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/ 19 December 2007

Lee coasts to South Korea poll victory

Right-wing businessman Lee Myung-bak won South Korea’s presidential election by a landslide on Wednesday with his promises to make voters better off and stand up to North Korea, TV exit polls showed. The wide margin of victory put to rest concerns in his camp that a probe in allegations of fraud by Lee might deter voters.

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/ 19 December 2007

South Korea likely to vote for businessman president

South Koreans went to the polls on Wednesday expected to choose as president a former CEO vowing to knock the economy into shape and stand up to the North, but whose authority could be weakened by a fraud investigation. The last legally allowed opinion polls a week ago showed former Hyundai Group executive and ex-Seoul mayor Lee Myung-bak on course to to victory.

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/ 5 October 2007

Korea deal tests Kim Jong-il’s commitment

South Korean media questioned on Friday whether the two Koreas’ summit pledge to seek a formal end to their 1950 to 1953 war could be realised given Pyongyang’s record of broken promises. The ambition was spelled out by South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun and North Korean leader Kim Jong-il in a joint statement signed in Pyongyang on Thursday.

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/ 3 October 2007

The palace of largesse

If it achieves nothing else, the visit by the South Korean President, Roh Moo-hyun, will at least make its mark on one of North Korea’s most spectacular and unusual tourist attractions. The International Friendship Exhibition Hall is a monument to the price that dignitaries pay when courting one of the world’s most reclusive nations.

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/ 3 October 2007

The greatest propaganda show on earth

It has been called the greatest show on earth, an unparalleled propaganda spectacle and a display of indoctrination like no other. The Arirang ”Mass Games”, which involves 100 000 performers, is among the most colourful and contentious items on the itinerary of the South Korean President, Roh Moo-hyun, during his stay in Pyongyang.

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/ 3 September 2007

Ex-hostages say Taliban beat them

Some of the South Korean Christian aid workers held hostage by Afghanistan’s Taliban said they were beaten for refusing to convert to Islam and protecting female captives, a hospital chief said on Monday. ”We found through medical checks that some male hostages were beaten,” Cha Seung-Gyun told reporters.

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/ 3 September 2007

Pyongyang’s nuclear dividend

Tank traps, landmines and checkpoint barriers flank the North Korean road to Panmunjom, the last frontier of the Cold War. For more than half a century, this small village in the demilitarised zone that divides the Korean peninsula has been frozen in suspended conflict.

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/ 3 September 2007

Climate, trade top Bush’s agenda at Apec summit

United States President George Bush hopes to spur momentum for a world trade pact and a global target on climate change at this week’s Asia-Pacific summit but the Iraq debate at home looms as a distraction. Bush will meet in Sydney with the leaders of Australia, China, Japan, Russia and other members of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) forum.