Inter Milan clash awaits Seongnam

The year 2010 just keeps getting better and better for South Korean soccer and it could end on a real high if Seongnam Ilwha Chunma defeats European champion Inter Milan in the Club World Cup semifinal in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.

It is a rare chance for a team from the K-League to mix with the best in the world and fans back in East Asia will be eagerly tuning in to see if the seven-time champions can shock one of the biggest names in soccer. If it happens, then a final is on the cards against either TP Mazembe of Congo and Brazil’s Internacional, no relation to the Italians.

Seongnam’s coach Shin Tae-yong thinks that the final is possible. Shin, just 40, led the team to the Asian Champions League title in November with a 3-1 win over Zob Ahan of Iran in Tokyo. That also granted access to the intercontinental competition behind held in United Arab Emirates.

On Saturday, Seongnam blew away local team Al Wahda with a 4-1 win. It was a fine display of clinical attacking soccer and served notice to the Italians, who won the European title with a victory over Bayern Munich back in May, that it will be a tough game in the fast-growing sporting city. Mauricio Molina, Sasa Ognenovski, Choi Sung-kuk and Cho Dong-keon were all on target for the K-League team.

President Lee seeks support for S.Korea-Malaysia ties on nuclear energy

KUALA LUMPUR (Yonhap News) -- South Korean President Lee Myung-bak assured Malaysia business leaders Friday that the two Asian nations have great potential for cooperation on nuclear energy as well as joint development of other green technologies.

"South Korea's experience in the construction and operation of nuclear power plants will be able to give substantial help to Malaysia's future energy plan," Lee said in a speech at a business forum held on the occasion of his two-day state visit here. It was attended by more than 300 business leaders from the two countries, including Syed Ali Alattas, head of the Malaysian Malay Chamber of Commerce, and his South Korean counterpart Sohn Kyung-shik.

Lee stressed the efficacy and safety of South Korean reactors, saying there have been no accidents during South Korea's operation of atomic power plants across the nation for 32 years. In addition, he said, the operation rate reaches the world's top level at 92 percent, despite relatively short construction periods.

South Korea, which produces 36 percent of its total energy demand at 20 nuclear power plants, has been emboldened by a $20-billion contract with the United Arab Emirates to build nuclear reactors there. A groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled to be held as early as next month.

The president said South Korea and Malaysia also need to step up cooperation on green growth.

"We can create new business opportunities by combining Malaysia's affluent resources, including bio-energy and South Korea's superb green technologies," he said.

He added South Korea's advanced information-technology sector can be helpful as well in upgrading Malaysia's telecommunication and transportation networks.

In their summit earlier in the day, Lee and Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak agreed to "further cooperate on the peaceful uses of nuclear energy" as stated in a 2009 accord between their relevant government agencies.

Optimus One sales hit 2m

LG Electronics, the world’s third-largest handset maker, announced Friday that the number of Optimus One smartphones supplied in the global market broke the 2 million mark as of Tuesday.

Launched on the local market on Oct. 3, the Optimus One became LG Electronics’ first million-seller smartphone on Nov. 17. 

LG Optimus One. (LG)

By region, North America is currently the largest market for the smartphone with about 1.3 million Optimus Ones having been supplied in the region through Metro PCS, Sprint, T-Mobile, US Cellular and Verizon Wireless. In addition, AT&T, the second-largest mobile service provider in the U.S., is scheduled to introduce the phone during the first quarter of 2011.

To date about 450,000 Optimus One smartphones have been supplied in Korea, making it the second largest market for the handset, followed by Europe with around 200,000 units. According to the company about 50,000 units have been sold in Commonwealth of Independent States and Asia.

However, with the handset set to be carried by large mobile service providers including Orange and Vodafone within the month, the company is hoping to expand its presence in the Asian and European markets. 

Outrage over leaked photos of singer

American singer and actress Christina Aguilera has been the center of attention after unidentified hackers illegally took and exposed a number of her topless photos to the public, the UsMagazine.com reported Wednesday.

According to the report, the 29-year-old celebrity is said to have cared for her risqué photos, which were not intended to be exposed to the public eyes. “The daredevil hacker broke into Aguilera’s personal stylist’s account, obtaining a series of her pictures,” her representative said. 


“Currently, we are keeping our eyes on the reactions of the hackers and the press who illegally obtained and bought these photos. That is absolutely forbidden.” 

In addition, Aguilera is said to have pledged to track down the hackers’ identities and, if possible, file suit against them.

Taken under Aguilera’s consent, the leaked semi-nude photos are believed to have been taken before she announced her divorce from her ex-husband Jordan Bratman, a renowned music marketer in the U.S.

K5, Sportage R win design awards

Kia Motors Corp. announced Friday that the K5 mid-sized sedan and the Sportage R sport utility vehicle won Good Design awards.

The K5 was given the prime minister’s award as well as the online consumers’ award. The Sorento R was given the Korea Institute of Design Promotion president’s award.

Regulator to probe Lotte’s bargain chicken

The Fair Trade Commission is expected to investigate Lotte Mart’s sale of ultra-cheap chickens this week, acting on accusations by smaller eateries that the retail giant is impeding fair competition.

The Korea Franchise Association, a lobby for smaller food and retail chains, said Sunday it will take legal action against Lotte on Monday on behalf of chicken franchises including BBQ, Kyochon Chicken and Goobne Chicken. 

The competition watchdog had said that it will look into Lotte’s pricing policy once the chicken industry files a complaint. 

The dispute flared up when Lotte began selling fried chickens at 5,000 won ($4.40) apiece -- around half market prices -- at its 82 stores across the nation Thursday.

Lotte said it sold over 74,000 fried chickens as of Saturday. They were so popular that all chickens prepared in most of its branches were sold out and customers often had to make reservations in the morning to pick them up in the afternoon.

Viewers amused by CNN's accidental mix of footage

A serious topic, mixed up with something light and entertaining, is likely to amuse people. A striking case in point is CNN's accidental combination of two far-fetched video files, which understandably generates thousands of laughs across the Internet. 

The clip in question is concerned about CNN's seemingly serious news on the ongoing student protest over tuition hike in Britain. But in the middle of the segment, CNN accidentally released a hilarious diarrhea scene from comedy film "Dumb and Dumber" on Thursday.

(CNN)

The effect got amplified -- almost to an unbearable extent -- as CNN's formal reporting was interrupted by a film footage featuring Jeff Daniels’ explosive diarrhea scene in the toilet, with all the sound effects blaring at a high pitch.

CNN reportedly declined to comment on the accident, but online media reported that the video clip was originally intended for a segment on digestive disease, which had been already aired.

Bangladesh garment workers, police clash

CHITTAGONG, Bangladesh _ Garment workers demanding the implementation of a new minimum wage clashed with police at an industrial zone in southeastern Bangladesh on Sunday, leaving up to three people dead and 100 hurt, police and news reports said.

Police official Reza Al Hasan said authorities opened fire and used tear gas after thousands of workers attacked factories and smashed vehicles at the Chittagong Export Processing Zone. The zone houses about 70 foreign companies that mainly manufacture garments, shoes and bicycles, and employ about 150,000 workers.

S. Korean fishing vessel sinks in waters off Antarctica, leaving 5 dead, 17 missing

A South Korean fishing vessel sank in waters off Antarctica Monday, leaving five crew members dead and 17 others missing, officials said. Of eight South Koreans aboard, two were dead and five others were missing, they said.

The Korean boat which sank off Antarctica Monday, Dec.13, 2010. (Yonhap News)

The 614-ton ship was carrying 42 people when it went down around 4:30 a.m. Korean time, the officials said in a statement.

Other crew members included eight Chinese, 11 Indonesians, three Filipinos and one Russian, officials at the foreign ministry and the coast guard said.

Twenty of the crew members were rescued by a nearby fishing vessel from South Korea, they said. The ship was trying to search for and rescue the missing, they said.

South Korea has asked New Zealand for help in rescue operations, the officials said. (Yonhap News)