Seoul News

Seoul shares edged up on Thursday, led by technology and retail stocks, as encouraging data from the United States and China soothed concerns over the global economic outlook. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index .KS11 (KOSPI) finished up 0.63 percent at 1,775.73 points. “Shares were responsive to unexpected good news on manufacturing data that alleviated More >

Seoul shares trimmed earlier losses to end nearly flat on Friday helped by firm gains in shipbuilders, but tech exporters such as LG Electronics (066570.KS) declined amid continued global economic concerns. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index .KS11 (KOSPI) finished down 0.01 percent at 1,729.56 points.

The government has asked domestic Internet service providers to block citizens access to a North Korean Twitter account because it breaches the national security laws. The decision was made Thursday by the Communications Standards Commission to stem the rapid increase of subscriptions by South Korean nationals.

Seoul shares fell for a third session on Thursday to close at a one-month low as growing concerns of weaker economic growth pounded steelmaker POSCO. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index .KS11 (KOSPI) finished down 2.07 percent at 1,721.75 points, its lowest close since July 8. POSCO, the world’s No.3 steelmaker, tumbled 3.8 percent.

A forum of 100 global business chiefs will be held alongside the next G20 summit to underscore the Group of 20′s role as the top world body for economic cooperation, officials said Thursday. South Korea, which chairs the G20 leaders’ meeting on November 11-12 in Seoul, will push to make the business summit a regular More >

Seoul shares slipped on Thursday led by technology stocks such as Samsung Electronics and Hyundai Motor (005380.KS) after the automaker warned its second-half sales may slide. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) finished down 0.15 percent at 1,770.88 points. Individual investors were sellers of a net 79 billion won ($66.66 million) worth of stocks More >

South Korea was expected to push for a message denouncing the attack on the Cheonan at a regional security forum attended by top diplomats from both Koreas. “The ASEAN Regional Forum will hopefully touch on the sinking of the Cheonan when members issue a statement at the end of the meeting,” one government official said More >

A top Chinese think tank has named Seoul as one of the 10 most competitive cities in the world, Xinhua News Agency reported Wednesday. The capital city ranked ninth on the list of global urban competitiveness compiled by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, jumping three spots from its 2008 listing. New York and London More >

A pair of elephants donated by the Cambodian government arrived in Seoul on Thursday evening, the Seoul Metropolitan Government said. Currently, there are 11 elephants in six zoos in Korea, but they are in their 30s and the females are no longer reproductive. The city government and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade made More >

SOUTH Korea has rejected North Korea’s proposal for direct military talks on the sinking of a warship. The Seoul government says issue should be handled under the armistice that ended the 1950-53 war with Pyongyang.