EU clears final hurdles to new Greek bailout

BRUSSELS (AFP) ― EU leaders cleared all but the final hurdles to an unprecedented new Greek bailout Thursday as they began debating ways to turn the page on the debt crisis and inject fresh life into strained economies.

With recession returning to the eurozone after two years of austerity, EU president Herman Van Rompuy signaled the need for a new agenda arising out of a two-day European Union summit.

“I’m not saying we are out of the rut but we have reached a turning-point in the crisis,” Van Rompuy said.

“The crisis is not over and we must remain vigilant but everything we have done is now bearing fruit,” he said.

An advance deal to approve provisionally the first part of a second bailout for Greece cleared the way for a fresh debate on how to get Europe’s economy motoring again.

Greece’s debts run to 350 billion euros ($466 billion) and the eurozone rescue package will throw 237 billion euros at the problem, with top-up aid from the International Monetary Fund.

Greek Prime Minister Lucas Papademos gives a joint press conference following a working session to discuss EU funding in support of growth and employment in Greece on Wednesday at the EU Headquarters in Brussels. (AFP-Yonhap News)

The first part of the bailout involves private investors in Greek government bonds agreeing to a write-down wiping out 107 billion euros of debt.

Once that is accomplished, the other 130 billion euros in loans can be made.

Ahead of the talks, eurozone finance ministers said Greece had fulfilled most of a long list of conditions set last month.

Governments though kept pressure on private investors for another week.

German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said the “freeing-up” of taxpayer loans would depend on the take-up of tough terms negotiated with private investors over months and would finally be done “provisionally in a conference call next Friday,” March 9.

“We will check next week the state of play on PSI and this case should therefore be wrapped up in a positive way,” said Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti said, referring to the Private Sector Initiative write-down deal.

Insurers in London also provided a boost when they said they would not trigger default insurance payouts as a result of the PSI terms, a big worry last year.

As acceptances of the swap terms are compiled over the next couple of weeks, eurozone governments through the European Central Bank will put in place temporary guarantees worth 35 billion euros in case things go wrong.

The debate on growth ― ranging from proposals to liberalize trading links with the United States and China, to revamping Europe’s patchwork of tax systems ― followed new figures earlier in the day showing unemployment at a record high 10.7 percent across the 17-nation eurozone.

A statement drafted for the leaders demands an “urgent” rethink on how to reach a two-year-old target to boost employment among adults to 75 percent ― when more than 24 million people are out of work across the EU.

British Prime Minister David Cameron was one of 12 leaders pushing for a liberal trade-inspired revamp of EU economic policy but diplomats said not all of the ideas put forward also countries such as Italy, but not Germany and France, would be taken forward.

“The aim is to get as many of those measures approved as possible,” Cameron said.

Schemes for a cross-border corporation tax and a levy on the financial sector cherished by the French and supported by a minimum quorum would likely generate opposition.

Confirmed in a new 30-month mandate as EU head and also chief overseer of the eurozone, Van Rompuy vowed his “first priority will remain the economy,” warning that “without a strong economic base our social models and welfare states are at risk.”

A treaty designed to ensure there will be no repetition of the massive debts that felled Greece, Ireland and Portugal will be signed on Friday morning. German Chancellor Angela Merkel termed it a “first step toward a stability union.”

Hiring of teachers by Kwak cancelled

By Yun Suh-young The education ministry said Friday that it has informed the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education (SMOE) of its decision to reject what it calls “inappropriate” reappointments of the three teachers by Superintendent Kwak No-hyun at three public schools. The three teachers were fired or quit as a consequence of protesting against state polices or for violating the National Security Law. The ministry’s decision, the latest in a series of feuds between the top educational bodies, reflects deepening conflicts between conservative Education Minister Lee Ju-ho and the progressive top Seoul educator. “We told the education office to retract the appointment of three teachers and follow the necessary procedure to hire new replacements,” the ministry said in a statement. The appointments became invalid immediately following the announcement. In response to the ministry’s decision to cancel the appointment, the education office said it will file a suit with the Supreme Court against the minister of education. “It is the right of the superintendent to appoint teachers and this appointment did not violate the special appointment clause in the law on public educational personnel. Therefore we will sue the minister of education for unreasonably cancelling the decision,” the office said in a statement. Kwak had reappointed the three teachers at public schools, instigating a backlash that the act was biased because the teachers were avid supporters of his policies. Of the three teachers in question, one had been fired for violating the national security law and another for blowing the whistle on corruption within the school foundation. Another teacher quit in protest of his school becoming an autonomous private school. The education ministry denounced Kwak’s decision saying that if the three teachers were to be reappointed to their teaching posts, they must go through the proper administrative screening. The ministry advised the education office to cancel the appointment on Wednesday but the education office resubmitted the application to the ministry, Thursday, asking for reconsideration. The education ministry rejected. During a meeting with the press Thursday, Kwak explained his decision saying he had reasons of his own. “One of the teachers was scheduled to be reappointed by the ministry and the other two had to be protected under the law,” said Kwak. Kwak is currently in the hot seat as his intention to designate few of his aides to crucial posts in the education office was leaked by an internal source. He has been subsequently criticized for being “tyrannical” and was even accused of having ordered the blocking of an e-mail protesting his decision. “My e-mail was blocked by an internal server when I tried to send a message to officials at the education office in order to encourage their participation in a petition protesting Kwak’s decision,” claimed Lee Jeom-hui, the union leader at the education office. On Jan. 19, a lower court released Kwak, 57, from prison with only a 30-million-won fine for bribing a rival candidate to drop out of the 2010 election for his current post as top Seoul educator. Kwak will assume the role until a higher court delivers a verdict on the appeal.

40 NK soldiers killed or injured during Yeonpyeong battle: report

40 NK soldiers killed or injured during Yeonpyeong battle: report

More than 40 North Korean soldiers were killed or wounded when South Korea returned fire for the North's artillery attack on Yeonpyeong Island in November 2010, a media report said Friday, quoting a source familiar with the battalion responsible for the assault. The attack on the South Korean border island killed two marines and two civilians, causing inter-Korean relations to deteriorate to their worst level in decades. The number of North Korean casualties from South Korea's return fire has not been confirmed. "I was told by a North Korean battalion commander that more than 10 North Korean soldiers were killed and about 30 others were injured" during the conflict on Nov. 23, 2010, the source told Washington-based Radio Free Asia (RFA). The RFA said the source was on close terms with officers in the 4th Battalion, the front-line unit responsible for the shelling, and spoke during a recent trip to China. "The North Korean military is afraid of the South Korean military's high-tech weaponry, and despite their military leaders' threats to go to war (with the South), the soldiers have lost a lot of morale," RFA quoted the source as saying. "Ever since the Yeonpyeong battle, (the North's) military is reluctant to fight with the South's military." South Korea responded with advanced K9 self-propelled howitzers and dispatched F-16 fighter jets to Yeonpyeong, shortly after the North fired around 170 artillery shells onto the island and its surrounding waters off the west coast. The communist country accused the South of initiating fire, saying the South had launched artillery shells into its waters earlier that day. South Korean military officials denied that they provoked the North. North Korea recently said it was ready to fight a "sacred war," and said large-scale joint military exercises launched by South Korea and the United States this week are tantamount to declaring war against it. Pyongyang routinely denounces the joint military drills as precursors for an invasion, while Seoul and Washington insist they are defensive in nature.

US, N. Korea to meet Wed. to finalize food aid

US, N. Korea to meet Wed. to finalize food aid

WASHINGTON (Yonhap) -- Diplomats from North Korea and the United States plan to meet in Beijing next week to discuss "technical" issues to implement Washington's promise to provide 240,000 tons of "nutritional assistance," the U.S. announced Friday. Robert King, the U.S. special envoy for North Korean human rights, will meet a North Korean counterpart on Wednesday, according to State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland. "The idea is to finalize all of the technical arrangements so that the nutritional assistance can begin to move," Nuland said. "My understanding is we're down to issues like what port, when, who manages it, how do we count, how do we monitor." She did not reveal the name of King's counterpart. A diplomatic source here said the North is expected to send Ri Gun, director general for North American affairs at North Korea's foreign ministry. Earlier this week, Washington and Pyongyang announced that they reached a nuclear and food aid deal, under which the communist nation will freeze its uranium enrichment facility in Yongbyon under the monitoring of international inspectors and put a moratorium on nuclear and long-range missile tests as long as dialogue with the U.S. is under way. The U.S. agreed to ship 240,000 tons of food, excluding rice and grain, to the North over a year. The last handouts ended abruptly in 2009 when North Korea expelled U.S. food monitors.

Japanese chipmaker Elpida files for bankruptcy

Japanese computer chipmaker Elpida Memory Inc. filed for bankruptcy Monday after amassing debts from nose-diving prices, longtime competition from Samsung and the flooding in Thailand last year that stagnated demand.

Elpida, the only maker in Japan to specialize in chips called DRAM, used in mobile phones and computers, reported debt of 448 billion yen ($5.5 billion) in filing for bankruptcy at Tokyo District Court on Monday.

That was the largest ever for a bankruptcy in Japan in the manufacturing field, according to Teikoku Databank, which compiles such information.

Elpida, set up in 1999 as a joint venture between Japanese electronics companies NEC Corp. and Hitachi Ltd., has been struggling for years to close the gap with rival Samsung Electronics Co. of Korea.

The Tokyo-based company, which employs more than 3,000 people, said its business was hit when DRAM prices declined from about 2007, and got worse with the global downturn.

The surging yen also came as a blow as well as intense competition, it said.

Elpida said the flooding in Thailand last year battered DRAM demand, furthering hurting its operations.

"Based on the background mentioned above, we have concluded that, if we continue the business by ourselves, we will face cash shortage soon," it said.

In 2009, Elpida got government emergency aid, totaling 30 billion yen ($375 million) in investments through the government-owned Development Bank of Japan. Other Japanese electronics makers have pulled out of the DRAM business. (AP)

Learning English through singing

soprano Sumi Jo’s brother Jo Young-joon, the choir project aims to offer an opportunity for young children to enjoy music while learning English at the same time.

The Korea Herald Youth English Choir performs on the day of their launch at The Korea Herald building in Seoul on Wednesday. (Park Hae-mook/The Korea Herald)

The members of the choir have been practicing every Saturday since January for Wednesday’s inaugural ceremony during which they sang three pieces, including “Consider Yourself” and “Around the World with Disney.”

“We are with an English-speaking conductor,” said Kwak. “He taught me how to say things like ‘quarter note.’ My favorite piece to sing is the ‘Do-Re-Mi Song.’”

Yet it’s not just about English and music. Each member of the choir has different levels of English language skills, and therefore working with others and leadership will be an important part of the experience, Jo, president of SMI Entertainment, said.

“What I want the kids to ask themselves is ‘What makes you happy?’” said Jo. “I hope being a part of this choir would give them an opportunity to think about themselves, including what they enjoy, who they are, and things that they find meaningful.”

Conductor Ryan Goessl, who has been working with the choir since January, said his experience has been very positive. “I just want the kids to have fun and enjoy singing and enjoy doing music,” he said. “Of course I want them to actually learn in the process but I think the primary focus is to show them that all music can be fun whether it’s a fun pop-tunes or even serious classical music. I’m having a good time. In the beginning it was a little difficult because a lot of the kids weren’t used to having somebody who doesn’t look Korean to run things. However, I found I was able to overcome that really quickly as I do speak Korean quite well.”

For parents, Wednesday’s performance was a proud moment. “My son has been practicing very hard since January,” said Lee Jung-min, whose son, Kim Young-wook, is a member of the choir. “He was rather shy in the beginning but now I can see him having fun. He’s learning English the fun way. I’m proud of him.”

The choir is slated to perform accompanied by an orchestra in August. For more information, visit http://prep.koreaherald.co.kr.

‘Brothers’ Turkey, Korea to partner on trade

Korea could ink a trade agreement with Turkey by the end of March, according to the country’s ambassador here.

“Our target date is the end of March and at the latest by the end of the first half of this year,” said Turkish Ambassador, Naci Saribas.

The trade volume between the two nations is almost $6 billion with $5.7 billion of that being South Korean goods going to Turkey.

He listed Turkish imports to Korea of textiles, clothing, agriculture, food, small machinery, chemicals, iron and steel, minerals and furniture as likely to grow through the agreement.

“When you sign a free trade agreement the volume of trade gets higher. Of course we are expecting our exports to get more and more in Korean market sectors,” he said.

The trade section of the agreement is being pushed as a priority issue to end the disadvantage Turkey has found itself at following Korea’s recent FTA with Europe.

Turkey’s customs union with Europe paired with Korea’s EU FTA means that Korean imports to Turkey via Europe are benefiting from special tariffs, but Turkey is still unable to sell goods at reduced rates here.

“We wish to conclude the agreement on trade and goods. Investment and services will come later,” Saribas said. “First we will finalize the trade and goods part. Free trade agreements are not easy, they are really difficult and complex agreements because it affects some sectors of each country and might not be very easy to convince those sectors.”

The ambassador also hopes that the countries’ recent move from “blood brothers” to “strategic partners” will help strengthen ties in many sectors.

The two countries call each other “brother countries” after Turkey sent the fourth-largest number of troops to help fight the Korean War.

But recent trips to Turkey by Korea’s President Lee Myung-bak and Foreign Affairs Minister Kim Sung-hwan upped diplomatic relations.

And Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will head Turkey’s delegation to the Seoul Nuclear Security Summit in March, with the Turkish ministers of foreign and economic affairs also attending.

Nuclear power has been a talking point for the two countries before, with negotiations for South Korea to build four nuclear reactors on Turkey’s Black Sea coast stalling in December 2010. Saribas said talks on the $20 billion project halted as South Korea did not meet Turkish expectations.

“There were some sticking points,” he said. “One was the tariff, the second was the treasury guarantee and the third was the third party liability during an accident,” he said, adding that Turkey was currently studying a new law on third party liability.

But, he said: “On tariffs and treasury guarantees our position has not changed.”

“We are ready to receive a technical delegation from Korea to discuss the details but up to now we have not received a concrete proposal.”

Energy is set to be a growth sector for the expanding Eurasian economy, with Saribas saying that nuclear power will supply 5 percent of electricity there by 2020.

“Within 15 years we are foreseeing to have an investment of $100 billion in our energy sector,” he said.


By Kirsty Taylor

Apple, Samsung lose patent cases against each other in Germany

Apple Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co. both lost patent cases against each other in a court in Germany on Friday in the latest twist in the long-running battle between the two electronics powerhouses over mobile phones and tablet computers.

The Mannheim Regional Court turned down Samsung’s attempt to defend its mathematical coding procedures in processors. It also rejected Apple’s claim over features for unlocking touch screens.

An illuminated image of a Samsung Electronics Co. tablet and Galaxy smartphones are seen on display at the company`s booth at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, Tuesday. (Bloomberg)

Delivering the verdict, Presiding Judge Andreas Voss said neither company proved the other had infringed on patents.

Samsung lost because “the standard does not protect the result but the way to reach the code,” whereas Apple failed because Samsung’s products “do not use a displayed pre-determined path on the touch screen,” the judge said.

Samsung said in a statement the dismissal of the Apple’s case confirms that it “had not violated Apple’s intellectual property,” and “regrets” the ruling on its own suit and will lodge an appeal.

Apple’s Seoul office was not immediately available for comment.

The verdict comes as the two tech giants have been engaged in a patent battle since last year with about 30 lawsuits in 10 countries. Apple and Samsung are scrambling for the top spot in the rapidly expanding global smartphone and tablet markets, with their popular iPhone and iPad, as well as Galaxy phones and tablets.

In October, Samsung overtook Apple as the world’s largest smartphone vendor, according to Strategy Analytics, a research firm.

Germany has been a hotspot for legal disputes among global gadget makers in recent years. California-based Apple won a ruling in Munich against Motorola Mobility Holdings early this week.

Last month, Samsung lost a suit against its U.S. rival over third-generation wireless telecommunications standards at a Mannheim court in Germany. Samsung said it has already appealed.

The Korean company expanded its suit on Dec. 16 by adding two other patents into the case.

CJ boss adds drama to Lee family feud

CJ boss adds drama to Lee family feud

CJ Chairman Lee Jay-hyun By Kim Tae-jong CJ Group Chairman Lee Jay-hyun is suspected of being deeply involved in the inheritance fight between his father and uncle, the two sons of Samsung Group founder Lee Byung-chull. The family feud dates back to 1977 when the conglomerate’s founder officially appointed his third child Lee Kun-hee, now Samsung Electronics Chairman, as his successor, overlooking eldest son Lee Maeng-hee, father of Lee Jay-hyun. The conflict was made public on Feb. 14, when Lee Maeng-hee filed an inheritance suit against his younger brother, claiming he should receive his share by way of a large number of stocks, which his brother secretly incorporated into his assets. The discord between the brothers turned even nastier as Lee Sook-hee, one of the founder’s daughters, also filed an inheritance suit against her brother on similar grounds. Lee Maeng-hee and Lee Sook-hee demanded 710 billion and 190 billion won in shares respectively from Lee Kun-hee. The brother and sister argue that their father left shares of the group’s affiliates for all of his offspring to inherit, not Lee Kun-hee alone. Now the question is whether CJ Group Chairman Lee Jay-hyun helped his father file the lawsuit, although he has strongly denied any involvement. Some industry insiders believe that Lee Jay-hyun and his father have long prepared for the suit since they learned that Lee Kun-hee inherited shares in Samsung Life Insurance and Samsung Electronics upon the death of their father in 1987 and had managed them under borrowed names until it was discovered by prosecutors last year. Some predict that other children of the group’s founder will take similar steps to claim their portion. In theory, such collective moves could strike a blow to Lee Kun-hee’s plan to have his son Lee Jae-yong inherit his group as his control on the conglomerate may be threatened due to decreased shares. The group founder had three sons and five daughters. Regarding such expectations, CJ Group has maintained its initial stance that it has nothing to do with the lawsuit, as it is a matter between the two brothers. But according to some media reports, an employee in CJ Group’s legal department together with a lawyer representing Lee Maeng-hee went to China on the same plane just days before the eldest son took legal steps against his younger brother. Lee Maeng-hee now lives in China. Many raised suspicions that the CJ Group employee and the lawyer met with Lee Maeng-hee together to finalize legal measures. Samsung Group also seems to suspect an active role by CJ Group in the lawsuit, based on its reactions. Samsung Group is now under suspicion that it ordered one of its employees to follow Lee Jay-hyun for over a week. CJ Group accused a 42-year-old man working for Samsung C&T of following Chairman Lee Jay-hyun for over a week, revealing closed-circuit television footage of a man circling his residence in different cars. The police launched an investigation into the case last week. Samsung C&T has denied the accusation, saying the man visited the place in question to check out a plot of land that might be used for a development project.

Seoul voices regret over China visa denial

Seoul voices regret over China visa denial

South Koreans protest in front of the Chinese Consulate in Los Angeles, Monday, calling on China to stop repatriating North Korean defectors. / Yonhap By Park Si-soo South Korea expressed regret over China’s denial of a visa request by a lawmaker who has been on hunger strike to highlight Beijing’s “inhumane” repatriation of North Korean defectors held there. Rep. Park Sun-young of the minor conservative Liberty Forward Party had applied for a Chinese visa to visit Beijing and the northeastern city of Shenyang this month to discuss on the repatriation with Chinese officials and South Korean diplomats there. But the Chinese Embassy in Seoul twice denied the request without clear reason, raising speculation that it was Beijing’s retaliation against her campaign. “China’s decision (of denying the visa request) is regrettable,” said Cho Byung-jae, spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, during a regular media briefing, Tuesday. “Although visa issuance is a matter of sovereignty, which means this is not subject to complaint, the decision was regrettable.” The Chinese Embassy was not immediately available for comment. Park has led a variety of activities aimed at halting China’s repatriation of North Korean defectors detained there. The 56-year-old has gone on hunger strike in front of the Chinese Embassy in Seoul since last week, galvanizing people including politicians and celebrities to join the “Save My Friend” campaign. The campaign has gone viral on the Internet, drawing countless encouraging messages from around the world. She also presented a resolution against the repatriation, which was approved by the National Assembly’s plenary session on Monday. Some 30 North Koreans were recently caught by Chinese police and face an imminent return, according to human rights activists and lawmakers here. They say returnees face severe punishment and even death. Some of the detained defectors have allegedly already been handed over to North Korean authorities. The South’s government has taken an unusually tough stance on the matter amid soaring domestic pressure to save North Korean defectors. South Korea Ambassador Kim Bong-hyun has urged China to stop repatriating defectors in a speech delivered on Monday during the 19th session of the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland. The envoy said sending them back home amounts to a “grave infringement of human rights.” Last week, President Lee Myung-bak urged Beijing to follow international norms on the matter. Beijing has been pressed to acknowledge defectors as refugees and guarantee their safety. But China has refused to do so, defining them as “illegal migrants” who crossed the border due to economic reasons. China’s foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei said last week, “They (North Korean defectors) are illegal border crossers. They are not within the category of refugees.” South Korean and Chinese foreign ministers plan to meet in Seoul on March 2 and the defector issue is expected to top the agenda.

Korea suffers first deficit in 23 months in Jan.

Korea suffers first deficit in 23 months in Jan.

A fleet of cars are loaded onto ships at Incheon Port in this file photo. South Korea recorded a current account deficit in January for the first time in nearly two years due to slumping exports amid the eurozone debt crisis and seasonal factors. / Korea Times file By Kim Tae-jong The nation posted a current account deficit in January for the first time in 23 months due to slumping exports amid the eurozone debt crisis and seasonal factors, the central bank said Tuesday. According to the Bank of Korea (BOK), the nation recorded a current account deficit of $770 million, a major departure from a surplus of $2.81 billion the previous month. In comparison, the nation posted a current account surplus of $150 million a year earlier. It is the first time for the nation to see a current account deficit since February 2010, when the deficit stood at only $550 million. The deficit has fueled concerns over the nation’s economy as it is a barometer for cross-border trade. The BOK cited the decline in exports and a sharp rise in imports of commodities including crude oil as the main reasons for the reverse. In terms of goods, the nation posted a deficit of $1.42 billion, shifting from a surplus $1.56 billion a year earlier. Exports showed a drop of 7 percent to $41.3 billion from a year earlier, while imports rose 3.3 percent to $43.4 billion. The decline in exports was led largely by the drop in sales of ships and mobile communications equipment, which plunged 43.7 and 30.7 percent, respectively, the BOK said. In addition, the eurozone crisis and unstable U.S. economy affected overall exports in the two major markets, it added. Some predict the nation may suffer from a deficit for the second month in a row but the BOK said the decline is a temporary phenomenon, saying January tends to be a month when the nation sees a decline in exports right after a massive increase at the end of the previous year. “We expect a current account surplus in February,” a BOK official said. “We have seen an increase in exports of cars and steel, and we have more working days this month as the long Lunar New Year holiday was in January.” Meanwhile, in terms of the capital and financial accounts, covering cross-border investments, the country posted a net inflow of $1.22 billion in January, shifting from a net outflow of $3.5 billion the previous month, the central bank said. Thanks to eased concerns over the eurozone crisis, foreign investors turned to buying local stocks and bonds last month, the BOK said

Barnes & Noble unveils $199 Nook Tablet

US bookseller Barnes & Noble unveiled a new version of its Nook tablet computer Tuesday, a device with the same $199 price tag as Amazon's Kindle Fire.


The seven-inch (17.78-centimeter) Nook Tablet also has eight gigabytes of memory like the tablet released by online retail giant Amazon in November.

Apple's cheapest iPad costs $499. Barnes & Noble released a $249 Nook Tablet with 16 gigabytes of memory in November.

Barnes & Noble also said it was slashing the price of its Nook Color electronic book reader to $169 from the current $199.

The New York-based bookseller also announced its fiscal third-quarter results on Tuesday.

The company said its net profit fell to $52 million in the quarter compared to $60.6 million in the same quarter a year ago. Revenue was up five percent at $2.4 billion in the quarter which ended on January 28.

"Our physical book sales at our stores increased more than four percent over last year," Barnes & Noble chief executive William Lynch said in a statement.

"Our Nook digital content business continues to grow rapidly," Lynch added.

"According to some of the largest US publishers, we maintained or slightly gained share in the e-book market during the third quarter."

Barnes & Noble said sales of digital content and Nook tablets and e-readers rose 38 percent during the quarter to $542 million. (AFP)

Is the pen mightier than the finger?

Samsung, LG unveil stylus devices at Barcelona fair

BARCELONA, Spain -- At the Mobile World Congress in this Spanish city, tech geeks from around the world were often spotted checking out the new gadgets at the exhibition booths of Samsung and LG.

They were tackling something believed to have died off in the tech scene -- handwriting with a stylus. Both Korean tech giants had unveiled stylus devices as new strategic products on Monday with the opening of the telecom industry’s largest trade show.

Samsung’s Galaxy Note 10.1 Park Hyun-koo/The Korea Herald

Instead of announcing the successor to the Galaxy S III, Samsung Electronics rolled out the Galaxy Note 10.1, the tablet PC version of its global hit smartphone Galaxy Note 5.3. S Pen, a stylus, is the signature feature for the Note series.

LG Electronics also introduced the Optimus Vu, a Long Term Evolution smartphone accompanied by a capacitive pen called “Rubberdium Pen,” together with six other new handsets at the MWC.

For visitors more familiar with touch devices, handwriting seemed challenging. But many of them, willing to line up for a test drive, looked excited rather than frustrated.

LG’s Optimus Vu Park Hyun-koo/The Korea Herald

“I rarely use the S Pen for my Note phone. But with the larger display, I would love to use it,” said Daniel Claesson, a tech blogger from Sweden, calling the 10.1 Note a “killer.”

“Not everyone would like to use a stylus for now,” he said. “But I definitely think other tablets would follow suit.”

Until when Samsung launched the 5.3-inch Note in October, skepticism was prevalent about the idea of using a stylus among industry watchers. Steve Jobs, the late Apple founder, once said: “God gave us 10 styluses -- let’s not invent another.”

However, the atmosphere has changed slightly now as more than 1 million units of the Note phone have been sold globally and Samsung has come up with the 10.1-inch tablet version at the trade show.

Samsung’s mobile chief Shin Jong-kyun also showed no doubts about the usage of a stylus, considering a recent trend toward oversized phones or undersized tablets.

“With the display screen getting bigger, the pen must have more uses. The analogue feeling of handwriting will become a new digital trend,” he said in a press conference on Sunday.

Samsung has upgraded the S Pen for the 10.1-inch version. The stylus itself has become slimmer and more pencil-like and the top functions as an eraser on the screen.

It also offers multi-screen functionality so that users can take a note while Web searching or watching videos. Hand-written numbers as well as letters are digitized and mathematical formulas are solved automatically.

It’s obvious that handwriting is slower than typing on a touchscreen or a standard keyboard. But its flexibility allows us room for brainstorming, said LG’s mobile chief Park Jong-seok.

“The Optimus Vu is one of the phones that I have tested for the longest period. I check my thoughts while reading a document then save it to share with others. It makes me keep thinking,” he said.

“The device accepts both touch and any capacitive pen-based inputs. It’s up to you which tool you use.”

The Optimus Vu has a 5-inch screen with a 4:3 aspect ratio, which is more widely adopted by PCs and the iPad so that more information is viewed without dead space.

When the “quick memo” button is pushed, the pen is activated in any mode of the phone. The memo is saved as an image to be shared via email or text messaging.

The stylus with analogue feeling also appeals to older generations.

“I like handwriting. I actually find touchscreens inconvenient,” said Jaoan Lluis, a middle-aged professor based in Barcelona after trying out the Optimus Vu.

Andrzej Tokarski, editor in chief of the German Webzine TabletBlog, said the fate of the stylus would largely depend on the software that supports it.

“The pencil is still not a factor at this point. It’s just a substitute. But we could expect that the pen would do more with the future version of Android OS and future updates by companies,” he said.

Both Samsung and LG said their devices would continue to get updates to offer optimized services for the stylus. Currently, the Galaxy Note and the Optimus Vu run Ice Cream Sandwich and the Ginger Bread of Android OS, respectively.

DUP pledges more taxes on rich, big firms

Main opposition stresses fair taxation, vows to ease economic polarization


The main opposition Democratic United Party on Sunday confirmed its election platform on tax reforms which seeks to apply the highest income tax rate to more rich people and increase corporate taxes on the country’s top conglomerates.

The move comes as the party is stepping up efforts to court voters ahead of the April 11 general elections, claiming that the gap between the haves and have-nots has widened due to incumbent government’s economic policies favoring the rich.

The party announced its tax overhaul plan, underscoring that it aims to enhance equality in taxation, securing finances for its envisioned welfare programs and ease economic polarization.

Han Myeong-sook (center), leader of the Democratic United Party, holds a press conference explaining its tax reform plan at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on Sunday. (Yonhap News)

Under the plan, the party will apply the top income tax rate of 38 percent to those who earn more than 150 million won ($133,000) per year. Currently, the rate is applied to those who make an annual income of more than 300 million won.

Officials said that the change will increase the number of people subject to the top rate to 140,000 from 31,000 and the annual tax revenue by 1 trillion won.

To slap more taxes on top conglomerates, the party plans to increase the top corporate tax rate applied to firms earning more than 50 billion won per year to 25 percent from the current 22 percent. With other adjustments to the current taxation system, the party expects additional tax revenue of some 2.8 trillion won per year.

Also as part of efforts to shrink the top enterprises’ tax benefits, the party plans to exclude dividends from their investments in their affiliates and the interest on loans for their investment in subsidiaries from the items subject to tax deduction.

Through the envisioned tax reform, the party believes that it can secure additional tax revenue of 15-16 trillion won annually during the next administration should it be able to pass it through parliament.

Meanwhile, the minority left-wing Unified Progressive Party pledged to seek to increase the top income tax rate to 40 percent from the current 38 percent, and revise downward the income level for the top rate to 120 million won from the current 300 million won.

Taxation has always been one of the ideologically divisive issues.

President Lee Myung-bak and his ruling Saenuri Party have sought to curtail taxes for the rich and top enterprises, claiming that the cuts will help boost business activities, investments and consumption, and create jobs.

They have stressed that such “economic benefits” in the top echelon will “trickle down” to the low-income brackets. However, critics argue that such economic polices have not been effective and only deepened economic polarization.

With such criticism, the ruling party is also mulling a series of policies that could appeal to the ordinary citizens, a move its hard core supports criticized for “moving leftward.”

Over-indebtedness

As one Korean business daily recently noted, each of the three previous administrations found itself mired in an economic crisis during its final year in office. Will President Lee Myung-bak’s administration experience a nightmarish economy, too? Unfortunately for both him and the rest of the nation, few would say the chances are low.

Worst hit among the three was President Kim Young-sam’s administration, which failed to shield the nation from the 1997-98 Asian financial meltdown. The culprit was the high level of corporate debt. The liabilities of an average manufacturer, which stood at 317.1 percent of its net assets in 1996, shot up to 396.3 percent the next year.

By the time the Asian financial crisis hit, the state coffers were nearly empty. When the nation was on the brink of sovereign insolvency, the administration had to look to the International Monetary Fund for help. It had to accept bailout loans under humiliating terms.

Its successor, the administration led by President Kim Dae-jung, failed to learn the lesson from the Asian crisis. The administration, when the economy began to slump during the latter part of its term, chose to encourage spending on credit cards as a way out. As a consequence, the number of cards in use surpassed the 100 million mark, meaning there were 4.6 cards for an average Korean adult. Card spending jumped from 443.37 trillion won in 2001 to 622.9 trillion won the next year.

The nation had to pay the price. Though the growth rate shot up to 7.2 percent, the runaway card spending was mainly responsible for increasing the number of credit delinquents from 2.4 million in 2002 to 3.5 million in 2003.

It was land developers who planted the seed of an economic crisis during the final year of President Roh Moo-hyun’s administration. They borrowed heavily in the form of project financing, in which the project’s assets, rights and interest were held as collateral and the repayment was to derive from the project’s cash flow on its completion.

Outstanding project-financing loans doubled from 24.8 trillion won in 2005 to 49.2 trillion won in 2006 and shot up to 69.7 trillion won in 2007. The Roh administration started to rein in project financing in its final year in office, reducing its portion to 30 percent of the total loans.

When it was inaugurated in February 2008, President Lee Myung-bak’s administration should have taken up where its predecessor left off and tightened the spigot on project financing. But it did not. As such, outstanding project-financing loans peaked at 83 trillion won in that year.

A fall in property prices brought homebuilders, construction companies and such non-banking lenders as savings banks to their knees. But this problem should be manageable, with the Lee administration having cleaned up much of the mess.

The real threat, however, is coming from snowballing household debt, which was at 913 trillion won at the end of last year, up 66 trillion from the previous year. As the Lee administration tightened regulations on borrowing from banks last June, a growing number of households turned to insurance companies, credit unions and other non-banking financial institutions as alternative lenders.

On Sunday, the Financial Services Commission announced new regulations on lending, this time imposing them on non-banking financial institutions. Will the new regulations put an end to the “balloon effect?” Probably not. Just as pressure, when applied in one area, pushes the air into another area of less resistance, so borrowers in desperate need of money will now turn to private lenders, including loan sharks.

It goes without saying that households must keep their debt at a manageable level. But it is easier said than done, and all the more so because income is not increasing and employment opportunities are dwindling. Moreover, the Bank of Korea has been keeping the cost of borrowing low under pressure from the administration.

The central bank is urged to raise its benchmark rate in March, instead of keeping it at 3.25 percent for the ninth consecutive month. The administration will have to stop meddling in the bank’s monetary policy. Instead, it will do well to focus on job creation.

Wealthy more likely to lie or cheat: researchers

Maybe, as the novelist F. Scott Fitzgerald suggested, the rich really are different. They're more likely to behave badly, according to seven experiments that weighed the ethics of hundreds of people.

The "upper class," as defined by the study, were more likely to break the law while driving, take candy from children, lie in negotiation, cheat to increase their odds of winning a prize and endorse unethical behavior at work, researchers reported today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Taken together, the experiments suggest at least some wealthier people "perceive greed as positive and beneficial," probably as a result of education, personal independence and the resources they have to deal with potentially negative consequences, the authors wrote.

While the tests measured only "minor infractions," that factor made the results, "even more surprising," said Paul Piff, a Ph.D. candidate in psychology at the University of California , Berkeley, and a study author.

One experiment invited 195 adults recruited using Craigslist to play a game in which a computer "rolled dice" for a chance to win a $50 gift certificate. The numbers each participant rolled were the same; anyone self reporting a total higher than 12 was lying about their score. Those in wealthier classes were found to be more likely to fib, Piff said.

"A $50 prize is a measly sum to people who make $250,000 a year," he said. "So why are they more inclined to cheat? For a person with lower socioeconomic status, that $50 would get you more, and the risks are small."

Poorer participants may be less likely to cheat because they must rely more on their community to get by, and thus are more likely adhere to community standards, Piff suggested. By comparison, "upper-class individuals are more self-focused, they privilege themselves over others, and they engage in self- interested patterns of behavior," he said in a telephone interview.

To be sure, Piff and his colleagues also said the associations they found were likely to have exceptions, pointing to Warren Buffett, chairman and chief executive officer of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., who has pledged the majority of his holdings to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and other charities, and the whistle-blowing of Cynthia Cooper and Sherron Watkins, former officials of Worldcom Inc. and Enron Corp (ENRNQ)., respectively.

Less wealthy individuals also can behave badly, they wrote, noting the relationship between poverty and violent crime in previous research. They urged further study to determine the "boundaries" of bad behavior spurred by greed.

The studies Piff and his colleagues completed weren't meant to measure the ties between socioeconomic status and violent crime, but rather simple bad behavior, he said.

Some of the experiments offered visual evidence, for instance determining whether people with more expensive cars observed traffic laws in the San Francisco Bay Area, yielding to cars and pedestrians at an intersection, or whether individuals took candy identified as being set aside for kids. Others polled people on what decision they might make in a given situation.

In the traffic tests, about one-third of drivers in higher- status cars cut off other drivers at an intersection watched by the researchers, about double those in less costly cars. Additionally, almost half of the more expensive cars didn't yield when a pedestrian entered the crosswalk while all of the lowest-status cars let the pedestrian cross. These experiments involved 426 vehicles.

Another test asked 108 adults found through Amazon Inc.'s (AMZN) work-recruiting website Mechanical Turk to assume the role of an employer negotiating a salary with someone seeking long-term employment. They were told several things about the job, including that it would shortly be eliminated. Upper-class individuals were more likely not to mention to the job-seeker the impermanence of the position, the research found.

Meredith McGinley, an assistant professor at Chatham University in Pittsburgh who wasn't involved in the study, was critical of how some of the experiments were designed.

The design of the car experiments complicates the picture because having a flashy car doesn't necessarily mean the driver is wealthy, said McGinley, who studies positive social behavior. In the experiment involving candy, the participants were told they could have it even though the children were waiting for it. They may have felt they were doing nothing wrong, she said.

The research indicates that valuing greed leads to unethical behavior, not necessarily that social class causes bad behavior, McGinley said, adding, "greediness seems like a much more substantial predictor than income."

The study builds on previous research that has shown wealthy people are worse at recognizing how others feel and are more likely to be disengaged during social interactions than others, the authors wrote in the paper.

That seems to be the case even in primates, said Piff, who describes his status growing up as being "relatively comfortable, middle-class." Because of his education, he's now "probably upper-middle class," he said.

"It's not that the rich are innately bad, but as you rise in the ranks -- whether as a person or a nonhuman primate -- you become more self-focused," Piff said. "You can change that by reminding upper-class people of the needs of others. That may not be their default, but have them do it is sufficient to increase their patterns of altruistic behavior." (Bloomberg)

Elder sister sues Samsung chairman over inheritance

The elder sister of Samsung Electronics Co. chairman Lee Kun-hee has filed an inheritance suit against her brother, demanding some 190 billion won ($169 million) in shares left by their late father, Samsung Group founder Lee Byung-chull, a law firm said Tuesday.

The move comes two weeks after Lee Kun-hee, 70, was sued on similar grounds by his eldest brother Lee Maeng-hee, who demanded some 710 billion won in shares and cash.

The sister, Lee Sook-hee, filed the suit with the Seoul Central District Court, claiming her father left shares in Samsung Life Insurance Co. and Samsung Electronics for all of his offspring to inherit, not Lee Kun-hee alone, said an official at Yoon and Yang LLC.

Lee Sook-hee has demanded some 2.23 million shares in the Samsung Life Insurance and 10 preferred stocks in the electronics company.

Lee Kun-hee inherited the bulk of the Samsung conglomerate upon the death of their father in 1987.

Made-in-China goods face ban at Insa-dong

Made-in-China goods face ban at Insa-dong

A souvenir shop in Insa-dong, central Seoul, Monday. Jongno Office and Seoul City are seeking to ban the sales of products made in China or Southeast Asia out of concern that low-quality items from the countries tarnish the cultural image of the street. / Korea Times photo by Kim Rahn By Kim Rahn Seoul City and Jongno Office are moving to drive made-in-China products out of Insa-dong under concerns that low-quality foreign products tarnish the image of the tourist district famous for traditional Korean craftworks and other cultural items. But the plan is drawing a backlash from merchants there. It is also possible that it contradicts related laws. According to the Jongno Office, it has asked the Seoul City to revise an ordinance for Insa-dong, the city-designated special cultural district, to remove foreign-made products from the area. Under the ordinance, the city can ban the operation of businesses that may spoil the purpose of the cultural district designation. The ward office said it will seek to add a new clause to the ordinance so that only made-in-Korea merchandise can be sold within the tourist area. “We see most of the items at souvenir shops are made in China or Southeast Asian nations, and we worry foreign visitors may mistake the low-quality ones as Korean products. Insa-dong is a thoroughfare of tradition, so products there should fall under this concept,” said a ward office official. The official said he understands why merchants sell made-in-China items — they need to earn a larger margin with the low-cost products, because the monthly rent of the shops ranges from 5 to 30 million won as Insa-dong becomes more famous and attracts 70,000 to 100,000 daily visitors on weekends or holidays. “The dominance of foreign-made products is against the purpose of designating Insa-dong as a zone of traditional culture. Such items threaten Insa-dong’s identity,” he said. He said the ward office’s lawyers concluded it may be legally fine to promote sales of only homemade products there to enhance the district’s image of craftsmanship. “We are discussing it with the city government and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.” But the city government was more cautious about defining the new clause. “Even though Insa-dong is a special cultural zone, the clause may contradict the law on free trade. Culture-related laws also don’t have detailed rules on such cases. So, we need an authoritative interpretation from related ministries before revising the ordinance,” city official Kim Hoon-ki said. Kim said another issue is the reaction from merchants there. “Whether or not they will agree to the idea is the most important. But we expect they will oppose the plan because it will directly affect their livelihood,” he said. The merchants, as Kim expected, were not happy. “It is nonsense. Will the city government pay my rent?” said Han, a worker at souvenir shop Eolssigu Madang. “It is true that shops here sell products from China. But shop owners go to China, make the products with Chinese workers and bring them back to Korea, so we can’t say they are really ‘made-in-China,’” Han said, adding they cannot make ends meet solely with domestic products. Park Won-chul, who runs Jin Moon Picture Gallery but sells souvenirs as well, said about 50 percent of his products are made-in-China. “Foreigners all know the items are from China. But they still buy such products because they are cheap. They don’t buy the expensive items,” the 64-year-old said. No more cosmetics shops? Along with the foreign product ban, the ward office seeks to close businesses that may damage Insa-dong’s image, including cram schools, telecommunication agencies, and cosmetics, shoes or bakery chains. “Since the ordinance was drawn up in 2002, it has banned the operation of 16 businesses unrelated to tradition, such as video rental, karaoke bars, and barber shops, on the main street. With time passing, new businesses also unrelated to tradition emerged and settled in Insa-dong, so we need to revise the ordinance to include the new ones,” the ward office official said. He also said the related law doesn’t empower the ward office to crack down on such businesses even though they don’t follow the ordinance, adding the law should be changed so that the office can impose fines on them. Tourists generally consented to the idea. “Seoul has changed a lot since my last visit 20 years ago. But Insa-dong still has the traditional image and I hope it can retain it. Insa-dong doesn’t need to have cosmetic brand shops because if we want to buy such products, we can go to Myeong-dong or Sinchon,” Yoshihiro Watanabe, a Japanese traveler, said.

Nuclear weapons are not monopoly of US: N. Korea

Nuclear weapons are not monopoly of US: N. Korea

North Korea said Saturday that nuclear weapons are not the monopoly of the United States. “We have war means more powerful than the U.S. nukes and ultra-modern striking equipment which no one has ever possessed," the North's National Defense Commission (NDC) said in a statement. "The U.S. is sadly mistaken if it thinks it is safe as its mainland is far away across the ocean. There is no limit to the striking intensity and range of our army and people to wipe out the aggressors," the statement said. The NDC threatened a "sacred war" over South Korean-U.S. joint military drills this week as a U.S. envoy urged Pyongyang's new leadership to engage in dialogue with the outside world. It denounced the annual joint exercises as a "silent declaration of war," describing them as "unpardonable war hysteria." Key Resolve, a computerized command post exercise, started on Monday and continues until March 9. Separately, the joint air, ground and naval field training exercise Foal Eagle will be held from March 1 to April 30. "Key Resolve and Foal Eagle are unpardonable war hysteria kicked up by the hooligans to desecrate our mourning period and an unpardonable infringement upon our sovereignty and dignity," the NDC said. "Our army and people will foil the moves of the group of traitors to the nation and warmongers at home and abroad for a new war with a sacred war of our own style," the NDC said, indicating it would stage a counter exercise. The threat is the latest instance of Pyongyang taking a hostile tone towards Seoul since Kim Jong-un, the youngest son of the late leader Kim Jong-il, took over after his father died of a heart attack on Dec. 17. Last week, Pyongyang vowed "merciless retaliatory strikes" if any shells landed in waters claimed by Pyongyang during a live-fire artillery exercise near the disputed Yellow Sea border. But in the event it took no military action in response to the drill. "War manoeuvres... are, in essence, a silent declaration of a war. The declaration of the war is bound to be accompanied by a corresponding physical retaliation," the NDC said Saturday. "Now that a war has been declared against us, the army and people are firmly determined to counter it with a sacred war of our own style and protect the security of the nation and the peace of the country," it added. It accused "U.S. imperialists" of intensifying moves to ignite a war, and implied that the North had the capacity to strike against the U.S. mainland. (AFP)

MBC president vows stern measures against striking workers

The head of South Korea's major TV broadcaster MBC vowed Friday to deal sternly with unionists waging an "illegal strike" and demanding his resignation.

MBC's unionized reporters and TV producers began an indefinite general strike on Jan. 30, demanding Kim Jae-cheul, the president and chief executive of the broadcaster, step down over what they call biased coverage of major social and political issues.

The walkout is affecting nearly all news and entertainment programs at the station, with the exception of dramas and programs whose production is outsourced.

"It is nonsense that they demand the resignation of a president chosen through legitimate procedures," Kim said during a meeting of senior company officials.

Kim, who showed up at the MBC offic for the first time in about three weeks, said he had been working off-site "to avoid unnecessary clashes" with unionists but had reached the limit of his patience.

"I will respond to the illegal strike sternly and according to (law and) principles," he said, vowing to take all possible measures, including legal action if necessary, to normalize the company.

In addition, management ordered all employees participating in the strike to return to work by 9 a.m. Monday or face disciplinary measures.

The union refused to back down, however, vowing to continue its strike until the company moves toward "fair journalism."

"We launched this strike because MBC has biased broadcasting,"

Jeong Yeong-ha, chief of the union, said. "We will continue the strike as scheduled until our broadcasting environment turns fair,"

he added.

The unionists argue that the broadcaster has intentionally omitted or reduced the coverage of politically sensitive issues, including rallies against the country's free trade agreement with the United States and suspicions surrounding President Lee Myung-bak's recent purchase of land for his retirement home in southern Seoul. 

Gov't employee punished over fake nude photo of Girls' Generation

A 53-year-old government employee was dismissed from his post Wednesday after police started investigating his role in spreading a fake nude photo of K-pop group Girls' Generation, his office said.

The employee, whose name was withheld, was relieved of his duties from the Yeonsu Ward Office in Incheon, west of Seoul, one day after police booked him on suspicion of posting the photo on an online cafe in December, the office said.

The photo was put together using separate images of the pop group and the naked lower body of other women, police said. The suspect claimed he found the photo online and later reposted it.

The Yeonsu Ward Office issued a public apology in a press release, saying it apologizes for causing "physical and emotional harm to members of Girls' Generation, who are raising the prestige of the Republic of Korea."

It also vowed to prevent such an incident from happening again by "strictly educating" all of its employees.

The office plans to decide on disciplinary measures for the suspect in line with the results of the police investigation.

The pop group's agency referred the case to the police on Thursday. 

Turkey carries out world's first quadruple limb transplant

Turkish surgeons have performed the world's first-ever quadruple limb transplant at a university hospital in Ankara, the Anatolia news agency reported on Saturday.

"In such a big organ transplant... more than 50 percent of the (patient's) body has changed," Professor Murat Tuncer, rector of Ankara's Hacettepe University, told Anatolia.

"The blood and plasma defusion are still continuing for our patient to overcome the critical next 24 hours," he said.

Health Minister Recep Akdag congratulated the surgeons who carried out the high-risk operation. "All my friends... really did a good job. I'd like to thank all of them on behalf of the Turkish people," he told Anatolia.

The operation comes on the heels of the country's first-ever face transplant at another Turkish university hospital.

Last month, a team of doctors at Akdeniz University in the southern city of Antalya successfully performed the operation on a 19-year-old boy whose face was burned when he was a 40-day-old baby. (AFP)

Two new blood types identified

Scientists have discovered the two proteins in red blood cells that cause the rare Langereis and Junior blood types, Science Daily reported Thursday.

“Only 30 proteins have previously been identified as responsible for a basic blood type,“ University of Vermont biologist Bryan Ballif says, “but the count now reaches 32.”

Ballif and his colleagues identified the two molecules as specialized transport proteins ABCB6 and ABCG2, identifying the molecular basis for the two newest blood types.

He says this knowledge can be “a matter of life and death” when it comes to organ transplant or blood transfusion.

Sometimes the body rejects a newly transplanted tissue or blood, even though the blood types might match, leading to complications or even death.

The rejection is often caused by the way the immune system distinguishes self from not-self.

“If our own blood cells don’t have these proteins, they’re not familiar to our immune system,” Ballif explains. This causes the body to define the new blood/tissue as “not-self,” then the body develops antibodies against it, killing the “invaders.”

He says these unexplained rejections in the rare blood types may have to do with newly discovered proteins. While the blood types were identified decades ago, the genetic basis had been unidentified until now, meaning some people never knew if they had a positive or negative blood type. This often led to blood transfusion problems or mother-fetus incompatibility.

However, with these findings, it will be much easier for doctors to recognize patients with these rare blood types.

According to Ballif, they are found in only certain ethnicities, with more than 50,000 Japanese believed to be Junior negative.

In addition, both of the new-found proteins were associated with anticancer drug resistance, which could have implications for improved cancer treatment.

Langereis and Junior have yet to be recognized by the International Blood Transfusion Society, which recognizes twenty-eight additional blood types other than ABO and Rhesus (Rh), such as Duffy, Kidd, Diego and Lutheran.

Ballif’s team is searching for more unknown blood types, where they cannot identify the protein causing complications.

These other blood types are extremely rare, but he says it’s important to identify them because “if you’re that one individual, and you need a transfusion there’s nothing more important for you to know.”

Court rules against return of Jeongsu Foundation assets

(Yonhap News)

Court rules against return of extorted scholarship assets　
Acknowledges foundation snatched by the Park Chung-hee regime 　

　By Bae Ji-sook

　A local court ruled on Friday that the assets of a scholarship foundation extorted by the late President Park Chung-hee government in the early 1960s should not be returned to the family of the late founder of the scholarship.

　The court, citing the expired period for legal challenge, rejected the request for the return of the extorted assets, though it did acknowledge that the assets had been taken under duress by Park’s authoritarian regime.

　The assets are now under the control of a renamed scholarship foundation, which was once managed by ruling party leader and Park’s eldest daughter Park Geun-hye. Her opposition rivals have raised the issue of her involvement in the scholarship.

　In 1962, the Park government extorted the Bu-il Scholarship from its founder Kim Ji-tae while cracking down on collaborators with the Japanese during the colonial rule from 1910-1945. Kim worked at a colonial company, amassing a fortune, and founded the Bu-il Scholarship in 1958.

　Days after the extortion of the Bu-il Scholarship, it was renamed the May 16 Scholarship controlled by Park’s aides, and renamed again in 1982 the Jeongsu Scholarship after Park Chung-hee and First Lady Yook Young-soo. May 16 is the day of Park’s successful coup d’etat.

　In June 2010, Kim Ji-tae’s eldest son Kim Yeong-goo and other relatives sued the government and the Jeongsu Scholarship, asking for the return of its assets. The Jeongsu Scholarship Foundation owns 30 percent of broadcaster MBC, all of the Busan Ilbo newspaper, a 2,385-square meter lot used by a Seoul-based newspaper, the Kyunghyang Shinmun, and about 20 billion won ($18 million) in financial assets.

　The court, rejecting request for the return, acknowledged that the military junta led by Park Chung-hee coerced Kim Ji-tae into making the “donation,” as the junta claimed, but said the threats it used to extort them were not severe.

　“We do not think that Kim was deprived of all means to express his resistance at that time,” said Judge Yeom Won-seob who presided over the trial. “Also, the statute of limitations to make a legal challenge has expired, along with the right to demand compensation from the government,” he added. 

　In 1962, on the surface, Kim donated his assets, including the Bu-il Scholarship, to society, when he was detained as a collaborator. He signed a donation memorandum and was released. The prosecution did not press charges.

　In 2007, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission acknowledged that he signed the note under months of duress. The commission also advised his bereaved families to demand a “refund” from the government.

　Kim Yeong-woo, the second son of Ji-tae, said on Friday he would appeal the court’s decision.

　“What I cannot stand is a few people from the old regime still peddling influence in scholarship affairs,” Kim told reporters as he walked out of the courtroom. “For the honor of my father, I will take the case all the way to the Supreme Court,” he said.

　On the political front, Jeongsu Scholarship has emerged as a thorny issue in the run up to this year’s elections, for Rep. Park, a presidential frontrunner with the Saenuri Party.

　She served as a part-time director of the Jeongsu Scholarship between 1995 and 2005. The foundation is now run by Choi Phil-lip, 84, a former aide to the late President Park.

　Moon Jae-in, a strong presidential hopeful of the opposition, claimed that Park embezzled from the foundation fund by taking a salary of 250 million won a year as its director, despite hardly showing up at the office. Moon also said it was inappropriate for “her cronies” to govern the scholarship foundation since the organization is supposed to be a public institution.

　“It is like Park Geun-hye and her friends are keeping stolen goods,” he said.

　Park said her payment and Choi’s leadership in the foundation were legitimate. She also stressed that she currently has nothing to do with the foundation.

Are you happy with Facebook? Many declaring ‘break-up’ with SNS site

Are you happy with Facebook? Many declaring ‘break-up’ with SNS site

A 40-year-old office worker, only identified by her surname Hong, recently marked her 400th friend on the Facebook in a small event, two years after signing up with the social networking service. Dozens of netizens applied to be friends with Hong for a day as she gave notice that she will give a gift certificate to whoever became her 400th Facebook friend. Thanks to the event, she is likely to have 500 friends in less than a week after she surpassed the 400 mark. But she has got into trouble. She has found a flood of unwanted content on her account. The news feed or timeline of Facebook has been occupied by election campaigns of Facebook friends seeking to run in the April 11 National Assembly elections, as well as PR for commodities. “I'm fed up with my crowded Facebook, like a noisy market,” she said. “I'm considering quitting or scrapping connections with some friends." Unlike her original intent to enjoy the site with some friends, Facebook has become headache for her. An estimated 5 million have enjoyed communication through Facebook in Korea, according to a local tally. The rapid growth of the Facebook population has also created problems, such as messier news feeds and endless updated applications, prompting a growing number of users to leave the social networking service. “There is nothing to post, nor reactions to my postings or useful information from others,” said a netizen, who quit the service for such reasons. “There are always a flood of show-off or happy stories of others, like travelling or marriage," another user said, adding that he felt hurt from the stories of Facebook friends who were successful. Netizens begin to feel less happy when the number of their friends exceeds an average 354 on Facebook, according to a research paper submitted to a meeting of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology in San Diego, Calif., earlier this month. In the research conducted by the IE Business School in Madrid, Spain, researchers asked a sample group of Facebook users between 18 and 65 to read some of their friends' status updates. Afterward, those Facebook users rated their lives as much less satisfying than people who didn't check their news feed first. When reading friends' continuous 'happy stories parade' on news feeds more and more, one's happiness drops. It pointed out that commercial use of personal information collected and the revelation of privacy problems on Facebook are attributable to a decrease of happiness of Facebook users. People who revolt against the website’s privacy policy are conducting an anti-Facebook campaign at quitfacebookday.com and sickfacebook.com. Recently, other sites have appeared to attract those who feel a heavy burden from Facebook. One of them is Path, which limits the number of friends to 150 or less. Experts advise that in order to increase happiness and satisfaction through productive Facebook use, it is important to be active rather than passive. "Many people are not aware that they have editorial rights and the news feed is made by themselves," said Yoon Young-min, a professor at Hanyang University.

Korea beats Uzbekistan in tune-up before World Cup qualifier

Korea beats Uzbekistan in tune-up before World Cup qualifier

JEONJU, North Jeolla Province (Yonhap) ― Korea on Saturday beat Uzbekistan 4-2 in a football friendly, a tune-up match before a crucial World Cup qualifier next week. At Jeonju World Cup Stadium, about 240 kilometers south of Seoul, forward Lee Dong-gook and midfielder Kim Chi-woo each scored twice, as South Korea fended off a late Uzbek charge. Lee Dong-gook, the reigning MVP of the domestic K-League, opened the scoring for the home team in the 18th minute. After taking a pass near the penalty spot with his back to the net, Lee turned around and caught Uzbek defender Anzur Ismailov off balance before shooting it past keeper Ignatiy Nesterov. Lee scored his second just before the first-half whistle, this time shooting it past two defenders after a nifty setup by Lee Keun-ho just inside the box. Substitute Kim Chi-woo made it 3-0 for South Korea about 30 seconds into the second half, heading in a perfect cross from Kim Shin-sook deep in the Uzbek zone. With the game seemingly in hand, Korean defenders turned lethargic over the game's final 20 minutes, allowing the Uzbeks to slash the deficit to one. First, it was Anvar Rakhimov putting the visitors on board with a left-foot strike in the 77th minute. Four minutes later, Stanislav Andreev converted a penalty, awarded after Cho Sung-hwan fouled a Uzbek player following his turnover. But Kim Chi-woo put the game out of reach for good with a curling free kick goal in the dying moments. Despite the late defensive collapse, the victory bodes well for South Korea before its World Cup qualifier against Kuwait next Wednesday. The showdown in Seoul will be the teams' final match in the penultimate World Cup qualification round. Despite leading Group B this round with 10 points, South Korea will be eliminated if it loses to Kuwait and if Lebanon defeats or draws the winless United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the other Group B match Wednesday. With Lebanon heavily favored to beat the UAE, South Korea's contest against Kuwait is virtually a must-win situation. Korea is tied with Lebanon in points but is ahead in the goal differential tiebreaker, plus-8 to minus-2. Kuwait is in third with eight points, well within reach of the top spot. Only the top two nations from each of five groups in the ongoing round will advance to the fourth and the final qualification phase. As the leader in Group C, Uzbekistan has already booked a berth in the next round. It didn't travel with captain Server Djeparov, the 2008 and 2011 Asian Footballer of the Year, and striker Alexander Geynrikh for this contest. This was the first international match for Choi as the national team head coach. He was named the bench boss in December, replacing Cho Kwang-rae after Korea's 2-1 upset loss to Lebanon in November.