as it is...

Renault Samsung Sales Fall 6.2 Pct to 6,204 Units in August.
September 1, 2004... SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean carmaker Renault Samsung Motors Co. sold 6,204 vehicles last month, 6.2 percent fewer than a year ago, due to weak private consumption, the company said Wednesday. That was also a 11.7 percent...

National Assembly Starts 100-Day Plenary Session.
September 1, 2004... SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- A tug-of-war between South Korea's rival political parties over a range of reform measures is expected in the coming three months, as the National Assembly opened a regular session Wednesday. The first regular...

Seoul Stocks Rebound; Financial, Oil-Related Shares Lead Gains.
September 1, 2004... SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks rebounded from a weak start Wednesday morning on program buying, with financial and oil-related shares pacing the gains. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 11.23...

Internet Auctioneer Offers Russian Military Submarine.
September 1, 2004... SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- A Russian military submarine has been listed as an item available for an Internet auction in South Korea, a local online auctioneer said Wednesday. Onket.com said the 76-meter-long, 6.5-meter-wide Whisky-class...

(2nd LD) S. Korea's Consumer Prices Move Up 4.8 Pct Annually in August.
September 1, 2004... (ATTN: UPDATES more details; ADDS comments from experts) SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's consumer prices climbed to a 37-month high of 4.8 percent year-on-year in August, a government report said Wednesday. The sharp increase...

Yonhap News Summary: The following is the first summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency on Wednesday September 1, 2004.
September 1, 2004... ---------------------------- (LEAD) S. Korea's Consumer Prices Move Up 4.8 Pct Annually in August SEOUL -- South Korea's consumer prices climbed 4.8 percent year-on-year in August, a 37-month high, a government report said Wednesday. ...

(LEAD) S. Korean Companies Opt Out of Alliances With Foreign Firms.
September 1, 2004... SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- Local manufacturers are increasingly considering a breakup of alliances with foreign companies, as their improved business made such tie-ups no longer necessary, industry sources said Wednesday. LG...

Power Consumption Rises Sharply in July.
September 1, 2004... SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- Electricity consumption in South Korea climbed 8.4 percent year-on-year to 25.6 billion kilowatts in July, the Commerce Ministry said Wednesday. Power consumption for industry accounted for 54.9 percent of the...

Rewards for Olympic Medallists Include Military Service Exemptions.
September 1, 2004... SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's male Olympians who won medals in Athens enjoy various rewards for their achievements, but perhaps one of the most significant could be exemption from their mandatory military service. According to...

National Security Adviser Likely to Resign Amid Alleged Conflicts.
September 1, 2004... SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's top security adviser Kwon Chin-ho will soon resign as rumors arise of conflicts with the new lineup of the national security team led by Unification Minister Chung Dong-young, according to sources in...

S. Korea's KT Corp. Cuts Land-to-Mobile Phone Charges.
September 1, 2004... SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- KT Corp., South Korea's biggest fixed-line telephone company, said Wednesday it cut land-to-mobile phone fees by 2.2 percent, reflecting the government's reduction of connection charges. The rate cut came possible...

Lawmakers Delay Protest Against U.S. Bill on N.Korean Human Rights.
September 1, 2004... SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- Ruling party lawmakers against a bill on North Korean human rights awaiting U.S. Senate approval decided Wednesday to indefinitely postpone the delivery of a letter of protest to the U.S. Embassy in Seoul. "We...

Kumho Tire Inks Deal to Build Second Chinese Plant.
September 1, 2004... SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- Kumho Tire Co., a major South Korean tiremaker, said Wednesday it has signed a preliminary deal to build a second Chinese factory in Tianjin. Kumho said it will ink a formal agreement with the Tianjin Economic...

U.S. Seeks to Resolve Nuke Dispute Regardless of Election.
September 1, 2004... WASHINGTON, Aug. 31 (Yonhap) -- A top U.S. official said Tuesday that Washington will seek to resolve its dispute with Pyongyang over North Korea's nuclear weapons program regardless of the upcoming U.S. presidential election. In a...

South Korea to Provide $15 Million Development Loan to Sri Lanka.
September 1, 2004... SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will provide US$15 million to Sri Lanka to help it implement a national project to improve the living standards of the island nation, the Ministry of Finance and Economy said Wednesday. Seoul will...

Korea Interbank Offered Rate (KORIBOR).
September 1, 2004... SEOUL, Sept.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. Wednesday. Term Today (%) Previous Day (%) 1-W ...

(LEAD) Uri Party Pushes for Broad Tax Cuts to Fuel Economic Growth.
September 1, 2004... (ATTN: RECAST title, lead; UPDATES more details) SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- The ruling Uri Party said Wednesday that it will push for a bill calling for broad tax cuts, including on special excise or luxury taxes, to bolster economic...

BC Card Raises Credit Card Fees, E-Mart Boycotts Card Service.
September 1, 2004... SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- The dispute between credit card issuers and retailers over credit card fees took a turn for the worse on Wednesday after BC Card raised its commission fee as planned. In response, E-Mart, the country's biggest...

(LEAD) Head of Seoul's Broadcasting Panel Meets U.S. Counterpart.
September 1, 2004... (ATTN: CHANGES 4th para, ADDS 5th para to explain the market situation of digital broadcasting) WASHINGTON, Aug. 31 (Yonhap) -- The chairman of South Korea's broadcast regulating body met his U.S. counterpart here Tuesday to enhance...

Doosan Heavy Wins US$410 Mil. Deal From Oman.
September 1, 2004... SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- Doosan Heavy Industries and Construction Co. said Wednesday that it has clinched a US$410-million contract to build a desalinization factory and a coal-fired power plant in northwestern Oman. Doosan Heavy, a...

Veterans Ministry Launches Int'l Bureau on Independence Movements.
September 1, 2004... SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- The Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs said Wednesday it created a special bureau to facilitate efforts to examine overseas Korean independence movements during Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule over the Korean...

Gov't, Ruling Party to Abolish Excise Taxes on 25 Expensive Goods.
September 1, 2004... SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- The government and the ruling party decided Wednesday to get rid of excise taxes on 24 expensive commodities, including plasma display panel (PDP) TVs and golf clubs, as part of their policy to cut taxes. In a...

Kookmin Bank CEO Expects Better 2nd-Half Earnings.
September 1, 2004... SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- Kookmin Bank, South Korea's leading lender, will record better earnings in the second half, its chief executive officer said Wednesday. "There are signs of improvement in second-half business performance," Kim...

New Venture Firms Increase in S. Korea.
September 1, 2004... SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- The number of venture firms, once considered among the main engines of South Korea's economic growth, rose for the fourth consecutive month since March this year, a business association said Wednesday. As of the...

Defense Ministry to Launch Special Committee on Past Wrongdoing.
September 1, 2004... SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- The Defense Ministry will launch a special committee to delve into mass killings of civilians around the 1950-53 Korean War and other questionable past activities by the military as early as next month, an official...

Two Korea's Buffer Zone Vulnerable to Clashes: N. Korean Military.
September 1, 2004... SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- Panmujeom, a tiny village on the border between North and South Korea, is experiencing an eerie calm before a storm strikes, according to a ranking North Korean military officer guarding the area. "A sense of...

(LEAD) Manufacturers Remain Iffy on Sept. Outlook.
September 1, 2004... (ATTN: CHANGES lead, headline; CORRECTS next to this in 5th para; UPDATES throughout) SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- The majority of manufacturing companies are pessimistic about their business outlook in September, although they expect...