Yonhap News Summary

The following is the first summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency
on Friday.

-----------------
(3rd LD) Samsung Electronics beats Q1 estimate, but holds cautious outlook
SEOUL, April 24 (Yonhap) -- Samsung Electronics Co., the world's leading computer
memory chipmaker, reported better than expected first-quarter earnings on Friday
as its mobile handset business offset a slump in its chip and LCD divisions.
The company's net profit reached 619 billion won (US$458 million) in the
January-March period, down 72 percent from a profit of 2.19 trillion won a year
earlier, as weak demand dragged down prices amid the economic downturn, the
company said in a regulatory filing.
-----------------
Roh's brother tried to intervene in shakeup of top tax official: prosecution
SEOUL, April 24 (Yonhap) -- Roh Gun-pyeong, an elder brother of former President
Roh Moo-hyun, is suspected of having attempted to intervene in the appointment of
the nation's top tax official during the five-year Roh presidency which ended in
February 2008, prosecutors said Friday.
The elder Roh, known as a farmer, allegedly told prosecution investigators that
he met Roh Moo-hyun at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae years ago to ask him
to appoint a specific figure as head of the National Tax Service (NTS).
-----------------
(2nd LD) S. Korean economy grows 0.1 pct in Q1
SEOUL, April 24 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean economy grew 0.1 percent on-quarter
in the January-March period on the government's fiscal spending and a slower fall
in exports, the central bank said Friday, averting a much feared recession.
The first-quarter growth rate contrasts with a 5.1 percent quarterly fall in the
country's gross domestic product (GDP) for the final quarter of 2008 and is just
below a 0.2 percent gain forecast by the Bank of Korea (BOK) in early April.
-----------------
(2nd LD) North Korea says it will try detained U.S. journalists
SEOUL, April 24 (Yonhap) -- North Korea said Friday that it will put on trial two
U.S. female journalists detained in the country, announcing that its
investigation into their "crimes" has been concluded.
The American journalists -- Euna Lee and Laura Ling from San Francisco-based
Current TV, started by former U.S. Vice President Al Gore -- were arrested by
North Korean guards near its border with China on March 17.
-----------------
Police book nine in sex-for-favors scandal involving late actress
SEONGNAM, South Korea, April 24 (Yonhap) -- Police said Friday that they have
booked nine people in an unfolding probe into the suicide of an actress amid
allegations she was forced to provide sexual favors by her former agent.
Jang Ja-yeon, the 30-year-old actress, hanged herself at her house in Bundang,
south of Seoul, on March 7. The case snowballed a few days later when her agent
disclosed a seven-page suicide note, supposedly written by Jang, which said that
a former agent had forced her to provide sexual and other favors to several
high-powered entertainment figures and journalists.
-----------------
Shinhan Financial to sell life insurance unit to BNP Paribas
SEOUL, April 24 (Yonhap) -- Shinhan Financial Group Co. said Friday it has agreed
with BNP Paribas SA to sell part of a controlling stake in its life insurance
unit to the French company.
Under the deal, Shinhan Financial said it will sell 35 percent plus two shares in
SH&C Life Insurance Co. to BNP Paribas. Financial terms of the transaction were
not disclosed.
(END)