The Korean daily media headlines and humor

The Korean daily media headlines and humor

Wednesday, January 4, 2017

Your Excellency:

Here are The Korea Post notices and around up of important headlines from all major Korean-language dailies, TV and other news media of Korea today:

Very Respectfully Yours

/s/

Lee Kyung-sik

Publisher-Chairman

Korea Post Media

The Korea Post News

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From left: Mrs. Choi Soon-sil, President Park Gyen-hye and King Willem-Alexander Claus George Erdinarnd of the Netherlands

Controversial Mrs. Chung even approaches Dutch King through Cheong Wa Dae channel

Controversial political power peddler Mrs. Choi Soon-sil has even tried to approach King Willem-Alexander Claus George Erdinarnd of the Netherlands through her friends in the Netherlands to help her KD Corporation supply goods. Choi has allegedly do this on three to four different occasions throug the medium of former Cheong Wa Dae Presidential Secretary Chung Ho-sung (now under detention).
At an informal meeting with reporters at Cheong Wa Dae on Jan. 1, 2017, President Park Geun-hye stated that she had no knowledge about the acquainstance relationship between Mrs. Choi and KD Corpoeration but that this has been proven as a lie. (For further details visit: http://www.hani.co.kr/arti/society/society_general/777252.html?_fr=mt1)

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Other major topics on The Korea Post website (www.koreapost.com) this morning:

Controversial Mrs. Chung even approaches Dutch King through Cheong Wa Dae channel

(3rd LD) Constitutional Court holds first hearing on Park impeachment case

Ban to return to S. Korea on Jan. 12

Amb. and Mrs. Majka of Poland fulfil six years of successful tour of duty

Mortgage growth slows in Dec. amid interest rate hike

Hyundai, Kia set to top best-selling car list in Chile

Ex-short tracker eyes Olympic gold in speed skating

S. Korea's current account surplus widens to US$8.99 bln in Nov.

S. Korea's FX reserves down in December

White House says U.S. fully capable of defending against N.K. missiles

For up-to-the-minute Korea-language news, please visit www.koreapost.co.kr. ther major topics on The Korea Post website (www.koreapost.com)

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What’s ticking in Korea today? Here is a quick roundup of important news stories from the major Korean news media today:

KBS (http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/news/)

Chung Yoo-ra Denies Involvement in Choi Soon-sil Scandal

Chung Yoo-ra has denied her involvement in the alleged transaction of nearly eight billion won, or six-point-63 million U.S. dollars, between Samsung Group and her mother Choi Soon-sil through Choi’s Germany-based firm last September.

Chung Yoo-ra Ordered to Turn in Passport

The government has ordered Chung Yoo-ra to turn in her passport, following her arrest in Denmark over the weekend.

Saenuri Interim Leader Reiterates Will to Expel Key Pro-Park Members

The interim leader of the ruling Saenuri Party has reiterated his will to expel lawmakers closely aligned with President Park Geun-hye as a means of reforming the embattled party.

Former UN Chief Ban to Return to S. Korea on Jan. 12

Following the conclusion of his second term in office, former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says he will return to South Korea next week.

S. Korea's Foreign Reserves Fall to 6-Month Low

South Korea’s foreign exchange reserves have dropped for the third consecutive month.

According to the Bank of Korea(BOK) on Wednesday, South Korea’s foreign exchange reserves amounted to 371-point-one billion dollars as of the end of December, down by eight-point-eight billion dollars from the month before.

Ex-N. Korean Diplomat: Kim Jong-un's Goal is to Eliminate Rival S. Korea

A high-profile North Korean defector says leader Kim Jong-un aims to eliminate South Korea as he is becoming increasingly uneasy about the widening economic, psychological and military gap with the South.

First Printed Book in Hangeul Becomes Nat'l Treasure

The first volume of the first printed book in the Korean writing system Hangeul has become a national treasure.

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Yonhap (http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr)

S. Korea's current account surplus widens to US$8.99 bln in Nov.

South Korea posted a current account surplus for the 57th straight month in November due to increased outbound shipments, central bank data showed Wednesday.

The current account surplus reached US$8.99 billion in November, compared with a $8.72 billion surplus a month earlier, according to the preliminary data from the Bank of Korea (BOK).

S. Korea to make all-out diplomatic push to realize denuclearization of N. Korea

South Korea will make an all-out diplomatic push this year to pressure North Korea to give up its nuclear and missile development programs, the foreign ministry said Wednesday.

S. Korea to create special unit to strike at N.K. wartime leadership

South Korea will this year launch a special unit tasked with incapacitating North Korea's wartime leadership, two years ahead of schedule, its defense chief said Wednesday, as it strives to better counter Pyongyang's evolving military threats.

Analysis shows inheritance makes up bulk of South Korea's stock rich

More than half of South Korea's top stock wealthy have become rich from inheritance, a phenomenon more stark than in the United States, Japan and China, an analysis by a corporate watcher showed Wednesday.

Seoul stocks start lower on profit-taking

South Korean shares opened weak Wednesday as investors opted to cash in part of recent gains.

Opposition lawmakers head to China for talks on THAAD tension

A group of seven South Korean opposition lawmakers on Wednesday embarked on a three-day trip to Beijing to discuss diplomatic tension between the two countries over Seoul's plan to deploy a U.S. missile shield.

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The Korea Herald (http://www.koreaherald.com)

Court battle for Park’s impeachment begins

South Korea’s Constitutional Court held the first hearing Tuesday to review the legitimacy of President Park Geun-hye‘s impeachment over a corruption scandal involving her confidante Choi Soon-sil. But with Park’s absence, the session lasted just nine minutes.

70% of Korea’s fine dust particles come from China: study

About 70 percent of fine dust particles found in South Korean skies come from neighboring Northeast Asian countries such as China, a recent study shows.

Mirae Asset Daewoo to boost equity capital: group chief

Park Hyeon-joo, the founder and chairman of Mirae Asset Financial Group, said on Tuesday he is reviewing four or five options to boost equity capital of the group’s subsidiary Mirae Asset Daewoo Securities.

Seoul faces dilemma over ‘comfort women’ statue in Busan

Seoul’s dilemma is intensifying over a newly installed “comfort women” statue in Busan, as government efforts to relocate it stumbled amid citizens’ frenzied resistance while Tokyo stages a strong protest.

S. Korea's finance minister vows frontloading to prop up economy

South Korea's finance minister said Wednesday that the government will make all-out efforts to frontload its budget spending in the first quarter to pre-emptively cope with rising economic uncertainties at home and abroad.

"Facing strong headwinds inside and outside the country, the South Korean economy will likely lose recovery momentum," Finance Minister Yoo Il-ho said in a meeting on fiscal spending in Seoul.

S. Korea, US, Japan to hold vice foreign ministers' talks in Washington

Vice foreign ministers from South Korea, the United States and Japan will hold talks in Washington this week to discuss trilateral cooperation to counter North Korean threats, the foreign ministry here said Tuesday.

SpaceX ready to launch again

SpaceX says it has determined the cause of a launchpad explosion that destroyed a satellite in September and is ready to start launches again as early as Sunday.

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The Korea Times (http://www.koreatimes.co.kr)

Moon jae-in issues warning to N. Korean leader

Moon Jae-in, a leading opposition presidential hopeful, said the Kim Jong-un regime in North Korea will have no future should it stick to nuclear and missile development.

Park's loyalists likened to a tumor

In Myung-jin, interim leader of the ruling Saenuri Party, renewed his call for loyalists of President Park Geun-hye to leave the party, Tuesday, likening them to a "tumor."

Lawmakers to visit China over THAAD

A group of eight lawmakers from the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) will visit China, Wednesday, to discuss Beijing's protest over the planned deployment of a U.S. anti-missile battery in Korea with Chinese officials.

Gov't to test stray cats for bird flu

Quarantine authorities will test stray cats for avian influenza after a highly pathogenic strain of bird flu was found in three dead cats.

Achievement honoree

Natalie Portman accepts the Desert Palm Achievement actress award for "Jackie" at the 28th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards Gala in Palm Springs, Calif., Monday.

Porsche, BMW, Nissan admit to fabricating emissions documents

The Korean branches of Nissan, BMW and Porsche have admitted fabricating emissions-related documents to more easily obtain government sales approval for some of their vehicles, according to company officials, Tuesday.

'I don't know. Mom did everything,' says Choi Soon-sil's daughter

Chung Yoo-ra, the daughter of President Park Geun-hye's confidant Choi Soon-sil, has passed the buck to her mother regarding all allegations against her in an influence-peddling scandal, after she was detained in Denmark.

Cheers! Refunds up for used glass drink bottles

Whatever bottled drink you like, do not throw away the empty glass bottles because they could supply your pocket money.

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Dong-AIlbo (http://english.donga.com)

LG to unveil ‘Super Ultra HD TV’ at CES

LG Electronics will introduce the Super Ultra HD TV at the CES 2017, the world’s largest consumer electronics exhibition in Las Vegas on Thursday local time. The high-end television is a new product developed by the Korea-based electronics company to target the premium LCD TV market.

Trump’s first confidential briefing was about North Korea

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump went on twitter to criticize North Korea. Trump tweeted Monday, “North Korea just stated that it is in the final stages of developing a nuclear weapon capable of reaching parts of the U.S.

Booker prize-winning author John Berger dead at 90

John Berger, the British art critic, intellectual and prodigious author, died Monday at his home in the Paris suburb, AP reported. He was 90.

‘Aspirin Protect’ dosing guide likely to change to ‘before meals’

Steps are being taken to change the medication guide for "Aspirin Protect tablet," which is widely used for prevention of cardiovascular diseases, to one that advises users to take before meals. Aspirin Protect tablet, which was first licensed in Korea in 2001, has thus far been recommended for medication after meals.

Sagong Il, economic aide for ex-President Chun Doo-hwan

Former President Chun Doo-hwan said in the New Year’s meeting, “I hope an economic expert like Sagong Il can be a president. I don’t know well about the economy, but Sagong Il helped me so much and I could not even make a mistake.”

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Chosun-Ilbo (http://english.chosun.com)

Choi Soon-sil's Daughter Pleads Total Ignorance

The daughter of President Park Geun-hye's crony Choi Soon-sil appeared in a Danish court on Monday to deny she knew anything about her mother's shenanigans.

Denmark Asked to Speed up Extradition of Choi Soon-sil's Daughter

The independent counsel investigating the presidential corruption scandal has asked Denmark to expedite the deportation of Chung Yoo-ra, the daughter of President Park Geun-hye's longtime crony Choi Soon-sil.

Populations Shrinkage Means More Empty Homes

Some 1.07 million homes sat empty as of the end of 2015 as the birthrate continues to dwindle, surpassing the million mark for the first time ever.

Budget Carriers Expanding Aggressively

Burgeoning business is prompting Korean low-cost airlines to expand their fleet and routes after foreign travel has reached record figures.

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HanKyoReh-Shinmoon (http://english.hani.co.kr)

Moon Jae-in emerging as leading contender for Minjoo Party presidential nomination

Moon Jae-in is enjoying a definite upswing as a leading contender for the Minjoo Party presidential nomination. New Year’s opinion polls by news outlets on Jan. 1 and 2 showed the former party leader with a solid advantage not only among multiple candidates, but also in hypothetical two-way and three-way races.

More than 80% of South Koreans in favor of impeachment

A new year public opinion poll by the Hankyoreh found that there is still overwhelming support for President Park Geun-hye’s impeachment, with eight out of 10 respondents wanting the Constitutional Court to uphold the motion of impeachment against her. When asked about the timing of the court‘s decision, more than half of respondents wanted the decision to be made by January, while seven out of ten wanted it to be made no later than March.

Pres. Park remarked that Samsung C&T-Cheil merger would strengthen Lee Jae-yong

The Hankyoreh has learned that the presidential remarks prepared by Ahn Jong-beom (the Blue House senior secretary of economic affairs at the time, who is now in jail pending trial) before President Park Geun-hye’s meeting with Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong at the Blue House safe house in July 2015 said that “the Samsung C&T and Cheil Industries merger is designed to strengthen Lee’s control of Samsung Electronics” and that “it is hoped that the issue of succession and inheritance at Samsung will be resolved before the end of this administration.

Poll: public in favor of maintaining framework of presidential system

While most politicians are interested in constitutional amendment as a means of transferring some presidential authority to dismantle the “imperial” presidential system, the South Korean public prefers maintaining the framework of the current presidential system while allowing two four-year terms, a new poll shows.

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JoongAng-Ilbo(conservative) (http://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/)

Chung Yoo-ra pins all of the blame on mother

Chung Yoo-ra, daughter of Choi Soon-sil, told reporters in Denmark that she has nothing to do with the corruption charges against her and that any controversy involving her was the result of her mother’s scheming.

Park is no-show at Day 1 of impeachment trial

President Park Geun-hye skipped the first hearing of her impeachment trial by the Constitutional Court on Tuesday.

HMM forms alliance with smaller shippers

Hyundai Merchant Marine and two small local shipping companies are forming a strategic alliance to boost trade on intra-Asia routes.

FDI pledged hits record, but less actually arrives

Foreign direct investment pledged to Korea in 2016 reached a record $21.3 billion, but the amount that actually arrived shrank more than 40 percent from the previous year, taking a hit from the global economic downturn.

Korea lifts import duties on eggs

The government will waive duties on imports of eight types of egg-related products, including fresh and powdered eggs, as the shortage in Korea is deepening after a widespread outbreak of avian influenza, which has led to the culling of nearly 30 million birds.

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The KyungHyang-Shinmoon(http://english.khan.co.kr/)

Moon Jae-in No. 1 in Bilateral and Multilateral Race

According to the New Year's surveys conducted by various media outlets, the approval ratings for the presidential candidates showed similar patterns. When asked whom the respondents supported after listing all the candidates expected to run in the next presidential election, former leader of the Minjoo Party of Korea Moon Jae-in led the polls with approval ratings of 22-25%. He was followed by former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon with 17-22% and Seongnam-si Mayor Lee Jae-myung, who managed to record double-digit approval ratings with 10-13%. Former leader of the People's Party Ahn Cheol-soo received 4-6% and Chungcheongnam-do Governor Ahn Hee-jung 4-5%, showing a gap with the "Big 3" candidates.

New Conservative Party for Reform’s Yoo Seong-min, "End of Rhee Syngman ~ Park Geun-hye System. We Will Be Judged

On January 2, New Conservative Party for Reform (tentative name) lawmaker Yoo Seong-min said, "The ancien regime (old system), which has been the root of the conservative party from Rhee Syngman to Park Geun-hye, has ended. We will rebuild a new conservative force and receive the judgment of the people." This day, Yoo sat with the Kyunghyang Shinmun at the National Assembly as part of a New Year's interview of presidential candidates and said, "Arguing that the New Conservative Party for Reform is not qualified to present a presidential candidate because the existing conservatives have failed is an arrogant idea that denies the people's right to choose."

[Ban Ki-moon Allegations] Ban Ki-moon Becomes a Korean Citizen, "Confident about Verification"

Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (72) said, "I have no intention to avoid it," on the candidate verification. He also mentioned the need for a constitutional amendment. Ban returned to being a "citizen of the Republic of Korea" as of midnight on January 1, and it appears he has begun taking action for the presidential election with the date of his return approaching.

A “Super” Opposition with 201 Seats, Enough for Constitutional Amendments: Expectations for Legislation on Reforms

With the division of the Saenuri Party, the National Assembly has now become a four-party system (based on bodies with bargaining power) for the first time in twenty years since 1996. After the lawmakers passed the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye, the weight of state administration has moved toward the National Assembly, and with the birth of a “super” opposition with over 200 seats, the requisite for constitutional amendments, the opposition‘s dominance in politics is expected to grow.

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The Korea Economic Daily (http://english.hankyung.com/)

Naver's SNOW Hits 100 Mil. User Number in 15 Months after Launch

SNOW, a video messaging app launched by Naver for which Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg once tried to acquire, has seen its subscriber number surpass the 100-million level. It took 15 months to reach the milestone after the launch in September 2015. This is three times faster than Facebook which took 54 months to hit the 100-million subscriber figure.

FDI Committed in 2016 Reaches Record-high Level at $21.3 Bil.

The amount of foreign investment committed last year hit a record-high level. The Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy said on January 3 that the balance of foreign direct investment in 2016 was US$21.3 billion, up 1.9 percent from the previous year. This is the highest level since the ministry collected the related data.

Samsung Group Goes for Revival of Smartphone Business with Galaxy S8

Samsung group is placing its top focus on the revival of its smartphone business. In the smartphone business that accounts for the largest share in Samsung Group's overall businesses, the group was hit hard last year due to the stoppage of Galaxy Note 7 production.

Hanwha Receives 700 Bil. Won Unpaid Construction Payments from Iraq

The strong will of Kim Seung-yeon, chairman of Hanwha Group, to bring alive the second Middle East boom through construction of new residential towns in Iraq, has finally paid off.

Samsung Tops in Terms of Fundraising among Top 10 Groups

Samsung group raised the largest amount of funds in the capital market last year. However, in terms of fundraising through the debt capital market, however, Hyundai Motor Group came on top.

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AJU Business Daily (http://eng.ajunews.com/korea)

Singer Sulli spurns cyber bullying to upload provocative Instagram images

Sulli, a former member of girl group f(x), cast a killing glance, wearing only a pink slip and rolling on the quilt in a bedroom in a new set of provocative Instagram images uploaded on Tuesday, answering back to angry haters who have launched an intemperate online attack.

Samsung's new Galaxy S8 features pressure sensitive touch screen: Rumors

As Samsung gears up for the launch of its new flagship Galaxy S8 probably at the Mobile World Congress in February, rumors claimed the new smartphone would feature pressure sensitive soft keys displayed on its touchscreen like Apple's.

Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri selected as preferred bidder for STX France

Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri, which maintains a strategic partnership with a Chinese company, has been selected as the preferred bidder for STX France, a subsidiary of South Korea's insolvent shipbuilder, according to a bankruptcy court.

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Maeil Business News Korea (http://www.pulsenews.co.kr/)

What’s ticking around the world at this second?

See what the media around the world have to report:

USA Today:www.usatoday.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

timeswww.thetimes.co.uk help@timesplus.co.uk

The Sun www.thesun.co.uk talkback@the-sun.co.uk

Chinese People's Dailywww.people.com.cn kf@people.cn

China Dailywww.chinadaily.com.cn circulation@chinadaily.com.cn

GwangmyeongDailywww.gmw.cn webmaster@gmw.cn

Japan's Yomiuriwww.yomiuri.co.jp japannews@yomiuri.com

asahiwww.asahi.com customer-support@asahi.com

mainichiwww.mainichi.jp

lemondewww.ilemonde.com

Italy rarepupeul Rica www.quotidiano.repubblica.it vittorio.zucconi@gmail.com

Germany Frankfurter AllgemeineZeitungwww.faz.net anzeigen.ausland@faz.de

SüddeutscheZeitungwww.sueddeutsche.de forum@sueddeutsche.de

Australia Brisbane Times www.brisbanetimes.com.au syndication@fairfaxmedia.com.au

Sydney Morning Heraldwww.smh.com.au

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