The Korean daily media headlines and humor

The Korean daily media headlines and humor

Monday, June 20, 2016

Your Excellency:

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

Very Respectfully Yours

/s/

Lee Kyung-sik

Publisher-Chairman

Korea Post Media

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The Korea Post currently has two very important tours for the ambassadors and spouses

(Please do not miss them!)

1. A one-night-two-day tour of Boryeong Mud Festival

Mayor Kim Dong-ill of the Boryeong City cordially invites the Excellencies and Madams to a two-day tour of the 19th Boryeong Mud Festival at the picturesque Daecheon Beach on Saturday-Sunday, 16-17 July 2016. Please scroll down to the end of this Headlines for further details.

2. A single day tour of the 2016 Yechon World Insect Expo

Significant progress has been made in improving the SCO activities

Uzbekistan to host Council of Heads of States of Shanghai Cooperation Organization

The meeting of the Council of the Heads of the Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization will be held in Tashkent on June 23-24, 2016.

Since its establishment in 2001 thanks to the efforts made by member-states significant progress in improving the activity of the organization, including the establishment and strengthening of fruitful cooperation between its members, as well as with other global and regional institutions, has been achieved.

Uzbekistan coherently supports strict compliance with the goals, objectives and principles established in the Charter of the SCO which aimed at ensuring the safety and stability, improving the socio-economic well-being of the region, increasing the performance and international prestige of the organization.

Tashkent attaches a special importance to economic dimension of cooperation within the SCO, favors the intensification of contacts for the development and implementation of mutually beneficial joint projects by introducing relevant financial instruments, including the Development Bank of the SCO. From Uzbekistan perspectives, creating a multilateral funding mechanisms priority socio-economic and infrastructure programs within the organization will allow effectively address common tasks of the Organization.

It is the third time that Uzbekistan chairs the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. During two previous summit meetings of heads of state of SCO member-countries held in Tashkent conceptual documents, which laid a solid foundation for further improvement of the institutional framework and streamlining of the legal framework, and strengthening the transparency of the structure that excludes confrontational or bloc orientation have been signed.

During the first chairmanship of Uzbekistan in the SCO (in 2003-2004) important documents in terms of the institutional establishment of the organization were concluded: Regulations on the status of the observer at the SCO and Regulation of SCO interaction with observers. As a result, in 2004, Mongolia gained an observer status, followed by India, Pakistan and Iran in 2005.

Furthermore, since January 2004 the Executive Committee of the Regional Antiterrorist Structure (RATS) of the SCO has been operating in Tashkent. This permanent body has become an effective tool and platform for combining efforts and practical cooperation between law enforcement bodies and special services of the SCO member-states in the fight against radical, violent extremism and separatism, organized crime.

(For further details, please visit  www.koreapost.com)

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Humor from former Ambassadors in Korea:

Punch of D Day

After 22 years of marriage, a wife asked her husband to describe her.

He looked at her slowly and without blinking an eye, said: ABCDEFGHIJK.

"What does that mean?" she asked.

"Adorable, Beautiful, Cute, Delightful, Elegant, Fashionable, Gorgeous and Hot," he replied.  

Smiling, she asked: "What about IJK?"  

He replied: "I'm Just Kidding!"

Ultimate...!!!

Editor’s note: Excellency, any time Your Excellency wishes to be identified, I am at your service.

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A quick roundup of major news stories from the Korean media today:

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

Saenuri Emergency Chief Return to Work

The ruling Saenuri Party’s emergency committee head, Kim Hee-ok, has decided to return to work three days after an in-party feud over the decision by the party leadership to allow the return of defected lawmakers.

Six Parties Likely to Attend Annual Security Forum in China

Chief delegates or deputy chiefs to the six party nuclear talks are likely to attend an annual security conference in China.

Saenuri Emergency Chief Return to Work

Police Strengthen Protection against IS Treats

NIS: IS Targets S. Korean Citizens, US Forces Korea Bases

50,000 Won Banknotes in Circulation Near 70Tln Won

Deposits in Major Banks Increase 10Tln Won Since Rate Cut

S. Korean, Chinese Biz Leaders Discuss Cooperation on Fine Dust

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

Producer prices drop on decline in farm goods in May

South Korea's producer prices dropped slightly from a year earlier in May on a large cut in prices of agricultural and fishery products, central bank data showed Monday.

Two Saenuri leaders take fence-mending step

The two leaders of the ruling Saenuri Party on Sunday took a fence-mending step to address their conflict over the issue of accepting independent lawmakers and shore up the party plagued by a persistent factional rift.

Pyongyang retorts forced withdrawal from Uganda

North Korea claimed on Sunday that it has withdrawn its forces from Uganda as its contract with the African country expired, retorting that it was not because of the U.S.'s pressure on Uganda to terminate its relations with the communist state.

Prosecution said to uncover additional accounting fraud at Daewoo Shipbuilding

Prosecution investors believe they have found evidence of additional accounting fraud at Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co., informed sources said Sunday, that, if confirmed, will point to more pervasive and prolonged illegal activities by the troubled company than previously thought.

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

Seoul wary of diplomatic spillover from crackdown on illegal fishing

South Korea’s clampdown on Chinese boats illegally fishing in neutral waters is seen as a move...

Opposition submits bill against state-authored history textbooks

Dozens of lawmakers from the opposition parties introduced on Sunday a bill aimed to block midd...

More consumers reaching for affordable wines

Wine has found a new place in the lifestyles of Korean consumers who increasingl...

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

Kim Sei-young picks up 2nd LPGA win of season 

South Korean Kim Sei-young picked up her second win of the 2016 LPGA Tour season in a playoff. 

Ahn Shi-hyun triumphs at the 30th Korea Women's Open 

Ahn Shi-hyun clinched victory at the 2016 Korea Women’s Open at the Bear’s Best CheongNa golf cour... 

Clearing clogged pathways in the body 

One of the hardest things for radiologist Song Ho-young was seeing patients suffer from an esophag... 

Hyperinflation or scam? 

Is it indicative of hyperinflation? Or is it another kind of scam or underhand way to take money f... 

Mob attacks Korean store in Istanbul 

A mob of about 20 Turkish nationals attacked a Korean-operated cafe in Istanbul because alcohol wa... 

NASA unveils Mars recruitment posters 

U.S. space agency NASA has unveiled revealed a series of posters advertising jobs on Mars.

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

VW gas car owners in Korea file a class action lawsuit

Korean consumers will file a class action lawsuit against gasoline cars of Volkswagen, which prosecutors’ recent prove found to h…

Study: 'Annual economic loss from anti-graft act could reach .68 billion'

If "the anti-bribery and -graft act," also known as "Kim Young-ran Act," is implemented as legislated, annual economic loss could…

China's Xi visits former embassy site upon his arrival in Serbia

Chinese President Xi Jinping, who visited Serbia for the first time as a Chinese head of state in 32 years, went to the site wher…

Violinist Esther Yoo attracts global attention

Korean-American violinist Esther Yoo has been invited to the BBC Proms, one of the global classical music festivals to be held in…

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

ISIS Threatens Air Bases in Korea

Islamic State has threatened two U.S. air bases in Korea by revealing their geographical coordinates in instant messages, the National Intelligence Service said Sunday. The NIS said ISIS incited terror attacks against the air bases on messaging service Telegram.

Korea in Anger Management Crisis

Korean society seems to be suffering from anger management problems amid a spate of assaults simply for looking at someone the wrong way or bumping into others in the street. The number of spontaneous assaults surged fivefold from 10,810 cases in 2004 to 71,036 in 2014.

'Forest Bathing' Can Leave You Feeling Revitalized

Many people find that the summer heat leaves them low on energy. Cold drinks and healthy meals can help, but there is another way to revitalize yourself in summer: going for a walk in a forest. The plants and trees in forests emit substances known as phytoncides, which we generally experience as the aroma of the forest.

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

The Economy is Still Weaker Than Economists Recognize

It has been more than eight years since the collapse of the housing bubble in the United States, along bubbles in various other countries, gave the world the worst downturn since the Great Depression...

S. Korea’s account surplus increase caused by plunging oil prices

The increase in South Korea’s current account surplus last year was due entirely to plunging oil prices, a study shows. While the major oil producers of the Middle East have consistently shown defici..

S. Korea suspends restoration of railway that would connect Seoul with North Korea

The South Korean government has tentatively suspended the restoration project on the southern section of the Gyeongwon train line that once ran from Yongsan in Seoul to Wonsan in North Korea, official..

A teenager who was so broke, she had to steal snacks

A heartbreaking story of a teenager who was in such financial straits that she had to steal people’s snacks in a library is being shared online. On June 15, a post was added to the Facebook page of ..

Volkswagen tampering with emission software may have been ordered by head office

Testimony suggests Volkswagen may have illegally modified software on vehicles for export to South Korea on orders from its head offices in Germany to satisfy local emissions standards after sales wer..

Arrest warrant rejected for former Oxy Reckitt Benckiser CEO

An arrest warrant request for the former CEO of Oxy Reckitt Benckiser was rejected on June 17. Cho Ui-yeon, chief judge for warrants at Seoul Central District Court, issued the decision after conduct..

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

Key arrest made in probe of cosmetics executive

A key figure in the ongoing investigation of Nature Republic CEO Jeong Un-ho on bribery charges…

Lotte battle heats up ahead of Tokyo shareholder meeting

The sibling rivalry over the inheritance of Korea’s fifth-largest conglomerate Lotte Group is expected…

Corruption bill may hit economy

The Korean economy will potentially lose 11.18 trillion won ($9.53 billion) in the coming year…

Beijing court rules Apple violated patent law

Apple suffered another legal setback in China where officials in Beijing slapped the company…

Claire’s Korea wins big with ‘horse oil cream’

Cosmetics are often made from exotic plants and chemicals, but Guerisson 9’s main ingredient…

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

Sanitary Napkins and the Low Birth Rate

Recently, a heated debate on sanitary napkins has been the rage on the Internet. People rushed to write posts protesting the sudden price hike by Yuhan Kimberly···

Chung Sye-kyun, "Conclude Constitutional Amendment in the First Half of the Parliamentary Term... Dramatically Cut Lawmaker Privileges"

Chairman of the National Assembly Chung Sye-kyun (66) announced on June 16, "We will work to conclude the constitutional amendment in the first half of the twe···

Reviewing the Parliamentary Hearing and Corporate Tax Now that the Opposition Has the Majority

There is something serious about the movements among the opposition parties, which won the majority of the parliamentary seats, as the twentieth National Assemb···

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

Investment Money Flows out of Korea in Search of Higher Returns

Korea's investors, including individual and institutional ones, are turning their attention to overseas investment opportunities regardless of whether it is stock, fund, bond, or real estate property. Although this is an understandable move in response to the stagnant domestic economy and low intere...

Insurers' Corporate Loan Balance Exceeds 65 Tril. Won...

A study said the asset quality and profitability of Korea's major insurance companies might be affected negatively by the currently ongoing restructuring of the shipbuilding and shipping industry. In a research report "The Possible Impact of Corporate Restructuring on Insurance Industry" published o...

Korea and India to Increase Trade Items for Tariff Elimination

Korea and India will seek to expand the areas for tariff elimination by revising the bilateral Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement. The Korean Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy said that it held a CEPA ministerial joint commission meeting on June 18 in New Delhi and agreed to the pact...

Brexit Would Heighten Uncertainty of Korean Financial Market

With the UK's Brexit referendum coming close at hand, attention is hot over what impact the possible passage of the proposition would have on the Korean economy. If the UK referendum is closed in favor of the exit from the EU, Korea's foreign exchange and financial markets would be hit as their shor...

Brexit Emerges as the Biggest Variable in Financial Market

"Leave or stay" That's the key issue today. The UK's referendum on whether or not to leave the EU is close at hand. According to the Korea Stock Exchange on June 19, the KOSPI was closed at 1,953.40 , down 3.18 percent from the previous week. After hitting this year's high at 2,035.27 on June 10, t...

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

Hanjin Group boss uses private wealth for capital increase

Hanjin Group boss Cho Yang-ho and his family have agreed to donate their personal wealth and…

National pension fund to invest in emerging-market assets: Yonhap

South Korea's national pension fund, the world's third largest wi…

South Korea cuts interest rate to fresh record low

A file picture on Bank of Korea Governor Lee Ju-yeol. [Yonhap News Photo] In an unexpected action aimed at proppi…

Mirae Asset to acquire luxury hotel in Hawaii: reports

South Korea's major asset manager, Mirae Asset Financial Group, has increased its h…

Woori selected as preferred bidder to buy Cambodian financial firm

Woori Bank, South Korea's second-biggest financial group, has been selected as a preferre…

Bad loans on the rise due to delayed debt clearance

The amount of bad loans extended by South Korean banks has been on the rise this year as Sout…

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

MBC and SBS to Be Excluded from HD DMB ServiceJun 20, 2016 Share

MBC and SBS are going to be excluded from HD DMB service that will start in August because there is a chance that Pooq, which is their paid internet video service (Over the Top), can lose customers as

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

Anti-graft act would result a loss of $9.9 bn every year: KERI

South Korea’s controversial anti-corruption law, dubbed as the Kim Young-ran law after the former head of the anti-corruption ...

Korea and India agree to reform bilateral free trade pact

South Korea and India together decided to upgrade the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), a bilateral free ...

S. Korean heartthrob G-Dragon boosts sales of Shinsegae Duty Free

The popularity of Big Bang’s leader G-Dragon (GD), South Korea’s famous boy group from YG Entertainment Inc., is boosting ...

Foreign stockholding in Samsung Elec at record high of 50.7%

Foreign shareholding in Samsung Electronics Co. reached a record high of 50.69 percent on Thursday as the blue-chip with ...

Hyundai, Kia global sales up thanks to SUV hit in U.S., China

Combined global sales of South Korea’s largest and second-largest automakers Hyundai Motor Co. and Kia Motors Corp. climbed 6.7 ...

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The Korea Post is at your service.

The Korea Post, established 31 years ago in 1985, operates five news media outlets, two in the Korean language and three in English.

They are all at your service. You can email all your English and Korean press releases and feedback for free publication to edt@koreapost.comor korpost@chol.com. The five media outlets are:

(1) A Korean print newspaper (http://www.koreapost.co.kr/pdf/list.php),

(2) A Korean Internet (www.koreapost.co.kr),

(3) An English Internet (www.koreapost.com),

(4) An English print monthly (http://koreapost.koreafree.co.kr/magazine/index.html), and

(5) An English e-daily (/rankup_module/rankup_notice/notice_list.html)

Send your news releases and feedback:

Special notices:

Send your latest Embassy news releases toThe Korea Post for publication

Your Excellency:

Send your latest press release(s) in Korean to(www.koreapost.co.kr) for immediate publication and in Englishto korpost@chol.com.

They are published by the five media outletsof The Korea Post, including the Korean-language Internet newspaper, English website 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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Include The Korea Post chairman in your Kakaotalk partner list for HOT NEWS!

His personal mobile phone number is 010-5201-1740.

Chairman Lee has a lot of up-to-minute hot information to be shared with Your Excellency. Do your esteemed country a favor and bring the two great countries closer together using Chairman Lee Kyung-sik of The Korea Post, who owns and operates five print and Internet news media, including Korean-languagewww.koreapost.co.kr, English www.koreapost.com and Korean-language newspaper http://pdf.koreapost.co.kr/14/1401.pdf. Use Chairman Lee and his five news outlets for the sake of your great country!

Many ambassadors are already Kakaotalk news sharers with Chairman Lee!

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Invitation to a two-day tour of Boryeong Mud Festival

I am pleased to inform Your Excellency that Mayor Kim Dong-ill of the Boryeong City cordially invites Your Excellency and Madam to a two-day tour of the 19th Boryeong Mud Festival at the picturesque Daecheon Beach (some 119 miles south of Seoul) on Saturday-Sunday, 16-17 July 2016. It was designated by the Government as the Best Festival of the Republic of Korea.

The itinerary is as follows:

Day One: 1200 hours, Saturday 16 July 2016: Meet at Grand Hyatt Seoul (by the water fountain)

1200-1400 hours: Move to Boryeong City by Limousine bus. High-quality lunch box served on the bus.

1400-1500 hours: Check in at the Westopia Tourist Hotel.

1500-1620 hours: Watch street parade at the Dongdae-dong Rotary.

1620-1800 hours: Have hands-on experience in mud festival activities.

1800-1930 hours: Attend welcome dinner in honor of the ambassadors and spouses.

1930-2200 hours: Attend opening ceremony and watch opening ceremony performances.

2200 hours: Check in at the hotel for the night.

Day Two: 0800-0900 hours, Sunday 17 July 2016: Breakfast at the hotel, and check out.

0900-1200 hours: Visit Ongma-jeon Pavilion, Seongju Castle Site, Seongju Mountain Rest and Recuperation Forest, Cypress Forest, and tour Gaehwa Art Park.

1200-1300 hours: Farewell luncheon at the Gaehwa Art Park Reception Hall and presentation of Plaque of Appreciation to the Mayor by the Dean of the visiting members of the Seoul Diplomatic Corps. (The Plaque will be prepared by The Korea Post.)

Please indicate your interest in the following space:

Yes, we___(I alone___) will attend. Emergency cellphone number____________________

Contact phones of The Korea Post: 2298-1740/2, mobile 010-3388-1682 (Ms. Kim Jeong-mi for Korean callers) or 010-5201-1740 (Chairman Lee for English callers).

Very Respectfully Yours

/s/

Lee Kyung-sik

Publisher-Chairman

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‘Turkmenistan-Korea relations, cooperation grow by leaps and bounds’

Interview with Ambassador Myrat Mammetalyyev of Turkmenistan in Seoul

By Lee Kyung-sik,Publisher, The Korea PostThe Korean-Turkmen relations and cooperation are obviously in good hands. President Park Geun-hye of the Republic of Korea takes very strong interest in the promotion of relations, cooperation and friendship between Korea and Turkmenistan and there are ample similar signs noticed everywhere in the case of Turkmenistan, too, as exemplified by the activities of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov of the Republic of Turkmenistan in regard to Korea. At this juncture, The Korea Post (31 years old this year) recently interviewed Ambassador Myrat Mammetlyyev of Turkmenistan in Seoul. Details of the interview follow:

Question: When did Korea and Turkmenistan establish diplomatic relations and how have the bilateral ties and cooperation been growing?
Answer: The diplomatic ties between Turkmenistan and Republic of Korea were established in February 1992. For the past 24 years Turkmenistan and Republic of Korea have been developing their fruitful cooperation. Since then agreements and arrangements have been successfully realized in many spheres.
On the international arena, Turkmenistan and Republic of Korea render mutual support and confidence to each other, particularly within the framework of interaction in the United Nations Organization. So, in December 2008, the Republic of Korea rendered to our country an active support as co-sponsor of international initiative of the President of Turkmenistan on the adoption of Resolution of the UN General Assembly on reliable and safe transit of energy bearers to the world markets.
The Eurasian Initiative and the Silk Road Express Project announced by President Park Geun-hye of Korea to build reliable energy and transport corridors on the continent in many ways coincide with Turkmenistan’s international initiatives for achieving energy and transport security.

(For further details, please visit  www.koreapost.com)

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Invitation to the 2016 Yecheon World Insect Expo

I am pleased to inform Your Excellency that Mayor Lee Hyun-joon of the Yecheon County of Gyeongsangbuk-do Province cordially invite Your Excellency and Madam to attend the Opening Ceremony of the 2016 Yecheon World Insect Expo on Saturday July 30, 2016, which is attended by Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn on behalf of President Park Geun-hye. Please visit: /news/view.html?section=161&category=181&no=1303 for details of the Expo.

The itinerary of the Tour is as follows:

1330 hours Saturday 30, 2016: Meet at Grqand Hyatt Seoul (near the Water Fountain).

1330-1630 hours: Move by Limousine Buses to Main Venue of the Inspect Expo.

1630-1700 hours: Visit the Main Theme Hall of the Expo, Amusement Park, Industrial Pavilion, and the Parblue Garden.

1700-1715 hours: Move to the Dinner Banquette Hall of the Yecheon Wedding Hall.

1715-1815 hours: Attend Dinner hosted by Mayor and Mrs. Lee Hyun-joon.

1830-1900 hours: Attend the Opening Ceremony of the 2016 Yecheon World Insect Expo.

1900-2200 hours: Move back to Seoul arriving at Grand Hayatt Seoul.

Very Respectfully Yours

/s/

Lee Kyung-sik

Publisher-Chairman

The Korea Post phones: 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.)