Two members of the United States House of Representatives said Thursday they have warned Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe not to revise the country's apology over the forced sexual enslavement during World War II and called for efforts to resolve its wartime atrocities.Historians say up to 200,000 women, euphemistically called "comfort women" and mostly from Korea, were forced into sexual slavery for front-line Japanese soldiers.Resisting consistent calls for extending a formal apology and pro

World News Feb. 22, 2013

 South Korean stocks closed 0.47 percent lower on Thursday as investors took a breather following a six-session rally, analysts said. The local currency fell against the U.S. dollar.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) slid 9.42 points to 2,015.22. Trading volume was moderate at 385.9 million shares worth 4 trillion won (US$3.7 billion), with decliners outnumbering gainers 527 to 279.Foreigners extended their net buying to a fourth straight session, while institutions shifted

Feb. 21, 2013

South Korean stocks traded 0.46 percent lower late Thursday morning due to losses in brokerage houses and logistics firms, analysts said.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) decreased 9.26 points to 2,015.38 as of 11:20 a.m.Brokerage houses traded lower, with Samsung Securities falling 1.05 percent and KDB Daewoo Securities losing 1.21 percent. Woori Investment & Securities moved down 1.17 percent.Logistics shares also lost ground, with Hanjin Shipping declining 2.19 percent a

Feb. 21, 2013

South Korean stocks got off to a weak start on Thursday, tracking overnight losses on Wall Street, analysts said.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) fell 6.82 points, or 0.34 percent, to 2,017.82 in the first 15 minutes of trading.Large caps mostly retreated, with market bellwether Samsung Electronics slipping 0.19 percent and the country's top steelmaker POSCO slumping 1.35 percent.The local currency was trading at 1,081.85 won to the U.S. dollar as of 9:15 a.m., down 3.35 w

Feb. 21, 2013

South Korean stocks ended 1.95 percent higher on Wednesday as a rosy outlook on the global economy prompted investors to pick up blue-chip exporters, analysts said.The local currency gained against the U.S. dollar.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) climbed38.81 points to 2,024.64. Trading volume was moderate at 401.6 million shares worth 4.8 trillion won (US$4.5 billion), with gainers far outnumbering decliners 559 to 233.Foreigners and institutions snapped up shares, but re

Feb. 20, 2013

South Korean stocks traded 1.16 percent higher late Wednesday morning, fueled by gains in blue chip exporters, analysts said.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) moved up 23.09 points to 2,008.92 as of 11:20 a.m. Shares gathered ground across the board, with market bellwether Samsung Electronics advancing 1.94 percent and top chipmaker SK hynix adding 2.13 percent. Hyundai Engineering & Construction moved up 1.63 percent.Carmakers also traded higher, with No. 1 industry player

Feb. 20, 2013

South Korean stocks got off to a strong start on Wednesday, buoyed by gains in key exporters, analysts said.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 10.61 points, or 0.53 percent, to 1,996.44 in the first 15 minutes of trading.Market bellwether Samsung Electronics gained 0.6 percent and No. 2 memory chip maker SK hynix climbed 2.32 percent.In contrast, defensive shares were trading in negative territory, with discount chain operator E-mart falling 1.76 percent. The local curr

Feb. 20, 2013

South Korea's pop group JYJ will be appointed as publicity ambassador for the 2014 Incheon Asian Games, the event's organizing committee said Tuesday."We picked JYJ, a K-pop group gaining Asian-wide popularity, as our publicity ambassador to step up our efforts to increase people's awareness of the event and for its publicity in the Asian region," the committee said.The three-member boy band drew an audience of 210,000 people in total on a global concert tour that took the group to 15 big cities

Entertainment Feb. 19, 2013

YouTube, the video Web site of Google Inc., on Tuesday launched a channel that incorporates video clips posted by Asian musicians, including South Korean pop idols SHINee and Super Junior.The "A-pop Channel" features a top 20 list of the most popular video clips that highlight pop idols in Korea, Japan and China, as well as a calendar that posts information for online fan meetings and events, according to the YouTube's Korea blog. Users can also view the top 20 list by country, K-pop, J-pop and

Entertainment Feb. 19, 2013

South Korean stocks rose 0.2 percent on Tuesday, buoyed by automakers, but gains were limited as investors stepped to the sidelines ahead of major events, analysts said Tuesday. The local currency gained against the U.S. dollar.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) added 3.92 points to 1,985.83. Trading volume was moderate at 339.9 million shares worth 2.8 trillion won (US$2.6 billion), with gainers outnumbering decliners 435 to 366."Investors refrained from trading ahead of It

Feb. 19, 2013

South Korean stocks traded 0.25 percent higher late Tuesday morning on the back of gains in carmakers and construction firms, analysts said.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) moved up 4.98 points to 1,986.89 as of 11:20 a.m.Carmakers led the market gain, with No. 1 player Hyundai Motor advancing 0.95 percent and its smaller affiliate Kia Motors adding 1.9 percent. Top auto parts manufacturer Hyundai Mobis moved up 1.18 percent.Local builders also traded higher, with Daewoo E

Feb. 19, 2013

South Korean stocks began higher on Tuesday on the back of gains in major automakers, analysts said.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) inched up 0.31 points, or 0.02 percent, to 1,982.22 in the first 15 minutes of trading.Autos led the climb with the country's top automaker Hyundai Motor gaining 0.72 percent and its parts affiliate Hyundai Mobis adding 0.84 percent. Some large caps, however, traded in negative territory, with market bellwether Samsung Electronics slipping 0.

Feb. 19, 2013

South Korean stocks closed nearly flat on Monday as lingering concerns over a weakening Japanese yen weighed on major exporters, analysts said. The local currency fell against the U.S. dollar.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) inched up 0.73 points, or 0.04 percent, to 1,981.91. Trading volume was moderate at 411.6 million shares worth 2.8 trillion won (US$2.6 billion) with decliners outnumbering gainers 412 to 383."The G-20 meeting kept mum on the weakening Japanese yen. Th

Feb. 18, 2013

 South Korean stocks traded 0.21 percent lower late Monday morning, dented by losses in blue-chip exporters, analysts said.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) moved down 4.17 points to 1,977.01 as of 11:20 a.m.Tech heavyweight Samsung Electronics shed 0.53 percent, and its smaller local rival LG Electronics decreased 0.4 percent. Top flat panel manufacturer LG Display lost 1.53 percent.Carmakers also traded lower, with No. 1 player Hyundai Motor falling 2.11 percent and its s

Business Feb. 18, 2013