Jan. 6, 2016

The Korean daily media headlines and humor

Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2016

Your Excellency:

Here are 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.

Breaking news!

North Korea (successfully) carries out a hydrogen bomb test.

North Korea announced today that they successfully tested a hydrogen bomb at 10:30 today in “complete safety.”

The (North Korean) Central News Agency made the announcement in a ‘Special Report to the Nation’ nation and the outside world through the use of its main TV channel.

KBS (http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/news/)

Presidential Office, Parliamentary Speaker on Collision Course

The presidential office and the speaker of the National Assembly appear to be on a collision course. The ruling...

Weekly Protests on Japan's Wartime Sexual Slavery Mark 24th Anniversary

White House: Obama Urged Japan to Resolve Comfort Women Issue

Foreign Minister dismissed the Demand of Renegotiation of Sex Slavery Deal.

S. Korea to Swiftly Move to Establish Foundation for Japan's Sex Slavery Victims

Ruling Chief Against Lowering Voting Age

Deputy PM to Enhance Monitoring of Financial Market

KOSPI Recovers Chinese Market Shock; Seoul Remains Alert

KOSPI and KOSDAQ End Higher

3 Famous Snowboarders to Travel to N. Korea

N. Korea Ends Anti-MERS Measures at Gaeseong Factory Park

'Kim Jong-un's New Year's Speech Stressed Economy Over Military'

White House: Obama Urged Japan to Resolve Comfort Women Issue

Japan with Muted Response to Issues with Sex Slavery Deal

Renunciation of Korean Nationality Among NY Residents Surges 32%

Weekly Protests on Japan's Wartime Sexual Slavery Mark 24th Anniversary

Three Teenage Boys Killed in Car Accident

Health Minister Vows to Create 390,000 Jobs for Senior Citizens

Vienna Boys' Choir to Hold Auditions in S. Korea This Month

Seoul Phil Selects German Conductor for Saturday Concert

Bishops' Group Voices Opposition to Sex Slavery Agreement

Yonhap (http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr)

Kerry mourns passing of former Amb. Bosworth

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Tuesday mourned the death of former U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Stephen Bosworth, calling him "a legend" and "one of our nation's most capable and admired diplomats." Bosworth, a career diplomat who also served as special representative for North Korea policy and ambassador to the Philippines and Tunisia, died at his home in Boston on Sunday after suffering from prostate cancer.

Obama urged Japan to resolve sexual slavery issue: aide

WASHINGTON, Jan. 5 (Yonhap) -- U.S. President Barack Obama has urged Japan to take steps to resolve tensions with South Korea over its wartime sexual slavery, a senior aide was quoted as saying in the wake of last week's landmark deal between Seoul and Tokyo to resolve the dispute.

S. Korea probing possible error in repatriation of remains of Chinese soldiers

SEOUL, Jan. 5 (Yonhap) -- The Defense Ministry opened Tuesday an investigation into allegations that the remains of North Korean soldiers were mistakenly included when South Korea repatriated the remains of Chinese soldiers killed during the 1950-53 Korean War.

Prosecutors seek 1-year jail term for ex-PM

SEOUL, Jan. 5 (Yonhap) -- Prosecutors on Tuesday sought a one-year jail term for a former South Korean prime minister on charges of receiving bribes from a deceased businessman.

The Korea Herald (http://www.koreaherald.com)

Pyongyang conducts successful SLBM test last month: U.S. report

North Korea successfully conducted a submarine-launched ballistic missile test in late December, about a month after a p...

Tearful Obama pleads for 'urgency' on gun control

President Barack Obama shed tears Tuesday as he announced limited measures to tackle rampant U....

Minjoo Party recruits high-profile figures

The main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea leader Moon Jae-in meant it when he said he would “b...

First-day rout raises caution for China risk

Korean stocks rebounded Tuesday after Monday’s rout in Chinese shares that sparked concerns am...

Hanmi chief gains spotlight with stock gift

Hanmi Pharmaceutical Group founder and chairman Lim Sung-ki has found himself in the public spotlight sin...

Kerry mourns passing of former Amb. Bosworth

Obama urged Japan to resolve sexual slavery issue: aide

U.S. seminar on Japan's wartime sexual slavery to feature controversial scholar

North Korea successfully conducts SLBM test last month: U.S. report        

After leaks, Korea opens center for credit data

Seoul shares start weaker on tech, chemical losses

New business hotels in Seoul spice up competition

Korea's listed firms top 2,000 mark in 2015: data

The Korea Times (http://www.koreatimes.co.kr)

(Breaking) N. Korea's earthquake suspected to be 'explosion': China's earthquake center 

N. Korea's earthquake suspected to be 'explosion': China's earthquake center

(Breaking) '4.9-magnitude earthquake hits N. Korea' 

'4.9-magnitude earthquake hits N. Korea'

Samsung unveils new quantum dot TV before CES 

LAS VEGAS - Samsung Electronics unveiled its premium television with a quantum dot display at the ...

Finance minister pressures education offices for free preschool program 

Finance Minister Choi Kyung-hwan said Tuesday that the government will file a complaint with the p...

US Koreans campaigning against sex slavery agreement 

DALLAS - For Koreans in the U.S., the wartime sex slavery issue is far from over. In fact, many say they're only getting started.

KEPCO CEO's term extended by 1 year 

Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO) CEO Cho Hwan-eik will serve as the head of the state-run utilit... 

Red Cross awards foundation headed by its chief 

The Korean Red Cross (KRC) granted one of its top awards to a foundation headed by its own Chairma... 

Eschenbach to replace Chung for SPO season opener 

Renowned German conductor Christoph Eschenbach will helm the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra (SPO) fo... 

K-pop idol sues female singer for fraud 

K-pop idol Seungri, 26, has filed a complaint with the prosecution against singer Shin Eun-sung fo... 

Korea beats UAE 2-0 before Olympic qualifier 

Korea’s Olympic football team clinched a 2-0 win over the UAE’s U-23 team on Tuesday, in a tune-up...

DongAIlbo (http://english.donga.com)

Telegraph reports ‘New Jihadi John’ is a British-Indian Muslim convert

The hunt for the new "Jihadi John," the masked member of the Islam State who spoke British English and killed five hostages, found that the suspect could be a British immigrant named Siddhartha Dhar (32, pictured). The...

Ahn Cheol-soo apologizes to his old friends

“It was my fault. I didn’t know the sincerity of my people whom I worked together. I’m sorry.” On his way to creating a new party,Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo is making apologies and asking for help to his old buddies. Ahn...

Gas prices enter 1,300 won level in Korea

Gasoline prices in Korea have dropped close to entering the 1,300 won per liter level for the first time in seven years. If global oil prices continue to fall, gasoline will get further cheaper. According to Korea...

Historic photo shows haughty soldier of Japanese troops occupying Korea

A Japanese soldier who is wearing a long rifle in his shoulder is guarding the main gate in a high-handed manner. A signboard reading "Command of the Military Stationed in Korea" in clear Chinese letters is hanging on a...

Global economy stirred by diplomatic rupture between Saudi Arabia and Iran

The diplomatic rupture between Saudi Arabia and Iran, the two most powerful states in the Middle East, is jolting the political landscape in the region. The extreme conflict between the two countries is emerging as the...

K-art poised to lead to Korean Wave in the global market

"An era of Korean arts has arrived following that of Japan and China." "How to spend it," a luxury lifestyle weekly magazine from the British media Financial Times, has released a cover story titled "Korea Driven"...

Will first African Major Leaguer emerge this year? 

Exhibition on monkeys in celebration of the year of monkey 

Moon Jae-in to find a breakthrough by recruiting new figures 

‘Troubleshooter’ Song Myung-geun saves the team 

N. Korean leader stresses dialogue without mentioning nuclear weapons program 

`KIST serves as national think tank; focusing on future research’ 

Poverty rate of 20s and 50s has increased 

The opening up of military hotline between South Korea and China

ChosunIlbo (http://english.chosun.com)

President Gets a 3.4% Pay Rise

President Park Geun-hye will receive a salary of W212.02 million this year, up 3.4 percent (US$1=W1,190). Overall, the pay of public servants will increase three percent on...

Cheap Chinese Smartphone Terrifies Local Rivals

Chinese electronics company Xiaomi began selling a new smartphone online here on Tuesday at rock-bottom prices, but sales were halted less than a day later. Internet shopping mall...

Korean Drugmaker Signs Licensing Deal for Anemia Drug

Chong Kun Dang Tuesday signed a deal with Japanese pharmaceutical company Fuji Pharma to license out the marketing rights of CKD-11101, a second-generation biosimilar being...

Deaf Korean Tennis Player Qualifies for Australian Open

Deaf Junior tennis player Lee Duck-hee will make his first appearance at a major event on Jan. 18. Born in May 1988, he is the youngest among the 252 players to participate in...

President Gets a 3.4% Pay Rise

Hyundai, Kia to Showcase Premium Models at Detroit Motor Show

City Gov't Draws Record-High Foreign Direct Investment

How Switzerland Inspires Kim Jong-un

Park Byung-ho Makes ESPN Breakout Hitters List

China Says Couples Will Not Need Approval to Have 2 Children

U.S. Lottery Jackpot Reaches $450 Million

Rio Stadium Fires 75 Percent of Workers Ahead of Olympics

Eurozone Inflation Holds Steady at Low Rate of 0.2 Percent

U.S. Gun Sales Surge in 2015

HankyorehShinmoon (http://english.hani.co.kr)

[2016 Prospects 1] Will Kim Jong-un visit China in 2016?

Will North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visit China this year to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping? In predicting the state of affairs on the Korean Peninsula in 2016, this is a question that cannot be i..

[2016 Prospects 2] “As uncertain as before” in Northeast Asia

As the “severed link” in the Northeast Asian network, North Korea is an important factor in coming trends for the region. A report titled “The Outlook for 2016,” by the Institute for National Security

To smother dissent, government cracking down on one-person demonstrations

The government is investigating participants of illegal one-person relay demonstrations, spurring on controversy over the wholesale smothering of rallies. The Seoul Yeongdeungpo Police Department sta..

[Photo] Tearing up the agreement

Ewha Womans University students stand in front of a statue of a young girl in Daehyeon Culture Park in Seoul’s Seodaemun district and tear up papers with “South Korea-Japan Government Settlement” writ..

[Photo] Rice cake soup for New Year’s

Volunteers serve free rice cake soup to senior citizens who live alone, the homeless, and others at the Korean Red Cross Society’s “Sharing Rice Cake Soup of Love” event in Seoul Station Plaza, Jan. 4..

South Korea-Japan comfort women agreement faces stumbling blocks

Trouble may well be looming for the agreement reached on Dec. 28 between the South Korean and Japanese foreign ministers on the issue of the so-called comfort women, who were forced to serve as sex sl..

Young people increasingly looking to escape Korea for a life abroad

Kim Min-a, 22, a junior at a university in Seoul, is already pursuing her dream of living in Germany in the not-so-distant future. This is not just a resolution, though - she has already laid concrete..

JoongAngIlbo(conservative): (http://koreajoongangdaily.joinsmsn.com/)

13 pavilions that had a purpose - but lost it

On Christmas Eve, the Goseong Unification Observatory, the closest place where people in South Korea can view Mount Kumgang, was like a North Korean liquor shop. The two-story observatory building should have been filled with exhibits that help visitors understand the idea of unification of the Korean Peninsula…

Big surplus in current account isn’t good news

Korea posted a current account surplus of $9.4 billion in November, hitting a new record for the 45th month in a row.…

Holiday luggage overwhelms Incheon Airport

Incheon International Airport won the Airport Service Quality Award from the Airports Council International for the 10th consecutive year in 2015.…

Banking changes slated for 2016

This year is expected to be critical for the financial authority to cement its financial reforms, with as many as eight changes possible if all goes smoothly. …

Convenience stores vie for your coffee spending

Koreans love their coffee - but they’re loving it in different ways. The market was once dominated by franchise coffee shops like Starbucks…

More courts considering intent in corporate trials

A recent analysis looking into the convictions and sentences handed to Korea’s top executives showed that the judiciary was more lenient toward businessmen…

KIC involved in Berlin property deal

Brookfield Property Partners LP teamed up with Korea Investment Corporation (KIC) to make its acquisition of buildings on Berlin’s famous Potsdamer Platz…

Park vows to meet goals in 2016

President Park Geun-hye vowed Tuesday at her first Cabinet meeting of 2016 to achieve everything she could for the people and the country during…

Lotte City opens in Myeong-dong

Lotte Hotels & Resorts is banking on cutting-edge technology that allows for smart controls when it opens its mid-range Lotte City Hotel Myeongdong in central Seoul today…

New group for financial data

A new organization has been launched to manage information on customers of financial institutions to prevent a repeat of leaks in early 2014…

Kospi rebounds as China fears lessen

Seoul’s main bourse rebounded on Tuesday after falling more than 40 points the previous trading day as global worries about the Chinese market somewhat eased. …

The KyunghyangShinmoon(http://english.khan.co.kr/)

[Aftermath of Rushed Comfort Women Negotiations] Catholic Church Calls for a Renegotiation, 'Comfort Women Agreement Is Invalid'

On January 4, the Catholic Bishops Conference of Korea, the highest decision making organization of the Roman Catholic Church in Korea said that the comfort wom···

[Aftermath of the Rushed Comfort Women Negotiations] Ban Ki-moon's Statement in Support of the Agreement Is 'Driving a Nail into the Victims' Hearts'

United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (72, photo) has sent ripples through South Korea's political circle since the start of the New Year. A heated···

[The Fuming Young] This Life Is Screwed: Four out of Ten Think 'Isaengmang'

"This life is screwed." These days, young people often voice this phrase, one that people dreaming of reincarnation or the afterlife might say. They say “isa···

[An In-depth Look into China] Why Is the World Afraid? The Rise of the Great Power: Crisis and Opportunity, Double Edges of a Blade

China now accounts for more than 25% of South Korea's exports. The trade volume between South Korea and China is now bigger than South Korea's trade with the ···

[Aftermath of the Korea-Japan Comfort Women Agreement] Angry Comfort Women Victim, 'I Will Fight Till the End for the 238 Women Who Have Already Passed Away'

"I will fight till the end even for the 238 people who have already passed away." Yi Yong-su, an elderly comfort women victim made this statement at the Wedn···

[Aftermath of the Korea-Japan Comfort Women Agreement] Yun Byung-se, Who Oversaw the Negotiations, Now Cornered

Minister of Foreign Affairs Yun Byung-se (62, photo), who had received the favor of the incumbent government as the head of foreign affairs since the inaugurati···

[Aftermath of the Korea-Japan Comfort Women Agreement] Government Signs Agreement Behind Closed Doors and Asks for Citizens' 'Understanding': Government Has the Order Mixed up /

The South Korean government is busy these days due to public opinion against the agreement on the comfort women in the Japanese military. The president and ···

'Grab the Heart of the Honam Region' Three Opposition Parties Seek Support in Honam

The main opposition, Deobureo Minjudang (formerly the New Politics Alliance for Democracy), and independent lawmakers Ahn Cheol-soo and Chun Jung-bae, who are b···

The Korea Economic Daily (http://english.hankyung.com/)

Chong Kun Dang Signs Deal with Japanese Drug Firm for Its Anemia Biosimilar

Chong Kun Dang Pharmaceutical said on January 5 that it signed a technology licensing agreement with Japan's Fuji Pharma Co. for its second-generation biosimilar drug for anemia "CKD-11101." Under the terms of the agreement, Fuji will exclusively supply the drug in the Japanese market after clinical...

FTC Imposes Penalties of 200 Bil. Won to 6 Cement Makers

The Fair Trade Commission said on January 5, "We will impose penalties of 199.4 billion won to six cement suppliers including Ssangyong Cement for collusion on market shares among rivals and price fixing for Portland cement products from March 2011 to April 2013." The fines for each cement maker wer...

55% of People Answer "It Will Get Worse This Year than Last"

A survey said 55 percent of people believe this year will be worse than last year's in terms of economic conditions. The major reasons for such pessimistic outlook included sluggish consumer spending, mounting household debt, and poor export performance. Some respondents demanded that the government...

Korea's Memory Chip Industry to Open 10-nm Era This Year

Korea's memory chip industry will open the era of 10-nanometer DRAM chips this year, breaking the 20-nm barrier which has been regarded as a technological limit. According to industry sources on January 4, Samsung Electronics plans to launch mass-production of 18-nm DRAM from early this year. SK Hy...

Korean-style “Caf? Bakery” Gains Popularity in Asia

On December 31, Tous Les Jours, a bakery chain run by CJ Group, opened its shop at Botani Square, a large-sized shopping mall located within Indonesia’s tourism city Bogor. The store marked the 214th overseas location for Tous Les Jours. On the opening day, as many as 700 local consumers flocked to...

AJU Business Daily( http://eng.ajunews.com/korea )

Incheon Airport in mayhem during New Year’s holidays

[Courtesy of Incheon International Airport Corp.] 169 flights delayed, over 5,200 pieces of passengers’ luggage clogged up, and some airplanes left without luggage to their destination after …

South Korea holds emergency meetings to discuss China market turmoil

[Courtesy of Xinhua News] ? South Korean financial authorities on Tuesday held emergency meetings as Asian stock market were on the ropes for a second straight day on Tuesday to see if Beijing…

Violent disciplinary action looms among athletes

Sa Jae-hyuk was indicted with assault charges against a fellow athlete, resulting in hospitalization. [AJU NEWS DB] Reported assault charges by a former weightlifting medalist shocked the nat…

Illness caused by drinking, obesity, and smoking costs $19.7 million yearly

[Courtesy of mcwyvern] It is a wide known fact that drinking, obesity, and smoking cause a lot of health problems. It also costs a lot. South Korea used KR 23.3 trillion (U.S$ 19.7 million) …

Korea to launch moon exploration project

[Courtesy of Korea Aerospace Research Institute] South Korea plans to launch a lunar exploration project in 2016, the project’s final goal ? landing on the moon by 2020. The Science Minist…

North Korea’s Kim avoid references to nuclear weapon in New Year speech

[AJU NEWS CORP DB] In his annual New Year’s speech, North Korean leader Kim Jung Un warned on Friday that the North’s military would keep working to develop “more diverse means of military st…

Top aide to North Korean leader Kim Jung Un dies in car crash

North Korea leader Kim Jung Un will lead a funeral on Thursday for his close aide Kim Yang Gon who has died in a car crash, the North’s state media KCNA reported on Wednesday. "Comrade Kim Yang Gon, a Workers' Party secretary and the member of…

South Korean opposition party changes name

[Courtesy of Deoburo Minjudang] ? 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…

MERS suffered Asiana to cutback, seeking to survive

[Courtesy of Asiana Airlines] ? 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’

[Job seekers gathered in a job fair held in front of the parliament building=AJU NEWS CORP DB] 24.4 percent of South Korea’s university graduates are "Not in Education, Employment, or Trainin…

ETNEWS( http://english.etnews.com/ )

4th Quarter Operating Profits for Samsung Display and LG Display Face D...

4th quarter profitability for LCD industries is facing dangerous state due to decrease in LCD (liquid crystal display) panels¡? prices. It is an aftereffect...

Researcher Rim You-seung Develops Ultra-Thin Sensor That Measures Blood-S...

World¡?s thinnest semiconductor film that is coated with ink and a technology that checks blood-sugar level with a drop of tear by using this film are devel...

Panel of Judges for 4th Mobile Telecommunication Business to Be Decide...

Actual evaluation that will decide establishment of 4th mobile telecommunication business is about to take place. Ministry of Science, ICP and Future Planning (MSIP) ...

LG Display to Introduce Many Leading Technologies at CES 2016

LG Display has introduced 18-inch Rollable OLED (organic light-emitting diode) and large OLEDs for industries and vehicles and is making prediction of expansion of OLED markets in 2016. LG Display (CEO Han Sang-bum) made an announcement on the 4th that it will prepare exhibitions for its business customers at ¡®CES 2016, which will be held at conventi...

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 MmeNatalliaZhylevich 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).

“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:

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