Hyundai Engineering & Construction Co., South Korea's No. 1 builder, said Friday that its second-quarter net profit jumped 9.7 percent from a year earlier as its margins improved.The company's consolidated net income rose to 129.9 billion won ($116 million) in the April-June period, from 118.4 billion won a year earlier, the company said in a regulatory filing.The builder said sales jumped 9.1 percent to 3.4 trillion won, and its operating profit gained 27.4 percent to 200.7 billion won.Shares o

Industry July 26, 2013

Hyundai Mobis Co., South Korea‘s largest auto parts maker, said Friday its second-quarter net profit edged up 1.1 percent from a year earlier due to increased sales and operating profit.Net profit came to 893.6 billion won ($804 million) in the April-June period, from 883.8 billion won a year earlier, the company said in a regulatory filing.The company said sales jumped 13.1 percent to 8.7 trillion won, and its operating profit gained 2.3 percent to 733.1 billion won.Shares of Hyundai Mobis were

Industry July 26, 2013

KB Financial Group Co., South Korea‘s No. 2 banking group, said Friday its second-quarter earnings fell 70.4 percent from a year earlier on squeezed profit margin and one-off valuation loss from its investment in a Kazakhstani bank.Net profit amounted to 163.5 billion won ($147 million) in the April-June period, compared with 551.6 billion won the previous year, the group said in a regulatory filing. In the first half, the group’s earnings declined 50.3 percent to 575 billion won.The group‘s bot

July 26, 2013

국회 '국가정보원 댓글 의혹사건 국정조사특위'의 26일 국정원 기관보고가 무산됐다.회의공개 여부에 대한 여야 합의가 끝내 불발되자 새누리당 의원들은 회의를 '보이콧'했고, 남재준 국정원장을 비롯한 국정원 간부들도 출석하지 않았다.당초 특위는 이날 오전 10시 남재준 원장을 출석시킨 가운데 댓글작업의 경위, 전•현직 국정원 직원 매관매직, 국정원 여직원 인권유린 논란 등을 추궁할 예정이었다. 법무부와 경찰청에 이은 3일째 기관보고이자, 국정조사특위 활동의 '하이라이트'이기도 했다.그러나 회의 공개 여부를 놓고 새누리당은 비공개로 진행하자고 주장한 반면, 민주당은 공개하자고 맞서 합의가 이뤄지지 못했다.새누리당은 이를 근거로 회의 불참을 선언했고, 남 원장 등 국정원 간부들도 출석하지 않았다.새누리당 특위간사인 권성동 의원은 당 주요당직자회의에서 "외교안보상 중대한 국가이익과 관련된 사안은 비공개로 해야 한다"면서 "공개 여부에 대한 여야 합의가 이뤄지지 않았기에 예정된 의사일정은 무효

한국어판 July 26, 2013

‘한스밴드’에서 드러머로 활동했던 김한나 (30)씨가 이혼하게 되었다고 연합뉴스 등 언론이 26일 보도했다.서울가정법원 가사9단독 김주석 판사는 지난 24일 김씨가 남편 이모(40)씨를 상대로 낸 이혼 청구소송에서 원고 승소 판결을 내렸다. 김 판사는 남편 이씨의 주된 책임으로 혼인 관계가 회복할 수 없이 망가졌다고 판단한 것으로 알려졌다.두 사람은 지난 2009년에 만나 작년 2월에 혼인신고를 했으며, 그해 결혼식을 올릴 예정이었으나 서로 간의 갈등이 심해지면서 김씨가 이씨를 상대로 6월 이혼소송을 내기에 이르렀다. 당시 이씨는 직장을 그만두고 김씨와 다투다가 작년 5월께 그녀를 발로 차고 폭행한 적도 있었다고 알려졌다..일부 보도에 따르면 김씨 측에서는 이씨가 협박 및 폭언과 폭행을 일삼아 그녀가 두려움을 갖고 있었다고 한다. 김씨는 지난 1998년 동생 한별, 한샘씨와 '한스밴드'로 데뷔해 '오락실', '호기심' 등 히트곡을 발표했다.<관련 영문 기사>Hans Band’s Ki

한국어판 July 26, 2013

South Korean stocks closed 0.06 percent higher Friday on improved economic outlook for advanced countries, analysts said. The local currency traded higher against the U.S. dollar.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) added 1.2 points, or 0.06 percent, to close at 1,910.81. Trading volume was moderate at 316 million shares worth 3.75 trillion won (US$3.37 billion), with gainers outpacing losers 415 to 384."Seoul shares edged up as the United States, Japan and the euro zone's eco

July 26, 2013

Samsung Electronics Co., the world's largest smartphone maker, posted a record shipments in the second quarter of the year, data showed on Friday.According to the data compiled by research firm Strategy Analytics, Samsung Electronics shipped a record 76 million smartphones in the second quarter, compared with 69.4 million in the previous quarter.The South Korean smartphone maker also continued to dominate the global smartphone market in terms of market share, with its stake in the April-June per

Technology July 26, 2013

A group of South Korean law school students said Friday that they have lodged a constitutional petition against a quota that limits the number of candidates allowed to pass the bar exam.In the petition filed with the Constitutional Court, third-year students at six graduate-level law schools nationwide claimed the quota violates their fundamental human rights, including freedom of occupation."Anyone who successfully completes law school should be able to pass the exam without much difficulty," t

Social Affairs July 26, 2013

The ruling Saenuri Party on Friday boycotted a hearing on the state spy agency's alleged meddling in last year's presidential election as it wrangled with opposition parties over whether the meeting should be open to the public.The ruling party has argued that the hearing should be held behind closed doors because it is likely to touch on sensitive intelligence issues as lawmakers question National Intelligence Service (NIS) chief Nam Jae-joon and other officials of the spy agency in connection

Politics July 26, 2013

Safeguards to prevent another work stoppage are key to reopening the shuttered inter-Korean factory park in North Korea, an official at South Korea's presidential office said Friday.Bilateral talks aimed at reopening the Gaeseong Industrial Complex effectively broke down Thursday after the two sides collided on how to prevent any unilateral closure of the business zone that has remained idle since early April.Seoul has been asking for the North to guarantee it won't block operations due to non-e

North Korea July 26, 2013

South Korean stocks traded 0.18 percent higher late Friday morning following gains in carmakers and retailers, analysts said.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) edged up 3.39 points to 1,913.00 as of 11:20 a.m.Carmakers led the market gain, with No. 1 player Hyundai Motor adding 0.67 percent and its smaller affiliate Kia Motors climbing 1.32 percent. Samsung Heavy Industries, a major shipbuilder, advanced 2.17 percent.Retailers also traded lower, with Lotte Shopping increasin

July 26, 2013

A detained former intelligence chief has been indicted on charges of accepting kickbacks, including cash and gifts such as expensive jewelry, from a construction company, prosecutors said Friday.Won Sei-hoon, who served as the National Intelligence Service (NIS) chief under then-President Lee Myung-bak until early this year, is suspected of receiving some 170 million won (US$153,000) in bribes from a former head of now-bankrupt Hwangbo Construction since 2009, they said. In return, Hwang Bo-yeon

Social Affairs July 26, 2013