Friday, November 20, 2020
Round-up of important news from major Korean dailies and from international media today
The Korea Post (http://www.koreapost.com/)
“Newly elected President of Bolivia may invite President Moon to visit Bolivia”
Newly elected President Luis Arce of the Plurinational Sate of Bolivia is expected to invite President Moon Jae-in of the Republic of Korea (south) to visit his country at an early date, or President Arce himself might visit Korea at an opportune time.
This was disclosed at a recent interview with Charge d’Affaires (CDA) Luis Pablo Ossio Bustillos of Bolivia in Seoul which was conducted at the Embassy of Bolivia in Seoul by The Korea Post media, publisher of 3 English and 2 Korean-language news publications for the past since 1985.
Specifically, CDA Ossio Bustillos said, “If the COVID-19 situation subsides, new President Luis Arce will either visit South Korea or invite President Moon Jae-in to Bolivia.” President Arce was sworn in by President David Choquehuanca of Bolivia's Legislative Assembly on Nov. 8, 2020.
Amid conflict with Justice Minister Choo, Yoon emerges as top Presidential hopeful
Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol has emerged as one of the most powerful Presidential candidates amid escalating conflicts with Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae.
A recent public opinion poll showed that Prosecutor General Yoon will play a neck-and-neck race with Lee Nak-yeon, the leader of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, or Lee Jae-myung, governor of Gyeonggi Province, within the range of 1 percentage point.
According to a poll of 1,000 men and women aged 18 or older nationwide conducted by a polling company, Wingkorea Consulting, at the request of the Asia Economy media, 42.3 percent of the respondents picked Lee Nak-yeon and 42.5% selected Yoon Seok-yeol when asked, "Who would you support if Lee and Yoon face each other in the next Presidential election?"
“Men and women have the same rights, duties, benefits, equality”
Madam Maria Jose Zapata Aliaga de Ossio, spouse of Charge d’Affaires Luis Pablo Ossio Bustillos of Bolivia in Seoul, said, “There still exists in the world female gender stereotypes, for which women must fight in order to gain parity, which means that men and women have the same rights, duties, benefits, equality of opportunities in health and education, and the right to be treated with respect in all aspects of ordinary life as well as in their workplace.”
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KBS (http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/news/)
Moon to Attend Virtual APEC Summit
President Moon Jae-in will attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation(APEC) summit to be held via video link on Friday.
U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping as well as Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga plan to participate in the summit set for 9 to 11 p.m.
The leaders of the 21 APEC member countries will discuss ways to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic and economic cooperation.
Gov't Confirms New Wave of COVID-19 Epidemic in Seoul Metro Area
The South Korean government has confirmed that there is a new wave of the COVID-19 epidemic centered in the Seoul metropolitan area.
Yoon Tae-ho, a senior Health Ministry official, said on Friday that signs of clusters in the capital region progressing into an epidemic are becoming clear, confirming a third wave, following ones in February and August.
As of 12:00 a.m. Friday, 363 additional people tested positive, with the daily increase surpassing 300 for the third straight day.
Prime Minister Urges Public to Avoid Gatherings, Stay Home amid COVID-19 Spike
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun on Friday asked the public to refrain from holding year-end social gatherings and nonessential outdoor activities amid a spike in COVID-19 infections.
The prime minister made the urge in a televised live address to the public, saying that the nation is facing a crisis yet again in its fight against the pandemic.
Chung asked the public to minimize nonessential meetings or activities, urging people to cancel or delay scheduled year-end gatherings.
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Yonhap (http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr)
New virus cases over 300 for 3rd day, greater Seoul area in 3rd wave of outbreak
Health authorities on Friday urged people to refrain from gatherings and outdoor activities, as the country's daily new coronavirus cases hovered above 300 for the third straight day and the greater Seoul area, home to half of the country's population, is in the third wave of the outbreak.
The country added 363 more COVID-19 cases, including 320 local infections, raising the total caseload to 30,017, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
The total caseload topped the 30,000 mark, 80 days after the tally surpassed 20,000 on Sept. 1. The country reported its first case on Jan. 20.
Prime minister asks public to avoid social gatherings amid coronavirus spread
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun on Friday asked the public to refrain from holding year-end social gatherings and nonessential outdoor activities, as South Korea braces for another potential wave of the pandemic, with rising sporadic cluster infections in a number of parts of the nation.
In a televised statement, he said the country's antivirus fight is "facing a crisis."
He appealed to the people to "refrain from holding any scheduled year-end gatherings as much as possible and stay at home if not for essential activities," Chung said.
Defying pandemic, BTS set to drop much-anticipated album 'BE'
K-pop megastar BTS, which has emerged as one of the biggest pop groups in the world, on Friday was scheduled to release its new album "BE," an intimate record of messages the septet wants to share with the world during the pandemic.
The eight-track album, the band's fifth Korean-language studio album, is set to drop at 2 p.m. It kicks off with the lead track "Life Goes On" and ends with the chart-breaking single "Dynamite," which propelled BTS to become the first K-pop act to top the Billboard Hot 100.
Through vlogs and messages to ARMY, the band's dedicated global fan base, BTS had hinted that it took part in the album's production from scratch. The band's seven members took on behind-the-scenes roles, like Jimin working as music project manager and J-Hope as choreographer.
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The Korea Herald (http://www.koreaherald.com)
New virus cases over 300 for 3rd day, greater Seoul area in 3rd wave of outbreak
Health authorities on Friday urged people to refrain from gatherings and outdoor activities, as the country's daily new coronavirus cases hovered above 300 for the third straight day and the greater Seoul area, home to half of the country's population, is in the third wave of the outbreak.
The country added 363 more COVID-19 cases, including 320 local infections, raising the total caseload to 30,017, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
Prime minister asks public to avoid social gatherings amid coronavirus spread
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun on Friday asked the public to refrain from holding year-end social gatherings and nonessential outdoor activities, as South Korea braces for another potential wave of the pandemic, with rising sporadic cluster infections in a number of parts of the nation.
In a televised statement, he said the country's antivirus fight is "facing a crisis."
He appealed to the people to "refrain from holding any scheduled year-end gatherings as much as possible and stay at home if not for essential activities," Chung said.
US Treasury adds 2 new companies to N. Korea sanctions list
The US Department of Treasury on Thursday added two new companies to its list of entities subject to sanctions on North Korea that seek to prevent the communist state's weapons programs.
They include Korea Cholsan General Trading Corp., a North Korean enterprise based in Pyongyang that operates in Russia, according to the latest update posted on the department website.
The company is also known as Chkholsan, Cholsan Trading Co. or Cholson LLC.
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The Korea Times (http://www.koreatimes.co.kr)
Virus cases top 30,000 in 10 months, tough battle in store amid resurgence
South Korea's total virus caseload topped 30,000 on Friday, 10 months after its first confirmed case in late January, and its virus fight is facing another potential wave of outbreaks amid the nearing winter season.
The country reported 363 new COVID-19 cases Friday, including 320 local infections, raising the total to 30,017, according to health authorities. It marked the third straight day that daily virus cases rose by over 300.
Pfizer/BioNTech to seek emergency vaccine approval in US Friday
An emergency use authorization request for the Covid-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech was expected to be filed with the FDA Friday, the US government and BioNTech's co-founder said.
This type of authorization is temporary or conditional and is granted in response to an emergency situation such as a pandemic ― and may be revoked or modified if new efficacy or safety data emerge later.
Court rules against state health insurer in damages suit against big tobacco companies
A Seoul court handed down a ruling Friday against the state health insurer in its smoking-related damages suit with three major tobacco companies, citing no direct "legal" links between its increased financial burden and their businesses.
The Seoul Central District Court rejected the compensation request filed by the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) against KTG Corp., a leading South Korean cigarette producer with about a 63 percent market share, and the local units of two foreign companies -- British American Tobacco and Philip Morris.
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HanKyoReh Shinmun (http://english.hani.co.kr)
S. Korea’s justice minister orders practical steps to investigate prosecutor general
An attempt by the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) to send prosecutors from its inspector general’s office to coordinate a questioning schedule for an inspection of Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl failed to pan out amid objections from the Supreme Prosecutor's Office (SPO). As practical steps are taken to implement Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae’s order to inspect Yoon, tensions between the two sides continue to escalate.
Young Korean women inspired by Sayuri’s artificial pregnancy.
“It was exciting to see this happen to a familiar celebrity. It got me
thinking that maybe I could actually have a child without getting married,” said Kim Shi-eun, a 24-year-old officer worker who dreams of becoming a mother but isn’t so keen about getting married. Kim had just learned that 41-year-old television personality Sayuri (full name Sayuri Fujita), who is unmarried, had given birth to a child.
Won-dollar exchange rate falls to 1,103.8, lowest level in 29 months
The won-to-dollar exchange rate continued its slide on Nov. 18 to reach its lowest level in 29 months. Despite vocal intervention by authorities pledging to respond to the recent exchange rate fluctuations, the continued strength of the won does not appear to be fading.
On Nov. 18, the exchange rate finished the day down 2.8 to 1,103.8 won to the dollar on the Seoul foreign exchange market. It was the lowest level since June 15, 2018, when the rate reached 1,097.7 won to the dollar. During the afternoon, the exchange rate showed a clear trend of decline amid the strength of the Chinese yuan.
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Chosun Ilbo (http://english.chosun.com)
China 'Enabling' N.Korea's Nuke Development
The U.S. State Department in a recent report published Tuesday accuses China of continuing to enable North Korea's nuclear arms development despite international sanctions.
The report, titled "The Elements of the China Challenge," warns, "While China has voted for all ten rounds of United Nations sanctions against North Korea, Beijing has watered down each resolution."
Seoul Declines to Sponsor UN's N.Korea Rights Resolution
South Korea has waved through a UN resolution accusing the North Korean regime of human rights violations and urging it to improve human rights but opted out of co-sponsoring it.
The UN's Third Committee passed the resolution by consensus in a meeting at UN headquarters in New York on Wednesday. It will now be submitted to the UN General Assembly, which has adopted similar resolutions for 16 years running.
4 New Seoul Restaurants Win Michelin Stars
Two Japanese restaurants in Seoul have been awarded a star by the Michelin Guide to the city's best gourmet restaurants for the first time.
The latest edition of the guide published by the French tiremaker newly gives Muni and Mitou a star each as well as French restaurant L'Amant Secret and Korean eatery 7th Door.
A total of 32 restaurants have won stars, including two that earned the coveted three stars and seven that bagged two.
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The Dong-A Ilbo (http://english.donga.com/)
UN adopts resolution on Pyongyang's human rights violations
The United Nations adopted the resolution on North Korea’s human rights for the 16th consecutive year to condemn the violations of human rights in the community regime and call for improvement on its human rights record. Following last year, however, South Korea opted out of the proposal to push for the resolution despite the series of incidents committed by Pyongyang this year including the killing of a South Korean fisheries official in the West Sea.
Hyundai Motor holds ‘Open Innovation Lounge’ event
A heavy rain is bound to undermine the vision of drivers. The windshield fares relatively better thanks to the wipers, but the windows on both sides and side mirrors offer extremely little vision. It is expected that in a near future, Hyundai Motor Company, the No.1 automaker in South Korea, could introduce a vehicle that generate vibrations to remove raindrops on its side windows.
Hyundai Motor Group announced that it introduced such cutting-edge technologies at an event called the “2020 Open Innovation Lounge,” which took place at its Hyundai-Kia headquarters in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on Monday and Tuesday. Open Innovation Lounge is Hyundai’s open platform for innovation designed to promote cooperation with startups.
Remote classes recommended for high school seniors
The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education has recommended switching to remote classes for senior high school students from Thursday, which is one week earlier than the government guidelines, in response to the recent increase of COVID-19 cases. Earlier, the Ministry of Education announced a plan to provide all high school classes across the nation online from November 26, a week before the national college entrance exam.
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The KyungHyang Shinmun (http://english.khan.co.kr/)
Japan’s Intention Behind the Invitation to Kim Jong-un to the Tokyo Olympics
Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Kim Jin-pyo, who also serves as the chair of the Korea-Japan Parliamentarians’ Union, said in a press interview on November 18, “The Japanese government expressed its intention to invite North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to Tokyo during the Tokyo Olympic Games next July.” Lawmaker Kim met with political and government figures including Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, during his trip to Japan on November 12-14. He said, “If Chairman Kim is willing to attend, they could formally invite him through the organizing committee for the Olympic Games.” Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato did not respond on this issue, but recalled that Prime Minister Suga mentioned Chairman Kim’s visit to Japan as an “opportunity.” He referred to the Japanese prime minister’s words at the House of Councillors on November 5. When asked about the possibility of a summit if the North Korean leader visits during the Tokyo Olympics, Prime Minister Suga said, “I think it will be a good opportunity.”
For the First Time, South Korea Voted in Favor of a UN Resolution on the Death Penalty Moratorium: Why?
The South Korean government cast a vote in favor of a moratorium on the use of the death penalty at the United Nations (UN) General Assembly.
This is the first time that South Korea has voted in favor of an end to capital punishment in the international community. The latest vote is a step closer toward abolishing the death penalty.
According to the justice ministry on November 18, the government voted in favor of a moratorium on the use of the death penalty at the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian, and Cultural) of the 75th UN General Assembly held in New York on the afternoon of November 17 (local time). The resolution was passed with the support of 120 states, while 39 countries voted against the resolution and 24 countries abstained. South Korea maintains the death penalty, but it has not executed a death sentence for nearly 23 years since December 1997.
More than 200 Daily Cases of COVID-19 from Local Transmission: Experts Claim a Third Outbreak
The number of daily COVID-19 cases has exceeded 200 for four consecutive days, signaling a local outbreak. Authorities continue to confirm cases of the so-called “nth transmission,” where cases continue to spread from one to another beyond regions.
On November 17, the Central Quarantine Headquarters announced that 230 new cases of the novel coronavirus were confirmed the previous day. When we exclude the cases from overseas, 202 were infected through local transmission. This is the first time that the number of locally transmitted cases surpassed 200 in 76 days since September 2.
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Maeil Business News Korea (http://www.pulsenews.co.kr/)
S. Korea to allow no-landing cross-border flights for one year
Die-hard fliers and die-hard shoppers should get ready to hop on planes departing from South Korea’s main gateway for an international round trip without landing at a foreign country only to enjoy hassle-free duty-free shopping.
Korea’s Ministry of Economy and Finance and Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport on Thursday announced that the country will allow cross-border round-trip flights that depart from Incheon International Airport but return without landing at a foreign destination. All the passengers on board will enjoy the same tax-free benefits as regular international travelers but will be exempt from mandatory two-week quarantine and Covid-19 test upon returning, it added.
Korean Inc. to see profit strengthen Q4 and end 2020 in positive growth
Korean Inc. who fared better than expected in the third quarter are projected to keep up their profit streak in the fourth quarter, led by bio and technology companies, and end the year with a positive growth regardless of unprecedented pandemic crisis.
According to Seoul-based market researcher FnGuide on Wednesday, fourth-quarter earnings estimates for 259 listed companies came to 36.2 trillion won ($32.4 billion), which would be 61 percent higher from the same period a year ago. Their sales are also expected to grow 1.1 percent year on year to 468.15 trillion won.
Stock deposits in Korea near record high in renewed retail fad
The return of foreigners to the Korean stock market has not intimidated retailers as stock deposits reached a new brim amid revived market vitality on expectations for Covid-19 vaccine and cure arrivals.
According to the Korea Financial Investment Association, the outstanding balance in stock deposits reached 63.11 trillion won ($56.8 billion) as of Wednesday, closing in on the historic high of 63.26 trillion won set on Sept. 4.
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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
Australia Brisbane Times www.brisbanetimes.com.au syndication@fairfaxmedia.com.au
Sydney Morning Herald www.smh.com.au
Colombia Reports www.colombiareports.com
Bogota Free Planet www.bogotafreeplanet.com bfp@bogotafreeplanet.com
El Universal www.eluniversal.com.mx/english
Andes www.redaktionstest.net/andes-info-ec/
Ecuador Times www.ecuadortimes.net/
The Jordan Times www.jordantimes.com/
LSM.lv www.lsm.lv/
The Baltic Times www.baltictimes.com lithuania@baltictimes.com, estonia@baltictimes.com, editor@baltictimes.com
El Pais https://english.elpais.com/
Philippine Daily Inquirer www.inquirer.net/
Daily News Hungary https://dailynewshungary.com/
Budapest Times www.budapesttimes.hu/
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The Korea Post is running video clips from the different embassies.
Azerbaijan: www.youtube.com/watch?v=OR8CBpcQ4WM
Sri Lanka: www.youtube.com/watch?v=hByX92Y2aGY&t=22s
Morocco: www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfFmp2sVvSE
And many other countries.
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