Older adults who are starting to have problems with memory may benefit from small amounts of nicotine therapy, according to a US study published on Monday.The research in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, included 74 non-smokers with an average age of 76. Half were

TechnologyJan. 10, 2012

Unprecedented levels of greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere are disrupting normal patterns of glaciation, scientists said.The Earth's current warm period that began about 11,000 years ago should give way to another ice age within about 1,500 years, according to the study published online Jan.

TechnologyJan. 10, 2012

Samsung Electronics Co., the world’s second-largest handset maker, swept the Russian mobile phone market, ranking first in four categories in November last year, a research firm said Monday.Samsung Electronics took first place in the Russian mobile phone market in terms of units sold and their value in November, while its smartphones were named best products for both sales volume and revenue, according to global market researcher GfK Group.It was the first time that the Samsung Electronics toppe

IndustryJan. 9, 2012

South Korea’s textile industry seeks to increase its exports to a 12-year high this year amid hopes of growing shipments to the United States following the soon expected implementation of a free trade agreement , a local industry group said Monday.The Korea Federation of Textile Industries said the country’s total exports this year will likely reach $17 billion, up 6.4 percent from $16 billion last year.“Economic conditions are still not very good due to the financial crisis in Europe, but the f

IndustryJan. 9, 2012

WASHINGTON (AFP) ― Simply eating healthier may improve the behavior of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder if therapy and medication fail, said a study published Monday in the journal Pediatrics.Researchers, however, said that their review of recent controlled scientific studies had shown conflicting evidence on the impact of supplements and restricted diets ― in some cases they were no better than the placebo effect.Nutritional interventions should therefore be considered an

TechnologyJan. 9, 2012

A South Korean consortium led by state-run Korea Resources Corp. said it will begin development of a Panama copper mine in the first half of this year.The announcement comes after Panama’s environmental protection agency approved development plans for the Cobre Panama mines, in Colon Province 120 kilometers west of Panama City, KORES said in a press release last week.It said the approved environment and social impact assessment comprehensively authorizes the building of roads, ports and a coal-f

IndustryJan. 9, 2012

An engineering plastic plant that exploded and caused the death of three workers in August will go back on-line after undergoing repairs, Hyundai EP Co. said.The company said it has been repairing the destroyed polystyrene production facility in Ulsan, 414 kilometers southeast of Seoul, with the plant to be ready for operations by February.The facility is needed to make engineering plastic products.It said both in-house and outside safety reviews have been sought as part of its effort to restart

IndustryJan. 9, 2012

Hanjin Shipping Co., South Korea’s top container line, said that it will strive to swing back to the black in 2012 after suffering huge losses last year.The shipper is estimated to have logged a loss of over 800 billion won in 2011, hit by higher fuel costs and falling freight rates.During the fourth quarter of last year alone, Hanjin Shipping is projected to have suffered a loss of some 250 billion won.The shipper’s accumulated net loss and operating loss in the first three quarters of last yea

Jan. 9, 2012

South Korea will beef up efforts to provide a better business environment for foreign enterprises by “actively” reflecting their opinions in its policymaking process, the nation’s finance minister said Monday.“We will actively reflect the opinions of the EU Chamber of Commerce, and make redoubled efforts to improve areas such as investor protection and property rights registration,” Bahk Jae-wan told a meeting with European business people.Bahk promised to push ahead with measures to lower land

Jan. 9, 2012

HONG KONG (Yonhap News) ― South Korea, China and Japan will likely start their first round of trilateral free trade negotiations during the first half of this year, a Chinese official said Monday, in a move expected to boost trade among the three export-driven countries. In December, the three countries held their final joint study meeting on the feasibility of a free trade agreement among them.“If there is no strong opposition from inside South Korea, talks on the China-South Korea-Japan FTA wi

Jan. 9, 2012

IE Business School is offering a free lecture and networking evening with as guest lecturer, the school’s chair of the Entrepreneurship Management Department.Pablo de Holan is a popular professor of strategy at IE Business School and will present the school’s 4th lecture in a series on global business innovations on Jan. 13 from 7 p.m. at the COEX Convention Center Hall C room 318 A in southern Seoul.Titled “The Giant Within: How Businesses Grow Thru Entrepreneurship and Innovation, A review of

Jan. 9, 2012

The German Chamber of Commerce will offer Korean language lessons for all its members.The courses take place Jan. 11-March 28 every Wednesday except for holidays from 8:00 ― 9:30 a.m.Classes will be held in the German language by a qualified teacher, Park Hye-sook. The basic level course will be taught at the Korean-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry office in Hannam-dong, Seoul.Cost is 550,000 won for 12 sessions and includes beverages and learning materials. For more information or to reg

Jan. 9, 2012

The American Chamber of Commerce in Korea will examine regulatory reform and foreign direct investment inducement and aftercare services during their first networking luncheon of the year next week, officials said.The meeting is scheduled to be held on Jan. 19 at the Grand Hyatt Hotel on Namsan. The luncheon includes a speech by Ahn Choong-yong, chairman of the Regulatory Reform Committee and foreign investment ombudsman at Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency.“The recent passing of the KORUS

Jan. 9, 2012