China Petroleum & Chemical Corp., Asia’s biggest refiner, will cut costs and accelerate its expansion overseas as government controls prevent the company from passing on higher crude-oil prices to customers.Profit rose 14 percent to a record 71.8 billion yuan ($11 billion) last year, the company known as Sinopec said Sunday. Net income missed analysts’ estimates and trailed Cnooc Ltd.’s 85 percent

surcharge on flights from China to Europe, excluding Russia and Turkey, to 1,000 yuan from 950 yuan per passenger, the official Xinhua News Agency reported. The increase is effective from April 1, according to the report.Hong Kong Dragon Airlines Ltd. raised its fuel surcharge from April 1 for flights from China to Hong Kong to $24.90 per passenger, Xinhua reported, without saying what the previou

Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world’s largest retailer, is resuming normal operations at half the stores hampered by Japan’s strongest earthquake as residents struggle to find water, food and other necessities. A dozen of Wal-Mart’s Seiyu stores in the quake-hit Sendai area are restarting full operations Monday after being limited mostly to relief efforts for two weeks, Scott Price, Wal-Mart’s Asia ch

The biannual fashion show held by South Korea’s veteran fashion designers who are affiliated with the Seoul Fashion Art Association will only be open to buyers and members of the press this season. Seoul Fashion Art Association’s 2011 F/W collection kicks off its three-day collection on April 12 at the Fluxus building in Cheongdam-dong, southern Seoul. The main theme will be “Eco” and the shows ar

PyeongChang’s attempt to bring the Winter Olympics to Korea for the first time was backed by a group of local businesses on Monday.With 100 days to go until the International Olympic Committee decides the host of the 2018 Winter Games, the PyeongChang bid committee signed an agreement with 23 companies for its “Best of Korea” initiative. The scheme brings the country’s best entertainment and cultu

The beaches of Rio felt a million miles away from a freezing cold Seoul World Cup Stadium last Friday evening as South Korea thrashed Honduras 4-0 in a friendly. It was the first game of the long warm-up ahead of qualification for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and it was the first match in Korea after Park Ji-sung left the international side. If the team continues playing like this, he may not be m

PyeongChang has promised the Oceania National Olympic Committee that it will help expand winter sports in the region by hosting the 2018 Winter Olympics. PyeongChang’s bid committee highlighted on Saturday at the general assembly of Oceania National Olympic Committee in New Caledonia that it would help boost winter sports in new markets, such as Oceania and Asia, and develop the Olympic movement.S

Korean recovers from slow start to finish with a 3-under 70INDUSTRY, California (AP) ― Second-ranked Shin Ji-yai shot a 3-under 70 on Saturday to take a one-stroke lead over Sandra Gal after the third round of the Kia Classic.Shin, the South Korean star who has eight LPGA Tour victories, had a 15-under 204 total on the Industry Hills Golf Club course at Pacific Palms. Gal, from Germany, also shot

Time for spring makeoverMaster of organizing’ advises on how to keep your closet organized year roundHeavy boots should be tucked away somehow and sandals should come out front. Winter coats should go in and sun dresses should be out. Even though you might not be a serious hoarder who turns their homes into trash dumps, you could still be at a loss, not knowing where to begin the ambitious spring

Exhibitions“Hybrid Code”: Savina Museum of Contemporary Art offers 30 paintings, sculptures, photos, installations and video artworks which gave new functions to familiar objects by applying high-technology. The exhibition is divided into three sections ― Psychological Mutant, Expansion of Architectural Concept and Apply Science to Daily Life. It runs through April 14 at Savina Museum of Contempor

Those suffering from diabetes or hypertension are more likely to have chronic renal failure as well. The Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service said Monday that about 53 percent of those suffering from long-term kidney disorder had other chronic illnesses such as high blood pressure or diabetes.“We suspect such chronic disorders to affect one another,” the organization said in a press rele

Experts call for cooperation to cope with danger of possible eruption of Mount BaekduThough longstanding enemies who exchanged fire as recently as November, the two Koreas are geographically divided by just a thin borderline. They are inescapably in the same boat when it comes to natural disasters.As neighboring Japan struggles to cope with the aftermath of an earthquake and Tsunami that took the

Prospects to get more playing time in Honduras friendlyThe South Korean national team is in action on home soil on Friday evening in Seoul for the first time this year with a friendly against Honduras. Their last appearance at home was a goalless draw against Japan in Seoul in October. More than five months later, head coach Cho Kwang-rae is hoping to show his countrymen some of the players and pl

More than 200 journalists from around the world gathered in Seoul Tuesday for the first day of an annual meeting of international sports reporters. The International Sports Press Association, or AIPS, is holding the 74th annual congress at the COEX convention center in central Seoul from Tuesday until Friday. The Korea Sports Press Union, which is organizing the five-day meeting, said so far more

Lee Yong-dae, South Korea’s reigning Olympic champion in mixed doubles badminton, will get a new partner in his title defense at the 2012 London Games, his coach said Tuesday.“We’ve concluded that Lee Yong-dae and Ha Jung-eun will be the optimal mixed doubles team,” coach Sung Han-kuk said. “We made the call after three European tournaments this month.”Lee, 22, won the Beijing Olympics gold medal

South Korea swept men’s and women’s titles at the World Short Track Speed Skating Team Championships in Warsaw, Poland, early Monday, Korean time.The men’s team earned 38 points to edge China and Canada, and the women’s team picked up 35 points, beating China and the United States.In the team championships, countries are awarded points for individual performances. In Warsaw, four skaters from each

With less than four months before the International Olympic Committee decides on the host for 2018 Winter Olympics, the bidding race is to heat up this week as all three candidate cities address their campaign at the annual gathering of international sports journalists in Seoul. The International Sport Press Association, or AIPS, is holding its annual congress at the COEX convention center in Seou

A long and a hard-fought season in the country’s top basketball league is nearing its final stage with the top six teams now heading into the playoffs, which start this week.The Korean Basketball League begins its playoffs Friday when the fourth-ranked Wonju Dongbu Promy faces fifth-placed Changwon LG Sakers in their best-of-three series. Starting Saturday, the third-ranked Jeonju KCC Egis meets t

Mindy Kim finishes four shots behind leaderPHOENIX (AP) ― The LPGA Founders Cup came down to a chipping contest.Karrie Webb saved par on the par-4 18th with a chip from the front fringe and a 3-foot putt. About 20 minutes later, Brittany Lincicome also ended up in the fringe short of the green. Her chip ran 10 feet past the hole and she missed the par putt.That gave Webb her second straight victor

U.K. inflation probably accelerated at the fastest pace since October 2008 in February, which may sharpen the divide among Bank of England policy makers on whether to raise interest rates to tame price pressures.Consumer prices rose 4.2 percent from a year earlier compared with a 4 percent increase in January, according to the median forecast of 32 economists in a Bloomberg News survey. The Office