Thursday, March 12, 2020

Round-up of important news from major Korean dailies and from international media today

The Korea Post (http://www.koreapost.com/)

Samsung unveils new LED products to improve circadian rhythm
Samsung Electronics Co. on Wednesday unveiled new lighting products that can help people maintain their circadian rhythm.
The new LED packages, collectively known as LM302N, will help consumers regulate their melatonin levels indoors, according to the tech giant.

“Reinforcing control is welcome but prejudice must be done away with”
According to a document issued by the Ministry of Education, the number of international students in postsecondary institution in South Korea is over 160,000 and there are more than 60,000 Chinese students enrolled in local universities. This high number of international students resulted from the increased number of foreign students choosing to study in South Korea in the 2010s. This demonstrates that South Korea has become a country producing highly educated human resources in international community.

“H.H. Mubarak, Mother of the Nation of the UAE, is regarded as pioneer of women’s work in the country”
Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak’s efforts to promote Emirati women’s status worldwide are best seen in the unprecedented achievements realized since the establishment of the UAE in 1971.
Her Highness has held many prestigious roles in a variety of committees and institutions concerned with women’s and children’s affairs. Her Highness is currently Chairwoman of the General Women’s Union, Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation and President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood.
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KBS (http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/news/)

WHO Declares COVID-19 a Pandemic
The World Health Organization(WHO) has declared COVID-19 a pandemic.
At a briefing in Geneva on Wednesday, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said pandemic isn't a word used lightly as it could cause unreasonable fear or give the mistaken impression that the fight is over, causing unnecessary pain and death. He said, however, that his organization judged that the disease now fit the description.

US Security Adviser: China's COVID-19 'Cover Up' Cost the World Two Months
White House National Security Adviser Robert O’Brien reportedly claimed on Wednesday that China's initial "cover-up" of the COVID-19 outbreak cost the entire world two months to respond.
This amounts to an accusation that China bears responsibility for causing a global pandemic through its opaque initial handling of the disease.

Seoul Mayor: 99 Cases Related to Guro Call Center Outbreak
At least 99 cases related to a call center in Seoul's Guro district have been confirmed.
Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon said Wednesday that in Seoul alone there were 70 confirmed cases related to the call center as of 7:00 that evening, five more than the morning tally. Twenty-nine other cases were in Gyeonggi Province and Incheon.
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Yonhap (http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr)

S. Korea's virus cases rebound amid cluster infection in Seoul
South Korea reported an uptick in new daily coronavirus cases Wednesday, reversing five straight days of fewer new cases, as the country grapples with clusters of infections in Seoul and neighboring areas.
The 242 new cases, which were detected Tuesday, brought the nation's total number of infections to 7,755, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).

Moon makes first visit to virus control headquarters
President Moon Jae-in visited the disease control headquarters Wednesday to encourage health officials fighting the new coronavirus.
Moon visited the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) in Cheongju, 140 kilometers south of Seoul, for the first time since the nation reported the outbreak of COVID-19 on Jan. 20.

Seoul stocks tumble to 4-year low, Korean won up
Seoul stocks dropped by almost 3 percent on Wednesday to hit the lowest in almost 4 years on growing skepticism about the U.S.'s stimulus plans to counter the new coronavirus and an extended sell-off by foreign investors. The Korean won rose slightly against the U.S. dollar.
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The Korea Herald  (http://www.koreaherald.com)

Community spread on horizon in Seoul and surrounding areas
The South Korean government plans to enforce guidelines for densely populated workplaces, stung by mass coronavirus infections at a call center in Seoul.
At least 90 people, including 77 employees at a call center in Guro-gu and 13 people who came into contact with them, tested positive for COVID-19 as of Wednesday afternoon, making it the biggest cluster of infections in Seoul that is home to 9.7 million people.

WHO labels coronavirus a 'pandemic' as Europe scrambles to contain it
The World Health Organization called the new coronavirus outbreak a pandemic on Wednesday, issuing a grim warning that the global spread and severity of the illness was due to "alarming levels of inaction".
The call came as Europe faced a mounting number of cases -- including a slew of new countries clocking first deaths -- prompting governments to roll out increasingly tough measures to slow the rapid spread of the virus.

Moon makes first visit to virus control headquarters
President Moon Jae-in visited the disease control headquarters Wednesday to encourage health officials fighting the new coronavirus.
Moon visited the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) in Cheongju, 140 kilometers south of Seoul, for the first time since the nation reported the outbreak of COVID-19 on Jan. 20.
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The Korea Times (http://www.koreatimes.co.kr)

Gov't scrambles to contain spread of virus at 'crowded' places
The Moon Jae-in administration is scrambling to prevent potential COVID-19 infection clusters at places where many people gather, following the large number of new infections at an insurance company's call center in southwestern Seoul, officials said Wednesday.
As part of such efforts, the government decided to designate call centers, clubs, gyms and other establishments frequented by large numbers of people as high-risk areas and mobilize more resources to quarantine them.

Questions mount over 'corona-free North Korea'
North Korea still remains a self-proclaimed coronavirus-free country, "thanks to its preemptive quarantine efforts."
However, mounting evidence to the contrary is raising suspicions that the country, sandwiched between two COVID-19 hot spots, South Korea and China, may have failed to keep the deadly epidemic at bay.

Can LG find breakthrough in smartphone biz?
LG Electronics is hoping to end its years-long losing streak in the smartphone business since former CEO Nam Yong's decision to keep the design- and feature-centric phones pipeline full.
The electronics maker lost 1 trillion won ($837 million) last year in the phone market. But the company was still clinging to its dying smartphone business as its chief executive told reporters in this year's Las Vegas tech fair that LG Electronics was hoping for a return to profitability by 2021. The top executive didn't share the specifics on how he plans to resurrect LG's smartphone business.
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HanKyoReh Shinmun (http://english.hani.co.kr)

National Assembly begins review of supplementary budget for coronavirus disaster relief
On Mar. 10, a National Assembly review began in earnest for a supplementary budget plan of 11.7 trillion won (US$9.8 billion) submitted by the government for an economic response to the novel coronavirus and support for associated losses. Meanwhile, amid serious livelihood concerns for vulnerable population segments and growing fears of a global economic recession as the virus spreads, politicians and experts have been discussing approaches such as increasing the supplementary budget’s scale, introducing a “basic disaster income,” and drafting a second supplementary budget.

Blue House lashes out at Japan’s entry restrictions and quarantine measures
On Mar. 10, the Blue House strongly criticized the Japanese government for the entry restrictions and quarantine measures it has placed on travelers from South Korea. Those measures had been taken “unilaterally, without any preliminary deliberations or advance notice to South Korea,” the Blue House said, expressing its “deep regret for the Japanese government’s unreliable behavior.”
Seoul launches tax audit on real estate owned by Shincheonji religious sect
The Seoul Metropolitan Government has launched a local tax audit on real estate belonging to the Shincheonji religious sect. The city also plans to exercise its right to indemnity against Shincheonji for the costs of investigating and treating members of the church in connection with the novel coronavirus.
The city of Seoul announced on Mar. 10 that it had commenced a local tax audit on 30 properties owned by Shincheonji. The city delivered a tax audit notification to the order that morning.
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Chosun Ilbo (http://english.chosun.com)

Korea Asks Countries to Exempt Business Travelers from Entry Ban
President Moon Jae-in on Tuesday told the Foreign Ministry to ask foreign countries to exempt Korean business travelers from coronavirus-related entry bans.
The ministry has already initiated talks with the governments of 20 countries, including China and Vietnam, to make exceptions.

Korean Drug Dealer Stranded in Thailand
A Korean drug dealer caught in Thailand has not been deported for more than two months as the Thai government has prohibited the movement of prison inmates since the coronavirus outbreak.
The Korean, a man in his 50s, was caught in Cambodia last year after a five-year hunt by Korean prosecutors and the National Intelligence Service, according to legal sources on Tuesday.
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The Dong-A Ilbo (http://english.donga.com/)

U.S. quarantines Jewish community in suburban New York over COVID-19
The New York City suburb of New Rochelle has been struck by COVID-19 and designated as a “containment area.” As National Guardsmen have been deployed to the city to stop the spread of the virus, people’s concerns are growing.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced on Tuesday (local time) that he is implementing a containment area around the city of New Rochelle from Thursday to March 25. “It’s literally a matter of life or death.

The ruling bloc to review expanding supplementary budget
The ruling Democratic Party of Korea, the government, and Cheong Wa Dae agreed on Wednesday to review expanding the supplementary budget to help fight against the outbreak of the novel coronavirus. “The supplementary budget is likely to be expanded and new government support programs are expected to be launched,” former Prime Minister Lee Nak-yeon, who leads the ruling party’s coronavirus response committee, said after a meeting held at the National Assembly. “The government will announce additional measures no later than next week.”

Hyundai ‘All-New Avante’ features unconventional and dynamic design
Hyundai Motor Company revealed on Wednesday the teaser image and video of “All-New Avante,” a semi-medium sedan to be launched in April. The new model has applied a dynamic and unconventional design.
“All-New Avante” is the seventh-generation model to be launched five years after the introduction of its sixth-generation model in 2015. As the most representative semi-medium sedan of South Korea, over 13.8 million units have been sold in the world.
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The KyungHyang Shinmun (http://english.khan.co.kr/)

Infection Confirmed Within 6 Hours Using DNA Amplification: At South Korea’s “World Best” COVID-19 Testing Site
A quick diagnosis in the early stage of infection is more important in the fight against COVID-19 than against any other infectious disease, because the new coronavirus is highly contagious. A patient in the early stage of the disease with minor symptoms can transmit the virus to several people, even before she is aware of the symptoms.

“Aerial Disinfection Operations Using Drones Are Ineffective” Wiping Doorknobs with Alcohol Is Effective
Recently, a number of local governments began spraying disinfectants from the air using drones to stop the transmission of COVID-19, but health authorities and the medical field do not expect such measures to be effective. Some argue that local governments are carrying out irregular quarantine measures not included in the official guidelines released by authorities just to psychologically calm the public.
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Maeil Business News Korea (http://www.pulsenews.co.kr/)

Doosan shares nosedive on restruturing, liqudiity woe news of Doosan Heavy
Shares of companies under Doosan Group nosedived on Wednesday upon questions over viability in its flagship Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction Co. after it proposed temporary shutdown in some money-losing power generating business due to liquidity woes.
Doosan Heavy lost 21.4 percent, its holding company Doosan 17 percent, Doosan Solus 12 percent, Doosan Fuel Cell, 7 percent, Doosan Infracore 4.4 percent and Doosan Bobcat 5.6 percent.

Hyundai Motor previews all-new Avante
Hyundai Motor revealed Wednesday a teaser for the all-new Avante, known as Elantra in certain markets, slated for release next month. The world premiere press conference for the seventh-generation Avante is scheduled for Mar. 17 in Hollywood, California. The compact sedan is one of Hyundai’s top-selling models, with 13.8 million sales around the world.
Foreign selling spree sends Kospi below 1,900 for the first time in four years
Foreign selloff stayed relentless despite short-sale curbs that went into effective Wednesday, sending the main Kospi below the psychologically-important 1,900 for the first time since February 2016. The key index managed to crawl back to finish at 1,908.27, down 2.8 percent from previous session. The Kosdaq sank below 600, ending 3.9 percent lower at 595.61 Foreigners sold near 700 billion worth on Kospi and 261 billion won on Kosdaq.
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What’s ticking around the world at this second?
See what the world media around the world have to report:

USA Today www.usatoday.com aallman@gannett.com
The New York Times www.nytimes.com inytletters@nytimes.com
Wall Street Journal www.wsj.com  support@wsj.comservice@wsj-asia.com
Financial Times www.ft.com ean@ft.com
The Times www.thetimes.co.uk help@timesplus.co.uk
The Sun www.thesun.co.uk talkback@the-sun.co.uk
Chinese People's Daily www.people.com.cn kf@people.cn
China Daily www.chinadaily.com.cn circulation@chinadaily.com.cn
GwangmyeongDaily www.gmw.cn webmaster@gmw.cn
Japan's Yomiuri www.yomiuri.co.jp japannews@yomiuri.com
Asahi www.asahi.com customer-support@asahi.com
Mainichi www.mainichi.jp
Le Monde www.ilemonde.com
Italy LaRepubblica www.quotidiano.repubblica.it vittorio.zucconi@gmail.com
Germany Frankfurter AllgemeineZeitung www.faz.net anzeigen.ausland@faz.de
SüddeutscheZeitung www.sueddeutsche.de forum@sueddeutsche.de
Australia Brisbane Times www.brisbanetimes.com.au syndication@fairfaxmedia.com.au
Sydney Morning Heraldwww.smh.com.au
Colombia Reports http://colombiareports.com
Bogota Free Planet http://bogotafreeplanet.combfp@bogotafreeplanet.com
El Universal http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/english
Andes http://www.andes.info.ec/en
Ecuador Times http://www.ecuadortimes.net
The Jordan Times https://www.jordantimes.com
LSM.lv http://www.lsm.lv/en
The Baltic Times http://www.baltictimes.com lithuania@baltictimes.com,
estonia@baltictimes.com, editor@baltictimes.com
El Pais http://elpais.com/elpais/inenglish.html
Philippine Daily Inquirer https://www.inquirer.net
Daily News Hungary http://dailynewshungary.com
Budapest Times http://budapesttimes.hu
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The Korea Post is running video clips from the different embassies.
Azerbaijan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OR8CBpcQ4WM
Sri Lanka: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hByX92Y2aGY&t=22s
Morocco: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfFmp2sVvSE
And many other countries.
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