Yonhap News Summary

The following is the second summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency
on Thursday.

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(LEAD) S. Korea, India agree to remove or cut tariffs over next 10 yrs
SEOUL -- South Korea and India will eliminate or cut tariffs on goods over the
next 10 years under a trade agreement to be signed this week that aims to boost
their economic cooperation, Seoul's trade ministry said Thursday.
Wrapping up three years of negotiations, the two countries will sign the
so-called Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) on Friday,
committing themselves to drastically lower import tariffs on cars and other
manufactured items.
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(LEAD) Clinton asked N. Korea to release S. Korean detainees: Seoul ministry
SEOUL -- Former U.S. President Bill Clinton pressed North Korea to free South
Koreans it was holding and deal with the issue of Japanese abductees while in
Pyongyang earlier this week to obtain the release of two American journalists,
officials in Seoul and Tokyo said Thursday.
North Korea detained a South Korean worker at the inter-Korean industrial complex
in the North's border town of Kaesong in late March. The 44-year-old, identified
only by his surname Yoo, was arrested on charges of criticizing its political
system and attempting to persuade a North Korean woman to defect to the South.
The North has refused to allow him to contact his families and officials in South
Korea.
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Seoul to set rocket launch date after data review: official
SEOUL -- South Korea will reset the launch date for its first space rocket after
vetting a technical problem with the rocket's main booster, a senior government
official said Thursday.
Citing a "technical issue" with the booster, Seoul has postponed the liftoff of
the Korea Space Launch Vehicle-1 (KSLV-1) for the second time in less than two
weeks. The launch was originally scheduled for July 30 but was pushed back to
Tuesday, which has been postponed again.
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Internet news portals to be treated as conventional media in disputes
SEOUL -- News portal operators and Internet news channels will be classified as
media outlets, subjecting them to decisions by an arbitration panel in defamation
disputes, the culture ministry said Thursday.
Under a revised law that goes into effect Friday, the Press Arbitration
Commission (PAS) will treat newly-emerged media such as Internet portals and Web
channels as conventional news outlets, the ministry said in a press release.
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Jeju governor suspended until recall vote
JEJU -- A provincial governor was suspended from duty on Thursday pending a
recall vote later this month initiated by his controversial decision to approve
the construction of a major naval base in the area, a local commission said
Thursday.
Gov. Kim Tae-hwan of Jeju Island, a special self-governing province off the
country's southern coast, was elected in 2006. His decision the following year to
allow a naval base to be built on the island, a popular destination for
honeymooners, has drawn sharp criticism from residents there.
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S. Korea to send presidential envoys to Ecuadorean leader's inauguration
SEOUL -- South Korean President Lee Myung-bak will send two ruling party
lawmakers to the inauguration ceremony of his Ecuadorean counterpart to be held
next week, the foreign ministry said Thursday.
Reps. Chin Soo-hee and Ryu Jung-hyun of the Grand National Party will attend the
event Monday as presidential envoys, it said.
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(LEAD) Seoul shares end 0.36 pct higher on financial gains
SEOUL -- South Korean stocks closed 0.36 percent higher Thursday as investors
scooped up financial shares on better-than-expected second-quarter earnings,
analysts said. The local currency rose against the U.S. dollar.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) climbed 5.57 points to
1,565.04, recovering from the previous session's fall. Volume was moderate at
484.9 million shares worth 6.03 trillion won (US$4.93 billion), with gainers
outpacing losers 450 to 340.
(END)