2009.02.27 – Korean Airlines plans to buy six Airbus A330-200 for $1.6 billion, between 2010 and 2013, announced the South-Korean Airlines’ press release.

2009.02.27 – ST Telecom and KTF will launch soon a “security phone”. Dedicated to young people, these phones will allow users, by clicking easily on a button, to mimic a telephone ring or set off an alarm that hits 100dB (perceivable 70 meters around) when suspicious people threaten them.

2009.02.27 – Football federations of South-Korea and Japan are improving their relation after 18 years of “diplomatic jam” ; under the initiative of Japan, the two countries will re-start annual friendship match (under the condition both teams get qualified for the 2010 Worldcup).

2009.02.27 – Moon Gwang-Lip, Joonggang Daily journalist, releases a book in Korean named « Itaewon: Gateway to the World » on expatriates life and activities in Seoul, and lots of practical information (website, email address, groups, etc.).

2009.02.26 – The new 50,000 won bill which will be launched next June will be the first bill with the portrait of a woman. Golden-yellow and a bit longer than other, this bill will be printed with the face of Shin Saim-Dang, 16th century writer and calligraphist.

2009.02.26 – LED (Light-Emitting Diode) market, which is in its initial development, will be the new “cash-cow” of the South Korean chip and flat screen manufacturers which are deploying their production on this eco-friendly market.

2009.02.26 – Korean Banks will receive 12 trillion won ($8 billion) in capital next month from the State-Backed Recapitalization Fund, announced the Financial Services Commission.

2009.02.26 – Controversial media bills have been introduced yesterday night by the Grand National Party (GNP) which made angry the opposition Democratic party who decided to sit-in in the Parliamentary Chamber.

2009.02.25 – To adapt their offer in South Korea, one of the world highest Internet penetration rates, and to generate new revenue sources on this near-saturation market, the leader KT and its “mobile” unit KTF plan on the possibility to merge and unify their management.

2009.02.25 – North Korea announced the launch (beginning of March) of a satellite Gwangmyeongseong-2, going ahead the US and South Korea recommendations whose intelligence sources believe it will be the launch of a long-distance missile Taepodong-2.

2009.02.25 – Yesterday, the Korean won reached 11-year low against the US dollar, with 1 dollar for 1,516.30 won, a decrease of 1.83% compared to the day before.

2009.02.25 – The new Chairman of KITA (Korea International Trade Association), SaKong Il, replacing Lee Hee-Beom, plans to help Korean exporters, in particular small and medium companies.

2009.02.24 – International policymakers, experts and economists met yesterday for the “Global Korea 2009” (keynote by Lee Myung Bak, in presence of Robert Rubin, former US Secretary of Treasury, Pascal Lamy, director general of WTO, Christian de Boissieu, chairman of the Economic Analysis Council of France’s PM Office, etc.). Presentations and cross-talks focused on the role of G-20 to reform the International finance system and the development of a global cooperation.

2009.02.24 – Telecom companies are getting worried about their revenue and therefore seeking new revenue sources to overcome the near-saturation of the market and the economic downturn: LGDacom focuses on exhibition and wedding-related information services, SK Telecom on online shopping with “The 11st”, KT Corp. on shopping services and private security, and KTF on household and food items through mobile shopping.

2009.02.24 – North Korean troops are increasing (1.19 million of North Korean and 180,000 ready for infiltration in the South) and missiles (IRBM) have been deployed, published the 2008 Defense White Paper, considering this fact as an “immediate and grave threat” for South Korea.

2009.02.24 – An agreement between four-party panel, composed with labor, management, civic groups and government, merged yesterday for “sharing the pain” and overcome the global crisis (save jobs and expand social safety networks).

2009.02.23 – The IPTV will have a significant growth since it offers real-time broadcasts. SK Broadband, through its branch Broad & TV, already offered 3 terrestrial channels in real-time broadcasts (MBC, SBS, KBS) and gives various services such as karaoke.

2009.02.23 – KT Corp. has a new CEO: Lee Suk-Chae. Since Nov. 5 (arrest of CEO Nam Joong-Soo), the position has been remained empty.

2009.02.23 – About 38.2% of people in their 20s, representing 2.5 million persons, were outside the job market in January, announced the National Statistical Office: the lowest low since February 1988.

2009.02.22 – About 10,000 people attended the funeral of Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-Hwan in the Cathedral of Myeongdong, Seoul, while 385.020 people visited the Cathedral to present their condolences. All the Korean media covered largely the death of Cardinal Kim, religious and historical personality of South Korea. .

2009.02.20 – The French-Korean Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI) invited yesterday almost 70 guests for a dinner hosted by GFEZ. With executives from French companies and officials from GFEZ of which Commissioner Baek Ok-In, speakers presented two main topics: Investments Outlook in GFEZ and prospects for Yeosu 2012.

2009.02.20 – KT Corp. launched « Green KT, Green Korea » project, to promote the development of eco-friendly IT through 4 sectors: infrastructures, services, environment and social.

2009.02.20 – Mrs. Hillary Clinton, U.S. Secretary of State, arrived in Seoul yesterday. She mentioned the state of emergency to denuclearize North Korea as head of N.K. government is possibly changing.

2009.02.19 – Mrs. Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, Secretary of State of Numeric Economy, is in visit in South Korea to observe applications in a numerical environment and in particular the DMB System (Digital Multimedia Broadcasting) on mobile phone.

2009.02.19 – Technology in Education. The Korea Digital Media Industry Association announced the opening of an after-school center (10 will be open in 2009), supported with IPTV and high-speed Internet port, to help children who can not attend expensive private classes.

2009.02.19 – Car manufacturer Hyundai Motor Co. launch its new sedan Equus II, available from March. A bit larger than the first Equus and equipped with a new security system, the new Equus will compete with luxurious vehicles from Germany (Mercedes-Benz and BMW) and Japan (Lexus).

2009.02.19 – The last meeting for the finalization of the Korea-EU FTA has been delayed, announced South Korea Trade Minister Kim Jong-Hoon, hoping for a conclusion in March. Catherine Ashton, European commissioner of Trade, would need more time to consult European members.

2009.02.18 – “Economy of South Korea is slowing faster than expected due to decrease of demand and exports amid the deepening global recession”, indicated new Finance Minister Yoon …Jeung-Hyun.

2009.02.18 – Major Korean companies will probably reduce their capital expenditures by 2.5% compared to 2008, reaching $60 billion, according to FKI (Federation of Korean Industries).

2009.02.18 – To develop tourism in South Korea, the city of Seoul will launch in May a funicular on one side of the Mt. Namsan.

2009.02.18 – The South Korea government announced the merge 25 out of the 305 public institutions into 11 entities, impacting on the number of employees which will be reduce progressively in the next three or four years.

2009.02.17 – Seoul City presented yesterday the new “Haechi taxis”, orange and white colored with the animal symbol of Seoul. Following the Yellow cabs of New York and the Black cabs of London, Seoul plans to launch the production of 9,300 cars this year and wishes to replace all the Seoul taxis (72,359) by 2014.

2009.02.17 – South Korean Job-seekers prefer to take a break in their search of job due to the crisis. Number of seekers “in waiting state” reached 1.77 million in 2008.

2009.02.17 – Two death of South Korean historic personalities: Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-Hwan (86), first South Korean to become Roman Catholic Cardinal, and Rolita Ahn (94), widow of Ahn Eak-Tai, composer of South Korea National Anthem.

2009.02.17 –LG, ranked 3rd as manufacturer of mobile phones, plans to obtain 10% of world market shares in 2009, selling more than 100 million phones.

2009.02.16 – As South Korea economy still decrease, number of temporary and daily workers fall below 7 million (6.95), first time in over 4 years.

2009.02.16 – T-DMB Operators (Terrestrial Digital Multimedia Broadcasting) are reconsidering their offers in Seoul subways as the crisis limits their profit (snow-balling debt and decrease of advertising revenue). One third of South Korea citizens use mobile television, with 16 millions using free services T-DMB and 1.8 million using a pay-TV access through S-DMB (Satellite).

2009.02.16 – Kang Hee-Rak (56), Chief of the Korea Coast Guard, will be the new commissioner general of the National Police Agency, after Kim Seok-Ki offered to step down after the clash end of Yongsan.

2009.02.15 – South Korea government will launch, as part of its campaign “I love Korea”, a hip-hop song with patriotic theme, titled “Cheer up, Korea” and interpreted by famous singers including Big Bang, for the commemoration of the 90th anniversary of independence movement (March 1st 1919).

2009.02.15 – Shinsegae, first rival of Lotte, establishes in Busan by launching Korea’s largest multiplex shopping mall, an investment of 1 trillion won for 284,400 square meters, targeting 50,000 daily visitors.

2009.02.12 – In a survey conducted by the online job portal Saramin, job-seeking members estimated L’Oreal as the sixth most desired foreign company to work for (2.4%) in Korea. Google Korea came out to be the most desired multinational.

2009.02.12 – The number of workers decreased by 100,000 in January, second consecutively loss after 12,000 jobs in December.

2009.02.12 – Since they planned to build a canal from Han River to West Sea (end of 2011), Seoul Mayor Oh Se-Hoon, Incheon Mayor Ahn Sang-Soo and Gyeonggi Governor Kim Moon-Soo met and signed an agreement to reinforce their cooperation for more road construction along this canal, ecological preservation and tourism promotion.

2009.02.11 – Seoul City government announced the creation of 23,000 new jobs in 2009 for senior citizens (60 and above) representing up 43% from last year.

2009.02.11 – After the clash end of January in Yongsan which caused 6 deaths (5 protesters and 1 policeman), Seoul Police Chief Kim Seok-Ki offered to step down and asked President Lee Myung-Bak to withdraw his nomination (two days earlier the clash) as new National Police Commissioner.

2009.02.11 – New finance Minister Yoon Jeung-Hyun forecasted a contraction of 2% of the South Korea Economy in 2009.

2009.02.10 – According to South Korea government, foreign ownerships of South Korean land increased by 6.2% in 2008, owning 210.35 square kilometers.

2009.02.10 – Average consumption in categories such as demand of clothes, dining out, new homes and cars decreased by 7% in December (vs. Dec. 2007) due to the financial crisis.

2009.02.09 – The Korea Customs Service uncovered about 6,000 cases of illegal trading in 2008, amounting $38.9 billion. Cases have decreased of 12% compared to 2007, but total value has increased by 19%.

2009.02.09 – One year after the Sungmyemun (Namdaemun) Gate, 600-years-old and National Treasure No.1, was destroyed by fire, the site will be open to the public February 10.

2009.02.09 – The Korean government will help the music industry to face illegal download with $91 million on a 5-year-plan.

2009.02.06 – After the National Assembly passed bills, Korean citizens abroad, aged 19 and more and including those with permanent residency in foreign countries, will be eligible.

2009.02.06 – The foreign Chambers of Commerce in Korea and the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) held yesterday the forum Inter-Chamber. This network composed with 17 Members within FKCCI launched a Global Career Forum.

2009.02.06 – South Korea Government authorizes doctors and nurses to reveal the sex of a child before his birth and after the first 28 weeks of pregnancy.

2009.02.05 – Pernod Ricard Korea, according to its “Imperial Scholarship” created in 2002, provided 64 million won to 24 talented young musicians of traditional Korean instruments at Gukak National Middle and High School in Seoul. PR Korea also supports each year this school by donating 200 million won.

2009.02.05 – Korea’s younger workers (between 20 and 39) hit low on the labor market in 2008 with 9.9 million people. According to experts, this decrease is mainly due to low birth rate, aging population and difficulties to find a job after graduates in economic crisis period.

2009.02.05 – Hyundai Asan, South Korean Tour Operator in North Korea, celebrated its 10th anniversary but suffers a lot since the tour programs in Gaeseong and Mount Geumgang have been suspended due to tension between North and South.

2009.02.04 – After 15mn phone talks, Presidents Lee and Obama reaffirmed yesterday their opposition to trade protectionism in the fight to overcome the global economic crisis.

2009.02.04 – According to IMF 2009 forecasts, South Korea economy will shrink 4% because of its dependence to exports and would be the worst performer in the G20.

2009.02.04 – South Korea applied for the organization of the Fifa Football World Cup in 2018 or 2022. Result in December 2010.

2009.02.03 – The Korea Communications Commission easily convinced operators and public authorities to invest on various plans to support IT growth in Korea. Objectives: to propose in 2012 an access to Internet with Gb/s flow (10 times the existing 100Mb/s), to multiply by 10 the wireless networking flows (Wibro) and to move everything to IP connection.

2009.02.03 – Crisis hits private businesses which plunged for the first time since 2000 below 6 million according to data released by the National Statistical Office.

2009.02.03 – Writer Kim Young-Ha released his last book in French: “L’empire des lumières”, Picquier editions. This novel talks about Korean history since 1970 with espionage and students’ movements.

2009.02.02 – South Korea’s exports plunged a record of 32.8% compared to January 2008, reaching $21.7 billion.

2009.02.02 – Kia Cee’d was given the top rating (17.5/20) in its segment “Compact Car” in the 100 best Quality and Reliability Cars in L’Automobile Magazine.

2009.02.02 – The US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will probably visit South Korea this month for her first regional trip.