Monday, August 24, 2020
Round-up of important news from major Korean dailies and from international media today
The Korea Post (http://www.koreapost.com/)
Moon takes a strong personal interest in promoting relations, cooperation, friendship with Ethiopia
President Moon Jae-in takes a strong personal interest in the promotion of relations, cooperation and friendship with Ethiopia who was the only African country to send combat troops to shed blood-fighting on the side of the Republic of Korea (ROK) and United Nations Forces led by the United States Army during the Korean War (1950-3).
On March 30, 2020, President Moon Jae-in pledged efforts to induce international support for Africa in fighting the coronavirus pandemic during his telephone conversation Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed of Ethiopia.
Songpa-gu hosts 2020 Hanseong Culture Festival thru ‘Ontact’ method
Mayor Park Sung-soo of Songpa-gu (district) in Seoul said, “We have adopted the use of an ‘Ontact’ method in hosting the ‘2020 Hanseong Baekje Culture Festival’ this year to successfully cope with the woes of the on-going COVID-19.” This year’s festival begins on Sept. 23 and continues through the 27th of the same month in on- and off-line programs.
Speaking at a recent interview with The Korea Post media, publisher of 3 English and 2 Korean media outlets since 1985, Mayor Park added, “We will stick to the ‘social distancing method’ to stay away from the pandemic, but, all the same, we are trying to stay closer together heart-to-heart.”
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KBS (http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/news/)
S. Korea Carefully Monitoring Infection Surge before Near-Lockdown Measures
Anchor: Daily COVID-19 infections dropped from 397 to 266 over the weekend in South Korea. The government is carefully monitoring if potential clusters will develop into new epicenters of the nationwide outbreak before putting in place near lockdown-level quarantine measures.
Kim Bum-soo has more.
Report: Daily coronavirus infections have surged from 50 something in the middle of this month to peak at 397 on Saturday.
The daily tally fell by 131 to 266 throughout Sunday but quarantine authorities warned it is too early to confirm a downturn.
COVID-19 Resurgence Dashes Hopes of Economic Recovery in 2nd Half
Anchor: A sharp resurgence in COVID-19 infections in South Korea has dashed hopes of a long-awaited economic rebound during the second half of this year. Bank of Korea Governor Lee Joo-yeol told a panel of lawmakers on Monday that "economic uncertainties have increased," raising the chances of the central bank slashing this year's economic growth forecast. Sam Len reports.
Report: A renewed surge in coronavirus infections is expected to weaken South Korea's economic recovery momentum and heighten uncertainties for the world's 12th-largest economy, Bank of Korea Governor Lee Ju-yeol told lawmakers on Monday.
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Yonhap (http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr)
S. Korea warns of upping virus restrictions; citizens urged to observe strict measures
SEOUL, Aug. 24 (Yonhap) -- South Korea warned on Monday of raising social distancing restrictions if the latest wave of new coronavirus outbreaks does not subside, urging people to strictly abide by anti-virus measures currently in place, as the country's daily new virus cases sharply slowed.
The number of additional new coronavirus cases here sharply slowed to below 300, but the country is still bogged down with a series of cluster infections continuing in the greater Seoul area and other major cities.
Seoul city mandates face masks in anti-virus fight
SEOUL, Aug. 24 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's capital began to mandate face masks Monday in its latest efforts to put the brakes on the new coronavirus that is spreading at an alarming rate in Seoul and surrounding areas.
Under the move, all Seoul residents and visitors to the city are required to wear masks at indoor areas, as well as crowded outdoor venues, with the exception of taking them off for meals, according to the Seoul metropolitan government.
"With the exception of personal spaces like one's home, masks should be worn in all indoor areas. Masks should also be worn outside unless there is no one around you," said Park Yoo-mi, the city's director of public health. "What's important at the moment is wearing masks itself."
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HanKyoReh Shinmun (http://english.hani.co.kr)
[Interview] Why Biden is better than Trump for inter-Korean relations
“Trump can’t solve the North Korean nuclear issue.”
Lee Jong-seok, a senior research fellow at the Sejong Institute and the former South Korean unification minister, has given up any hope that US President Donald Trump might solve the North Korean nuclear issue, and is now suggesting that South Korea should take it upon itself to openly share a more sophisticated alternative approach to the issue prior to the US presidential election. While nuclear negotiations with North Korea and other important foreign affairs are all on hold for the US ahead of its election, Lee suggested that it could lay key groundwork for real progress on future denuclearization talks with the next US administration if South Korea states a clear position and solution for denuclearization and sanctions relief now based on snapback provisions (which withdraw measures in the event that promises are not kept).
S. Koreans view environmental concerns as most important issue for future society
South Koreans view environmental concerns such as climate change as the most important issues for future society and name a “preserved distribution” society, where current resources are effectively preserved for future generations, as their preferred vision for the future, poll findings show. Respondents named a continuation of the current growth- and competition-centered society as the future they most hoped to avoid -- but also predicted it as the most likely form that it will actually take.
The National Assembly Futures Institute (NAFI) recently published a report on its homepage showing the results from a deliberative poll on 502 South Korean adults on “preferences for the future.” It was the first-ever study to adopt a deliberative polling approach to investigate South Koreans’ preferred vision for the future using a sample population selected to reflect regional and age distributions. Deliberative polling is a format in which public opinions are established by providing participants with prior information before gathering their opinions.
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Chosun Ilbo (http://english.chosun.com)
Another Lockdown Looms Amid Coronavirus Resurgence
Korea reported 397 new coronavirus infections on Saturday, the most since March 6. The country has seen a resurgence of more than 300 infections a day for three days running, one in five untraceable.
Health authorities have warned that another lockdown could be imminent and banned all gatherings of more than 10 people and sent schoolkids home.
Yoon Tae-ho, who heads a government taskforce tackling the epidemic, said, "If the current rate of spread does not ease this week, we face a very grave situation that leaves us with no choice but to consider another lockdown."
China Asks for Seoul's Support in Disputes with U.S.
Top Chinese diplomat Yang Jiechi on Saturday asked national security adviser Suh Hoon for support in intensifying diplomatic tensions with the U.S.
Meeting in Busan, the two sides also agreed that Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit South Korea as soon as the coronavirus epidemic eases.
Yang arrived in Busan on Friday and met with Suh at the Westin Chosun hotel on Haeundae Beach, where he "explained Beijing's stance about the latest situation in U.S.-China relations," Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kang Min-seok told reporters.
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The Dong-A Ilbo (http://english.donga.com/)
COVID-19 could be present forever, says an expert
With the COVID-19 virus continuously spreading worldwide, a leading expert said the virus will continue to be present even if vaccines are developed.
“This is a virus that is going to be with us forever in some form or another… So, a bit like flu, people will need re-vaccination at regular intervals,” Professor Mark Walport, a member of the UK government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies, told the BBC in an interview on Saturday. “The COVID-19 situation could go out of control again.” Walport is considered a top immunology expert in the U.K.
Disaster relief fund did not boost consumption
Some suggest their concern on the effect of the first disaster relief fund amid heightened demand on the second relief fund among politicians.
According to the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the government spent 14.3 trillion won (including 2.1 trillion won in local government funding) to provide the first disaster relief fund up to one million won per household in May. It increased the average monthly household income (two or more members) by 4.8 percent year-on-year in the second quarter of the year. It is because public transfer income including the disaster relief fund sharply increased by 127.9 percent even though the income earned by each household such as earned, business and property income decreased.
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The KyungHyang Shinmun (http://english.khan.co.kr/)
154 COVID-19-Positive Students In August Alone: A Tougher Road Ahead for Offline Classes
As COVID-19 spreads in the local communities centered on the Seoul metropolitan area, the impact is being felt among the students. The number of students confirmed to be COVID-19-positive in the past ten days has surpassed the number of students infected with the virus in the two months of June and July. In Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, at a sports facility for students preparing to advance to sports-related departments in college, a cluster of transmissions occurred when 19 high school students were infected with the virus. More than 700 schools nationwide have suspended offline classes, and a red light has lit up on offline classes in the second semester.
Despite the Current Situation, Doctors Push ahead with a Strike: What About an Absence of Health Care?
The Korean Intern Resident Association, which opposes the government’s plan to increase the number of medical school students, will launch a strike for an indefinite period beginning August 21. The Korean Medical Association also decided to hold a second general strike on August 26-28. After the emergency meeting between doctors and the government, which raised hopes for the cancellation of the strikes, collapsed, the government and the medical circle are now launching attacks at each other over the responsibility for the latest negotiation failure. With COVID-19 spreading beyond the greater Seoul area to all corners of the nation, it will be the people who will inevitably suffer the biggest damage.
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Maeil Business News Korea (http://www.pulsenews.co.kr/)
Korea mulls full lockdown amid new virus flare-up
South Korea may face a full lockdown and even mobility restrictions as daily COVID-19 cases have soared to triple-digit figures in the past two weeks.
New cases surged to 397 on Sunday after 10 days of daily caseloads in the triple digits, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). On Monday, the country reported 266 new cases, bringing the total tally to 17,665.
The spread, which has so far been concentrated in Seoul and the surrounding area, has now scattered to other cities and provinces, posing the risk of a nationwide outbreak.
New cars increase by 1.5% in S.Korea H1 thanks to green car demand
New cars were added by 1.5 percent on South Korean roads by June from six months ago thanks to migration to green vehicles, data showed.
According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport on Monday, a total of 24,023,083 cars were registered in Korea as of the end of June, gaining 1.5 percent or 350,000 units from December.
The growth in the number of registered cars has slowed down in recent years – from 4.3 percent in 2015 to 3.9 percent in 2016, 3.3 percent in 2017, 3.0 percent in 2018, and 2.0 percent in 2019. The pace however picked up in the first six months despite the virus-led overall slowdown in domestic consumption on the back of expanded tax breaks on car purchases and new releases.
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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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