YON - Yonhap News Agency of Korea back issues from June 2009:
S. Korean firms see Q1 profitability dip, suffer higher debt.
Jun 01, 2009 ... SEOUL, June 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean companies' profitability worsened in the first quarter amid slumping sales and increased foreign exchange losses with their debt level hitting a six-year high, the central bank said Monday. The ratio of local companies' pre-tax net income to sales, a ...
N. Korea bans navigation in mid, upper Yellow Sea: sources.
Jun 01, 2009 ... SEOUL, June 1 (Yonhap) -- North Korea has recently prohibited vessels from navigating in mid and upper parts of the Yellow Sea, prompting South Korea to monitor the region for possible signs of a provocation, intelligence sources said Monday. North Korea routinely sets up entry-prohibited ...
South Korea to promote its food, drink at ASEAN summit.
Jun 01, 2009 ... SEOUL, June 1 (Yonhap) -- Hoping to use the opportunity to promote recognition and popularity of its foods abroad, the South Korean government will be especially attentive to the food and drink served to Southeast Asian leaders visiting the country for a special summit with President Lee ...
LG Display's LCD output tops 10 mln units.
Jun 01, 2009 ... SEOUL, June 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean flat-screen maker LG Display Co. said Monday its monthly production of large-sized panels surpassed 10 million in May, largely due to increased demand in China. LG Display started mass production of liquid crystal display (LCD) panels in September ...
Festivals Calendar - June 2009.(Calendar)
Jun 01, 2009 ... SEOUL, June 1 (Yonhap) -- The following are the major cultural and tourist festivals to be held in South Korea in June: * Muju Firefly Festival When: June 13-21 Where: Muju, North Jeolla Province. Fireflies, known as "banditburi" in Korean, were ubiquitous in Korea several ...
S. Korean export drop to abate in June: finance minister.
Jun 01, 2009 ... JEJU ISLAND, South Korea, June 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's export downturn is expected to ease in June as markets for overseas shipments are well diversified, the top economic policymaker said Monday. "The decline in June exports is likely to abate," Finance Minister Yoon Jeung-hyun told ...
Seoul, Jakarta agree to join efforts in building economic bloc in Asia.
Jun 01, 2009 ... JEJU ISLAND, South Korea, June 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and his Indonesian counterpart Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono agreed Monday to join efforts to establish a network of economic cooperation in the region that will also help fight global issues such as climate ...
Seoul stocks up 0.22 pct in late morning.
Jun 01, 2009 ... SEOUL, June 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks traded 0.22 percent higher late Monday morning as reviving economic hopes outweighed North Korean nuclear risks, analysts said. After swinging between gains and losses, the benchmark Korean Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) increased 3.09 ...
Seoul's financial chief calls for cooperation with ASEAN.
Jun 01, 2009 ... JEJU ISLAND, South Korea, June 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's top economic policymaker called for Asian countries Monday to step up cooperation to jointly overcome the global economic crisis. Finance Minister Yoon Jeung-hyun also cautioned against the emergence of protectionism amid the ...
S. Korea's trade surplus tops US$5 bln in May.
Jun 01, 2009 ... SEOUL, June 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's trade surplus reached US$5.15 billion in May mainly due to a sharp drop in imports, a government report showed Monday. The country's exports came to $28.2 billion last month, falling 28.3 percent on-year, with imports plummeting 40.4 percent to ...
U.S. team to speak more about N. Korea than listen: Seoul officials.
Jun 01, 2009 ... SEOUL, June 1 (Yonhap) -- An inter-agency team of ranking U.S. officials, on a rare tour of Northeast Asia, is expected to "talk" more about the Barack Obama administration's stance on North Korea than "listen to" those of other regional players, officials here said Monday. The delegation, ...
Korea, Brunei agree to boost ties, expand economic cooperation.
Jun 01, 2009 ... JEJU ISLAND, South Korea, June 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and the sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah, agreed to boost their countries' bilateral ties Monday, calling for increased cooperation in IT and shipbuilding industries. The agreement came in a bilateral ...
S. Korea's Q1 share prices gain most among OECD states.
Jun 01, 2009 ... SEOUL, June 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea posted the largest gain in first-quarter share prices among major advanced economies as most suffered setbacks amid a global economic slowdown, the bourse operator said Monday. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) climbed 7.27 ...
Gov't may end auto industry support early.
Jun 01, 2009 ... SEOUL, June 1 (Yonhap) -- The government will discontinue a support package for the auto industry ahead of schedule if local carmakers put off meaningful restructuring efforts, official sources said Monday. Sources at the Ministry of Strategy and Finance and the Ministry of Knowledge ...
S. Korean conglomerates see no sign of earnings recovery.
Jun 01, 2009 ... SEOUL, June 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean conglomerates expected their earnings to remain sluggish towards the end of this year, hit by a sharper decline in exports and stubbornly weak domestic consumption, a survey showed Monday. The Federation of Korean Industries said in a statement that ...
Cannes-invited "Mother" tops 1 million viewers in four days.
Jun 01, 2009 ... SEOUL, June 1 (Yonhap) -- Ticket sales for the South Korean film "Mother" topped 1 million over the weekend, less than a week after the Cannes-premiered movie was released here, the Korea Film Council said Monday. The thrilling motherhood film, created by director Bong Joon-ho, drew ...
S. Korea, Laos agree to improve bilateral ties, increase cooperation.
Jun 01, 2009 ... JEJU ISLAND, South Korea, June 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Lee Myung-bak agreed to increase his country's assistance to Laos and improve bilateral ties Monday in talks with Laotian Prime Minister Bouasone Bouphavanh here. "President Lee offered to provide official development aid ...
Korea, ASEAN drawing up joint statement on N. Korea: Thai premier.
Jun 01, 2009 ... JEJU ISLAND, South Korea, June 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and the 10 member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) plan to issue a joint statement at the end of their special summit here that will urge North Korea to refrain from further provocations and respect ...
Business leaders of S. Korea, ASEAN to discuss cooperation, green growth.
Jun 01, 2009 ... SEOUL, June 1 (Yonhap) -- Business leaders from South Korea and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) were to have their second-day meeting Monday to discuss ways to intensify cooperation and review possible future business opportunities. The business leaders summit held under ...
Korea, ASEAN open special summit to mark 20 years of partnership.
Jun 01, 2009 ... JEJU ISLAND, South Korea, June 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and leaders of 10 countries that form the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) were to open a special summit here Monday, focusing on ways to boost bilateral cooperation and form a joint front ...
President Lee calls on N. Korea to halt provocation, begin dialogue.
Jun 01, 2009 ... JEJU ISLAND, South Korea, June 1 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Myung-bak urged North Korea Monday to refrain from any further provocative acts following its second nuclear test that prompted strong condemnations from the international community, saying his country will not tolerate any ...
Greater diplomacy.
Jun 01, 2009 ... (EDITORIAL from the Korea Herald on June 1): The ASEAN-Korea Commemorative Summit gets underway today on Jeju Island. The summit is one of Korea's largest diplomatic gatherings where the government plans to promote its "New Asia Initiative." Seoul, which has traditionally focused its ...
Regrettable Ruling: Samsung Should Do All It Can to Regain Trust.
Jun 01, 2009 ... (EDITORIAL from the Korea Times on June 1): It seems as if the higher up judges go on the judicial ladder here, the pettier their legal interpretations become. That must be how most Koreans felt Friday watching the Supreme Court's acquittal of the abnormal transfer of management control of ...
A call to action against North.
Jun 01, 2009 ... (EDITORIAL from the JoongAng Daily on June 1): The world suspects North Korea is preparing to test-fire an intercontinental ballistic missile ahead of the Seoul-Washington summit meeting. On Friday, North Korea threatened the United Nations Security Council with 'further self-defense ...
Visiting ASEAN leaders meet Korean executives over investment.
Jun 01, 2009 ... SEOUL, May 31 (Yonhap) -- Several Southeast Asian leaders, visiting the country for a special summit with President Lee Myung-bak, have met with South Korean businessmen for discussions on closer cooperation in investment, local officials said Sunday. Leaders of the 10-member Association ...
Ranking U.S. officials to visit Seoul on NK issues.
Jun 01, 2009 ... SEOUL, May 31 (Yonhap) -- U.S. Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg will visit South Korea early this week to discuss measures against North Korea's recent nuclear test and missile launches, the Foreign Ministry here said Sunday. The North carried out its second nuclear test on May ...
Seoul stocks up 1.03 pct in late morning.
Jun 02, 2009 ... SEOUL, June 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks traded 1.03 percent higher late Tuesday morning, underpinned by growing economic recovery hopes, analysts said. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) gained 14.62 points to 1,429.72 as of 11:20 a.m. "Positive economic ...
S. Korea deploys guided-missile ship along western sea border.
Jun 02, 2009 ... SEOUL, June 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea bolstered its naval defense capabilities Tuesday along its western sea border with North Korea by deploying its first guided-missile high-speed patrol boat there, the Navy said. The deployment of the 440-ton Yun Yeong Ha comes as tension mounts in the ...
GM Daewoo to maintain normal operations, aims for funding in 2-3 months.
Jun 02, 2009 ... SEOUL, June 2 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean unit of beleaguered General Motors Corp. will continue to operate as normal under a leaner "New GM" despite the U.S. parent's Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection filing, GM's South Korea chief said Tuesday. Michael Grimaldi, chief executive of GM ...
SK Engineering wins US$162 mln order from Singapore.
Jun 02, 2009 ... SEOUL, June 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's SK Engineering & Construction Co. said Tuesday that it has clinched a US$162 million order to build two subway stations in downtown Singapore from the ...
Jeju Air to increase capital for service expansion.
Jun 02, 2009 ... SEOUL, June 2 (Yonhap) -- Jeju Air Co., South Korea's biggest budget carrier, said Tuesday that it plans to increase its capital by 11.3 billion won (US$9.1 million) in August in a bid to buy planes and expand overseas flight services. "Details on the capital increase have yet to be ...
Spy agency confirms N.K. leader's third son as successor: lawmakers.
Jun 02, 2009 ... SEOUL, June 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's National Intelligence Service has confirmed that North Korean leader Kim Jong-il designated his third and youngest son, Jong-un, as his successor shortly after the country's second nuclear test, lawmakers here said Tuesday. The confirmation, given to ...
S. Korea, Vietnam to conduct joint underseas mineral resources exploration.
Jun 02, 2009 ... SEOUL, June 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea said Tuesday it will pursue a joint mineral exploration project with Vietnam in waters off the Southeast Asian country's shores. An agreement on the venture calls for the state-run Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM) and the ...
N. Koreans celebrate nuke test amid reports of heir designation.
Jun 02, 2009 ... SEOUL, June 2 (Yonhap) -- North Koreans rallied nationwide to celebrate their country's second nuclear test, state media said Tuesday, amid speculation that leader Kim Jong-il was crediting the blast to his third and youngest son. Sources told Yonhap News Agency on Monday that immediately ...
Century of Korean 'manhwa' to go on display.
Jun 02, 2009 ... SEOUL, June 2 (Yonhap) -- Commemorating the centennial of Korean comic books, or manhwa, South Korea's national art museum will host a massive exhibition featuring some 1,500 pieces by 250 artists beginning this week, the museum said Tuesday. The exhibition, "100 Years of Korean Comics," ...
S. Korea, U.S. to locate N.K. artillery in 'split second' if attacked: official.
Jun 02, 2009 ... SEOUL, June 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and the United States would be able to pinpoint the location of North Korean artillery outposts in a "split second" if the communist state launched an attack by firing shells off its west coast, a senior South Korean defense official said Tuesday. But ...
(Movie Review) Simplicity, humor overcome humdrum plot in 'Turtle Runs'.(Movie review)
Jun 02, 2009 ... SEOUL, June 2 (Yonhap) -- Hilarious and entertaining, with all the right elements squeezed together in a two-hour running time, "The Turtle Runs" may leave more than a few fathers or husbands choking back sobs as the end credits roll. One catch: a movie featuring a ne'er-do-well family man ...
S. Korean corporate bond sales soar 149 pct in May.
Jun 02, 2009 ... SEOUL, June 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's corporate bond issuance soared 149 percent on-year in May as companies scurried to raise liquidity amid an economic downturn, the nation's securities depository said Tuesday. Local companies sold 8.63 trillion won (US$7 billion) worth of debts last ...
S. Korean, ASEAN leaders continue talks on N. Korea, economic cooperation.
Jun 02, 2009 ... JEJU ISLAND, South Korea, June 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and leaders of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) hold their second day of talks here Tuesday, seeking as part of their agreements a joint statement condemning North Korea for its ...
Open the June Assembly.
Jun 02, 2009 ... (EDITORIAL from the JoongAng Daily on June 2): The National Assembly schedule for June has yet to be fixed. The new floor leaders for the ruling and opposition parties met for the first time yesterday but they could not set a timetable because of the special circumstances following the ...
Zero tolerance North Korea should stop further provocations.
Jun 02, 2009 ... (EDITORIAL from the Korea Times on June 2): The international community has reached a point of zero tolerance toward North Korea's endless game of nuclear brinkmanship and other provocations. Now, it is time to take stern and resolute action against the recalcitrant North. But the dilemma ...
Peace and economy.
Jun 02, 2009 ... (EDITORIAL from the Korea Herald on June 2): It may sound a little paradoxical but the ASEAN-Korea Summit on Jeju Island could not come at better time. After a week during which North Korea dismayed the world community and further isolated itself through a series of arms demonstrations, ...
Top headlines in major S. Korean newspapers.
Jun 02, 2009 ... SEOUL, June 2 (Yonhap) -- The following are the top headlines in major South Korean newspapers on June 2. Korean-language dailies -- Opposition calls for president's apology over Roh's death (Kyunghyang Shinmun) -- Investigation into Roh was just: prosecutors (Kookmin Daily) -- ...
U.S. seeks strong, binding resolution on N. Korea's nuke test: State Dept.
Jun 02, 2009 ... WASHINGTON, June 1 (Yonhap) -- The United States Monday said it was seeking a strong and binding U.N. Security Council resolution on North Korea's recent nuclear test while urging the North to return to the six-party denuclearization talks. "And so what we want to see, as I said, again, is ...
S. Korean asset managers' net slips 20.1 pct in fiscal 2008.
Jun 02, 2009 ... SEOUL, June 2 (Yonhap) -- Total earnings of asset management firms in South Korea plunged 20.1 percent on-year in fiscal 2008 due mainly to falling share prices, the financial watchdog said Tuesday. The combined net income of 63 local and foreign asset managers stood at 402.5 billion won ...
S. Korea's FX reserves rise by record US$14.29 bln in May.
Jun 02, 2009 ... SEOUL, June 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's foreign exchange reserves rose by a record US$14.29 billion in May as local banks' overseas funding conditions improved and a weaker U.S. dollar boosted the dollar value of assets in other currencies, the central bank said Tuesday. The nation's ...
U.S. urges N. Korea to free American journalists held since March.
Jun 02, 2009 ... WASHINGTON, June 1 (Yonhap) -- The United States Monday called on North Korea to free two American journalists detained since March for allegedly crossing the border with China illegally while covering North Korean refugees. Deputy State Department spokesman Robert Wood also said that the ...
N.K. notifies institutions of nomination of leader's 3rd son as successor.
Jun 02, 2009 ... SEOUL, June 1 (Yonhap) -- North Korean authorities have notified the country's key institutions that leader Kim Jong-il has designated his third son, Kim Jong-un, as his successor, a source on North Korean affairs said Monday. "The authorities made the notification to the Workers' Party of ...
N. Korea may launch ballistic missile after one or two weeks: official.
Jun 02, 2009 ... SEOUL, June 1 (Yonhap) -- North Korea appears to be preparing to test-launch a long-range ballistic missile, an intelligence official in Seoul said Monday, noting the launch could take place in one or two weeks. "We believe the North could launch the missile at any time after one or two ...
N. Korea bans navigation in central, northern Yellow Sea: sources.
Jun 02, 2009 ... SEOUL, June 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea reaffirmed its stance on its Yellow Sea border with North Korea on Monday amid reports that the North has placed a navigation ban on vessels near the border, which was unilaterally drawn by the U.N. Command, as part of its plan for a possible act of ...
S. Korea hosts official dinner for ASEAN leaders attending summit.
Jun 02, 2009 ... JEJU ISLAND, South Korea, June 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea hosted an official dinner featuring a variety of performances for leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Monday to welcome them to summit talks here, the culture ministry said. The leaders of the 10 member ...
S. Korea, ASEAN urge N. Korea to stop provocations in special summit.
Jun 02, 2009 ... JEJU ISLAND, South Korea, June 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and leaders of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) called on North Korea to give up its nuclear ambitions Monday as they held a special summit aimed at increasing economic and ...
Former N.K. terrorist visits highest defector in Seoul: ex-lawmaker.
Jun 02, 2009 ... SEOUL, June 1 (Yonhap) -- A former North Korean spy who blew up a South Korean airplane in 1987 has visited Hwang Jang-yop, a former secretary of North Korea's Workers' Party, in Seoul in their first encounter in more than a decade, a former lawmaker said Monday. Kim Hyon-hui and Hwang had ...
Pregnant woman infected with new flu strain: gov't.
Jun 02, 2009 ... SEOUL, June 1 (Yonhap) -- A pregnant South Korean woman has been infected with the new type-A influenza that has spread to 53 countries, government health authorities said Monday. The 32-year-old woman is three months pregnant and the mother of an 18-month-old child who was confirmed on ...
N. Korea flexes muscles amid tension in Yellow Sea.
Jun 02, 2009 ... SEOUL, June 1 (Yonhap) -- North Korea has intensified landing exercises using amphibious vessels along its west coast amid growing fears in Seoul that the communist country may be plotting an attack on a South Korean island, a source said Monday. The North, which conducted its second ...
Completion of nuke repository delayed over 2 years.
Jun 02, 2009 ... SEOUL, June 1 (Yonhap) -- The completion of South Korea's first nuclear waste repository is likely to be postponed by more than two years due to weak ground conditions at the construction site, a government official said Monday. South Korea began work in April 2008 on the nuclear waste ...
U.S. team to seek cooperation in financial pressure on N. Korea.
Jun 02, 2009 ... SEOUL, June 1 (Yonhap) -- An inter-agency team of ranking U.S. officials, on a rare tour of Northeast Asia, may ask China and other related nations to step up cooperation on imposing financial curbs on North Korea for its second nuclear test last week, officials here said Monday. The ...
Korea-ASEAN summit opens with cooperation, security topping agenda.
Jun 02, 2009 ... JEJU ISLAND, South Korea, June 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and leaders of 10 countries that form the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) met here Monday to open a special summit aimed at boosting cooperation between the countries and forming a joint front ...
KT Corp. eyes 24 tln won in 2009 sales after merger.
Jun 02, 2009 ... SEOUL, June 1 (Yonhap) -- KT Corp., South Korea's top phone and Internet company, said Monday it expects its sales to rise 26 percent on-year to 24 trillion won (US$19.2 billion) this year on diversified services that combine mobile and fixed-line telephony. Its operating profit is likely ...
S. Korean won hits over 7-month high to U.S. dollar.
Jun 02, 2009 ... SEOUL, June 1 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean currency surged to an over 7-month high against the U.S. dollar Monday as offshore investors snapped up local stocks, dealers said. The local currency closed at a yearly high of 1,237.2 won to the greenback, up 17.8 won, or 1.44 percent, from the ...
Seoul shares end 1.38 pct higher on foreign buying.
Jun 02, 2009 ... SEOUL, June 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks closed 1.38 percent higher Monday as foreign investors picked up financial and other big caps, shrugging off the impact of General Motors' possible bankruptcy filing, analysts said. The local currency hit an over 7-month high against the U.S ....
KEPCO unit to build power plant in Philippines.
Jun 02, 2009 ... SEOUL, June 1 (Yonhap) -- Korea Midland Power Co., a unit of South Korea's state-run power monopoly Korea Electric Power Corp., said Monday it will sign a preliminary contract to build a hydro-electric power plant in the Philippines. The deal, to be signed with a Philippine state energy ...
Tax cuts help auto sales in S. Korea climb 15.4 pct in May.
Jun 02, 2009 ... SEOUL, June 1 (Yonhap) -- Auto sales in South Korea rose 15.4 percent in May from a year earlier, thanks to government tax cuts intended to spur demand, according to data released by carmakers Monday. Local car sales totaled 123,786 units last month, compared with 107,234 units in the same ...
Seoul's financial chief calls for cooperation with ASEAN.
Jun 02, 2009 ... JEJU ISLAND, South Korea, June 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's top economic policymaker called for Asian countries Monday to step up cooperation to jointly overcome the global economic crisis. Finance Minister Yoon Jeung-hyun also cautioned against the emergence of protectionism amid the ...
Seoul to host int'l forum on Somali piracy next week.
Jun 02, 2009 ... SEOUL, June 1 (Yonhap) -- Some 100 anti-terror experts will gather in Seoul next week to discuss how to deal with the unabating threats posed by pirates in Somali waters, the South Korean government said Monday. The two-day international forum, called the "Seoul High-Level Meeting on ...