April. 7, 2015
The Korean daily media headlines and humor
Tuesday, April 7, 2015
Your Excellency:
Here are The Korea Post notices, humor from a Korean business dailies and a roundup of important headlines from all major Korean-language dailies, TV and other news media this morning:
Lee Kyung-sik
Publisher-Chairman
Korea Post Media
P.S.: 1. To see the desired site, press down the Control key and click the blue URL of the media.
2. If received by a person other than the intended recipient, please kindly convey the mail to His/Her Excellency.
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The Korea Post notices:
Attention Education Officers, Community Relations Officers!
The presidents, vice presidents, secretary generals and other leading members of the Student Associations of different countries are taking part in the World’s largest Dangjin Gijisi Tug-of-War Culture Festival on Sunday 12th April 2015, which is two days after the Excelleencies’ attendance at the Festival earlier on Friday 10th April 2015. The student leaders of the different countries will be wearing their colorful traditional costumes representing each country.
The Education Officers, Community Relations Officers are cordially invited by Mayor Kim Hong-jang of the Dangjin City to witness the students’ excellent representation of their country in color national costumes of their country. The time is 0820 hours and the day Sunday 12 April 2015 and the meeting place is the Water Fountain site of Grand Hyatt Seoul. For inquires, please call David at 010 3481-1101 or Chairman Lee at 010-5201-1740.
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Invitation to the world’s largest Dangjin Gijisi Tug-of-War Culture Festival
Your Excellecency:
There are only three days left to the world’s largest tug-of-war event, the Dangjin Gijisi Tug-of-War Culture Festival, on Friday 10th April 2015. As an invitation letter has already been sent to each Excellency, Mayor Kim Hong-jang of the Dangjin City of Chungcheongnam-do Province cordially invites Your Excellency and Madam, together with other Ambassadors and Madams, to the Opening Ceremony of the Festival and a tour of the Cultural Assets of the Dangjin City, Hands-on Experience in various folk events plus a tour of the Hyundai Steel Mill.
Please visit: /news/view.html?section=165&category=192&no=879
Most comfortable Deluxe 28-seat Limousine Buses have been reserved for the Excellencies and Madams for a comfortable traveling. Please scroll down to the bottom for further details and an invitation letter.
Partly cloudy skies are forecast for the area on that day (April 10) with a high of 17 degrees centigrade and a low of 4 degrees.
If the Invitation has failed to reach Your Excellency, please advise us at 010-5201-1740 or email edt@koreapost.com or korpost@chol.com.
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Today’s humor:
Hankuk Kyungje
Obstinate Passenger
Explaining luggage regulations to passengers can often be quite a tough task for flight attendants.
One day a woman tried to board with an enormous bag. The flight attendant told her why it could not be carried to her seat, but the woman argued that her bag was a carry-on because it has wheels and a handle.
The attendant was firm and said, “My Ford car has wheels and a handle, but that doesn’t make it a carry-on.”
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Top headlines of major news media of Korea this morning:
KBS (http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/news/)
President to Positively Consider Sewol Salvage
As almost a year has passed since more than 300 people died or went missing in the sinking of a ferry off Korea’s southwestern coast, the nation is...
Oceans Minister Considers Poll on Salvaging Sewol
NPAD Against Oceans Ministry's Role in Probing Sinking
Saenuri Fl. Chief Against Poll on Salvaging Sewol
Families of Sewol Victims March in Protest
S. Korea Denounces Japan's Dokdo Claims in New Textbooks
State Health Insurer Presents Records of 3,400 Patients for Tobacco Lawsuit
Oceans Minister Considers Poll on Salvaging Sewol
President to Positively Consider Sewol Salvage
KOSPI Inches Up, Setting a New High for 2015
1/4 Conglomerates' Operating Profits Smaller than Interest Costs
Hanwha Wins $2 Billion Infrastructure Order in Iraq
N. Korea Declares No-sail Zone in East Sea
S. Korea to Propose Talks to Resolve Wage Hike at Gaeseong
N. Korea Test Fires Short-Range Missiles for 2nd Day
LA Times: US Wasted $10 Billion on Failed Missile Defense Programs
Security Forum Likely to Open in Japan Next Month
Japan Unlikely to Pass Resolution on Repenting Past
Seoul to Pursue MICE Tourists
Fisherman Cleared of Spy Charges 35 Years Later
Spring Flower Festival to Open in Yeouido
Gyeongbok, Changgyeong Palaces to Welcome
Overseas Korean Journalists to Gather in S.
S. Korean Scientists Develop World's Best Thermoelectric Alloy
Gov't to Develop ActiveX Alternatives by 2017
S. Korean Scientists Develop Prognostic Assessment Technology for Leukemia
S. Korea Defeats Russia in Women's Football Friendly
Son Heung-min Most Expensive Player on Bayer Leverkusen
Lydia Ko Ties LPGA Record of 29 Straight Rounds Under Par
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Yonhap (http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr)
Experts denounce Abe gov't for politicizing school textbooks
South Korean experts Monday denounced the Japanese government for politically using school textbooks as it approved texts intensifying Japan's claim to South Korea's easternmost islets of Dokdo.
Turkmen president to visit S. Korea
Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov will visit South Korea later this week for talks with President Park Geun-hye on enhancing ties in business and other areas, Park's office said Monday.
Bizman faces arrest in energy diplomacy probe
Prosecutors on Monday sought an arrest warrant for a former construction firm head for allegedly embezzling company funds involved in former President Lee Myung-bak's botched energy diplomacy project.
S. Korea moves to develop, commercialize graphene
South Korea will move to start producing and selling products using graphene by as early as 2017, becoming one of the world's first countries to commercialize the new advanced material, the government said Monday.
Abe expected to mention sexual slavery issue during U.S. t..
North Korea, Iran nuclear deal good example for N. Korea: Christopher H..
Chinese ambassador to N. Korea pays tribute to son of late..
No immediate signs of N.K. provocations: Seoul ministry
S. Korean businessmen to visit Kaesong
Samsung puts Q1 operating profit at 5.9 tln won
Samsung Electronics estimates Q1 operating profit..
S. Korean insurers' financial status worsens in Q4
Experts denounce Abe gov't for politicizing school textboo..
Samsung signs on as sponsor for PyeongChang Winter ..
PyeongChang Winter Games signs promotional agreemen..
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The Korea Times (http://www.koreatimes.co.kr)
Abe's Japan continues policy of lies
Japan has no intention to heed the advice from its neighbors and German Chancellor Angela Markel to own up to its misdeeds during World War II. On Monday, Tokyo under Prime Minister Shinzo Abe took another step in that direction...
Salvaging Sewol looms as stickler
The Sewol ferry disaster is still casting a long, sad and controversial shadow with its first anniversary around the corner. The question of whether to salvage the sunken boat is now taking center stage on the political scene. P...
KakaoTaxi still has long way to go
Given its status as the nation’s No.1 messaging application operator, it’s just a matter of time before Daum Kakao’s ride-hailing application KakaoTaxi dominates the domestic market. The service was launched last Tuesday, only a...
Glitches mar new KTX service
Safety concerns are mounting over the newly opened high-speed railway linking Seoul and Gwangju following a series of malfunctions. Passengers have already ex...
Samsung chills concerns on S6, Edge
Samsung Electronics said Monday that its soon-to-be-released Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge are sturdy and ...
Samsung endows PyeongChang with big sponsorship
The Samsung Group has signed a sponsorship agreement for the PyeongChang Olympics worth up to 100 ...
Chung-Ang University in turmoil
Chung-Ang University is under mounting public criticism following a series of allegations that key...
'E-cigarettes are not safe'
Health authorities have concluded that smoking e-cigarettes is not safe, raising doubt over their ...
Facebook, Naver under scrutiny for info collecting
The nation’s online communication watchdog is considering punishing mobile application service providers for excessive collection of personal information of t...
Police struggle to identify victim of 'torso murder'
Forensic scientists said Monday that a torso found at Sihwa Seawall in Siheung, Gyeonggi Province, on Sunday, is that of a woman who once had an operation to ...
Park back in vogue
President Park Geun-hye's approval rating is climbing after three months of lackluster performance in the 30-percent range.
French firm sues weather agency
Leosphere, a French manufacturer of wind measurement devices, has filed a lawsuit with a Korean court against the Korea Meteorological Agency (KMA), claiming ...
Moon says ready to appear energy probe
The rival parties clashed Monday over former President Lee Myung-bak appearing at National Assembly hearings on the failed energy diplomacy under his administ...
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DongA Ilbo (http://english.donga.com)
`Gov`t to positively consider salvage of ferry Sewol,` says Pres. Park
President Park Geun-hye said on Monday, “If it is concluded that lifting of the (Sewol ferry’s) hull is possible, we will positively consider lifting the ship by gathering suggestions and opinions from experts and...
Taliban publish biography of its reclusive leader
“A kind person with a great sense of humor who doesn’t think he/she is superior than colleagues, doesn`t get angry or is not discouraged. A person who hasn’t owned a home and doesn’t have overseas bank account.” People...
Rival parties race to garner votes for April 29 elections by hosting policy events
The ruling Saenuri Party and the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy staged a ‘duel of policies’ on Monday. They intend to gain the upper hand in the election campaign by not only discovering tailored...
Hanjin`s Subic Shipyard wins order for ultra-large container ships
Hanjin Heavy Industries’ Subic Shipyard in the Philippines received an order for three 20,600-TEU containers. It is the second company following Samsung Heavy Industries to win order for a container ship over 20,000...
Seoul offers up to $23,000 to encourage electric car purchase
The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced Monday its plans to spur electric car driving, including support of a maximum of 25 million won (23,043 U.S. dollars) when a household, company and groups purchase electric...
Kang Jung-ho makes first string roster in Major League’s opening game
Korean infielder Kang Jung-ho is set to start his debut season in the Major League Baseball. The Pittsburgh Pirates announced on Monday its 25-member roster including Kang for the opening day of the 2015 season. If...
Controversies over N. Korean leader’s call for ‘highest-level’ talks
Ki Sung-yueng, Son Heung-min as promising Korean soccer players
New year’s wishes change over time
Samsung’s mobile phone beats Apple to top ACSI
Actor Lee Jung-jae reported to be in a relationship with Daesang heiress
N. Korean leader shows willingness to hold inter-Korean summit
U.S. military base in Yongsan bans civilian drones, model aircrafts
Japanese police on 14-year manhunt for cruel murderer
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Chosun Ilbo (http://english.chosun.com)
Increased Risk of Heart Disease Linked to Losing a Spouse
The stress from losing a spouse has been linked to an increased risk of fatal heart disease. Stress makes the heart pound and boosts blood pressure. If this state continues, the symptoms can develop into myocardial infarction or stroke. >> Full Text
French Court Blocks Extradition of Ferry Owner's Daughter
The French supreme court last week threw out an earlier ruling that ordered the extradition of Yoo Sum-na, the daughter of ferry owner Yoo Byung-eon. AFP reported that the ruling means only that the Korean government's extradition request should be reconsidered by a lower court. >> Full Text
More Male Models Pose with Cars at Seoul Motor Show
An unusually large number of male models are posing with cars at the 2015 Seoul Motor Show, which opened at KINTEX in Ilsan, Gyeonggi Province last Thursday, a job normally associated with scantily clad girls. >> Full Text
N.Korean Defectors Turn to Alternative Schools
N.Korea Changes Camouflage of Infiltration Planes
Let Public Decide on Raising Sunken Ferry, Minister Says
Korea University to Help N.Korean Defectors Adapt to South
U.S. Envoy's Wrist Brace Makes Wave
Ankle Injury Forces Son Yeon-jae Out of World Cup Event
Park Ji-sung Tackles Football Administration Studies
Park Ji-sung Stops by Seoul Motor Show, Meets Fans
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Hankyoreh Shinmoon (http://english.hani.co.kr)
Comfort women and Vietnam War survivors pledge to fight together for justice
70 years since Korea’s liberation and 50 since S. Korea’s sending soldiers to Vietnam, some victims still feeling the pain of war
On Apr. 4 at the House of Sharing in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, Yoo Hee-nam, 87, a former comfort woman for the Japanese imperial army, met with survivors of civilian massacres during the Vietnam War.“It‘s shocking to think that South Korean soldiers did those things while they were in Vietnam. I want to apologize on their behalf,” Yoo said, her voice trembling.
Visually impaired “paint” subtle scents in art exhibition
An exhibition is highlighting new and beautiful scents “painted” by people with visual impairments. Another Way of Seeing, a gallery located in Seoul‘s Jongno district, operates a program to support art education and art activity for the blind. Now an exhibition has been staged to display the scents developed by four such people after a yearlong course in fragrance-making: Kim Du-seop, 19, and Park Seong-yeong, 20, both February graduates of the Seoul National School for the Blind, .
[Reporter’s notebook] SK chairman: convicted of embezzlement, and still employed?
Thirteen months have passed since Chey Tae-won, 55, chairman of the SK Group, was sent to prison after being convicted of embezzling from the group on Feb. 27, 2014. But Chey is still serving as an executive for the SK holding company. After his conviction, he stepped down from his position as a board member (CEO), but he remains an unregistered board member (chairman). Chey is also still listed as a board member at group subsidiaries SK Hynix and SK Innovation. .
Resource diplomacy ‘investments’ turn $30 billion into just $4.2 billion
Nearly US$30 billion in overseas resource development project investments by the South Korean government generated a return of just US$4.2 billion, according to a Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI) report released on Apr. 3.The numbers mark the first official confirmation by a government agency of the “report card” for overseas development efforts under the Lee Myung-bak administration (2008-13), during which 27 trillion won (US$24.9 billion) was invested. During a briefing on Apr. 3.
Resource diplomacy ‘investments’ turn $30 billion into just $4.2 billion
Nearly US$30 billion in overseas resource development project investments by the South Korean government generated a return of just US$4.2 billion, according to a Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI) report released on Apr. 3.The numbers mark the first official confirmation by a government agency of the “report card” for overseas development efforts under the Lee Myung-bak administration (2008-13), during which 27 trillion won (US$24.9 billion) was invested. During a briefing on Apr. 3.
Dispute over wage issue brewing at Kaesong Complex
North Korea reportedly ordered accounting officers at South Korean tenant companies at the Kaesong Industrial Complex to calculate March pay to reflect a recently declared wage hike. The reports come after the South Korean government sent an Apr. 2 notice instructing business owners to only pay wages as per the existing inter-Korean agreement. There could now be a dispute between the two sides over the wage hike erupting on the ground in Kaesong. .
[Cine feature] Korean film remakes boom in China
Chinese remakes of Korean films have been booming since the big success of 20, Once Again!, a remake of the Korean film Miss Granny (2014). What elements led to remakes of Korean films such as Blind (2011), Architecture 101 (2012) and Cyrano Agency (2010)? Let’s look into why remakes of Korean films are booming in China. On February 25, the preliminary agreement on Korea-China FTA was signed after 30 months of negotiation. .
NIS founder recommends stripping anti-communist investigation power
The founder of the predecessor to today’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) called for the abolishment of its authority to conduct anti-communist investigations. Kim Jong-pil, a former Prime Minister and founder of the Korean Central Intelligence Agency (KCIA), told the Joong-Ang Ilbo newspaper in an interview on Apr. 3 that the “reason the NIS interferes in politics is because it holds investigative authority.” .
UAE gov’t audit shows patients getting gouged at Korean hospitals
The government of the United Arab Emirates recently conducted an audit on the appropriateness of treatment costs at several South Korean hospitals. It was the first attempt by the country to investigate South Korean medical costs since it first began subsidizing the treatment of patients in South Korea with a Nov. 2011 international patient sending agreement. .
Migrants Trade Union stuck waiting more than ten years to be recognized
Two thousand nine hundred fifty-six days. That’s how long a case filed against the Seoul office of the Ministry of Employment and Labor by the Seoul/Gyeonggi/Incheon Migrants’ Trade Union (MTU) has been held up in the Supreme Court. The suit contesting the rejection of the union’s establishment notice was the court’s oldest unsettled case on Apr. 2.
Seoul instructs Kaesong Companies to not comply with North’s wage increase demand
Seoul instructing Kaesong tenant companies not to comply with North’s unilateral wage increase demand On Apr. 2, the South Korean government officially instructed the South Korean companies operating in the Kaesong Industrial Complex not to comply with North Korea’s unilateral demand for an increase in the minimum wage. Nervousness is descending on the complex as Apr. 10, the date for paying wages for March, draws closer. .
For S. Korean businesses, China patent blitz is a clear and present danger
In 2010, a small South Korean business had just begun selling a touch recognition smartphone glove on the Chinese online shopping mall Alibaba when it unexpectedly started receiving notices of patent infringement. They had been sent all at once by three to four Chinese businesses and individuals who claimed to hold utility model patent rights to the glove. The business received notice that Alibaba had unilaterally cancelled their sales contract. Realizing only now that it was under attack, the .
Delayed Hyundai ceremony may signal shift in China’s investment strategy
A groundbreaking ceremony for a fourth Hyundai Motor factory in the Chinese city of Cangzhou was abruptly moved back from Apr. 2 to Apr. 3.The news is sparking criticism toward China for giving notice just three days before the event that senior local government officials would not be attending, as well as South Korea for agreeing to the change, which required it to delay the schedule of its newly appointed ambassador to China. Hyundai Motor explained on Mar. 31 that it had been abruptly cont .
Labor activist up a smokestack breaks a record that no one wants
Cha Gwang-ho, 45, started working for Korea Synthetic Fiber in 1995, when he was 25 years old. His job was making polyester thread, an ingredient for manufacturing apparel. Korea Synthetic Fiber was in dire financial straits. In 2005, it began restructuring; by 2007, it was bankrupt.When the company was acquired by Starflex in 2010, Cha‘s job was transferred to the new company. In Apr. 2011, the company changed its name to Star Chemical. But Cha would not keep earning a paycheck for long.
US ambassador attacker charged with attempted murder
On Apr. 1, the special investigation unit (led by Lee Sang-ho) at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office charged Kim Ki-jong, 55, with trying to kill US Ambassador Mark Lippert, 42. Kim was indicted for attempted murder, assaulting a foreign envoy, and obstruction of official business. Kim is alleged to have stabbed Lippert four times at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Seoul on Feb. 17. .
[Reportage] Rare plants bloom in the sun that shines between a prison’s bars
“Hope,” read the word in thick Gothic script on the back of the yellow uniform of the prisoner filling the nursery box with soil for a seedbed. The fireweed seeds in the small plastic bottle were so light it seemed that a deep breath might blow them away. Two to three at a time, they were carefully lifted and tenderly placed in each of the box’s 200 spaces. One of the fingers sweeping soil over the box was the same one that had pulled a trigger in desperation at a senior soldier’s repeated harassment. .
Court-sanctioned group homes bringing troubled youths off the street
Recently, a Hankyoreh reporter visited the Dudeurim Youth Recovery Center, a court-sanctioned group home. A handful of teenagers were gathered in the living room. Some were playing traditional Korean games. They didn’t look like the young delinquents who, until coming here, had wandered the city streets at night, trolling for booze and cigarettes, and hopping from one internet cafe to another. .
AIIB causing a tense war of words between China and the US
Around 47 countries either applied or announced plans to apply by the Mar. 31 closing date to become founding members of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), a new international financial institution spearheaded by China. Seen by many as Beijing’s challenge to US dominance of international finance, it has attracted many members not only from Asia but from Europe, South America, and Africa. .
US congressman calls on Japan to clearly acknowledge historical misdeeds
On Mar. 30, Gerry Connolly, a Democratic congressman in the US House of Representatives, called on Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to “clearly and definitely acknowledge the cruelty perpetrated by the Japanese empire during its colonial rule and the war in the Pacific.” Connelly was talking about Abe’s address to a joint session of Congress, which he is scheduled to deliver at the end of April Connolly is the Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus on Korea,
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JoongAng Ilbo (conservative): (http://koreajoongangdaily.joinsmsn.com/)
Japan OKs textbooks, all with claims over Dokdo
Seoul lodges strong complaint against Tokyo’s ‘provocation’
For the first time, all 18 middle school textbooks in three subjects approved through a Japanese Education Ministry review on Monday exerted Tokyo’s claim over the Dokdo islets in the East Sea, a move that has prompted strong backlash from Seoul. On Monday, Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture…
Korea sells 10 million cars in China
The number of cars sold in China by the nation’s two auto giants - Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors - exceeded 10 million units, a feat that took a mere 13 years…
Park tries to placate kin on salvage of the Sewol
President Park Geun-hye said Monday that the government will actively consider raising the ferry Sewol from the sea floor, a demand by relatives of some of the victims…
Hanwha gets additional Iraq contract of $2 billion
Hanwha E&C on Monday announced it received a construction order worth $2.1 billion from the Iraq government to build basic infrastructure like schools…
Nepa looks for greener pastures in foreign lands
Faced with wilting demand for outdoor gear in Korea, domestic brand Nepa said that it will push out of the local market and expand its business portfolio abroad,…
North declares no fly, no sail zone
Pyongyang has issued a no-fly, no-sail zone in the East Sea, according to a South Korean military official, an indication that the North may likely be planning…
Moon prods Saenuri to get Lee testimony in ‘resources’ probe
The leader of the main opposition party said Monday that he will testify before the National Assembly over projects undertaken by the liberal Roh Moo-hyun government…
Gov’t lowers loan program rate
The government will lower interest rates for government-backed mortgage programs for low-income households to help ease financial burdens, the Ministry of Land…
Bad U.S. jobs report restricts market’s rise
Seoul shares inched up 0.05 percent or 1 point on Monday to close at this year’s highest level, overtaking a record set on Friday. …
Pedal-to-metal for imported cars
Monthly sales of imported autos hit an all-time high in March, the Korea Automobile Importers and Distributors Association (Kaida) said Monday…
Lotte vetting new hires in new way
Lotte Group is following the trend of evaluating new hires on their job-related capabilities or knowledge in certain fields instead of through standardized…
LG unveils new and improved UX
Three weeks before debuting its flagship G4 smartphone, LG Electronics on Monday took the wraps off its improved user interface developed for the new device.…
Steelmakers spending on facilities
Korean steelmakers will make bigger investments than last year as part of an attempt to overcome a slump. According to a survey conducted by the Korea Iron & Steel Association (KISA) …
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Maeil Kyungje (neutral-oriented conservative, economic/business): (http://news.mk.co.kr/english/)
Park leans towards salvaging Sewol ferry
The sunken Sewol ferry, which took hundreds of lives last year, is more likely to be refloated, as South Korean president Park Geun-hye publicly addressed salvaging th.. ...04.06 18:03
Saemangeum agricultural complex could expand exports and youth jobs
At the seawall nearby the fifth zone of agricultural land in Saemangeum around Dongjin River, a major renovation project is under way to transform a vast 1,513 hectare.. ...04.06 17:41
Labor minister says tripartite committee will complete talks this week
Labor Minister Lee Ki-kwon said Monday representatives of unions, management and the government have achieved more than 70 percent of the target before they reach nego.. ...04.06 17:31
Hyundai-Kia cumulative sales top 10 mn in China
The accumulated sales of Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors exceeded the 10 million mark in the shortest period of time among global competitors who have entered the Chinese.. ...04.06 17:12
One in four protectionist measures pointed at S. Korea
South Korea has been the major target of protectionist measures by nations around the world to protect their own markets, triggering concerns that the nation’s export.. ...04.06 15:15
Eyes are on whether labor, mgmt and gov’t would reach consensus
The government and business circles has come up with the revised proposal which partially reflects the stance of the Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU) regarding.. ...04.06 14:46
Shinwon looks to hold music concert in inter-Korean factory park in June
Shinwon Group, a South Korean apparel and accessory company and the first company who entered the Kaesong industrial complex, would hold a music concert in June to mar.. ...04.06 11:17
KFSB to prop up young entrepreneurs doing startups overseas
1,000 firms in 500 sectors under the wing of the cooperatives of the Korea Federation of Small and Medium Business (KFSB) will provide idle facilities, funding and bus.. ...04.06 11:05
Furniture industry revives in 10 years on vibrant housing market
In the midst of the vibrant real estate market, the furniture market is recovering after a decade of decline. As housing sales have picked up, consumers who want to bu.. ...04.06 10:36
‘WOW’ offers biz opportunity for S. Korea
The term ‘WOW’ is the business key word presented by 10 South Korean ambassadors to Association of South-East Nations (ASEAN) who are knowledgeable with the ASEAN ma.. ...04.05 17:21
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The Kyunghyang Shinmoon (http://english.khan.co.kr/)
[A City That Continues to Greet Challenges] Redevelopment or Renewal? The Question Posed by the Seun Arcade
▲ Thirty-six years since the release of the first maintenance plan, the project still remains a mystery--practically neglected. Focus on a solution, "new pur···
What Did the Part-timer Do Wrong?'If the Customer Says It's Salty, It's Salty' Funny But Sad Phrases
"If the Customer Says It's Salty, It's Salty!"The scene is a steakhouse near Gangnam Station in Seoul on April 5. A unique phrase, which appears to be the c···
[Editorial] Using Money to Distract the Public from the Sewol
April is a cruel month. And this isn't just some rhetoric by a poet from a distant land. To the people who had lost their loved ones, the government handed out···
Ambassador to the UN Oh Joon in Seoul, 'Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Has No Intention to Enter Politics'
Ambassador to the United Nations (UN) Oh Joon, 60, said on April 2, that UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, 71, who is being mentioned as a strong presidential c···
Government Trying to Cover up the Sewol Tragedy with Money
The upcoming April 16 will mark one year since the Sewol sank into the sea, yet the government rushed to release the amount of compensation it will provide the ···
North Korea Releases First Plane Manufactured in North Korea: Kim Jong-un Goes for a Test Flight
Surprisingly, North Korea released the production process for airplanes and attracted attention by displaying the performance of the light aircraft they produce···
[Editorial] North Korea-China Relations Need to Be Restored to Ensure Peace on the Korean Peninsula
The chilly relations between North Korea and China are showing no signs of recovery. Last February, North Korea expressed its wish to join the Asia Infrastructu···
[One Year after the Sewol] 'No' to Government Event with No Memorial: A Strong Warning Even from the Ruling Party
Even the ruling party is warning against the government's "response" to the first anniversary of the Sewol tragedy. The ruling party is pulling the brakes on···
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Invitation to Dangjin Gijisi Tug-of-War Festival
Your Excellency:
I am pleased to inform Your Excellency that Mayor Kim Hong-jang of the Dangjin City of Chungcheongnam-do Province, 87.5 miles (1 1/2 hours run) southwest of Seoul, cordially invites Your Excellency and Madam, together with other Ambassadors and Madams, to the Opening Ceremony of the Dangjin Gijisi Tug-of-War Culture Festival on Friday April 10, 2015 and a tour of the Cultural Assets of the Dangjin City, Hands-on Experience in various folk events plus a tour of the Hyundai Steel Mill.
Please visit: /news/view.html?section=165&category=192&no=879
Two Deluxe 28-seat Limousine Buses have been reserved for the Excellencies and Madams for comfortable traveling. Here is schedule:
0820 hours Friday April 10, 2015: Meet at Grand Hyatt Hotel (near Water Fountain).
0830-1100 hours: Move by Limousine Bus to Dangjin by picturesque West Coast Expressway, visiting the Hyundai Steel Plant on the way to Dangjin.
1100-1140 hours: Visit the Gijisi Tug-of-War Museum.
1200-1340 hours: Luncheon hosted by Mayor and Mrs. Kim Hong-jang of the Dangjin City.
1400-1420 hours: Wear traditional Korean costumes of the King, General and Court ladies.
1430-1630 hours: Have hands-on experience in various local cultural events, including participation in the Gijisi Tug-of-War and Rice wine- and Sake-making.
1700-1830 hours: Move back to Seoul arriving at Grand Hyatt Seoul by 6:30 p.m.
Very Respectfully Yours
/s/
Lee Kyung-sik
Publisher-Chairman
The Korea Post phones: 2298-1745 or 2298-1740/2, mobiles 010-3388-1682 (Korean) and 010-5201-1740 (Chairman Lee Kyung-sik).
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RSVP: Yes, my spouse and I will attend____. I will attend alone____.
(Please mark the blank spaces above and below with an X or Tick.)
Mobile phone of driver or secretary:____________________. Regrets:____.
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Details of the Tug-of-War Culture Festival:
With citizens’ hope for registration as UNESCO heritage
Dangjin hosts 2015 Gijisi Tug-of-War Culture Festival April 9-12
Mayor Kim Hong-jang of the Dangjin City the Chungcheongnam-do Province, some 87 miles southwest of Seoul, is hosting the 2015 Dangjin Gijisi Tug-of-War Culture Festival for a four-day run on 9-12, 2015.
Designated by the Central Government as Important Cultural Asset No. 75, the Dangjin Gijisi Tug-of-War Game is becoming increasingly popular among the foreign residents in Korea and visitors as well as the Korean people.
Mayor Kim invites ambassadors and their families to attend the Festival on April 10, 2015 for the promotion of understanding and friendship between the Korean people and the members of the Diplomatic Corps.
This year, Mayor Kim has an expanded plan in terms of promotion of the image of the Festival and city to the outside world and for this purpose he plans to also invite foreign students in Korea two days later on April 12.
Dangjin Gijisi Juldarigi was designated also as a promising festival by the Central Government in 2013 for many interesting features, including the fact that the rope used is 200 meters long, 1 meter thick, and weighs 40 tons.
It is the largest rope in the whole world and it takes 30 technicians full 60 days non-stop to make it.
The number of individuals participating in a single game is 300,000 persons who pull the rope in opposite directions at the same time. This makes it the largest folk festival on the planet.
Gijisi Juldarigi (tug of war) contains a variety of cultural significances including, but not limited to, teamwork for harmony and unity, efforts to overcome natural disasters in an agrarian society and the shamanistic beliefs that pray for abundance and prosperity.
Nearly 200,000 citizens of the Dangjin City are known to have applied for registration of this treasure as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity so that more and more people may watch and enjoy this cultural heritage, to which end the citizens of Dangjin are striving.
Elected to the Dangjin City in June last year, Mayor Kim has a strong pride of the Dangjin Region. He says, “We are a central city in the Pan Yellow Sea region. We will relive the hey-day of Dangjin, which was a port city that traded with the Tang Dynasty of China. As a harbor city with an ideal environment for the agricultural, industrial and maritime trade sectors, Dangjin is quickly developing into the hub of Korean-Chinese trade in the Pan Yellow Sea region.”
Then he said that Dangjin is a city where culture and arts are flourishing, whereas the city attracts a stream of visitors annually with its rich culture and fascinating arts and related events.
“We host the Gijisi Tug of War Festival celebrating the 500-year-old game that was played to pray for fecundity and good harvest and to build solidarity and a sense of community among the residents,” Mayor Kim accents the popularity of the representative festival of the city. The Dangjin Gijisi Juldarigi (tug of war) has a history of 500 years.
He says, “There also are a number of historical sites such as the Solmoe Sacred Site, where the first priest of Korea and martyr, Andrew Kim Taegon, was born, as well as the Silli Sacred Site that is considered the cradle of Korean Catholicism.”
Dangjin City is the considered the most vigorously developing area in the Republic of Korea and is as competitive as any city in Korea with unlimited growth potential.
Dangjin has three Industrial complexes, namely, Godae, Bugok and Seokmun, with a Steel Industrial Complex developed near Hyundai Steel Co., Ltd. Dangjin has one port and two highways, giving it excellent conditions for logistics. Quite a few foreign companies prefer to invest here and we would greatly appreciate your keen attention and promotion as well.
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