Monday July 13, 2020
Round-up of important news from major Korean dailies and from international media today
The Korea Post (http://www.koreapost.com/)
“The issue at hand is ‘green,’ I am seeking ways for sustainable growth”
As the CEO of SK Innovation, I am constantly contemplating ways for our company to achieve sustainable growth and bring even greater happiness. In order to draw a new future, I heed the voices of stakeholders regarding their expectations from our company, and it all pretty much comes down to one key value: it’s “green.” This brings me to the question, “How can I turn ‘green,’ i.e. the environment, which is an obstacle for petrochemical companies, into the growth vision of SK Innovation?”
Former Mayor Park Won-soon found dead north of Seoul after a suicide
Mayor Park Won-soon of the Metropolitan Seoul City Government was found dead at the Waryong Park on a small mountain in the norther part of the Seoul City yesterday (July 10, 2020). This was disclosed by the Seoul Police yesterday. It is one of the country’s highest-profile suicides in recent history.
The body of Park, 64, was found at Mount Bugak, hours after he was reported missing. The exact cause of his death is not kown and is currently under investigation.
Park’s daughter had reported the mayor’s missing at 5:17 p.m. on July 8 saying that “My father left home four to five hours ago after leaving words like a will, with his phone already turned off.”
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KBS (http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/news/)
Mourners Continue to Pay Respects to Late Seoul Mayor amid Controversy
More than 20-thousand people paid tribute to late Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon at a memorial altar set up in front of City Hall.
According to the city government, 20-thousand-382 citizens visited the altar on Saturday and Sunday. It is open to citizens from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Park's funeral service is scheduled for Monday morning, but the city will operate the public memorial altar until Monday night.
About 85-hundred mourners visited another memorial altar set up at Seoul National University Hospital as of 8 p.m. Sunday.
Rains Forecast for S. Korea Monday
South Korea is expected to see rain on Monday, with heavy rain advisories issued for parts of the nation.
The Korea Meteorological Administration forecast more than 150 millimeters of rain for eastern parts of Gangwon Province and coastal areas in South Gyeongsang Province until Tuesday.
About 50 to 100 millimeters is expected for coastal areas in South Jeolla Province, southern regions and Mount Jiri, with 30 to 80 millimeters for southern Gyeonggi, Chungcheong and Jeolla provinces, Jeju Island and Dokdo islet.
Gov’t Requires Foreigners from High-risk Nations to Submit Virus Test Certificate
Starting from Monday, South Korea will require foreigners arriving from high-risk nations to submit a certificate showing they have tested negative for COVID-19.
The high-risk countries subject to the new measure are Bangladesh, Pakistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.
According to health authorities on Monday, the government will require foreign nationals from these countries to provide certificates issued within 48 hours proving they have tested negative for the virus on a polymerase chain reaction test.
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Yonhap (http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr)
Political controversy erupts over mourning Seoul mayor's passing
While South Koreans are in shock and grief over the abrupt death of Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon last week, the political community here seems to be split over the formalities of publicly mourning it.
The controversy is largely because he apparently took his own life in the face of a probe into suspicions that he had sexually harassed one of his female former assistants.
Critics call for mourning Park's death in a low-key manner, citing the human rights of the alleged victim, who filed a formal complaint with police against him.
S. Korea ends mask rationing scheme after 4-month operation
After a four-month operation, South Korea's mask ration system ended Sunday as the supply of face masks designed to help fight the new coronavirus has stabilized.
As prices of protective masks skyrocketed amid the COVID-19 outbreak here, the country introduced the mask rationing scheme in early March in a bid to smooth out high demand.
Under the scheme, citizens were allowed to buy a limited number of protective masks every week at pharmacies for 1,500 won (US$1.24). The weekly limit started with two masks and was raised to 10 masks.
State-led sales campaign set to end, department stores report revenue increase
A state-led sales festival designed to boost spending amid the coronavirus outbreak was set to end Sunday, with major department stores posting an increase in revenue on high demand for luxury goods.
But discount store chains and traditional markets did not see intended sales-boosting impacts due mainly to a compulsory closure of outlets and lack of promotion strategy, respectively.
South Korea kicked off the 17-day sales festival, called the "Korea Donghaeng Sale" campaign, on June 26 in an effort to boost faltering domestic demand amid the new coronavirus outbreak. "Donghaeng" means going along together in Korean.
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The Korea Times (http://www.koreatimes.co.kr)
Deaths of two leaders left Korean society divided
The recent deaths of two prominent national figures ― Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon and Korean War hero Paik Sun-yup ― have seen the emergence of polarized public opinion, focusing society on the deeply dividing and complex issues that the country already faces.
The conflict comes amid different assessments of the lives of the two leaders ― some argue that their accomplishments should be honored, thus they deserve respectful treatment in their funerals; while others claim that people should not overlook the wrongdoings they committed.
Controversy rising over burial of late general at national cemetery
The death of Paik Sun-yup, a Korean War hero and South Korea's first four-star general, has brought an ideological controversy to the political and civic arenas over where he should be buried due to his record of service in the Japanese Army during Japan's colonial rule of Korea (1910-45).
While he has been highly recognized as a war hero by the South Korean and U.S. militaries, and his contributions during the war entitled him to be buried in a national cemetery, opponents claim he doesn't deserve the honor due to his alleged pro-Japanese activities.
BTS, EXO's hairdresser reveals A to Z of K-pop hairstyling
When K-pop behemoths like BTS and EXO want to elevate their looks to the next level for their schedules, they first turn to hair designer Park Nae-joo. Monsta X, NCT, GOT7, The Boyz and Golden Child are also among the acts Park has been styling for.
With combs and scissors in hand, the hairdresser has traveled to all parts of the world with the singers. He even headed to Las Vegas last year to do hair for BTS at the Billboard Music Awards.
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HanKyoReh Shinmun (http://english.hani.co.kr)
S. Korean counties experience with publicly operated bus networks
“You bet it’s great! It means I can take a free trip to the market. Old folks don’t have much in the way of money,” said Park Yeong-jun, a resident of Deoku Village (Jeongseon Township, Jeongseon County, Gangwon Province).
Learning that he could ride the bus for free brought a big smile to the face of this 77-year-old man.
“In the past, going to the five-day market just around the corner cost 2,800 won [US$2.34] just for the bus fare. Now we can go wherever we please without worrying about money. If I get stir crazy, I can just hop on the bus and visit a friend or relative. What could be better than that?”
S. Korea’s cruise industry and tourism rocked by COVID-19
After all the scrambling by local governments with ports in their area to foster and support cruise tourism, the industry is now in danger of foundering. Previously seen as a prime example of the high value-added tourism industry, it suffered reversals of fortune over several years due to China’s retaliation over the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-missile system. With the novel coronavirus pandemic on top of that, the industry now finds itself with almost no customers. The ongoing global pandemic means that it is unlikely to recover any time soon -- deepening the woes for the local governments in question.
More than half of S. Koreans think chaebol reform helps with economic growth, survey finds
More than half of respondents in an opinion poll agreed that chaebol reform “helps with economic growth.”
According to results published by the Economic Reform Research Institute (ERRI) on July 8 from a survey of public perceptions of the government’s economic policies, 53.6% of respondents responded in the affirmative when asked whether they agreed that “chaebol reform will help with economic growth in the long term.” Just 39.4% of respondents said it would “not be helpful.” Conducted by Hangil Research at ERRI’s request, the survey was administered to a total of 1,000 South Koreans aged 18 and older nationwide on July 4, 6, and 7. The margin of error was ±3.1 percentage points with a 95% confidence level.
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Chosun Ilbo (http://english.chosun.com)
Korea, U.S. to Cancel Summer Drill Over Coronavirus Fears
Korea and the U.S. are likely to cancel a large-scale military exercise scheduled for mid-August as coronavirus infections spike to record levels in America.
"We're discussing conducting how to conduct [the drill] but haven't decided yet whether to downscale or postpone it," a government source said.
The two allies also canceled a joint drill slated for March amid fears of COVID-19, but the epidemic has not abated in Korea and some 70,000 new infections a day are found in the U.S., where some 1 million people are now infected.
Coronavirus Blights Koreans' Summer Holiday Plans
The coronavirus epidemic has blighted many people's summer holiday plans and is virtually guaranteed to keep them in the country.
Employment portal Job Korea asked 1,023 salaried workers about their vacation plans, and only 9.1 percent said they intended to go anywhere this summer, while 59 percent said they are watching the situation and have not made plans yet.
Some 22.9 percent said they do not plan to go anywhere, and 6.4 percent had postponed their plans.
Int'l Flights Resume But Stay Empty
Korean carriers have resumed international flights in a desperate bid to stay afloat, but the operation rate is still only about 10 percent of pre-coronavirus levels and the number of passengers a mere two percent.
Air Busan will resume flights on the Incheon-Shenzhen route from July 17, more than four months after it suspended all international flights.
Asiana Airlines will resume flights between Incheon and Nanjing from Sunday and T'way Air to Ho Chi Minh City and Hong Kong from July 22.
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The Dong-A Ilbo (http://english.donga.com/)
“No direct (phone) line between Trump and Kim”
John Bolton, the former National Security Advisor to President Donald Trump and author of a best-selling book which has laid bare his thoughts on the president's foreign policy controversies, "The Room Where It Happened", set out his comments unabashedly. Meeting with Dong-A Ilbo and it's affiliate ChannelA via online on July 10, he said "Trump talks about a lot of things that aren't true" - referring to a direct (phone) line or number with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un which President Donald Trump often has boasted as a sign of their 'special relationship'.
LG Electronics releases patented air-purifying masks
LG Electronics has launched “electronic mask” that is enabled by patented air-purifying technologies and donated 2,000 electronic masks to medical professionals who have to wear masks all day long. A ceremony was held on Friday to deliver the masks to medical staff at Severance Hospital of Yonsei University in Seodaemun district, Seoul.
Japanese real estate company spread anti-Korean information
Fuji Properties, a Japanese real estate company, has reportedly distributed anti-Korean information through its internal education materials signed by the president. It claimed that “comfort women led a luxurious lifestyle” while describing South Koreans as “wild animals” and their nation as “liar.”
According to the Osaka Bar Association and Asahi Shimbun on Sunday, Fuji Properties included excerpts from books and magazines that criticized South Korea and China and employees’ reviews of them in its education materials from 2013 to 2015.
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The KyungHyang Shinmun (http://english.khan.co.kr/)
Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon Dead Following a Sexual Harassment Claim
Park Won-soon (65), the mayor of Seoul, who went missing after communication was severed, was found dead on July 10. With no signs of forced trauma, it appears the mayor may have taken his own life. This day, the police received a report on sexual harassment allegations against Mayor Park.
On July 10, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency announced, “Mayor Park was found dead in the mountain near Samcheonggak, Seoul.” He was discovered approximately seven hours after the police launched a search following a missing persons report from the mayor’s family at 5:17 p.m. the previous day.
Comprehensive Real Estate Tax Raised up to 6% and Benefits for Rent Businesses Reduced
On July 10, the government and the ruling party will announce changes to the tax system, and at the center of these changes is an increase of the comprehensive real estate holding tax from the current maximum of 3.2% to up to 6%. The government aims to increase the property holding tax to deter speculative demand and encourage people with multiple properties to release some of their property to the market, but the latest measure has triggered a heated debate on its effectiveness.
“‘Private’ Punishment Is Our Only Option” An Incapable State Gives Rise to a Digital Prison
The Digital Prison, which releases the personal details of violent criminals, such as sex offenders, child abusers and murderers, is gaining public support. Behind the rise of the Digital Prison lies the disappointment and distrust in the current judicial system, which seems incapable of “justly” punishing sex offenders.
Hwang Da-ye (27), currently seeking employment, argued that the existence of the Digital Prison showed how lightly our society viewed sex crimes. She said, “I can’t say that there are no legal problems, but as a woman I want to support it. Since the criminals posted on the website violated the rights of women by carelessly selling and buying their sexuality, I actually think it is, in a way, just punishment. There are many women who opted to take their lives because of online sex crimes.”
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Maeil Business News Korea (http://www.pulsenews.co.kr/)
Kakao shares hit fresh highs, with market cap topping $25 bn
Kakao Corp., operator of South Korea’s most popular messenger app, is now the eighth-largest stock on the benchmark Kospi by market value as its shares touched new highs on growing investor enthusiasm over tech stocks.
Kakao finished Friday at 355,500 won ($295.5), unchanged from the previous session when it closed 8.38 percent higher to hit a new record high. It now stands No. 8 on Kospi with a market capitalization of 31.6 trillion won, a big leap from its 22nd ranking six months ago.
S. Korea ups maximum tax rate on multiple homeowners to 6.0%
South Korea will up the maximum tax rate on multiple homeowners to 6.0 percent, nearly doubled from current 3.2 percent, in yet another action to rein in runaway home prices mostly in Seoul.
Deputy Prime Minister Hong Nam-ki announced the revisions to the property ownership tax code as the heat in the property market failed to die down despite multiple regulations – 21 sets - over the last three years including the latest last month.
Seoul mayor found dead, public mourning to be held for 5 days
Park Won-soon, mayor of Seoul and potential presidential candidate from the liberal front, was found dead just hours after being reported missing on Thursday, local police said.
His body was discovered at Mount Bugak in northern Seoul, police confirmed early Friday.
The funeral for the first death of a sitting mayor will be administered by the city government next Monday, with a public mourning altar to be installed in front of City Hall for five days.
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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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