Friday July 03, 2020
Round-up of important news from major Korean dailies and from international media today
The Korea Post (http://www.koreapost.com/)
“Korea a valuable partner for Colombia despite geographical distance”
"Korea is a valuable partner for Colombia and although there is geographical distance between the two countries, the mind and heart are very close between the peoples of the two countries.” So said Representative Augusto Castellanos of Procolombia in Seoul at a recent interview with The Korea Post, publisher of 3 English and 2 Korean-language news media for the past 35 years.
http://www.koreapost.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=21011
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
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KBS (http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/news/)
Chief Prosecutors to Discuss Justice Minister's Order
The Supreme Prosecutors' Office will convene meetings of chief prosecutors on Friday to discuss Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae's invoking of her authority on a high-profile investigation.
The directors of prosecutors' offices in the Seoul metropolitan area will reportedly hold the meeting at 2 p.m., before a meeting of the heads of regional prosecutors' offices at 4 p.m.
Minister Choo wielded her authority on Thursday over a probe into the alleged collusion between a senior prosecutor and cable TV news outlet, ordering Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl to halt the creation of an expert advisory panel.
N. Korean Leader Calls for 'Maximum Alert' against COVID-19
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has reportedly presided over a politburo meeting of the ruling Workers' Party to discuss anti-virus efforts amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the North's official Korean Central News Agency(KCNA) on Friday, Kim chaired an enlarged meeting of the Political Bureau of the party's Central Committee on Thursday.
In the meeting, Kim reportedly warned of slight self-complacency or a “relaxation" of anti-virus measures and urged those present to maintain the "maximum alert" against the coronavirus.
Moon Orders Measures to Curb Housing Prices
President Moon Jae-in on Thursday ordered his land minister to seek measures to support people who buy houses for the first time and raise the tax burden on owners of two or more houses.
Presidential spokesperson Kang Min-seok said the president issued the orders after receiving an emergency report on the housing market from Land, Infrastructure and Transport Minister Kim Hyun-mee.
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Yonhap (http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr)
N.K. leader calls for maximum alert against virus, warns of 'unimaginable' crisis
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un called for "maximum alert" against the coronavirus as he presided over a politburo meeting of the ruling Workers' Party, warning that premature easing of anti-virus measures will lead to "unimaginable and irretrievable crisis," state media reported Friday.
It was the second time in three months that the North has convened a politburo meeting to discuss the coronavirus pandemic. That suggests the North's COVID-19 situation could be serious, though Pyongyang claims there has not been a single case.
SK Biopharmaceuticals soars on market debut, largest IPO of the year
SK Biopharmaceuticals Co. Ltd., the largest initial public offering (IPO) of the year so far, made a strong market debut Thursday, finishing at more than two times the IPO price.
The unit of South Korean conglomerate SK Group closed at 127,000 won (US$105), rising by a daily permissible limit of 30 percent, sharply up from the IPO price of 49,000 won.
The company's market cap stood at 9.95 trillion won, the 27th most-valued stock on the main bourse.
Death of triathlete sparks outrage over alleged abuse, prompts investigation
The recent suicide of a young triathlete who claimed to have been abused by her coach and teammates for years has sparked outrage across the nation and prompted investigations by legal and national sports authorities.
Choi Suk-hyeon, a junior bronze medalist at the 2015 Triathlon Asian Championships, was found dead in her room last Friday in Busan, 450 kilometers southeast of Seoul. She was 22.
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The Korea Times (http://www.koreatimes.co.kr)
'Another Trump-Kim summit unlikely
Despite President Moon Jae-in's publicized wishes and an envisaged visit by U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun to Seoul, another summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald Trump is not on the cards, as there is little to motivate the North toward resuming their denuclearization talks, diplomatic experts said Thursday.
Trump and Kim have had three meetings ― in Singapore in June 2018, in Vietnam in February 2019 and at Panmunjeom in June 2019.
Japan needs to lift retaliatory export curbs
Korea and Japan are still at loggerheads over reparations for wartime forced labor and Japan's restrictions on certain materials exported to Korean companies, Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha said Thursday.
Her remarks indicated the soured relations between the two nations are unlikely to be resolved anytime soon; rather, the tension is likely to grow along with Korea's complaint filed with the World Trade Organization (WTO) against Japan over the export curbs.
Social stigma poses threat to coronavirus survivors
Three out of 10 coronavirus patients said they faced mental health challenges after they were confirmed to have COVID-19, a study showed Thursday. The patients surveyed expressed a greater fear of the social stigma attached to them than concern about the illness itself. The Gyeonggi Public Health Institute and a research team from the Seoul National University Graduate School of Public Health unveiled the results of a survey about awareness of COVID-19 conducted on 110 patients, as well as 1,388 people in contact with them and 2,589 members of the general public in Gyeonggi Province from June 3 to 17. Among the confirmed patients, 43.6 percent said they were shocked when they tested positive for the virus, and 51 percent felt insecure after they were quarantined.
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HanKyoReh Shinmun (http://english.hani.co.kr)
Moon stresses need for 3rd N. Korea-US summit
South Korean President Moon Jae-in emphasized the need for a third North Korea-US summit prior to the US presidential election this November. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic and the impending election, however, it’s unclear whether such a summit will actually be held.
Experts on inter-Korean relations debate necessity of joint S. Korea-US military exercises
Moon Chung-in, special advisor to the South Korean president for unification, foreign affairs, and national security, said on July 1 that North Korea will complain about any joint military exercises that South Korea and the US may hold in August regardless of their size or nature, and that South and North Korea should hold in-depth deliberations about those exercises in advance.
Seoul housing crisis continues to worsen for young people
Jung, 34, recently decided to move after spending four years renting a studio apartment near Dangsan Station, in Seoul’s Yeongdeungpo District, under Korea’s unique “key money (jeonse)” arrangement. Jung had been visiting studio and two-bedroom apartments around the station for a couple of months, but he’d had trouble finding anything for less than 200 million won (US$166,533) in key money, a large lump-sum deposit, a system known as jeonse in Korea that serves as an alternative to monthly rent.
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Chosun Ilbo (http://english.chosun.com)
Temporary Employment Still on the Rise
The number of temporary workers keeps increasing despite government efforts to give more employees permanent contracts.
According to Statistics Korea, the number of temporary workers stood at 6.27 million in 2015 to account for 32.5 percent of all salaried workers in Korea. But that rose to a record 7.48 million last year and 36.4 percent.
Few N.Korean Defectors Reach S.Korea During Lockdown
A record-low number of North Korean defectors entered South Korea in the second quarter of this year as the worldwide lockdown thwarted escape plans.
The Unification Ministry said Wednesday that seven North Koreans defected to South Korea in April, two in May and three in June, bringing the quarterly tally to 12. That was the lowest number since statistics started in 2003.
Lotte Department Store Joins Quick Delivery Competition
Lotte Department Store has joined the red-hot competition for fast delivery of products. The chain launched a trial service in Seoul on Monday delivering products within three hours of purchase on its website.
Customers who order before 4:30 p.m. can get them within three hours by motorcycle courier. Around 90,000 products on Lotte's website can be delivered that way.
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The Dong-A Ilbo (http://english.donga.com/)
Putin can serve two more terms until he reaches 84
Russia’s constitutional referendum was a landslide victory for President Vladimir Putin, which can effectively keep him in power for life.
TASS reported that 77 percent of Russian voters backed constitutional reforms while 22 percent voted against them, quoting the electoral commission. Turnout was 65 percent.
Foreign Minister promotes U.S.-N. Korea dialogue every day
South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha revealed Thursday that the U.S. was ready in a flexible stance if the U.S.-North Korea dialogue resumes. On Tuesday, President Moon Jae-in proposed during a video conference with the executive branch of the European Union (EU) a U.S.-North Korea summit to be held before the U.S. presidential election in November.
Samsung helps fight against COVID-19
Samsung Electronics rolled up its sleeves for Solgent, a manufacturer of COVID-19 testing kits based in Daejeon. It sent 20 smart factory experts to Solgent to help streamline its factory operations from production to dispatch including materials management, route optimization and automation. It also developed a mold for tubes within just two weeks so that Solgent do not have to rely on other producers. Now, the weekly output of the South Korean testing kit producer has jumped to 20,000.
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The KyungHyang Shinmun (http://english.khan.co.kr/)
“We Hope the Leaders of N.K. and the U.S. Can Meet Before the U.S. Presidential Election” President Moon Makes Another Attempt at Mediation
President Moon Jae-in said, “It is necessary to promote dialogue between North Korea and the United States before the U.S. presidential election (this coming November),” and announced, “South Korea will do its utmost for North Korea and the U.S. to face each other at the table once more.”
At a South Korea-European Union (EU) video summit with Charles Michel, president of the European Council and Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission on June 30, President Moon said, “It is my firm determination not to allow the hard-won progress and accomplishments in inter-Korean relations to fall back. With patience, I will work to maintain the momentum for dialogue among the two Koreas and the U.S.” according to a senior Cheongwadae (Cheong Wa Dae) official on July 1.
Labor, Management and Government Faced Each Other for the First Time in 22 Years, But Failed to Reach an Agreement on COVID-19
On the morning of July 1, a ceremony was scheduled to celebrate an agreement among labor, management and the government to overcome problems caused by COVID-19 at the prime minister’s official residence in Seoul, but the event was canceled. This day, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun and the representatives of labor, management and the government were to sign a pre-written agreement and announce the details, but the event was canceled after the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, a representative of labor, refused to take part.
Government Fueled the “Faith” in Real Estate. “Raise the Real Estate Holding Tax”
“You can say that they stopped the transactions for now.”
This was the answer given by A, the owner of a real estate agency in Jamsil, Seoul on June 30, when we asked about the market situation after the release of the government’s June 17 real estate measures. Jamsil was newly designated as a zone requiring permission for land transactions, which temporarily “locked” properties for sale, but the market still expects prices to rise.
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Maeil Business News Korea (http://www.pulsenews.co.kr/)
Hyundai Glovis wins exclusive deal to deliver Volkswagen Group cars
Hyundai Glovis Co., a supply chain management and logistics unit of South Korea’s Hyundai Motor Group, has clinched a long-term, exclusive delivery deal that could reach up to 518.2 billion won ($431.4 million) from Europe’s largest finished carmaker Volkswagen Group.
SK Biopharma shares double in public market debut
SK Biopharmaceuticals Co. shares surged in its public market debut Thursday, kicking off what would be South Korea’s biggest initial public offering in three years.
The company’s stock opened on the country’s main Kospi bourse at 98,000 won ($81.5), double its initial offering price of 49,000 won a share.
Korea should consider long-term fiscal health in its economic boosting measures: IMF Director
Last week the International Monetary Fund (IMF) lowered its growth forecast for South Korea`s economy this year to -2.1 percent amid a global economic slowdown, a fallout of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. If this projection is met, Asia’s fourth largest economy will record the second lowest growth rate in history since 1998 when the figure was -5.1 percent. The Korean government is going all out to boost the economic recovery by means of extra budget already three times this year, but a controversy follows over where the budget should go.
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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