Thursday, October 21, 2021

 

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

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

Candidates are holding meetings with prospective voters

The election campaign for the Presidential Elections in Uzbekistan continues. Presidential candidate of the Republic of Uzbekistan from the Ecological Party of Uzbekistan Narzullo Oblomurodov met with Karakalpakstan voters in Muynak. The candidate’s authorized person in the Republic of Karakalpakstan Leyla Seitova informed about the biography and pre-election program of Narzullo Oblomurodov. The Presidential candidate highlighted the work carried out by the Ecological Party in improving the standard of living of the population of the Aral Sea region, strengthening people's health, eliminating environmental problems.

 

Charm VIT Group donates scholarship to 100 children of Vietnamese patriotic martyrs

Charm VIT Group, led by Chairman Lee Dae-bong, delivered a 1 billion Vietnamese currency dong in scholarship to 100 children of Vietnamese patriotic martyrs recommended by the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security at the Vietnamese Embassy in Korea (Ambassador Nguyen Vu Tung) on Oct. 19. Nguyn Ngc, assistant minister of the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security attended the event. This year marks the 15th year of the Charm VIT Group's overseas scholarship project, which started in 2007. Charm VIT Group also decided to provide a total of 20 million won in scholarships to 10 Vietnamese university students studying in Korea, and 600 million dong in scholarship to 300 children of the poorest ethnic minorities in Hoa Binh, Vietnam.

 

Grand Josun Jeju launches ‘Romantic Escape package for honeymooners

Grand Josun Jeju,’ a luxury hotel brand under Josun Hotels & Resorts, is launching its ‘Romantic Escape (Season 2) package with the aim to deliver ultimate luxury honeymoon experiences to guests in time for the autumn wedding season. The ‘Romantic Escape (Season 2) package is specifically tailored to newly-weds on a honeymoon with exclusive offerings of various Grand Josun Jeju Hill Suite services and facilities. The Romantic Escape (Season 1) was first introduced last December, enjoying a great popularity among its guests.

                                                                                                             

KBS (http://world.kbs.co.kr/service)

S. Korea Set to Launch First Domestically Developed Space Rocket Nuri

South Korea is set to launch its first domestically developed satellite launch vehicle on Thursday. The launch of the Korean Satellite Launch Vehicle Two, or Nuri, is scheduled for 4 p.m. at the Naro Space Center in Goheung, 473 kilometers south of Seoul. The actual time will be decided an hour and a half prior to the launch after surveying weather conditions on the ground, wind speed at an altitude of ten kilometers and the possibility of a clash with space objects. Nuri is a three-stage rocket that will place a one-point-five ton dummy satellite into a low earth orbit of 600 to 800 kilometers. It is expected to take 16 minutes and seven seconds from launch to enter into orbit. If launched successfully, South Korea will become the world’s seventh country with independent capabilities to launch a satellite into orbit from its own soil.

Gyeonggi Gov. Grilled in 2nd Audit Session on Provincial Government

Gov. Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party’s(DP) presidential candidate, is facing further questioning in a second parliamentary audit session on the Gyeonggi provincial government on Wednesday. Despite Lee refusing to answer questions unrelated to the Gyeonggi government, the Seongnam development scandal from 2015 when he was mayor of the city dominated the session. The main opposition People Power Party(PPP) claimed that the provincial government didn’t submit the problematic documents on the project to the committee for the audit. The DP countered that submitting the governor’s emails regarding the project borders on illegal surveillance.

 

Key Figures in Land Development Scandal Summoned Again for Questioning

Prosecutors investigating the Seongnam development scandal have called in two key figures in the case for more questioning. Kim Man-bae, the largest shareholder in asset management firm Hwacheon Daeyu, appeared for questioning early Wednesday afternoon, six days after a court rejected his arrest warrant. He is accused of inflicting losses of tens of billions of won on Seongnam Development Corporation by designing a profit scheme with the firm’s former acting president Yoo Dong-kyu that benefitted private investors. Lawyer Nam Wook, who was released from two days of questioning after 12 a.m. Wednesday, was also summoned again later that afternoon.
 

                                                                                                                 

 

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

Lee denies wrongdoing in omission of key clause from Seongnam development project

Gyeonggi Gov. Lee Jae-myung, the presidential nominee of the ruling Democratic Party (DP), said Wednesday he was not aware of discussions about limiting private investors' profits from a lucrative regional development project at the center of a snowballing corruption scandal. Lee made the remark during a parliamentary audit of his government, saying the discussions took place at the working level and he only found out about them through recent news reports.

 

Prosecutors resummon key figures in snowballing land development scandal

Prosecutors on Wednesday continued their investigation into a corruption-laden urban development scandal engulfing South Korean politics, summoning the four key suspects of the high profile case again all on the same day for further questioning. Prosecutors are looking into suspicions over how a previously unheard-of asset management firm, Hwacheon Daeyu, and its seven affiliates reaped astronomical profits from a 2015 project to develop the Daejang-dong district in Seongnam, south of Seoul, into an apartment complex. Kim Man-bae, Nam Wook and Jeong Young-hak -- private partners of the project -- are alleged to have colluded with Yoo Dong-gyu, former acting president of Seongnam Development Corp., to have the asset firm take part in the lucrative project.

 

FM Chung says N. Korea sanctions relief can be an option if it accepts dialogue offer

North Korea's recent missile test underscores the need for engaging the reclusive state and sanctions relief can be considered as part of incentives to bring it back to the negotiating table, Seoul's top diplomat said Wednesday. Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong was speaking at a parliamentary audit session, hours after the North said it has successfully test-fired a new type of submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) on Tuesday. "We should take some actions to prevent North Korea from further developing its nuclear and missile capabilities," Chung said. "Sanctions relief can be considered as part of efforts, on condition that the North accepts the dialogue proposal."

                                                                                   

 

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

NK confirms test of submarine-launched ballistic missile

North Korea on Wednesday confirmed it had test-fired a new submarine-launched ballistic missile the previous day, the first such weapons test in two years and evidence of the regime’s ever-expanding weapons program. On Tuesday, South Korea’s military said the North had fired what appeared to have been a short-range SLBM from the port of Sinpo in the east of the country, home to the regime’s main shipyard that builds submarines.
 

Umbrella union pushes ahead with nationwide rally

The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, a major umbrella labor group in South Korea, staged a nationwide rally Wednesday to demand improved working conditions for laborers in defiance of authorities’ request to walk back from the plan in fear of a possible virus resurgence. The labor group announced earlier in the day it would move forward with its plan to hold rallies in 14 areas throughout the country to demand better treatment of irregular workers, unionization rights for all laborers and increased involvement from the government in strengthening employment security.

 

Yoon Seok-youl in hot water for defending ex-dictator

Yoon Seok-youl, a leading presidential contender for the main opposition People Power Party, on Wednesday hastened to provide an explanation for his remarks that seemed to defend former President Chun Doo-hwan, after rebukes from both within and outside his party. A day earlier, Yoon visited a party member council in Busan and said there were many people who say Chun “did well in politics” except for the “military coups” and what he did on May 18, referring to the Gwangju Uprising in 1980 when he brutally cracked down on protestors who demonstrated against the junta.

                                                                                      

 

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

Two Koreas showcase weapons tech despite attempts for talks

The two Koreas are flexing their respective military muscles by each showcasing their latest developments in weapons technology, despite growing efforts to induce North Korea to return to denuclearization talks. President Moon Jae-in paid a visit to the Seoul International Aerospace & Defense Exhibition 2021, Wednesday, which kicked off a day earlier at Seoul Airbase in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, and stressed the importance of defense technologies for national security. "A strong defense capability always has its goal in keeping peace," Moon said during an event at the exhibition. "South Korea will pursue a smart military, based on cutting-edge technologies, and join global efforts to maintain peace."

 

Assembly audit to have little impact on big tech firms' march into banking industry

Big tech companies are expected to be largely unaffected by the National Assembly's audit on the banking industry, as the lawmakers did not manage to adequately address the firms' dominance over the mobile banking market, according to market observers. Mobile banking giants Kakao and Naver were scrutinized by lawmakers during the three-week-long audit ending Thursday, for their sprawling expansion into over 100 different businesses by capitalizing on their dominant customer base. Accordingly, Kakao and Naver executives were summoned as witnesses in multiple hearings run by different Assembly committees.

 

North Korea says its recent SLBM test-launch not targeting US

North Korea said Thursday its recent test-firing of a new submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) was not targeted toward the United States, adding there is no need for Washington to "worry or agonize" over it. A spokesperson for the North's foreign ministry expressed concerns over "nonsensical" reactions from the U.S. and the U.N. Security Council over its "rightful exercise of right to defense" in a statement carried by the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). Two days earlier, North Korea fired an SLBM from the vicinity of Sinpo, where its main submarine shipyard is located. It marked the North's eighth known major missile test this year.
 

                                                                                                               

 

Chosun Ilbo (http://english.chosun.com)
Airline Fuel Surcharges More Than Double Amid Oil Price Surge

Airlines are raising fuel surcharges amid soaring oil prices. The fuel surcharge will range from W10,800 to W80,400 for one-way tickets on international flights in November, more than double last month's level of W4,800 to W36,000 (US$1=W1,179). Fuel surcharges kick in when the average price of fuel on Singapore's spot market rises above US$1.5 per gallon. The average from Sept. 16 to Oct. 15, which decides the surcharge for November, was $2.07. The International Air Transport Association said the fuel price was $2.33 on Oct. 15, up 118.7 percent on-year.
 

N.Korea Confirms Submarine Missile Launch
North Korea on Wednesday confirmed that it launched a ballistic missile from a submarine on Tuesday. The North's official Korean Central News Agency said the "new type" of missile with "lots of advanced control guidance technologies" was fired from submarine 8.24 Yongung, the same from which the country's first submarine-launched ballistic missile was fired five years ago. Tuesday's missile is believed to be a new mini SLBM that was unveiled at an armaments expo on Oct. 11. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un did not watch the launch in person.

Local Festivals to Resume as Korea Returns to Normal

Traditional local festivals that have been canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic will resume as Korea starts a phased return to normal early next month. First up is Inje in Gangwon Province with its annual Icefish Festival, one of the country's most popular winter festivals. "It was uncertain until last month whether the festival will be able to open due to the prolonged pandemic, but we recently decided to go ahead and are making a detailed plan," an official at the Inje regional government said Monday. The Icefish Festival takes place every January and attracts over 200,000 visitors but was canceled this year. The Sancheoneo Ice Festival is also expected to go ahead in Hwacheon, Gangwon Province in January next year.


                                                                                                 

 

HanKyoReh Shinmun (http://english.hani.co.kr)
N. Korea launches short-range missile presumed to be SLBM

North Korea launched a short-range ballistic missile that is presumed to be a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) on Tuesday. This is the North’s first launch of an SLBM — a strategic weapon deemed a “game changer” on the battlefield — since October 2019. On the same day, the standing committee of the Blue House National Security Council (NSC) in an emergency meeting expressed “deep dismay” toward Pyongyang regarding the launch. The Joints Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said, “At around 10:17 today [Tuesday], North Korea launched an unidentified short-range ballistic missile believed to be an SLBM from the sea east of Sinpo, South Hamgyong Province, into the East Sea,” adding, “South Korean and US intelligence are conducting detailed analyses of additional specifications and characteristics.”

 

 

World on horns of dilemma with transition away from nuclear power

On Monday, the Japan National Press Club in the Uchisaiwai neighborhood of Tokyo’s Chiyoda Ward hosted a roundtable of political party leaders ahead of the country’s upcoming House of Representatives election on Sunday. A key focus of the discussions was energy policy, as Japan wrestles with the dilemma of how to break away from both carbon and nuclear power at the same time. Like South Korea, Japan plans to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. But after the nightmarish experience of the Fukushima disaster in March 2011, the Japanese public is strongly demanding a shift away from nuclear power.


 

S. Korea must stand its ground against US requests for semiconductor secrets

Amid controversy over the US government’s demands for Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix and other global semiconductor companies to hand over sensitive business secrets, the South Korean government stated its official position on the matter Monday. It did not go into much detail, saying only that Seoul had relayed its concerns to Washington and would be actively discussing matters in the days ahead. This is all too passive of a response to these demands from the US, which are a serious issue bordering on infringement of South Korea’s economic sovereignty. On Sunday, the South Korean government held its first strategy meeting on external economic security, presided over by Deputy Prime Minister Hong Nam-ki.

                                                                                    

 

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

North Korea fires new SLBM off East Sea

The ballistic missile that North Korea fired on Tuesday near its east coast in Shinpo, South Hamgyong Province, was confirmed to be a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) that was revised from its KN-23. The U.S. denounced the missile launch while revealing that it had been in direct contact with North Korea, suggesting room for dialogue. “The Academy of National Defense fire-tested a new type submarine launched ballistic missile on Oct 19,” the Korean Central News Agency reported on Wednesday. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un reportedly was not present at the firing site.

 

N. Korea fires SLBM amid efforts to resume nuclear talks

North Korea fired a new submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) into the East Sea on Tuesday. The missile launch, which was the seventh this year, was carried out on the day when intelligence chiefs and nuclear envoys of South Korea, the U.S. and Japan met in Seoul and Washington, respectively. The latest provocation came amid efforts from South Korea and the U.S. to bring North Korea back to the negotiating table through discussions on end-of-war declaration and humanitarian aid to the North.

 

All coal power plants to disappear by 2050 in S. Korea

South Korea set a goal to close all coal power plants by 2050 to achieve carbon neutrality. To achieve the goal, the country plans to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases to 40 percent of the 2018 level by 2030. The presidential committee on carbon neutrality by 2050 deliberated and passed “2050 carbon neutrality scenarios” and “revised plan for 2030 nationally determined contributions (NDC),” containing the above goals at a plenary meeting on Monday. There are two scenarios to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 – A. removing all coal and LNG power plants and B. removing only coal power plants.

                                                                                                

 

The KyungHyangShinmun (http://english.khan.co.kr/)
Prime Minister Kim, “From Next Week, up to 8 People Can Gather in the Greater Seoul Area and up to 10 People in Other Areas”
On October 15, Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum announced the new distancing measures that will be applied beginning October 18 and said, “Even in areas where level-4 distancing is enforced, private gatherings of up to eight people will be allowed, regardless of whether the time is before or after 6 p.m. In level-3 areas, up to 10 people can gather.” This day, the prime minister presided over a Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters meeting on COVID-19 and said, “The government will adjust some of the disease prevention measures after taking into consideration the changing circumstances in order to relieve some of the pain of small business owners and self-employed business owners who are struggling to make ends meet.”

 

Prime Minister Kim, From Next Week, up to 8 People Can Gather in the Greater Seoul Area and up to 10 People in Other Areas
On October 15, Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum announced the new distancing measures that will be applied beginning October 18 and said, “Even in areas where level-4 distancing is enforced, private gatherings of up to eight people will be allowed, regardless of whether the time is before or after 6 p.m. In level-3 areas, up to 10 people can gather.” This day, the prime minister presided over a Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters meeting on COVID-19 and said, “The government will adjust some of the disease prevention measures after taking into consideration the changing circumstances in order to relieve some of the pain of small business owners and self-employed business owners who are struggling to make ends meet.”

 

 

The Aftermath of the Democratic Primaries Rings an Alarm: 40% of Lee Nak-yon’s Supporters Went to Yoon Seok-youl

 

On October 14, the results of a survey showed that some of the supporters of Lee Nak-yon, former leader of the Democratic Party of Korea who lost in the party primaries, expressed their support for former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl, a presidential candidate of the People Power Party and not Gyeonggi Governor Lee Jae-myung, who was elected as the Democratic Party candidate. Wounds from the party primaries have yet to heal, and they appear to be behind the latest result. Some experts believe this is a warning sign on the “one team” that the Democratic Party is trying to form ahead of the presidential race. According to an OhmyNews survey of 2,027 people conducted by Realmeter on October 11-12, when the respondents were asked which candidate they supported in a four-way presidential race of Lee Jae-myung, Yoon Seok-youl, Sim Sang-jeung, and Ahn Cheol-soo, 34.0% chose Lee Jae-myung and 33.7% chose Yoon Seok-youl.

                                                                                                

 

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

Edison Motors-led consortium named as preferred bidder for SsangYong Motor

A consortium led by South Korean electric bus maker Edison Motors Co. has become the preferred candidate to command SsangYong Motor Co. under bankruptcy court, which could put the ill-fortuned SUV carmaker back under domestic management after being shifted from Chinese to Indian capital over the last two decades. SsangYong Motor and court-appointed sales advisor EY Hanyoung announced Wednesday that it picked Edison Motors-led consortium as the preferred bidder for the country’s smallest automaker and will apply for court approval.

 

Number of foreign stock accounts by Korean nationals jump 74% H1 amid stock frenzy

The number of accounts held by South Korean retail investors for foreign equity trading jumped 74 percent in June compared to a year ago as Korean individuals turn active in cross-border trade in search of greater profit. According to the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) data submitted to Rep. Jin Seon-mi from the National Assembly’s State Affairs Committee on Wednesday, Korean individual investors owned 3,310.981 overseas stock trading accounts as of the end of June, up 74 percent from the previous year.

 

SK Networks mulls Zinus buyout, but nothing has been confirmed

SK Networks is mulling to take over Zinus, bedding and mattress maker with global presence “for long-term co-development and value increase for stakeholders”, but it is yet to agree on the pricing and other terms. The general trading company under Korea’s third-largest conglomerate SK Group in a disclosure Wednesday denied it has offered 1 trillion won ($852 million) to buy out Zinus, which is the world’s No.1 in online sales of co-efficient mattresses. The company said it will disclose further development within the next month.

                                                                                                                  

 

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 Heraldwww.smh.com.au

Colombia Reports http://colombiareports.com

Bogota Free Planet http://bogotafreeplanet.combfp@bogotafreeplanet.com

El Universal http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/english

Andes http://www.andes.info.ec/en

Ecuador Times http://www.ecuadortimes.net

The Jordan Times https://www.jordantimes.com

LSM.lv http://www.lsm.lv/en

The Baltic Times http://www.baltictimes.com lithuania@baltictimes.com, estonia@baltictimes.com, editor@baltictimes.com

El Pais http://elpais.com/elpais/inenglish.html

Philippine Daily Inquirer https://www.inquirer.net

Daily News Hungary http://dailynewshungary.com

Budapest Times http://budapesttimes.hu
                                                                                                               

 

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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