BANGKOK (UPI) -- Two Canadian sisters who died in Thailand appear to have been poisoned by mosquito repellent mixed into a cocktail, autopsy results show.Audrey and Noemi Belanger, from Pohenegamook, Quebec, were found dead in June in their hotel room on Phi Phi Island. A report on the autopsy shown to the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. said the sisters had the mosquito repellent DEET in their systems.DEET is a neurotoxic but it is an ingredient in a euphoric cocktail popular with many young touris

TechnologySept. 2, 2012

South Korea plans to revise down its 2013 economic growth forecast as exports will likely lose steam amid the protracted eurozone debt crisis and China's slowing economy, officials said Sunday.The government said Asia's fourth-largest economy is likely to grow less than its projection of 4.3 percent next year after expanding some 3 percent this year."The government has no plans to revise its 2012

Sept. 2, 2012

South Korean stocks will likely move sideways next week, with investors eyeing the result of the European Central Bank (ECB)'s monetary policy meeting scheduled for later in the week, analysts said.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) finished at 1,905.12 this week, down 0.8 percent from the previous week. It sank into negative territory earlier in the week after top-cap Samsung

Sept. 1, 2012

South Korea's trade surplus shrank in August from a month earlier as exports fell largely due to jittery external conditions and bad weather, the government said Saturday. The country's trade balance came to $2.04 billion in the black last month, compared with a surplus of $2.75 billion in July, according to the Ministry of Knowledge Economy. Exports dipped 6.2 percent on-year to $42.9 billion, wi

Sept. 1, 2012

South Korean stocks closed nearly flat Friday as investors stayed on the sidelines on jitters over a U.S.-led economic boost amid lack of market momentum, analysts said. The local currency lost ground against the U.S. dollar. After bobbing in and out of negative territory, the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index shed 1.18 points or 0.06 percent to finish at 1,905.20. Trading volume was heavy at 639.1 million shares worth 4.39 trillion won ($3.87 billion) with gainers outpacing losers 420

Aug. 31, 2012

Citibank Korea was awarded Best Foreign Commercial Bank from Hong Kong-based magazine Finance Asia last month. This is the fifth consecutive year Citibank has won this award. Finance Asia is one of the Asia’s leading monthly financial magazines. It announces the best banks in different Asian countries every year through Country Awards. The magazine commented that Citi Korea introduced an innovative service enhancing foreign exchange cash management capability to clear payment on the same day and

Aug. 31, 2012

The nation’s tax agency has launched a tax probe into Diagio Korea, the local unit of the world’s No.1 distiller.The National Tax Service sent investigators to the company’s main office in Yeoksam-dong, southern Seoul on Thursday, according to industry sources.It is not known whether the NTS’s probe is about possible tax evasion or price-fixing of the distributor of Johnny Walker and Windsor whiskies. Yonhap News quoted an unnamed Diagio official as saying that it is a regular tax inspection as

IndustryAug. 31, 2012

The sale of the state-run Korea Aerospace Industries is expected to be further delayed as its first public bidding failed to attract bidders other than Korean Air until the deadline at 3 p.m. Friday. The leading flag carrier had submitted its letter of intent to acquire the nation’s only aircraft maker but its sole participation could not meet the legal conditions for a valid competition to continue the bidding process. “We will discuss future plans including the schedule for the next bidding in

IndustryAug. 31, 2012

DuPont Co., the inventor of Kevlar, won a ruling barring Kolon Industries Inc. from selling a competing version of the product used in protective clothing for police and the military for the next 20 years.U.S. District Judge Robert Payne in Richmond, Virginia, today barred Kolon from selling products in the U.S. made with its para-aramid fiber after a jury found last year that the Korean manufacturer stole trade secrets relating to the Kevlar fiber and should pay more than $919 million in damage

IndustryAug. 31, 2012

Tokyo court rules Samsung did not infringe on Apple invention for synchronizing music and video data with serversA Tokyo court ruled on Friday in favor of Samsung Electronics, saying the Korean company did not infringe on an Apple patent related to transferring media content from computers to smartphones and tablets.The ruling is the latest in a global court battle between the two tech behemoths over patents used in mobile devices after the U.S. crucial ruling last week that dealt a blow to Sams

TechnologyAug. 31, 2012

Transactions among affiliated companies of the nation’s major business groups have increased again this year, with most of the deals being made without fair competition, the state-run antitrust watchdog said Thursday. The Fair Trade Commission said it would toughen surveillance on whether any unfair favors were given to their subsidiaries, especially in system integration, logistics and advertising sectors. According to the FTC report, the nation’s 46 conglomerates 1,407 trillion won ($1,240 bil

IndustryAug. 31, 2012

Internet addiction may have a molecular basis, German researchers say, linked to a genetic variation that also plays a major role in nicotine addiction.Researchers at the University of Bonn studying people and their Internet habits found a significant number who exhibit problematic behavior, where all their thoughts revolve around the Internet during the day and they feel their well-being is sever

TechnologyAug. 31, 2012