The Korean daily media headlines and humor

The Korean daily media headlines and humor

Tuesday, December 27, 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

The Korea Post News

28 reform-minded Saenuri lawmakers bid farewel to President Park, form a new party

A total of 29 members of the non-Park group of the National Assembly declared this morning that they were leaving the Saenuri Party to form a new party. They are led by Reps. Kim Moo-sung, Yoo Seung-min, Chung Byung-kuk, Joo Ho-young.

Originally, 35 non-Park members of the National Assembly had expressed their desire to bolt the Park party, but the remnants expressed their plans to join the splinter group later.

This development relegates the former ruling Saenuri Party of President Park to a second party surrendering the ruling party status to the main opposition Minjoo Party of Rep. Moon Jae-in.

This new development is expected to bring a heavier pressure on President Park Geun-hye to step down, who is now viewed by the public as being trying to ‘cling on to a rope’ that has already lost its grip.

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

What’s ticking in Korea today? Here is a quick roundup of important news stories from the major Korean news media today:

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

Choi Denies Charges at Controversial Detention Cell Interrogation

Members of the National Assembly’s special committee probing the Choi Soo-sil scandal met the prime suspect in her detention cell on Monday. She denied most of the allegations of her influence peddling. Choi's defense counsel criticized the lawmakers for driving his client into a corner.

Kim Bum-soo has more.

4 S. Korean Firms Make Top 100 R&D Investors' List

Four South Korean companies have been included among the world’s top 100 research and development investors.

11 Autonomous Cars Run 26,000km Without Accident

Eleven self-driving cars have clocked 26-thousand kilometers in South Korea over nine months, from March to November, without a single accident.

Lawmakers Interrogate Choi at Detention Cell

As Choi Soon-sil refuses to appear for parliamentary hearings, lawmakers went ahead to find her in her detention cell to interrogate her.

Land Swap Contract for THAAD Deployment Expected in January

The value appraisal of a Lotte Group-owned golf course in Seongju, North Gyeongsang Province, which has been designated to house U.S. THAAD missile interceptors, will be completed this week.

S. Korea to Shut down 10 Coal Power Plants by 2025

South Korea will shut down ten aging coal-fired power plants by 2025, as part of efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollutants.

S. Korea's Top Three Shipbuilders Implement 40% of Self-rescue Plans

South Korea’s three leading shipbuilders have implemented about 40 percent of their self-rescue programs this year, worth a combined ten-point-three trillion won.

KOSPI Rises; KOSDAQ Dips

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index(KOSPI) on Monday edged up about a tenth of a percent to two-thousand-37.

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

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

Consumer sentiment keeps diving amid economic slowdown

South Korea's overall consumer sentiment hit the lowest in nearly eight years last month, the central bank said Tuesday, amid a prolonged economic slump.

Ruling party splits as 30 lawmakers leave

A group of lawmakers will formally depart from the ruling Saenuri Party on Tuesday after a bitter factional fighting with loyalists to President Park Geun-hye.

Lawmakers grill woman at heart of scandal at detention center

South Korean lawmakers on Monday questioned the friend of President Park Geun-hye, who is at the center of a scandal that led to the president's impeachment, at a detention center as she repeatedly rejected to appear at a parliamentary hearing.

S. Korea to remove import tariffs on 68 products in 2017

South Korea will remove import tariffs levied on 68 products including facility equipment for new industries next year as part of efforts to foster emerging industrial sectors, the finance ministry here said Tuesday.

Declassified 1982 document shows U.S.-Soviet nuclear war would kill 80 million Americans

A declassified 1982 document shows that then-U.S. President Reagan was briefed by top security aides that a Soviet nuclear attack on the United States could result in civilian casualties totaling about 80 million.

Trump lacks plan on N. Korea: U.S. expert

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump appears to lack a plan on how to deal with North Korea even though his administration is set to take off in less than a month, a U.S. expert said Sunday.

Taiwan-born Tzuyu chosen as most popular K-pop idol in Taiwan

Tzuyu, a Taiwanese member of the multinational K-pop girl group TWICE, and "Descendants of the Sun" have turned out to be the most popular Korean idol and TV series, respectively, in Taiwan, a local paper reported Monday.

Girl group Apink sends holiday greetings to fans

South Korean girl group Apink sent out holiday greetings to local and global fans via a short video clip, the group's management agency said.

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

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

Key figures in Choi scandal probed

The special investigation team on Monday raided homes and offices of those linked to the corruption and influence-peddling scandal surrounding President Park Geun-hye and her confidante, including Park’s former right-hand man and incumbent culture minister.

Choi denies all wrongdoings

President Park Geun-hye’s jailed friend Choi Soon-sil on Monday told a group of lawmakers visiting her at the detention facility that she committed no crimes, denying all allegations surrounding her.

Teen runaways find hope at shelters

For Kim Young-eun, 18, running away from her home in the summer of 2015 was an act of rebellion against her stepfather, who she said kept trying to take away her freedom.

‘Submarine crash may have caused Sewol sinking’

The deadly sinking of the Sewol ferry, which left 295 dead and nine missing back in 2014, may have been a result of a submarine crash, not a simple accident caused by overloaded freight, an anonymous online commenter claims in a self-directed documentary on the incident.

Lawmakers grill woman at heart of scandal at detention center

South Korean lawmakers on Monday questioned the friend of President Park Geun-hye, who is at the center of a scandal that led to the president's impeachment, at a detention center as she repeatedly rejected to appear at a parliamentary hearing.

Canada, Korea to collaborate in science, technology and innovation

The governments of Canada and Korea signed an agreement last week to lay the ground for bilateral cooperation in science, technology and innovation.

French Embassy to be repurposed, refashioned

The French Embassy in Seoul will be repurposed to its original glory, unveiling its traditional and modernist structures, according to the diplomatic mission.

British pop star George Michael dies aged 53

British pop singer George Michael, who rose to fame with the band Wham! and sold more than 100 million albums in his career, has died aged 53, his publicist said on Sunday.

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

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

Choi Soon-sil defends herself with lies, excuses

Choi Soon-sil, the central figure in a corruption scandal surrounding her and President Park Geun-hye, denied any alleged links to other key suspects during lawmakers' questioning, Monday.

Ex-NPS official grilled in connection with corruption scandal

Members of independent counsel Park Young-soo's team questioned Hong Wan-seon, the former chief investment officer for the National Pension Service (NPS), Monday, in a widening investigation into the corruption scandal involving President Park Geun-hye and her confidant Choi Soon-sil.

Ruling party will break up today

Over 30 lawmakers will quit the ruling Saenuri Party today following a bitter power struggle with loyalists of President Park Geun-hye, the group said Monday.

Documentary raises possibility of external shock on Sewol

A netizen investigator, known as "Zaro," has released a documentary about the sinking of the ferry Sewol, claiming that the vessel sank due to an external shock, including a possible collision with a submarine.

Should humanity perish or exist?

Popular French novelist Bernard Werber's novel "Nos amis les humains" (2004) or "Our Friends, the Humans" in English, which he turned into a play is running for the second time in Seoul since its premiere in 2010.

N. Korea human rights foundation unlikely to be set up this year

The government is likely to miss the Dec. 31 deadline for the establishment of a foundation aimed at addressing human rights in North Korea, according to sources Tuesday.

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

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

N. Korea may launch missile loaded with model nuclear warhead next year

The South Korean government projected that North Korea will continue the effort to sophisticate its nuclear capabilities next year by launching a long-range missile loaded with a model nuclear warhead. The regime is expected to stress its legitimacy by holding events to idolize North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to put him in the same ranks with Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il, the grandfather and father of the young leader. Seoul also predicted that Pyongyang will make a sustained effort to improve relations with the U.S. upon the inauguration of the Trump administration.

‘Lotte Duty Free mulls advancing into overseas markets next year’

“In the duty free shop industry, competition is unfolding not just in the Asia region but the global market as whole. We need to found a solution of what the most desirable system is to ensure stable growth and development of the duty free industry.”

China to deploy 500 surface-to-air missiles in South China Sea

China is pushing to deploy an additional 500 anti-aircraft missiles to its natural and man-made islands in the South China Sea, which are embroiled in territorial disputes.

S. Korea plans to develop multipurpose unmanned ground combat vehicle

The Korean government plans to develop unmanned and land reconnaissance and ground combat vehicles that can conduct multiple duties including surveillance, patrol, and close combat in times of war and peace. The Defense Acquisition Program Administration said on Monday that it would jointly develop unmanned vehicle with Hanwha Techwin and complete test operations by 2019. The total budget of this program is about 3.9 billion won.

Jazz meets classical music on slopes of Pyongchang

PyongChang Winter Music Festival was first introduced in January, aiming to transform the PyongChang Winter Olympics as a cultural event. The 2017 festival will be held on Feb. 15 - 19 next year, in the concert hall of Alpensia. The PyongChang Winter Music Festival separated itself from PyongChang Music Festival & School by additionally inviting Jazz artists. PyongChang Music Festival & School is held in the middle of Summer and mostly provides classical music to their fans.

Trump goes one step further and says 'Let it be an arms race'

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump precisely stated that he meant “a nuclear arms race“ when he was asked clarify his comments on twitter, “The United States must greatly strengthen and expand its nuclear capability.” His answer is now creating a controversy now.

Actor's Kang Seok-woo's 'bravo my life'

“I cannot believe three decades have passed already…. I can still vividly remember the time I waited anxiously at a café in front of Myeongbo Theater on the first screening day. As thirty years have passed, and I thought I was ‘fading away’ from the public, but everything is so real again after thirty years. You never know what will happen next.”

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

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

Chinese Investors Sell Off Jeju Real Estate

The area of land on Jeju Island owned by Chinese investors has dwindled for the first time in 12 years.

Ex-Teen Star Lee So-eun Ties the Knot

Pop starlet-turned-lawyer Lee So-eun got married in Seoul on Friday. She sang a wedding song herself at an event for only close relatives and friends.

Choi Soon-sil Blew Millions in Cash on Beauty Treatments

President Park Geun-hye's longtime friend Choi Soon-sil spent massive amounts in cash on cosmetic treatments in the years when she allegedly pulled the strings behind a presidential office in hock to a parade of quack doctors and wannabe celebrities.

One in Four Koreans Use Mobile Payments

According to the results of a survey of 2,500 adults released Sunday, 25.2 percent of respondents used mobile payment services to purchase products online or offline during the last six months, up 9.4 percentage points from a similar survey last year.

Lee Sang-hwa to Skip Remainder of ISU World Cup Series

Speed skater Lee Sang-hwa may wrap up the ISU World Cup series early. Lee has competed in four events this season, and has won two silver and one bronze medals. With just two more events remaining, which she may skip due to pain in her right leg, her chances of winning a gold medal this season are slim.

More 30-Something Women Embrace Singlehood

Increasing numbers of women in their 30s are happy to stay single. Their proportion jumped from just 13.3 percent in 2005 to 28.1 percent last year, according to the latest census released by Statistics Korea on Monday.

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

HanKyoReh-Shinmoon (http://english.hani.co.kr)

As global deposits near depletion, urban mining for rare metals

Around the year 2100, the earth’s deposits of mineral resources will be exhausted. Around the same time, people will probably be throwing away three times as much trash as they do today. The various technologies that are expected to dominate the society in the future - including artificial intelligence, robotics, the internet of things, self-driving cars, 3D printers and quantum computing - use an incredible amount of precious metals. Urban mining, or the industry of extracting minerals from waste products, is the driver of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

At Yongsan US military base, ground pollutants 500 times normal levels

Levels of benzene, total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH), and other contaminants were detected at over 500 times the standard in underground water around Yongsan Garrison.

Four new books peel away the fake legend of Park Geun-hye

Everyone is curious about Park Geun-hye. The more is revealed about the Choi Sun-sil government interference scandal, the more people’s perceptions of Park go back and forth between “puppet,” “princess,” and “dictator.” They’ve only seen what they wanted to from her.

Bucking the trend, a humanities bookstore opens

Clockwise from the left, Kim Joon-soo, joint director of liberal arts and social science bookstore Stored Knowledge, Lee Dong-joo and store manager Choi Ea-ri pose at the store in Seoul’s Sungbuk district, Dec. 23. Lee said he opened the store after graduating from university to make it easier for his junior classmates to buy books. Bookstores selling humanities and social science works are disappearing, making it hard to find such books even in university areas.

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

JoongAng-Ilbo(conservative) (http://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/)

Lawmakers interrogate Choi Soon-sil in detention

A parliamentary committee investigating the abuse of power scandal that led to the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye visited the detained woman at the center of the case, presidential friend Choi Soon-sil.

Chaebol skip some end-of-year rituals

Korean conglomerates are having a gloomy year’s end, hit by a double whammy of an economic squeeze and an investigation of their involvement in the corruption and abuse of power scandal that could cost President Park Geun-hye her job.

Indie counsel raids search for evidence of culture blacklist

The homes of Kim Ki-choon, former presidential chief of staff, and Cho Yoon-sun, minister of culture, sports and tourism, were raided Monday as an independent counsel examines allegations they had a blacklist of nearly 10,000 figures in the Korean culture scene who held liberal views.

Pork gets proud place in 2017’s gift hampers

It’s pork’s turn to be the star in holiday gift sets. Squeezed out: premium hanwoo or Korean beef.

Second marriages keep rising in Korea

Koreans’ approach to marriage and children continues to evolve.

According to the latest statistics, in one out of five newly married couples, one of the partners has been married before.

Gov’t to invest in new technology

With the government in search of ways to improve the Korean economy, nearly 90 billion won ($75 million) will be invested as subsidies in small and medium enterprises next year to increase their technological capability in emerging industries.

Pizza can bring in the dough

If you want to open up a pizza shop, teaming up with Pizza Hut is the most expensive option. But when it comes to turnover, Domino’s is the way to go.

Restructuring to be continued

The government said local corporations going through management restructuring plans have seen improvement and it will continue to support them next year, while encouraging other industries go through restructuring when needed.

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

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

Ban Ki-moon's Imminent Return, "Verification" Awaits

Arguments continue on the allegation that UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (72, photo), cited as a strong presidential candidate, received $230,000 from Park Yeon-cha, former chairman of Taekwang Inc. Ban denied the allegation claiming it was outrageous slander, but the impact remains. Ban announced that he would return in January and begin preparing for his presidential bid, and some experts claim that he will now be put to the test, undergoing a verification process to see whether he is suitable as a presidential candidate.

Chickens and Ducks Buried 2 Years Ago Because of AI, 60% Were Healthy

More than 60% of the chickens and ducks that were slaughtered for highly pathogenic H5N8-type avian influenza (AI), which swept the nation in 2014, were confirmed to have been healthy. Experts continue to argue for a need to set a scientific and sophisticated range for slaughter, but the government has failed to make any improvements.

[Pretrial Conference of Impeachment Case] Constitutional Court Expected to Focus on "Constitutional Violations," Easier to Judge Than Legal Violations

On December 22, the Constitutional Court reorganized the nine reasons for the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye submitted by the lawmakers into five. This seems to display the court‘s determination to review the impeachment proposal in a speedy manner. Some experts believe that the Constitutional Court will divide the grounds of impeachment into two categories?constitutional violations and legal violations?and concentrate on reviewing the constitutional violations.

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

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

Won-Dollar Exchange Rate May Shoot up to 1,300 Won Next Year

Amid a situation in which the dollar's value is rising at a rapid pace after the U.S. Fed's rate hike, analysts said the won-dollar exchange rate may shoot up to 1,300 won per dollar by the second quarter of next year from about 1,200 won now. Even if the depreciating won is an opportunity for exporters like those in automobiles, electronics, and ships, it is bad news for air carriers like Korean Airlines and Asiana Airlines.

Doosan Heavy Ind Rises on News of Winning 2.8 Tril. Won Indian Project

Doosan Heavy Industries is rising fast on the news that the company won an order worth 2.76 trillion won in India. At 9:07 am on December 26, its shares were traded at 28,500 won, up 1.79 percent (500 won) from the previous trading day.

1 Tril. Won Private-Public Fund to Be Created to Invest in Future Industries

The government will push forward with a plan to create a fund worth 1 trillion won jointly with private-sector investment firms to invest in new growth industries such as biotech, robotics, and driverless vehicles. Similar to the Yozma venture fund in Israel, this is the first instance of a private-public investment fund in Korea.

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

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

Boxing legend Pacquiao's dream of meeting S. Korean idol comes true

Manny "the Pacman" Pacquiao, a Filipino boxing legend, must have had a lot planned for his first family visit to South Korea last week and one of the first things he crossed off his to-do list was meeting a young idol.

Dunken passenger apologizes for in-flight rampage, memory blackout

The man accused of a drunken rampage aboard a flight from Vietnam to South Korea cited an alcohol-induced memory blackout Monday as he appeared for a criminal investigation by police.

US expert criticizes Trump for lacking plan on N. Korea: Yonhap

US President-elect Donald Trump appears to lack a plan on how to deal with North Korea even though his administration is set to take off in less than a month, a US expert said.

One in every four Koreans use mobile payment services: survey

One in every four Koreans used mobile payment services in the first six months of this year to buy products online and offline in one of the world's most wired countries, according to a central bank survey.

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

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

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

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

Gwangmyeong Daily 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

lemonde www.ilemonde.com

Italy rarepupeul Rica 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 Herald www.smh.com.au

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