ID :
34856
Wed, 12/10/2008 - 11:52
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/34856
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Yonhap News Summary
The following is the first summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency
on Wednesday.
-----------------
Envoys set for last-stage negotiations amid signs of progress
BEIJING -- Senior envoys were to hold their third and probably last day of talks
on Wednesday over how to inspect North Korea's nuclear arsenal amid signs of
progress on one of the thorniest issues -- whether sampling is guaranteed.
South Korea and the United States expressed cautious satisfaction with a
four-page draft agreement distributed by host China on Tuesday, although the
North gave no public response.
-----------------
S. Korea, China to hold high-level meeting
BEIJING -- South Korean Vice Foreign Minister Kwon Jong-rak will arrive in
Beijing later Wednesday for an inaugural "strategic dialogue" with his Chinese
counterpart, embassy officials here said.
In his meeting Thursday, which coincides with six-way talks on the North Korean
nuclear program, Kwon plans to exchange views with Wang Guangya on the issue and
other global security concerns, they added.
-----------------
U.S. says it does not recognize N. Korea as nuclear power
WASHINGTON -- The United States said Tuesday it does not recognize North Korea as
a nuclear weapons state, disavowing its own recent military assessment.
"As a matter of policy, we do not recognize North Korea as a nuclear state,"
Stewart Upton, spokesman for the Department of Defense, said in a statement.
"What was contained in a recent Joint Forces Command report does not reflect
official U.S. government policy regarding the status of North Korea."
-----------------
U.S. plans to send officials to N.K. to secure distribution transparency
WASHINGTON -- The State Department said Tuesday it plans to send a group of
officials to North Korea to assure transparency in the distribution of food aid
to North Korea as a prerequisite to implementing its pledge to funnel up to
500,000 tons of food.
"So we're going to try to send some additional personnel to North Korea in an
effort to make it work so that we can assure ourselves that we are fulfilling
those dual responsibilities," spokesman Sean McCormack said.
-----------------
Remains of 270 Korean War KIA to be enshrined
SEOUL -- The government has found the remains of 270 South Korean soldiers killed
in action (KIA) during the Korean War in the latter half of the year, bringing
the total to over 2,200, the defense ministry said Wednesday.
Most of the remains will be enshrined this week at Seoul's National Cemetery
while those of 13 whose identities have been confirmed will be buried separately
at national cemeteries here or in the southern city of Daejeon, according to the
ministry.
-----------------
S. Korea, EU to hold fresh round of free trade talks on Dec. 15
SEOUL -- Trade negotiators from South Korea and the European Union (EU) will hold
a new round of talks this weekend with the aim of forging a free trade agreement,
a Seoul official said Wednesday.
The two sides launched the talks in May last year and had hoped to reach an
agreement by the end of last year. But little progress was made due to
differences over industrial tariffs and other sensitive issues.
-----------------
(LEAD) Japanese tourists to Korea by air rise 15 percent
SEOUL -- The number of Japanese nationals flying to South Korea increased by
nearly 15 percent in November from a year earlier, with the strong yen giving
Korea an unexpected off-season tourism boon, government data suggested Wednesday.
The report by Incheon Airport Immigration said 228,431 Japanese travelers entered
the country through the major airports of Incheon, Gimpo and Gimhae, last month,
up 14.9 percent from the same month in 2007.
-----------------
No dioxin-tainted Irish beef imported by S. Korea: ministry
SEOUL -- South Korea has not imported any beef from Ireland for the past few
years, the agriculture ministry said Wednesday, dismissing concerns over possible
circulation of dioxin-contaminated beef products from the country.
Foreign media reports showed that high levels of dioxins were found in some Irish
cattle after a dioxin scare there was sparked by the recent discovery of pork
products contaminated with the cancer-causing chemical.
(END)
on Wednesday.
-----------------
Envoys set for last-stage negotiations amid signs of progress
BEIJING -- Senior envoys were to hold their third and probably last day of talks
on Wednesday over how to inspect North Korea's nuclear arsenal amid signs of
progress on one of the thorniest issues -- whether sampling is guaranteed.
South Korea and the United States expressed cautious satisfaction with a
four-page draft agreement distributed by host China on Tuesday, although the
North gave no public response.
-----------------
S. Korea, China to hold high-level meeting
BEIJING -- South Korean Vice Foreign Minister Kwon Jong-rak will arrive in
Beijing later Wednesday for an inaugural "strategic dialogue" with his Chinese
counterpart, embassy officials here said.
In his meeting Thursday, which coincides with six-way talks on the North Korean
nuclear program, Kwon plans to exchange views with Wang Guangya on the issue and
other global security concerns, they added.
-----------------
U.S. says it does not recognize N. Korea as nuclear power
WASHINGTON -- The United States said Tuesday it does not recognize North Korea as
a nuclear weapons state, disavowing its own recent military assessment.
"As a matter of policy, we do not recognize North Korea as a nuclear state,"
Stewart Upton, spokesman for the Department of Defense, said in a statement.
"What was contained in a recent Joint Forces Command report does not reflect
official U.S. government policy regarding the status of North Korea."
-----------------
U.S. plans to send officials to N.K. to secure distribution transparency
WASHINGTON -- The State Department said Tuesday it plans to send a group of
officials to North Korea to assure transparency in the distribution of food aid
to North Korea as a prerequisite to implementing its pledge to funnel up to
500,000 tons of food.
"So we're going to try to send some additional personnel to North Korea in an
effort to make it work so that we can assure ourselves that we are fulfilling
those dual responsibilities," spokesman Sean McCormack said.
-----------------
Remains of 270 Korean War KIA to be enshrined
SEOUL -- The government has found the remains of 270 South Korean soldiers killed
in action (KIA) during the Korean War in the latter half of the year, bringing
the total to over 2,200, the defense ministry said Wednesday.
Most of the remains will be enshrined this week at Seoul's National Cemetery
while those of 13 whose identities have been confirmed will be buried separately
at national cemeteries here or in the southern city of Daejeon, according to the
ministry.
-----------------
S. Korea, EU to hold fresh round of free trade talks on Dec. 15
SEOUL -- Trade negotiators from South Korea and the European Union (EU) will hold
a new round of talks this weekend with the aim of forging a free trade agreement,
a Seoul official said Wednesday.
The two sides launched the talks in May last year and had hoped to reach an
agreement by the end of last year. But little progress was made due to
differences over industrial tariffs and other sensitive issues.
-----------------
(LEAD) Japanese tourists to Korea by air rise 15 percent
SEOUL -- The number of Japanese nationals flying to South Korea increased by
nearly 15 percent in November from a year earlier, with the strong yen giving
Korea an unexpected off-season tourism boon, government data suggested Wednesday.
The report by Incheon Airport Immigration said 228,431 Japanese travelers entered
the country through the major airports of Incheon, Gimpo and Gimhae, last month,
up 14.9 percent from the same month in 2007.
-----------------
No dioxin-tainted Irish beef imported by S. Korea: ministry
SEOUL -- South Korea has not imported any beef from Ireland for the past few
years, the agriculture ministry said Wednesday, dismissing concerns over possible
circulation of dioxin-contaminated beef products from the country.
Foreign media reports showed that high levels of dioxins were found in some Irish
cattle after a dioxin scare there was sparked by the recent discovery of pork
products contaminated with the cancer-causing chemical.
(END)
