Friday September 11, 2020
Round-up of important news from major Korean dailies and from international media today
The Korea Post (http://www.koreapost.com/)
Moon says: “We are in the middle of war; I won’t call the commander from the battle front!”
President Moon Jae-in said, “We are in the middle of a war and I don’t think it is right to call the commander back home from the battlefront in the middle of a war!”
http://www.koreapost.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=21430
“We will upgrade the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention an agency level”
President Moon Jae-in disclosed on Sept. 8, 2020 that the government will upgrade the present Korea Centers for Disease Control (KCDC) one grade higher to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
Speaking with the members of his Cabinet, President Moon said, “Today, we will make a decision on the government restructuring plan to implement the upgrading. Details of the announcement of President Moon follow:
http://www.koreapost.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=21426
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KBS (http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/news/)
S. Korea Reports 176 New COVID-19 Cases
Anchor: Friday marks exactly six months since the World Health Organization announced the COVID-19 outbreak as a global pandemic. And so far, 30 million people around the world have tested positive for the virus, while more than 900-thousand have died.
In South Korea on Friday, more than 170 new coronavirus cases were reported, while four more people died from the virus.
Sam Len reports.
Report: South Korea reported 176 new COVID-19 cases as of 12 a.m. Friday, which was the highest in a week albeit the ninth-straight day of infections below 200.
The cumulative total has reached almost 22-thousand people, while the death toll has risen to 350.
Yoon Tae-ho, director general for public health policy at the Ministry of Health and Welfare, said the number of infections is showing no signs of easing.
'Rage' Reveals Trump Wanted US Troops out of Korea
Anchor: A Washington Post reporter's soon-to-be-released book has sparked fresh controversy over U.S. President Donald Trump's handling of domestic and international issues, including relations with allies like South Korea. Trump is also said to have boasted about what could be a nuclear weapons system the world does not know about.
Kim Bum-soo has more on Bob Woodward's interviews with the American president.
Report:
[Sound bite: Bob Woodward interview with US President Donald Trump by The Washington Post (Feb. 7, 2020)]
TRUMP: "Well, I think, Bob, really, to be honest with you…"
WOODWARD: "Sure, I want you to be.
"TRUMP: "I wanted to, I wanted to always play it down. I still like playing it down because I don't want to create a panic.“
Former Colonel Alleges Numerous Requests Made for Minister's Son
A former military official who alleged that Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae sought various favors for her son during his mandatory military service in 2017 claimed that his former staff reported to him about receiving such requests.
In a statement on Friday, former Army Col. Lee Cheol-won said requests came in asking for Choo's son, identified only by his surname Seo, to be reassigned to the U.S. garrison in Seoul's Yongsan district from the base in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi Province.
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Yonhap (http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr)
New virus cases under 200 for 9th day, S. Korea undecided on easing virus measures
South Korea's new virus cases stayed below 200 for the ninth consecutive day Friday, but the country is still undecided over whether to extend enhanced virus measures in the greater Seoul area due to sporadic cluster infections and untraceable cases.
The country added 176 more COVID-19 cases, including 161 local infections, raising the total caseload to 21,919, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
Friday's tally marked a slight increase from the 156 and 155 cases reported on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively.
Gov't to decide whether to ease social distancing after watching situation for 1 or 2 more days: PM
The government plans to decide whether to ease the tougher social distancing requirements in Seoul and the broader capital area after watching the virus situation for one or two more days, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said Friday.
"Keeping an eye on the virus situation for one or two (more) days, the government will determine its position on the future quarantine measures after hearing sufficient opinions from experts," the prime minister said in a regular government COVID-19 response meeting. "We still have time (for deliberation), although it's not enough."
COVID-19 infections at major Seoul hospital increase to 23
Cluster infections at one of the biggest hospitals in the South Korean capital have increased to 23 as of Friday, raising alarm over a possibly bigger outbreak.
The cluster has been growing after a patient associated with the nutrition team at Severance Hospital in western Seoul first tested positive on Wednesday. Additional infections were later reported at the institution's rehabilitation hospital, which has been cordoned off for cohort isolation.
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HanKyoReh Shinmun (http://english.hani.co.kr)
Only a matter of time before the US pressures S. Korea to join its Indo-Pacific Strategy
Amid a fierce confrontation between the US and China over Hong Kong and the South China Sea, diplomats from the two countries traded angry words for the first time during the foreign ministers’ meeting in the East Asia Summit, which was held remotely on Sept. 9. The intensifying conflict between the US and China has prompted the US to elaborate its Indo-Pacific Strategy of containing China in the form of its Quadrilateral Security Dialogue with Japan, Australia, and India, known as the Quad. This is a situation that must be astutely handled by the government of South Korea, which seeks to maintain a diplomatic balance between the two powerful countries.
S. Korea’s light carriers likely to be recruited into US Indo-Pacific Strategy
With the conflict between the US and China worsening by the day, there are growing concerns about South Korea’s plan to acquire a light aircraft carrier, a plan that was officially adopted last month by South Korea’s Ministry of National Defense (MND). Given the precedent set by Japan, this carrier is likely to be mobilized for the containment of China as part of the US Indo-Pacific Strategy, which is focused on containing China.
In the mid-term plan for national defense in 2021-2025 released on Aug. 9, the MND announced that it would launch a project to acquire a 30,000-ton light aircraft carrier in 2021. The reasoning the MND provided for acquiring a light carrier is “protecting shipping lanes in the ocean and the waters around the Korean Peninsula.
Fashion industry adapts to COVID by offering on-site “untact” services
Amid the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic that doesn’t seem to be going anywhere anytime soon, the fashion industry is adapting by offering on-site services that exclude physical or face-to-face contact, referred to as “untact” in Korea. The goal is to provide an environment where consumers feel comfortable purchasing products without fear of contracting infectious diseases. Suitsupply, a Dutch men’s fashion brand brought into the Korean market by the Samsung C&T Fashion Group, launched its untact tailoring service in Korean stores on Sept.
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Chosun Ilbo (http://english.chosun.com)
Complaints Grow over Selective Coronavirus Relief Payouts
Koreans are unhappy that second round of coronavirus relief payouts will be tailored to those who need them most.
President Moon Jae-in on Thursday announced a W7.8 trillion supplementary budget to deal with the coronavirus crisis and payouts for the unemployed, small business owners and low-income earners (US$1=W1,188).
He also promised a W20,000 discount on phone bills for every Korean over 13, saying it constitutes "some small consolation" from the government for every citizen who cannot freely meet and engage in daily activities. The government also expanded the eligibility for W200,000 in childcare support to the households with children in elementary school, although it was initially supposed to be given only to those with children under seven.
Kakao Games Makes Stellar Debut on Stock Exchange
Kakao Games shares doubled in value on the day they went public on the junior Kosdaq market on Thursday and surged to their daily limit high.
But the stellar performance prompted mixed outlooks on the future direction of the stock.
The company set a new subscription record for its initial public offering with W59 trillion in deposits (US$1=W1,188). Some analysts expect the trend to last, while others worry that the stock may be overheated.
Most Koreans See Coronavirus as Major Threat
Koreans fear coronavirus more than any other nationalities like the U.S., Japan and the U.K., a survey suggests.
Pew Research Center, an American think tank, polled people in 14 wealthy countries on what they see as the greatest threat, and Korea topped the list with a whopping 89 percent of respondents naming the spread of infectious diseases.
In Japan the proportion was 88 percent, in the U.S. and Spain 78 percent, and in the U.K. and France 74 percent. In Europe most people still perceive climate change as more dangerous than epidemics.
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The Dong-A Ilbo (http://english.donga.com/)
Pyongyang might launch SLBM on the day of U.S. presidential election
It has been reported that the intelligence authorities of South Korea and the United States are suspecting that North Korea could launch an SLBM on November 3, the day of America’s presidential election, after revealing a new type of ICBM at a military parade celebrating the foundation day of the Workers’ Party on October 10.
The gist of the scenario is to draw attention with a new type of strategic weapons capable of hitting Washington, D.C. or New York before setting off a “provocation event” by launching a Pukguksong-3 SLBM targeting the U.S. presidential election.
LG Chem flies lithium-sulfur battery aircraft into stratosphere
LG Chem has successfully flown an unmanned aircraft powered by a lithium-sulfur battery into the stratosphere. A point of pride for LG Chem, lithium-sulfur batteries were presented during the June meeting between Koo Kwang-mo, chairman of LG, and Chung Eui-sun, the executive vice chairman of Hyundai Motor Company.
On Thursday, LG Chem announced that an unmanned aircraft named EAV-3 carrying a lithium-sulfur battery flew 13 hours at a KARI (Korea Aerospace Research Institute) aviation facility in Goheung, South Jeolla Province. During the flight, the EAV-3 spent seven hours flying in the stratosphere altitude between 12 and 22 kilometers. The stratosphere (altitude between 12 and 50 kilometers) is a tricky space for aircraft to fly for lack of oxygen.
The Hangang Bridge to be Seoul’s first cultural heritage
The Hangang Bridge, the subway bench mark in front of Bonsingak and the old headquarters of the National Bureau of Statistics have been designated as cultural heritage by the city of Seoul.
Following the implementation of the local heritage act late last year, the nation’s capitall city launched an investigation into public assets designated as Seoul’s future heritage and registered three of them as Seoul’s cultural heritage.
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The KyungHyang Shinmun (http://english.khan.co.kr/)
The Unfairness of the Moon Government, Which Once Stressed Fairness
“It should’ve ended with Cho Kuk, but Choo Mi-ae extended it.”
The allegations of special privileges received by the son of Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae have grown into an issue of unfairness, which is why the case is referred to as the second “Cho Kuk incident.” The Democratic Party of Korea, which claimed to be a political party representing the “candlelight,” is under fierce attack for being a privileged group, only under a different name. Before the controversial “father privileges” in connection to former Justice Minister Cho Kuk had died down, this time, Minister Choo’s “mother privileges” in education and military service ignited the public’s rage. The stiff response added to the problem. Minister Choo made a cynical comment claiming that those making the accusations were “writing fiction,” and some from the Democratic Party tried to brush the incident away claiming that Choo’s alleged solicitation was no different from asking a restaurant to quickly serve the kimchi stew and that there were more people who did not complete their military duties in the People Power Party. The people in their twenties and thirties, who had been a firm support group of the ruling party, made a cold response and are turning away.
Fair Trade Commission Aims at the Platform Giant, Google and “Will Investigate Constraints of Competition in the OS Market”
The Fair Trade Commission is aiming at the platform giant, Google, and has announced to uncover whether the company pressured domestic businesses in mobile operating systems (OS) and application markets.
On September 8, the one-year anniversary of Joh Sung-wook’s inauguration as chair of the Fair Trade Commission, a public policy briefing was held at the government office in Sejong. Here, Joh said, “We are investigating any activities restricting competition by a company dominating the OS market,” and added, “If we confirm any illegal activities, we will respond sternly.” Her remarks targeted Google Korea, which has dominated the South Korean OS market at an overwhelming rate. According to the Korea Mobile Internet Business Association (MOIBA), as of 2019, Google had a 63.4% share of South Korea’s mobile application market, while Apple accounted for 24.4% and a domestic app market only 11%.
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Maeil Business News Korea (http://www.pulsenews.co.kr/)
Celltrion completes Phase 1 clinical trial of COVID-19 antibody drug candidate
South Korea’s Celltrion Inc. has completed in-human Phase 1 clinical trial of CT-P59, a COVID-19 antiviral antibody treatment candidate. It plans to begin commercial production soon to supply the antibody drug immediately when it secures additional evidence of efficacy and safety.
The biotech firm said Friday that it has completed the Phase 1 study, verifying safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetic properties of CT-P59 COVID-19 antibody drug candidate. The Phase I trial involved 32 healthy volunteers in Korea. It is currently conducting separate human trials in patients with mild symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Qurient shares jump on hope for coronavirus med trial and promising pipelines
Qurient shares climbed to a 52-week high Friday on expectations that its investigational multi-drug resistant tuberculosis therapy Telacebec could be used to treat COVID-19 symptoms, while its other late-stage candidates became eligible for out-licensing discussion.
The Kosdaq-listed stock gained 4.37 percent to end the day at 40,600 won ($34.20).
S. Korea’s Sept. 1-10 exports nearly flat, but daily shipments down 11.9%
South Korean exports in the first 10 days of September slipped 0.2 percent from a year earlier, but average daily exports were down 11.9 percent to suggest outbound shipments could extend their double-digit losing streak.
Exports totaled $15 billion in the Sept. 1-10 period, down $30 million from the same period a year ago, Korea Customs Service said Friday.
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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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