■ Forex
Exporters want won action
South Korean exporters called yesterday for swift government action to curb the rising won. Five business groups, led by the Korea International Trade Association (KITA), warned that the won's strength against the greenback was hurting exports. "The government must take quick steps to prop up our global competitiveness. The pace of the won's appreciation is too steep," they said in a joint statement. The won rose 2.3 percent against the US dollar last year but has jumped more than 8 percent so far this year. "The government is ready to discuss an increase in the foreign exchange stabilization fund," Budget Minister Byeon Yang-kyoon told reporters.
■ Computers
HP unveils new notebooks
Hewlett-Packard Co unveiled laptops with spiffier designs as well as more powerful processors on Tuesday. Six of seven new HP notebooks will run on dual-core chips from either Intel Corp or Advanced Micro Devices Inc, and a business-targeted model allows users to swap the cellular broadband module if they switch carriers. The offerings include two consumer lines that come in a glossy, piano-black finish with inlaid patterns, a departure from plain black exteriors. Some models have a built-in Webcam or more powerful graphics cards. The new computers will be available later this month, HP said.
■ Health
DuPont sued over Teflon
A lawsuit representing millions of owners of Teflon coated cookware was filed in US District Court in Des Moines, Iowa, seeking to combine complaints from 16 US states into one master case. The suit, filed on Monday, claims that DuPont Co failed to disclose possible health risks from using the nonstick cookware. It also claims DuPont continued to tell the government and consumers for years that Teflon was safe even though its own studies showed the material could become toxic when heated at temperatures easily reached when a typical stovetop is set on high. It asks the court to require DuPont to create a fund for independent research into whether Teflon is harmful; to replace all existing Teflon cookware products or pay owners compensation; and to stop making, selling and distributing Teflon coated products.
■ Beverages
Coke Japan recalls bottles
The Japanese unit of US beverage giant Coca-Cola Co will expand a recall to withdraw 2.37 million bottles of soft drinks laced with iron powder, company officials said yesterday. Earlier this month the subsidiary had announced a withdrawal of 570,000 bottles of six soft drinks manufactured between March 26 and March 30 at a factory in central Japan. It said it will expand the recall to 27 beverages and include drinks manufactured before March 26. The company said that the bottles may contain a small amount of iron powder which would not be harmful if injested.
■ Automobiles
Toyota's profits rise 17.2%
Toyota Motor Corp yesterday reported a 17.2 percent jump in annual net profits to a record ¥1.37 trillion (US$12.35 billion) as it won more market share from struggling US rivals. Toyota said revenue rose 13.4 percent in the year to March to ¥21.04 trillion, also an all-time high. Operating profit increased by 12.3 percent to ¥1.88 trillion. In the current year, however, Toyota forecast a drop in net profits to ¥1.31 trillion.
NO HUMAN ERROR: After the incident, the Coast Guard Administration said it would obtain uncrewed aerial vehicles and vessels to boost its detection capacity Authorities would improve border control to prevent unlawful entry into Taiwan’s waters and safeguard national security, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said yesterday after a Chinese man reached the nation’s coast on an inflatable boat, saying he “defected to freedom.” The man was found on a rubber boat when he was about to set foot on Taiwan at the estuary of Houkeng River (後坑溪) near Taiping Borough (太平) in New Taipei City’s Linkou District (林口), authorities said. The Coast Guard Administration’s (CGA) northern branch said it received a report at 6:30am yesterday morning from the New Taipei City Fire Department about a
IN BEIJING’S FAVOR: A China Coast Guard spokesperson said that the Chinese maritime police would continue to carry out law enforcement activities in waters it claims The Philippines withdrew its coast guard vessel from a South China Sea shoal that has recently been at the center of tensions with Beijing. BRP Teresa Magbanua “was compelled to return to port” from Sabina Shoal (Xianbin Shoal, 仙濱暗沙) due to bad weather, depleted supplies and the need to evacuate personnel requiring medical care, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesman Jay Tarriela said yesterday in a post on X. The Philippine vessel “will be in tiptop shape to resume her mission” after it has been resupplied and repaired, Philippine Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, who heads the nation’s maritime council, said
REGIONAL STABILITY: Taipei thanked the Biden administration for authorizing its 16th sale of military goods and services to uphold Taiwan’s defense and safety The US Department of State has approved the sale of US$228 million of military goods and services to Taiwan, the US Department of Defense said on Monday. The state department “made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale” to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the US for “return, repair and reshipment of spare parts and related equipment,” the defense department’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a news release. Taiwan had requested the purchase of items and services which include the “return, repair and reshipment of classified and unclassified spare parts for aircraft and related equipment; US Government
More than 500 people on Saturday marched in New York in support of Taiwan’s entry to the UN, significantly more people than previous years. The march, coinciding with the ongoing 79th session of the UN General Assembly, comes close on the heels of growing international discourse regarding the meaning of UN Resolution 2758. Resolution 2758, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1971, recognizes the People’s Republic of China (PRC) as the “only lawful representative of China.” It resulted in the Republic of China (ROC) losing its seat at the UN to the PRC. Taiwan has since been excluded from
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