Tuesday June 30, 2020
Round-up of important news from major Korean dailies and from international media today
The Korea Post (http://www.koreapost.com/)
Chungju City signs investment accord with Mighty Water, Cheonam Food sign KWN14.9 billion
The Chungju City government has signed investment agreements with promising start-ups companies who begin new businesses in the region, invigorating the local economy, which has stagnated due to the spread of COVID-19 epidemics.
The province and the Chungju City signed an investment agreement worth KWN14.9 billion won with two companies, Mighty Water Co., Ltd. and Cheonam Food Co., Ltd., at the central tower conference room at the Chungju City Hall on June.
http://www.koreapost.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=20994
Yoga is an ancient Indian practice for physical, mental, spiritual well-being
Question: What is the meaning and significance of Yoga?
Answer: Yoga is an ancient Indian practice for physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing. Strongly rooted in ancient Indian philosophy, it means to ‘unite’ signifying the union of the mind, body and soul to the universe. According to yogic scriptures, the practice of Yoga leads to the union of individual consciousness with the universal consciousness. One who experiences this oneness of existence is said to be in “Yoga” as is termed as a “Yogi” who has attained a state of freedom.
http://www.koreapost.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=20992
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KBS (http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/news/)
S. Korea's Industrial Output Falls 1.2% in May
South Korea's industrial output and investment dropped in May as the COVID-19 pandemic hurt exports, but consumption increased for the second consecutive month thanks to coronavirus relief payouts.
According to Statistics Korea on Tuesday, the nation's overall industrial production fell one-point-two percent on-month in May.
WTO to Decide on Panel Creation for S. Korea-Japan Trade Row Next Month
The World Trade Organization(WTO) will decide next month whether to set up a dispute-settlement panel to look into South Korea's complaint against Japan's export restrictions.
The Dispute Settlement Body of the trade organization held a meeting on Monday to discuss the panel’s creation, but failed to do so because of Japan's rejection.
The panel is expected to be created in the next DSB meeting, as WTO regulations stipulate it should be automatically set up unless all members unanimously reject it in the second meeting.
US Starts to Eliminate Hong Kong's Special Status over Security Law
The United States has reportedly begun eliminating Hong Kong's special trading status, suspending defense exports and restricting the territory's access to high technology products.
According to Reuters, U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said on Monday in a statement that the U.S. was suspending "preferential treatment" to Hong Kong over China, including the availability of export license exceptions.
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Yonhap (http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr)
S. Korea's industrial output suffers extended slump in May amid virus pandemic
South Korea's industrial output extended its slump in May as the coronavirus pandemic disrupted supply chains, but retail sales reported a robust gain, data showed Tuesday.
The nation's overall industrial production fell 1.2 percent on-month in May, following a 2.8 percent on-month plunge in April, according to data compiled by Statistics Korea.
Compared with a year earlier, overall industrial production also plunged 5.6 percent in May.
E. coli infections tied to kindergarten south of Seoul rise to 58
The number of people infected with a strain of E. coli bacteria in connection to a kindergarten just south of Seoul reached 58, one more from the previous day, health authorities said Monday.
Health authorities have widened a probe into the E. coli outbreak in Ansan, about 50 kilometers south of the capital, since a kindergarten student first showed symptoms of illness on June 12.
Last-place football club scraps plans for reunion with cancer-stricken ex-coach
Incheon United, the last-place club in the top division South Korean football league, will not bring back their cancer-stricken former head coach Yoo Sang-chul after all.
Team officials said Tuesday that Yoo, who left the bench in January to continue his battle with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer, has been told by his doctors that it'd be too much of a health risk for Yoo to return as head coach.
The club had confirmed reports Monday that Yoo had approached Incheon's senior executives and expressed his desire to take the coaching reins again.
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Korea Times (http://www.koreatimes.co.kr)
Trump-Kim summit unlikely before US presidential election: US envoy
The top U.S. envoy for North Korea said Monday that another summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is unlikely before the November presidential election in the United States.
Stephen Biegun, deputy secretary of state and lead negotiator on North Korea's nuclear weapons program, made the comment during a virtual forum hosted by the German Marshall Fund of the United States, a think tank headquartered in Washington.
US ends its special treatment for Hong Kong
The United States began eliminating Hong Kong's special status under U.S. law on Monday, halting defense exports and restricting the territory's access to high technology products as China prepares new Hong Kong security legislation.
The Commerce Department said it was suspending "preferential treatment to Hong Kong over China, including the availability of export license exceptions," adding that further actions to eliminate Hong Kong's privileged status were being evaluated.
Moon set for virtual summit with EU leaders on coronavirus, Korea peace, green energy
South Korean President Moon Jae-in will hold a virtual summit with European Union leaders later Tuesday, as the two sides mark the 10th anniversary of signing a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) and forging strategic partnerships, Cheong Wa Dae said.
In the session to open in the afternoon, Moon is expected to focus discussions with EU Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on ways to cope with the COVID-19 crisis and strengthen cooperation on the Korean Peninsula issue.
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HanKyoReh Shinmun (http://english.hani.co.kr)
Mechanisms for inter-Korean peace are “structurally weak”
While 70 years have passed since the outbreak of the Korean War, peace remains overshadowed by the division of the peninsula and the legacy of the Cold War. Inter-Korean relations cycle through chills and thaws, and Korea’s neighbors are engaged in an ongoing fracas as they struggle to either maintain or change the status quo.
During an interview at the Hankyoreh office on June 24, Hong Seok-ryul, 55, a history professor at Sungshin Women’s University, acknowledged that the “institutional and structural mechanisms for maintaining peace on the Korean Peninsula are extremely weak” but added that South and North Korea have “much more room to try something on their own than they did shortly after their liberation [from Japan’s colonial occupation].”
Review panel of outside experts says prosecutors shouldn’t indict Lee Jae-yong
After a panel of outside experts at the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office (SPO) came to the surprising conclusion on June 26 that the prosecutors should halt their investigation into Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong and not file charges against him, the prosecutors huddled over the weekend to decide how to handle the case moving forward. After the team of investigators submits their collated opinions to the leadership of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office, office director Lee Seong-yun and Prosecutor-General Yoon Seok-youl are likely to make their final decision about whether to indict Lee.
Local police in Gyeonggi Province turn over leaflet investigation to Seoul Metropolitan Police
The local police of Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, have turned over a case involving launches of propaganda balloons towards North Korea to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency (SMPA). The SMPA had already conducted a search and seizure of the offices of Fighters for Free North Korea (FFNK) for violations of laws concerning inter-Korean cooperation and national security. Many of the balloons that were launched by FFNK were discovered the Gwangju police near Namhansanseong Fortress on June 26 and 27.
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Chosun Ilbo (http://english.chosun.com)
Incheon Airport Deserted Despite Peak Summer Season
Some 200 check-in counters at Incheon International Airport's Terminal 2 for 10 foreign carriers plus Korean Air are deserted as what is normally the peak summer season gets underway.
Last year, 187,754 people came and went through the airport every day in May, according to Incheon International Airport Corporation. But the number fell 98 percent in May this year to just 4,449 people.
Japan Opposes Inviting S.Korea to G7 Summit
Japan has expressed opposition to U.S. President Donald Trump's invitation of South Korea to an expanded G7 summit, Kyodo News reported on Sunday.
The message was "conveyed by a high-level Japanese government official immediately after Trump on May 30 broached the idea of inviting Australia, India, Russia and South Korea to this year’s summit," Kyodo wrote quoting U.S. and Japanese diplomatic sources.
Students to File Class Action Lawsuit for Fee Refunds
Some 3,900 graduate and undergraduate students from 124 universities are filing a class-action lawsuit to get their tuition fees refunded because they have not been taught except online.
That is 63 percent of students at four-year universities. They complain of poor-quality online classes during the first semester this year and no use of university facilities.
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The Dong-A Ilbo (http://english.donga.com/)
Deployment of U.S. strategic bombers to Korea has become swifter
The U.S. has deployed three nuclear-driven aircraft carriers and strategic bomber jets near the Korean Peninsula, intensifying its military muscle-flexing against Pyongyang as a response to the North’s military threats led by Kim Yo Jong, the first vice director of the United Front Department of the Workers’ Party of Korea. Experts say that the deployment of U.S. strategic bombers, the key deterrence against North Korea’s nuclear program, has become swifter than ever. They say the bomber jets can be deployed to the peninsula as quick as in three hours or in a maximum six hours.
SK Innovation to invest $940m in battery plant in the U.S.
SK Innovation said on Monday that it held a signing ceremony of investment for its second electric vehicle (EV) battery manufacturing facility in Georgia, the U.S.
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp and SK Battery America CEO Hwang Jun-ho were in attendance at the ceremony, which was held at the government complex of Georgia on June 25 (local time). The South Korean refining and chemical company plans to invest 940 million dollars in constructing its second EV battery manufacturing facility in Georgia. The 39,948m²-plant is expected to produce 11.7GWh of battery a year starting from 2023.
Global COVID-19 daily cases break record with 190,000 cases
The World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Sunday that the global COVID-19 daily cases broke a record with 189,077 cases in the past 24 hours. The previous record was 183,017 cases on June 21.
The Americas account for 62 percent of the cases reported on Sunday, followed by Southeast Asia’s 13 percent and Europe’s 8.8 percent. By country, the U.S. and Brazil account for 49 percent of the total cases.
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The KyungHyang Shinmun (http://english.khan.co.kr/)
Despite the Recommendation by the Investigation Review Committee, Prosecutors Lean Toward Indicting Lee Jae-yong
At present, all eyes are on the Prosecution Service to see if the prosecutors will prosecute Lee Jae-yong (Jay Y. Lee, 52, pictured), vice chairman of Samsung Electronics, allegedly involved in various illegal acts in the process of merging Samsung C&T with Cheil Industries.
On June 26, the investigation review committee at the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office recommended the Service drop the charges against Lee, but it is still very likely for the prosecutors to indict the vice chairman of Samsung. Within the Prosecution Service, the atmosphere is leaning toward the view that Lee should be put to trial and that they should let the court decide, since his case is an unprecedented one involving crimes that disrupted the capital market by manipulating share prices for the interest of the group’s leader, including the succession of management. If the prosecutors decide to prosecute Lee, this will be the first time that they refuse to accept the decision by the investigation review committee.
In an Age of Ten Million Cases of COVID-19, We Need to Prevent a Second Outbreak in Korea at All Costs
A second outbreak of the novel coronavirus is no longer a distant fear. On June 28, the number of COVID-19 cases confirmed worldwide exceeded 10 million. The number of deaths due to the virus also reached 500,000. The world achieved these records in just six months after the first case of the new coronavirus was confirmed in Wuhan, China at the end of last year. In the United States, the number of cases confirmed in a day surpassed 40,000 for the first time. In Europe and India, 20,000 cases are confirmed each day. Expectations that the spread of the virus would slow down in the summer heat were fruitless. The transmission of COVID-19 has accelerated and the virus is now spreading across the entire planet.
President Moon Asks North Korea for “Bold Endeavors to End the War”
On June 25, President Moon Jae-in addressed North Korea and said, “I hope that North Korea will also boldly embark on an endeavor to end the most sorrowful war in world history.” This day, the president attended a ceremony commemorating the 70th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War at a hangar at Seoul Air Base in Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do and also said, “We will continuously search for routes that are mutually beneficial for both Koreas through peace.” President Moon appealed to North Korea for bold efforts as military tension between the two Koreas eased for the present moment following North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s decision to defer the execution of a military action plan against the South.
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Maeil Business News Korea (http://www.pulsenews.co.kr/)
Eastar Jet founding family to relinquish shares amid takeover delay
Founding family members of Eastar Jet Co. will give up their stock ownership, hoping their determination can facilitate Jeju Air Co.’s takeover process of the cash-strapped budget airline that has been at a stalemate after the COVID-19 pandemic has devastated the global aviation industry.
Korean civilian panel recommends against indictment of Samsung heir
An outside panel in South Korea overwhelmingly voted against indicting Samsung Group heir Jay Y. Lee, going against prosecution efforts to bring the country’s most powerful conglomerate to trial on alleged accounting fraud and stock manipulation.
Prosecutors will start reviewing their investigation this week in light of the external panel’s recommendation issued last Friday.
Celltrion gets positive CHMP opinion for additional five indications for Remsima SC
South Korea’s leading biopharmaceutical company Celltrion Inc. said on Monday that it has received a positive opinion from the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human use (CHMP) under the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for additional indications for its autoimmune disease drug Remsima SC, the world’s first subcutaneous infliximab biosimilar.
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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
AustraliaBrisbaneTime www.brisbanetimes.com.au syndication@fairfaxmedia.com.au
Sydney Morning Herald www.smh.com.au
Colombia Reports http://www.colombiareports.com
BogotaFree 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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