Friday, April 3, 2020

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

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

Five ways to protect health workers during the COVID-19 crisis
In many cities affected by the COVID-19 outbreak a nightly ritual has been taking place whereby people applaud and bang pots and pans from their windows and their balconies to show gratitude to the many health workers braving the battle against COVID-19.

“We should try to step up cooperation, coordination to protect human life and economic recovery”
Trade, Industry and Energy Minister Yoo Myung-hee attended the G20 Extraordinary Trade and Investment Ministers Meeting through videoconference on March 30, and called for collaboration of member countries to facilitate mobility of businesspeople and maintain global supply chain.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

US Official: S. Korea-US Defense Cost Talks 'Never Ended'
A senior U.S. official said on Thursday that defense-cost sharing negotiations between South Korea and the U.S. have "never ended," stressing an "equitable and mutually beneficial deal" for both sides. In a video press briefing, Clarke Cooper, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs, said he can confirm that the talks have continued and they've never ended. He added the negotiations are being conducted virtually between Seoul and Washington.

Worldwide COVID-19 Cases Top 1 Million
The number of confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus around the world has surpassed one million. According to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University, as of Thursday afternoon eastern daylight time, there were over one million and two thousand COVID-19 cases worldwide.

S. Korea's FX Reserves Post Biggest Drop Since 2008
South Korea's foreign exchange(FX) reserves hit their biggest monthly drop since the 2008 global financial crisis. According to the Bank of Korea on Friday, the country's foreign exchange reserves came to 400-point-21 billion dollars at the end of March, down eight-point-96 billion dollars from a month earlier.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

Virus infections near 10,000 as cluster, imported cases keep rising
South Korea again saw a slight decline in new coronavirus cases Thursday, though the country remains wary of cluster infections and imported cases. The 89 new cases of COVID-19, detected Wednesday and down from 101 new cases a day earlier, brought the country's total cases to 9,976. It marked the 21st consecutive day that new infections have hovered around 100 or fewer additional cases, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).

S. Korea-U.S. defense cost talks continue, never ended: senior official
Defense-cost sharing negotiations between South Korea and the United States are ongoing to ensure an equitable and mutually beneficial deal for both sides, a senior U.S. official said Thursday. South Korean news reports suggested earlier that the two countries have tentatively reached an agreement on the sharing of costs for the stationing of 28,500 American troops in the Asian ally and could announce it as early as April 1.

500 North Koreans remain under coronavirus quarantine: state media
Around 500 people remain under coronavirus quarantine across North Korea, state media reported Friday, a sharp drop from some 2,280 people a week earlier as the communist nation keeps lifting the quarantine for people with no symptoms during the isolation period. North Korea has insisted it has no confirmed COVID-19 infections but has taken various anti-virus measures, including shutting down its border and putting thousands of people in isolation. The regime has said that preventing the virus is a "political task" that determines the country's fate.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

Korea’s front-line virus fighters get creative to up their games
Health care workers at the forefront of South Korea’s virus battle are coming up with novel ways to better arm themselves as they strain to stay ahead of the rapidly evolving outbreak. A virus testing booth developed by a doctor at a public health center in southern Busan allows health workers to wear minimum protection as they swab patients.

COVID-19 cases near 10,000, authorities call for continued distancing
The number of people who have contracted the new coronavirus crept toward 10,000 as the government considers maintaining social-distancing measures. South Korea reported 89 new cases Thursday, bringing the total number to 9,976, according to Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

English-only preschools reopen, triggering safety concerns
Some English-immersive preschools began or are set to begin their new semesters, in comparison to regular kindergartens closed indefinitely amid fears over novel coronavirus. All kindergartens and schools in South Korea are closed until April 9, when the new semester will begin online at high schools first.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

'It's still too early to ease social distancing'
Prime Minister Chung Sei-kyun said Thursday it was too early to ease the nationwide campaign to encourage "strict" social distancing as coronavirus infections continue to rise here at home and exponentially abroad. Chung hinted that the government will continue to promote the campaign well into April. "Given the fast spread of the virus outside Korea and the fact that many Koreans are getting infected overseas, easing social distancing could trigger a faster, secondary spread of the virus," Chung said during an emergency meeting in Seoul.

Eight foreigners denied entry for refusing to follow self-isolation rule
Eight foreigners have been denied entry to Korea for refusing to comply with the country's mandatory self-isolation rule. The Ministry of Justice said Thursday that it returned eight foreigners to their countries after they refused to follow its coronavirus containment measure. The rule, which came into force April 1, requires all people arriving in Korea from overseas to quarantine themselves at their residences or government-designated facilities for 14 days.

Political parties officially kick off election campaigns
The political parties officially kicked off their campaigns for the April 15 general election Thursday, the first day of the 13-day campaigning period designated by the National Election Commission. Although the campaigns have been restricted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the parties are trying to increase their contact with voters as much as possible such as by using slogans to appeal to them.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

HanKyoReh Shinmun (http://english.hani.co.kr)

Seoul Capital Area sees twice as many new COVID-19 cases as Daegu and N. Gyeongsang
The novel coronavirus has been spreading at a disturbing rate in South Korea’s densely populated Seoul Capital Area. There are indications that, over the past two weeks, the transmission epicenter has been shifting to the capital area from its former location in Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province. The government has announced the need to keep strict social distancing policies in place beyond the original date of Apr. 5.

Local S. Korean governments vow to test and quarantine all overseas arrivals
After South Korea implemented stronger quarantine measures on Apr. 1, requiring everyone arriving in the country from overseas to spend two weeks in self-quarantine, various local governments have been enlisting official vehicles, taxis, charter buses, and even ambulances to transport people to their quarantine locations. Some local governments have even promised to place people without symptoms in state quarantine facilities in an effort to test them all, but the central government has said it wouldn’t be feasible to apply such an approach nationwide.

European nations provide medical supplies to Iran in fight against COVID-19
Europe has begun providing medical supplies to assist Iran with fighting the novel coronavirus. Amid heavy economic sanctions following US President Donald Trump’s decision to unilaterally abandon a nuclear agreement with Iran supported by the international community, the virus’s spread has set in motion the provision of emergency humanitarian aid.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chosun Ilbo (http://english.chosun.com)

Patriot Anti-Missile Battery Deployed at Fighter Plane Base
The South Korean military has urgently deployed a Patriot missile battery at an air base in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province to defend it against North Korea's new ballistic missiles and super-large multiple rockets. The base is home to a fleet of F-35 stealth fighter jets and therefore a prime target for North Korea, which fears the South's superior air power.

Coronavirus Infections in Seoul Region Top 1,000
The number of COVID-19 infections has topped 1,000 in Seoul, Incheon, and Gyeonggi Province mainly due to arrivals from overseas. Their number reached 1,042 on Wednesday, up 52 from a day earlier. It was a mere 579 in the metropolitan region on March 18 but has nearly doubled in just two weeks. As a result, the proportion of infections in the Seoul area to the entire country jumped from 6.9 percent to 10.5 percent.

Japan Bans Arrivals from 49 Countries Including Korea
Japan has banned arrivals from 49 countries including Korea, the U.S. and China to stem the spread of coronavirus. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced the additional bans in a meeting on Wednesday.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Dong-A Ilbo (http://english.donga.com/)

Social distancing may be extended in S. Korea
The number of COVID-19 in South Korea has reached over 10,000 while the global figure is expected to increase above one million. The South Korean government will announce detailed measures about its social distancing policy on Friday after implementing the policy for two weeks.

Seoul-Washington defense cost sharing agreement hits logjam
The final agreement for the Special Measures Agreement (SMA) between South Korea and the United States over U.S. Forces South Korea is being further delayed. With Seoul’s stance on the burden sharing agreement turning more careful, experts say that the two sides have yet to iron out their differences in core agendas including the total sum the South Korean government is to contribute to the deployment of American troops.

Subscription-based half-priced shavers make splash
A young man has jumped into shaver manufacturing business after declaring his ambition to change the market for shavers, which used to be a cost burden on consumers. The young man, who has bet his career on razor blades measuring 4 centimeters in length and 1 centimeter in width, has opened an era of subscription-based shavers.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The KyungHyang Shinmun (http://english.khan.co.kr/)

Writer of “Cloud Bread” Receives the “Nobel Prize of Children’s Literature,” “A Chance to Rise from Despair”
“They say it is darkest just before the dawn, so I think this prize has given me a chance to rise again from deep in despair.” The writer Baek Heena (49), whom readers have encountered through picture books such as Cloud Bread, Moon Sherbet, and Magic Candies, said, “I still can’t believe that I won the award.” On March 31 (local time), Baek received the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award (ALMA), referred to as the “Nobel Prize of children’s literature.” This year, over 240 writers from 67 countries were nominated for the award. This is the first time that a Korean writer has received this award after beating such fierce competition.

Pink Slips via Text Message and Forced Leave of Absence, “Threats to Our Livelihood Is Scarier than COVID-19”
Yi Hwa-ja has worked more than a decade at a cafeteria for patients at Keimyung University Dongsan Medical Center in Daegu, a base hospital for COVID-19. In February, she received a notice from the hospital to stand by at home instead of coming to work since the cafeteria would be shut down to prevent the transmission of COVID-19. Yi said, “I just waited at home thinking that the hospital was ‘evacuating’ us so we would not be exposed to danger.”

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Maeil Business News Korea (http://www.pulsenews.co.kr/)

Seoul Viosys proves 99.9% sterilization of COVID-19 in 30 seconds
Seoul Viosys Co., a subsidiary of South Korea’s leading light emitting diode (LED) developer Seoul Semiconductor Co., announced on Thursday that its compound semiconductor technology successfully achieves 99.9 percent sterilization of COVID-19 in 30 seconds. The Korean UV LED solution provider said tests were conducted by its U.S. affiliate Sensor Electronic Technology (SETi) in cooperation with a Korea University research team by using its compound semiconductor Violeds technology.

Korea rules out issuing more debt to fund $5.74 bn extra budget
South Korea ruled out the possibility of issuing additional government debt to finance the 7.1-trillion-won ($5.74 billion) extra budget and assured the money will be covered by rationalizing budget spending plans. “We will try to prepare the extra budget by readjusting this year’s spending plans without having to issue extra debt,” Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki said in a coronavirus task force meeting on Wednesday.

Korea’s CP yield hits 5-year high despite heavy fueling amid virus liquidity woes
The borrowing rate in commercial papers in the South Korean money market fails to come down and hovers at a five-year high despite heavy liquidity fueling by the government and central bank, blunting their operation to prevent liquidity crunch for the Korean Inc. due to coronavirus jitters.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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.com, service@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.deforum@sueddeutsche.de
Australia Brisbane Times www.brisbanetimes.com.au, syndication@fairfaxmedia.com.au
Sydney Morning Herald www.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
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What are you waiting for?
Use us!
The Korea Post media are more than eager to be used, and to serve you—with the following five news outlets, 35 years old this year!

Korean-language Internet edition: http://www.koreapost.co.kr
English-language Internet edition: http://www.koreapost.com
Korean-language print newspaper:
http://pdf.koreapost.co.kr/38/3801.pdf
http://pdf.koreapost.co.kr/38/3802.pdf
http://pdf.koreapost.co.kr/38/3803.pdf
http://www.koreapost.co.kr/pdf/list.php?category=&syear=2018&smonth=03&sday=26&hosu=40
English E-daily: http://www.koreapost.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=20569
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

저작권자 © The Korea Post 무단전재 및 재배포 금지