October 19, 2016
TheKorean daily media headlines and humor
Wednesday,October 19, 2016
Your Excellency:
Here areThe KoreaPostnoticesandaroundup of important headlines from all major Korean-languagedailies, TV and other news media of Korea today:
Very Respectfully Yours
/s/
Lee Kyung-sik
Publisher-Chairman
Korea Post Media
What’sticking in Korea today?
Hereis a quick roundup of important news stories from the major Korean news mediatoday:
KBS (http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/news/)
Park Promises Continued Assistance for SaemaulCampaign Overseas
Anchor: President Park Geun-hye participated in a ruraldevelopmental Saemaul Forum in South Korea attended by some 700 people fromabout 50 developing countries. In a speech, Park promised to assist countriesseeking to imitate South Korea's Saemaul Movement, which her father launched inthe 1970s.
High Court Issues Not Guilty Verdict forConscientious Objector
An appellate court in Gyeongju City, South JeollaProvince, has ruled in favor of a young man who refused to fulfill hismandatory military service on religious grounds.
'N. Korean Diplomat May Hold InformalTalks with US Figures'
Japan's Kyodo news agency says one of North Korea's keydiplomats has been spotted at Beijing's international airport-- promptingspeculation some informal US-North Korea diplomacy may be about to take place.
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Yonhap (http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr)
SouthKorean theaters reinterpret Shakespearean plays to mark 400th anniversary
SEOUL, Oct. 18(Yonhap) -- South Korean theaters have launched a series of reinterpretedShakespearean plays for the fall-winter season of 2016 to mark the 400thanniversary of the death of the globally revered British poet and playwright.
MercedesBenz to recall over 1,100 cars sold in S. Korea
SEOUL, Oct. 19(Yonhap) -- Mercedes-Benz Korea, the local importer and distributor of theGerman automaker, will recall over 1,100 cars sold in South Korea fortransmission-related problems, while global automaker Volvo will recall over800 cars for waste water from air conditioners causing possible short circuitsin electric units, the transportation ministry said Wednesday.
Carter:U.S. putting best military assets in Asia-Pacific under 'rebalance' policy
WASHINGTON,Oct. 18 (Yonhap) -- The United States is deploying the best military personneland assets in the Asia-Pacific region under President Barack Obama's"rebalance to Asia" policy, Defense Secretary Ash Carter saidTuesday.
Amb.Joseph Yun takes office as new U.S. pointman on N. Korea
WASHINGTON,Oct. 18 (Yonhap) -- Former U.S. Ambassador to Malaysia Joseph Yun has takenoffice as Washington's new pointman on North Korea, the State Department said.
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The KoreaHerald (http://www.koreaherald.com)
Missiledefense schedule moved up due to NK threats
The SouthKorean government and the ruling party agreed to speed up the completion of itsthree-legged defense system from the initially planned mid-2020s toearly-2020s, in light of the ever-evolving threats from North Korea.
Hyundai Motorcloses in on 10m unit sales in China
Hyundai MotorGroup Chairman Chung Mong-koo said Tuesday that he would seek a fresh start inChina, the world’s largest and fast-growing car market, moving away from marketconcerns over the fate of South Korea’s largest carmaker.
Policymakersclash on how to boost economy
South Korea’stop financial and monetary policymakers have recently given the impression ofpushing each other to assume a more active role in propping up thefourth-largest economy in Asia.
[Newsmaker]Fears rise of more Hanjin vessel seizures
Concerns aregrowing over additional seizures of Hanjin Shipping vessels that could lead tocostly delays in unloading operations after a local court greenlighted thearrest of a vessel despite the troubled firm’s bankruptcy protection.
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The KoreaTimes (http://www.koreatimes.co.kr)
KoreanWinter Olympics video gets icy reception
A promotional video for the 2018 Winter Olympics inKorea has been branded "poor" and "embarrassing."
The video, "ARARI, YO," has been in hotwater with many Koreans who say its quality is "so tacky that it does notlive up to the name value of the global event."
TrendyKoreans name Seoul's Times Square as top mall
Korea'strendsetting 20-somethings have chosen Times Square Shopping Complex nearYeongdeungpo Station in Seoul as the most popular multiplex mall.
Juvenilecrime becoming more violent
Juvenile crimeis getting more violent and crude, shocking the public and even police.
In one case, ateenager, 19, murdered his mother and aunt in August. The teenager, who hadbeen unemployed since graduating high school, was on drugs at the time.
Thief'spast catches up with him at prison gate
A thief whofinished a one-year prison term has been arrested in front of the jail for analleged 2011 crime.
Police saidTuesday they booked the man, surnamed Park, without detention for an allegedburglary in Busan on July 18, 2011.
Spacesqueeze: Job-seeking groups forced to use motels, bars
More Korean job seekers are flockingto bars and even motels to study in groups to prepare for employment.
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DongAIlbo (http://english.donga.com)
Newtechnology enables 1GB movie downloaded in 3 seconds
A technologythat allows large gigabyte data to be easily transmitted within a distance of10 centimeters has been developed. This means that 1GB movie can be transmittedin just three seconds by connecting a laptop and smartphone via cable.
Ms.Trump says her husband was egged on
AfterRepublican presidential nominee Donald Trump’s recorded conversation aboutsexually aggressive remarks went to public, Melania Trump issued a statement onOctober 7, saying it was not acceptable. Ms. Trump, who had been off-stage overthe last 10 days, came forward to defend her husband.
KimHoon’s novel transforms into a Korean traditional play
“TheSong of Strings,” a musical drama based on the namesake novel, will be debutedat the National Gukak Center in Seoul from Nov. 10 through Nov. 20.
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ChosunIlbo (http://english.chosun.com)
Half of Seoul Cab Drivers Are Past Retirement
The advanced age of taxi drivers in Seoul has recentlybecome a hot issue after a number of them breathed their last behind the wheel.
White House Defends THAAD Deployment inS.Korea
The White House on Monday defended the decision tostation a U.S. Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense battery in South Korea,citing North Korea's latest launch of medium-range ballistic missile and itsthreat to conduct another nuclear test.
Number of Part-Time Workers Rises to 5-YearHigh
The number of part-time workers who work less than 17 hoursa week has reached the highest level in five years.
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HanKyoRehShinmoon (http://english.hani.co.kr)
[Newsanalysis] Fallout from Baek Nam-ki’s death feeding spike in national mistrust
Police arestill trying to evade responsibility for death, and right-wing politicians andcommentators antagonize bereaved families
S.Korea’s “black protest” movement gaining momentum for abortion rights
South Korea’sversion of the “black protest” for womens right to choose is spreading. Now theabortion debate ignited by the government’s planned move to step up penaltiesfor so-called “immoral treatment acts” is turning into an issue over theprocedure’s decriminalization and women’s right to self-determination.
SouthKorea’s current situation: low economic growth without happiness
With SouthKorea’s single-minded focus on economic growth over the past decades, interestin the ultimate goals of social and economic policy has faded.
[Reporter’snotebook] Next for Samsung: determining cause of Galaxy Note 7 crisis
SamsungElectronics has begun reanalyzing the cause of mysterious fires involving itsGalaxy Note 7 smartphone, news outlets reported on Oct. 17. In addition to itsown workforce, the company now appears to be enlisting the assistance ofuniversities and specialized businesses in South Korea and overseas.
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JoongAngIlbo(conservative) (http://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/)
Tighteningof mortgage criteria sows confusion
Yim Jong-yong,Financial Services Commission (FSC) chairman, said the government will continueto provide so-called Bogeumjari loans even if the criteria are tightened.
UNdenounces North’s recent failed missile test
The UNSecurity Council in a statement Monday condemned North Korea’s failedintermediate-range ballistic missile test on Saturday, the latest provocationby the regime, which violates UN resolutions and its international obligations.
Roh’sinner circle denying claims in memoir
A formerunification minister denied Tuesday that Seoul had asked Pyongyang how to voteon a 2007 UN resolution on human rights in North Korea.
Halfof Chinese tourists shop at Lotte Duty Free
Half ofChinese tourists who visited Korea during their National Day vacation earlierthis month shopped at Lotte Duty Free, according to figures released by thecompany on Tuesday.
Shipbuilders’stock value sails
AlthoughKorea’s embattled shipbuilding industry is undergoing restructuring, the stockvalue of Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) and its affiliate Hyundai Mipo Dockyardhave risen since the beginning of the year..
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TheKyungHyangShinmoon(http://english.khan.co.kr/)
[BakYong-chae's Column] Samsung Patriotism
The alarmshould have gone off louder back then. The decision to merge Samsung C&Tand Cheil Industries was announced on May 26, 2015. Samsung used abstractvocabulary such as the sharing of a global network to explain why they had tocarry out the merger, but it was an action that could not be explained withoutmentioning Jay Y. Lee's succession. He owned 0.57% of Samsung Electronicsshares, a key unit in the group. Although he owned 23.2% of Cheil Industriesshares, that was not enough to dominate the entire group.
[Editorial]Cheong Wa Dae Silent on Choi Soon-sil Triggers Sparks on Political Ideology
Cheong Wa Daemade a statement on the memoir of Song Min-soon, minister of foreign affairsand trade at the time of the Roh Moo-hyun government, in which Song mentionedthat he asked North Korea's opinion before abstaining from the vote on a UNresolution on North Korean human rights in 2007. "If it is true, it is aserious and shocking event." This is the answer that Cheong Wa Daespokesperson Jeong Yeon-guk gave when reporters asked Cheong Wa Dae's positionon the heated debate over the memoir between the ruling and opposition parties..
[Controversyover Song Min-soon's Memoir] Cornered Pro-Parks Attack Ideology, As If They HadWaited for a Second “NLL Scandal”
The SaenuriParty is making a political issue out of the memoirs of Song Min-soon (68),former minister of foreign affairs and trade. The memoir describes the processof how the Roh Moo-hyun government abstained from a UN resolution on NorthKorean human rights in 2007.
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The KoreaEconomic Daily (http://english.hankyung.com/)
Samsungto Double Smartphone Production in India
SamsungElectronics plans to invest 19.7 billion rupees (about 340 billion won) toexpand its smartphone and home electronics plant at Noida in the Uttar Pradeshstate in northern India. This expansion would double the plant’s annualsmartphone production capacity from the current 60 million units to 120 millionunits.
Government'sSME Support Policy to Go through Overhaul
The governmentwill review the current practice of supporting small- and medium-sized firms.That's based on the judgment that the situation of small businesses has notimproved at all even though the government poured about 15 trillion won ofbudget a year.
CumulativeSales of "Remsima" for Celltrion Exceed 1 Tril. Won
The cumulativeoverseas sales volume for Remsima, the biosimilar drug for rheumatoid arthritisand other autoimmune diseases developed by Celltrion, has surpassed the1-trillion-won level. This is the first instance in which a single drug itemexported by a Korean drug company logged in more than 1 trillion won (US$888million) in sales.
(GlobalHR Forum 2016)-"Talented Young Individuals Need a Place Where TheirAbilities Will be Recognized and Up-graded"
Incommemoration of Global HR Forum 2016, to be held in Seoul between November1-3, 2016, The Korea Economic Daily had e-mail interviews with severaldistinguished guests on various subjects. The followings are e-mail interviewwith Nathalie Loiseau Director, ?cole Nationale d'Administration.
CollectiveLoan Rates Soar to More Than 4%
Constructioncompanies are pressed hard to find lenders for collective loans for their newapartment buyers. As commercial banks are reluctant to provide loans forintermediate payments for apartment buyers, apartment builders get their loansfrom multiple second-tier lenders in smaller sums.
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AJU BusinessDaily (http://eng.ajunews.com/korea)
BTS'Wings' sets new Billboard record as K-pop album
Bangtan Boys,also known as BTS, has set a record in South Korea's music history with its newalbum "Wings" standing at No. 26 on the Billboard 200 chart.
Pyongyang'sMusudan missile could be operational next year: US expert
North Korea's road-mobileintermediate ballistic missile could be operational faster than expected andprobably next year, a US expert said after analyzing last week's failed launch.
HyundaiMerchant interested in acquiring Hanjin's assets
South Korea'ssecond largest container carrier Hyundai Merchant Marine is interested inacquiring some assets of its domestic rival Hanjin Shipping which has been putunder court receivership to avoid bankruptcy, industry sources said Tuesday.
Applehires AI expert to challenge Samsung
Apple hashired Russ Salakhutdinov, a famous artificial intelligence expert, to lead itsresearch in an apparent counterpunch to rival Samsung's acquisition of Viv, anAI technology developer.
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Maeil BusinessNews Korea (http://www.pulsenews.co.kr/)
Samsung Elecbegins mass-producing logic chips on 10nm process
Theworld’s largest chipmaker Samsung Electronics Co. announced that it wasmass-producing microprocessors through 10-nanometer process for the first timein the industry.
Jobless amongKoreans with tertiary education hit 44.5%
Theunemployment rate for people with a third level education in South Korea hashit over 30 percent, which means one out of three people with four-yeardiplomas are currently out of work.
HyundaiCapital obtains ECB nod to set up Hyundai Capital Bank Europe
HyundaiCapital Services Inc., the largest auto financing company in South Korea, gotthe final nod from the European Central Bank (ECB) to set up Hyundai CapitalBank Europe, becoming the first non-European country’s financial company to winECB approval for bank license since the global financial crisis in 2008.
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