Thursday May 14, 2020
Round-up of important news from major Korean dailies and from international media today
The Korea Post (http://www.koreapost.com/)
Temporary ease of control causes sudden increase of COVID-19 infections
Korea reported 26 more coronavirus cases today in the wake of a cluster infection connected to the clubs and drinking joints in the downtown Itaewon area in Seoul as Korean health authorities strove to contain the new spread of COVID-19.
According to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC), the 26 new cases brings the total number of COVID cases to 10,962.
Samsung expands its catalogue with a new collection of paintings from Spain
Samsung Electronics has announced its commitment to the world of art and culture by adding 38 new art pieces from the Thyssen Museum in Spain to its Art Store.
According to Public Relations officials at Samsung Electronics yesterday, the pieces are an addition to the existing collection available since last October, when Samsung and the Thyssen Museum presented an exhibition named “The Impressionists and The Photography”, composed of six iconic art pieces by impressionist painters from the museum.
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KBS (http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/news/)
COVID-19 Infections Linked to Itaewon Club District Reaches 119
The number of COVID-19 infections linked to the nightlife district in Seoul's Itaewon has surpassed 110.
At a press briefing, Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon said as of 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, 119 people who either visited the area or had contact with an infected patient have tested positive.
This comes a week after the first related case was reported on May 6.
April Employment Posts Steepest Decline in 21 Years
The number of employed in South Korea stood at 26-point-56 million in April, marking the biggest monthly drop in over 21 years. The national statistics service explained that the COVID-19 outbreak led to 470-thousand job losses last month. The sobering figures show that the economically active population shrank as well.
Park Jong-hong has this report.
UN Friends Group Holds Inaugural Talks to Cope with COVID-19
With the world still in the throes of the COVID-19 crisis, South Korea led the launch of a multilateral group in the United Nations, aimed at fostering cooperation among members and health experts. The group intends to work on measures to fight not only the current pandemic, but also other outbreaks that could occur in the future.
Kim Bum-soo has more on the group's first meeting.
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Yonhap (http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr)
Itaewon cluster caseload soars to 120, more secondary infections confirmed in Incheon, Busan
Cases linked to nightspots in the Seoul neighborhood of Itaewon hit 120 on Wednesday as secondary infections surfaced across the country, stoking concerns over the possibility of a bigger outbreak.
Infections in Seoul accounted for more than half of the cases at 70, with the number feared to rise after more visitors to the affected area are tested for the coronavirus. Some 20,000 have so far been tested, according to the health minister.
S. Korea tracking hidden virus cases tied to Itaewon cluster amid community spread concerns
South Korea's health authorities on Wednesday again urged those who visited Itaewon in Seoul, the site of another infection cluster, to receive coronavirus tests amid growing concerns over community spread.
Twenty-six new cases of COVID-19 were reported Wednesday, with 18 of them tied to nightclubs and bars in the popular nightlife district in downtown Seoul, bringing the nation's total coronavirus cases to 10,962, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
S. Korea aims to create 1.56 mln jobs in public sector
South Korea aims to create 1.56 million jobs in the public sector, Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki said Thursday, as the nation's economy suffered its sharpest job losses in 21 years over the coronavirus pandemic.
Hong said the government will soon draw up plans to mitigate the impact of the coronavirus on the job market.
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The Korea Herald (http://www.koreaherald.com)
Leaders of Samsung, Hyundai meet on EV battery tech
The de facto leaders of Samsung Electronics and Hyundai Motor Group held a business meeting Wednesday to discuss cooperation on battery technology for electric vehicles.
Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong and Hyundai Motor Senior Vice Chairman Chung Euisun met at an EV battery plant operated by Samsung SDI, in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province.
S. Korea aims to create 1.56m jobs in public sector
South Korea aims to create 1.56 million jobs in the public sector, Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki said Thursday, as the nation's economy suffered its sharpest job losses in 21 years over the coronavirus pandemic.
Hong said the government will soon draw up plans to mitigate the impact of the coronavirus on the job market.
Xi affirms determination to visit S. Korea this year during phone talks with Moon
Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed Wednesday that he remains firmly committed to a plan to visit South Korea within this year, speaking on the phone with President Moon Jae-in.
Moon replied that Xi's trip here is "more important than any other thing" in Seoul-Beijing relations, according to Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kang Min-seok.
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The Korea Times (http://www.koreatimes.co.kr)
Expats suffer workplace discrimination amid Itaewon outbreak
Foreigners working in Korea are grappling with the fallout from the recent massive coronavirus outbreak linked to five clubs in Itaewon, and along with certain sexual minorities, are facing discrimination and harassment, especially in their workplaces, according to three interviews Wednesday.
Some members of the foreign community here have expressed concerns that this will further escalate over time, saying it is unfair for them to be treated as possible spreaders of the coronavirus under the preconceptions that all non-Koreans here often visit the multicultural entertainment district in Seoul.
Moon, Xi seeking to hold summit in Korea this year
Chinese President Xi Jinping reconfirmed his willingness to visit Korea this year once the handling of the COVID-19 crisis improves, during a phone conversation with President Moon Jae-in, according to Cheong Wa Dae, Wednesday.
The two leaders also discussed strong bilateral cooperation on minimizing the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Samsung, Hyundai heirs meet for potential battery partnership
Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong and Hyundai Motor Group Executive Vice Chairman Chung Euisun had a rare face-to-face meeting on the sidelines of the latter's visit to a Samsung battery production facility south of Seoul.
Representatives from both conglomerates downplayed the significance of the encounter with an official at Hyundai Motor saying the meeting wasn't aimed at "a certain deal or business," and was used as an opportunity to "share opinions and thoughts" on business issues affecting the companies.
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HanKyoReh Shinmun (http://englishani.co.kr)
S. Korea’s path in the post-America, post-corona era
So far, more than 83,000 Americans have died from COVID-19. Various analyses have already been made about why the US has seen so many fatalities since its first death occurred shortly after South Korea’s. Former President Barack Obama has slammed the Trump administration for serious problems with its response to the disease. But would the situation really have been any different if the Democrats had been in power?
How what kind of post-corona world will S. Korea build?
Even though we’re still in the middle of the crisis caused by the coronavirus, there is keen interest in all sectors of society about the post-coronavirus world. Such interest is likely the product of the profound uncertainty inherent in this unprecedented situation. In a recent interview, philosopher Jürgen Habermas said the only thing we can be certain about right now is that we’ve never been so aware of our ignorance and about the necessity of living with uncertainty
Sungshin Women’s Univ. professor launches international campaign to ban Rising Sun Flag during Olympics
Seo Kyung-duk, a professor at Sungshin Women’s University, has launched an international campaign to have the use of Japan’s Rising Sun Flag banned for the Tokyo Olympics next year. Seo began posting content on social media regarding the Rising Sun Flag and its historical implications, to which other people responded by translating his posts into 11 languages, thereby increasing their international clout.
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Chosun Ilbo (http://english.chosun.com)
Most Jobseekers Now Willing to Work for Smaller Firms
Eight out of 10 jobseekers are now willing to work for smaller companies despite an ingrained preference for big conglomerates, a straw poll suggests.
Employment portal Job Korea polled 1,214 jobseekers recently and 78.3 percent said they would throw snobbery overboard and take a first job in a small or medium-sized companies.
Even among university graduates the proportion was 74 percent, compared to 90.3 percent of vocational college graduates.
Murdered Student's Parents Vow Vengeance on N.Korea
The parents of the American student Otto Warmbier have vowed personal vengeance for the murder of their son in a North Korean jail.
Fred and Cindy Warmbier are personally trying to track down the overseas assets squirreled away by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and recently dug up US$23.79 million in frozen North Korea-related accounts at several banks in the U.S. with the help of U.S. politicians and a global Jewish network.
35% of Bankers Make Six-Figure Salaries
Thirty-five out of every 100 bankers earned a six-figure salary last year, and some seven percent of them made more than W150 million (US$1=W1,225).
But their high pay was not a reward for better performance but simply due to the banks' seniority system.
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The Dong-A Ilbo (http://english.donga.com/)
Fauci warns of reopening U.S. economy too soon
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Director Anthony Fauci testified at a Senate hearing on Tuesday and warned of “suffering and death” if the economy is reopen to soon. Fauci, who has not hesitated to offer straightforward advice on COVID-19 to President Donald Trump, publicly expressed his concern about the Trump administration’s push to reopen the economy.
Rim Gwang Il to lead N. Korea’s overseas operations bureau
Rim Gwang Il, who was involved in the 2015 DMZ landmine blast, has been appointed to the head of the Reconnaissance General Bureau that overseas operations against South Korea and foreign countries, said the Ministry of Unification on Wednesday. Lim’s predecessor, Jang Gil Song took office in 2016 when then General Bureau chief Kim Yong Chol was appointed to the head of the United Front Department.
Facebook detects 90% of hate speech prior to reports
Facebook can now detect 90% of hate speech and other illegal content that had been posted and deleted ahead of users’ reports.
On Tuesday, Facebook announced its fifth edition of the Community Standards Enforcement Report to provide details on how the company enforced its policies from October 2019 to March 2020. The company applied AI technology to proactively respond to hate speech.
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The KyungHyang Shinmun (http://english.khan.co.kr/)
South Korea Gives Japan an Ultimatum
The South Korean government asked the Japanese government for its specific position on resolving bilateral trade issues by the end of this month. Trade issues emerged after Japan enforced tighter export regulations on three materials used to produce semiconductors and excluded South Korea from the list of “white countries” enjoying a faster export process. Lee Ho-hyeon, an official overseeing trade policies at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy held a press briefing at the government office in Sejong on the afternoon of May 12 and said, “It has been nearly a year since Japan announced tighter export control, and we cannot put off resolving this issue any longer,” as he shared the government’s message to Japan.
“Find the Hidden COVID-19 Cases” Efforts to Block Local Transmission, a Fight Against Time
As the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in connection to Itaewon clubs surpasses a hundred, local governments nationwide are concentrating all their resources to seek out hidden patients who visited the clubs.
Schools to Delay Offline Classes Another Week, Due to Massive COVID-19 Transmission at Itaewon
Authorities continued to confirm cases of COVID-19 from a massive transmission that occurred in the clubs at Itaewon, Seoul. The number of COVID-19-positive cases in connection to the clubs continue to rise and cases of secondary transmission have also been confirmed, forcing the government to postpone the first day of offline classes in schools another week to May 20. Originally, schools were scheduled to begin on May 13 with classes for twelfth graders. The offline classes for the other students will also be pushed back a week.
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Maeil Business News Korea (http://www.pulsenews.co.kr/)
Rare meeting of Samsung and Hyundai Motor heads raises expectation of EV collabo
The common challenges on the home and external front have brought leaders of South Korea’s two most valuable companies together, raising expectations for collaboration in the smart mobility from the best of Korean technology and vehicle names.
KT’s Q1 OP more than double on rise in IPTV, 5G subscribers
KT Corp., South Korea’s second-largest mobile operator, fared better than expected in the first quarter, when COVID-19 had crippled most businesses across the board, thanks to a jump in internet on-demand TV and 5G service sales during social distancing.
S. Korea suffers steepest job loss in April in 21 yrs
South Korea shed 476,000 jobs in April compared with a year earlier, its steepest monthly loss in more than two decades, as the coronavirus fallout extended into the second quarter.
The number of employed totaled 26.56 million, down 476,000 from the same month a year ago, Statistics Korea data showed Wednesday.
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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.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.de forum@sueddeutsche.de
Australia Brisbane Times www.brisbanetimes.com.au syndication@fairfaxmedia.com.au
Sydney Morning Heraldwww.smh.com.au
Colombia Reports http://www.colombiareports.com
Bogota Free Planet http://www.bogotafreeplanet.com,bfp@bogotafreeplanet.com
El Universal https://www.eluniversal.com.mx/english
Andes https://www.redaktionstest.net/andes-info-ec/
Ecuador Times https://www.ecuadortimes.net/
The Jordan Times https://www.jordantimes.com/
LSM.lv https://www.lsm.lv//
The Baltic Times http://www.baltictimes.com lithuania@baltictimes.com, estonia@baltictimes.com, editor@baltictimes.com
El Pais https://english.elpais.com/
Philippine Daily Inquirer https://www.inquirer.net/
Daily News Hungary https://dailynewshungary.com/
Budapest Times https://www.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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