Monday, February 1, 2021

Round-up of important news from major Korean dailies and from international media today

The Korea Post (http://www.koreapost.com/)

“We mark the Republic Day with enthusiasm, respect for the National Flag, faith in Constitution”

On January 22 this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India, together with other leaders of the country, wished a Happy Republic Day 2021 to the people of his country. In his special message to the nation, Prime Minister Modi tweeted, "Wishing all the people of India a Happy Republic Day. Jai Hind!”

KRPIA appoints Pfizer Korea CEO Oh Dong-wook as its new chairman

Korean Research-based Pharma Industry Association (KRPIA) announced on Jan. 29 that it has appointed Oh Dong-wook, 51, CEO of Pfizer Korea, as its 14th chairman.
The new chairman will lead the KRPIA from next month. The term of office shall be two years, but may be extended by one year in accordance with the regulations.

Atomy named one of top 100 best workable companies in Korea

Atomy was selected as one of the "2020 top 100 best workable companies in Korea" by the Great Place To Work Institute (GPTW), a management consulting firm, on Jan. 28.
At the same time, Atomy Chairman Park Han-gil was named as one of the most respected CEOs in Korea in 2020.

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

S. Korea Keeps Ban on Private Gatherings, 9 pm Curfew

South Korea has extended tougher social distancing measures for two more weeks to contain the spread of COVID-19. 
Level Two-point-Five measures, the second-highest in the country's five-tier scheme, will remain in place for Seoul and its surrounding areas of Gyeonggi Province and Incheon through February 14. The other parts of the nation will remain under Level Two. 

Opposition Party Demands Probe into Allegations of N. Korea Nuke Plant Plan

The main opposition People Party Party(PPP) has demanded a probe into allegations that the government of President Moon Jae-in attempted to help build a nuclear power plant in North Korea in 2018. 
The allegations emerged after a local broadcaster reported last week that a document about the nuclear power plant was among computer files allegedly deleted by industry ministry officials.  

Gov't Decides to Collect Highway Toll Fees during Lunar New Year Holiday

The government has decided to collect highway toll fees during the Lunar New Year holiday in an effort to curb traffic and control a spike in COVID-19 infections. 
Health Ministry official Son Young-rae announced the decision on Sunday during a regular press briefing, saying that the government will use the collected fees for quarantine efforts as with the Chuseok holiday last year. 

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

S. Korea extends tougher virus curbs for 2 weeks ahead of holiday

SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korea decided Sunday to extend tougher social distancing measures for another two weeks, as it is wary of a pileup in cluster infections ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday.

New virus cases dip below 400, tougher virus curbs extended

SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's new coronavirus cases fell back to below 400 Sunday, but health authorities decided to extend tougher virus curbs amid a continued rise in cluster infections, mostly tied to mission schools.

Gov. Lee sends letter to U.S. Congress, U.N. to call for support for anti-leafleting law

SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- Gyeonggi Province Gov. Lee Jae-myung has sent a letter to the United Nations and the U.S. Congress to call for support for a law that South Korea enacted to ban the sending of anti-Pyongyang propaganda leaflets into North Korea, officials said Sunday.

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

COVID-19 curfew, gatherings ban to extend through Seollal

The South Korean government on Sunday decided against lifting social distancing restrictions as planned, amid concerns holiday travel and gatherings could lead to a COVID-19 surge.
This means the 9 p.m. curfew for places with high-contagion risks including food outlets and the ban on gatherings of five people or more will remain in place for another two weeks until after the Seollal holiday on Feb. 14.

Electric vehicles challenge traditional concept of gas stations

As South Korea accelerates its transition to electric vehicles, the question arises – is there a future for the country’s more than 10,000 gas stations?
Unlike conventional petroleum- or gas-powered cars, electric vehicles run on electricity, which is relatively price stable and easily accessible. This means drivers can charge their car batteries at home, in public parking lots or elsewhere where charging systems are installed.

Challenges remain for S. Korea’s 2nd school year under pandemic

The government plans to increase the number of in-person classes and roll out measures to address the learning gap between students from different socioeconomic backgrounds, but risks remain.

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

Post-COVID era to bring new momentum for Africa ties

For the last three years after its establishment, the Korea-Africa Foundation has been keeping up with the government's efforts to expand presence in Africa, where "the new scramble" as described by The Economist has been witnessed.
The term refers to the third wave of foreign interest in Africa after European colonial rule and the Cold War.

Number of female cabinet ministers shrinking

The proportion of female ministers in the Moon Jae-in administration has significantly declined following the most recent Cabinet reshuffle, Jan. 20.
This seems to be going against Moon's campaign pledge to refill 30 percent or more of Cabinet posts with women.

ICT firms battle for intellectual property rights in content biz

Tech firms are zeroing in on securing intellectual property rights in diverse forms as they seek to scale up their content lineup amid increasing demand for digital-based entertainment.
Content providers such as Netflix are thriving as the COVID-19 pandemic drags on and people are spending more time at home. This has prompted non-conventional players to set their sights on new opportunities and they are investing to set up new entities in the sector.

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HanKyoReh Shinmun (http://english.hani.co.kr)

Behind the snowy scenes of the gentlemen and the homeless man

At 12 seconds past 10:31 am, on Jan. 18, 2021, I was frantically squeezing the shutter. I was in such a hurry I could barely register what I was seeing. That’s how my freezing fingers were able to capture such a surreally heartwarming moment on camera.

Yeonhui and the analog lifestyle

There are a number of addictive things in the world. Here are just a few: spicy food, forbidden love, computer games where you’re trapped in a labyrinth, the ladder of success, TV shows that keep you glued to your seat. . .and naengmyeon (cold noodles).

How to survive defection from N. Korea and human trafficking

Lee Su-rin (pseudonym) is an insurance queen. As soon as the word “hospital” came up in her interview, she seized the chance to recommend that the researcher sign up. Even when she was tenderly looking after younger defectors who were facing the “loneliest of nights” after leaving the Hanawon center, she never forgot to encourage them to enroll.

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

Lockdown Spurs Sales of Bigger Apartments

Sales of medium-sized and large apartments are rising again after being shunned in favor of smaller homes, perhaps because people prefer a little more space in lockdown.
According to the Korea Real Estate Board early this week, 8,764 apartments were sold last month, up 85.5 percent compared to the previous month.

Which Vaccines Will Be Administered in Korea?

A closer look at the government's coronavirus vaccination plan offers clues what brand of vaccine people are likely to be given at certain times.
The government will not disclose the timing and location of vaccinations until April. But what is certain is that vaccines provided at inoculation facilities in gymnasiums and civic centers will be mRNA types that need to be refrigerated at extremely cold temperatures.

More Schoolkids to Return to School in March

High school seniors will also be able to go back to school every day in March, together with children in kindergarten and first and second grade.
But children in other grades will have to endure online lessons for some time to come.

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The Dong-A Ilbo (http://english.donga.com/)

Returning Iran's frozen money can impact tanker release, says Iranian MP

“Korea’s quick resolution of Iran’s frozen assets would have an impact on the judiciary decision on the release of a Korean oil tanker seized by Tehran,” Chairman of the Iranian Parliament (Majlis) National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Mojtaba Zonnour said at a video conference with Song Young-gil, the chair of the Korean parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee, on Wednesday.

The wrath of American ants starts a ‘short war’

It is assessed that American retail traders called “Western ants” eagerly bought GameStop stocks against the short of Wall Street giants because of their relative deprivation and wrath due to the economic downturn and bipolarization due to COVID-19. Young investors are especially distraught due to unemployment and forced-eviction crises.

GameStop stock shows more volatility than Bitcoin

“Western ants” bought video game retail shop GameStop stocks worth more than 150 billion won a day in the battle between the short stock sellers and individual investors. It is worrisome as domestic investors may take the fall with GameStop stock in the dramatic price swings.

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

111 Lawmakers Promote the Impeachment of a Judge: Democratic Party Draws the Line Saying “It’s Not the Party’s Position”

On January 28, the leaders of the Democratic Party of Korea approved a proposal for an impeachment of a judge connected to the “abuse of court authority.” A hundred and eleven lawmakers, mostly from the ruling party, are calling for an impeachment, so if some forty more lawmakers join them, this could lead to the first ever impeachment of a judge in the history of our Constitution.

Samsung with Cash to Spare Announces “Surprise Dividends”: The Founding Family Will Also Get 668.6 Billion Won

Samsung Electronics, which earned operating profits of 36 trillion won last year, announced on January 28, that it would hand out special dividends of 1,578 won per share to its shareholders. Samsung shareholders will receive 1,932 won (1,933 won for preferred stocks) per share including the regular dividend (354 won) for the fourth quarter of 2020 this coming April.

President Moon Appoints Park Beom-kye as Justice Minister, 27th Appointment Without Consent from the Opposition Party

On January 27, President Moon Jae-in approved the appointment of justice minister nominee Park Beom-kye (pictured). Cheongwadae spokesperson Kang Min-seok announced that Park would begin serving as justice minister on January 28. Minister Park became the 27th ministerial nominee to be appointed without the consent of the opposition party.

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

LG Elec earns near $3 bn 2020, to keep key mobile tech for “internalization”

LG Electronics Inc. reigned as the most profitable white goods maker in the world with income nearing $3 billion in its best-ever year of 2020 and suggested to keep premium mobile business for “internalization” as it is pivotal to drive home and vehicle connectivity.

SK Innovation vows $1.1 bn on 3rd Hungary battery plant, ends ‘20 with largest loss

South Korean battery major SK Innovation Co. is adding a third battery plant in Hungry at a cost of 1.27 trillion won ($1.1 billion) to ramp up capacity to meet EV demand in Europe, despite having had finished 2020 with a whopping income loss of more than $2 billion.

SK Hynix Q4 income eases on qtr, jumps 84% on yr, upbeat for 2021

SK Hynix Inc. is sanguine about the year dubbed to enter a new super cycle for memory chips, although uncertainties linger, after raking in more than 5 trillion ($4.5 billion) in income for full 2020.

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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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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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