Oct. 22, 2014
The Korean daily media headlines and humorWednesday, Oct. 22, 2014
Your Excellency:Here are Humor from Korean-language economic dailies, and a roundup of important headlines from all major Korean-language dailies, TV and other news media this morning:
/s/
Lee Kyung-sikPublisher-ChairmanKorea Post Media-------------------------------------------The Korea Post news:
Newly 60% of people favor Constitutional change for a Cabinet system amidst opposition by Cheong Wa Dae
Reform-minded Chairman Kim Moo-sung of the ruling Saenuri Party said during his recent visit to China that he expected discussions would become active for a Constitutional change to effect a Cabinet system of government instead of the present Presidential system where the President is given very much power.The Cabinet system provides the President with power to take charge of the national defense and diplomacy but gives the power of domestic administration to the Prime Minister. This system was used in 1960 but was short-lived due to a military coup d’etat carried out by the late former President Park Chung-Hee.Chairman Kim’s statement was met with opposition from Cheong Wa Dae and Kim withdrew his view of the Constitutional change mindful of the attitude on the part of Cheong Wa Dae (the President).However, Kim’s proposal for a Constitutional change has a rather broad support from the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD) as well as from his own party of Saenuri.The Constitutional change also has the support of the majority of people in Korea, which is shown by opinion polls conducted by various media and research organizations.Here is one recent survey result published by popular Korean-language daily, Hankook Ilbo, on Oct. 20, 2014. It shows almost one half of the respondents support the Constitutional change.Specifically, the result showed 57.8% of the respondents saying yes to the Constitutional change (21.9% very much and 35.9% more or less yes) while only 29% said no (18.6% strongly no and 10.4% more or less no). People who make no response or said I don't know was 13.2%.------------------------------------
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Here is today’s ration of humor from Korean-language business dailies of this morning:
Seoul Kyungje
Jon was in his usual place, sitting at the table, reading the paper during breakfast. He came across an article about a beautiful actress who was about to marry a football player who was known primarily for his lack of IQ. He turned to his wife with a look of bewilderment on his face. "I'll never understand why the biggest jerks get the most attractive wives." His wife replies, "Why, thank you, dear!"
Hankuk Kyungje
SinnersA dozen women arrived at the Pearly Gates at the same time and asked St. Peter where to go. He told them, “If you ever cheated on your husband, raise your right hand.” All but one of the ladies hoisted their right hands. St. Peter announced, “Now, all you ladies with your right hands up, go to Purgatory. And you, the deaf one, follow your colleagues!”-----------------------------------------------
KBS (http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/news/)
'S. Korea, China to Hold Summit at APEC in November'A former Chinese official says that President Park Geun-hye and Chinese President Xi Jinping will hold a summit on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit set for November in China.
Top Security Advisers of S. Korea, Japan Hold TalksPresidential National Security Adviser Kim Kwan-jin has met with his Japanese counterpart Shotaro Yachi to discuss relations between South Korea and Japan and state of affairs on the Korean Peninsula.
'S. Korean Medical Volunteers to Stay in Ebola-hit Region Nov-Jan'The government will begin procedures this week in recruiting medical workers to be sent to the Ebola-hit West African countries.
KOSPI Ends Lower on Economic Woes
S. Korea to Introduce Market Makers to Won-Yuan Direct Trading Market
Control Center for World's Longest Undersea Cable Network Opens in Busan
CRS: S. Korea Could Contribute to Costs of Defense Buildup on Guam
Japan PM Abe Faces Another Lawsuit for Shrine Visit
Putin Says Russia Willing to Act as Moderator for Korean Peninsula
'Roaring Currents' to Open in
Retrieved Cultural Assets to be Designated
Korean Contest for Language Learners from----------------------------------------
Yonhap (http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr)
N. Korea can demonstrate denuclearization commitment by halting nuclear activities: U.S. envoy North Korea can demonstrate its denuclearization commitment by halting its nuclear activities and placing a moratorium on nuclear and missile tests, a senior U.S. envoy for nuclear talks with Pyongyang said Tuesday.
Senior U.S. human rights official to visit Seoul next weekA senior State Department official handling human rights issues will visit South Korea next week for talks about how to address human rights abuses in North Korea, the department said Tuesday.2014/10/22 06:06
Report: Detained American citizen released from N. KoreaNorth Korea has released one of the three American citizens detained in the comunist nation, a news report said Tuesday.2014/10/22 02:01
S. Korea urges Japan to address colonial-era atrocitiesS. Korea urges Japan to address colonial-era atrocitiesSEOUL, Oct. 21 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's national security adviser urged Japan Tuesday to resolve grievances over Tokyo's colonial-era atrocities, including the sexual enslavement of Korean women for Japanese soldiers during World War II.2014/10/21 20:00Related Stories
N. Korea's ceremonial head of state in Beijing ahead of African tripsN. Korea's ceremonial head of state in Beijing ahead of African tripsBEIJING, Oct. 21 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's ceremonial head of state, Kim Yong-nam, arrived in Beijing on Tuesday, en route to rare foreign trips to some nations in Africa and the Middle East in the latest sign of active diplomacy by the ed North.2014/10/21 17:35---------------------------------------------
The Korea Herald (http://www.koreaherald.com)
Park, Xi to hold summit at APEC next monthPresident Park Geun-hye will hold a bilateral summit with her Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on sidelines of the Asia-Pa...
Safety concerns raised over Korean Ebola teamSafety concerns are mounting over preparations to send South Korean medical teams on their firs...
Police closing in on cause, culprits behind Pangyo deathsThe police are looking into telephone and bank records of key officials connected to the Pangyo...
KT opens network center for Asia traffic managementKT has opened a network center here to manage superfast cross-border Internet traffic ...
Rubber duck enthralls despite Lotte debateA giant yellow rubber duck sitting on Seoul’s Seokchon Lake has captured the hearts and minds of thousan...
Elderly taxi driversMany citizens in Seoul have felt uneasy while riding in a taxi with an elderly driver. Passe...
Hereditary employmentPublic institutions here have often come under criticism for employing relatives of their em... Korea Forest Service bolsters biological sovereigntyThe restoration of forest ecosystems is not just a matter of promoting ecology, but also bolste...
Snarky Puppy gears up for first concert in KoreaLed by Grammy Award-winning musician and composer Michael League, fusion instrumental band Snar...----------------------------------
The Korea Times (http://www.koreatimes.co.kr)
Park's popularity dips President Park Geun-hye’s popularity has dipped below 50 percent again, an enviable number for any president; but not her. Now the question is whether Park can pull back and pass the 50-percent mark again, especially considering... Ban enjoys strong approval rating 'KB needs reformist with global standards' Under new leadership, KB Financial Group will badly need a companywide overhaul to regain consumer confidence and seek growth beyond the domestic market, economists said Tuesday. Kookmin has been criticized for government parach...Korea, Amnesty at odds over migrant rights The government said it is making efforts to protect migrant farmers, refuting a report this week b...
LG firms under anti-trust probe The Korea Fair Trade Commission (FTC) plans to investigate LG Uplus for alleged unfair cross-affil...
Ground breaking for PyeonChang speed skating rink to be held Korean A ground breaking ceremony will be held for a speed skating rink for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter O...
Foreign celebrities busted for visa violation Korean Two guests on the popular cable talk show, “Abnormal Summit,” were busted for violating visa regul...
4Minute hit hard by Pangyo accident K-pop girl band 4Minute has canceled a series of activities after a fatal incident at a show they ...-------------------------------------
Dong A (http://english.donga.com)
President Park urges international community to close ICT gap President Park Geun-hye has urged international community to actively tackle the gap in Information Communications Technology (ICT), aiming that ICT can become a technology to improve human rights and welfare for all... World IT Show in BEXCO President Park Geun-hye is touring around at the "World IT Show 2014" at 2014 ITU Plenipotentiary Conference launched at Busan Exhibition & Convention Center on Monday. From left, International Telecommunication Union... ‘North’s new submarine spotted through satellite` A source in the U.S. claims that an unidentified new submarine has been spotted at a submarine dockyard in Sinpo, South Hamkyong Province in North Korea through satellite images. In an op-ed piece on Sunday (U.S. time)...
Teary-eyed funerals for Pangyo concert victims The black mourning dragged along the ground wet with rain. "When will daddy wake up?" asked a girl to her grandfather who looked at her some time in silence. The child, with eyes wide open, looked alternately at her...
The Keyword for World IT Show is `5G` The World IT Show 2014 launched Monday at Busan Exhibition & Convention Center. The largest-ever IT exhibition in Korea, its main topic was 5G technology. Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics showcased their... Korea to host LPGA’s inter-country event in 2018
Groundbreaking for ice rink to launch in Pyeongchang
Facebook CEO hopes cooperation with Samsung ----------------------------------------------
Chosun Ilbo (http://english.chosun.com)
European Household Goods Get CheaperSome European household goods are getting cheaper than those of their Chinese rivals as the won strengthens and tariff cuts go into effect. The Korea-EU Free Trade Agreement, which went into effect in 2011, lifted six to eight percent of import duties on household items. >> Full Text
Has Korea Gotten Any Safer in the Last 20 Years?Twenty-years ago from today, 32 people were killed when the 17-year-old Seongsu Bridge over the Han River collapsed. The press at that time lamented that it seemed anywhere outside home in Korea was a way to the grave. >> Full Text
Complex in Gangnam Fetches Highest Lease DepositA high-rise residential-commercial complex in the upscale Gangnam district of Seoul called Tower Palace fetches the most expensive jeonse. Government data show that the jeonse on a 244.7 sq.m Tower Palace apartment costs a whopping W2.3 billion. >> Full Text
N.Korea 'Building New Submarine'
N.Korea Threatens Retaliation After Border Fire
3-Way Race for Bestselling Car
Back Tax Collection from the Rich Up 30%-------------------------------------------
Hankyoreh (http://english.hani.co.kr)
CRS Report: S. Korea could cover part of costs of US troops in GuamCongressional report reflects sentiment in Washington that with US defense cuts, allies could come to cover more defense costsA congressional report suggests that the South Korean government should be asked to pay part of the cost needed to increase the American military presence on the US territory of Guam.A report titled “Guam: U.S. Defense Deployments,” published recently by the Congressional Research Service, noted that the Obama administration’s policy of the rebalance to Asia has raised Guam’s profile to “strategic hub” for US forward deployments and that expanding the military facilities there would consume a vast amount of money.
Pres. Park’s election aide apologizes for loss of economic democratizationThe former co-chairman of Park Geun-hye’s 2012 presidential election committee said on Oct. 20 that he “does not expect the administration to talk about economic democratization anymore.”Former lawmaker Kim Jong-in, one of the main figures behind the successful campaign in 2012, went on to say he was “very sorry to the public for sending the message that [economic democratization] could happen.”
North Korea: Reporters issue statement criticizing Unification Ministry’s false info Reporters covering the Ministry of Unification released a position statement on Oct. 20 strongly criticizing the ministry for providing false information on North Korean policy and being inconsistent with its principles.The main precipitating factor was the ministry concealing that it was in contact with North Korea around the time of military talks on Oct. 15, and providing false information to the media about the details.
Low-income parents slave until midnight to make barely $2,000 a monthHis oldest child is a fifth grader in elementary school. The second is in second grade, and the third is just a year old. Park Chang-min, the 45-year-old father in this large family, juggles two jobs when evening comes around. The two million won (US$1,890) he earns each month as foreman for a landscaping company is not enough to support a family of five. So after a workday lasting from 6:40 am to 5 pm, he sets off for a 9 pm to midnight shift for a designated driver service-----------------------------------------------
Joong Ang (conservative): (http://koreajoongangdaily.joinsmsn.com/)
Undersea Internet cables converging on KT centerSystem linking nine Asian countries will be faster, more stableKorea is now officially the center of Internet connectivity of nine Asian countries including Japan and China after KT launched an integrated control center that will manage a submarine cable network dubbed the Asia-Pacific Gateway (APG) yesterday… .
Seoul meeting paves way for Park-Abe summitKim Kwan-jin, chief of Korea’s National Security Office, held talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s security adviser Shotaro Yachi and discussed improving bilateral…
Gov’t urgent on pension reforms by end of yearThe Blue House yesterday made an unusually strong push to reform the money-losing pension system for civil servants before the end of this year.…
Fliers flown to North remain a source of debateWaterproof papers listing facts about North Korea’s ruling Kim dynasty and contrasting portraits of the country’s impoverished population with the South’s economic prosperity…
No fatalities recorded in Dongdaemun Market blazeA fire broke out at the Dongdaemun Market on Monday night in Jongno District, central Seoul, damaging properties worth approximately 575 million won ($545,000),…
Samsung to pay off sick workersSamsung Electronics confirmed it will compensate all of its leukemia-stricken employees after setting certain rules, refuting a local labor activist’s claim that the company…
Park, Tang meet to talk about Xi Jinping parleyFormer Chinese State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan met with President Park Geun-hye ahead of an upcoming bilateral summit with President Xi Jinping in Beijing on the sidelines…------------------------------
Edaily (http://eng.edaily.co.kr/Stock/)
[Table] Today’s Stock Market BriefThis is a stock market brief of Today. [table] Total stock market id="" width="570...
[Closed]KOSPI 1,934.94p( 15.42p) slightly up, KOSDAQ 546.83p( 5.04p) slightly upKOSPI & KOSDAQ Index Closed KOSPI closed slightly up 15.42p( 0.80%) at 1,934.94p from yesterday. KOS...
[Table]Currently Index of Major Country in ASIAThis is Index of Major Country in ASIA. [table] Index of Major Country in ASIA ...
[Midday]KOPSI 1,931.41p( 11.89p) slightly up, KOSDAQ 546.56p( 4.77p) slightly upKOSPI & KOSDAQ Index KOSPI slightly up 0.62%(11.89p) to 1,931.41p at 14:01. KOSDAQ slightly up 0....
[Table]Currently Index of Major Country in ASIAThis is Index of Major Country in ASIA. [table] Index of Major Country in ASIA ... ----------------------------------------------
Maeil Kyungje (neutral-oriented conservative, economic/business): (http://news.mk.co.kr/english/)
Gov’t mulls extension of tenant protection period to 3 years Gov’t mulls extension of tenant protection period to 3 years-image The government is considering extending the tenant protection period for those who live on jeonse, or house rent on lump-sum deposits, by one year to three years. The government is also considering lowering the ceiling on the conversion rate when shifting from jeonse to wolse (monthly rent) option, while reducing inheritance and gift tax for lease business operators. The measures reflect the government’s willingness to stabilize the country’s house .....10.21.2014
S. Korea sparks race to 5G
Pre-sale apartments change hands in record number
10 key messages from 15th WKF
KOSPI sinks beneath 1,920
Gurus say global economy plagued by '3 ..
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ident Jose Mujica of Uruguay, the poorest President of the World. Many Koreans say, “How we wish we had such a
President in Korea!”
Ten Reasons you cannot help loving President Jos? Mujica of Uruguay
Counter Punch of the United States published the following ten reasons to love President Jose Mujica of Uruguay on May 15, 2014:
10 Reasons to Love Uruguay’s President Jos? Mujicaby MEDEA BENJAMIN
President Jos? Mujica of Uruguay, a 78-year-old former Marxist guerrilla who spent 14 years inprison, mostly in solitary confinement, recently visited the United States to meet withPresident Obama and speak at a variety of venues. He told Obama that Americans should smokeless and learn more languages. He lectured a roomful of businessmen at the US Chamber ofCommerce about the benefits of redistributing wealth and raising workers’ salaries. He toldstudents at American University that there are no “just wars.” Whatever the audience, hespoke extemporaneously and with such brutal honesty that it was hard not to love the guy. Hereare 10 reasons you, too, should love President Mujica.
1. He lives simply and rejects the perks of the presidency. Mujica has refused to live at thePresidential Palace or have a motorcade. He lives in a one-bedroom house on his wife’s farmand drives a 1987 Volkswagen. “There have been years when I would have been happy just tohave a mattress,” said Mujica, referring to his time in prison. He donates over 90% of his$12,000/month salary to charity so he makes the same as the average citizen in Uruguay. Whencalled “the poorest president in the world,” Mujica says he is not poor. “A poor person isnot someone who has little but one who needs infinitely more, and more and more. I don’t livein poverty, I live in simplicity. There’s very little that I need to live.”
2. He supported the nation’s groundbreaking legalization of marijuana. “In no part of theworld has repression of drug consumption brought results. It’s time to try somethingdifferent,” Mujica said. So this year, Uruguay became the first country in the world toregulate the legal production, sale, and consumption of marijuana. The law allows individualsto grow a certain amount each year and the government controls the price of marijuana sold atpharmacies. The law requires consumers, sellers, and distributors to be licensed by thegovernment. Uruguay’s experience aims to take the market away from the ruthless drugtraffickers and treat drug addiction as a public health issue. Their experiment will havereverberations worldwide.
3. In August 2013, Mujica signed the bill making Uruguay the second nation in Latin America(after Argentina) to legalize gay marriage. He said that legalizing gay marriage is simplyrecognizing reality. “Not to legalize it would be unnecessary torture for some people,” hesaid. In recent years, Uruguay has also moved to allow adoption by gay couples and openly gaypeople to serve in the armed forces.
4. He’s not afraid to confront corporate abuses, as evidenced by the epic struggle hisgovernment is waging against the American tobacco giant Philip Morris. A former smoker, Mujicasays that tobacco is a killer that needs to be brought under control. But Philip Morris issuing Uruguay for $25 million at the World Bank’s International Center for Settlement ofInvestment Disputes because of the country’s tough smoking laws that prohibit smoking inenclosed public spaces and require warning labels, including graphic images of the healtheffects. Uruguay is the first Latin American country and the fifth nation worldwide toimplement a ban on smoking in enclosed public places. Philip Morris, the largest cigarettemanufacturer in the United States, has huge global business interests (and a well-paid army oflawyers). Uruguay’s battle against the tobacco Goliath will also have global repercussions.
5. He supported the legalization of abortion in Uruguay (his predecessor had vetoed the bill).The law is very limited, compared to laws in the US and Europe. It allows abortions within thefirst 12 weeks of the pregnancy and requires women to meet with a panel of doctors and socialworkers on the risks and possible effects of an abortion. But this law is the most liberalabortion law in socially conservative, Catholic Latin America and is clearly a step in theright direction for women’s reproductive rights.
6. He’s an environmentalist trying to limit needless consumption. At the Rio 20 Summit in2012, he criticized the model of development pushed by affluent societies. “We can almostrecycle everything now. If we lived within our means ? by being prudent ? the 7 billion peoplein the world could have everything they needed. Global politics should be moving in thatdirection,” he said. He also recently rejected a joint energy project with Brazil that wouldhave provided his country with cheap coal energy because of his concern for the environment.
7. He has focusing on redistributing his nation’s wealth, claiming that his administrationhas reduced poverty from 37% to 11%. “Businesses just want to increase their profits; it’sup to the government to make sure they distribute enough of those profits so workers have themoney to buy the goods they produce,” he told businessmen at the US Chamber of Commerce. “It’s no mystery?the less poverty, the more commerce. The most important investment we can makeis in human resources.” His government’s redistributive policies include setting prices foressential commodities such as milk and providing free computers and education for every child.
8. He has offered to take detainees cleared for release from Guantanamo. Mujica has called thedetention center at Guantanamo Bay a “disgrace” and insisted that Uruguay takeresponsibility to help close the facility. The proposal is unpopular in Uruguay, but Mujica,who was a political prisoner for 14 years, said he is “doing this for humanity.”
9. He is opposed to war and militarism. “The world spends $2 billion a minute on militaryspending,” he exclaimed in horror to the students at American University. “I used to thinkthere were just, noble wars, but I don’t think that anymore,” said the former armedguerrilla. “Now I think the only solution is negotiations. The worst negotiation is betterthan the best war, and the only way to insure peace is to cultivate tolerance.”
10. He has an adorable three-legged dog, Manuela! Manuela lost a foot when Mujica accidentallyran over it with a tractor. Since then, Mujica and Manuela have been almost inseparable.Mujica’s influence goes far beyond that of the leader of a tiny country of only 3 millionpeople. In a world hungry for alternatives, the innovations that he and his colleagues arechampioning have put Uruguay on the map as one of the world’s most exciting experiments increative, progressive governance.
Medea Benjamin is cofounder of www.codepink.org and www.globalexchange.org, and author ofDrone Warfare: Killing by Remote Control.---------------------------------------------Attention, Trade Representatatives, Commercial Ministers, Counsellors, Officers!
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