Launched in 1976 by Father Oh Woong-jin, the "Village of Flowers" is now South Korea's largest Catholic social welfare complex. From the first "House of Love" for the homeless, a religious congregation has emerged with missions in several countries, including the Philippines, Bangladesh, and Myanmar. Pope Francis visited the community in 2014.
Some 30,000 South Korean companies had arrived in mainland China at the end of the 1980s. Some 10,000 remain today but their number continues to drop. Higher labour costs, kickbacks for local Communist officials and expensive environmental regulations enforced on foreign companies alone are the reason.
She wants direct election for chief executive and the LegCo as well as a revised history of what happened in Tiananmen Square. She aims to improve relations with Beijing and the social safety net for families and the elderly. Beijing is trying to undercut her and is supporting a candidate that finds few favours in the population.
Bao Zunxin, leader of the anti corruption pro democracy movement of Tiananmen Square and famous Chinese dissident, died yesterday evening at the end of a long illness. Condemned to five years in prison for his fight for democracy, he carried on in his quest urging the government to respect the Chinese people’s human rights.
Hong Kong’s Justice and peace commission has organised a mass in suffrage of Msgr. John Han Dingxiang, bishop of Yongnian who died “in mysterious circumstances”. Appeal for full religious freedom ahead of the Olympics and for the release of all Catholics detained “without just cause” in China.
According to Tsering Dorje, coordinator for the Indian Office for Relations with Tibet, Beijing has failed to break the Tibetan population, despite 48 years of occupation.
Over 50 workers dead in one day due to accidents caused by employers negligence and the controlling authorities disinterest. Many factories are built in residential areas, risking the health of the local population. Workers locked in and forced to work for over 15 hours.
Iran signs a deal with China for the purchase of 24 fighter planes built with Israeli technology. Contract is worth a billion dollars with delivery set for 2008-2010.
Shanghai and Shenzhen lose about five per cent. Hong Kong’s index rises instead. Investors fear new measures the government might take to raise the cost of money. Many analysts warn that stock and property markets are volatile and call for caution.
The Korean Intelligence Service truth commission yesterday published a report confirming the involvement of the then dictator Park Chung-hee, in the kidnap of Kim Dae-jung from Japanese soil. Seoul, so far, has not admitted responsibility.
Economy grows 11.5 per cent in third quarter, down from 11.9 in previous quarter, the result of government controls caused by fear of inflation. Beijing maintains tight controls over prices, bank loans and land use. US investor is selling off dollars to buy yuan, the currency of the future.
The pro-democracy leader went under escort to a government building to meet junta’s liaison minister. At the end of the visit by UN special envoy for Myanmar Beijing reiterates its policy of non interference in the former Burma. New Delhi and Moscow are opposed to economic sanctions.
Strong enthusiasm among ordinary Chinese as technicians and politicians dismiss talk about lunar space race. For them the lunar mission has only scientific purposes. Some note however that more probing should be done on Chinese soil where there is too much poverty.
Subscribe to the newsletter to receive verified news, analysis and insights from Asian countries every week.
Subscribeto the newsletter
