KOR/SOUTH KOREA/ASIA PACIFIC


Table of Contents for South Korea

----------------------------------------------------------------------

1) Brazil To Call for Maintaining Economic Growth at G20 Summit
Xinhua: "Brazil To Call for Maintaining Economic Growth at G20 Summit"
2) Organizations Criticize 'Anti-DPRK' Moves of US, ROK
KCNA headline: "Anti-DPRK Moves of U.S. and S. Korea Accused"
3) Important Days of DPRK Celebrated in Austria, Germany
4) Obama, Medvedev Discuss Korean Peninsula, Other Issues
Yonhap headline: "Obama And Medvedev Discuss Rebuking N. Korea For Ship
Sinking"
5) ROK Rethinking Transfer of Wartime Control
6) ROK Leader To Hold Bilateral Summits With US, Japanese Leaders in
Canada
Updated version: upgrading precedence, rewording headline, adjusting tags,
adding refs, and replacing 0614 GMT version with source-supplied 0832 GMT
update, which "UPDATES wit h comments by FM, presidential aide on OPCON in
paras 7-11"; Report by Lee Chi-dong: "Lee to Hold Bilateral Summits With
U.S., Japanese Leaders in Canada"
7) Seoul Hints at Talks on Wartime Control
Report by Kim Ji-hyun
8) DPRK's Nuclear Test Prompts US, ROK To 'Rethink' OPCON Transfer
Updated version: replacing 0722 GMT version with source-supplied 0918 GMT
version which "UPDATES with reporter's question in para 3; RECASTS para
4"; upgrading precedence, rewording headline, adding tags, and adding
refs; Report by Chang Jae-soon: "N. Korea's Nuclear Test Prompts Seoul,
Washington to Rethink Wartime Command Transfer: FM"
9) S. Korea to Export Electronic Public Administrative System to U.N.
10) Parliamentary Committee Adopts Resolution to Thank Korean War
Participant Nations
11) Ceremonies Held in Pentagon, Congress to Commemorate K orean War's
60th Anniversary
12) Headlines of Kuwaiti English Dailies Issued Tuesday May 25, 2010
"Headlines of Kuwaiti English Dailies Issued Tuesday May 25, 2010" -- KUNA
Headline
13) Round 2 of a Dangerous Game
"Viewpoint" column by Jung Kyung-min, the New York correspondent and
Translation by the JoongAng Daily staff: "Round 2 of a Dangerous Game"
14) DPRK Central Radio Program Review for 24 Jun 10
Following is a compilation of Korean Central Broadcasting Station's
program previews for 24 June, which are aired daily at approximately 2000
and 0300 GMT. Programming schedule changes and summaries of talks and
programs are noted in editorial brackets; no further processing planned on
any of the items unless otherwise indicated. OSC has filed program
summaries of all the newscasts as the two referent items.
15) Kim Jong-il's Lavish Lifestyle in The Sp otlight
16) KCNA Communique on 'Damage' US Has Done to DPRK Since Korean War
Pyongyang Korean Central Broadcasting Station [KCBS] via Satellite in
Korean carried the following KCNA communique [podo] as a single item in
the 0800 GMT newscast on 24 June 2010; OSC plans to process the communique
as first referent item; The last observed KCNA Communique was released on
30 April 2010 regarding the completion of "cutting-edge-level" anthracite
coal gasification process at Namhu'ng Youth Chemical Complex, as cited in
the second referent item; KCNA headline: "KCNA on Tremendous Damage Done
to DPRK by U.S."
17) Imported Car Sales Surge in May
18) S. Korea to Develop Robot Fish to Monitor River Conditions
19) ROK's First Geostationary Satellite Launch Postponed
Updated version: replacing 2206 GMT version with source-supplied 0106 GMT
version which "UPDATES with more d etails throughout"; editing metadata;
Yonhap headline: "Countdown For S. Korea's First Geostationary Satellite
Halted"
20) Mechanical Problems Stall Launch
21) Rewriting Football History
22) Czech BIS Claims To Have Helped Uncover Computer Attack on G20 Meeting
"Czech BIS Helped Uncover Computer Attack on G20 Meeting -- Report" --
Czech Happenings headline
23) in Defiance of Onrushing Tanks
24) Different Economic Paths Widen Two Koreas' Economic Gap: Data
25) Chinese Daily Issues Warning to Korea And Japan
26) U.S. Wants to Face S. Korea in Quarterfinals: Official
27) ROK Editorial on Preventing Teen Crimes
Editorial: "Eerie And Scary"
28) Korean War Never Ended, Still Ongoing
29) Busan-Jinhae Attracts Japan Auto Parts Firm
30) DPRK News Agency Commentary Accuses US of 'Promoting' Arms Race Around
the World
Updated version: correcting two typos in text; KCNA commentary: "The
Instigator Who Promotes Full-Scale Arms Race"
31) Taiwan Will Need To Upgrade Industrial Competitiveness After Ecfa
By Alex Jiang
32) S. Korean Battery Makers Fast Catching Up With Japanese Rivals: Nomura
33) S. Korea's Flower Exports Surge to Record High This Year
34) Lawmakers' Antics Mar Resolution Condemning DPRK Over Ch'o'nan
ROK Editorial: "Antics Mar Resolution Over Cheonan Sinking"
35) Korean Dancer Who Toured Africa Dies of Malaria
36) Various Groups Urge ROK Authorities To Accept 15 Jun Joint Declaration
KCNA headline: "S. Korean Authorities Urged to Accept June 15 Joint
Declaration"
37) (LEAD) (World Cup) Uruguayan Striker Expects Tough Fight From S. Korea
38) Debate Over Exempting Soccer Players From Military Service Reignited
Original headline: "Debate Reignited Over Footballers' Military Service"
39) S. Korean Broadcaster SBS to Help Build Football Academies in South
Africa
40) ROK To Provide Support for Power Grid Distribution Lines in Ghana
Report by Byung-deuk Jeon: "S. Korea to Provide Support For Ghana
Establishing Electrical Power Grid Distribution Lines"
41) New Zealand Prime Minister Due in Seoul Next Month
42) Street Cheering Marred by Tons of Trash
43) DPRK's KCNA Lists 25 Jun Rodong Sinmun Articles
Attaching the vernacular full-text of the Rodong Sinmun list of articles
for the corresponding date -- as available from the KCNA in Korean feed --
in PDF format; Original KCNA headline: "Pre ss Review"
44) DPRK Papers Editorially Mark US 'Provocation' of Korean War
OSC is translating the full Rodong Sinmun and Minju Joson editorials as
referent items; KCNA headline: "Papers Editorially Observe Lapse of Six
Decades Since U.S. Provocation of Korean War"
45) Polish Party Leader Urges US to Conclude Peace Treaty With DPRK
KCNA headline: "U.S. Urged to Conclude Peace Treaty with DPRK"
46) S. Korean Puppet Authorities' Fascist Suppression Under Fire
47) China 'Respects' Laws Related to Restricted Mount Kumgang Tourism
Updated version: replacing 2343 GMT version with source-supplied 0218 GMT
version which "UPDATES in paras 7-8 with comments from Unification
Ministry official"; By Chang Jae-soon and Yoo Jee-ho: "China 'respects'
Laws Related to Suspended Mount Kumgang Tourism: Source"
48) Lee Myung Bak Group of Traitors' War Moves Against DPRK Blasted
49) ROK Weeklies for 16 - 22 Jun 10
To request additional processing, contact the OSC Customer Center at (800)
205-8615 or (202) 338-6735 or e-mail EAG_Korea@rccb.osis.gov
50) US, ROK Stage Military Exercises Aimed at 'War of Aggression,' PSI
Updated version: Providing source time; Unattributed report carried as the
14th of 18 items in newscast
51) ROK President Urges DPRK to Stop 'Provocations' on 60th Anniversary of
Korean War
Updated version: Upgrading precedence; By Kim Deok-hyun: "S. Korea marks
60th anniversary of Korean War amid tensions"
52) S. Korea Marks 60th Anniversary of Korean War Amid Tensions
53) DPRK Declares No-Sail Zone off West Coast: Media
Xinhua: "DPRK Declares No-Sail Zone off West Coast: Media"
54) North Calls For No-sail Zone in West, May Lob Mis sile
55) The True Meaning of The Korean War
56) Preventing Another War
57) A Resonant Echo of a Forgotten War
"Viewpoint" column by Park Hyo-chong, a professor of civil ethics
education at Seoul National University and Translation by the JoongAng
Daily staff: "A Resonant Echo of a Forgotten War"
58) Memoir Tells of 46 Years as a POW in The North
59) Academics, Experts Reflect on Lessons From Korean War
Unattributed article from the "Taiwan" page: "Academics, Experts Reflect
on Lessons From Korean War"
60) Minister: Transfer of Wartime Control May Be Delayed
61) Six Korean War Heroes Honored
62) Critical Need For More Aid to North
63) Korean War Still Divides Minds 60 Years on
64) ROK Military 'Closely Monitoring' DPRK as DPRK Declares 'No Sail Zone'
19-27 Jun
Yonhap headline: "N. Korea declares no-sail zone off west coast"
65) Pelosi Says Not Expecting Korea FTA's Ratification This Year
66) State Department Spokesman Urges DPRK To Free US Citizen Detainee
Updated version: upgrading precedence and revising subject line; Yonhap
headline: "U.S. Urges N. Korea to Free American Citizen Held For Illegal
Entry: State Dept."
67) Gazprom, Kogas Agree To Study Russian Gas Delivery To ROK
68) U.S. Considered Nuclear Option Over Spy Plane
69) Officials And Members of DWUK Condemn U.S. Imperialist Aggressors
70) PRC FM Spokesman Says China Confirming Report of 2 Nationals Killed in
DPRK
71) Malaria Medication on Way to North
72) US Becoming 'More Pronounced in Anti-DPRK Moves'
KCNA headline: &qu ot;U.S. Becomes More Pronounced in Anti-dprk Moves"
73) DPRK 'Examining' Application of 'Wartime Law' to Detained US Citizen
Updated version: adjusting subslug; upgrading precedence, rewording
headline, adjusting tags, adding refs and KCBS information, and attaching
PDF ; As of filing time, Pyongyang Korean Central Broadcasting Station in
Korean has not been observed to carry the following; The vernacular full
text of the following has been obtained from the KCNA Korean feed and is
attached in PDF format; KCNA headline: "Application of Wartime Law to
American Prisoner Under Examination in DPRK"
74) N. Korea Hastens Power Succession: Spy Chief
75) China Says Peace on Korean Peninsula Should Be Maintained
76) DPRK Threatens To Apply 'Wartime Laws' on Detained US Citizen
Updated version: replacing 0827 GMT version with source-supplied 0857 GMT
update, which "ADDS de tails; RECASTS lead, headline"; upgrading
precedence, rewording headline, and adding refs; Report by Sam Kim: "(2nd
LD) N. Korea threatens harsher penalties against detained U.S. man"
77) ROK Editorial on Korean War
Editorial: "War Not Ended Yet"
78) DPRK Frequently Violates Cease-Fire
Report by By Song Sang-ho: "N.K. Frequently Violates Cease-fire"
79) DPRK Demands $65Trln Compensation From USA For Hostility Time
80) DPRK's CPRF on ROK Unification Minister's Remark Related to Sinking of
ROK Ship
"Information Bulletin No 957" issued by the Secretariat of the Committee
for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland on 22 June, carried as
the 10th of 17 items in newscast.
81) Rushing At The Enemy With Grenades
82) CPRF Secretariat's Information Bulletin on ROK's Recent Military Moves
Corre cted version: correcting "Bulletin Information" to "Information
Bulletin" in headline and subslug; "Information Bulletin No 955 issued by
the Secretariat of Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the
Fatherland" on 30 May, carried as the seventh of 12 items in newscast;
Pyongyang Korean Central Television via Satellite [KCTV] in Korean also
carried the following as the 13th of 18 items in its 1100 newscast on 30
May
83) DPRK Demands $65 Trillion Compensation From US for '60 Years of
Enmity'
Updated version: upgrading precedence, rewording headline, and adjusting
tags; Report by Sam Kim: "N. Korea Demands Massive Compensation From U.S.
For 60 Years of Enmity"
84) S. Korea, U.S. Reconsider Wartime Command Transfer
Xinhua: "S. Korea, U.S. Reconsider Wartime Command Transfer"
85) NKorea Spurns Down Seoul's Attempts To Blame It For New Crisis
86) < a href="#t86">The Lives of North Korean Veterans
87) DPRK Party Organ on ROK Blaming DPRK on Inter-Korean Relations
'Collapse'
OSC plans to process the below-cited Rodong Sinmun "signed commentary" as
first referent item; KCNA headline "S. Korean Puppet Group Accused of
Shifting Blame For Collapse of Inter-korean Relations Onto DPRK"
88) DPRK's KCNA Lists 24 Jun Rodong Sinmun Articles
Attaching the vernacular full-text of the Rodong Sinmun list of articles
for the corresponding date -- as available from the KCNA in Korean feed --
in PDF format; Original KCNA headline: "Press Review"
89) DPRK Party Organ on ROK Leader's Moves To Start 'Second Korean War'
OSC plans to process the below-cited Rodong Sinmun "signed article" as
first referent item; KCNA headline "Lee Myung Bak Group Accused of Its
Moves to Start Second Korean War"
90) DPRK Media Refer to Vice Premier Thae Jong Su as Party Department
Director
Updated version: correcting Source City and Source Descriptor sections;
for assistance with multimedia elements, contact the OSC Customer Center
at (800) 205-8615 or oscinfo@rccb.osis.gov.
91) Important Days of DPRK Observed By Koreans in Russia
92) US, ROK To 'Decisively Respond' to DPRK Provocations
Updated version: upgrading precedence, rewording headline, adjusting tags
and adding refs; Yonhap headline: "S. Korea, U.S. Brace For N. Korean
Provocations, Sharp Says"
93) DPRK Opens Mount Kumgang to International Tourists
Unattributed report: "N.Korea Opens Mt. Kumgang to Int'l Tourists"
94) S. Korea Allows More Humanitarian Aid to N. Korea Amid Tension
95) S. Korea, U.S. Brace For N. Korean Provocations, Sharp Says
96) DPRK Media Refer to Vic e Premier Thae Jong Su as Party Department
Director
Updated version: removing Pyongyang from the Source City section; for
assistance with multimedia elements, contact the OSC Customer Center at
(800) 205-8615 or oscinfo@rccb.osis.gov.
97) Earth-friendly Firms Minus The Green
98) Assembly Tumult Over Protest Law
99) Nanya Hopes To Raise NT$10bn With Share Sale
Article by By Lisa Wang from the "Business" page: "Nanya Hopes To Raise
NT$10bn With Share Sale"
100) HTC To Change Smartphone Displays Due to Supply Shortage
Report by Jin Hyun-joo
101) New Exhibitions, Conventions in ROK
Updated version: Adding text dropped by auto-release program; Original
headline: "2010. 6. 25 New Exhibitions And Conventions"
102) Online Issuance of Official Documents to Be Expanded
103) GM Daewoo to L aunch New Alpheon Luxury Sedan in Sept.: Official
104) S. Korean Banks to Unveil List of Nonviable Firms
105) Samsung Life Earnings Forecast to Top 1 Tln Won This Year
106) Ex-pm Summoned in 900m Won Bribe Probe
107) Foreigners Snap Up Korean Bonds
108) ROKG Winds Up Its Emergency Economic Policies
109) Radio Chip Roots Out High-priced Rip-offs
110) Hyundai Group Fires Back in Creditor Feud With KEB
111) Investors Rally Behind Construction Market
112) Appeal Trial Begins For Disgraced Cloning Scientist
113) BOK Reduces Loan Pool For Smaller Businesses
114) [SERI COLUMN] Classic Know-how Gets a Modern Spin
115) S. Korean Consumer Sentiment Inches Up For June
116) Launch of ROK's Fir st Geostationary Ocean Weather Satellite Delayed
Updated version: adding more details throughout per source-suppliled 1400
GMT update; replacing 2331 GMT version with source-supplied 0202 GMT
update, which "UPDATES with more details in paras 2-8"; rewording
headline, adjusting tags, replacing 2205 GMT version with source-supplied
2331 GMT update, which "UPDATES with more details in paras 2-6"; Yonhap
headline: "Launch of S. Korea's First Geostationary Ocean-weather
Satellite Delayed"
117) Robots Are Going to Teach English, Wash Windows
118) Upgrades in Growth Rate, Employment Forecasts
Report by Hyuk-hoon Chung, Jin-myung Lee, Ye-kyung Han: "Upgrades in
Growth Rate And Employment Forecasts"
119) ROK Editorial on Korea's Labor Movement
Editorial: "Labor Movement"
120) S. Korean Banks to Revamp Cash-strapped Large Firms, Builder s
121) Uncertainty Lingers on Ministries To Be Sent to Sejong City
Report by Lee Tae-hoon: "Which Ministries Will Be Sent to Sejong City?"
122) Korea's HMC Investment Securities Establishes Unit in Hong Kong
123) US Expert Gives Advice on Korea's River Projects
By Lee Ji-yoon: "U.S. Expert Gives Tips on River Projects"
124) Ex-Premier Han To Be Summoned for Questioning
Original headline: "Ex-premier Han to Be Summoned"
125) Mugabe's Aid Rejects Reports of Suspension of Media, Security Laws
Unattributed report: "No AIPPA, POSA Suspension: Charamba"
126) Americans Commemorate Korean War
Report by Jane Han
127) ROK Editorial on New Labor Laws
Editorial: "Time-off Dispute"
128) Parties Still Split Over Nighttime Rally Ban
Report by Shin Hae-in
129) Seoul Lifts Growth Outlook to 5.8%
130) Korean 'Alpha Girls' Put Job Stability First
Report by Kang Hyun-kyung: "Korean 'alpha Girls' Put Job Stability First"
131) Measures for Loan Problems, Construction Firm Restucturing
Report by Tae-geun Kim: "Measures For PF Loan Problems &amp; Restructuring
of Construction Firms to Be Revealed"
132) Samsung to Ship 19 Mln Units of Smartphones in 2010: Analyst
133) Report Shows Tax on Banks' Foreign Debt Desirable for ROK
Updated version: rewording headline, adjusting tags; Yonhap headline:
"Bank Levy on External Debts Desirable For S. Korea: Report"
134) Man Booked For Smuggling Reproductive Organs of Foxes to Sell as
Amulets
135) Gold Exchange Will Be Established in 2012
Report by Byung-ho Kim
136) Foreign Holdings of Korean State Bonds to Reach 19 Pct: Report
137) Bank of Korea Lowers Loan Cap for Small Firms
Updated version: rewording headline, adjusting tags; replacing 0256 GMT
version with source-supplied 0519 GMT update, which "ADDS more details in
paras 5, 10-11"; Yonhap headline: "BOK Lowers Loan Cap For Small Firms"
138) Nearly 700 New Species Discovered in Korea
139) S. Korea Sells 333 Bln Won in Inflation Bonds in June
140) Bank of Korea To Ban Foreign Currency Loans For Domestic Investment
Unattributed report: "BOK To Ban Foreign Currency Loans For Domestic
Investment"
141) Afghan Vice President Meets Korean Ambassador, 'Requests Further
Cooperation'
Unattributed Report: "First Vice President Meets Korea Ambassador" -- Text
disseminated as received without OSC editorial intervention

----------------------------------------------------------------------

1) Back to Top
Brazil To Call for Maintaining Economic Growth at G20 Summit
Xinhua: "Brazil To Call for Maintaining Economic Growth at G20 Summit" -
Xinhua
Friday June 25, 2010 02:16:58 GMT
BRASILIA, June 24 (Xinhua) -- Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da
Silva will call on other countries to maintain their stimulus measures to
boost economic growth when he attends the G20 summit in Toronto this
weekend, a government spokesman said Thursday.

In addition, the Brazilian leader will also make efforts to promote reform
of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) aimed at greater voting power for
developing countries, strengthening international standards for financial
markets regulation and an early conclusion of the Doha round talks of the
World Trade Organization (WTO), pr esidential spokesman Marcelo Baumbach
told a press conference.Baumbach said that for the first time in a G20
summit the issue of international trade would be addressed in a whole
debate session, during which Lula would stress the need to conclude WTO's
Doha Round talks."In particular, President Lula will defend the need for
world leaders to demonstrate political will to intervene directly to bring
the conclusion of the Doha Round with the package on the table since
2008," he said.According to the spokesman, Lula will possibly have
bilateral meetings with French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German
Chancellor Angela Merkel on Saturday.Lula will also meet U.S. President
Barack Obama on the sidelines of this summit, he said.At the Toronto
summit, leaders of the 20 developed and developing countries will discuss
the global economic situation and take stock of the measures agreed at the
previous summits, the last of which was held last September in Pittsburgh,
the Unite d States.The G20 group comprises Argentina, Australia, Brazil,
Britain, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan,
Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the
United States, and the European Union, which is represented by the
rotating presidency of the EU Council and the European Central
Bank.(Description of Source: Beijing Xinhua in English -- China's official
news service for English-language audiences (New China News Agency))

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

2) Back to Top
Organizations Criticize 'Anti-DPRK' Moves of US, ROK
KCNA headline: "Anti-DPRK Moves of U.S. and S. Korea Accused" - KCNA
Thursday June 24, 2010 05:06:29 GMT
(Description of Source: Pyongyang KCNA in English -- Official DPRK news
agency. URL: http://www.kcna.co.jp)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

3) Back to Top
Important Days of DPRK Celebrated in Austria, Germany - KCNA
Thursday June 24, 2010 05:13:34 GMT
(Description of Source: Pyongyang KCNA in English -- Official DPRK news
agency. URL: http://www.kcna.co.jp)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyrig ht
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

4) Back to Top
Obama, Medvedev Discuss Korean Peninsula, Other Issues
Yonhap headline: "Obama And Medvedev Discuss Rebuking N. Korea For Ship
Sinking" - Yonhap
Thursday June 24, 2010 21:30:18 GMT
(Description of Source: Seoul Yonhap in English -- Semiofficial news
agency of the ROK; URL: http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

5) Back to Top
ROK Rethinking Transfer of War time Control - The Korea Times Online
Thursday June 24, 2010 21:44:24 GMT
(KOREA TIMES) - Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan said Thursday that North
Korea's second underground nuclear test last year was a tipping point
prompting Seoul to rethink the scheduled transfer of operational wartime
control of its armed forces.

Yu, however, said that it was not clear at the moment whether the transfer
of wartime command control will be discussed during the South Korea-U.S.
summit to be held Sunday on the sidelines of the G-20 Summit in Toronto,
Canada.A ministry official told reporters on condition of anonymity that
what the minister meant by the remarks was that Seoul alone began
rethinking the schedule of the transfer of operational control.He further
clarified that Minister Yu didn't mean that Seoul had already discussed
the matter with the U.S. government."It would be fair to say th at North
Korea's second nuclear test after U.S. President Barack Obama's
inauguration prompted the rethinking of the scheduled transfer of wartime
command control," Yu told reporters at the ministry.South Korea is
scheduled to retake wartime command of its troops from the United States
on April 17, 2012.Previously, there were media reports saying that the two
sides discussed or agreed to a delay of the transfer.The reports came
after a series of North Korean provocative acts, including test-firing of
missiles and a second nuclear test. Seoul and Washington denied the
reports.Minister Yu's remarks regarding the command transfer came after a
news report that President Lee Myung-bak will discuss with President Obama
the issue during the summit in Toronto.But the minister said the issue has
not been confirmed as being on the summit agenda.(Description of Source:
Seoul The Korea Times Online in English -- Website of The Korea Times, an
independent and moderate English-langua ge daily published by its sister
daily Hanguk Ilbo from which it often draws articles and translates into
English for publication; URL: http://www.koreatimes.co.kr)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

6) Back to Top
ROK Leader To Hold Bilateral Summits With US, Japanese Leaders in Canada
Updated version: upgrading precedence, rewording headline, adjusting tags,
adding refs, and replacing 0614 GMT version with source-supplied 0832 GMT
update, which "UPDATES with comments by FM, presidential aide on OPCON in
paras 7-11"; Report by Lee Chi-dong: "Lee to Hold Bilateral Summits With
U.S., Japanese Leaders in Canada" - Yonhap
Th ursday June 24, 2010 09:24:20 GMT
(Description of Source: Seoul Yonhap in English -- Semiofficial news
agency of the ROK; URL: http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited.Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder.Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

7) Back to Top
Seoul Hints at Talks on Wartime Control
Report by Kim Ji-hyun - The Korea Herald Online
Thursday June 24, 2010 11:29:02 GMT
Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan on Thursday indicated that South Korea and
the U.S. started talks for delaying the transfer of wartime operational
control as early as after Pyongyang's second nuclear test in May last yea
r."Changes in the way (the allies) perceived the situation began to change
following the second nuclear test" by North Korea, Yu said in a press
briefing. "These changes can be seen to have reflected the circumstantial
situation of the Korea Peninsula, which is the important factor in
switching strategic systems."There have been steady calls from
conservatives here to delay transferring wartime operational control to
Seoul from Washington.The two allies agreed under late-President Roh
Moo-hyun to transfer the control, also called OPCON, by April of 2012.With
the control, South Korea would be solely in charge of military operations
at times of war, as opposed to now when the allied military is in
charge.Seoul negotiated for OPCON to increase its defense self-reliance,
according to officials from the Roh administration.Pyongyang's second
nuclear test in May last year prompted opposition from critics who cited
lingering North Korean threats for delaying the control transfer.Further
fueling the argument, South Korea fingered the North as the culprit behind
the sinking of one of its warships on March 26.A multinational team of
investigators led by Seoul said a torpedo manufactured by Pyongyang struck
the Cheonan, splitting it in two and killing 46 of the sailors aboard.The
allies currently hold annual strategic consultations on military affairs,
during which they discuss OPCON transfer progress.The government has so
far said there had been no discussions on deferring the transfer.Media
reports, however, have predicted that President Lee Myung-bak may
officially discuss the issue when he meets U.S. president Barack Obama in
a one-on-one on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Canada on Saturday.The
issue is most likely to be further talked over when the foreign and
defense ministers of the two countries meet next month, they said.Yu also
reiterated on the need for the U.N. Security Council to strongly denounce
Pyongyang for its prov ocation involving the Cheonan."What is important is
for the U.N. Security Council to show the North that its provocations will
have consequences," he said.The foreign minister stressed that countries
such as the U.S. and Japan is considering separate sanctions to punish the
North.Yu was skeptical of the Council coming up with new sanctions, saying
most were already in place under Resolution 1874, which was passed after
the North's May nuclear test.Other government officials also have noted
that Seoul expects a Chairman's Statement criticizing the North."There is
of course a difference between a new resolution and a statement, but a new
resolution may not receive the necessary unanimous vote," Yu said. "A
chairman's statement also has great political significance."Seoul referred
the Cheonan to the Council on June 4.The multinational investigation team
has briefed the Council including the veto-wielding permanent members
including the more reticen t China and Russia. North Korea also conducted
a briefing of its own, and a separate press conference.Discussions are
reportedly underway within the Council on the Cheonan. Results may be
expected by the end of this month, after the G20 summit.

(Description of Source: Seoul The Korea Herald Online in English --
Website of the generally pro-government English-language daily The Korea
Herald; URL: http://www.koreaherald.co.kr)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

8) Back to Top
DPRK's Nuclear Test Prompts US, ROK To 'Rethink' OPCON Transfer
Updated version: replacing 0722 GMT version with source-supplied 0918 GMT
version which "UPDATES with reporter's question in para 3; RE CASTS para
4"; upgrading precedence, rewording headline, adding tags, and adding
refs; Report by Chang Jae-soon: "N. Korea's Nuclear Test Prompts Seoul,
Washington to Rethink Wartime Command Transfer: FM" - Yonhap
Thursday June 24, 2010 09:40:38 GMT
(Description of Source: Seoul Yonhap in English -- Semiofficial news
agency of the ROK; URL: http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited.Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder.Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

9) Back to Top
S. Korea to Export Electronic Public Administrative System to U.N. -
Yonhap
Thursday June 24, 2010 06:10:45 GMT
Korea-UN-e-gov't project

S. Korea to export electronic public administrative system to U.N.By Shim
Sun-ahSEOUL, June 24 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and the United Nations have
agreed to jointly develop a U.N. electronic public administration system,
the home ministry said Thursday.Maeng Hyung-kyu (Maeng Hyo'ng-kyu),
minister of public administration and security, and Sha Zukang, a Chinese
diplomat who is currently the U.N. under-secretary-general for economic
and social affairs, exchanged a letter of intent Wednesday in Barcelona,
Spain, for the joint development of so-called "U.N. public administration
knowledge space," his ministry said in a release.The highly-wired country
is a world leader in e-government systems for managing state finances,
tariffs, public procurement, patent data and other administrative
procedures and public records that promote efficiency and enable citizens
to be more interactive with their governme nt.South Korea will provide its
knowledge and technology for the US$6-8 million project being pushed by
the U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs, said Park Min-sik, an
official in charge of the e-government project.The U.N. public
administration knowledge space is a system for collecting and analyzing
basic data on 192 U.N. member nations' e-government policies and
infrastructure, the ministry said. The project will become a base for the
U.N.'s efforts to construct a global electronic government, it
added.Earlier in the day, Seoul received this year's "global grand prize"
in the United Nations' biannual assessment of 192 member states' level of
electronic public administration.The government scored the highest in the
"e-government development" index and "e-participation" index for measuring
public engagement of the U.N. Global E-government Survey 2010, the
ministry said. The United States and Canada came next in the total
e-government ranking.Seoul previously ranked sixth in the "readiness"
index and second in the "participation" index in 2008."South Korea's
winning of the U.N. e-government global grand prize is an achievement
resulted from a combination of the public's attention, the government's
strong driving force and technological support by the country's
information-technology industries," Maeng was quoted as saying at the
awards ceremony in Barcelona."This award winning is expected to have a
positive influence on South Korean IT and non-IT firms' exports of their
commodities and service by helping improve the nation's brand image," the
minister said.South Korea has signed contracts worth $221 million with 25
countries, mostly Asian countries such as Indonesia, India, Vietnam, the
Philippines and Pakistan, to export its knowhow and technology of building
e-government systems over a decade.(Description of Source: Seoul Yonhap in
English -- Semiofficial news age ncy of the ROK; URL:
http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

10) Back to Top
Parliamentary Committee Adopts Resolution to Thank Korean War Participant
Nations - Yonhap
Thursday June 24, 2010 05:13:34 GMT
Parliamentary committee adopts resolution to thank Korean War participant
nations

By Shim Sun-ahSEOUL, June 24 (Yonhap) -- A parliamentary committee on
Thursday adopted a resolution expressing thanks to foreign Korean War
veterans and their countries and calling for denuclearization of North
Korea on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the war's outbreak.Pr
oposed by Hwang Jin-ha, legislator of the ruling Grand National Party, the
resolution passed the National Assembly Committee on Foreign Affairs,
Trade and Unification with unanimous consent, the committee said.The move
came on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the start of the military
conflict between South Korea, supported by the U.S.-led United Nations
troops, and North Korea and its ally China. The Korean Peninsula has
remained technically at war after the campaign ended in a truce instead of
a peace treaty.The resolution expressed gratitude to the 16 nations,
including the United States, Britain, Australia and Canada, and their
soldiers who came to fight for South Korea during the war.It called on
North Korea to denuclearize and stop provoking South Korea, vowing efforts
to reinforce the South's war deterrent based on a firm alliance with the
U.S.It also pledged that they would do their best to have the communist
state return hundreds of South Korean prisoners of war and kidnapped
citizens held in the country against their will as early as possible, make
a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula and achieve inter-Korean peace.The
resolution is expected to pass a full parliamentary session Tuesday,
together with a similar resolution adopted by the national policy
committee early this week.

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

11) Back to Top
Ceremonies Held in Pentagon, Congress to Commemorate Korean War's 60th
Anniversary - Yonhap
Thursday June 24, 2010 21:40:21 GMT
US-Korean War ceremonies

Ceremonies held in Pentagon, Congress to commemorate Korean War's 60t h
anniversaryBy Hwang Doo-hyongWASHINGTON, June 24 (Yonhap) -- The strength
of the U.S.-South Korean alliance was hailed here Thursday in ceremonies
at the Pentagon and in Congress to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the
breakout of the 1950-53 Korean War.About 36,000 American soldiers were
killed in the defense of South Korea against invading North Korean and
Chinese communist forces in a conflict that broke out June 25, 1950.The
war ended in an armistice three years later, leaving the two Koreas
technically at war for the past six decades. About 28,500 American
soldiers are currently stationed in South Korea as a legacy of the
conflict.The ceremonies came as South Korea joins the U.S. in a push for
the 15-member U.N. Security Council to condemn North Korea for the
torpedoeing of a South Korean warship in the Yellow Sea in March. The
North's major allies, China and Russia, which helped the North in the
Korean War, remain reluctant to blame Pyongyang, citing a lack of con
crete evidence.Speaking at a ceremony at the Center Courtyard in the
Pentagon, South Korean Ambassador Han To'k-su (Han Duck-soo) described the
Korea-U.S. alliance as "the strongest, most successful partnership in its
history.""We are working alongside the United States in such places as
Iraq, Afghanistan and waters off Somalia to further peace and freedom as
the United States' partner and friend. South Korea is and will be by your
side," he said.The South Korean envoy thanked U.S. Korean War veterans for
their sacrifice to "promote peace, stability and prosperity beyond the
Korean Peninsula.""We honor you and the 36,000 of your brothers in arms
who gave their lives so that Korea could be freed," Han said. "For that,
the Korean people are eternally grateful to all of you and all of them."He
said the South Korean government will invite U.S. Korean War veterans to
Seoul to observe the anniversary."I hope many will come and their visit
will show them how much we cherish their sacrifice," he said. "On behalf
of President Lee (Myung-bak) and the government of Korea and all of Korean
people, I thank you for your service. I thank you for your part in helping
Koreans live in freedom."House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Ca) told a ceremony
at the Capitol that the Korean War should not be the "Forgotten
War.""Today, and every day, we must remember the heroes who returned
safely home and those who gave their 'last full measure of devotion,'" she
said. "Our nation honors her sons and daughters who answered the call to
defend a country they never knew and a people they never met. All our
nation's veterans deserve our respect and our admiration as we honor our
Korean veterans."At the Pentagon ceremony, Joseph Westphal, undersecretary
of the Army, cited the courage and value the Korean War veterans
demonstrated 60 years ago."We've been engaged in the current war for nine
years now, and as I think about the young men and women I have met through
my travels around the Army, I imagine they are not too different from the
way you were 60 years ago," he said. "Our military has always been defined
by their courage, and character and their incredible optimism about our
country and its values. Our Korean War veterans are the examples of our
courage and character."Noting that 3.5 million American soldiers have
served in Korea over the past six decades, the official said, "From that
war, the Republic of Korea has emerged as a vibrant democracy, an economic
giant in Asia and a strong, independent and respective voice among
nations. The Republic of Korea is a critical ally, a valued partner and an
honored friend of the United States."Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY) also said
the American soldiers who died in the Korean War should not be
forgotten."Those 37,000 people could never be forgotten by their families,
by their friends or by us," said Ranger, himself a Korean War veteran,
stressing that "every honor we receive" should go to the fallen
soldiers.Rangel has submitted a draft resolution to Congress commemorating
the 60th anniversary of the war and reaffirming the alliance with South
Korea.The House of Representatives and Senate unanimously approved the
joint resolution presented by Rangel last week, "recognizing the
historical importance of the 60th anniversary of the outbreak of the
Korean War, which began on June 25, 1950, and honoring the noble service
and sacrifice of the United States Armed Forces and the armed forces of
allied countries that served in Korea since 1950 to the present."It also
"encourages all Americans to participate in commemorative activities to
pay solemn tribute to, and to never forget, the veterans of the Korean
War."(Description of Source: Seoul Yonhap in English -- Semiofficial news
agency of the ROK; URL: http://english.yo nhapnews.co.kr)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

12) Back to Top
Headlines of Kuwaiti English Dailies Issued Tuesday May 25, 2010
"Headlines of Kuwaiti English Dailies Issued Tuesday May 25, 2010" -- KUNA
Headline - KUNA Online
Tuesday May 25, 2010 14:50:21 GMT
Kuwait Times =============.-- Al-Jassem denies 'political' charges.Kuwait
posts USD 28 billion surplus.Australia expels Israeli diplomat.South Korea
threatens North 'will pay price'.Iran hangs Sunni rebel.Arab Times
==========.Parliamentary minority dictator leads nation to
destruction.Israel said to offer N-arms sale.'Heat hrew-Kuwait' flights as
schedules.Yemen tribesmen kidnap US couple. -- Iraqi MP killed.Al-Watan
Daily ==============.Price hikes on Parliament's agenda today.Dust
continue until Thursday, Interior Ministry calls for caution.Economics
support halt in plans to launch Gulf monetary union.200,000 people suffer
from obesity 40 percent need surgery.Human error possible cause of Indian
plane crash.Al-Jassem detention extended to June 7, case reporting
banned.MPs commend Cabinet's move to end plight of Kuwaitis marries to
bedouns.(Description of Source: Kuwait KUNA Online in English -- Official
news agency of the Kuwaiti Government; URL: http://www.kuna.net.kw)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

13) Back to Top
Round 2 of a Dangerous Game
"Viewpoint" column by Jung Kyung-min, the New York correspondent and
Translation by the JoongAng Daily staff: "Round 2 of a Dangerous Game" -
JoongAng Daily Online
Friday June 25, 2010 00:46:04 GMT
(Description of Source: Seoul JoongAng Daily Online in English -- Website
of English-language daily which provides English-language summaries and
full-texts of items published by the major center-right daily JoongAng
Ilbo, as well as unique reportage; distributed as an insert to the Seoul
edition of the International Herald Tribune; URL:
http://joongangdaily.joins.com)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

14) Back to Top
DPRK Central Radio Program Review for 24 Jun 10
Following is a compilation of Korean Central Broadcasting Station's
program previews for 24 June, which are aired daily at approximately 2000
and 0300 GMT. Programming schedule changes and summaries of talks and
programs are noted in editorial brackets; no further processing planned on
any of the items unless otherwise indicated. OSC has filed program
summaries of all the newscasts as the two referent items. - Korean Central
Broadcasting Station via Satellite
Thursday June 24, 2010 14:02:20 GMT
(Description of Source: Pyongyang Korean Central Broadcasting Station via
Satellite in Korean -- Satellite feed of DPRK state-run domestic radio
network)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission f or use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

15) Back to Top
Kim Jong-il's Lavish Lifestyle in The Spotlight - Chosun Ilbo Online
Thursday June 24, 2010 23:40:13 GMT
(CHOSUN ILBO) - What kind of houses do dictators live in? U.S. magazine
Foreign Policy on Wednesday featured the sumptuous homes and lifestyles of
tyrants around the world including North Korean leader Kim Jong Il (Kim
Cho'ng-il).

Under the title "Lifestyles of the Rich and Tyrannical," the magazine said
Kim is "thought to have two residences in Pyongyang as well as 10 country
chalets throughout North Korea -- and there are probably more if you
include the country estates that belonged to his late father Kim Il Sung
(Kim Il-so'ng). Many of these are reportedly connected to each other by
private underground rail lines."One of his largest homes is a seven-story
tower on the beach, "with three stories beneath the ocean's surface" in
South Hamgyong Province.The tower features "separate floors for Kim's
family members and a unique underwater viewing room," it said. "At another
one of his estates, Kim is thought to enjoy body-boarding in an indoor
wave pool, accompanied at all times by a young female doctor and
nurse."Kim is also known for "throwing lavish, all-night drinking parties
for his top officials, usually including a bevy of scantily clad young
women." According to brandy maker Hennessy, Kim ordered more than half a
million dollars worth of cognac in the 1990s alone.The magazine also
looked at the lifestyles of Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, the Obiang family
of Equatorial Guinea, and perennial favourite Than Shwe of
Burma.(Description of Source: S eoul Chosun Ilbo Online in English --
English website carrying English summaries and full translations of
vernacular hard copy items of the largest and oldest daily Chosun Ilbo,
which is conservative in editorial orientation -- strongly nationalistic,
anti-North Korea, and generally pro-US; URL: http://english.chosun.com)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

16) Back to Top
KCNA Communique on 'Damage' US Has Done to DPRK Since Korean War
Pyongyang Korean Central Broadcasting Station [KCBS] via Satellite in
Korean carried the following KCNA communique [podo] as a single item in
the 0800 GMT newscast on 24 June 2010; OSC plans to process the communique
as first referent item; The last observed KCNA Communique was released on
30 April 2010 regarding the completion of "cutting-edge-level" anthracite
coal gasification process at Namhu'ng Youth Chemical Complex, as cited in
the second referent item; KCNA headline: "KCNA on Tremendous Damage Done
to DPRK by U.S." - KCNA
Thursday June 24, 2010 13:07:49 GMT
(Description of Source: Pyongyang KCNA in English -- Official DPRK news
agency. URL: http://www.kcna.co.jp)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

17) Back to Top
Imported Car Sales Surge in May - Chosun Ilbo Online
Friday June 25, 2010 01:09:16 GMT
(CHOSUN ILBO) - Sales of imported cars jumped as much as 20 percent last
month compared to a year ago, according to data from the Ministry of Land,
Transport and Maritime Affairs.

Some 460,892 imported cars were newly registered in Korea as of late May,
an increase of 20 percent from 383,962 in the same month last year.
Imports accounted for 2.62 percent of all new car registrations, up from
2.45 percent in May last year.BMW was the most popular foreign brand, with
72,735 cars registered. Mercedes-Benz came in second with 64,219, followed
by Toyota-Lexus with 49,100, Honda with 36,914 and Audi with 31,489.Most
of the new vehicles or 48.3 percent were German, trailed by Japanese (25.9
percent) and U.S. (12.8 percent). Large cars accounted for 75.5 percent
and mid-sized vehicles 21.6 percent, while compacts and mini cars made up
2.6 percent and 0.3 percent, respectively.(Description of Source: Seoul
Chosun Ilbo Online in English -- English website carrying English
summaries and full translations of vernacular hard copy items of the
largest and oldest daily Chosun Ilbo, which is conservative in editorial
orientation -- strongly nationalistic, anti-North Korea, and generally
pro-US; URL: http://english.chosun.com)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

18) Back to Top
S. Korea to Develop Robot Fish to Monitor River Conditions - Yonhap
Thursday June 24, 2010 08:02:07 GMT
robot fish-development

S. Korea to develop robot fish to monitor river conditionsSEOUL, June 24
(Yonhap) -- South K orea will begin development of robot fish in an effort
to help check underwater structures and environmental conditions of
rivers, the government said Thursday.The Ministry of Knowledge Economy
said it plans to set aside 6 billion won (US$5.03 million) in the next
three years to develop sensors, autonomous swimming control mechanisms and
wireless power recharging technologies needed to operate the robots.The
state-run Korea Institute of Industrial Technology will be in charge of
the overall research with Samsung Thales Co. to build the robots, the
ministry said.The robots will be able to run for four hours, move 2.5
meters per second and have at least five sensors, which can be used to
check for water pollution, oxygen levels and submerged man-made
structures.The robots will be up to 52 centimeters long and 20 centimeters
tall and be equipped with cameras, gyro-sensors and global positioning
systems.The first prototypes may be deployed in late 2011, the ministry
said.Robot f ish have been built since the mid-1990s in countries such as
the United States, Japan, Germany and Britain.These robots have been used
mainly for exploration and military purposes with South Korean
laboratories entering the race in 2006.The robot fish program is closely
linked to efforts by the central government to develop the country's major
rivers for greater economic use and recreation.The controversial plan has
drawn fire from conservation and religious groups who claimed the project
will lead to serious environmental problems down the road.(Description of
Source: Seoul Yonhap in English -- Semiofficial news agency of the ROK;
URL: http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited.Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder.Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

19) Back to Top
ROK's First Geostationary Satellite Launch Postponed
Updated version: replacing 2206 GMT version with source-supplied 0106 GMT
version which "UPDATES with more details throughout"; editing metadata;
Yonhap headline: "Countdown For S. Korea's First Geostationary Satellite
Halted" - Yonhap
Friday June 25, 2010 01:57:44 GMT
(Description of Source: Seoul Yonhap in English -- Semiofficial news
agency of the ROK; URL: http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

20) Back to Top
Mechanical Problems Stall Launch - JoongAng Daily Online
Friday June 25, 2010 00:36:52 GMT
(JOONGANG ILBO) - Mechanical problems have delayed the launch of Korea's
first geostationary ocean-weather satellite, the state-run aerospace
agency said yesterday.

The Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) said the countdown stopped a
little more than 47 minutes before blastoff after "pressure-related"
problems were detected in the 780-ton rocket.The Chollian communication,
ocean and meteorological satellite (COMS) had been set to lift off at 6:41
a.m. (Korea Time) from the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French
Guiana.KARI said that a faulty sensor array caused a drop in pressure in
the second-stage rocket and that the problem has been fixed. But more time
is needed to find out why there was a pressure drop in the first-stage
rocket.The second stage makes up the upper part of the Ariane 5-ECA rocket
built by France's A rianespace SA, and is designed to place its satellite
payload into the Earth's orbit. The first-stage rocket provides the main
thrust needed to get the rocket into space. It is made up of one
liquid-fuel rocket and two solid-fuel boosters."Arianespace officials do
not think the complication affects the general safety of the rocket, but
they need more time to make sure it's not serious," a spokesperson for
KARI said. He predicted that the new liftoff time would be decided after 8
p.m. following consultations with on-site engineers.Arianespace will
determine if the launch can go forward today or must be rescheduled
altogether.The 2.5 ton COMS satellite is designed to give Seoul timely and
accurate data on weather and oceanographic information around the Korean
Peninsula 24 hours a day. It can also act as a regular communications
satellite.Seoul spent more than 350 billion won ($293 million) and eight
years building the satellite. It is expected to remain in operation for
seven years.(Description of Source: Seoul JoongAng Daily Online in English
-- Website of English-language daily which provides English-language
summaries and full-texts of items published by the major center-right
daily JoongAng Ilbo, as well as unique reportage; distributed as an insert
to the Seoul edition of the International Herald Tribune; URL:
http://joongangdaily.joins.com)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

21) Back to Top
Rewriting Football History - JoongAng Daily Online
Friday June 25, 2010 00:41:56 GMT
(JOONGANG ILBO) - Our entire population of 48 million spent Wednesday with
re d eyes and hoarse throats from incessant chanting and cheering in front
of TV screens from Tuesday evening till dawn.

Yet few complained of any fatigue, flush with excitement from the historic
achievements of our Taegeuk Warriors in their final group match in the
2010 South Africa World Cup. They finally made it, taking the South Korean
flag to the second round for the first time on foreign soil.The South
Korean team had a surreal experience at the semifinals in 2002 on home
turf as a tournament co-host with Japan. But this first advance beyond the
group matches overseas puts an entirely new mark on history. Nobody can
now doubt our football skills, and the critics ridiculing our players as
"home tigers" will be silenced. We all deserve a round of applause -
manager Huh Jung-moo, his 23 players, the coaching staff and the team's
12th player: all 48 million fans nationwide.Sports are nothing more than
athletic games. But we cannot deny that sports contests re present the
economic, scientific and technological resources of a country as well as
the spirit of its people.The South Korean team made its first appearance
in the World Cup in 1954 in haggard form, fresh from the ashes of the
Korean War that had ended only a year earlier. They traveled 60 hours by
train and U.S. aircraft carrier to land in Switzerland just a day before
their first match. Their World Cup debut ended with a thrashing - a 0-9
defeat against Hungary and a 0-7 loss against Turkey. They still carry the
stigma of having the biggest defeat in World Cup history. Yet South Korea
came through dramatically to the 2002 semifinals and this year's Round of
16.For us, the histories of football and modern society are interwoven.
The grandsons of the generation that fought on battlefields in defense of
freedom are competing fearlessly against the world's football powerhouses.
Nearly half of our national team - 10 players - play on professional teams
around the world, sugges ting the world stage is where our future lies.We
hope our team will stand undaunted, pursuing the dream of the
quarterfinals and semifinals. Their stellar performance will put us in a
favorable light as our country vies to be the host country for the 2022
games - a decision slated for December.Our next opponent, Uruguay, 18th in
FIFA's world ranking, will be a formidable match for our 47th-ranked team.
But we have defeated 13th-ranked Greece. We await Saturday's match with an
ardent wish for our team to continue to fulfill our dreams and rewrite our
nation's football history.(Description of Source: Seoul JoongAng Daily
Online in English -- Website of English-language daily which provides
English-language summaries and full-texts of items published by the major
center-right daily JoongAng Ilbo, as well as unique reportage; distributed
as an insert to the Seoul edition of the International Herald Tribune;
URL: http://joongangdaily.joins.com)

Material in the World News C onnection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

22) Back to Top
Czech BIS Claims To Have Helped Uncover Computer Attack on G20 Meeting
"Czech BIS Helped Uncover Computer Attack on G20 Meeting -- Report" --
Czech Happenings headline - Czech Happenings
Thursday June 24, 2010 10:39:44 GMT
Last June, the BIS as an intelligence service of the EU presiding country
uncovered a "sophisticated attempt at cybernetic espionage."

According to the BIS annual report, the contact persons at the finance
ministries of the participating countries received forged electronic post
in the form of an attachment to an e-mail with a spec ial pdf file
containing "a harmful code."

"A comprehensive analysis of the electronic attack and the harmful code
itself has been carried out," BIS says.

The aim was a cybernetic espionage of the respective computer and of a
broader computer infrastructure of the attacked organisation if the virus
spread through the internal network the BIS says.

It, however, did not say who was behind the attack.

The BIS report also mentions illegal trading in personal data and
sensitive information on various Internet fora and in discussion groups.

It cites an example of the GhostMarket.net forum where offers and demands
in connection with the sale of "botnet networks" enabling targeted
computer attacks on servers can be monitored, along with credit card
numbers with the respective security codes and lists of e-mail addresses.

(Description of Source: Prague Czech Happenings in English -- Internet
magazine with focus on political and economic reporting, published by CTK
subsidiary Neris; URL: http://www.ceskenoviny.cz)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited.Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder.Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

23) Back to Top
in Defiance of Onrushing Tanks - The Daily NK
Friday June 25, 2010 04:17:18 GMT
(

http://www.dailynk.com/english/read.php?cataId=nk03300&amp;num=6532
http://www.dailynk.com/english/read.php?cataId=nk03300&amp;num=6532

)(Section) North Korea(Reporter)(Title) In Defiance of Onrushing
Tanks(PubDate) 2010-06-25 11:26(THE DAILY NK) - June 25, 1950. The Korean
People's Army (KPA), which had launched a surprise attack on the South,
had its 1st and 6th Divisions on standby at Kaesong (Kaeso'ng) and
Korang-po, while the 3rd and 4th Divisions awaited orders at Dongducheon
and Uijeongbu, north of Seoul. With a blitzkrieg on Seoul in mind, the KPA
was a mere 50 kilometers from the city along the axial line connecting
Cheorwon, Dongducheon, and Uijeongbu.The axial line formed a single road
that merged the Kyongwon Highway, which passed through Cheolwon, Yeonchon,
and Uijeongbu, with another road that stretched from Kimhwa to Uijeongbu.
With no rivers or streams to obstruct their path, the KPA decided on that
route, but it was a move that the South Koreans had anticipated.Uijeongbu
was approached from two sides, with the KPA's 3rd Division, assisted by
the 109th Tank Regiment, coming from the left down Pocheon Highway, and
the 4th Division, assisted by the 107th Tank Regiment, coming from the
right along the Dongducheon Highway. Brigadier General Yu Jae-heung,
Commander of the ROK's 7th Divison, was anticipat ing enemy fire and had
tactically placed his 1st Battalion at Dongducheon, and the 9th at
Pocheon.However, the ROK forces were forced to retreat as the enemy
continued to bulldoze its way forward, rendering the ROK 57mm antitank
guns and rocket launchers useless. Pocheon, Dongducheon, and Uijeongbu all
fell into enemy hands, with the fate of Seoul hanging by a
thread.Meanwhile, Colonel Ham Jun Ho, who had been leading the 1st
Battalion of the 7th Division at Dongducheon before retreating back to
Changdong, had gathered a battalion of soldiers and put them on standby
behind Hill 62.The Colonel, in the middle of a staff meeting, witnessed an
enemy tank approaching the Ui-dong valley. Knowing the urgent need to
destroy enemy tanks, he went over to the enemy's route with his tactical
officer and an orderly. No sooner had he taken his grenade out than the
enemy's leading tank opened fire on his crew.Injured by shrapnel, the
Colonel fell with grenade in hand, and passed away as he was being
evacuated by his tactical officer.Born 1921 in Jongro, Seoul, he graduated
from Kyunggi Commercial High School top of his class. He was elected
Student Battalion Commander over his Japanese peers, and entered
Gyeongseong Law College, or the present-day College of Law at Seoul
National University. He enrolled in Military Language School, with the aim
of contributing to the creation of the South Korean armed forces. He was
commissioned as a Second Lieutenant on the day of his graduation from the
School, and was given the number 10050.Possessor of a generous personality
and a big heart, General Ham exuded natural leadership over his soldiers.
One military operation, which was carried out for the purpose of
eradicating communist guerillas from Mt. Jiri, proved to be a testament to
his personality. A person who had been suspected of acting as a double
agent voluntarily requested a meeting with General Ham, and told the
General that if he were "given two days" , he would "retrieve the weapons
that were stolen from the ROK military". The General released him, and two
days later, the suspect not only brought back the stolen weapons, but also
brought with him sixteen other spies to the Battalion Command Post.When
asked the reason for such behavior, he replied that he was "moved by the
General's generous personality", and had "decided to turn myself
in."Thanks to such cases, General Ham was known for his personality as a
commander who was revered by the enemy, and for his bravery; he knew not
how to retreat in battle. He was the first regiment commander to die in
the Korean War, and for his bravery in trying to defend the capital
against all odds, became a role model for all other leaders to follow.On
July 26, 1951, the government awarded General Ham the "Taeguk" Order of
Military Merit, the highest honor that can be bestowed upon a member of
the military, and posthumously promoted him to the ra nk of Brigadier
General. The General's body lies in area 1-7 of the National Cemetery,
located at Dongjak Station on Lines 4 and 9 of the Seoul
Subway.(Description of Source: Seoul The Daily NK in English -- English
website of "The Daily NK," which specializes in North Korean affairs and
is generally critical of the North, published by NGOs such as the Network
for North Korean Democracy and Human Rights that is run by North Korean
defectors; URL: http://www.dailynk.com)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

24) Back to Top
Different Economic Paths Widen Two Koreas' Economic Gap: Data - Yonhap
Friday June 25, 2010 01:57:44 GMT
economic gap-Koreas

Different economic paths widen two Koreas' economic gap: dataSEOUL, June
25 (Yonhap) -- The economic gap between South and North Korea has been
widening over the past six decades as the two opted for different economic
paths in the process of rebuilding their war-ravaged societies, data
showed Friday.The gap is more apparent in income levels, overseas trade
and industrial infrastructure, which underscore the markedly different
living conditions for the people of the two divided nations.According to
the data offered by the finance ministry and the statistics agency, South
Korea's nominal gross national income (GNI) amounted to 1,068 trillion won
(US$887.8 billion) last year, 37.3 times larger than the 28 trillion won
tallied for the North.On a per-capita basis, South Korea's GNI was 17.9
times larger than that of the North.South Korea also outperformed the
North in the volume of external trade. South Korea's to tal trade amounted
to $686.6 billion last year, compared with $3.41 billion for the North,
the data showed.The marked gap came mostly from the volume of exports.
South Korean companies exported a total of $363.5 billion worth of
products last year, 343 times higher than overseas shipments by their
North Korean counterparts.Those numerical differences highlighted the
South's faster economic growth over the North since the two opted for
different development paths following the Korean War, which started
exactly six decades ago today, experts said.The North started one step
ahead of the South with better industrial infrastructure built by the
Japanese during their 1910-45 colonial rule and relatively affluent
natural resources. In 1959, the North's per-capita income was around $100,
while the corresponding figure for the South stood at a mere $81.Things,
however, began to reverse since the 1970s as the South started to push for
export-oriented economic growth while the North ke pt its closed market
system, failing to capitalize on its earlier lead, they said.South Korea
is now one of the world's major countries in terms of economic size and it
is set to host the Group of 20 summit later this year, showcasing its
improved international status over the past decades, the experts
noted."Until the 1960s, statistics show that the North Korean people lived
better than people in the South. But we have grown so fast over the past
decades to become one of the world's major powers that now it seems
meaningless to compare with the North," a government official
said.(Description of Source: Seoul Yonhap in English -- Semiofficial news
agency of the ROK; URL: http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

25 ) Back to Top
Chinese Daily Issues Warning to Korea And Japan - Dong-A Ilbo Online
Friday June 25, 2010 00:46:01 GMT
(DONG-A ILBO) - "Japan and Korea, don't be the scapegoats of the conflict
between China and the U.S."

So said the Global Times, the sister newspaper of the People's Daily, the
official newspaper of the Chinese Communist Party, in an editorial
Thursday. " While jumping on the speedboat of China, Korea and Japan want
to rely on the U.S. militarily to control China, which seems like
strategic schizophrenia," the Global Times said.

The editorial mentioned contradictory statements by Japan's prime minister
and ambassador to Beijing. New Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan said,
"U.S. forces in Japan must keep China in check," while Japan's new
ambassador to China Uichi ro Niwa said, "Japan's revival depends on
China."

The Global Times said Seoul is also inconsistent in its attitude toward
Beijing, noting that Korea asked the U.S. to get the USS George Washington
to participate in a military drill in the Yellow Sea while saying Korean
investment in China must continue.

"It remains to be seen how long the change of face of the two countries
will last," the newspaper said. "But one sure thing is that relying on
China economically and checking China militarily with U.S. forces will
make integration of Northeast Asia difficult. Those who will be in the
most trouble are Japan and Korea, which are stuck between China and the
U.S."

"Korea and Japan are geographically at a disadvantage if a conflict breaks
out between China and the U.S. Despite this, Korea and Japan are trying to
keep China in check by voluntarily embracing the U.S. in the apparent
belief that they can balance the confrontatio n between China and the U.S.
over the long term. This is very risky, however, under a historical
perspective and is likely to fail in the future."

The editorial added, "Korea, China and Japan have many political and
economic reasons to stay equal, but Korea and Japan's balancing act
against China by borrowing U.S. power means abandoning equality of the
three countries."

"In particular, this act makes the two countries scapegoats of a conflict
between China and the U.S., recognizing themselves as being on a lower
rung of the ladder than China."

The Global Times ran a front-page story on the uncertain participation of
the USS George Washington in the Korea-U.S. drill because of the Chinese
people' s strong opposition.

"The drill will likely be postponed to next month," it said. "Korea seems
to know that its behavior is pushing itself near the red line of Chinese
minds."

A survey of 37,000 Chinese f ound that 96.8 percent believe the
participation of the USS George Washington in the Yellow Sea drill is a
threat to China, the paper added.

(Description of Source: Seoul Dong-A Ilbo Online in English -- English
website carrying English summaries and full translation of vernacular hard
copy items of the second-oldest major ROK daily Dong-A Ilbo, which is
conservative in editorial orientation -- generally pro-US, anti-North
Korea; URL: http://english.donga.com)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

26) Back to Top
U.S. Wants to Face S. Korea in Quarterfinals: Official - Yonhap
Thursday June 24, 2010 20:31:53 GMT
US-S Korea-Cup quarterfinals

U.S. wants to face S. Korea in quarterfinals: officialBy Hwang
Doo-hyongWASHINGTON, June 24 (Yonhap) -- The United States wants to meet
South Korea in the quarterfinals of the FIFA World Cup tournament, a
senior U.S. official said Thursday,Joseph Westphal, undersecretary of the
Army, made the remarks while congratulating South Korea for a 2-2 draw
with Nigeria Tuesday to advance to the round of 16 in Group B, hoping the
U.S. team will meet South Korea in the quarterfinals."I congratulate the
ambassador and the Korean people for a victory that moves in, though a
tie, but moves in the next round of the World Cup," Westphal told a
gathering at the ceremony at the Pentagon to commemorate the 60th
anniversary of the outbreak of the 1950-53 Korean War, which falls on
Friday. "Of course, the United States, we had a victory yesterday and
moved us to the second round. So we will meet in there somewhere."Sout h
Korea faces Uruguay Saturday in the first round of the knockout match, and
will meet the United States in the quarterfinals if the U.S. team defeats
Ghana.It is the first time that South Korea advanced to the round of 16 on
foreign soil, although they were semifinalists in the 2002 FIFA World Cup,
co-hosted by South Korea and Japan.(Description of Source: Seoul Yonhap in
English -- Semiofficial news agency of the ROK; URL:
http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

27) Back to Top
ROK Editorial on Preventing Teen Crimes
Editorial: "Eerie And Scary" - The Korea Times Online
Thursday June 24, 2010 10:50:54 GMT
(Description of Source: Seoul The Korea Times Online in English -- Website
of The Korea Times, an independent and moderate English-language daily
published by its sister daily Hanguk Ilbo from which it often draws
articles and translates into English for publication; URL:
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited.Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder.Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

28) Back to Top
Korean War Never Ended, Still Ongoing - The Korea Times Online
Thursday June 24, 2010 13:56:13 GMT
(Description of Source: Seoul The Korea Times Online in English -- Website
of The Korea Times, an independent and moderate English-language daily
published by its sister daily Hanguk Ilbo from which it often draws
articles and translates into English for publication; URL:
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

29) Back to Top
Busan-Jinhae Attracts Japan Auto Parts Firm - The Korea Herald Online
Thursday June 24, 2010 11:51:29 GMT
(Description of Source: Seoul The Korea Herald Online in English --
Website of the generally pro-government English-language daily The Korea
Herald; URL: http://www.koreaherald.co.kr)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

30) Back to Top
DPRK News Agency Commentary Accuses US of 'Promoting' Arms Race Around the
World
Updated version: correcting two typos in text; KCNA commentary: "The
Instigator Who Promotes Full-Scale Arms Race" - KCNA
Thursday June 24, 2010 08:01:53 GMT
It said that, with real expenditure increasing by $47 billion, the United
States accounted for 54% of the expanded world military expenditure.

Meanwhile, first place in worldwide conventional weapons exports also went
to the United States, as always.

As the data shows, the United States cannot hide its crimes and its true
colors as the main offender that has created a worldwide arms race and
destroyed peace and security.

According to the US administration's fiscal year 2011 (from 1 October 2010
to 30 September 2011) national budget proposal, the fiscal year 2011
military budget increased greatly, yet again, compared to the current
fiscal year.

Contained herein are items of tremendous fund expenditure for the money,
new fighters, vehicles, and new warships -- such as next-generation
submarines carrying ballistic missiles -- and military equipment
modernization needed in achieving the new military strategy of the United
States on a worldwide scale.

Lately, in spite of strong opposition at home and abroad, the United
States is more frantic to establish a global missile defense system.

It is continuing to increase arms expenditures and frenziedly conducting
maneuvers for rapid-strike weapon development and missile defense system
construction.

The fact that the United States is ac tively inciting the South Korean
puppets and driving the situation to the extreme at a time when the Korean
peninsula situation is very tense over the ship sinking incident in South
Korea is a matter that cannot be considered apart from a maneuver for an
arms race that is going into full swing.

The United States intends to squander enormous military expenditures and
launch the largest combined anti-submarine training in history on the West
Sea (Yellow Sea) along with South Korean belligerent elements with the
participation of a tremendous mobile strike force that includes the
"Aegis" destroyer and the nuclear submarine.

As part of this, US military forces from the US mainland and Pacific
region are being immediately mobilized and deployed to the Korean
peninsula and surrounding areas. A while ago, 12 US Air Force "F-22A
Raptor" stealth fighters were mobilized and deployed from the US mainland
to Kadena US Air Base in Okinawa, Japan.

The United States intends to commit a modern large-scale war force,
beginning with nuclear weapons, and launch an adventurous, precursory
military operation against our Republic.

This is an adventurous nuclear war gamble that proceeds from the absolute
interests of US military logistics industry corporations that want to reap
great profits by starting the fire of war.

The geopolitical gains in the Asia-Pacific region that came out of the
"Ch'o'nan" ship incident were just what the United States had eagerly
awaited.

The Northeast Asia region, which includes the Korean peninsula, is a
strategic area in which the interests of large countries intersect, so it
is an extremely sensitive area in which the flame of all-out war --
including nuclear war -- could spread through even a minor accidental
cause.

The objective of the United States in taking advantage of such conditions,
conversely, as a good opportunity is to maintain relative tension o n the
Korean peninsula and use that as an excuse to maintain hegemony in the
region, and to soothe the catastrophic economic crisis domestically.

With the United States creating military tension as it puts the spurs to
strengthening the aggressive "alliance relationship" of the United States,
Japan, and South Korea, a military movement in response to this now by
countries in the Asia-Pacific region is keeping pace.

Various countries are answering the US arms augmentation maneuver, which
is growing more blatant, with strong measures to strengthen national
defense capabilities.

It is entirely appropriate to put effort into strengthening military power
in order to reduce the disparity of the imbalance of power and block the
threat of war that is being increased by the United States.

The world does not want the imbalance of power, which was created by the
United States following the end of the Cold War, to get any worse.

Peace and arm s expansion can never co-exist.

(Description of Source: Pyongyang KCNA in Korean -- Official DPRK news
agency; URL:
http://www.kcna.co.jp)Attachments:CommentaryUSarmsraceKCNA16Jun10.pdf

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited.Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder.Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

31) Back to Top
Taiwan Will Need To Upgrade Industrial Competitiveness After Ecfa
By Alex Jiang - Central News Agency
Thursday June 24, 2010 08:28:24 GMT
Taipei, June 24 (CNA) -- Taiwan needs to focus on enhancing its industrial
competitiveness, as a soon-to-be-concluded trade pact with China will
produce effects "within a certain timeframe, " a local think tha nk
predicted Thursday.

"Taiwan will again have difficulty in competing (with other countries) if
it fails to sign a free trade agreement with other countries or to upgrade
its industrial competitive edge within two years of signing the economic
cooperation framework agreement (ECFA), " Taiwan Institute for Economic
Research President David Hong said at a press briefing.Taiwan and China
are expected to sign the trade pact within the next few weeks.The two
sides were set later in the day to unveil their respective "early harvest"
lists of items that will see their tariffs gradually reduced to zero
within two years from next year under the planned trade pact."Therefore,
the effects of the ECFA will last within a certain timeframe.Taiwan still
needs to continue to upgrade its industrial competitiveness afterwards,"
according to Hong.Hung Tsai-lung, an assistant professor at National Tsing
Hua University, recently told the Chinese-language Lib erty Times that
South Korea's strong performance in many export markets in recent years is
mainly the result of South Korea's efforts to upgrade its industries and
is not necessarily related to its signing of free trade agreements
(FTAs).He pointed out, for example, that there is no FTA between Taiwan
and South Korea, yet the market share of South Korean products in Taiwan
is on the increase.The government hopes to use the ECFA to cope with the
impact of the future trade collaboration among Association of Southeast
Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries, China, South Korea and Japan.The
opposition parties and critics, however, are concerned that the ECFA will
result in an influx of cheap laborers and goods from China into Taiwan and
will endanger the country's sovereignty.(Description of Source: Taipei
Central News Agency in English -- "Central News Agency (CNA)," Taiwan's
major state-run press agency; generally favors ruling administration in
its coverage of domestic and international affairs; URL:
http://www.cna.com.tw)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited.Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder.Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

32) Back to Top
S. Korean Battery Makers Fast Catching Up With Japanese Rivals: Nomura -
Yonhap
Thursday June 24, 2010 07:27:22 GMT
battery business-S Korea

S. Korean battery makers fast catching up with Japanese rivals: NomuraBy
Kim Young-gyoHONG KONG, June 24 (Yonhap) -- South Korean battery
manufacturers are quickly catching up with their Japanese rivals thanks
mainly to shipments to affiliate companies, Numura Holdings said
Thursday.South Korea's LG Chem Co., Samsung SDI Co. and SK Energy Co. have
rec ently been rushing to increase their capital spending on making
batteries for hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) and electric vehicles (EVs),
in order to increase their shares in the rapidly growing global
market."South Korean battery makers have been rapidly catching up with
their Japanese counterparts," said the Japanese investment bank in a
report on the battery industries in South Korea, China and Japan."LG Chem,
Samsung SDI and SK Energy are highly competitive in terms of their group
strength, decision-making speed and in-house material production, and we
rate them the highest (among Northeast Asian manufacturers)," it said.The
investment bank said the major advantage for the South Korean companies
over their Japanese and Chinese rivals is the fact that they belong to
globally recognized conglomerates."Samsung and LG groups both have global
operations that encompass a wide range of products, including PCs and
mobile phones, and these groups have al ready established strong global
brands and sales networks," it said.The battery makers have been supplying
batteries for their affiliate companies such as Samsung Electronics Co.
and LG Display Co., which has boosted their sales.According to Nomura
Holdings, South Korea is the second-largest manufacturer of lithium
batteries with a market share of over 40 percent in 2009. Japan is the
front-runner and meets 45 percent of the world demand, with China standing
at third place with the rest of the total market share."The market share
of Korean companies has been rising sharply, and we see little sign of
this trend slowing for the time being, given the pace of capacity
expansion," it said.(Description of Source: Seoul Yonhap in English --
Semiofficial news agency of the ROK; URL: http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. I nquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

33) Back to Top
S. Korea's Flower Exports Surge to Record High This Year - Yonhap
Thursday June 24, 2010 05:58:30 GMT
S. Korea's flower exports surge to record high this year

SEOUL, June 24 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's flower exports reached a
record-high level in the first five months of this year thanks to a surge
in demand from Japan, a state-run company said Thursday.The Korea
Agro-Fisheries Trade Corporation said exports of such flowers as roses,
lilies and chrysanthemums shot up 43.7 percent on-year to US$30.15 million
in the January-May period, the highest since outbound shipments were
tallied in earnest in 2000.During the same period a year earlier, the
country's flower exports hit $20.98 million, wit h the annual total
hitting $77.18 million.The corporation said that the jump rise in exports
can be attributed to more value-added products like "magic roses" being
shipped to Japan.Magic roses, developed in late 2008, are coated with a
special paint that changes color with variations in light and temperature.
They are sold at four times the price of normal roses.More than 90 percent
of all flowers raised in South Korea go to Japan, although demand for
locally grown orchids is rising in the United States and China. South
Korea also exports cactus plants to European countries like the
Netherlands."At the present pace and with exports expected to rise sharply
after July, there is a good chance that overall shipments can surpass the
$100 million mark for the first time by year's end," an official from the
trade corporation said.He said that depending on Japanese demand that
usually increases from July through September, exports may even reach the
$110 millio n mark set by the government earlier in the year.South Korea,
meanwhile, said it aims to export $6.4 billion worth of agricultural,
fisheries and forestry products that include flowers in 2010, up from the
$4.8 billion tallied for last year.

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

34) Back to Top
Lawmakers' Antics Mar Resolution Condemning DPRK Over Ch'o'nan
ROK Editorial: "Antics Mar Resolution Over Cheonan Sinking" - Chosun Ilbo
Online
Thursday June 24, 2010 05:29:06 GMT
(Description of Source: Seoul Chosun Ilbo Online in English -- English
website carrying English summaries and full t ranslations of vernacular
hard copy items of the largest and oldest daily Chosun Ilbo, which is
conservative in editorial orientation -- strongly nationalistic,
anti-North Korea, and generally pro-US; URL: http://english.chosun.com)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

35) Back to Top
Korean Dancer Who Toured Africa Dies of Malaria - JoongAng Daily Online
Friday June 25, 2010 00:46:02 GMT
(JOONGANG ILBO) - A dancer who toured Africa with a traditional Korean
folk music troupe died of malaria on Wednesday.

Kim Su-yeon, 27, was one of two performers in the 45-member troupe to
contract the dis ease, and one of 11 members who had been given
chloroquine, a malaria pill that is "not very effective in Africa," said
an official from the Korea Center for Disease Control and Prevention who
asked to be identified only as Im."The pills were prescribed by a village
doctor before they left. The other 34 were given drugs before their
departure by the National Medical Center," Im said. "It would have been
better if they had been given better information before this happened,
because that information is not hard to get. It's on our Web site."Im said
the 11 performers given chloroquine were all from Namwon, where the
National Center for Korean Folk Performing Arts is located. He said
mefloquine is usually prescribed as a preventive against malaria."Doctors
who have knowledge about disease control would have known that chloroquine
was not the appropriate medication. Those in rural locations are not as
reliable," Im said.The disease control center sent two officials to South
Africa to warn and help Korean tourists visiting during the World Cup
season about the dangers of malaria following the incident.Kim started
showing signs of malaria on June 3 but thought it was simply a cold. The
day after she returned to Korea from Egypt on June 5, a hospital diagnosed
her as suffering from the mosquito-borne parasitic disease, said Park
Min-kwon from the Korean Culture and Information Service, which directed
the Korean Culture Festival."Another member was also diagnosed with worse
symptoms than Kim, but she's doing better now," Park said. "All 45 team
members were given malaria pills before we left."Kim had performed with
the troupe as it celebrated the World Cup with shows in South Africa,
Nigeria, Turkey and Egypt from May 27 to June 3."She was very skilled and
talented. It is such a shame to have something like this happen after we
finished what was a great tour of the African continent," Park
said.(Description of Source: Seoul JoongAng Daily Online in English --
Website of English-language daily which provides English-language
summaries and full-texts of items published by the major center-right
daily JoongAng Ilbo, as well as unique reportage; distributed as an insert
to the Seoul edition of the International Herald Tribune; URL:
http://joongangdaily.joins.com)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

36) Back to Top
Various Groups Urge ROK Authorities To Accept 15 Jun Joint Declaration
KCNA headline: "S. Korean Authorities Urged to Accept June 15 Joint
Declaration" - KCNA
Thursday June 24, 2010 05:02:27 GMT
(Description of Source: Pyongyang KCNA in English -- Official DPRK news
agency. URL: http://www.kcna.co.jp)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

37) Back to Top
(LEAD) (World Cup) Uruguayan Striker Expects Tough Fight From S. Korea -
Yonhap
Thursday June 24, 2010 21:34:19 GMT
(LEAD) (World Cup) Uruguayan forward-S Korea

(LEAD) (World Cup) Uruguayan striker expects tough fight from S.
Korea(ATTN: UPDATES with midfielder's comments in paras 7-8)By Tony
ChangKIMBERLEY, South Africa, June 24 (Yonhap) -- Uruguayan forward Diego
Forlan said Thursday he resp ects South Korea's World Cup team and
predicted a tough fight for a spot in the quarterfinals.The South American
team, two-time World Cup champions, finished first in Group A and is set
to vie for a top-eight spot against South Korea, which finished second in
Group B. The match is Saturday in Port Elizabeth."In 2002, they (South
Korea) played really well. They always play in these competitions so they
deserve the respect. I know it's going to be tough," Forlan said at a
press conference at Kimberley in central South Africa, where his team's
base camp is located."You know it will be a very difficult game. They have
really good players. It will be tough," the Atletico Madrid forward
said.Park Ji-sung, the South Korean captain and a Manchester United
midfielder, and AS Monaco forward Park Chu-young should be closely watched
in the match, said Forlan, 31, who also played for the Premiere League
team."You can pick Park Ji-sung. He is one of the most known players.
Number 10 (Park Chu-young) is also good," Forlan said. "South Korea is a
good team with good players and with a good touch of the ball. Every time
we play against South Korea, it is a difficult game."Uruguayan midfielder
Egidio Arevalo also picked Manchester United's Park as the South Korean
player "who makes the difference" and observed that the Korean players are
"very concentrated" in their game."We will try to do our best to beat
Korea and get to the next phase," Arevalo said.Uruguayan coach Oscar
Tabarez also noted that South Korea is a "very dangerous" team in "good
physical" condition, but observed that it is better on offense than
defense.The South American team, 16th in world football rankings, holds a
4-0 edge overall against South Korea, including a 1-0 win in the 1990
World Cup first round.(Description of Source: Seoul Yonhap in English --
Semiofficial news agency of the ROK; URL: http://e
nglish.yonhapnews.co.kr)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

38) Back to Top
Debate Over Exempting Soccer Players From Military Service Reignited
Original headline: "Debate Reignited Over Footballers' Military Service" -
The Korea Times Online
Thursday June 24, 2010 14:02:18 GMT
(Description of Source: Seoul The Korea Times Online in English -- Website
of The Korea Times, an independent and moderate English-language daily
published by its sister daily Hanguk Ilbo from which it often draws
articles and translates into English for publication; URL:
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr)

M aterial in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

39) Back to Top
S. Korean Broadcaster SBS to Help Build Football Academies in South Africa
- Yonhap
Thursday June 24, 2010 12:01:38 GMT
S. Korean broadcaster SBS to help build football academies in South Africa

SEOUL, June 24 (Yonhap) -- South Korean broadcaster SBS said Thursday that
it has signed a preliminary agreement with the U.N. Children's Fund to
help build two football academies in South Africa.The agreement, inked in
Durban on Wednesday (local time) between SBS President Woo Won-gil and
Aida Girrma, the UNICEF representative to the African country, cal ls for
the broadcaster to contribute US$200,000 to the project, the Seoul-based
company said in a news release.SBS, one of the three major national
networks in South Korea, is currently broadcasting the World Cup finals
under way in South Africa across South Korea under an exclusive
transmission agreement with FIFA.Little details of SBS's agreement with
the UNICEF were known but company officials said the money will be spent
for facilities where South African children will learn about football. The
facilities will be run by the U.N. body, it said.The South African World
Cup has drawn keen South Korean attention, as the Asian country has
survived group-stage competition, advancing to the last 16.

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

40) B ack to Top
ROK To Provide Support for Power Grid Distribution Lines in Ghana
Report by Byung-deuk Jeon: "S. Korea to Provide Support For Ghana
Establishing Electrical Power Grid Distribution Lines" - MK English News
Online
Thursday June 24, 2010 11:07:15 GMT
(Description of Source: Seoul MK English News Online in English -- Website
of the English subsite of the leading economic daily Maeil Kyo'ngje (Daily
Economy) published by "Maeil Business Newspaper &amp; MK Inc."; URL:
http://news.mk.co.kr/english/)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

41) Back to Top
New Zealand Prime Minister Due in Seoul Next Month - Yonhap
Thursday June 24, 2010 06:37:08 GMT
New Zealand prime minister due in Seoul next month

By Lee Chi-dongSEOUL, June 24 (Yonhap) -- New Zealand Prime Minister John
Key will visit South Korea early next month to hold summit talks with
President Lee Myung-bak on promoting economic ties between their
countries, Lee's office said Thursday.Key is scheduled to arrive on July 4
for a four-day trip and meet Lee the following day, Cheong Wa Dae said.The
leaders plan to "discuss issues of mutual concerns, including economic and
trade cooperation, and exchange wide-ranging views on the Korean Peninsula
and other regional security conditions, and major international issues,
including climate change," it said in a press release.During his stay
here, Key will visit the War Memorial of Korea in central Seoul to
commemorate the 1950-53 Korean War in which his country took part to help
the South fight against the invading North, and meet business leaders,
according to Cheong Wa Dae.South Korea and New Zealand forged diplomatic
ties in 1962 and two-way trade totaled 1.8 billion last year.

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

42) Back to Top
Street Cheering Marred by Tons of Trash - The Korea Times Online
Thursday June 24, 2010 12:07:43 GMT
(KOREA TIMES) - On Wednesday morning just after the South Korean
footballers made it to the round of 16 after pulling off a 2-2 draw with
Nigeria at the World Cup, some of the nation's major streets were filled
with mountains of trash.

From plastic balloons to cans, bottles, styrofoam placards and other
discarded items, one thing that was clear was the group cheering had left
massive amounts of garbage at major plazas around the country.There were
several exceptions, or signs of hope. Some cheerers in Seoul stayed up
long after the game had ended and helped clean up the mess. Some of the
major spots in the capital city such as Seoul Plaza, Bongeun Temple or
Hangang Park near Banpo Bridge were left relatively clean."Things are
getting better. When we were defeated by the Argentineans, there was more
litter, but I see many people bringing their own bags to take care of
their garbage," an official at the Seoul city government said. "Some
celebrities handed out waste bags and asked people to join in the cleaning
up process. Many seemed enthusiastic," he added.Still, big question
remains: Why make w aste?According to the Seoul city government, the
amount of garbage collected from Seoul Plaza, near Bongeun Temple, World
Cup Stadium in Sangam-dong and Hangang Park amounted to 135 tons. It is
about half of what all residents in Seodaemun District of Seoul dispose of
in a day.Considering that the street cheering lasts about six hours or
less, the disposing of waste is at a serious level, analysts say."Adding
up the garbage from all over the nation, the amount of trash created
during the World Cup period is tremendous. I will say the World Cup is
actually harming the nation in terms of the environment," said Kim Mi-hwa,
head of the Korea Zero Waste Movement Network.She blamed corporations as
the major culprit behind the waste disposal. "The official sponsors are
distributing plastic balloons, pompoms and other items on the streets as
well as their leaflets and advertizing goods. They are all disposable,"
she said.Kim, who held a "Clean World Cup Chee ring" campaign in 2002 and
2006, said the food people eat or newspapers they bring as mats aren't
really a problem because most of it is recyclable. She said more people
are taking responsibility for the waste they have created and are taking
care of it afterwards."We will request the official sponsors and others
responsible to refrain from handing out disposable cheering items on the
streets and pay more attention to environmental issues," she
said.(Description of Source: Seoul The Korea Times Online in English --
Website of The Korea Times, an independent and moderate English-language
daily published by its sister daily Hanguk Ilbo from which it often draws
articles and translates into English for publication; URL:
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of Com
merce.

43) Back to Top
DPRK's KCNA Lists 25 Jun Rodong Sinmun Articles
Attaching the vernacular full-text of the Rodong Sinmun list of articles
for the corresponding date -- as available from the KCNA in Korean feed --
in PDF format; Original KCNA headline: "Press Review" - KCNA
Friday June 25, 2010 04:00:39 GMT
(Description of Source: Pyongyang KCNA in English -- Official DPRK news
agency. URL: http://www.kcna.co.jp)Attachments:RSListKCNA25Jun10.pdf

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

44) Back to Top
DPRK Papers Editorially Mark US 'Provocation' of Korean War
OSC is translating the full Rodong Sinmun and Minju Joson editorials as
referent items; KCNA headline: "Papers Editorially Observe Lapse of Six
Decades Since U.S. Provocation of Korean War" - KCNA
Friday June 25, 2010 04:00:09 GMT
(Description of Source: Pyongyang KCNA in English -- Official DPRK news
agency. URL: http://www.kcna.co.jp)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

45) Back to Top
Polish Party Leader Urges US to Conclude Peace Treaty With DPRK
KCNA headline: "U.S. Urged to Conclude Peac e Treaty with DPRK" - KCNA
Friday June 25, 2010 04:22:21 GMT
(Description of Source: Pyongyang KCNA in English -- Official DPRK news
agency. URL: http://www.kcna.co.jp)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

46) Back to Top
S. Korean Puppet Authorities' Fascist Suppression Under Fire - KCNA
Friday June 25, 2010 04:11:16 GMT
S. Korean Puppet Authorities' Fascist Suppression under Fire

Pyongyang, June 25 (KCNA) -- South Korean organizations issued statements
on June 22 denouncing the Lee Myung-bak (Yi Myo'ng-pak) group of traitors
for its fascist suppression.The Emergency Committee of Measures against
the Suppression under the Pretext of Security of "the Council for
Promoting the Reunification of Our Nation by Federal Formula" in a
statement recalled that on June 14 the police searched offices of the
council and houses of its leading members and confiscated computers and
various kinds of books and documents on charges of violation of the
"National Security Law" and arrested two of them. This incident is a
crackdown upon the reunification movement organizations opposed to the
treacherous policy of the Lee Myung-bak (Yi Myo'ng-pak) regime, it
noted.It stressed that they would stage to the last the struggle to get
the NSL abolished and the U.S. troops withdrawn from South Korea and the
movement to achieve the independent and peaceful reunification according
to the proposal for founding the Democratic Federal Republic of Koryo.The
Council of Professors fo r Democracy, too, in a solidarity statement
signed by at least 290 university professors and researchers in
denunciation of the Lee Myung-bak (Yi Myo'ng-pak) group of traitors'
suppression of the Citizens' Solidarity for Democratic Society recalled
that on June 11 the citizens' solidarity sent a letter to the UNSC as
regards the case of the "Ch'o'nan (Cheonan)" sinking. It accused the
conservative forces of going on the rampage, chiding and attacking the
citizens' solidarity while talking about "state interests".The statement
demanded the conservative forces stop at once the unreasonable attack on
the citizens' solidarity and the "government" stop encouraging their
rowdyism but opt for probing the truth about the case of the warship
sinking.The Headquarters of the Movement for the Withdrawal of the U.S.
Forces in a statement condemned the Seoul District Prosecutor's Office for
frantically searching Internet homepage operated by the organization on
charges of violation of the NSL.The statement said that the repressive
racket was a retaliation against the organization which has waged a
strenuous movement for getting the U.S. troops withdrawn from South Korea
and strongly opposed the farce of the Lee Myung Bak regime, which cooked
up the case of the warship sinking.(Description of Source: Pyongyang KCNA
in English -- Official DPRK news agency. URL: http://www.kcna.co.jp)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

47) Back to Top
China 'Respects' Laws Related to Restricted Mount Kumgang Tourism
Updated version: replacing 2343 GMT version with source-supplied 0218 GMT
version which "UPDATES in paras 7-8 with comments from Unific ation
Ministry official"; By Chang Jae-soon and Yoo Jee-ho: "China 'respects'
Laws Related to Suspended Mount Kumgang Tourism: Source" - Yonhap
Friday June 25, 2010 04:06:13 GMT
(Description of Source: Seoul Yonhap in English -- Semiofficial news
agency of the ROK; URL: http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

48) Back to Top
Lee Myung Bak Group of Traitors' War Moves Against DPRK Blasted - KCNA
Friday June 25, 2010 03:55:35 GMT
Lee Myung-bak (Yi Myo'ng-pak) Group o f Traitors' War Moves against DPRK
Blasted

Pyongyang, June 25 (KCNA) -- The South Headquarters of the Pan-national
Alliance for Korea's Reunification, the Family Movement for Realizing
Democracy, the Preparatory Committee for the Anti-War Peace Solidarity,
the People for Achieving Peace and Reunification and other civic and
public organizations of various circles of South Korea called a press
conference in front of the puppet Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade in
Seoul on June 22 at which they denounced the Lee Myung-bak (Yi Myo'ng-pak)
group of traitors for its reckless moves for a war against the DPRK.A
press release was read out at the press conference. It recalled that the
Lee Myung Bak "government" decided to stage a maritime intercepting and
inspection maneuver within the framework of PSI in the waters around Pusan
Port in October and push forward a proposal for formally partaking of OEG,
a core organization of PSI, in November under the pretext of the "Ch'o'nan
(Cheonan)" case."Intercepting", a main principle of actions of PSI, means
"checking actions of the other party through bombardment and bombing", it
said, adding that this is violations of international law and the
Armistice Agreement.The present "government" is contemplating positively
participating in PSI on its own initiative, the press release noted,
stressing that this is a very provocative and bellicose step to increase
the possibility of military conflict between the south and the north as it
undisguisedly revealed its specific scenario to implement its military
step against the north.It said that the Lee Myung-bak (Yi Myo'ng-pak)
"government", driven into a tight corner internally and externally for
fabricating the "Ch'o'nan (Cheonan)" case, seeks a way-out in increasing
the danger of war through military tension and conflicts between the south
and the north.It strongly demanded the authorities stop at once the
hostile policy toward the north, a policy seriously threatening the peace
on the Korean Peninsula.(Description of Source: Pyongyang KCNA in English
-- Official DPRK news agency. URL:
http://www.kcna.co.jp)Attachments:e6-25-611-07--doc.txt

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

49) Back to Top
ROK Weeklies for 16 - 22 Jun 10
To request additional processing, contact the OSC Customer Center at (800)
205-8615 or (202) 338-6735 or e-mail EAG_Korea@rccb.osis.gov - Press
Selection List
Friday June 25, 2010 03:45:00 GMT
1. Interview by chief editor Ch'oe Chun-so'k and associate editor C ho'ng
Chang-yo'l with Kim Moon-soo (Kim Mun-su), governor of Kyo'nggi Province,
who was reelected as governor in the 2 June local election and is
considered by many as an up-and-coming presidential candidate. Kim stated
that the reason why the Grand National Party (GNP) was defeated in the
local election was lack of communication with the public; that President
Lee Myung-bak (Yi Myo'ng-pak) should be held accountable for the defeat;
that as President Lee has power greater than those of other countries but
has not communicated with the public, the defeat was inevitable; that the
president should entrust parts of his power to the National Assembly and
local governments; and that the reason why the Four River Restoration
Project and the revision of the Sejong City plan have been opposed by the
public is that the government has not tried to communicate facts and
realities to the public, while it is necessary and important that such
projects should be carried out.

2. Artic le by Kang Ch'o'l-hwan, research committee member of the
Northeast Asia Institute of the Chosun Ilbo, notes that on the present
situation of North Korea following the failure of the currency reform and
the public execution of Pak Nam-ki (Pak Nam Gi), former director of
Financial Planning Department of the Workers Party of Korea (WPK), North
Korean high-level cadres' trust in the Kim Jong Il (Kim Cho'ng-il) regime
collapsed, which dealt a severe blow to the plan for succession by Kim
Cho'ng-u'n (Kim Cho'ng-un); and that the Kim Jong Il regime stopped all
the work of propagandizing the successor Kim Cho'ng-u'n last February as
it judged that a greater catastrophe would result from the continuance of
the work concerning succession in the present situation. The article
continues by noting that there are two factions of North Korean
high-ranking officials, of which one is the blood faction -- which
attaches importance to Kim Jong Il and his family line, and which is in
power -- a nd the other is traditionalist faction -- which attaches
importance to Kim Il Sung (Kim Il-so'ng) and the communist tradition, and
which is not a central force in the Kim Jong Il regime; that it is widely
rumored that Ri Che-kang (Yi Che-kang), first vice director of the WPK
Organizational Department -- who is known to have been killed in a traffic
accident -- was actually assassinated because of his inefficient
management of propaganda concerning Kim Cho'ng-u'n; that most of the
intelligence organs have been absorbed into the Reconnaissance General
Bureau (RGB), which is controlled by O Kuk Ryol (O Ku'k-ryo'l), vice
chairman of the National Defense Commission (NDC) through RGB Director Kim
Yo'ng-ch'o'l, and which has even the functions of protecting the regime
and suppressing domestic revolts; that among party organs, only the United
Front Department -- which is directed by Kim Yang-ko'n (Kim Yang Gon) --
is still carrying out external maneuvers as well as controlling all t he
relations with South Korea; and that as Jang Song Thaek (Chang
So'ng-t'aek), who was elected as an NDC vice chairman on 9 June, has been
checked by Kim Jong Il for a long time, O Kuk Ryol is considered by many
as the second most powerful person in the North Korean regime. (1,500 pp
52-54)

Seoul Weekly Dong-A in Korean -- Weekly newsmagazine (formerly
transliterated as Chugan Tong-a) published by and similar in editorial
orientation to Dong-A Ilbo. URL: http://weekly.donga.com/

1. Article by reporter Pae Su-kang on the reason why GNP lawmakers who
were elected for the first time are demanding a general reform of the GNP
and ruling circles states that they are demanding reform not only because
of concern about the party but also to secure their reelection in the next
general election, because they saw so many GNP candidates for heads of
cities, counties, and wards defeated in the 2 June local election; and
that some lawmakers insist that reflection on themsel ves should precede
demand on the general reform of the party. (1,000 pp 18-20)

Seoul Hankyoreh21 in Korean -- Weekly newsmagazine (formerly
transliterated as Hangyore 21) published by and similar in editorial
orientation to Hankyoreh. URL: http://www.hani.co.kr/h21/

1. Article by reporter Ha O'-yo'ng on the argument that the results of the
investigation of the cause of the sinking of the ROK naval ship the patrol
combat corvette PCC-722 Ch'o'nan -- which was conducted by the civilian
and military joint investigation team -- were fabricated states that
according to experiments conducted by Virginia University professor Yi
Su'ng-ho'n, there was no evidence that the ship had sunk by a torpedo
attack, as the adsorbed materials produced as a proof by the joint
investigation team cannot be seen as those produced by an explosion; and
that therefore, the investigation results were fabricated. (1,200 pp
22-25)

2. Article by reporter Ha O'-yo'ng on various points of doubt about the
results of the investigation of the cause of the sinking of the ship --
which were released by the joint investigation team -- states that there
remain so many points of doubt about them that the cause of the sinking of
the ship should be scientifically reinvestigated. (800 pp 28-29)

Seoul Sisa Journal in Korean -- Widely read independent weekly
newsmagazine, which tends to be critical of US foreign policy. URL:
http://www.sisapress.com/

1. Article by Cho'ng So'ng-chang, senior research committee member of the
Sejong Institute, on comparison of the positions of NDC Vice Chairman Jang
Song Thaek and Kim Cho'ng-u'n in the North Korean regime notes that while
Kim Cho'ng-u'n was decided as the successor to Kim Jong Il and therefore,
is exercising the right of personnel management of the WPK power elite,
Jang does not have the same right; that while Kim was appointed last year
as state security minister and controlling the ministry directly, Jang is
directing both the State Security Ministry and the People's Security
Ministry only as director of the WPK Administration Department; that while
Kim has begun to control the military, Jang does not have the power to do
it; that while Kim is superior in his power to control the party, the
military, and policy, Jang is superior in his experience in the management
of state and diplomatic affairs; and that Kim Jong Il might have decided
to entrust the control of external relations to Jang by having him elected
as an NDC vice chairman, while deciding to entrust control of the party
and the military to Kim Cho'ng-u'n, so that after some time in the
post-Kim Jong Il period, Kim Cho'ng-u'n may take over the NDC also.

2. Article by reporter Kam Myo'ng-kuk on the course that Prime Minister
Chung Un-chan (Cho'ng Un-ch'an) could take notes that Chung has been
cornered because of the defeat of the GNP in the 2 June local election and
the revision of the Sejong City plan, for whi ch he has argued, and which
is likely to be reversed in the NA; that he could either resign from
office after insisting on the general reform of ruling circles or watch
the president's plan for changing government administration; that it is
not likely that he may resign as prime minister; and that while he was
considered as a potential presidential candidate before, he now has
difficulty saving face. (1,200 pp 28-30)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

50) Back to Top
US, ROK Stage Military Exercises Aimed at 'War of Aggression,' PSI
Updated version: Providing source time; Unattributed report carried as the
14th of 18 items in newscast - Korean Central Broadcasting Station
Friday June 25, 2010 03:49:33 GMT
Whipping up the war fever, the puppets frantically waged war of northward
aggression exercises on 15 and 16 June around the Koyang and Paju areas of
Kyo'nggi Province with a massive mobilization of army 1st Corps troops and
military equipment of all sorts under the pretense of preparing against
infiltration and provocation by somebody.

Earlier between 9 and 11 June, the puppet war maniacs dragged out the
entire troops and equipment of the 2nd Corps and ran amok with large-scale
search, reconnaissance, blockade, mobile strike unit operation, and other
war drills in the operational theater of the Ch'unch'o'n and Hwach'o'n
areas of South Korea's Kangwo'n Province.

On 21 and 22 June, the puppet army villains, tanks, and artillery groups
in mobile deployments across frontline areas such as Nosan-ri and
Paegyo'n-ri of Paju City, Cho'kko'-ri and Majo'n-r i of Yo'nch'o'n County,
and Yugong-ri and Munye-ri of Ch'o'lwo'n County of South Korea's Kangwo'n
Province randomly fired some 13,000 bullets and artillery rounds in a show
of war craze.

For five days from 14 June, the puppet army war maniacs frenziedly pressed
ahead with depth charge dropping and naval gun firing drills jointly with
the 1st Fleet of the puppet navy and the maritime police in the waters of
Korea's East Sea, mobilizing some 10 combat vessels including destroyers,
corvettes, and even helicopters.

The combined maritime war exercise that the US imperialists and the South
Korean puppets are trying to undertake in Korea's West Sea by mobilizing
vast armed forces, including the nuclear-powered ultra-large aircraft
carrier George Washington, nuclear submarines, Aegis destroyers, and
landing ships, is a deliberate aggression maneuver to threaten us by force
and to pave the way for an all-out war.

The Proliferation Security Initiative exercise aim ed at interdicting and
searching our ships at sea is another reckless antic intended to start an
adventurous war of aggression by inflicting a deliberate provocation on
our Republic and using it as an ignition fuse.

Meanwhile, the US imperialists' aerial bandits and puppet air force
squadrons are raising rackets by waging ground target strike, close air
support, aerial target acquisition, and airborne operation drills on a
daily basis in the airspace around the operation stage set in Yo'ngwo'l,
P'yo'ngch'ang, Inje, Ch'unch'o'n, and To'kcho'k-to.

At the same time, they are more frantically engaging in aerial
reconnaissance activities by keeping five, seven, and even about 10
strategic and tactical reconnaissance planes in the air carrying out
different missions on a daily average, including the RC-135 that flew from
overseas bases, and the UE and the RC-12 stationed in South Korea, while
strengthening intelligence surveillance postures against us.

On the Korean peninsula, the worst crisis situation that could trigger a
war anytime is setting in due to reckless war maneuvers by the US
imperialists and puppet military war maniacs. These facts clearly
illustrate that the US imperialists and the puppet traitor gang are
deliberately fabricating the Ch'o'nan sinking incident and using it as an
excuse to try to provoke a second war of aggression on Korea.

(Description of Source: Pyongyang Korean Central Broadcasting Station in
Korean -- DPRK state-run domestic radio
network)Attachments:ROKUSMilExercisesKCBS23Jun10.pdf

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

51) Back to Top
ROK President Urges DPRK to Stop 'Provocations' on 60th Anniversar y of
Korean War
Updated version: Upgrading precedence; By Kim Deok-hyun: "S. Korea marks
60th anniversary of Korean War amid tensions" - Yonhap
Friday June 25, 2010 02:42:10 GMT
(Description of Source: Seoul Yonhap in English -- Semiofficial news
agency of the ROK; URL: http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

52) Back to Top
S. Korea Marks 60th Anniversary of Korean War Amid Tensions - Yonhap
Friday June 25, 2010 02:30:04 GMT
S. Korea marks 60th anniversary of Korean War amid tensions

By Kim Deok-hyunSEOUL, June 25 (Yonhap) -- South Korea paid tribute to the
fallen soldiers and its allies who fought for its freedom as the country
marked the 60th anniversary of the outbreak of the 1950-1953 Korean War on
Friday.President Lee Myung-bak, in his war anniversary speech, urged North
Korea to halt military provocations and make efforts for co-prosperity
with South Korea."Our ultimate goal is not a military confrontation but
peaceful reunification," Lee said at a national ceremony with Korean War
veterans at home and overseas.Expressing his appreciation to the
sacrifices by U.N. troops that fought alongside South Korea, Lee said,
"South Korean and U.N. soldiers, you were not only courageous and genuine
soldiers but also a cornerstone of South Korea's history."South Korea has
marked this year's anniversary with dozens of government programs,
including scholarships for the children of foreign Korean War veterans,
music performances and a book chronicling the historical role of the
allied countries.Defense Minister Kim Tae-young invited about 90 military
officers from the 21 nations that fought for the South Korean side,
including the top U.S. commander in South Korea, Gen. Walter Sharp, to pay
a tribute to the Korean War sacrifices at the War Memorial hall in
Seoul.By the end of next month, South Korea would have invited roughly
16,000 war veterans and diplomats to the country as part of the
government's events to thank them for their support.The fratricidal
conflict broke out on June 25, 1950, when tank-led North Korean troops
invaded South Korea. The U.S. and 20 other allied countries fought on the
side of South Korea under the U.N. banner.Three years later, an uneasy
armistice deal ended the first major conflict of the Cold War, leaving the
two Koreas technically at war to this day. Across their heavily armed
border, nearly 2 million troops, including 28,500 U.S. forces, are on
standby against any provocations.Although estimates of casualties vary,
historians say more than 3 million people, including 2.5 million
civilians, perished in the South and the North during the Korean War. The
U.N. allies suffered more than 40,000 battle deaths, including some 33,000
U.S. soldiers.During the six decades of war on hold, capitalist South
Korea emerged as one of the world's dynamic economies while communist
North Korea has gone economically bankrupt, with its people starving under
a regime that insists on military-first policy.This year's commemoration
of the war resonates with a renewed sense of tension after a Seoul-led
multinational investigation found the North responsible for the deadly
sinking of a South Korean warship in March. Forty-six sailors were killed
when the naval ship Cheonan was downed by a North Korean torpedo.President
Lee, in his speech, demanded Pyongyang apologize for the attack that North
Korea denies any involvement in.Analysts agree that a pea ce treaty is
necessary to truly end the Korean War, but also that it is still
elusive."As a legal measure to prevent a possible armed clash, it's
necessary to replace the armistice agreement with a peace treaty," said
Baek Seung-joo, an analyst for the Korea Institute of Defense Analyses.
"For that, the two Koreas need to build up trust in politics and
military.""What's more important is North Korea's nuclear standoff should
be resolved first," Baek said. Unless North Korea gives up its nuclear
weapons program, a peace treaty won't be possible, he said.Pyongyang, on
the eve of the 60th anniversary on Thursday, reiterated its claim that the
war was started by "U.S. imperialists" to occupy South Korea."The U.S.
imperialists craftily fabricated stories that the launch of the Korean War
was 'a surprise attack from the North' and an 'entirely sudden event,'"
the North's Korean Central News Agency reported."No matter what gimm ick
the U.S. imperialists may employ, they can never hide their true colors as
provokers of the Korean War."

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

53) Back to Top
DPRK Declares No-Sail Zone off West Coast: Media
Xinhua: "DPRK Declares No-Sail Zone off West Coast: Media" - Xinhua
Friday June 25, 2010 02:51:17 GMT
SEOUL, June 25 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea
(DPRK) has designated a no-sail zone off the west coast, local media
reported Friday.

The nine-day ban, scheduled from June 19-27, has been set in waters near
the port city of Nampo, which might be part of preparations to fire a
short-range missile in response to a scheduled naval drill between South
Korea and the United States, Seoul's JoongAng Ilbo newspaper said, citing
an unnamed source.But no particular indication of an imminent missile
launch has been found, and the ban might just be for regular military
exercises, Seoul's semi-official Yonhap News Agency said, citing an
unnamed government official.The move comes amid heightened tension on the
Korean peninsula as Seoul is seeking to punish Pyongyang at the United
Nations for the sinking of a South Korean warship in tense western waters
three months ago, a charge Pyongyang flatly rejects.Seoul's naval drill,
with its most important ally, is one of the series of punitive steps that
South Korea has planned to protest Pyongyang's alleged torpedo attack on
the warship. In the tragedy, 46 South Korean sailors died.(Description of
Source: Beijing Xinhua in English -- China's official news service for
English-language a udiences (New China News Agency))

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

54) Back to Top
North Calls For No-sail Zone in West, May Lob Missile - JoongAng Daily
Online
Friday June 25, 2010 01:05:14 GMT
(JOONGANG ILBO) - North Korea appears to be preparing a missile shoot
along the west coast, a military source said yesterday, a move that could
further raise tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

The source told the JoongAng Ilbo that Pyongyang called for a ban on
sailing in the area off the west coast near the border with South Korea.
"North Korea has designated four of the northwestern areas in the Yellow
Sea as a no-sail zone between June 19 and June 27," said the source. "That
appears to be a step prior to the firing of a short-range missile."A
no-sail zone is an area where privately-owned crafts are banned in case
ordnance or a missile hits them. The source said North Korea previously
designated the same areas as a no-sail zone before it launched a missile.
North Korea often conducts artillery practice near Seohan Bay between
North Pyongan Province and Hwanghae Province, farther north than the
no-sail areas, the source said.The move comes as South Korea and the U.S.
are finalizing the timing of a joint naval drill in the Yellow Sea, which
Seoul intends as a protest against the sinking of its warship Ch'o'nan
(Cheonan) in the same sea on March 26. A multinational investigation last
month concluded that North Korea destroyed the Ch'o'nan (Cheonan) with a
torpedo, killing 46 South Korean soldiers. "The designation of a no-sail
zone seems to b e a reaction to the joint military drill," said another
military official, adding that there is no concrete signal that North
Korea has fired a missile or is about to do so soon. The joint drill was
initially scheduled for early this month, but has been delayed at the
request of the U.S.(Description of Source: Seoul JoongAng Daily Online in
English -- Website of English-language daily which provides
English-language summaries and full-texts of items published by the major
center-right daily JoongAng Ilbo, as well as unique reportage; distributed
as an insert to the Seoul edition of the International Herald Tribune;
URL: http://joongangdaily.joins.com)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

55) Back to Top
The True Meaning of The Korean War - Dong-A Ilbo Online
Friday June 25, 2010 00:46:01 GMT
(DONG-A ILBO) - Sixty years ago, on the evening of Saturday, June 24,
1950, the top brass of the South Korean Army, including the chairman of
the Joint Chiefs of Staff Chae Byong-duk, threw a party to celebrate the
opening of an officers` club by inviting frontline division commanders in
Seoul's Yongsan district. They drank and danced into the wee hours of the
morning. A third of South Korean soldiers were on leave or stayed out
overnight at the time. When drunk South Korean Army leaders were half
conscious, North Korean soldiers led by Soviet-made T-34 tanks crossed the
38th parallel and captured Seoul in just three days. After the withdrawal
of U.S. forces from the Korean Peninsula, unprepared South Korean forces
retreated to the Nakdong River. The fate of a free Republic of Korea was
like that of a flickering candle. Had it not been for the U.N. Security
Council's immediate denunciation of the North's act of aggression, the
council's decision to deploy U.N. forces, troop deployment by 21 countries
-- 16 for combat troops and five for medical assistance -- and the Incheon
landing led by U.S. Gen. Douglas MacArthur, the head of the U.N. Command,
South Koreans would have lived harsh lives over the past 60 years under a
communist regime.

One million to 1.3 million South Korean soldiers and about two million
foreign troops fought in the Korean War. The death toll was 152,000 South
Korean soldiers and 37,000 U.N. forces, including 33,000 U.S. soldiers.
The 50 million people in the Republic of Korea owe their liberty and
prosperity to those who gave their lives in the war. Without courageous
people who defended liberty and the nation, South Korea would never have
achieved its remarkable economic growth and its youths could not have
cried &qu ot;Dae~hanminguk (Republic of Korea)" on the streets to cheer on
their national soccer team in the World Cup.

Many youths, however, remain unaware of when the war broke out and who
started it. Left-leaning youths with a poor understanding of the conflict
say the war as an attempt to unify or liberate the Korean Peninsula. The
late North Korean leader Kim Il Sung's claimed that South Korea triggered
the war, and left-leaning South Korean scholars argued that the war broke
out amid inter-Korean skirmishes. These claims lost ground after
diplomatic documents of the Soviet Union were declassified in the 1990s.
The documents clearly showed that North Korea started the war with Soviet
backing. Seoul must understand that teaching the younger generation the
true meaning of the Korean War is directly linked to the establishment of
national identity.

The Korean War and the March 26 sinking of the South Korean naval vessel
Ch'o'nan (Cheonan) have something in common: lapse of national security
readiness. When Pyongyang frequently launched military provocations to
check Seoul's preparedness in the early 1950s, South Korea put its
military on alert three times. When the North completed preparation for an
invasion of the South Wednesday, however, the South Korean military made a
lax judgment, citing no abnormal signs and lowering their guard. The Joint
Chiefs of Staff in Seoul ordered the South Korean Navy to prepare for
retaliation by the North after an inter-Korean naval clash in the Yellow
Sea in November last year. The Navy ignored the order and the Joint Chiefs
of Staff did not check, however. Though the Ch'o'nan (Cheonan) was
notified of the disappearance of three North Korean submarines from a
North Korean submarine base two or three days before its sinking, the
vessel took no action.

The North has never abandoned its goal of communizing the entire Korean
Peninsula since the Korean War. Pyongyang will welcome the transfer of
wartime operational command from Washington to Seoul scheduled for April
17, 2012. Fortunately, the U.S. and South Korea are discussing a delay of
the transfer.

The South Korea-U.S. alliance is based on the operational command that
President Rhee Syngman transferred to Gen. Douglas MacArthur shortly after
the war's outbreak in July 1950; the South Korea-U.S. Mutual Defense
Treaty signed in October 1953; and the South Korea-U.S. Combined Forces
Command that President Pak Cho'ng-hu'i (Park Chung-hee) established. The
concept of a U.S.-dependent defense is likely to change after 2020. South
Korea is facing the huge challenges of self-defense and preparing for a
sudden change in North Korea and reunification.

The Korean War was a battle to protect free democracy. So the Korean
Peninsula should be reunified based on free democracy and market economy
instead of on communism that the North sought through the invasion.
Leftists in South Korea have recently stressed pea ce in dealing with
North Korea. They, however, have replaced the slogan "between the same
nation" with peace because the former no longer appeals to the people.
Nobody will refuse peace, but without a strong and ready national defense,
peace cannot be maintained.

Seoul and the people alike should do whatever is necessary to live up to
the noble sacrifices of the fallen soldiers in the Korean War and take
care of the wounded and their families. In addition, the South should
never give up fighting for the return of more than 500 South Korean POWs
in North Korea. The Republic of Korea's mission is to end the Kim Jong Il
(Kim Cho'ng-il) dictatorship that starves its people to death and
threatens peace on the Korean Peninsula and the world, and reunify the
Korean Peninsula.

Time can heal scars and ebb the memory of painful events. South Koreans,
however, must not let the Korean War vanish from memory at a time when
North Korea continues to develop nuclear weapons and launch military
provocations.

(Description of Source: Seoul Dong-A Ilbo Online in English -- English
website carrying English summaries and full translation of vernacular hard
copy items of the second-oldest major ROK daily Dong-A Ilbo, which is
conservative in editorial orientation -- generally pro-US, anti-North
Korea; URL: http://english.donga.com)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

56) Back to Top
Preventing Another War - JoongAng Daily Online
Friday June 25, 2010 00:46:01 GMT
(JOONGANG ILBO) - Sixty years ago today, North Korea invaded us because
they were assured of loop holes in our security. They knew our military
power was overwhelmingly inferior - not only in terms of troop numbers but
also in military equipment and fire power. Amidst a sharp division between
the right and left, our military discipline and civilian sense of security
were terribly lacking. Furthermore, the United States had seemingly
excluded South Korea from its defensive line in Northeast Asia. Taking
advantage of these factors, Kim Il Sung (Kim Il-so'ng) ordered his 110,000
soldiers to invade the South with hundreds of Soviet tanks, declaring,
"This war will be over in three days."

The war left indelible scars. It resulted in more than five million
casualties, including civilians, and left hundreds of thousands of people
missing in action or turned them into prisoners of war. The war also
shattered our economy. With the participation of 16 countries and the
subsequent intervention of the Chinese army, the war between nations
escalated into an internati onal conflict in which over 40,000 UN soldiers
were killed. Though North Korea still distorts the truth by defining the
war as one for the "liberation of our fatherland," we were fighting to
protect our freedom.South and North Korea's competition for supremacy
ended long ago. While we have joined the club of developed countries
through industrialization and democratization, North Korea has become a
symbol of the failed states still suffering from the worst form of
tyranny. It has degenerated into a huge gulag in which millions of people
are starving to death in the shadow of the worst-ever form of hereditary
rule on earth. If it had not been for the courage and sacrifice of our
ancestors - and those of the soldiers from foreign countries - we might
have become the slaves of a despotic regime.The Ch'o'nan (Cheonan)
disaster has reaffirmed that the Korean War is not yet over. Since the
truce agreement in 1953, the North has made more than 200 provocations.
The torped o attack against the Ch'o'nan (Cheonan) is only the most recent
and serious. Yet the Ministry of Defense and Board of Audit and Inspection
are at odds with each other over who should be held accountable, and the
military and civilians are bickering over the real cause of the incident.
It is deplorable that we face such a sad reality on the 60th anniversary
of the war. When it comes to security, there should never be a division
between the right and left, or a separation between civilians and the
military. The Korean Peninsula is the only divided land saddled with the
remnants of the Cold War. Only when we maintain an airtight defense
posture, along with seeking peace by easing tensions and building trust,
can we prevent another Korean War.(Description of Source: Seoul JoongAng
Daily Online in English -- Website of English-language daily which
provides English-language summaries and full-texts of items published by
the major center-right daily JoongAng Ilbo, as well as unique reportage;
distributed as an insert to the Seoul edition of the International Herald
Tribune; URL: http://joongangdaily.joins.com)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

57) Back to Top
A Resonant Echo of a Forgotten War
"Viewpoint" column by Park Hyo-chong, a professor of civil ethics
education at Seoul National University and Translation by the JoongAng
Daily staff: "A Resonant Echo of a Forgotten War" - JoongAng Daily Online
Friday June 25, 2010 00:41:54 GMT
(Description of Source: Seoul JoongAng Daily Online in English -- Website
of English-language daily which provides E nglish-language summaries and
full-texts of items published by the major center-right daily JoongAng
Ilbo, as well as unique reportage; distributed as an insert to the Seoul
edition of the International Herald Tribune; URL:
http://joongangdaily.joins.com)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

58) Back to Top
Memoir Tells of 46 Years as a POW in The North - JoongAng Daily Online
Friday June 25, 2010 00:46:04 GMT
(JOONGANG ILBO) - A man who spent 46 years as a North Korean prisoner of
war is sharing his painful experiences in a new book, "Under Starry Nights
in Hell."

"It's been 10 years since I came to the South, but I still clearly
remember the 60 POWs I went through the tough times with," Yoo Young-chul
said at a celebration yesterday at the National Defense Center in Yongsan,
Seoul, to mark the memoir's publication."The (South Korean) government
gives POWs the status of a soldier killed in battle, so no one, neither
South nor North, remembers the POWs."Yoo, 79, escaped from North Korea in
2000. He called for South Korea to do all it can to bring home the POWs
remaining in North Korean hands.So far, 79 POWs have returned to the
South. The government estimates that another 500 remain in the North.Yoo
joined the Army at the height of the Korean War in 1952. In June 1953,
while the war was nearing an end, his division engaged in a fierce battle
against the Chinese army. A cannonball dropped on Yoo's division, almost
burying him in the ground. Yoo was discovered and captured by the Chinese,
who handed him over to the North Korean Peop le's Army.Yoo was
indoctrinated with communist ideas for two months, and had to polish
portraits of Kim Il Sung (Kim Il-so'ng) and Kim Jong Il (Kim Cho'ng-il)
every morning. After the brainwashing was over, Yoo worked with other POWs
at a mine in Cholsan, North Pyongyang, for 46 years until his escape.Yoo
crossed the Tumen River into China with his daughter in July 2000 and
arrived at Incheon on Aug. 30 that year. His North Korean wife died before
they made their escape."I got married and had kids in North Korea, but I
couldn't stop thinking about going back home," said Yoo. "The thought of
returning to South Korea was what kept me going."(Description of Source:
Seoul JoongAng Daily Online in English -- Website of English-language
daily which provides English-language summaries and full-texts of items
published by the major center-right daily JoongAng Ilbo, as well as unique
reportage; distributed as an insert to the Seoul edition of the
International Her ald Tribune; URL: http://joongangdaily.joins.com)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

59) Back to Top
Academics, Experts Reflect on Lessons From Korean War
Unattributed article from the "Taiwan" page: "Academics, Experts Reflect
on Lessons From Korean War" - Taipei Times Online
Friday June 25, 2010 00:45:00 GMT
By Vincent Y. Chao

STAFF REPORTERFriday, Jun 25, 2010, Page 3

On June 27, 1950, two days after North Korea invaded the south, US
president Harry Truman dispatched the US Seventh Fleet to the Taiwan
Strait to protect Taiwan and prevent a Chinese invasion .

That move, 60 years ago, not only set the stage for US assistance to
Taiwan over the next two decades but also helped stabilize Taiwan's
economy, allowing it to quickly develop into one of Asia's fastest
growing.While Taiwan's military did not participate in the conflict --
despite offers to do so by dictator Chiang Kai-shek -- academics and
Korean experts said yesterday in Taipei that it was a defining moment for
the country, still under threat at the time from Chinese
aggression."Originally the US didn't want to supply Taiwan or Penghu
anymore. But the Korean War marked a significant change in US policy,"
said Chen Yi-shen, president of the Taiwan Association of University
Professors. "The forgotten war ... propped up the Republic of China
government-in-exile."Following China's entry into the war in October 1950,
the Peoples Liberation Army reorganized its Taiwan invasion force into the
Northeast Frontier Force and subsequently into the People' s Volunteer
Army which was sent into the Korean peninsula."It can be said that the
(Korean) conflict was of benefit to Taiwan ... it protected Taiwan from
communization due to an invasion from China," said Rick Chu a Korean
expert and founder of the Taiwan-based Korean Studies Academy.Six decades
later, the Korean War still offers valuable lessons for a burgeoning
cross-strait relationship, said Paul Lin, a political commentator and
researcher who specializes in Chinese Communist Party (CCP) history.After
the war, Chinese history books wrote that the US and South Korea, which
they said initiated the conflict, lost the war in the face of Chinese
participation and suffered millions of casualties, said Lin who grew up in
China during the period."It was a complete distortion of history. It shows
China's continued willingness to distort history through the media and
through (education)," he said. "But some people in Taiwan continue to
ignore China's natur e."Saying China has never given up its ambitions to
unify Taiwan, by force if necessary, Lin added that, "China's danger to
Taiwan has not changed one bit.""They wanted to (unify) Taiwan through the
use of weapons before, but now they want to use the economy ... (They want
to) trick Taiwan into signing the economic cooperation framework agreement
(ECFA) with China."This has become increasingly apparent through the
offshoring of Taiwanese businesses and industries to China, said William
Kao, who used to head the Victims of Investment in China Association, a
move that could be accelerated by the signing of an ECFA.(Description of
Source: Taipei Taipei Times Online in English -- Website of daily
English-language sister publication of Tzu-yu Shih-pao (Liberty Times),
generally supports pan-green parties and issues; URL:
http://www.taipeitimes.com)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for us e must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

60) Back to Top
Minister: Transfer of Wartime Control May Be Delayed - JoongAng Daily
Online
Friday June 25, 2010 00:41:54 GMT
(JOONGANG ILBO) - Seoul has been considering delaying the scheduled 2012
transfer of wartime operational control from the United States to South
Korea since North Korea's nuclear test last spring, the South's Foreign
Minster Yu Myung-hwan said yesterday.

Yu's comment came days before South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and
U.S. President Barack Obama meet this weekend at the G-20 Summit in
Toronto to discuss pressing issues, which may include delaying the
transfer of wartime operational command. Yu said Seoul, which in 2007
agreed wit h Washington to the 2012 deadline, started to have second
thoughts in May 2009."What's important in implementing the strategic shift
(in wartime operational control) is considering situations in the Korean
Peninsula and have them factored into the process," Yu said. "We started
to recognize changes in the situation when North Korea conducted its
second nuclear test."Neither the Blue House nor the White House has
publicly admitted that the two countries are in talks to delay the 2012
deadline. But Yu signaled that the two nations might be open to the
possibility."South Korea and the U.S. have been reviewing steps to
implement the (command transfer) plan on a regular basis to reflect the
latest situations, and the two leaders can freely discuss their interests,
if necessary," he said.North Korea, which first test-blasted nuclear
explosives in October 2006, conducted its second underground nuclear test
in May 2009, four months after Obama took offi ce.Since 1954, wartime
operation of South Korean troops has remained under the control of the top
U.S. military commander in Korea, where about 28,500 U.S. troops are
stationed. In 2007, the United States and the administration of President
Roh Moo-hyun agreed that Seoul would take over operational command in
April 2012.Conservatives in Korea have long worried that transferring
operational command could weaken Seoul's military deterrence against
Pyongyang. The idea of delaying the transfer gained currency as
inter-Korean tensions escalated after Lee Myung-bak - known for his
hard-line stance against Pyongyang - took office in 2008. Security fears
were fanned by the March 26 attack on the South Korean warship Cheonan,
which killed 46 Navy soldiers. Seoul has blamed Pyongyang for the
attack.Amid growing calls to delay the transfer, South Korea's Defense
Minister Kim Tae-young said in April that the government would be
"mulling" the possibility during a meeting with l awmakers that
month.(Description of Source: Seoul JoongAng Daily Online in English --
Website of English-language daily which provides English-language
summaries and full-texts of items published by the major center-right
daily JoongAng Ilbo, as well as unique reportage; distributed as an insert
to the Seoul edition of the International Herald Tribune; URL:
http://joongangdaily.joins.com)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

61) Back to Top
Six Korean War Heroes Honored - JoongAng Daily Online
Friday June 25, 2010 00:36:52 GMT
(JOONGANG ILBO) -

A day before the 60th anniversary of the outbr eak of the Korean War, the
military opened a "Hall of Heroes" honoring six South Korean Army soldiers
who distinguished themselves in combat during the 1950-53 war against
North Korea.Relatives of the honored soldiers and military leaders,
including Army Personnel Command Cmdr. Park Jong-sun, attended the hall's
opening yesterday at the Korean Army Headquarters in Gyeryongdae, South
Chungcheong.The six heroes - Maj. Kim Kyung-jin, First Lt. Shim Il, Second
Lt. Kim Man-sul, Master Sgt. Baek Jae-deok, Pvt. Kim Yong-sik and Pvt.
Hong Jae-geun - were all previous recipients of the Order of Military
Merit Taegeuk, the highest honor given to a soldier in South Korea. Five
of the six soldiers were killed in the battles for which they earned the
Taegeuk, while Lieutenant Kim died in a later battle.A total of 55 South
Korean soldiers received the Taegeuk for extreme bravery during the Korean
War. The military said the other 49 recipients not commemorated in the
hall are eit her generals or have been honored in past tributes."Each of
the six people inducted here is the epitome of a true soldier," said
Commander Park, during the opening ceremony, according to the military.
"They showed how a soldier should act."Each of the feats achieved by the
heroes would be good material for a stirring war movie, the military
said.*Lieutenant Shim, along with five commandos, encountered a North
Korean tank and incapacitated it with grenades and Molotov cocktails in a
battle in Chuncheon, Gangwon, on June 26, 1950. That was the first victory
for the South Korean military during the Korean War. The victory also
delayed the North's southward penetration by three days, which helped
South Korea and its allies form a line of defense.*The Taegeuk is rarely
given to low-ranking privates, but Kim and Hong made a successful surprise
attack on a North Korean guerilla unit during one of the fiercest battles
of the war in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang, in August 1950. The two captured
15 soldiers alive.*Major Kim was inducted into the Hall of Heroes because
of his sacrifice at a battle to reclaim Baekma Highland in Cheorwon,
Gangwon, a well-known battle line that changed hands many times. In an
operation to retake the highland for a ninth time in October 1952, Kim
took the lead, armed with only a pistol. Inspired by his courage, his
battalion followed and succeeded in recapturing the line. Kim was killed
after being hit by an enemy shell.*Sergeant Baek waged a hand-to-hand
combat against soldiers from China, North Korea's ally, who attacked
Saetbyeol Highland, Gangwon, at daybreak in May 1953. Baek killed around
10 enemies.*Lieutenant Kim fought in 19 battles against Chinese troops in
Beti Highland in Gangwon in July 1953, and killed 314 Chinese soldiers and
wounded 450 others.(Description of Source: Seoul JoongAng Daily Online in
English -- Website of English-language daily which provides
English-language summaries and full- texts of items published by the major
center-right daily JoongAng Ilbo, as well as unique reportage; distributed
as an insert to the Seoul edition of the International Herald Tribune;
URL: http://joongangdaily.joins.com)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

62) Back to Top
Critical Need For More Aid to North - JoongAng Daily Online
Friday June 25, 2010 00:41:55 GMT
(JOONGANG ILBO) -

The leaders of the two Koreas are killing the North Korean people by using
them as shields as they dig for dirt to sling at one another, according to
an aid expert who recently visited the North.Wolfgang Gerstne r, a German
who heads the North Korea aid program at Caritas Internationalis, an
international aid group, said in an interview on Wednesday that food
shortages and public health concerns in the North are reaching critical
mass, in part due to international sanctions by nations including South
Korea.Gerstner said that during a four-day field visit to North Korea that
ended on June 12, he observed a humanitarian crisis. To draw international
attention to it, he said the South Korean government should lift its
sanction on inter-Korean aid.Seoul severed all humanitarian aid to the
North - except for assistance to children - on May 24 in response to the
sinking of the South's Cheonan warship, which has been blamed on the
North. South Korea has urged the international community to join in on the
sanctions."One has to blame the North Korean regime for sinking the
warship and for acting aggressively with political interest, but I
wouldn't blame the whole country," Gerstner said. "We need to make very
clear the difference between the North Korean regime and the ordinary
people who are suffering."For many of them, the suffering is hunger. Food
shortages have been a perennial problem in the North for two decades. But
according to recent reports by local aid groups, an increasing number of
people there are starving to death, stoking concerns of a recurrence of
the worst food crisis to face the North since the 1990s famine that
claimed millions of lives."The food security situation (in the North) is
quite serious. I would say it is critical," Gerstner said.Gerstner said
food production in the North is vulnerable to natural disasters such as
floods and drought. A poor crop last year was exacerbated by the failed
currency reform that wiped out families' savings and the North's nascent
black markets. Those factors, plus a shortage of fertilizer because of
reduced international aid, may mean there is little relief in sight, he
said .Gerstner said public health, in particular children's health, is
being jeopardized by shortages of medicine and "supplementary food" - food
that provides necessary nutrients lacking from the common North Korean
diet - for which the North has long relied on from international
aid.Hepatitis B currently poses a particular danger to young North
Koreans, and health authorities in the North have asked Caritas to extend
its vaccination program, which between February and April treated nearly
500,000 North Koreans aged 7 to 17.The North's health authorities are also
expected to ask Caritas to expand its program providing extra food for
tuberculosis patients, Gerstner said."We're already supplying soybeans,
vegetable oil and sugar to 22 tuberculosis care centers, but when I was
there this time, the Ministry of Public Health of North Korea asked us to
supply supplementary food to patients at all the tuberculosis and
hepatitis care centers in the country," he said. Caritas International
launched the first international program from the private sector to aid
North Korea in 1995. The group has spent $33.8 million on relief efforts
in that country.(Description of Source: Seoul JoongAng Daily Online in
English -- Website of English-language daily which provides
English-language summaries and full-texts of items published by the major
center-right daily JoongAng Ilbo, as well as unique reportage; distributed
as an insert to the Seoul edition of the International Herald Tribune;
URL: http://joongangdaily.joins.com)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

63) Back to Top
Korean War Still Divides Minds 60 Years on - Chosun Ilbo Online
Thursday June 24, 2010 23:36:11 GMT
(CHOSUN ILBO) - South Korean society is a long way from agreeing about the
Korean War 60 years after it broke out, a poll published Thursday
suggests. The belief, for instance, that Korean unification was thwarted
by the Incheon Landing of UN forces under Gen. Douglas MacArthur and that
national division became permanent as a result has proved persistent.

In the poll conducted on June 14 by Gallup Korea for the Chosun Ilbo and
the Korean Association of Party Studies for the 60th anniversary of the
war, 54.7 percent of respondents said the Incheon Landing prevented South
Korea from falling under communist rule. But 26.2 percent believed the
operation dashed hopes of unification and cemented the peninsula's
division.Some 19.1 percent were not sure of the significance of the
operation. Among those in their 20s and 30s, around one-third took a dim
view of it.This was es pecially marked among women in their 20s, with
almost half or 43.6 percent. Only 28.4 percent in this group took a
positive view of the landing.However, respondents were overwhelmingly
clear what started the war. Some 90.3 percent of respondents said it was
caused by North Korea's invasion of South Korea, while a mere 0.8 percent
said it began as a result of a northward invasion by South Korea.As for
who was mainly responsible, 57 percent cited the Kim Il Sung (Kim
Il-so'ng) regime, and 15.8 percent held both North and South Korea
responsible. Some 7.9 percent blamed the U.S. and 7.3 percent the Soviet
Union.Among those in their 20s, only about half blamed the Kim Il Sung
(Kim Il-so'ng) regime responsible, while 27.9 percent called both North
and South Korea to account.Kwak Jin-young, a professor of political
science at Konkuk University, said, "There is a wide gap in perception of
the war between the generations who experienced the war themselves and
those who learned about it only from books. The fact that those in their
20s have an untrue view of the Korean War has something to do with
controversial modern-history textbooks."(Description of Source: Seoul
Chosun Ilbo Online in English -- English website carrying English
summaries and full translations of vernacular hard copy items of the
largest and oldest daily Chosun Ilbo, which is conservative in editorial
orientation -- strongly nationalistic, anti-North Korea, and generally
pro-US; URL: http://english.chosun.com)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

64) Back to Top
ROK Military 'Closely Monitoring' DPRK as DPRK Declares 'No Sail Zone'
19-27 Jun
Yonhap headline: "N. Korea declares no-sail zone off west coast" - Yonhap
Thursday June 24, 2010 23:56:30 GMT
(Description of Source: Seoul Yonhap in English -- Semiofficial news
agency of the ROK; URL: http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

65) Back to Top
Pelosi Says Not Expecting Korea FTA's Ratification This Year - Yonhap
Thursday June 24, 2010 23:52:28 GMT
US-Korea FTA-Pelosi

Pelosi says not expecting Korea FTA's ratification this yearBy Hwang
Doo-hyongWASHINGTON, June 24 (Yonhap) -- Congress will not likely approve
the pending free trade deal with South Korea this year, House Speaker
Nancy Pelosi (D-California) said Thursday.Pelosi told reporters that she
is unsure of when the deal might be approved after attending a ceremony in
the Capitol to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the 1950-53 Korean
War."I am not sure we are going to have any bill this year because the
Senate does not seem to pick up one," she said. "But let me say that
that's something we are constantly working on."The Barack Obama
administration has not yet submitted the Korea FTA, signed in 2007 under
the Bush administration, to Congress for ratification, citing lopsided
auto trade and restricted shipment of U.S. beef.Several senior senators,
including John Kerry (D-Massachusetts), chairman of the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee, and Richard Lugar (R-Indiana), a ranking member of
the same committee, recently sent a letter to Obama to call for the Korea
FTA's ratification ahea d of the G20 economic summit in Seoul in November
to "send a powerful signal in support of opening new markets during South
Korea's chairmanship of the G20."U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk said
last month that the U.S. does not have a timeline for the ratification of
the Korea FTA, saying, "The substance of our works has to drive the
timeline."Pelosi added that she wants to visit Seoul soon, but cited a
busy schedule."Just incidentally, it's about security, it's about economy,
it's about climate change and preserving our planet," she said.She
mentioned "many reasons" for her interest in visiting Korea. "First,
lovely hospitality, the leadership. The other is that we are focusing on
climate change, innovation and entrepreneur spirit. Of course, Korea is
the center of that, leading the way in battery technology."On North Korea,
the speaker denounced the regime's leader Kim Jong Il (Kim Cho'ng-il) for
starving people there an d remarked on her previous visit to
Pyongyang."You could almost cry when you see how poor the people are," she
said.(Description of Source: Seoul Yonhap in English -- Semiofficial news
agency of the ROK; URL: http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

66) Back to Top
State Department Spokesman Urges DPRK To Free US Citizen Detainee
Updated version: upgrading precedence and revising subject line; Yonhap
headline: "U.S. Urges N. Korea to Free American Citizen Held For Illegal
Entry: State Dept." - Yonhap
Thursday June 24, 2010 20:47:01 GMT
(Descripti on of Source: Seoul Yonhap in English -- Semiofficial news
agency of the ROK; URL: http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

67) Back to Top
Gazprom, Kogas Agree To Study Russian Gas Delivery To ROK - ITAR-TASS
Thursday June 24, 2010 17:13:50 GMT
intervention)

SEOUL, June 24 (Itar-Tass) -- Alexei Miller, the CEO of the Gazprom
Russian state corporation and Kangsoo Choo, the president of the Korea Gas
Corporation (Kogas), signed on Tuesday in Seoul the agreement on the joint
study of the project of Russian gas deliveries to the Republic of Korea,
said a report of the KBS broadcasting system on Thursday.The provisions of
the agreement envisage the study of several versions of gas deliveries
from the end point of the Sakhalin-Khabarovsk-Vladivostok system to South
Korea. During the ceremony of signing the agreement representatives of
both sides pointed to the growing pace of the development of scientific
and technical cooperation between the two states.On the day of signing the
agreement, the Gazprom CEO was received by Minister of Innovation
Economics of the Republic of Korea Lee Yun-ho. The participants in the
meeting gave special attention to the possibilities of interaction of
Gazprom and South Korean companies in the implementation of projects of
gas processing and gas chemistry on the Russian territory.Under the terms
of the agreement Gazprom and Kogas concluded last year, South Korea
intends to import 7.5 million tons of natural gas from 2015. According to
the local media, Gazprom CEO Miller discussed in Seoul precisely the deta
ils of Russian fuel supplies.While the initial plan of laying out a gas
pipeline overland to North Korea still holds, there is concern in Seoul
that aggravation on the Korean peninsula might cause problems.Gazprom and
Kogas also consider the possibility of liquefying natural gas to deliver
it by vessels. South Korea has been receiving liquefied natural gas from
Sakhalin from April 2010.(Description of Source: Moscow ITAR-TASS in
English -- Main government information agency)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

68) Back to Top
U.S. Considered Nuclear Option Over Spy Plane - The Daily NK
Thursday June 24, 2010 10:50:58 GMT
(THE DAILY NK) - A set of newly declassified documents from the U.S.
National Security Archive at George Washington University show that the
U.S. considered, but ultimately rejected, a range of military responses to
the downing of a reconnaissance aircraft by North Korea in the late-1960s.

On Kim Il Sung's birthday, April 15th, 1969, two North Korean Mig-17
fighter aircraft intercepted and shot down the U.S. Navy EC-121
reconnaissance aircraft somewhere over the East Sea in the vicinity of
Chongjin.North Korea claimed the aircraft had entered the North's
sovereign airspace, while the U.S. government maintained that the aircraft
had been under strict orders not to get any closer than 50 nautical miles
from the coast of North Korea, and deemed the action provocative.Following
the shooting, the Nixon administration reviewed a range of possible
responses.The set of 16 documents, entitled "How Do You Solve A Problem
Like Korea?" show tha t the Nixon national defense team took into
consideration one option of performing between 12 and 47 tactical nuclear
strikes against a range of targets in the North.However, the documents,
which were released yesterday, show that the U.S.concluded that while a
"positive and deliberate response by the United States to an act of
aggression will indicate the resolve of the United States to take measured
punitive action against an aggressor," even non-nuclear air strikes
against military targets in North Korea "will be a deliberate act of war"
and, as a result, "North Korea may respond by launching air strikes
against US/ROK forces."In the end, therefore, Nixon chose to restart the
reconnaissance missions in short order to show its strength of will, and
ordered a show of naval power in the East Sea, a response then-National
Security Advisor Henry Kissinger later termed "weak, indecisive and
disorganized."(Description of Source: Seoul The Daily NK in English --
English website of "The Daily NK," which specializes in North Korean
affairs and is generally critical of the North, published by NGOs such as
the Network for North Korean Democracy and Human Rights that is run by
North Korean defectors; URL: http://www.dailynk.com)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited.Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder.Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

69) Back to Top
Officials And Members of DWUK Condemn U.S. Imperialist Aggressors - KCNA
Thursday June 24, 2010 10:50:55 GMT
Officials and Members of DWUK Condemn U.S. Imperialist Aggressors

Pyongyang, June 24 (KCNA) -- On the occasion of "June 25, the day of
struggle against the U.S. imperialists" officials and members of the
Democratic Women's Union of Korea held a meeting in Phyonghwa-ri, Kaesong
(Kaeso'ng) City, Thursday denouncing the U.S. imperialist aggressors, the
sworn enemy of the Korean people.A reporter and speakers at the meeting
stated that the last Korean War ignited by the U.S. imperialists was a
brigandish war of aggression designed to nip the DPRK in the bud and
reduce the whole of Korea to their colony in a bid to realize their wild
ambition to dominate the world.Recalling that it is 60 years since the
U.S. imperialists provoked the Korean War of aggression, they denounced
them for fabricating the case of the south Korean puppet navy's warship
"Ch'o'nan (Cheonan)" in league with the south Korean puppet authorities
and egging them on to escalate the confrontation with fellow countrymen
while talking about "punishment" and "retaliation."They in the name of the
women across th e country bitterly condemned the U.S.imperialist
aggressors for getting frantic in their moves to bring nuclear war
disasters to the Korean nation and the Lee Myung-bak (Yi Myo'ng-pak) group
of traitors for toeing their line.They called for winning final victory in
the stand-off with the U.S., accomplishing the historic cause of national
reunification and facilitating the building of a thriving nation, holding
aloft the ever-victorious banner of songun (military-first).The
participants heard a poem "Declaration of Revenger".(Description of
Source: Pyongyang KCNA in English -- Official DPRK news agency.URL:
http://www.kcna.co.jp)Attachments:e6-24-611-19--doc.txt

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited.Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder.Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

70) Back to Top
PRC FM Spokesman Says China Confirming Report of 2 Nationals Killed in
DPRK - AFP
Thursday June 24, 2010 09:54:52 GMT
(Description of Source: Hong Kong AFP in English -- Hong Kong service of
the independent French press agency Agence France-Presse)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited.Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder.Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

71) Back to Top
Malaria Medication on Way to North - The Daily NK
Thursday June 24, 2010 09:40:38 GMT
(THE DAILY NK) - South Korea has granted permission for an aid shipment of
anti-malarial me dication, the seventh shipment of aid to North Korea
since the Cheonan sinking.

An Ministry of Unification said today, "We have decided to allow a
shipment of anti-malarial medication worth $335,000, which was requested
by the Korean Sharing Movement."Korean Sharing Movement is a well-known
aid organization targetting North Korea.The Korean Sharing Movement says
it plans to send malaria diagnosis kits, mosquito nets and vaccines for
pregnant women among other things to Jangpung, Geumcheon, Tosan and
Kaesong, which are areas of North Korea adjacent to Gyeonggi Province, the
province which surrounds Seoul.Funding for the project has been provided
by the government of Gyeonggi Province.Most previous, post-Cheonan
shipments have been aid for infants and children.Earlier this month, two
aid consignments of infant-related aid were sent.The Unification Ministry
in Seoul, upon granting permission for the previous shipments, explained,
"While South Korea will ho ld off on inter-Korean business projects on
principle, we will continue providing purely humanitarian aid for the
weak, such as infants and children."Including today's shipment, the total
cost of aid sent since punitive measures against North Korea were
announced on May 24 has been approximately $603,000.The current shipment
of anti-malarial medication is being sent, the Ministry of Unification
explained today, because malaria has the potential to spread into South
Korea during the summer months.(Description of Source: Seoul The Daily NK
in English -- English website of "The Daily NK," which specializes in
North Korean affairs and is generally critical of the North, published by
NGOs such as the Network for North Korean Democracy and Human Rights that
is run by North Korean defectors; URL: http://www.dailynk.com)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited.Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright hold
er.Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of Commerce.

72) Back to Top
US Becoming 'More Pronounced in Anti-DPRK Moves'
KCNA headline: "U.S. Becomes More Pronounced in Anti-dprk Moves" - KCNA
Thursday June 24, 2010 09:07:03 GMT
(Description of Source: Pyongyang KCNA in English -- Official DPRK news
agency.URL: http://www.kcna.co.jp)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited.Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder.Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

73) Back to Top
DPRK 'Examining' Application of 'Wartime Law' to Detained US Citizen
Updated version: adjusting subslug; upgrading precedence, rewording
headline, adjusting tags, adding refs and KCBS information, and attaching
PDF ; As of filing time, Pyongyang Korean Central Broadcasting Station in
Korean has not been observed to carry the following; The vernacular full
text of the following has been obtained from the KCNA Korean feed and is
attached in PDF format; KCNA headline: "Application of Wartime Law to
American Prisoner Under Examination in DPRK" - KCNA
Thursday June 24, 2010 13:45:29 GMT
(Description of Source: Pyongyang KCNA in English -- Official DPRK news
agency. URL:
http://www.kcna.co.jp)Attachments:GomesWartimeLawKCNA24Jun10.pdf

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

74) Back to Top
N. Korea Hastens Power Succession: Spy Chief - Yonhap
Thursday June 24, 2010 13:20:39 GMT
N Korea-succession

N. Korea hastens power succession: spy chiefSEOUL, June 24 (Yonhap) --
North Korean leader Kim Jong Il (Kim Cho'ng-il)'s ill health is driving
him to hasten the process of another hereditary power succession to his
third son, South Korea's spy chief said Thursday in testimony to
parliament.Kim Jong Il (Kim Cho'ng-il)'s third son, Jong-un, said to be in
his 20s, is widely believed to be the handpicked successor to his father.
Kim himself took over power when his father and president, Kim Il Sung
(Kim Il-so'ng), died in 1994 in communism's first hereditary power
succession."Work on a hereditary power succession has been progressing
fast in North Kore a, as Kim Jong Il (Kim Cho'ng-il) is throwing his full
weight behind it," Won Sei-hoon (Wo'n Se-hun), director of the National
Intelligence Service, told the National Assembly's intelligence
committee."North Korea is making efforts to have its people worship
Jong-un as the next leader by propagating poems and songs glorifying him
and holding contests to recite them," he said.The heir apparent is also
known to be accompanying his father frequently when he makes on-the-spot
inspections to military and industrial facilities, Won added.Kim Jong Il
(Kim Cho'ng-il), 67, is known to have suffered a stroke in the summer of
last week. He was seen limping on his left leg during a trip to China in
May.In a meeting with Chinese leaders in Beijing during the trip, the
North Korean leader asked China to shield his country from international
criticism over the sinking in March of a South Korean warship blamed on
Pyongyang, Won said.South Korea has asked the U.N. Security Cou ncil to
take up the issue and censure North Korea. North Korea has denied any
involvement, warning that it would go to war if penalized over the ship
sinking.(Description of Source: Seoul Yonhap in English -- Semiofficial
news agency of the ROK; URL: http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

75) Back to Top
China Says Peace on Korean Peninsula Should Be Maintained - Yonhap
Thursday June 24, 2010 12:41:16 GMT
China says peace on Korean Peninsula should be maintained

By Kim Young-gyoHONG KONG, June 24 (Yonhap) -- On the eve of the 60th
anniversary of the outbreak o f the Korean War, China on Thursday stressed
the importance of nurturing durable peace on the divided Korean
Peninsula.The Korean War broke out on June 25, 1950, with tank-led North
Korean troops invading poorly armed South Korea. China fought for North
Korea, while the U.S. and 16 other Western countries fought on the side of
South Korea under the U.N. flag. The war ended in an armistice, leaving
the two Koreas technically in a state of conflict."I would like to
emphasize that history is history. It is not reversible. But we can learn
from the history and get an inspiration. The important lesson we can get
today from what happened 60 years ago is to cherish the hard-won peace,
tranquility and stability," said Qin Gang, spokesman for China's foreign
ministry, in a weekly press conference in Beijing.His comments were posted
on the Web site of the Chinese Foreign Ministry."We hope relevant
countries continue to strengthen exchanges, enhance mutual trust, promote
cooperation, put efforts together in order to establish long-term
stability in the region," Qin said."As a peace-loving country, China is
willing to continue to work with concerned parties to achieve this
goal."About 28,500 U.S. troops are stationed in South Korea, a legacy of
the Korean War.Tensions between South Korea and North Korea have risen
recently over the sinking of the 1,200-ton South Korean warship Cheonan
near the Yellow Sea border on March 26 that killed 46 sailors.South Korea,
backed by material evidence, has officially held North Korea responsible
for the attack and asked the U.N. Security Council to punish the North.
North Korea has denied any involvement and is now threatening war if
punished.

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

76) Back to Top
DPRK Threatens To Apply 'Wartime Laws' on Detained US Citizen
Updated version: replacing 0827 GMT version with source-supplied 0857 GMT
update, which "ADDS details; RECASTS lead, headline"; upgrading
precedence, rewording headline, and adding refs; Report by Sam Kim: "(2nd
LD) N. Korea threatens harsher penalties against detained U.S. man" -
Yonhap
Thursday June 24, 2010 12:25:03 GMT
(Description of Source: Seoul Yonhap in English -- Semiofficial news
agency of the ROK; URL: http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

77) Back to Top
ROK Editorial on Korean War
Editorial: "War Not Ended Yet" - The Korea Herald Online
Thursday June 24, 2010 11:07:15 GMT
(Description of Source: Seoul The Korea Herald Online in English --
Website of the generally pro-government English-language daily The Korea
Herald; URL: http://www.koreaherald.co.kr)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

78) Back to Top
DPRK Frequently Violates Cease-Fire
Report by By Song Sang-ho: "N.K. Frequently Violates Cease-fire" - The
Korea Herald Online
Thursday June 24, 2010 11:46:16 GMT
(Description of Source: Seoul The Korea Herald Online in English --
Website of the generally pro-government English-language daily The Korea
Herald; URL: http://www.koreaherald.co.kr)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

79) Back to Top
DPRK Demands $65Trln Compensation From USA For Hostility Time - ITAR-TASS
Thursday June 24, 2010 11:29:46 GMT
intervention)

SEOUL, June 24 (Itar-Tass) - The Democratic People's Republic of Korea
demanded on Thursday the US pay a 65 trillion dollar s' compensation for
the decades of Washington's hostility.Similar demands were voiced in
January 2007 in a DPRK's official magazine, which had counted the victims
among civilians and other losses over the Korean War of 1950-1953.On June
25, the Southern and Northern parts will celebrate the 60th anniversary of
the beginning of the Korean War, which was over with the signing of an
armistice only. Till now, Seoul and Pyongyang technically are in a state
of war.According to the KCNA, 40 percent of the demanded compensation of
65 trillion dollars are for the murder of the North Korean civilian
population, as Pyongyang calls it."Our people have a legal right to get a
compensation for the wasted lives," the news agency said.(Description of
Source: Moscow ITAR-TASS in English -- Main government information agency)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquir ies regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

80) Back to Top
DPRK's CPRF on ROK Unification Minister's Remark Related to Sinking of ROK
Ship
"Information Bulletin No 957" issued by the Secretariat of the Committee
for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland on 22 June, carried as
the 10th of 17 items in newscast. - Korean Central Broadcasting Station
Thursday June 24, 2010 08:25:45 GMT
(Description of Source: Pyongyang Korean Central Broadcasting Station in
Korean -- DPRK state-run domestic radio
network)Attachments:CPRFsecretariatKCBS21Jun2010.pdf

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited.Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder.Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS , US Dept. of
Commerce.

81) Back to Top
Rushing At The Enemy With Grenades - The Daily NK
Thursday June 24, 2010 08:25:16 GMT
(THE DAILY NK) - It was late September of 1951.Brigadier Ham Byeong Seon's
2nd Division was advancing through Jinhyeon-ri and Bangdong to try and
recapture a region along the main line of resistance.This was the location
of the "Battle of Jinhyeon-ri-Bandong".

At the time, the 2nd Division was in control of the area left of the U.S
Army 9th Corps.It had advanced past Samok, Seungam-ri, 785 Highland and
finally reached 457 Highland.Following strategy, the Division had stopped
advancing for three months and been placed in a state of defense.The enemy
used the period to regroup and carry out a local offensive, starting the
battle.At 05:40 on Se ptember 21, 1951, the 18th Artillery Battalion of
Major Jang Gyu Baek and the 92nd, 213th, 937th and 555th Field-Artillery
Battalions of the U.S Army's 9th Corps opened fire on the enemy.The whole
area around Mt. Jeokgeun rang out with loud noise.The enemy camp around
663 Highland, Jinhyeon-ri and Bangdong was filled with flames and gun
smoke, and the sky was dark with the clouds of war.The 32nd Regiment
decided to advance with the 1st and 3rd Battalions on the right and left
wings respectively.When they reached the 734 Highland, they were to
prepare themselves and wait for three flares.When they saw the three
flares at the end of the bombardment, they were to attack.At 06:10, when
the 20 minute-long shelling had ended, the 1st Battalion of Major Woo
Hyeon and the U.S. Army's Byorun Task Force moved together.The 2nd
Squadron was to attack the 2nd target located 1.5 km northwest towards
Seungam-ri.The 3rd Squadron was to move on the 1st target, the southern
highlands of Ipseo kchon.Lastly, the 1st Squadron was ordered to stand by
and get ready to support the front-line at any time.The 3rd Squadron
entered Bangdong Valley under the leadership of the Squadron Commander,
First Lieutenant Lee Ju Gi, and advanced towards their target; the
southwestern ridge.From 200m south of the target, they had to advance on
their stomachs because of enemy fire.First Sergeant Yoo Il Hyeong, the
Squad Leader, had been advancing with his 1st Company of the 1st Platoon,
but could not move forward any further.The enemy had carefully built nests
between the cliffs, and their firing, which stopped the advance of the ROK
Army, gradually became fiercer and fiercer.At around 07:50 by which time
the 3rd Squadron had been static for a long period of time, a single-F-51
fighter bomber-formation appeared and started strafing the target.Taking
advantage of this chance, 1st Company moved to the bottom of the enemy
quarters and rushed to prepare a charge.At 09:30, Sergeant Yoo adva nced
on the enemy and destroyed their machine gun nests with hand
grenades.After that, he embarked upon sustained hand-to-hand fight.He
killed one enemy and captured 3 enemies in a second, making a chance for
the squadron to charge.The whole squadron charged at the target, the top
of the cliff.The hand-to-hand fighting continued for more than 40
minutes.The enemy strongly resisted, especially at Seosa-myeon, on
Mumyeong Highland east of Bangdong.Casualties continued to mount.Enemy
hand grenades exploded in the squadron headquarters, killing 2 men.First
Lieutenant Lee was injured and collapsed.Soldiers tried to help him, but
he leaned his body on a rock and continued to push his men
forward.Sergeant Yoo and his men advanced to the top fighting hand-to-hand
with the enemy, but had to retreat due to a sudden increase in enemy
forces.At this point, First Sergeant Choi Hak Geun, the 2nd Squad
Commander, approached Sergeant Yoo.He suggested that they attack the
highland together.S ergeant Yoo and Sergeant Choi took grenades in both
hands and climbed to the top of the cliff.Sergeant Choi entered the enemy
area and threw a hand grenade at a machine gun emplacement, destroying
it.The Squadron saw the chance and decided to advance forward.After a
fierce fight, over a hundred enemies had been killed and about 30
captured. 1st Company completely occupied their target, seizing 60mm
mortars, ammunition and various tools.The 67th Force of the People's
Volunteer Army, which had occupied Geumseong, couldn't help but
retreat.First Sergeant Choi Hak Geuna and Yoo Il Hyeong were awarded the
Hwarang Order of Military Merit on November 5th, 1951.(Description of
Source: Seoul The Daily NK in English -- English website of "The Daily
NK," which specializes in North Korean affairs and is generally critical
of the North, published by NGOs such as the Network for North Korean
Democracy and Human Rights that is run by North Korean defectors; URL:
http://www.dailyn k.com)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited.Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder.Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

82) Back to Top
CPRF Secretariat's Information Bulletin on ROK's Recent Military Moves
Corrected version: correcting "Bulletin Information" to "Information
Bulletin" in headline and subslug; "Information Bulletin No 955 issued by
the Secretariat of Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the
Fatherland" on 30 May, carried as the seventh of 12 items in newscast;
Pyongyang Korean Central Television via Satellite [KCTV] in Korean also
carried the following as the 13th of 18 items in its 1100 newscast on 30
May - Korean Central Broadcasting Station
Thursday June 24, 2010 08:28:32 GMT
(Description of Source: Pyongyang Korean Central Broadcasting Station in
Korean -- DPRK state-run domestic radio
network)Attachments:cprfbulletin955May30.pdf

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited.Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder.Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

83) Back to Top
DPRK Demands $65 Trillion Compensation From US for '60 Years of Enmity'
Updated version: upgrading precedence, rewording headline, and adjusting
tags; Report by Sam Kim: "N. Korea Demands Massive Compensation From U.S.
For 60 Years of Enmity" - Yonhap
Thursday June 24, 2010 07:56:47 GMT
(Description of Source: Seoul Yo nhap in English -- Semiofficial news
agency of the ROK; URL: http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited.Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder.Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

84) Back to Top
S. Korea, U.S. Reconsider Wartime Command Transfer
Xinhua: "S. Korea, U.S. Reconsider Wartime Command Transfer" - Xinhua
Thursday June 24, 2010 08:13:09 GMT
SEOUL, June 24 (Xinhua) -- South Korea and the United States are having
second thoughts about their plan to transfer Seoul's wartime operational
control from the United States back to South Korea in 2012 after the
Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) conducted its nuclear test
las t year, Seoul's top diplomat said Thursday.

The two allies have been rethinking the scheduled transfer since U.S.
President Barak Obama took office and Pyongyang conducted its second
nuclear test, Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan said during a press
briefing.His remark comes when security concerns are rising on the Korean
peninsula after the DPRK's alleged torpedo attack on a South Korean
warship that resulted in the loss of 46 lives, with some calling for
Washington to delay the handover with hopes to stay longer under its
security umbrella.Seoul's wartime operational control was handed over to
the U.S.- led United Nations Command at the outbreak of the 1950-53 Korean
War, which was later transferred to the Republic of Korea (South
Korea)-U.S. Combined Forces Command (CFC), while about 28,500 U.S.troops
have been stationed here following the war.Seoul and Washington have
sought to replace the U.S.-led combined forces commend with a Seoul-led
joint command system, which the former liberal-leaning president Roh
Moo-hyun welcomed but critics in Seoul rejected for fear of less security
commitment by Washington.Conservatives here have voiced concern that the
transfer would significantly weaken deterrence against potential threats
from Pyongyang, as the two Koreas remain technically at war after the
civil war ended with a truce instead of a formal peace treaty.(Description
of Source: Beijing Xinhua in English -- China's official news service for
English-language audiences (New China News Agency))

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited.Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder.Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

85) Back to Top
NKorea Spurns Down Seoul's Attempts To Blame It For New Crisis - ITAR-TASS
Thursday June 24, 2010 08:13:03 GMT
intervention)

PYONGYANG, June 24 (Itar-Tass) - The North Korean leading party newspaper
Rodong Sinmun called as "ridiculous" attempts by the Seoul administration
to put responsibility for the crisis in inter-Korean relations on
Pyongyang.The newspaper notes in an article published on Thursday that the
South Korean authorities curbed all forms of the dialogue and cooperation
with the North at its own initiative "in expectation of changes in the
policy of People's Korea".Moreover, representatives of the regime of
President Lee Myung-bak claimed during festivities on the occasion of the
tenth anniversary of adopting the historic joint declaration of June 15,
2000 in Pyongyang that "the crisis in inter-Korean relations took place at
the fault of the North Korean side".The newspaper emphasises that such
groundless allegations point to an intention of Lee Myung-bak and his
retinue, with assistance from the United States, "to pump up deliberately
tension in the Korean Peninsula in a desire to sidetrack the attention of
the South Korean public from pitfalls in the foreign and domestic
policies".South Korean priest Han Sang Ryol who arrived in Pyongyang to
participate in the festivities on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of
signing the joint declaration of the North and the South, called as
"disgrace of the Seoul administration" its refusal to cooperate with North
Korea.Speaking at a news conference here, he noted that the South Korean
authorities virtually blocked a joint celebration of this event.The priest
admitted that he arrived in Pyongyang despite a ban. "However, I could not
nonchalantly see how conservative forces, led by President Lee Myung-bak,
are bringing inter-Korean relations to a collapse," he underlined.The
joint declaration was signed during a visit to Pyongyang by Kim Dae-j ung
who was South Korean president in 2000 and who met North Korean leader Kim
Jong-Il.(Description of Source: Moscow ITAR-TASS in English -- Main
government information agency)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited.Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder.Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

86) Back to Top
The Lives of North Korean Veterans - The Daily NK
Thursday June 24, 2010 07:12:51 GMT
(THE DAILY NK) - Seeing the events organized in South Korea on the 60th
anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War and reading stories about
South Korean veterans who live on veterans' benefits, I am moved to recall
the lives of North Korean veterans.

Veterans of both sides foug ht with the same intent; to offer their lives
for their country and ideology, but there is a clear difference now
between North and South.North Korea designates three days between June 25
and 27 as "days of struggle against imperialism and the U.S." and holds
several events including meetings between Korean War veterans and younger
generations, screenings of war movies, showing war-related propaganda,
special lectures by aged veterans and so on.Meanwhile, the authorities
categorize Korean War veterans into two groups.The first group consists of
those who have earned the title "Hero of the Republic," recipients of the
first and second grade "Hardworking Medal" or first grade "Flag
Medal".They receive 800g of rice per day and 120 won per month.In the
second group, there are recipients of the second and third grade "Flag
Medal" and "Military Meritorious Service Medal." They are given 600g of
grain and 60 won.They are s pecial seats for wounded soldiers on trains,
buses and in other public places. Campaigns to help veterans' families are
common.However, the veteran-friendly atmosphere has also been much reduced
since the late 1990s.To aged veterans and families of fallen soldiers, the
authorities used to present home appliances such as Daedonggang
televisions, clothes, traditional clothes for women and such like, calling
them "gifts from the General." But the scale and quality of such gifts has
been trimmed a lot in recent years, now amounting to little more than
ginseng liquor and a few roots of ginseng or another traditional
supplement. However, they still receive these gifts.And, at least for a
veteran living in Pyongyang, the authorities serve a bowl of cold noodles
in Okryukwan, a famous restaurant, every anniversary of victory in the
Korean War. In rural areas, veterans have stopped waiting for help and
have taken to cultivating mountainous fields to make ends meet.All that
remains for them are heavy clanking medals on their chests and feeble
bodies.(Description of Source: Seoul The Daily NK in English -- English
website of "The Daily NK," which specializes in North Korean affairs and
is generally critical of the North, published by NGOs such as the Network
for North Korean Democracy and Human Rights that is run by North Korean
defectors; URL: http://www.dailynk.com)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

87) Back to Top
DPRK Party Organ on ROK Blaming DPRK on Inter-Korean Relations 'Collapse'
OSC plans to process the below-cited Rodong Sinmun "signed commentary" as
first referent item; KCNA headline "S. Korean Puppet Group Accus ed of
Shifting Blame For Collapse of Inter-korean Relations Onto DPRK" - KCNA
Thursday June 24, 2010 06:10:49 GMT
(Description of Source: Pyongyang KCNA in English -- Official DPRK news
agency. URL: http://www.kcna.co.jp)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

88) Back to Top
DPRK's KCNA Lists 24 Jun Rodong Sinmun Articles
Attaching the vernacular full-text of the Rodong Sinmun list of articles
for the corresponding date -- as available from the KCNA in Korean feed --
in PDF format; Original KCNA headline: "Press Review" - KCNA
Thursday June 24, 2010 05:59:00 GMT
(Description of Source: Pyongyang KCNA in English -- Official DPRK news
agency. URL: http://www.kcna.co.jp)Attachments:KCNA24JunRSTOC.pdf

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

89) Back to Top
DPRK Party Organ on ROK Leader's Moves To Start 'Second Korean War'
OSC plans to process the below-cited Rodong Sinmun "signed article" as
first referent item; KCNA headline "Lee Myung Bak Group Accused of Its
Moves to Start Second Korean War" - KCNA
Thursday June 24, 2010 06:05:48 GMT
(Description of Source: Pyongya ng KCNA in English -- Official DPRK news
agency. URL: http://www.kcna.co.jp)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

90) Back to Top
DPRK Media Refer to Vice Premier Thae Jong Su as Party Department Director
Updated version: correcting Source City and Source Descriptor sections;
for assistance with multimedia elements, contact the OSC Customer Center
at (800) 205-8615 or oscinfo@rccb.osis.gov. - North and South Korea -- OSC
Report
Thursday June 24, 2010 05:29:35 GMT
This appears to be the first time DPRK media mentioned Thae in the
capacity of a party department director. Prior to that, Thae has been
known by two titles only: cabinet vice premier and chief secretary of the
South Hamgyo'ng Provincial Party Committee. Photo of Thae Jong Su
delivering a report at a report meeting held to mark the first anniversary
of Kim Jong Il's visit to South Hamgyo'ng Province (Pyongyang television,
8 August 2009)

The following is a profile of Thae Jong Su: Date of Birth

Unknown Place of Birth

Unknown Current Titles

Cabinet vice premier; WPK CC department director; chief secretary of the
South Hamgyo'ng Provincial Party Committee; and WPK CC alternate member
Academic Background

Mangyo'ngdae Revolutionary School Career Highlights

- 1970: North P'yo'ngan Provincial Party Committee secretary

- 1976: Hu'ich'o'n Precision Machine Plant manager

- December 1979: Ro T'ae-so'k State Funeral Committee member

- Oct 1980: WPK CC alternate member

- 2003: Taean Heavy Machine Complex Party Committee chief secretary

- Oct ober 2007: Cabinet vice premier

- October 2008: Pak So'ng-ch'o'l State Funeral Committee member

- April 2009: Hong So'ng-nam State Funeral Committee member

- August 2009: South Hamgyo'ng Provincial Party Committee chief secretary

- June 2010: WPK CC department director Major Activities

- March 1969: Attends a Sinu'iju mass rally to support the Vietnamese
people's national salvation struggle against the United States

- August 1970: Attends a meeting to mark the 20th founding anniversary of
the Ch'o'llima Disabled Soldiers Home

- May 1980: Greets a DPRK metal industry delegation returning from a visit
to Romania

- October 1980: Participates in a debate session on summing up work on the
third day of the Sixth Party Congress

- January 2004: Attends a Taean Heavy Machine Complex employees' rally to
implement the tasks presented in New Year's Joint Editorial

- October 2007: Present when Kim Jong Il receives part icipants to
celebratory events marking the 60th founding anniversary of the
Mangyo'ngdae Revolutionary School and Kang Pan-so'k Revolutionary School

- December 2007: Attends a central report meeting at the 25 April Hall of
Culture to mark the 16th anniversary of Kim Jong Il's election as Korean
People's Army (KPA) supreme commander

- December 2007: Attends a central report meeting at the 25 April Hall of
Culture to mark the 90th birth anniversary of Kim Cho'ng-suk (Kim Jong
Suk)

- February 2008: Attends and watches youth and students' lunar New Year's
meeting -- "Oh, We Have Nothing To Envy in This World"-- at the
Mangyo'ngdae Schoolchildren's Palace

- March 2008: Attends a youth rally marking Arbor Day at the Munsubong
Revolutionary Site

- April 2008: Attends a fruit farms' socialist competition meeting

- April 2008: Visits Mangyo'ngdae with high-level cadres to mark Kim Il
Sung's (Kim Il-so'ng) birth anniversary

- April 2008: Lays flowers in front of Kang Pan-so'k's statue at the
Ch'ilgol Revolutionary Site to mark her 116th birth anniversary

- July 2008: Offers flowers commemorating Kim Hyo'ng-chik's 114th birth
anniversary

- July 2008: Lays flowers in front of the Kang Pan-so'k grave to mark her
76th death anniversary

- September 2008: Watches the general art performance "A Very Good
Country, Indeed" by kindergartners from across the country to celebrate
the DPRK's 60th founding anniversary

- November 2008: Appears on the rostrum at a central memorial service to
mark the 50th death anniversary of revolutionary fighter Ryu Kyo'ng-su
(Ryu Kyong Su)

- March 2009: Attends a builders rally to complete the construction of the
Hu'ngnam Fertilizer Complex gasification and ammonia production processes

- April 2009: Delivers a report at rally of Hu'ich'o'n Power Plant
builders in Chagang Province to implement Kim Jong Il's on-the-spot guidan
ce instructions

- August 2009: Attends a report meeting to mark the first anniversary of
Kim Jong Il's on-the-spot guidance to South Hamgyo'ng Province

- August 2009: Accompanies Kim Jong Il to the performance, "Sentry Under
Neon Light"

- August 2009: Delivers a report at a report meeting marking the 60th
anniversary of Kim Il Sung's on-the-spot guidance to South Hamgyo'ng
Province

- September 2009: Delivers a report at a report meeting marking the 10th
anniversary of Kim Jong Il's on-the-spot guidance to South Hamgyo'ng
Province

- November 2009: Attends a working people's meeting to implement Kim Jong
Il's on-the-spot remarks

- February 2010: Accompanies Kim Jong Il on on-the-spot guidance to 8
February Vinalon Complex

- April 2010: Party secretary Kim Chung-rin's (Kim Jung Rin) State Funeral
Committee member

- June 2010: Accompanies Kim Jong Il on on-the-spot guidance to the work
of various sectors in North P'yo'ngan Province

Sources: South Korean National Intelligence Service website; South Korean
Unification Ministry's annual publication Key Figures of North Korea 2010
; and DPRK media

This OSC product is based exclusively on the content and behavior of
selected media and has not been coordinated with other US Government
components.

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

91) Back to Top
Important Days of DPRK Observed By Koreans in Russia - KCNA
Thursday June 24, 2010 05:23:57 GMT
Important Days of DPRK Observed by Koreans in Russia

Pyongyang, June 24 (KCNA) -- The United Confede ration of Koreans in Far
Eastern Region of Russia held an event in the Maritime Territory on June
19 on the occasions of the 46th anniversary of leader Kim Jong Il's start
of work at the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea and the
10th anniversary of the publication of the June 15 joint declaration.On
display there were photos and books introducing exploits performed by Kim
Jong Il in his Songun leadership and the struggle for national
reunification and his works published by various publishing houses in the
Far Eastern region.Speakers at the meeting said that the epoch-making
events taking place in the motherland would be unthinkable without the
wise leadership of the WPK led by Kim Jong Il.The June 15 joint
declaration is a line of independent reunification which calls on the
Koreans to reunify the country by their concerted efforts and a milestone
of reunification to be consistently held fast to by all of them in the
north and the south and abroad, they stres sed, adding: The U.S.
imperialists and the Lee Myung Bak group of South Korea are pushing the
situation in the Korean Peninsula to the brink of war by fabricating the
case of the sunk warship "Cheonan", but peace will be firmly preserved in
Korea and the day of national reunification is sure to come as long as
there is the DPRK remaining strong thanks to the Songun politics.Then, the
meeting was followed by an art performance.(Description of Source:
Pyongyang KCNA in English -- Official DPRK news agency. URL:
http://www.kcna.co.jp)Attachments:e6-24-611-08--doc.txt

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

92) Back to Top
US, ROK To 'Decisively Respond' to DPRK Provocations
Upda ted version: upgrading precedence, rewording headline, adjusting tags
and adding refs; Yonhap headline: "S. Korea, U.S. Brace For N. Korean
Provocations, Sharp Says" - Yonhap
Thursday June 24, 2010 05:47:18 GMT
(Description of Source: Seoul Yonhap in English -- Semiofficial news
agency of the ROK; URL: http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

93) Back to Top
DPRK Opens Mount Kumgang to International Tourists
Unattributed report: "N.Korea Opens Mt. Kumgang to Int'l Tourists" -
Chosun Ilbo Online
Thursday Ju ne 24, 2010 05:13:33 GMT
(Description of Source: Seoul Chosun Ilbo Online in English -- English
website carrying English summaries and full translations of vernacular
hard copy items of the largest and oldest daily Chosun Ilbo, which is
conservative in editorial orientation -- strongly nationalistic,
anti-North Korea, and generally pro-US; URL: http://english.chosun.com)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

94) Back to Top
S. Korea Allows More Humanitarian Aid to N. Korea Amid Tension - Yonhap
Thursday June 24, 2010 05:06:30 GMT
S. Korea allows more humanitarian aid to N. Korea amid tension

By Sam KimSEOUL, June 24 (Yonhap) -- South Korea has approved a new
shipment of humanitarian aid to North Korea, an official said Thursday,
amid persisting tension over the sinking of a South Korean warship in
March.Unification Ministry spokesman Chun Hae-sung told reporters that his
government will allow a civilian relief group to send 400 million won
(US$337,000) worth of anti-malaria aid to North Korea.South Korea has only
allowed infant-related assistance since it slapped North Korea with a
series of punitive measures last month for the deadly sinking of the
Cheonan corvette in the Yellow Sea.South Korea says the ship was torpedoed
by a North Korean submarine though the communist state strenuously denies
any role.Chun said the latest batch of aid has been granted because any
spread of malaria in the North has the potential to affect South Korean
residents south of the border.The latest shipment, if carried out, would
be t he seventh case of aid to North Korea since South Korea condemned the
North for the sinking, in which 46 sailors were killed.The relations
between the countries are at one of the lowest points in decades, and
North Korea has threatened war if it is punished or sanctioned for the
sinking.South Korea has also banned trade with North Korea while planning
to resume anti-Pyongyang broadcasts using loudspeakers along the heavily
armed Demilitarized Zone.

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

95) Back to Top
S. Korea, U.S. Brace For N. Korean Provocations, Sharp Says - Yonhap
Thursday June 24, 2010 05:02:28 GMT
US general-N Korea

S. Korea, U.S. brace for N. Korean provocations, Sharp saysSEOUL, June 24
(Yonhap) -- South Korean and U.S. troops will decisively respond to any
future provocations by North Korea, even with outright war, amid tensions
over the North's sinking of a warship, the top U.S. commander in Seoul
said Thursday."Through realistic training and exercises, we will be able
to decisively engage across the entire range of military conflicts from
cyberterrorism to provocations by North Korea's asymmetric attacks and
even a general war in the peninsula," said Army Gen. Walter Sharp at a
ceremony held at Yongsan Garrison, the main U.S. military headquarters in
central Seoul.Sharp said that the South Korean and U.S. troops will
continue to maintain a strengthened vigilance posture against any
provocative acts by North Korea."Together, we exercise constant vigilance
on the land, sea and in the air to deter and defeat any future
provocations and a ggressions by North Korea," he said.Sharp made the
remarks at an inauguration ceremony for Gen. Jung Seung-jo, the new vice
commander of the South Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command.Relations
between the divided Koreas plunged to one of their lowest levels after a
multinational probe blamed last month the North for torpedoing the South's
warship on March 26.Forty-six sailors were killed in one of the deadliest
military provocations by the North since the end of the 1950-53 Korean
War.North Korea, which has vehemently denied its responsibility for the
attack, has threatened to wage an "all-out war" if it is punished.While
many observers rule out the possibility of a war from the latest tensions,
there have been some concerns that North Korea may stage further
provocations as Seoul seeks condemnation of Pyongyang at the U.N. Security
Council.South Korea's military officials say chances of other military
provocations are high, although there have been no abnormal activities by
the North's military."Both of our nations are changing to better be ready
to confront and defeat these new threats," said Sharp. "The alliance is
stronger than ever."The new vice commander Jung said the South Korean and
U.S. troops are well prepared to deal with any attacks by North Korea."We
will continue to train hard to deter and defeat all future provocations,"
Jung said in his speech.About 28,500 U.S. troops are currently stationed
in South Korea, a legacy of the Korean War.(Description of Source: Seoul
Yonhap in English -- Semiofficial news agency of the ROK; URL:
http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

96) Back to Top
DPRK Media Refer to Vice Premier Thae Jong Su as Party Department Director
Updated version: removing Pyongyang from the Source City section; for
assistance with multimedia elements, contact the OSC Customer Center at
(800) 205-8615 or oscinfo@rccb.osis.gov. - North and South Korea -- OSC
Report
Thursday June 24, 2010 05:24:33 GMT
This appears to be the first time DPRK media mentioned Thae in the
capacity of a party department director. Prior to that, Thae has been
known by two titles only: cabinet vice premier and chief secretary of the
South Hamgyo'ng Provincial Party Committee. Photo of Thae Jong Su
delivering a report at a report meeting held to mark the first anniversary
of Kim Jong Il's visit to South Hamgyo'ng Province (Pyongyang television,
8 August 2009)

The following is a profile of Thae Jong Su: Date of Birth

Unknown Place of Birth

Unknow n Current Titles

Cabinet vice premier; WPK CC department director; chief secretary of the
South Hamgyo'ng Provincial Party Committee; and WPK CC alternate member
Academic Background

Mangyo'ngdae Revolutionary School Career Highlights

- 1970: North P'yo'ngan Provincial Party Committee secretary

- 1976: Hu'ich'o'n Precision Machine Plant manager

- December 1979: Ro T'ae-so'k State Funeral Committee member

- Oct 1980: WPK CC alternate member

- 2003: Taean Heavy Machine Complex Party Committee chief secretary

- October 2007: Cabinet vice premier

- October 2008: Pak So'ng-ch'o'l State Funeral Committee member

- April 2009: Hong So'ng-nam State Funeral Committee member

- August 2009: South Hamgyo'ng Provincial Party Committee chief secretary

- June 2010: WPK CC department director Major Activities

- March 1969: Attends a Sinu'iju mass rally to support the Vietnamese
people's national salvati on struggle against the United States

- August 1970: Attends a meeting to mark the 20th founding anniversary of
the Ch'o'llima Disabled Soldiers Home

- May 1980: Greets a DPRK metal industry delegation returning from a visit
to Romania

- October 1980: Participates in a debate session on summing up work on the
third day of the Sixth Party Congress

- January 2004: Attends a Taean Heavy Machine Complex employees' rally to
implement the tasks presented in New Year's Joint Editorial

- October 2007: Present when Kim Jong Il receives participants to
celebratory events marking the 60th founding anniversary of the
Mangyo'ngdae Revolutionary School and Kang Pan-so'k Revolutionary School

- December 2007: Attends a central report meeting at the 25 April Hall of
Culture to mark the 16th anniversary of Kim Jong Il's election as Korean
People's Army (KPA) supreme commander

- December 2007: Attends a central report meeting at the 25 April Hal l of
Culture to mark the 90th birth anniversary of Kim Cho'ng-suk (Kim Jong
Suk)

- February 2008: Attends and watches youth and students' lunar New Year's
meeting -- "Oh, We Have Nothing To Envy in This World"-- at the
Mangyo'ngdae Schoolchildren's Palace

- March 2008: Attends a youth rally marking Arbor Day at the Munsubong
Revolutionary Site

- April 2008: Attends a fruit farms' socialist competition meeting

- April 2008: Visits Mangyo'ngdae with high-level cadres to mark Kim Il
Sung's (Kim Il-so'ng) birth anniversary

- April 2008: Lays flowers in front of Kang Pan-so'k's statue at the
Ch'ilgol Revolutionary Site to mark her 116th birth anniversary

- July 2008: Offers flowers commemorating Kim Hyo'ng-chik's 114th birth
anniversary

- July 2008: Lays flowers in front of the Kang Pan-so'k grave to mark her
76th death anniversary

- September 2008: Watches the general art performance "A Very Good
Country, Ind eed" by kindergartners from across the country to celebrate
the DPRK's 60th founding anniversary

- November 2008: Appears on the rostrum at a central memorial service to
mark the 50th death anniversary of revolutionary fighter Ryu Kyo'ng-su
(Ryu Kyong Su)

- March 2009: Attends a builders rally to complete the construction of the
Hu'ngnam Fertilizer Complex gasification and ammonia production processes

- April 2009: Delivers a report at rally of Hu'ich'o'n Power Plant
builders in Chagang Province to implement Kim Jong Il's on-the-spot
guidance instructions

- August 2009: Attends a report meeting to mark the first anniversary of
Kim Jong Il's on-the-spot guidance to South Hamgyo'ng Province

- August 2009: Accompanies Kim Jong Il to the performance, "Sentry Under
Neon Light"

- August 2009: Delivers a report at a report meeting marking the 60th
anniversary of Kim Il Sung's on-the-spot guidance to South Hamgyo'ng
Province
- September 2009: Delivers a report at a report meeting marking the 10th
anniversary of Kim Jong Il's on-the-spot guidance to South Hamgyo'ng
Province

- November 2009: Attends a working people's meeting to implement Kim Jong
Il's on-the-spot remarks

- February 2010: Accompanies Kim Jong Il on on-the-spot guidance to 8
February Vinalon Complex

- April 2010: Party secretary Kim Chung-rin's (Kim Jung Rin) State Funeral
Committee member

- June 2010: Accompanies Kim Jong Il on on-the-spot guidance to the work
of various sectors in North P'yo'ngan Province

Sources: South Korean National Intelligence Service website; South Korean
Unification Ministry's annual publication Key Figures of North Korea 2010
; and DPRK media

(Description of Source: Pyongyang Korean Central Broadcasting Station in
Korean -- DPRK state-run domestic radio network)

This OSC product is based exclusively on the content and behavior of
selected media and ha s not been coordinated with other US Government
components.

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

97) Back to Top
Earth-friendly Firms Minus The Green - JoongAng Daily Online
Friday June 25, 2010 00:41:56 GMT
(JOONGANG ILBO) - Local environment-friendly firms want to grow but don't
know how to access so-called green financing, a new survey shows.

The Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry asked 300 green industry firms
about expansion plans, and 80 percent said they would like to grow. Of
these, however, 36 percent said money was a problem. They also cited a
lack of infrastructure and basic technology. Green businesses include
manufacturing and service sector firms that are environmentally friendly,
use less energy and produce fewer carbon emissions. Green finance refers
to both public and private funds set aside for such firms.Most of those
surveyed - 79.7 percent - think green financing is crucial, but only 14.4
percent had experience using it. Those who hadn't used the funds said they
did not know how to apply, that the process was unnecessarily complicated
and that the government does not promote their use."Many of the green
industry firms need green finance, but they are not using it," the chamber
said in a release. "The government and financial institutions should
provide information to businesses and provide them with the financial
support they need."Firms suggested that the government create additional
green funds, improve infrastructure, develop carbon-emission exchanges and
increase tax benefits for green industries."Green fin ance is a very
important source of funding," said Lee Dong-keun, vice chairman of the
chamber. "In order to boost Korea's green industry, the government should
promote green finance as a new growth industry so that more green
investment takes place."(Description of Source: Seoul JoongAng Daily
Online in English -- Website of English-language daily which provides
English-language summaries and full-texts of items published by the major
center-right daily JoongAng Ilbo, as well as unique reportage; distributed
as an insert to the Seoul edition of the International Herald Tribune;
URL: http://joongangdaily.joins.com)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

98) Back to Top
Asse mbly Tumult Over Protest Law - JoongAng Daily Online
Friday June 25, 2010 00:41:54 GMT
(JOONGANG ILBO) -

Korea's ruling party and opposition lawmakers are butting heads over a
revision to a law that limits the hours during which protests can be
held.The current law bans outdoor public demonstrations from dusk to dawn.
Last September, the Constitutional Court ruled the law unconstitutional
and ordered the government to revise it by June 30. If the current law
isn't revised by the deadline, all outdoor demonstrations, no matter what
time they take place, will be legal.The ruling GNP has proposed a revision
that bans demonstrations from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m., saying people's sleep
shouldn't be disrupted. "What's the point of protesting when everyone else
is sleeping?" asked GNP floor leader Kim Moo-sung yesterday.The opposition
Democratic Party, however, says that is still too strict, and wants to ban
outdoor protests from midnight to 6 a.m., and only in residential areas
and near military installations. The Labor Party wants outdoor
demonstrations allowed 24/7.The National Assembly's 24-member Public
Administration and Security Committee held a meeting yesterday to debate
the revision of the bill. The committee has 13 GNP legislators, seven DP
lawmakers and four members from other opposition parties. That means that
GNP legislators have the power to pass the bill without the other parties'
consent.A morning meeting went into recess after DP lawmakers opposed the
GNP's attempt to railroad the bill through. At a subsequent meeting around
2:35 p.m., when committee leader An Kyung-ryul left the room, DP lawmaker
Lee Seok-hyun suddenly occupied An's seat in a bid to disrupt the
proceedings, while five fellow DP lawmakers surrounded him to block any
attempt to dislodge him."Please leave the seat. The ruling and opposition
party leaders are still in negotiation," An said. Lee demanded that An
promise the committee wouldn't try to pass the bill without the opposition
members' consent.The meeting adjourned and will reconvene tomorrow. "If we
don't pass the revised bill this time, the whole country will become
lawless beginning July 1," said one GNP lawmaker who declined to be
named.(Description of Source: Seoul JoongAng Daily Online in English --
Website of English-language daily which provides English-language
summaries and full-texts of items published by the major center-right
daily JoongAng Ilbo, as well as unique reportage; distributed as an insert
to the Seoul edition of the International Herald Tribune; URL:
http://joongangdaily.joins.com)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

</ a>99) Back to Top
Nanya Hopes To Raise NT$10bn With Share Sale
Article by By Lisa Wang from the "Business" page: "Nanya Hopes To Raise
NT$10bn With Share Sale" - Taipei Times Online
Friday June 25, 2010 00:36:50 GMT
GE:

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/biz/archives/2010/06/25/2003476367
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/biz/archives/2010/06/25/20034763 67

TITLE: Nanya hopes to raise NT$10bn with share saleSECTION:
BusinessAUTHOR: By Lisa WangPUBDATE: STAFF REPORTERFriday, Jun 25, 2010,
Page 12(TAIPEI TIMES) - AHEAD OF SCHEDULE: Nanya started using 42
nanometer technology this month, which will help to reduce manufacturing
costs for the firm by 30 percentBy Lisa WangSTAFF REPORTERFriday, Jun 25,
2010, Page 12

Nanya Technology Corp, the nation's biggest computer memory chipmaker, s
aid yesterday its board has approved a plan to sell 600 million shares to
finance capacity expansion and repay debts.

The chipmaker aims to raise between NT$10 billion (US$310.4 million) and
NT$20 billion from the share sale and hopes to complete the deal at the
end of the next quarter. Part of the proceeds would be used to buy new
equipment enabling migration to next-generation technologies, the company
said. COMPETITION Nanya Technology this month started using 42 nanometer
technology, three months ahead of schedule, helping it better compete with
rivals, company spokesman Pai Pei-lin told reporters on the sidelines of
the shareholders' meeting.South Korean memory chip giant Samsung
Electronics Co said it has ramped up production on 40 nanometer technology
in the first quarter of this year.The new-generation technology would help
Nanya Technology reduce manufacturing costs by 30 percent compared with 50
nanometer technology, Pai said.The company is scheduled to ramp up
production in the final quarter of this year using the 42 nanometer
technology, he said.Technology migration is expected to enable Nanya
Technology to quicken its pace of output growth by between 20 percent and
30 percent quarter-on--quarter in the July-to-September period, the
company said. OUTPUT INCREASE In the first quarter, Nanya Technology's
output increased 10 percent quarter-on-quarter. For the full year, output
would grow by 45 percent from last year, it said.Pai also gave a positive
outlook for the second half of the year.Demand before November looks
robust after the recent emergence of PC replacement demand from
corporations, while the traditional shopping sprees in September and
during the Christmas holidays are also expected to support chip demand,
Pai said.However, chip prices are expected to fall in a narrow range in
the near term as an uptrend in contract chip prices began to fade over the
past few months, Pai said.Separately, Nanya Technology plans to sp eed up
diversification efforts to reduce price erosion. It hopes new mobile
memory chips will make up 10 percent of its revenues next year, from
between 1 percent and 3 percent this year.Currently, computer memory chips
make up 70 percent of Nanya Technology's revenues.(Description of Source:
Taipei Taipei Times Online in English -- Website of daily English-language
sister publication of Tzu-yu Shih-pao (Liberty Times), generally supports
pan-green parties and issues; URL: http://www.taipeitimes.com)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

100) Back to Top
HTC To Change Smartphone Displays Due to Supply Shortage
Report by Jin Hyun-joo - The Korea Herald Online
Thursday June 24, 2010 11:51:16 GMT
HTC, the maker of Google's Nexus One smartphone, plans to switch the
phone's display from AM-OLED to LCD because of a supply shortage of the
component, according to KT, a Korean mobile carrier which plans to sell
the device next month here.HTC, a Taiwanese smartphone maker, also looks
to replace the AM-OLED displays of the Desire and the Incredible smart
phones because of supply issues regarding the parts produced by Samsung
Mobile Display, a local report said."Google Nexus One, which will be
produced after July will be equipped with SCLD (Super TFT LCD) and sold
worldwide," KT said in a consumer notice on its website on Wednesday. It
said the new display was produced by Sony.KT said the change came as
Google and HTC have decided to alter the production standard of Nexus One,
but did not elaborate further.Samsung, the world's No. 2 handset maker, is
to blame for th e tight supply of AM-OLED displays, analysts said. The
Korean company is aggressively pushing for sales of its smartphone Galaxy
S equipped with AM-OLED displays, gobbling up the component supply.
Samsung Mobile Display, a joint venture of Samsung Electronics and Samsung
SDI, controls 98 percent of the global AM-OLED display market."For Samsung
Mobile Display, there may be not enough AM-OLED displays to supply to
companies other than its affiliate Samsung Electronics," Kim Sung-in, an
analyst at Kiwoom Securities, said.He expected sales of the Galaxy S to
reach around 10-15 million units in the latter half of this year. Samsung
Mobile Display has an annual production capacity of 35 million units."Our
AM-OLED display production lines are running at full capacity," a Samsung
Mobile Display spokesperson said.To cope with surging demand, Samsung
looks to increase its monthly output capacity by 10-fold to 30 million
units (for 3-inch mobile AM-OLED displays) i n July 2011 when its
so-called 5.5 generation line is completed, with an investment of 2.5
trillion won. Samsung Mobile Display on Tuesday held a ground-breaking
ceremony for the new line in Tangjeong, South Chungcheong Province.The
display shortage has forced KT to delay the launch of the Nexus One in
Korea from late June to the end of July, setting back its bid to keep its
smartphone momentum ahead of the iPhone 4 launch in July.In a preemptive
move, its key rival SK Telecom has launched sales of HTC's Desire, which
is called the twin of Nexus One, and plans to introduce the Galaxy S this
Friday.SK Telecom is allying with Samsung Electronics, HTC and other
handset makers to fight back against KT, which has taken the lead in the
local smartphone market with its exclusive sales of the iPhone.The change
of the Nexus One display could spark consumer complaints over
"downgrading" of the specification of the product. An AM-OLED display --
active matrix organic light em itting diode display -- features a thinner
screen with clearer images and consumes less power than its LCD
equivalent.In a bid to calm possible consumer woes, KT claimed in the
notice that SLCD consumes less power and offers higher resolution than
AM-OLED display, although it has a lower contrast ratio."S-LCD is a new
display technology which has merits in power efficiency, web-surfing and
text readability," KT said in the notice."AMOLED and SLCD are different
technological methods which have their respective strengths and weakness,"
KT said.HTC CEO Peter Chou did not respond to an e-mail by The Korea
Herald on the display change. A spokesperson for HTC Korea was also not
available for comment.Meanwhile, Apple's upcoming 4G iPhone is suffering a
shortage of its "Retina display" because of the low yield for the
high-resolution display produced by LG Display, an analyst claimed
Friday."Our supply chain checks indicate that our earlier monthly shipment
estimate of 4 million units have been reset by about half, according to
Ashok Kumar, an analyst at Rodman &amp; Renshaw Inc.An LG Displ ay
spokesperson declined to comment.

(Description of Source: Seoul The Korea Herald Online in English --
Website of the generally pro-government English-language daily The Korea
Herald; URL: http://www.koreaherald.co.kr)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

101) Back to Top
New Exhibitions, Conventions in ROK
Updated version: Adding text dropped by auto-release program; Original
headline: "2010. 6. 25 New Exhibitions And Conventions" - JoongAng Daily
Online
Friday June 25, 2010 04:38:33 GMT
COEX, southern SeoulWednesday to July 2: Under the slogan, "Land and
transport of hope, and maritime heading toward the future," many of the
MLTM's R&amp;D developments in eco-friendly technology will be displayed
and promoted. Members from MLTM's R&amp;D team will take part as well as
related companies to expedite the exchange of information on eco-friendly
"green" technology.Go to Samseong Station, line No. 2, exit 5. For more
information, call (02) 3460-4062 or visit

http://mltmrnd2010.or.kr http://mltmrnd2010.or.kr.SEOUL AUTO SALON 2010
SEOUL AUTO SERVICES 2010COEXThursday to July 4: The time has come for all
you auto lovers. In its eighth year, the Seoul Auto Salon 2010, which will
be held with the Seoul Auto Services 2010, will quench the thirst of all
auto fans from displays of "supercars" to tuning supplies. As one of the
nation's largest auto events, the Auto Salon will focus on the vehicle
itself by displaying various cars that will make your eyes roll, along
with decoration supplies. The Auto Service will focus on parts and
supplies to enhance your car. It will also include a used-car market. This
huge event will be even more attractive with tuning design contests, a
racing queen contest and various other seminars and displays.For more
information, call (02) 6000-1512 or visit www.seoulautosalon.com.2010 SBS
PLAY-SCIENCE EXHIBITIONKintex, Goyang, GyeonggiSaturday to August 22: This
will be a great exhibition for all children wanting to experience cars and
an eco-friendly environment. Children will learn the working mechanisms of
cars and also play games in specialized areas. There will also be an
eco-friendly zone, which will allow the children to experience the
changing world through creative play.Go to Daehwa Station, line No. 3,
exit 1. For more information, call (02) 461-0283 or visit
www.sbslovei.com.(Description of Source : Seoul JoongAng Daily Online in
English -- Website of English-language daily which provides
English-language summaries and full-texts of items published by the major
center-right daily JoongAng Ilbo, as well as unique reportage; distributed
as an insert to the Seoul edition of the International Herald Tribune;
URL: http://joongangdaily.joins.com)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

102) Back to Top
Online Issuance of Official Documents to Be Expanded - Chosun Ilbo Online
Friday June 25, 2010 03:45:00 GMT
(CHOSUN ILBO) -

The Ministry of Public Administration and Security said that from Fr iday
people can get copies of land registration maps and land usage
certifications online.The government website for civil affairs, at
www.egov.go.kr, can now issue the documents usually used in real estate
transaction and leasing contracts. Until now, they were only allowed for
viewing online, not download.The website of the Seoul city government's
Korea Land Information Service will also issue the documents starting next
month.People will also be able to get download car registration documents
from July 5.

(Description of Source: Seoul Chosun Ilbo Online in English -- English
website carrying English summaries and full translations of vernacular
hard copy items of the largest and oldest daily Chosun Ilbo, which is
conservative in editorial orientation -- strongly nationalistic,
anti-North Korea, and generally pro-US; URL: http://english.chosun.com)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be o btained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

103) Back to Top
GM Daewoo to Launch New Alpheon Luxury Sedan in Sept.: Official - Yonhap
Friday June 25, 2010 03:02:38 GMT
GM Daewoo-new vehicle

GM Daewoo to launch new Alpheon luxury sedan in Sept.: officialSEOUL, June
25 (Yonhap) -- GM Daewoo Auto &amp; Technology, the South Korean unit of
U.S. automaker General Motors, will likely begin selling its new luxury
sedan, the Alpheon, in September, shortly after its scheduled introduction
to local media, an executive of GM Daewoo said Friday.The Alpheon, a
localized version of General Motors' Buick LaCrosse, will be unveiled in a
media launch program slated for Aug. 18, the company official told Yonhap
News Agency.&qu ot;The company will likely begin selling the Alpheon
sometime in September as the media launch program is scheduled for
August," he said, asking not to be identified.The new vehicle is expected
to help further increase GM Daewoo's growing market share."I am confident
that the Alpheon will surpass the demands of the most sophisticated luxury
sedan buyers in Korea," Mike Arcamone, head of GM Daewoo,
said.(Description of Source: Seoul Yonhap in English -- Semiofficial news
agency of the ROK; URL: http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

104) Back to Top
S. Korean Banks to Unveil List of Nonviable Firms - Yonhap
Friday June 25, 2010 02:30:04 GMT
S. Korean banks to unveil list of nonviable firms

SEOUL, June 25 (Yonhap) -- South Korean banks were to announce Friday a
list of liquidity-squeezed large companies and builders that will face
tougher corporate revamps, financial sources said.Six local creditor banks
will likely revamp a total of 65 ailing companies in a bid to prevent
their potential defaults from denting the recovery momentum of the
economy, according to the sources. The list is due out at 3 p.m.Since May,
they have been assessing credit risks of large firms whose bank loans
surpass 50 billion won (US$41.8 million). They have also reviewed the
health of 300 construction firms on the basis of their building
capacity.According to the sources, a total of 16 troubled builders, which
are suffering from a severe cash crunch due to a pileup of unsold homes,
are included in the list.The move comes amid continued calls for the need
to accelerate corporate restructuring because a delay could hurt the
health of the local economy, which is recovering at a faster-than-expected
pace.Financially troubled companies are under fire for dragging their feet
in restructuring themselves, on belief that they could survive with the
passage of time.Local banks have also been lukewarm about weeding out
ailing firms because doing so jacks up bad debt and hurts their financial
health.

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

105) Back to Top
Samsung Life Earnings Forecast to Top 1 Tln Won This Year - Yonhap
Friday June 25, 2010 01:30:27 GMT
Samsung Life earnings forecast to top 1 tln won this year

SEOUL, June 25 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's biggest life insurer, Samsung
Life Insurance Co., is forecast to chalk up a net profit of more than 1
trillion won (US$832.3 billion) for fiscal 2010, driven by a rebounding
economy, analysts said Friday.The life insurer booked 906.1 billion won in
net earnings in fiscal 2009, which ended on March 31, 2010, and the
analysts see its profit widening this year, given the firm's rising
business performance.Samsung Life registered 14.5 percent on-year growth
in April in insurance premiums that policy holders pay in the first month
after buying insurance, with the May figure showing a similarly strong
performance, they said.The life insurer, affiliated with IT giant Samsung
Electronics Co., has also earned around 460 billion won in special income
from a debt repayment, according to them.While some experts foresee
Samsung Life's net profit reaching as high as 1.3 trill ion won for fiscal
2010, any result above the 1 trillion won mark will cement the firm as the
first local insurer to achieve the feat.As of last year, only 12 firms
reported net earnings more than 1 trillion won in South Korea, including
Samsung Electronics, top auto maker Hyundai Motor Co. and leading
steelmaker POSCO.As the company ramps up efforts to further boost
profitability, it has received voluntary applications for early retirement
from employees in recent months."A 10-percent cut in the workforce could
lead to an annual cost reduction of 80 billion won," an analyst at Dongbu
Securities Co. said. "Rising profitability and the economy of scale will
make it possible for Samsung Life to post over 1 trillion won in net
profit this year."

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of C
ommerce.

106) Back to Top
Ex-pm Summoned in 900m Won Bribe Probe - JoongAng Daily Online
Friday June 25, 2010 00:41:57 GMT
(JOONGANG ILBO) - Prosecutors asked former Prime Minister Han Myeong-sook
to appear for questioning this morning on allegations that she pocketed
900 million won ($757,000) from a former construction company owner in
2007.

According to Han's aides, however, there's slim chance the meeting will
take place because Han refuses to cooperate. Prosecutors said that they
are considering seeking an indictment without questioning Han.Prosecutors
at Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office have obtained testimony from
Han Man-ho - former head of the bankrupt firm Hansin Gunyoung - his driver
and his accounting clerk saying that the former prime minister receive d a
total of 900 million won in cash, checks and U.S. dollars in March, April
and August 2007 for aid in winning state-funded construction projects.Han
told prosecutors that he placed a carry-on bag containing cash in the
trunk of Han Myeong-sook's car in a parking lot in Ilsan, Gyeonggi.
Prosecutors asked the businessman to re-enact the delivery and filmed the
scene.Han Man-ho is in jail for embezzlement and other charges since his
company went bankrupt.On allegations that the former prime minister
returned 200 million won to the construction company owner, prosecutors
questioned one of her aides, surnamed Kim, who reportedly explained to
investigators that Han Myeong-sook received 300 million won as a donation
for the Democratic Party's presidential primary in 2007, but she returned
200 million won and kept the rest.Prosecutors believe Kim returned 200
million won wrapped in black vinyl bags to Han Man-ho's staff.Democratic
Party spokesman Woo Sang-ho demanded that prosecu tors halt what he called
a "politically-motivated investigation.""We're outraged at the prosecution
as they are still trying to oppress a political opponent despite the
public sentiment shown in the June 2 local elections," Woo
said.(Description of Source: Seoul JoongAng Daily Online in English --
Website of English-language daily which provides English-language
summaries and full-texts of items published by the major center-right
daily JoongAng Ilbo, as well as unique reportage; distributed as an insert
to the Seoul edition of the International Herald Tribune; URL:
http://joongangdaily.joins.com)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

107) Back to Top
Foreigners Sna p Up Korean Bonds - JoongAng Daily Online
Friday June 25, 2010 00:41:57 GMT
(JOONGANG ILBO) - Foreign investors' ownership of Korean state bonds is
expected to reach up to 19 percent by the end of this year as they are
likely to continue to pour money into the local debt market, a report said
yesterday.

According to the report by the Korea Institute of Finance, foreign
holdings of outstanding government debt and monetary stabilization bonds
are expected to rise to 15 to 19 percent by the end of the year, up from
13 percent as of the end of 2009.Foreign investors are likely to put as
much as 33 trillion won ($27.8 billion) into the state bonds this year,
pushing up the value of their bond holdings to a maximum 89 trillion won,
the report said.Offshore investors increased their holdings of such debts
by 20 trillion won in 2009, the report added.Foreign investment in Korean
state de bt will be bolstered by the potential inclusion of the state
bonds in the World Government Bond Index compiled by Citigroup, which is
forecast to announce the result later this month or in July.The upgrade of
Korea's sovereign rating by Moody's Investors Service in April and the
local currency's upward trajectory will also help attract foreign
buyers.Moody's lifted Korea's credit rating by one notch to "A1," the
fifth-highest out of 10 investment grades, citing the nation's
"exceptional level" of economic resilience to the global
crisis.(Description of Source: Seoul JoongAng Daily Online in English --
Website of English-language daily which provides English-language
summaries and full-texts of items published by the major center-right
daily JoongAng Ilbo, as well as unique reportage; distributed as an insert
to the Seoul edition of the International Herald Tribune; URL:
http://joongangdaily.joins.com)

Material in the World News Connection is genera lly copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

108) Back to Top
ROKG Winds Up Its Emergency Economic Policies - JoongAng Daily Online
Friday June 25, 2010 00:30:50 GMT
(JOONGANG ILBO) - The government has decided that emergency measures to
shield the economy from the global financial crisis can be wound down now
that growth is buoyant. But it said it will continue and even increase
efforts to help the underprivileged, entrepreneurs and small businesses.

According to Minister of Strategy and Finance Yoon Jeung-hyun, Korea's
economy will grow 5.8 percent this year thanks to healthy exports and
capital investment, which is higher than the ministry's Decem ber estimate
of 5 percent growth. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and
Development has also predicted 5.8 percent growth for 2010, higher than
the Bank of Korea's 5.2 percent projection or the International Monetary
Fund's 4.5 percent estimate."The figure is not a goal but an outlook,"
Yoon said at a joint press conference with heads of other ministries at
the government complex in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi, yesterday. "Without special
circumstances, we'll be able to achieve 5.8 percent growth. It could be
even higher."Local consumption and corporate investment are expected to
grow 4.6 percent and 15.6 percent, respectively, and exports will increase
25 percent, the finance ministry said. The number of newly employed is
expected to be 300,000 this year, 50,000 more than anticipated. Consumer
prices are likely to rise 3 percent this year, with growing inflationary
pressure.The economy grew 8.1 percent in the first quarter from a year
earlier, the highest among the OECD countries, and the government
predicted a 6.3 percent on-year growth for the second quarter. Asked
whether the government would implement an "exit strategy" from the
emergency measures used to fight the global economic crisis, including a
hiking of interest rates, Yoon said the decision will depend on the
economy's performance in the second quarter and will be made by the
monetary policy committee.Yoon, however, expressed concern that the poor
were gaining least from the recovery. "The poor are usually the hardest
hit by an economic slump but they are the last to benefit from economic
recovery," Yoon said.To protect the less privileged, an increase in the
rise of public utility rates will be minimized if possible, the ministry
said. This echoes President Lee Myung-bak's recommendation yesterday to
economic policy makers.Despite the common goal of helping the poor and
reviving the economy, there were some differences between ministries expr
essed at the press conference. The finance ministry said earlier it hoped
to allow for-profit hospitals in free economic zones but the health
ministry said it would oppose such a move unless there are policies in
place to prevent problems."If for-profit hospitals are allowed in the
country, small hospitals in provincial areas could go bankrupt and there
is a high likelihood of increases in medical bills," said Jeon Jae-hee,
minister of health and welfare. "The health ministry is drawing up
policies to avoid negative outcomes but it has been very difficult. "The
economic policies announced for the latter half of the year include:*
Providing jobs for young adults and seniors. The government will continue
offering public sector jobs under the Hope Works program.* Improving the
social safety net.* Finding growth engines.* Lowering the income tax for
temporary workers to 6 percent from current 8 percent.* Encouraging mobile
telecom carriers to charge fees on a 1-second basis instead of a 10-second
basis to lower phone bills.* Boosting health insurance coverage to include
MRI scans and cancer treatment.* Despite the depressed real estate market,
the government will continue to enforce the loan-to-value (LTV) and
debt-to-income (DTI) rules on real estate loans to prevent household debt
from growing too fast.(Description of Source: Seoul JoongAng Daily Online
in English -- Website of English-language daily which provides
English-language summaries and full-texts of items published by the major
center-right daily JoongAng Ilbo, as well as unique reportage; distributed
as an insert to the Seoul edition of the International Herald Tribune;
URL: http://joongangdaily.joins.com)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

109) Back to Top
Radio Chip Roots Out High-priced Rip-offs - JoongAng Daily Online
Friday June 25, 2010 00:46:02 GMT
(JOONGANG ILBO) - Last year, 6 million bottles of domestically distributed
whiskey was fake, or 10 percent of the total 1 trillion won ($842 million)
in whiskey sales. But a door has opened that will allow people to use cell
phones to confirm the authenticity of whiskey and other products.

SK Telecom, the nation's leading service provider, announced yesterday the
development of the world's first universal subscriber identity module, or
USIM, embedded with a 900 megahertz radio-frequency identity reader, or
RFID.Every cell phone contains a USIM card, and the ones developed by SKT
can read the radio waves emitted by the tags attached to whiskey and other
products.Until now, consumers needed a separa te device to read the
tags.RFID readers connect to the product maker's server through a 3G or
Wi-Fi network and provide information such as place of origin, delivery
destination, expiration date and also whether the product is genuine.The
Ministry of Knowledge Economy started the "Mobile RFID Smart Project" in
July 2009, and drew on SKT's experience in information and communications
technology.The new USIM cards are expected to cost between 30,000 and
40,000 won, compared to 200,000 won for the readers now on the
market.Given the lower price and portability, related businesses are
expected to boom.The technology will be tested by Incheon International
Airport's Air Logistics Management Service starting in August.SK expects
to make it available to the public in 2011. They plan to use it in
industries including air logistics, medical supplies, liquor and
clothing.(Description of Source: Seoul JoongAng Daily Online in English --
Website of English-language daily which provides English-language
summaries and full-texts of items published by the major center-right
daily JoongAng Ilbo, as well as unique reportage; distributed as an insert
to the Seoul edition of the International Herald Tribune; URL:
http://joongangdaily.joins.com)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

110) Back to Top
Hyundai Group Fires Back in Creditor Feud With KEB - JoongAng Daily Online
Friday June 25, 2010 00:36:52 GMT
(JOONGANG ILBO) - In a breakup gone bad, Hyundai Group wants to replace
Korea Exchange Bank as its main creditor, and KEB isn't going peacefully.

Hyundai Group respon ded yesterday to KEB's previous statement that the
size of a credit limit has never been a reason for changing main creditor
banks.To refute the claim, Hyundai Group released its own statement
detailing cases where groups have changed main creditor banks. According
to the statement, both SK Group switched its main creditor bank from Korea
First Bank (now SC First Bank) to Hana Bank, and Lotte Group changed its
main creditor bank from Hanvit Bank (now Woori Bank) to Cho Hung Bank (now
Shinhan Bank) in 2002 .Both Dongbu Group and Dongkuk Steel Group switched
their main creditor banks from Seoul Bank (now Hana Bank) to Korea
Development Bank in 2002 as well. Hanjin Group and Tong Yang Group changed
their main creditor banks from Woori Bank to KDB in 2004, while Kumho
Asiana Group switched its from Cho Hung Bank to KDB in the same year.In
the statement, Hyundai Group said a Financial Supervisory Service official
previously said, "When a bank that holds a small amount of bon ds becomes
a group's main creditor, the bank has a tendency to let problems the group
faces slip instead of taking responsibility and resolving them."Hyundai
Group's demand to change creditors is due to what it calls KEB's
misappraisal and small credit line. Hyundai says KEB did not reflect the
group's improved business outlook on Hyundai Merchant Marine for the
second half of 2010 in its evaluation of Hyundai Group, and the bank's
credit line is limited to 160 billion won ($135 million).(Description of
Source: Seoul JoongAng Daily Online in English -- Website of
English-language daily which provides English-language summaries and
full-texts of items published by the major center-right daily JoongAng
Ilbo, as well as unique reportage; distributed as an insert to the Seoul
edition of the International Herald Tribune; URL:
http://joongangdaily.joins.com)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be o btained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

111) Back to Top
Investors Rally Behind Construction Market - JoongAng Daily Online
Friday June 25, 2010 00:41:54 GMT
(JOONGANG ILBO) - Share prices of construction companies and their credit
banks rallied yesterday, ahead of the release of a list of builders that
may have to undergo restructuring. A total of 16 construction firms,
including nine subject to workout programs and seven set to undergo court
receivership, will be given grades of C or D today, according to an
industry source.

The construction sector rose by 3.25 percent in the local stock market
yesterday, the biggest rise since the end of April. By firm, Samsung
Construction &amp; Trading finished 1.68 percent higher at 54,600 won
($45.80), Hyundai Engineering &amp; Construction ended up 2.43 percent at
59,000 won, GS Engineering &amp; Construction rose 3.11 percent to close
at 83,000 won and Daewoo Engineering &amp; Construction surged 5.83
percent to close at 10,900 won."Uncertainties have been somewhat removed
by the restructuring (announcement) because it will positively influence
investor sentiment for the short-term," said Jun Yong-ki, a researcher
with Meritz Securities.Along with the construction industry, the banking
sector also rallied on growing expectations that creditor banks may not
need to inject additional funds into construction firms once restructuring
begins. By bank, Hana Financial Group rose 3.2 percent to close at 33,900
won, KB Financial Group finished 0.82 percent higher at 49,450 won and
Woori Financial Group ended up 0.66 percent at 15,300 won.Creditor banks
plan to announce the results of credit evaluations on the top 300 lo cal
constructions firms by construction capacity later today. Firms will be
given grades from A to D, with A being normal, B being a temporary
shortage in liquidity, C being subject to a workout program and D being a
candidate for court receivership. With around 20 construction firms
expected to receive C's or D's, share prices of construction firms,
especially smaller ones, have been dropping in the past few weeks.Analysts
believe large construction companies have a higher chance of winning
orders because some smaller firms are likely to undergo workout programs
or court receivership.But analysts think the rebound in the construction
sector is just temporary.A researcher from KB Investment &amp; Securities
warned investors to consider a construction stock's overall characters
since, "They can rise all at once but can also drop all at once."Another
researcher with Shinhan Investment Corp, Yoo Sung-mo said, "It (the rise)
is believed to reflect an expectati on that risks that have been
pressuring the market will be eased once the list of construction firms to
undergo workout programs is announced."(Description of Source: Seoul
JoongAng Daily Online in English -- Website of English-language daily
which provides English-language summaries and full-texts of items
published by the major center-right daily JoongAng Ilbo, as well as unique
reportage; distributed as an insert to the Seoul edition of the
International Herald Tribune; URL: http://joongangdaily.joins.com)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

112) Back to Top
Appeal Trial Begins For Disgraced Cloning Scientist - Dong-A Ilbo Online
Frida y June 25, 2010 00:52:06 GMT
(DONG-A ILBO) - An appeals court began a trial Thursday for disgraced
cloning scientist Hwang U-so'k (Hwang Woo-suk) eight months after he was
sentenced to a suspended prison sentence of two years for embezzlement and
trading human eggs for experiments.

At the trial, Hwang's attorney said the research funds his client used
were invested in his cloning research, claiming Hwang did not embezzle
government money but failed to take the proper procedure for the funds'
diversion.

In addition, the defense called it "unfair" to define the coverage of the
funds used in the process of collecting eggs as paid transactions by
Hwang's team.

Once hailed as a national hero for his pioneering achievements in stem
cell research, the former Seoul National University professor was indicted
in May 2006 after admitting to fabricating his research papers and getting
private and state funds by falsifying the results of his
patient-customized stem cell research.

(Description of Source: Seoul Dong-A Ilbo Online in English -- English
website carrying English summaries and full translation of vernacular hard
copy items of the second-oldest major ROK daily Dong-A Ilbo, which is
conservative in editorial orientation -- generally pro-US, anti-North
Korea; URL: http://english.donga.com)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

113) Back to Top
BOK Reduces Loan Pool For Smaller Businesses - JoongAng Daily Online
Friday June 25, 2010 00:41:58 GMT
(JOONGANG ILBO) - Korea's central bank yes terday lowered the ceiling on
soft loans to small firms for the third quarter as part of efforts to
normalize emergency steps.

The Bank of Korea's monetary policy committee decided to cut the cap by
1.5 trillion won ($1.3 billion) to 8.5 trillion won.It raised the cap by a
combined 3.5 trillion won to 10 trillion won between October 2008 and
March 2009 in a bid to help smaller companies cope with a funding squeeze
sparked by the global financial crisis.The loans, which the BOK extends
through commercial banks to small and medium enterprises, carry an annual
interest rate of 1.25 percent. The loan cap is determined on a quarterly
basis.The central bank has said that it plans to gradually lower the cap
by taking into account the financial market conditions, a move aimed at
normalizing unconventional measures adopted to fight the financial
crisis.Experts say the move comes as the BOK is mulling the timing of a
rate hike amid its head's warning against inflation risks in the second
half.BOK Governor Kim Choong-soo said the long streak of low rates carries
risk of sparking inflation and causing asset price bubbles, signaling that
a potential rate hike is not far off.The central bank froze the key
interest rate at a record low of 2 percent for the 16th straight month on
June 10.The Bank of Korea raised the ceiling in November 2008 from 6.5
trillion won to 9 trillion won.It further added 1 trillion won in March
last year as a move to boost the nation's economy struggling from the
global crisis.(Description of Source: Seoul JoongAng Daily Online in
English -- Website of English-language daily which provides
English-language summaries and full-texts of items published by the major
center-right daily JoongAng Ilbo, as well as unique reportage; distributed
as an insert to the Seoul edition of the International Herald Tribune;
URL: http://joongangdaily.joins.com)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cit ed. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

114) Back to Top
[SERI COLUMN] Classic Know-how Gets a Modern Spin - JoongAng Daily Online
Friday June 25, 2010 00:41:55 GMT
(JOONGANG ILBO) - Traditional technologies will have

Fifty years after embarking on a storied path to modernization Korea is
nearing the ranks of the top-10 economies in the world. In that time, the
nation's science and technology have made significant gains, though some
naysayers may say mature technologies from abroad were the main drivers of
the economy's rapid growth.Basic science and source technologies
admittedly remain relatively weak, but that does not negate the fact that
Korea is on par with advanced count ries in those areas.This begs a few
questions: Have Korea's traditional technologies affected or contributed
to modern scientific and technological development? Was there something
that could be described as science in Korea's traditional society, and if
so, how can it be used today?There is no doubt that science and technology
existed in traditional Korea. There are many science-related cultural
assets that range from premodern times to today that are familiar to most
Koreans. Indeed, some have world-class bearing.They include "Palman
Daejanggyeong," or "Tripitaka Koreana," one of the world's oldest
collection of Buddhist scriptures carved on more than 80,000 wooden
blocks; "Goryeo Cheongja," or blue celadon pottery; and movable metal-type
for printing.But despite their outstanding nature, these assets were not
widely celebrated because people from society's lower class made many of
them. The rapid inflow of Western technologies in postwar mode rnization
and industrialization further deepened the departure from traditional
technologies.But nowadays, traditional know-how is generating renewed
interest and appreciation because of its use in everyday products and
services.For example, makgeolli - a Korean rice wine made using
traditional fermentation - enjoyed a 55 percent increase in sales in 2009,
up to 200,000 tons from 130,000 the year before.Skin care products
containing Oriental medicine, like Sulwhasoo of Amore Pacific and
Sooryehan of LG Household &amp; Health Care, are now positioned firmly as
premium brands. Sulwhasoo became a best-selling cosmetic line in 2009,
beating global luxury cosmetics made by Lancome and Chanel.Their
popularity largely relies on consumer preferences for products that use
healthy, natural ingredients; a revived interest in tradition as a
response to scientific and technological advances and uncertain economic
conditions; and a better understanding of the components and functions of
traditional technology.How can these circumstances be used to develop
traditional technology? And how can such technology be used in the modern
world?Reinterpretation, improvement and convergence are three key
approaches.First, reinterpretation adds modern value to traditional
technology. Makgeolli is a prime example. The drink had a reputation for
producing bad hangovers, and it was widely regarded as
rural.Reinterpretation overcame those hackneyed views. Emphasis was put on
the merits of its fermentation technology and its ample supply of dietary
fiber, amino acid and lactic acid bacteria.Second, modern technology can
be used to improve traditional technologies. A prime example would be the
use of hanji, traditional Korean paper. It was once limited to changhoji
(traditional paper made from mulberry bark), calligraphy and crafts.But
today, it can be used to make products more environmentally-friendly and
functional. It can be used in construction materials, clothing, wa llpaper
and laminated paper.Another improvement may be seen in hanok, or Korean
traditional houses. By remodeling kitchens in a Western style and
installing insulation to keep the home at a comfortable temperature year
round, a hanok can feature modern comforts without sacrificing its
traditional ambience.The last approach is convergence. Traditional
technologies can add value to various industries and products. For
example, traditional natural dyeing can be used to make food, cosmetics,
hair dye and environmentally-friendly paint. Previously, it was only used
for textiles.The medical and beauty industries are also finding ways to
use traditional methods of fermentation. Active academic research is under
way to find cures for various illnesses, such as atopic diseases, by
fermenting ginseng and red ginseng. A shampoo was also developed using
Oriental fermentation to prevent hair loss.Once regarded simply as part of
our legacy, traditional technologies can be reinvented and u sed in a
variety of ways.On the corporate level, they can be used to add value and
for differentiation.On the governmental level, each region's traditional
technologies and resources can be commercialized to generate income in the
provinces and to raise the national image.Traditional technologies will
have moder!n value only when they continuously evolve to meet the needs of
the modern era.*The writer is a research associate at Samsung Economic
Research Institute.(Description of Source: Seoul JoongAng Daily Online in
English -- Website of English-language daily which provides
English-language summaries and full-texts of items published by the major
center-right daily JoongAng Ilbo, as well as unique reportage; distributed
as an insert to the Seoul edition of the International Herald Tribune;
URL: http://joongangdaily.joins.com)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright hol
der. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

115) Back to Top
S. Korean Consumer Sentiment Inches Up For June - Yonhap
Thursday June 24, 2010 21:08:09 GMT
S. Korean consumer sentiment inches up for June

SEOUL, June 25 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's consumer confidence edged up in
June from the previous month amid optimism about a faster-than-expected
economic recovery, the central bank said Friday.The consumer sentiment
index (CSI) -- a gauge of consumers' overall economic outlook, living
conditions and future spending -- reached 112 in June, up from 111 in the
previous month, according to the Bank of Korea (BOK).A reading above the
benchmark 100 means optimists outnumber pessimists with the index widely
used to gauge the future direction of privat e spending. The survey of
2,200 households in 56 major cities was taken from June 14-21."The June
increase came as economic data points to a faster-than-expected economic
recovery and job markets showed signs of improvements," said Jang Wan-sub,
an official at the BOK.Jang said consumers seemed to brush off a set of
negative news, including Europe's debt crisis and heightened geopolitical
risks, as they considered that their impacts would be limited on the
Korean economy.The South Korean economy grew 2.1 percent on-quarter in the
first quarter on strong consumer spending and exports. The government on
Thursday revised up its 2010 economic growth forecast to 5.8 percent from
an earlier estimate of 5 percent.The number of employed people rose by the
most in more than eight years in May. The country's jobless rate fell to
3.2 percent last month.Amid the economic rebound, consumers expected the
level of interest rates to rise, the BOK noted. A sub-index measuring
outlo oks for interest rates reached 129 in June, compared with 124 the
previous month.On June 10, BOK Gov. Kim Choong-soo warned against risks of
inflation, hinting that a potential rate hike is in the offing.The BOK
froze the key interest rate at a record low of 2 percent for the 16th
straight month in June. It cut the rate by a combined 3.25 percentage
points between October 2008 and February 2009 in a bid to help boost the
sagging economy.

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

116) Back to Top
Launch of ROK's First Geostationary Ocean Weather Satellite Delayed
Updated version: adding more details throughout per source-suppliled 1400
GMT update; replacing 2331 GMT version with source-s upplied 0202 GMT
update, which "UPDATES with more details in paras 2-8"; rewording
headline, adjusting tags, replacing 2205 GMT version with source-supplied
2331 GMT update, which "UPDATES with more details in paras 2-6"; Yonhap
headline: "Launch of S. Korea's First Geostationary Ocean-weather
Satellite Delayed" - Yonhap
Thursday June 24, 2010 20:52:03 GMT
(Description of Source: Seoul Yonhap in English -- Semiofficial news
agency of the ROK; URL: http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

117) Back to Top
Robots Are Going to Teach English, Wash Windows - JoongAng Daily Online
Thursday June 24, 2010 15:21:19 GMT
(JOONGANG ILBO) - We haven't come as far as Will Smith in "I, Robot," but
starting next month, Koreans will be able to watch robots employed in the
home and outdoors: taking orders at restaurants, offering banking services
from kiosks, cleaning windows and teaching English at public schools.

In a bid to boost Korea's robot technology industry, 11 potential robot
makers and related service providers were selected by the government to be
financially supported and developed.In a release yesterday, the ministry
said that it will "invest and support on a consortium basis up to 2.17
billion won ($1.8 million) in promoting 11 products of selected
robot-making firms, which will help improve the nation's robot technology
overall."After the government received descriptions from companies of
their potential robot products in April, 11 products were given the nod.
The financial support is expected to help the companies develop products
and services as well as boost Korea's ability to compete in the global
robot industry.The 11 robots selected by the government will be put to
work starting in July to see if there is potential to commercialize the
products and manufacture them in mass quantities.A robot that cleans
windows, for example, will be given out to more than 10 households
selected by SK Networks to test-drive the product and give feedback on its
performance.There will also be a robot placed at Lotte Cinema in
Youngdeungpo, western Seoul, which will offer customers ticketing
services; a robot at the Amoje restaurant in Incheon International Airport
will receive orders with its Human-Robot Interaction service
technology.Also, 36 robots will be dispatched to 18 elementary schools in
Daegu, to help foreign instructors teach English."Robot technology - which
off ers a range of uses to many industries - is a high-value industry that
creates synergy with other industries," said Kim Hong-joo, director of the
ministry's robot department."Supporting the firms will help the nation
discover other potential robot technology projects," he said, "as they
will reflect the needs of the people through offering convenient
services."(Description of Source: Seoul JoongAng Daily Online in English
-- Website of English-language daily which provides English-language
summaries and full-texts of items published by the major center-right
daily JoongAng Ilbo, as well as unique reportage; distributed as an insert
to the Seoul edition of the International Herald Tribune; URL:
http://joongangdaily.joins.com)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.
< br>

118) Back to Top
Upgrades in Growth Rate, Employment Forecasts
Report by Hyuk-hoon Chung, Jin-myung Lee, Ye-kyung Han: "Upgrades in
Growth Rate And Employment Forecasts" - MK English News Online
Thursday June 24, 2010 10:50:55 GMT
(Description of Source: Seoul MK English News Online in English -- Website
of the English subsite of the leading economic daily Maeil Kyo'ngje (Daily
Economy) published by "Maeil Business Newspaper &amp; MK Inc."; URL:
http://news.mk.co.kr/english/)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited.Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder.Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

119) Back to Top
ROK Editorial on Korea's Labor Movement
Editorial: "Labor Movement" - The Korea Times Online
Thursday June 24, 2010 10:50:54 GMT
(Description of Source: Seoul The Korea Times Online in English -- Website
of The Korea Times, an independent and moderate English-language daily
published by its sister daily Hanguk Ilbo from which it often draws
articles and translates into English for publication; URL:
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited.Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder.Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

120) Back to Top
S. Korean Banks to Revamp Cash-strapped Large Firms, Builders - Yonhap
Thursday June 24, 2010 09:12:08 GMT
S. Korean banks to revamp cash-strapped large firms, builders

SEOUL, June 24 (Yonhap) -- South Korean banks are likely to revamp about
40 liquidity-squeezed large companies and other troubled builders in an
effort to keep their potential defaults from denting the economic
recovery, financial sources said Thursday.Since May, local banks have been
assessing credit risks of large companies whose bank loans surpass 50
billion won (US$41.8 million).They have also reviewed the health of 300
construction firms on the basis of their building capacity.They are
scheduled to announce the final results on Friday.According to sources,
local credit banks may weed out or reschedule debt at around 40 troubled
large companies.Separately, they are set to overhaul about 17 to 18
builders that are suffering from a cash crunch due to their excessive
expansion during property market booms.The move to accelerate the
corporate overhaul comes as the Korean economy is recovering at a
faster-than-expected pace, while financially troubled companies are under
fire for dragging their feet in actively restructuring themselves,
believing that they could survive with the passage of time.Local banks
have also been lukewarm about weeding out ailing companies as doing so
increases bad loans and hurts their balance sheets.

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited.Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder.Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

121) Back to Top
Uncertainty Lingers on Ministries To Be Sent to Sejong City
Report by Lee Tae-hoon: "Which Ministries Will Be Sent to Sejong City?" -
The Korea Times O nline
Thursday June 24, 2010 13:45:18 GMT
(Description of Source: Seoul The Korea Times Online in English -- Website
of The Korea Times, an independent and moderate English-language daily
published by its sister daily Hanguk Ilbo from which it often draws
articles and translates into English for publication; URL:
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

122) Back to Top
Korea's HMC Investment Securities Establishes Unit in Hong Kong - Yonhap
Thursday June 24, 2010 12:41:13 GMT
Korea' s HMC Investment Securities establishes unit in Hong Kong

By Kim Young-gyoHONG KONG, June 24 (Yonhap) -- HMC Investment Securities
Co., South Korea's mid-sized brokerage affiliated with Hyundai Motor Co.
said Thursday it has set up a subsidiary in Hong Kong as part of its plan
to expand its presence in Asia.The brokerage's Hong Kong unit was launched
with the aim of expanding business networks in major Asian financial
cities, the company said. The South Korean brokerage house opened its
first overseas unit in Beijing in November."The Hong Kong office will
focus on building partnership and networks with foreign investment banks
as well as seeking investment opportunities around the Asia-Pacific
region," the company said in a statement.Amid saturation of the domestic
market, South Korea's financial players are increasingly looking to the
broader Asian market to develop a new source of revenue.South Korean
financial firms have established a total of 33 units in China, followed by
22 in Vietnam, 11 in Hong Kong and eight in Singapore, according to a
South Korean government report.

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

123) Back to Top
US Expert Gives Advice on Korea's River Projects
By Lee Ji-yoon: "U.S. Expert Gives Tips on River Projects" - The Korea
Herald Online
Thursday June 24, 2010 12:14:12 GMT
(Description of Source: Seoul The Korea Herald Online in English --
Website of the generally pro-government English-language daily The Korea
Herald; URL: http://www.koreaherald.co.kr)

Material in the World News Connection is generally co pyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

124) Back to Top
Ex-Premier Han To Be Summoned for Questioning
Original headline: "Ex-premier Han to Be Summoned" - The Korea Times
Online
Thursday June 24, 2010 12:18:56 GMT
(Description of Source: Seoul The Korea Times Online in English -- Website
of The Korea Times, an independent and moderate English-language daily
published by its sister daily Hanguk Ilbo from which it often draws
articles and translates into English for publication; URL:
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

125) Back to Top
Mugabe's Aid Rejects Reports of Suspension of Media, Security Laws
Unattributed report: "No AIPPA, POSA Suspension: Charamba" - New Zimbabwe
Thursday June 24, 2010 12:01:16 GMT
(Description of Source: London New Zimbabwe in English -- Privately owned
online news resource generally critical of ZANU-PF; URL:
http://www.newzimbabwe.com)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

126) Back to Top
Americans Commemorate Korean War
Report by Jane Han - The Korea Times Online
Thursday June 24, 2010 11:22:31 GMT
NEW YORK On a strip of the I-85 freeway near downtown Atlanta, a tall
billboard reads "Thank you America!" Look closer and it says "Americans
died to defend South Koreans' Freedom."The sign, set up last week by a
local Korean American, is just one of many ways ethnic Koreans in the U.S.
are commemorating the Korean War's 60th anniversary and expressing
gratitude to the thousands of American and Korean veterans who fought."I
can't help but thank the U.S. soldiers for their noble sacrifice," Sunny
Park, who sponsored the billboard, said in a media interview. "Korea's
development today would be impossible with their support and
sacrifice."According to the U.S. Department of Defense, more than 36,000
American service membe rs lost their lives during the Korean War, with
more than 92,000 wounded and 8,000 missing in action.Dozens of Korean
associations, church and military veteran groups have been hosting various
events in the run-up to June 25 as a gesture of appreciation.At the Korean
War Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., members of the Korea Marine
Corps Veterans Association and other military groups visited throughout
last week to pay respect to the men who died from 1950-1953 war."It's our
duty to express thanks to all the brave soldiers and remember the lesson
left from the conflict," said Kim Hwa-seong, head of a local veterans
group."In the next five to 10 years, those who actually survived the war
are going to pass away," he said, "so this means we only have little time
remaining to hear first-hand accounts of the war."In New York and
California, special reunions have been organized to invite and treat
Korean and American war survivors with dinners, c oncerts and a time to
share their experience with the younger generation."As Koreans in the
U.S., we feel that it's one of our biggest responsibilities and roles to
remember and commemorate the Korean War," said Joon Chang, leader of a
regional Korean-Association in California. "Our generation's efforts are
crucial in passing on history to the upcoming generation."At the
University of Southern California, its Korean Studies Institute is hosting
a major academic conference to discuss the legacy and lessons of the
Korean War in the context of the U.S. and Korea's security alliance."We
believe that ordinary citizens can help to further build the bilateral
alliance between Korea and U.S.," said Kim of the war veterans group.

(Description of Source: Seoul The Korea Times Online in English -- Website
of The Korea Times, an independent and moderate English-language daily
published by its sister daily Hanguk Ilbo from which it often draws
article s and translates into English for publication; URL:
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

127) Back to Top
ROK Editorial on New Labor Laws
Editorial: "Time-off Dispute" - The Korea Herald Online
Thursday June 24, 2010 11:22:30 GMT
(Description of Source: Seoul The Korea Herald Online in English --
Website of the generally pro-government English-language daily The Korea
Herald; URL: http://www.koreaherald.co.kr)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright h
older. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

128) Back to Top
Parties Still Split Over Nighttime Rally Ban
Report by Shin Hae-in - The Korea Herald Online
Thursday June 24, 2010 11:12:24 GMT
Political disputes are intensifying over the ban on nighttime rallies, as
the assembly struggles to meet a court-ordered deadline to come up with a
revision replacing the law that was ruled unconstitutional last year.The
Constitutional Court ruled last September that the current law prohibiting
demonstrations after sunset violated the nation's basic law, ordering the
National Assembly to come up with a revision by June 30 this year. The law
will be automatically scrapped, allowing outdoor demonstrations on a
24-hour basis, unless revised by the deadline, the top court said.The
ruling came as the Lee Myung-bak (Yi Myo'ng-pak) government was
strengthening crackdown on demonstrators who took to the streets in the
summer of 2008, demanding the conservative administration to scrap its
decision to resume imports of U.S. beef.The nationwide protest against
U.S. beef went on for months night and day, and was joined by tens of
thousands of ordinary citizens as well as renowned liberal leaders,
dealing a heavy blow to the new Lee government.While progressive parties
welcomed the court decision, the Lee government wants the ban to stay put,
albeit in a less stern format, apparently fearful of any further protests
undermining the latter-half of its term.The ruling Grand National Party
has submitted a revised bill banning outdoor rallies from 10 p.m. through
6 a.m., which was reviewed by a parliamentary panel earlier this week
despite the boycott of the session by opposition party lawmakers.The main
opposition Democratic Party has submitted its own bill calling for a ban
from 12 a.m. through 6 a.m. near residential areas and military
facilities, while the left-leaning Democratic Labor Party demands a
complete abolishment of the ban."The opposition party is throwing a
tantrum, refusing to come to an agreement on any kind of revision," said
Rep. Kim Jung-kweon, a ruling party legislator and member of the Assembly
committee on security and public administration. "We will vote on our
revision with or without its participation."Baek Won-woo, member of the
main opposition DP, called for sufficient discussions."Think about it this
way. If a citizen says something critical of the government while rooting
for his soccer team outside city hall late at night, he could be arrested
as an illegal demonstrator," he said. "Doesn't this issue call for further
discussions?" Courts have so far put on hold hundreds of trials brought by
the prosecution against those who staged rallies after dusk, many cases
related to the anti-U.S. beef demonstrations two years ago.Should the
legislature fail to come up with a revision by June 30, those on pending
trials will be exonerated and individuals who were previously found guilty
will likely be cleared of the charge if they petition for a new trial.The
current law stipulates those who violate the ban be imprisoned for a
maximum of one year or fined 1 million won ($840) or less.Meanwhile, rival
parties continued to wrangle over the governing camp's move to put to a
full-house vote the controversial revision aimed at killing a former
government-led plan to relocate part of the administration out of Seoul in
the Assembly plenary session next week.A 31-member Assembly panel voted
down the related bills Tuesday, thwarting Lee's determination to overthrow
his predecessor's project that aimed to develop a second administrative
city in the long-underdeveloped Chungcheong region.While opposition
parties claim the revision is now "dead," the ruling GNP says it deserves
a vote by all legislators. A bill that has been voted down by a
parliamentary committee can be brought to a full-house vote at the request
of 30 or more legislators, according to parliamentary regulations.The GNP
has so far gathered 51 legislators who have signed the request.The liberal
DP threatened to boycott the remaining parliamentary sessions should the
ruling party push ahead with its plan.DP floor leade r Pak Chi-wo'n (Park
Jie-won) will personally request parliamentary speaker Pak Hu'i-t'ae (Park
Hee-tae) to ignore the ruling party's request in the plenary session
slated for June 28, party sources said.Although Lee's conservative party
controls a majority 168 seats in the 299-member unicameral legislature,
chances are still slim that the bill will win parliamentary approval, with
even some members of his own party undecided over the issue.

(Description of Source: Seoul The Korea Herald Online in English -- Web
site of the generally pro-government English-language daily The Korea
Herald; URL: http://www.koreaherald.co.kr)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

129) Back to Top
Seoul Lifts Growth Outlook to 5.8% - The Korea Herald Online
Thursday June 24, 2010 11:29:00 GMT
(Description of Source: Seoul The Korea Herald Online in English --
Website of the generally pro-government English-language daily The Korea
Herald; URL: http://www.koreaherald.co.kr)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. I nquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

130) Back to Top
Korean 'Alpha Girls' Put Job Stability First
Report by Kang Hyun-kyung: "Korean 'alpha Girls' Put Job Stability First"
- The Korea Times Online
Thursday June 24, 2010 11:34:48 GMT
(Description of Source: Seoul The Korea Times Online in English -- Website
of The Korea Times, an independent and moderate English-language daily
published by its sister daily Hanguk Ilbo from which it often draws
articles and translates into English for publication; URL:
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dep t. of
Commerce.

131) Back to Top
Measures for Loan Problems, Construction Firm Restucturing
Report by Tae-geun Kim: "Measures For PF Loan Problems &amp; Restructuring
of Construction Firms to Be Revealed" - MK English News Online
Thursday June 24, 2010 11:07:15 GMT
Meanwhile, bond banks will announce the result of credit risk assessment
on construction firms at 3:00 p.m. on the same day. Along with the
announcement from the banking industry, the Finance Supervision Service
(FSS) plans to release a report on the influence of the 2010 credit risk
assessment and related measures, as a follow-up step for the scheduled
restructuring of construction firms.These announcements convey
significance in that they cover real estate problems of savings banks and
construction fi rms and their treatments while unveiling a basic framework
for restructuring policy of the second half of the year.A high-ranking
official from policy authorities said, "Once the treatments are disclosed,
excessive worries surrounding the PF loan problems and continuous
bankruptcies of construction firms will be reduced."The banking system has
been conducting credit risk assessments on domestic construction firms to
select the target for restructuring since April.Reportedly, the assessment
results have had some adjustments, for instance, more than expected number
of companies are rated Grade C in which a debt workout program is
required, during the process of mediation with the FSC and FSS.As for the
PF loan problems of savings banks, the government announced a
comprehensive improvement plan for strengthening financial health of
savings banks in April. The forthcoming follow-up measure includes results
and analysis of a complete enumeration survey of bank-issued PF loans,
further monitoring policies, treatments and supervision guideline.

(Description of Source: Seoul MK English News Online in English -- Website
of the English subsite of the leading economic daily Maeil Kyo'ngje (Daily
Economy) published by "Maeil Business Newspaper &amp; MK Inc."; URL:
http://news.mk.co.kr/english/)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

132) Back to Top
Samsung to Ship 19 Mln Units of Smartphones in 2010: Analyst - Yonhap
Thursday June 24, 2010 08:50:53 GMT
Samsung to ship 19 mln units of smartphones in 2010: analyst

By Kim Young-gyoHONG KONG, Ju ne 24 (Yonhap) -- Samsung Electronics Co.,
the world's No. 2 handset maker, will likely ship 19 million units of
smartphones this year, strengthening its presence in the iPhone-dominated
market, an analyst said Thursday.In a bid to compete with Apple Inc.'s
megahit mobile phone, Samsung Electronics has been introducing its own
line-up of smartphones, which offer advanced computing ability and
connectivity.This month, the South Korean maker launched its latest Galaxy
S.Nicolas Gaudois, an analyst at Swiss-based financial firm UBS AG,
expected that Samsung Electronics could ship 6 million units of
smartphones in the first half and 13 million units in the second half,
including 5 million units of Galaxy S."We remain confident that Samsung
can make its mark in the smartphone segment and transition customers from
(other) high end feature phones," Gaudois said.Samsung only trails behind
Nokia Corp. in terms of handset shipments and controls over 20 percent of
the global market share.But it has not produced thus far a smartphone
model that can compete against the iPhone.As of April 2010, Apple had sold
51.15 million units of the iPhone worldwide since its launch in January
2007.

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited.Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder.Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

133) Back to Top
Report Shows Tax on Banks' Foreign Debt Desirable for ROK
Updated version: rewording headline, adjusting tags; Yonhap headline:
"Bank Levy on External Debts Desirable For S. Korea: Report" - Yonhap
Thursday June 24, 2010 06:31:02 GMT
(Description of Source: Seoul Yonhap in English -- Semiofficial news
agency of the ROK; URL: http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

134) Back to Top
Man Booked For Smuggling Reproductive Organs of Foxes to Sell as Amulets -
Yonhap
Thursday June 24, 2010 05:58:30 GMT
Man booked for smuggling reproductive organs of foxes to sell as amulets

INCHEON, June 24 (Yonhap) -- A Buddhist storekeeper was booked on charges
of smuggling thousands of arctic fox reproductive organ parts from China
to sell as amulets, customs officials here said Thursday.The 57-year-old
suspect, identified only by his family name Shim, attempted to sneak in
some 4,900 pieces through the Incheon port, according to the officials. He
has been selling the pieces at his Buddhist store as talismans, they
said.The confiscated items indicate that the parts are from fox specie
found in northern Europe, Russia and Alaska that are becoming very
rare."We found out that some Buddhist shops and fortunetellers are selling
such parts out of superstition that amulets made of them will bring back
husbands who have left their wives or help women find husbands," one
official said. "One piece sells anywhere between 50,000 won (US$42) and
500,000 won."Officials said they will be expanding the probe to online
sales.

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

135) Back to Top
Gold Exchange Will Be Established in 2012
Report by Byung-ho Kim - MK English News Online
Thursday June 24, 2010 05:58:30 GMT
Those who have interest in gold will be able to trade gold on spot from
January 2012. Gold bars and gold bullions with a purity of more than 99.0%
will be traded.The Ministry of Strategy and Finance (MOSF) announced
Wednesday the plan to introduce a gold trading center in a crisis
management meeting. The new trading center will be created within the
Korea Exchange (KRX) for the time being. It will operate as an independent
commodity exchange when transactions increase later on. The government
plans to create trading centers for agricultural products, crude oil and
petrol from 2014. Along with the plan, the government will push for
expanding the existing gold futures market and listing mini gold futures,
allowing small transactions of 100 grams gold.The go vernment decided to
make such gold trading center, because it is in urgent need of
transparency in gold trades. Recently, illegal trades of gold, including
smuggling, have reached 60 to 70% of the total distribution volume.
Another reason is that gold is critical to stabilizing the foreign
currency market as an alternative to foreign currencies amid the growing
FX fluctuations.Qualified members of the gold exchange will be financial
investment companies and gold traders.

(Description of Source: Seoul MK English News Online in English -- Website
of the English subsite of the leading economic daily Maeil Kyo'ngje (Daily
Economy) published by "Maeil Business Newspaper &amp; MK Inc."; URL:
http://news.mk.co.kr/english/)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

136) Back to Top
Foreign Holdings of Korean State Bonds to Reach 19 Pct: Report - Yonhap
Thursday June 24, 2010 05:47:18 GMT
foreigners-bond holdings

Foreign holdings of Korean state bonds to reach 19 pct: reportSEOUL, June
24 (Yonhap) -- Foreign investors' ownership of South Korean state bonds is
expected to reach up to 19 percent by the end of this year as they are
likely to continue to pour money into the local debt market, a report said
Thursday.According to the report by the Korea Institute of Finance (KIF),
foreign holdings of outstanding government debt and monetary stabilization
bonds are expected to rise to 15-19 percent by the end of the year from 13
percent as of the end of 2009.Foreign investors are likely to put as much
as 33 trillion won (US$27.8 billion) into the state bonds this year,
pushing up the value of their bond holdings to a maximum 89 trillion won,
the report said.Offshore investors increased their holdings of such debts
by 20 trillion won in 2009, the report added.Foreign investment in South
Korean state debt will be bolstered by the potential inclusion of the
state bonds in the World Government Bond Index (WGBI) compiled by
Citigroup, which is forecast to announce the result later this month or in
July.The upgrade of South Korea's sovereign rating by Moody's Investors
Service in April and the local currency's upward trajectory will also help
attract foreign buyers, it added.The global credit appraiser lifted
Korea's credit rating by one notch to "A1," the fifth-highest out of 10
investment grades, citing the nation's "exceptional level" of economic
resilience to the global crisis."Foreign purchases will likely expand as
they chase investment gains from the South Korean won's further
appreciation," the re port said. A gain in the won versus the U.S. dollar
pushes up the value of assets denominated in the local
currency.(Description of Source: Seoul Yonhap in English -- Semiofficial
news agency of the ROK; URL: http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

137) Back to Top
Bank of Korea Lowers Loan Cap for Small Firms
Updated version: rewording headline, adjusting tags; replacing 0256 GMT
version with source-supplied 0519 GMT update, which "ADDS more details in
paras 5, 10-11"; Yonhap headline: "BOK Lowers Loan Cap For Small Firms" -
Yonhap
Thursday June 24, 2010 05:42:15 GMT
(Description of Source: Seoul Yonhap in English -- Semiofficial news
agency of the ROK; URL: http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

138) Back to Top
Nearly 700 New Species Discovered in Korea - Chosun Ilbo Online
Thursday June 24, 2010 05:13:34 GMT
The National Institute of Biological Resources says it has found 697 new
species of organisms here.Of them, 274 had never been discovered anywhere
on Earth while the rest have been found for the first time in Korea.Among
the new discoveries are 46 types of water-dwelling marine insects, 47
inverte brates and 170 prokaryotes.The institute has been surveying
wildlife in Korea since 2006 and has so far discovered some 2,800 species.

(Description of Source: Seoul Chosun Ilbo Online in English -- English
website carrying English summaries and full translations of vernacular
hard copy items of the largest and oldest daily Chosun Ilbo, which is
conservative in editorial orientation -- strongly nationalistic,
anti-North Korea, and generally pro-US; URL: http://english.chosun.com)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

139) Back to Top
S. Korea Sells 333 Bln Won in Inflation Bonds in June - Yonhap
Thursday June 24, 2010 05:23:56 GMT
S. Korea sells 333 bln won in inflation bonds in June

SEOUL, June 24 (Yonhap) - South Korea issued 333 billion won (US$280
million) worth of inflation-linked bonds this month, the finance ministry
said Thursday.The amount is larger than its earlier sale projection of 170
billion won, according to the Ministry of Strategy and Finance.The bonds,
which protect holders against inflation, were issued at a yield of 2.77
percent with a maturity of 10 years, the ministry said.

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

140) Back to Top
Bank of Korea To Ban Foreign Currency Loans For Domestic Investment
Unattributed report: "BOK To Ban Foreign Currency Loans For Domestic
Investment" - Chosun Ilbo Online
Thursday June 24, 2010 05:13:34 GMT
(Description of Source: Seoul Chosun Ilbo Online in English -- English
website carrying English summaries and full translations of vernacular
hard copy items of the largest and oldest daily Chosun Ilbo, which is
conservative in editorial orientation -- strongly nationalistic,
anti-North Korea, and generally pro-US; URL: http://english.chosun.com)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.

141) Back to Top
Afghan Vice President Meets Korean Ambassador, 'Requests Further
Cooperation'
Unattributed Repo rt: "First Vice President Meets Korea Ambassador" --
Text disseminated as received without OSC editorial intervention - Bakhtar
News Agency
Tuesday May 25, 2010 14:51:35 GMT
(Description of Source: Kabul Bakhtarnews Agency in English --
Afghanistan's first official news agency; URL:
http://www.bakhtarnews.com.af)

Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the
source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright
holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of
Commerce.