Dec. 29, 2015
The Korean daily media headlines and humor
Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2015
Your Excellency:
Here are a roundup of important headlines from all major Korean-language dailies, TV and other news media of Korea 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.
A round-up of the latest news published by the Korean media:
KBS (http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/news/)
Park Hopes Sex Slavery Agreement will Restore Honor of Victims
Anchor: Leaders of South Korea and Japan held a telephone conversation after the two countries' foreign ministers...
US Welcomes Settlement of Sex Slavery
Victims' Groups Criticize Sex Slavery Settlement
UN Chief Welcomes Agreement on Sex Slavery
S. Korea's Dominance in Shipbuilding Erodes
S. Korea Signs Formal Contract for KF-X Jet Development Project
Park Hopes Sex Slavery Agreement will Restore Honor of Victims
S. Korea Signs Formal Contract for KF-X Jet Development Project
Park, Abe Discuss Trust, New Relations
S. Korea's Dominance in Shipbuilding Erodes
KOSPI Drops to 1,960 Level
Ocean Dumping to be Banned Beginning in 2016
'North Korea's May 27 Fishery Station Close to Completion'
N. Korea Accuses US of Blaming North for Mine Explosion
US Welcomes Settlement of Sex Slavery
UN Chief Welcomes Agreement on Sex Slavery
'Korean Church in New York Was Base of 13 Organizations for Korea's Independence Movement'
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Yonhap (http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr)
S. Korea says deal on 'comfort women' reached with principle
Cheong Wa Dae said Tuesday that a landmark deal with Japan on the issue of Korean women forced into sexual slavery for Japanese soldiers during World War II was reached in accordance with principle.
Market cap of S. Korea's 3rd bourse skyrockets
South Korea's young venture-driven stock market saw its market capitalization more than double over the past year, data showed Tuesday, on the back of the government's push to foster small- and medium-sized companies.
Chinese media cast wary eye on Korea-Japan deal on wartime sex slaves
A newspaper published by China's ruling Communist Party on Tuesday took a wary and skeptic note on a landmark deal between South Korea and Japan on the issue of Korean victims of Japan's wartime sexual slavery, insisting that the deal will have "little influence" in Northeast Asia.
Biz outlook remains gloomy for Jan.
A majority of companies in South Korea are pessimistic about their business outlooks for next month, citing the impact from the recent rate hike by the U.S. and other downside factors such as falling commodity prices, a poll showed Tuesday.
S. Korea opens office cluster for content industry
South Korea opened an office cluster in Seoul on Tuesday to develop the country's creative content industry and nurture its future talent, the culture ministry said.
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The Korea Herald (http://www.koreaherald.com)
Japan officially apologizes, offers funds
Japan on Monday expressed its apology and contrition for its colonial-era sexual enslavement of Korean women, and agreed...
Private debt’s ratio to GDP exceeds 180%
South Korea’s private sector debt reached a record high in proportion to its gross domestic pr...
SK chairman to divorce, admits to affair
SK Group chairman Chey Tae-won has revealed he “has a child with another woman” and plans to ...
Mirae Asset still thirsty for growth
Mirae Asset Financial Group chairman Park Hyeon-joo speaks at a press conference in Seoul on Mo...
Hyundai Elevator-Schindler feud resurfaces
Years of bitter feuding between Hyundai Elevator, the nation’s leading elevator manufacturer, and Schind...
No. 1 arms buyer
A U.S. Congress report showed that South Korea emerged as the world’s biggest arms importer...
Undue refinery concerns
Some stock analysts say that the nation’s oil refining industry is estimated to have suffer...
‘Disconnect to connect’ in Wonju’s budding art scene
Very much overshadowed by the neighboring snow-filled scenes of blis...
Lotus finds niche with growth of sports cars
Lotus, the British handmade sports car brand, will step up its sales and marketing efforts with...
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The Korea Times (http://www.koreatimes.co.kr)
Korea, Japan reach deal over sex slavery
Korea and Japan reached a historic agreement Monday, to resolve disputes over Tokyo's sexual enslavement of Korean women during World War II.
Venture businesses get on right track in number, sales
The number of venture businesses in Korea surpassed 30,000 last year, a recent survey showed. Venture companies with annual sales of 100 billion won ($85.4 mi...
Legal, administrative hurdles hamper corporate restructuring
Korea is ranked fifth in global manufacturing competitiveness indices, following China, the U.S., Germany and Japan, Deloitte recently said. In five years, ho...
SK chairman divorces over new lover and child
Chey Tae-won, chairman of SK Group, has said through a local newspaper Tuesday that his marriage w...
Mirae Asset eyes further M&As for growth
Mirae Asset Financial Group will continue to seek mergers and acquisitions to grow into a global p...
Schindler relies on diplomacy over Hyundai Elevator
The Swiss Embassy in Korea has requested the local government to intervene in a dispute between Hyundai Elevator and Schindler Holdings, government officials ...
KF-X contract signed, but doubts linger
The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) signed a contract with Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), Monday, to develop the nation’s first indigenou...
'Inside Men' director's cut digs deeper into protagonists
For fans of the political thriller “Inside Men,” there is good news: a 50-minute-longer director’s...
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DongAIlbo (http://english.donga.com)
Korea, Japan reach a deal on the comfort women issue
It has been confirmed that the proposal of establishing a foundation led by the Korean government and funded by Japan was Blue House’s idea. The suggestion is based on the thought that the issue can only be solved by...
Paris Baguette opens its 200th overseas store in Shanghai
Paris Baguette, a top Korean bakery franchise, opened its 200th overseas branch after 11 years since it first entered the global market. The SPC Group said on Monday, that a launching event was held at the 200th Paris...
Gasoline price gap huge within single district in Seoul
Gasoline price gaps are as wide as 653 won (56 cents) per liter within single districts in Seoul. Consumers Korea, an incorporated association, announced Monday the results after surveying sales prices of oil products...
The Beatles to offer streaming
A few months ago, a few CDs were stolen at a broadcasting station as a producer lost his employee card at work and someone borrowed CDs at the library of the station using the card. A small accident, which could have...
Korea was the world`s largest arms importer in 2014, CRS says
South Korea was the world`s largest importer of arms in the world last year. Massive purchases of American weapons last year raised the nation`s ranking in arms import from the seventh in 2013 to the top in 2014. ...
Korean halfpipe snowboarders vow to win medal at Pyeongchang Olympics
Kim Ho-joon (25) and Lee Gwang-gi (22), members of the Korean national halfpipe snowboarding team, have not participated in any competitions this season to focus on strengthening their basic skills. Kim Ho-joon took...
Late SNU student`s parents claim ‘rumors of depression, family poverty groundless’
Nobody in pro-Roh faction wants to sacrifice, say sources from Moon Jae-in
`Green Christmas` in eastern parts of U.S. and Canada
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ChosunIlbo (http://english.chosun.com)
Seoul, Tokyo Conclude Talks on Sex Slaves
Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se and his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida on Monday produced a statement that to some extent concedes Japanese responsibility for drafting women as sex slaves for soldiers during World War II. >> Full Text
Dressing Right Remains Vital in Job Interviews
Hyundai started to allow job applicants to dress in casual clothes for their interviews in the second half of this year in a bid to reduce the stress of these occasions. Hanhwa Chemical, SK Telecom, LG Uplus and NHN are also adopting this practice. >> Full Text
Cinema Attendance Hits All-Time High This Year
Cinema attendance in Korea is expected to hit a record high this year, already surpassing last year's record of 215.06 million viewers on Monday. The figure has been on the rise for three years in a row, after it exceeded 200 million for the first time in 2013. >> Full Text
Over 200 Million Movie Tickets to Be Sold This Year
Christmas Movies on Course to Set New Record
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HankyorehShinmoon (http://english.hani.co.kr)
Korean, Japanese foreign ministers seek “creative solutions” to comfort women issue
A focus on diplomatic language could lead to concessions from Japan, but proposals likely wouldn’t go far enough to satisfy S. Korean victims and public
The administrations of South Korean President Park Geun-hye and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe are reportedly in agreement about looking for “creative solutions” relying on diplomatic language for the issue of the comfort women, which includes acknowledging the legal responsibility of the Japanese government, restoring the reputations of the former comfort women, and providing those women with compensation.
The world’s largest weapons importer? South Korea
Last year, South Korea was the world’s largest importer of weapons, a US government report shows, which is an inevitable result of South Korean President Park Geun-hye’s emphasis on providing a military deterrent to North Korea. This prompts the criticism that, ultimately, the only winners of this policy are the world’s arms manufacturers. .
“Parental care contracts” increasingly common in South Korea
A 56-year-old father surnamed Kim first heard about “parental care contracts” last month while attending an alumni meeting. The principle was simple: he would leave his fortune to his children on the condition that they observe their hyodo, or the filial duty to care for their parents. If they didn’t, the inheritance would be taken back. .
Tax revenues from cigarette price hike total 11.04 trillion won in 2015
Tax revenues from a cigarette price hike early this year are far exceeding initial government expectations, statistics show. But the impact of the increase on cutting smoking rates has fallen well short of the government’s projections, lending weight to early speculation that the actual aim was purely to generate more revenue. .
New Brews: Beer still Korea’s favorite alcohol, but tastes are changing
Beer is South Koreans’ favorite alcoholic beverage, with top ratings for deliveries, market share, and preference, a survey shows.As tastes diversify, beer imports have also risen nearly 300% between 2009 and 2014.
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JoongAngIlbo(conservative): (http://koreajoongangdaily.joinsmsn.com/)
Korea, Japan strike comfort women deal
Korea and Japan struck a landmark deal on Monday in the long-running diplomatic battle over the Japanese military’s wartime sexual enslavement of Korean women by agreeing to a Japanese government apology and a multimillion-dollar fund for the victims. The foreign affairs ministers of Korea and Japan sat down for a final negotiation…
Swiss ask Blue House’s aid in business dispute
In an unprecedented move, the Swiss government has asked the Korean government and even the Blue House to help with a feud between Hyundai Group…
Incoming tax changes that will affect your pocket
Including on-the-spot tax refunds for foreign tourists, a number of changes will be made in the country’s taxation, finance and employment systems next year…
NPAD calls itself by a new name
The main opposition party has changed its name after nearly two years to spruce up its image and erase any memory of former co-founder Ahn Cheol-soo…
Harassment claims at orchestra said to be lies
The board of the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra prepared a three-year contract with maestro Chung Myung-whun during a board meeting on Monday.…
Chairman repents for beating up his chauffeur
The honorary chairman of Mong-Go Food Company apologized to the public on Monday for physically abusing his former driver…
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MaeilKyungje (neutral-oriented conservative, economic/business): (http://news.mk.co.kr/english/)
S. Korea’s public investors to invest $171 mn in European properties
South Korea’s two major public institutional investors - the National Pension Service (NPS) and the Public Officials Benefit ...
Korea’s Dongkuk Steel Mill puts Kukje Machinery up for sale
South Korean Dongkuk Steel Group on Monday embarked on procedure to sell its agricultural machinery unit Kukje Machinery Co., one of ...
Woori Bank to further step up global business
Woori Bank will put all of its energy into strengthening global business and financial technology (fintech) services next year. The ...
IBK to strengthen non-face-to-face channel
Industrial Bank of Korea (IBK) CEO Kwon Seon-joo, who marked her second anniversary as CEO of the bank, on Monday said she will focus ...
Kumho Asiana Group to make a full payment to take back Kumho Industrial
Kumho Asiana Group led by Chairman Park Sam-koo will regain control of Kumho Industrial Co. from the creditors on Tuesday, which will ...
Daewoo International adds steel as core business to bolster Posco’s overseas
Daewoo International Corp. will strengthen steel operation to make it one of its core businesses along with its oil and gas ...
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The KyunghyangShinmoon(http://english.khan.co.kr/)
Comfort Women Cannot Be Resolved Without Japanese Government Acknowledging 'Legal Responsibility'
South Korea and Japan are reportedly seeking a "creative solution" to the issue of Japan's "legal responsibility" concerning the comfort women. This is the···
For a Decent Job: One out of Four College Graduates Are "NEET"
One out of every four college graduates are NEET, not receiving any formal education or training and not employed. This is a different landscape from advanced c···
[Constitutional Appeal on South Korea-Japan Claims Settlement Dismissed] Diplomatic Pressure Eased, but Final Supreme Court Ruling Still Remains
On December 23, the Constitutional Court dismissed the constitutional appeal on Article 2, Clause 1 of the South Korea-Japan Claims Settlement signed in 1965, w···
The UN Command and the Joint Chiefs of Staff 'Hush' on Results of Investigation into the DMZ Shelling: Why?
The United Nations Command (UNC) in Korea refused to release the results of an investigation into the shelling between North and South Korean soldiers at the de···
After Replacing the Head of Nation's Economy President Park Claims, 'Concerns of Credit Rating Fall'
The ruling party is taking advantage of "predictions of an economic crisis" more and more. After requesting the chairman of the National Assembly to bring up ···
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The Korea Economic Daily(http://english.hankyung.com/)
Japanese PM Makes Official Apologies to Wartime Sex Slavery
The two governments in Korea and Japan have finally reached an agreement on December 28 on the decades-long issue of "wartime comfort women." Korean Minister of Foreign Affairs Yun Byung-se and his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida met on the same day in the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs offic...
"The Nation May Now Forgive What the Japanese Did to Us"...President Park
President Park Geun-hye said in a statement to the nation in the evening of December 28, "[The agreement in relation to wartime comfort women was] a result of our best effort and I hope the physical and psychological pains suffered by the victims would be alleviated by it." "For historical mistakes ...
Private Sector Debt to Nominal GDP Ratio Hits Record High of 182%
The balance of private-sector debt including that of the household and corporate sector has reached 1.8 times of the gross domestic products. Economists warned there may be a possibility of a financial system-wide crisis because of it. According to the Bank of Korea on December 28, the ratio of priv...
Doosan Heavy Launches into India's Thermal Power Generation Market
Doosan Heavy Industries announced on December 28 that it clinched an order to build a thermal power plant boiler worth about 1.1 trillion won from India. Within next month, Doosan's Indian business unit Doosan Power Systems India will sign a formal contract with India's state-run thermal power compa...
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AJU Business Daily(http://eng.ajunews.com/korea)
South Korean opposition party changes name
The main opposition party formerly known as New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD) chose to change its name to get rid of any resemblance or memory relate…
South Korea-Japan reach accord on ‘comfort women’
South Korea and Japan reached a breakthrough agreement on Monday on the thorny issue of so-called ‘comfort women’, forced to work in Japanese b…
MERS suffered Asiana to cutback, seeking to survive
South Korea’s no’2 airline, Asiana Airlines plans to cut back after suffering from loss of sales after Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) outbreak in June.…
1 out of 4 graduates experiencing ‘life stall’
24.4 percent of South Korea’s university graduates are "Not in Education, Employment, or Trainin…
Doosan Infracore shares jump on machine tool unit sales
A private equity arm of Standard Chartered has been picked as the preferred bidder for industrial machinery maker Doosan Infracore Co’s machine tools business. . Doosan Infracore, construction equipment affiliate of the troubled
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ETNEWS(http://english.etnews.com/)
South Korean Government to Invest $67.5 Million into Digital Signage ...
South Korean Government is going to expand size of digital signage markets to $3.42 billion (4 trillion KRW), which is 2 times more than 2014 at $1.63 billion (1.9 t...
Smart watch ‘M1’ Becomes Huge Success at Hi-mart
A hidden winner from Hi-mart¡?s Mobile Device Battle was Chinese Smartwatches. Although they only cost about a whole roasted chicken, they snatched consume...
Samsung Electronics to Release 2016 Big-Screen and Ultra-Light ‘Noteboo...
Samsung Electronics made an announcement on the 27th that it will introduce 2016 premium laptop ¡®Notebook 9¡? and start advance selling starting f...
South Korean Memory Industries Break Through Unbreakable Barrier and Develop 14-Nano NAND-Flash
South Korean memory industries are mass-producing 14-nano flat NAND-Flash. Samsung Electronics is already mass-producing it while SK Hynix is planning to finish developing it in 2016 and enter mass-production system. Japanese and American memory industries have no plans to upgrade their technologies however. Toshiba proclaimed that it will not develop any more flat pr...
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Special Notices:
Photo shows President Soon-Heung Chang of Handong Global University (fifth from left, front row) with ambassadors and other visiting members of the Seoul Diplomatic Corps (SDC), including Ambassador Mme Natallia Zhylevich of Belraus (dean of the visiting members of the SDC), fourth from left the same row With Ambassador and Mrs. SylvestreKouassi Bile of Cote d’ Ivoire (third and second from left, front row).
And Ambassador Roballo of Argentina (sixth from left, same row) and Ambassadors Mohamed Abdi Gello of Kenya (on the right of the rear row).
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“Why not try to change the world?”
Ambassadors, senior diplomats visit Handong Global University in Pohang
Ambassadors NatalliaZhylevich of Belarus, Kouassi Bile of Cote d’Ivoire, Jorge Roballo of Argentina and Mohamed Abdi Gello of Kenya and 20 other senior diplomats, including the charges d’affaires, visited Handong Global University in Pohang City on the Southeast Coast of Korea on Nov. 12, 2015 at the invitation of President Soon-Heung Chang of the University.
The tour, organized by The Korea Post, included also a visit to POSCO and a cruise ride around the harbor of the Pohang City.
The Korea Post has been organizing tours for the ambassadors and other senior members of the Seoul Diplomatic Corps for the past 30 years, but it must be said that the one hosted by Handong Global University is one of the most impressive in terms of the interest on the part of the host who met the guests with a true heart and warm welcome.
President Soon-Heung Chang of the University made such an excellent arrangement out of respect and special regard for the distinguished international guests by asking his Vice President Simon Kang(Administrative Affairs) and Professor JinwonAhn (School of Management and Economics) to come all the way from Pohang to Seoul to welcome and escort the ambassadors and other senior diplomats to comfortably visit his University.
The tour of the Handong Global University was a truly memorable one where many outstanding features of the University continuously surprised the visiting ambassadors and the other senior diplomats. For further details, visit:
/news/view.html?section=161&category=181&no=1119.
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