S.Korea April inflation falls to 21-month low

South Korean inflation ticked down to a 21-month low in April, data showed on Tuesday, coming in below market forecasts for the second month in a row and indicating price pressures are not an immediate threat to Asia’s fourth-largest economy. The consumer price index rose 2.5 percent in April from a year earlier, Statistics Korea More >

N.Korean army vows to turn Seoul to ashes

North Korea’s military on Monday threatened “special actions” soon to turn parts of the South Korean capital to ashes, accusing Seoul’s conservative government of defaming its leadership. The North has for months been criticising the South’s President Lee Myung-Bak in extreme terms and threatening “sacred war” over perceived insults. There have been no incidents but More >

Seoul shares open down over 1 pc

Seoul shares opened down more than 1 percent on Monday, tracking a broad decline in global peers over renewed euro zone fears as debt insurance costs and government bond yields soared in Spain. Early falls were led by financials. Hana Financial Group slid 3.4 percent while KB Financial Group shed 2.6 percent. The Korea Composite More >

Seoul shares seen higher on U.S. factory data

Seoul shares are set to open higher on Tuesday, after a rally on Wall Street pushed the S&P 500 to a fresh four-year high on robust U.S. and China factory data. “The U.S. stock rally will definitely lend a hand. Worries of a slowdown in China’s economy are starting to settle, helping recently laggard, China-related More >

Seoul Nuclear Security Summit Gets Underway

Seoul Nuclear Security Summit kicks off at 4:30 p.m. on Monday in COEX, Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu in southeastern Seoul. It brings together 58 national leaders and heads of international organizations including U.S. President Barack Obama, Chinese President Hu Jintao, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda. At the end of the Summit on More >

Seoul Slams N.Korean Rocket Plan as Nuclear Test

South Korea accused North Korea on Monday of using a planned satellite launch to further development of a long-range missile capable of carrying a nuclear payload. The North announced Friday that it would launch a rocket in mid-April to put a satellite into orbit for peaceful purposes. After a meeting Monday morning of foreign and More >

Seoul shares seen drifting higher, trapped in range

Seoul shares are seen stuck in a narrow range on Tuesday as investors wait on a meeting of the U.S. Federal Reserve’s policymaking panel, but may post a modest rebound after Monday’s slide on technical support and signs of easing in China. “Jitters from lacklustre Chinese data have already been priced in. Now the focus More >

Seoul nuclear summit to focus on safety

South Korea’s foreign minister said on Monday that the question of how to strengthen global atomic safety following Japan’s nuclear disaster would be a key topic at an upcoming summit in Seoul. Kim Sung-Hwan said the Fukushima disaster highlighted the vulnerability of nuclear power plants and the extent of damage that could be caused by More >

Seoul holds military drills despite NKorea threat

South Korea conducted live-fire military drills near its disputed sea boundary with North Korea on yesterday despite Pyongyang’s threat to respond with a “merciless” attack — a threat it did not immediately make good on. Analysts said North Korea was unlikely to respond with more than words because it is focusing on internal stability two More >

Seoul shares gains seen limited after 6 week rally

Seoul shares are expected to open higher on Monday after the Greek parliament approved an austerity bill to secure a second bailout from the European Union and International Monetary Fund, analysts said. But the rise may be capped as Seoul shares posted a sixth consecutive week of gains last week and concerns linger about coordinated More >