March 25, 2016

The Korean daily media headlines and humor

Friday, March 25, 2016

Your Excellency:

Here are The Korea Post news and The Korea Post notice and roundup of important headlines from all major Korean-language dailies, TV and other news media of Korea today:

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 news:

Who’s the richest politician in Korea?

People’s Party President AhnCheol-soo tops with W163 billion

Who is the wealthiest politician in Korea?

He is Rep. AhnCheol-soo of the People’s Party. Ahn reported a total of W162.9 billion.

This was disclosed by Korean-language news reports published in Seoul today quoting the figures posted by the Public Servants Ethics Committee (PSEC) on March 25, 2016 introducing the financial status of all the members of the National Assembly that day.

The figure represented an increase of W74.2 billion from the amount posted last year. The cause of the double-digit increase was the rise of the stock price which he had in the Ahn Lab, where he is the biggest shareholder. The price has risen by more than two folds compared with the preceding year.

The richest National Assembly member of last year, namely Rep. Kim Se-yeon of the ruling Saenuri Party from Busan who posted W155.1 billion, fell to the second place this year due to Ahn’s rise.

Rep. AhnCheol-soo of the second oppositionPeople’s Party (left) and Rep. Kim Se-yeon of the ruling Saenuri Party.Ahn is the richest National Assemblyman in Korea followed by Rep. Kim of the ruling party.

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Invitation to the DagjinGijisi Tug-of-War Festival (UNSESCO Cultural Heritage)

Your Excellency:

I am pleased to inform Your Excellency that Mayor Kim Hong-jang of the Dangin City cordially invites Your Excellency and Madam to theDangjinGijisi Tug-of-War Festival (UNESCO Cultural Heritagte) on Friday April 8, 2016. The Korea Post organizes the tour at the invitation of Mayor Kim, which also includes a visit to the famed Hyundai Steel Mill.

/news/view.html?smode=&skey=tug-of-war&x=11&y=9&section=165&category=191&no=912

Schedule follows:

0820 hours Friday April 8, 2016: Meet at Grqand Hyatt Seoul(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 at the Hyundai Steel Guest House hosted by Major and Mrs. Kim Hong-jang of the Dangjin City.

1400-1420 hours: Wear traditional Korean costumes of the King, General and Court ladies.

1430-1640 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 Hayatt 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).

RSVP: Yes, my spouse and I will attend_______. I will attend alone_______.

Mobile phone of driver or secretary:_________________________.     Regrets:_____.

(Please mark the blank spaces above and below with an X or Tick and revert to edt@koreapost.com.)

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Special Notices:

Send your latest Embassy news releaseThe Korea Post for publication

Your Excellency:

Please transmit your latest press release(s) to edt@koreapost.com or korpost@chol.com for publication by the five media outlets of The Korea Post, including the Korean-language Internet newspaper (www.koreapost.co.kr), English website (www.koreapost.com) and the Korean-language newspaper (http://pdf.koreapost.co.kr/13/1301.pdf).

Very Respectfully Yours

/s/

Lee Kyung-sik

Publisher-Chairman of The Korea Post

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A quick roundup of major news stories from Korean media:

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

President Park Raises Military Alert Against N. Korean Threats

President Park Geun-hye has instructed the nation's military to increase its alert level against North Korean...

Saenuri’s Internal Struggle Continues as Candidate Registration Deadline Nears

S. Korea’s GNI Drops 2.6 Percent

Saenuri’s Internal Struggle Continues as Candidate Registration Deadline Nears

Military Holds Hacking Defense Contests for N. Korea Cyber Threat

Chinese Amb. Calls Korean Provisional Gov't Symbol of Bilateral Friendship

BOK Chief: Economic Policies Must Target Employment

S. Korea’s GNI Drops 2.6 Percent

Data: 7 in 10 Job Listings in Seoul Metropolitan Area

N. Korea Threatens Attack on Seoul

Seoul Warns Pyongyang over Threats to Attack President Park

N. Korea Threatens to Remove S. Korean President

UNSC Sanctions Committee Extends Office Terms for Experts

Japan Excludes Koreans from Bill on Collecting Remains of War Dead

US Experts: New Structures Spotted at Yongbyon Nuclear Site

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

S. Korea's per capita income shrinks in 2015

South Korea's per capita income dropped in 2015 from the previous year, marking the first on-year drop in six years even though the decline was largely caused by the rising won-dollar exchange rate, the central bank said Friday.

Gov't to check non-tariff barriers against S. Korean goods

The South Korean government will conduct a close inspection of non-tariff barriers in overseas markets that restrict sales of Korean-made goods as part of its efforts to prop up faltering exports, the trade ministry said Friday.

Football chief named head of S. Korean mission at Rio Olympics

The nation's football chief was appointed Friday the head of the South Korean delegation for this year's Rio de Janeiro Summer Olympics.

Netmarble to seek IPO on local main bourse: sources

Netmarble Games, South Korea's No. 1 mobile game developer and publisher, is expected to seek listing on the country's main bourse instead of on the tech-heavy KOSDAQ or overseas, sources said Friday.

Creation of quality jobs is No. 1 economic policy: BOK chief

The chief of South Korea's central bank on Friday urged additional efforts to create quality jobs, calling it an ultimate goal of economic policies.

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

Park orders nationwide alert as N.K. pursues solid-fuel missile

The South Korean military confirmed Thursday that North Korea is developing solid-fuel rockets -- indicating that it is ...

Samsung embraces start-up spirit

Samsung Electronics on Thursday unveiled a new corporate vision, called “Start-up Samsung,” w...

Parties enter campaign mode

The race for the April general election gained momentum Thursday with the start of the official...

Korean ‘cup food’ appeals to global tastes

In Korea, the “cup food” phenomenon has long been a big part of the fast-paced lifestyle here...

Brussels suicide brothers abandoned crime fo...

Long before blowing himself up in a crowd of innocent people, leaving behind a desperate will on his comp...

Outside directors

Former government officials still account for a large share of the outside directors serving...

Democratic deficit

The three main political parties in Korea -- the ruling Saenuri Party, The Minjoo Party of K...

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

Ruling party's internal power struggle turns nasty

Party Chairman Rep. Kim Moo-sung left for Busan, Thursday, after refusing to convene a party meeting, during which the remaining proposed candidates put forward by the party’s nominations committee, controlled by loyalists to Pr...

Korea beats Lebanon 1:0 in World Cup qualifier match 

A 93rd minute goal from Lee Jang-hyeop gave South Korea a 1-0 win over Lebanon in this final Group... 

Seoul confirms N. Korea's push to develop solid-fuel rockets 

South Korea confirmed Thursday that North Korea is developing solid-fuel rockets, which would allo...

Assembly to have no immigrant lawmaker 

Immigrants and multiracial families expressed disappointment over the absence of any one to represent them among proportional representation candidates for th...

'NIS spied on lawmakers' 

The nation’s spy agency is facing allegations that it spied on opposition lawmakers who have been critical of the Park Geun-hye administration. 

Foreign automakers face probe over tax refunds 

Local subsidiaries of six foreign auto makers are expected to face an investigation for refusing t... 

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

Daewoo, Hanwha win .7 bil. construction project in Saudi

Korea has opened a new chapter of its history of overseas construction. A new town twice the size of Bundang New Town in Seongnam…

Shin denies the plagiarism allegation to prosecutors

It was confirmed on Thursday that Shin Kyung-sook (see photo), a Korean novelist, said in an email response to prosecutors that s…

KLPGA hosts a golf tournament in Vietnam

The Korean Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) tournament is held in Vietnam for the first time in its history.It is the…

Political turmoil between Cheong WaDae and Saenuri Chairman Kim Moo-sung

The ruling Saenuri Party’s Chairman Kim Moo-sung has announced on Thursday that he would not confirm the nominations for five con

National Museum holds special exhibition on conservation science

The portrait of JeongGon-soo in official uniform of Joseon Dynasty was once known to have been drawn at the end of the 16th cent…

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

N.Korea Claims Success in Solid-Fuel Rocket Engine Test

North Korea on Thursday claimed it has succeeded in testing a solid-fuel engine for its space rockets. If the claim is true, the North could save time injecting fuel into missiles, shortening the period between decision making and launch. >> Full Text

More Jobseekers Favor Jobs with Internet Firms

Internet companies have joined big traditional conglomerates among the most sought-after employers for jobseekers. Job search portal Job Planet surveyed 320,000 subscribers and found that Samsung Electronics is still the most popular choice, and Internet search portal Naver came fourth. >> Full Text

Seoul to Light up More Bridges Over the Han River

The Seoul Metropolitan Government will light up more bridges across the Han River overnight to attract tourists. The city government on Tuesday said it will gradually increase the lighting on some six bridges through late next year. >> Full Text

Park Puts Military on Alert for N.Korean Provocations

N.Korea Vows to 'Eliminate' Park

Cold Snap to Linger Until This Weekend

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

Military mafia” wins millions in body armor project

Case alludes to situation where former senior officers retire to work in manufacturers that win plum contracts

Lobbying by a defense company resulted in it being granted general monopoly rights by the Ministry of National Defense on a body armor project worth up to 270 billion won (US$231 million) - even after the ministry had developed its own state-of-the-art body armor at a cost of 2.8 billion won (US$2.4 million).Samyang Chemical, parent group of Samyang Chemtec - which came under fire last year for its production of penetrable body armor - hired 29 reserve soldiers over six years to work as lobbyists for affiliates.

S. Korea and the US agree in principle to deploy THAAD system

On Mar. 22, US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said the US and South Korea are discussing the deployment of THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) on the Korean Peninsula and that the two countries had agreed in principle to deploy the anti-ballistic missile system.While the South Korean Defense Ministry has already treated the THAAD deployment as an accomplished fact, this is the first time for a high-ranking official in the US government to confirm it.

The facts about THAAD missile defense system

In spring 2015, I met with a missile defense expert at a Washington think tank. While we were discussing the possible deployment of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system on the Korean Peninsula, he told me he didn’t really know if it would be helpful. Then he showed me a memo. It had been circulated quietly among experts, he said, and the US Defense Department and defense companies were in an uproar over it. It had been drafted by the Army and Navy Chiefs of Staff for then-Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel. It was called the “eight-star memo,” since it bore the signatures of two four-star generals.

Court rules Blue House can keep some Sewol details secret

The Blue House’s refusal to publish the details of reports made to South Korean President Park Geun-hye on the day of the Sewol ferry sinking in April 2014 is legal, a court has ruled.On Mar. 23, Hon. Ho Je-hun, a judge in the 11th administrative division of the Seoul Administrative Court, partially ruled in favor Ha Seung-su, co-chair of the Green Party’s steering committee, who is the plaintiff in a freedom of information lawsuit

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

Kim robs Park loyalists of tickets

The ruling party’s chairman openly confronted a nomination committee on Thursday and challenged the integrity of its selection of candidates for five districts - all of them loyalists of President Park Geun-hye. In a surprise press conference, Chairman Kim Moo-sung of the Saenuri Party claimed the nomination process for the April 13 general election was an embarrassment and unfair, forcing many devoted members to abandon the party.…

North claims progress in solid-fuel rocket engine

Leader Kim Jong-un claimed North Korea successfully tested a solid-fuel rocket engine that boosts the power of its ballistic missiles…

Saudi new city contract may be Korea’s biggest

A consortium led by Hanwha Engineering & Construction (E&C) will build a new city in Saudi Arabia, which is trying to solve a housing shortage…

At China’s Boao forum, Yoo urges more reforms

Asian countries need to both cooperate with each other and pursue economic reform at home for the sake of future growth…

Samsung says it will start acting more like start-up

Samsung Electronics on Thursday proclaimed a new corporate vision called “Start-up Samsung” with the aim of creating a work…

NH Nonghyup spends big on CSRNH

Nonghyup Bank spent 99.1 billion won ($84.9 million) on corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities…

Hanwha Life hits 100 trillion won in assets after only 70 years

Seventy years after being founded as Korea’s first life insurance company and only eight years since hitting…

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

On the Eve of Candidate Registration, Yoo Holds a Dagger to the Pro-Park Responsible for Worst Candidate Nomination

Saenuri Party lawmaker YooSeong-min (58, East 2 District, Daegu) announced his departure from the party and his bid as an independent on May 23, a day before c···

[D-20 to Parliamentary Elections: A Whole New Game] Elections Become a Battle of Divided Ruling Party and Divided Opposition Parties: Pro-Lee and Non-Park Members Accelerate Efforts for 'Independent”

As more and more Saenuri Party members leave the party ahead of candidate registrations for the April 13 parliamentary elections, the elections have changed int···

[3 Major Issues in the April 13, 2016 Parliamentary Elections] 3. Peace on the Korean Peninsula 'If the Government Is Determined to Reunify the Peninsula, There Is No Reason Not to Reopen the Kaesong

The Korean Peninsula, in a cease-fire for 63 years according to international law, is under constant tension as North and South Korea stand in military confront···

Blood Alcohol Content of 0.03% May Be New Standard for Drunk Driving: The Blood Alcohol Level 1 Hour After Drinking 1 Glass of Soju

The police will collect public opinion to tighten the standard for drunk driving to blood alcohol contents of a person after drinking a glass of soju or beer. ···

Pollutants from Yongsan Base Neglected: Pollution in Surrounding Areas Increases 13-Fold

The concentration of the toxic chemical, petroleum hydrocarbons in the groundwater near the U.S. military's Yongsan base in Seoul has increased by almost thirt···

[Bak Yong-chae's Column] For the Gladiator, the Salaried Worker

The man who named the post-war employment pattern of Japanese businesses "lifetime employment" was U.S. business theorist James Abegglen. In his 1958 book, Th···

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

Daewoo-Hanwha Consortium to Build 100,000 Home New City in Saudi Arabia

Daewoo Engineering & Construction and Hanwha Engineering & Construction will jointly build a new residential city with a population of 100,000 in Saudi Arabia, possibly the largest overseas construction project ever won by Korean builders. A signing ceremony was held in relation to this at the JW Ma...

Pulmuone Acquires American Tofu Supplier Vitasoy 

Pulmuone Co. Ltd., Korea's leading company specializing in supplying perishable foods like tofu and other soybean products, said on March 24 that it has acquired the food business unit of Vitasoy, the No. 1 company in the U.S. tofu market, at about 58 billion won. With this transaction, Pulmuone has...

30 Year Old Law Blocks Twizy from Commercial Uptake

Yoon Hong-keun, chairman of Genesis BBQ, said “Ultra-small electric car will bring change to the delivery culture in Korea,” when he signed an agreement with the Seoul metropolitan city government and Renault Samsung to introduce Renault’s Twizy as its main delivery vehicle. He said, “Twizy is s...

Global Chip Makers Claim “China’s Semiconductor Fund Violates WTO Rules”

The governments of the United States and Japan and the global semiconductor industry raised a question over China’s state-led semiconductor fund, based on the judgment that the Chinese government’s establishment of tens of billions dollars of a large-scale fund to nurture the local semiconductor i...

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

North Korea stages 'largest ever' live-fire drill: KCNA

North Korean troops, watched by leader Kim Jong-un, have staged their largest-ever live-five drill, vowing to turn South Korea's capital into a sea of flames and …

Court dismisses defamation suit filed by Kim's aunt

A Seoul court has dismissed a defamation suit filed by the US-based aunt of North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un through a South Korean lawyer against three prominent de

North Korea hails solid-fuel rocket engine test

North Korean leader Kim Jon-Un hailed a "successful" solid-fuel engine test that could enhance the power of ballistic rockets capable of dealing a merciless blow …

North threatens to attack South Korean president

Captured image from YouTube] In one of its most salient threats this year, North Korea warned Wednesday of a direct attack on South Korea


North Korea's new rocket launcher ready for deployment: KCNA

North Korea released video footage showing an imaginary shelling of the offices of US and South Korean presidents Tuesday as state media

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

Samsung Electronics to Invest $300 Million for Construction of R&D...

Samsung Electronics is going to invest $300 million into Hanoi, which is the capital of Vietnam, to construct a R&D center. Vietnamese Government approved of ...

Price of G5 to Be in Early and Middle-End of 800,000 KRW

LG Electronics is thinking about introducing a new customer care program. Followed by Samsung Electronics and Apple, industries are interested whether or not LG Ele...

LG Electronics Releases Ultra Stretch

LG Electronics made an announcement on the 23rd that it will release

Battle of LCD’s Thickness to Start between Businesses

®Battle of Thickness¡?, which has businesses to make their LCD panels thinner, has started. As price of LCD continues to drop, reduction of production cost has emerged as a main problem to be solved

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MaeilBusinessNewsKorea (http://www.pulsenews.co.kr/ )

Two Korean builders sign MOU to join massive city infrastructure project in Saudi Arabia

Daewoo Engineering and Construction Co. (Daewoo E&C) and Hanwha Engineering and Construction Corp. (Hanwha E&C) -- are expected to participate in a project to build a new city with 100,000 houses in the kingdom. If realized, this project estimated at up to $20 billion would be the biggest construction deal won by Korean construction firms overseas

Korea’s Supreme Court orders Deutsche Bank damages to retail investors for

South Korea’s Supreme Court on Thursday overturned a lower court ruling, demanding Deutsche Bank to pay retail investors...

S. Korea’s LCD manufacturers increasingly threatened by Chinese and Taiwanese

The long-held dominant position of South Korea’s two liquid crystal display (LCD) manufacturers - Samsung Display Co. and LG...

Pan Ocean lands contract with Vale SA to ship iron ore

South Korea’s dry bulk carrier Pan Ocean Co. inked a 20-year contract with Brazil’s largest mining company Vale SA to ship...

Bank shares up sharply as Korean financial holding companies promise

South Korean bank share prices are on the upswing ahead of this week’s shareholders’ meeting season on expectations for...

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