Thursday, November 25, 2021
Round-up of important news from major Korean dailies and from international media today
The Korea Post ( www.koreapost.com )
“Bangladesh Armed Forces have become a brand name in international peacekeeping”
Ambassador Delwar Hossain of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh in Seoul said, “Bangladesh Armed Forces have become a brand name in international peacekeeping and it is contributing to global peace by actively participating in UN peacekeeping and peace support initiatives all over the world.” Speaking at a reception hosted by the Embassy of Bangladesh in Korea at the Mondrian Seoul Itaewon Hotel in Dongbingo-dong, Seoul in celebration of the 50th Bangladesh Armed Forces Day on Nov. 21, 2021, Ambassador Hossain then added that to date Bangladesh has deployed more than 0.15 million of its peacekeepers in 54 missions spread across 40 different countries and that Bangladesh is the first country to send all women peacekeeping contingent to Haiti in 2013. (See details of the speech at toward the end of this report.)
“Bangladesh, Korea have great potential for deeper mutually beneficial collaboration”
The following article is based on an interview with newly accredited Ambassador M. Delwar Hossain of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh to the Republic of Korea for publication by The Korea Post media, publisher of 3 English and 2 Korean news publications since 1985.—Ed. The year of 2021 is a special moment for Bangladesh. This year, the nation is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the independence and also in the midst of celebration of the birth centenary of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The year also marks the official endorsement of the graduation of Bangladesh from the status of a Least Development Country to a developing one, as the country fulfilled all three eligibility criteria of the United Nations by substantial margins for the second time.
Cooperation, accountability of prosecutor’s office to parliament in Uzbekistan
The rule of law is ensured in a democratic society through a fair, impartial and effective administration of justice. This type of administration of justice requires independent and impartial judges and prosecutors who ensure the preservation of individual rights and freedoms as well as the maintenance of public order. Regardless of how different prosecutors’ systems are in different countries, they all have one element in common. Prosecutors must make decisions independently and carry out their responsibilities free of outside pressure or intervention, while adhering to the principles of separation of powers and accountability. As the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Sh.M. Mirziyoyev rightly noted: “Our people can endure any difficulties, but they will not tolerate injustice”. In this regard, the essence of the mission for prosecutors is to ensure social justice and the rule of law.
KBS (http://world.kbs.co.kr/service)
Prime Minister to Attend Virtual ASEM Summit
Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum will attend a virtual summit of the Asia-Europe Meeting(ASEM) set for Thursday and Friday. According to the Office of Government Policy Coordination, Kim will attend the opening ceremony of the 13th ASEM Summit on Thursday afternoon and take a picture with other ASEM leaders. On Friday, the prime minister will take part in the Second Plenary Session on the COVID-19 and socio-economic recovery and express South Korea's commitment to contribute to the vaccine supply and global efforts to tackle climate change and other issues. Kim will also attend the retreat session and explain Seoul's Korean Peninsula peace process and call for the ASEM leaders to cooperate in efforts to bring North Korea back to the negotiating table.
DP Candidate Pushes Reform Bills, PPP in Deadlock over Election Committee
Ruling Democratic Party(DP) presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung is seeking to accelerate passage of reform bills, while the main opposition People Power Party's(PPP) Yoon Seok-youl has yet to iron out differences over his election committee. The ruling party convened a meeting led by Lee on Wednesday to push for parliamentary passage of a set of livelihood reform bills, including those pledged by the candidate. There are only two weeks left in the National Assembly’s regular session. Meanwhile, the main opposition's formation of its election committee is in a deadlock, after former party interim chief Kim Chong-in hesitated about coming onboard as the chief committee chair.
Cargo Truckers Launch 3-Day General Strike
Unionized truckers have launched a three-day general strike. According to labor circles, the Cargo Truckers Solidarity, affiliated with the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions(KCTU), started the nationwide strike at 12 a.m. Thursday. The labor group demands a continuation of the so-called safe wages scheme which imposes fines on shipping firms that do not pay truck drivers an adequate amount in freight fare. The rule, introduced for a tentative three years, will last until next year. The union wants the rule to be permanent in addition to a hike in freight charges. The transport ministry is seeking talks with the group while implementing emergency transportation countermeasures.
Yonhap (http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr)
Daily infections, critical cases soar to all-time highs
South Korea's new coronavirus cases and critical cases soared to all-time highs Wednesday, prompting the government to consider imposing an emergency COVID-19 response plan just weeks after easing social distancing rules under the "living with COVID-19" scheme. Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum urged health authorities to beef up containment measures, saying the country is facing the first hurdle in its move back toward normalcy and the Seoul metropolitan area, home to half of the country's 52 million population, is in an urgent situation. The country reported 4,115 new COVID-19 cases, including 4,088 local infections, raising the total caseload to 425,065, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
S. Korea seeks int'l cooperation for urea solution supply during ODA meeting
South Korea on Wednesday sought international cooperation on its efforts to secure a stable supply of urea solution following a recent supply crunch, the industry ministry said. Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo made the request during a "networking day" event for official development assistance (ODA), which brought together ambassadors and charge d'affaires from 27 developing countries in Asia, South America, the Middle East and Africa, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. "During the meeting, Yeo explained Seoul's ongoing efforts to resolve the delay of urea imports and to find alternative supply channels, and asked Indonesia and other countries for cooperation," the ministry said.
U.S. seeks closer ties with S. Korea for resilient supply chains: key diplomat
The U.S. State Department official in charge of East Asian and Pacific affairs on Friday emphasized the need for closer cooperation between Washington and Seoul to ensure the resilience of major global supply chains and to protect critical technologies from excessive dependence on a single country. Assistant Secretary Daniel Kritenbrink said the issue was discussed in a string of meetings he held with senior South Korean officials here, which he described as a "productive" exchange. "One of the issues that we did discuss was related to economic security," he said in an exclusive interview with Yonhap News Agency at the U.S. ambassador's residence in Seoul.
The Korea Herald (http://www.koreaherald.com)
Undoing Moon’s policies, or going beyond them?
The presidential race is heating up, with contenders from the two largest parties -- Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party of Korea and Yoon Seok-youl of the People Power Party -- dominating the news. However, there are four candidates backed by parties with a presence in the National Assembly. In addition to the two leading candidates, Sim Sang-jung of the Justice Party and Ahn Cheol-soo of the People’s Party are in the running. Following is a close look at the four party-backed candidates’ key initiatives and perspectives.
Samsung says new Texas chip plant to open new chapter
A $17 billion investment to build Samsung Electronics’ second fabrication plant in the US will open a “new chapter” and contribute to stabilizing the global chip supply chain, the South Korean tech giant said Wednesday as it made an official announcement of the plan. The new foundry will enable production of chips equipped with cutting-edge technologies suitable for fifth-generation networks, high-performance computing and artificial intelligence, Samsung said. “As we add a new facility in Taylor, Samsung is laying the groundwork for another important chapter in our future,” Kim Ki-nam, head of Samsung Electronics Device Solutions Division, said in a statement.
Unification minister denies Olympics central to ‘end-of-war declaration’
Unification Minister Lee In-young on Wednesday denied speculation that Seoul is seeking to declare a formal end to the Korean War in time for the upcoming Beijing Olympics, amid concerns that a possible US boycott of the games would dash Seoul’s hopes for diplomacy with Pyongyang. “The end-of-war declaration is not necessarily aimed at the Beijing Olympics,” Lee told reporters during a press conference in Seoul, stressing that the two are separate issues. “We do hope the Beijing Winter Olympics become an Olympics of Peace, but I hope you don’t think that what happens with the Beijing Olympics will affect the end-of-war declaration.”
The Korea Times (http://www.koreatimes.co.kr)
Samsung set to compete against TSMC with new foundry in US
Samsung Electronics is looking to speed up its move to become the world's leading semiconductor company in system semiconductors by 2030, alongside its lead in the memory chip business. The Korean tech giant has finalized the location of its new semiconductor fabrication plant, or foundry, in the U.S., announcing Wednesday it will invest $17 billion in the facility in Taylor, Texas. This is the largest investment ever made by Samsung in the U.S. The company said construction will begin in the first half of 2022, and mass production in the second half of 2024. The new U.S. foundry is expected to help Samsung respond more quickly to demand and also secure new customers; as the global chip supply shortage issue that has impacted many companies in a wide range of business areas is forecast to stabilize.
Korea to guarantee undocumented children more rights
Undocumented children of foreign national parents, who are mostly staying here as illegal aliens, will be guaranteed more rights in education, healthcare and other welfare programs, the government said Wednesday. The administration announced a set of measures to better protect and support such children, drawn up jointly by the relevant ministries, of justice, education, health and welfare, family and gender equality, and interior and safety. The measures follow calls to improve the situations of such children, as they are denied basic rights and social services. The justice ministry estimates their number at 3,400, but the National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) and other relevant civic groups presume that the actual figure is around 20,000.
Korea closer to legislating criminal punishment for crypto irregularitiesPosted
Financial authorities are seeking to punish criminally those involved in illicit cryptocurrency trading, in a move to rein in the thriving digital asset market that remains tax-free, despite investors' hefty gains over the past few years. The first step toward legislation is expected to expedite the discussion on the need for prompt recognition of digital currencies as valid financial assets, establishing grounds for the government to impose a tax on gains from crypto trading as scheduled. According to a report submitted by the Financial Services Commission (FSC) to the National Assembly National Policy Committee, a minimum prison term of one year and a fine of up to five times the amount illicitly gained will be in store for those engaged in crypto market manipulation.
Chosun Ilbo (http://english.chosun.com)
Big Business Laid off Thousands in Pandemic
Hiring at big companies has deteriorated both quantitatively and qualitatively since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic. Market researcher Leaders Index surveyed Korea's top 313 companies in the third quarter and found that the total number of workers dwindled by one percent from 1.25 million in 2019 to 1.24 million this year. The quality of jobs also worsened. While the number of permanent workers declined by 18,199 over the same period, the number of temporary workers increased by 5,369. Men accounted for 33 percent of the jobs that disappeared and women for 67 percent. Since men account for 74 percent of all workers at the top 500 companies in Korea and women for 26 percent, job losses among women are disproportionately high.
China's Donfeng Ends Tie-up with Kia
China's Dongfeng Motor has decided to end its tie-up with Kia established in 2002 to produce and sell cars in China. Dongfeng said Monday that it is selling its 25-percent stake in the joint venture Dongfeng Yueda Kia. The Chinese automaker's stake was worth W20.8 billion when the it launched the joint venture but is now valued at around W55.3 billion, increasing just 2.7 times over nearly two decades (US$1=W1,189). Chinese media reported that Kia is expected to buy Dongfeng out, but a Kia source said, "Nothing has been decided." Dongfeng Yueda Kia sold 650,000 cars in 2016 to rank 11th in China, but sales plummeted amid a Chinese boycott of Korean goods and services the following year and never recovered, reaching just 130,000 in the first 10 months of this year. Cumulative losses total around W1.68 trillion.
Hardships of Diplomats in N.Korea Exposed
Confidential documents have cast new light on the dire existence of diplomats and NGO workers in North Korea amid crippling international sanctions. Foreign Policy magazine on Monday published the story based on a confidential internal document from the UN Security Council Panel of Experts. Startling anecdotes abound. In September 2011, then Russian ambassador to North Korea Valery Sukhinin had to haul sacks of cash from Moscow to cover his embassy's expenses and pay staff salaries because Western banks did not approve bank transactions with North Korea. Getting a car for the embassy was not easy either. "The vehicle had been purchased by the Russian Embassy in Beijing and driven across the border to Pyongyang," the magazine quoted Sukhinin as saying. "The entire process... took two years."
HanKyoReh Shinmun (http://english.hani.co.kr)
Salt in the wound: Chun’s 40-year legacy in Gwangju
An ill-fated relationship spanning more than 40 years bound the city of Gwangju and Chun Doo-hwan, who died Tuesday. A total of 155 civilians were killed outright during the suppression of the Gwangju Uprising of May 18, 1980, by the “New Military” under Chun’s leadership. Another 110 died later from injuries, while 81 people were never heard from again. An additional 2,461 people were injured, 1,145 were injured while in custody, and 1,447 were arrested and incarcerated. Those numbers, plus another 118 classified as “miscellaneous,” come out to 5,517 people who suffered grievously from the New Military’s abuses.
No state funeral or flowers for Chun Doo-hwan: Blue House
South Korean President Moon Jae-in won’t be paying his respects at the wake for Chun Doo-hwan, nor will he be sending sympathy flowers. The Blue House noted that Chun’s family will be holding a private funeral and made clear the government won’t be covering the costs of the ceremony. We express our condolences for former President Chun Doo-hwan and express our sympathy to his bereaved family. We voice our regret that Chun never revealed the truth of history nor offered a sincere apology. The Blue House has no plans to send flowers or pay respects at his wake,” said Blue House spokesperson Park Kyung-mee during the press briefing on Tuesday afternoon.
3 reasons Lee Jae-myung and the Democratic Party are losing ground
Are you often in a good mood for no reason these days? Do you find yourself smiling when you leaf through the politics section? If so, there’s a good chance you identify as a “highly politically engaged” conservative supporter of South Korea’s opposition party. Have you been down in the dumps lately? Does political news leave you wary about the future of the country? If so, you may be either a highly politically engaged supporter of the ruling party or an independent. When you live in a democratic country, it’s impossible to remain aloof from politics and elections. An election is a sacred affair, in which we select officials — in Korea’s case, National Assembly members and a president — to entrust with our sovereignty.
The Dong-A Ilbo (http://english.donga.com/)
Samsung to build ‘system semiconductor belt’
Samsung Electronics finalized a decision to build a new foundry plant in the U.S., getting close to completing the system semiconductor belt connecting Yongin, Hwaseong, and Pyeongtaek in South Korea and Austin and Taylor in the U.S. With this, Samsung Electronics, TSMC in Taiwan, and Intel in the U.S. will compete for the hegemony of the global system semiconductor market after 2024. The semiconductor industry predicts that the recent investment by the South Korean company will make it the core pillar of the Joe Biden administration’s efforts to restructure the global semiconductor supply chain, which leads to South Korea emerging as the global hub of semiconductor research and development.
Former VP Al Gore ‘was a man,’ says federal judge
Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore who accepted his election loss 20 years ago was mentioned in a trial against a supporter of former U.S. President Donald Trump who broke into the Capitol on January 6 this year. The judge of the trial said Gore “was a man” compared to former President Trump who rejected the election result. “Al Gore had a better case to argue than Mr. Trump,” Senior U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton said during a plea hearing for Capitol riot defendant Adam Johnson, according to CNN on Monday. “But he was a man about what happened to him,” he said. “He accepted it and walked away.”
New daily cases and severely and critically ill patients set record high
The number of new COVID-19 infections reported on Wednesday reached 4,115, setting a record high since the pandemic broke out. The number of severely and critically ill patients has also reached its highest at 586, with 34 deaths. With 71% of the ICU beds currently occupied (Seoul metropolitan area: 83.7%, non-metropolitan area: 50.9%) as of Tuesday 5 p.m., three patients have died in just this week while waiting for available hospital beds. Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said that the country’s COVID-19 situation is on the brink of implementing the emergency response plan. The government launched a committee to assist transition into a phased return for normalcy and plans to hold a meeting today to discuss ways to tighten COVID-19 measures.
The KyungHyangShinmun (http://english.khan.co.kr/)
Record-breaking 4,116 New Daily Cases of COVID-19 and 586 Patients in Critical Condition
The daily number of new COVID-19 cases surpassed 4,000 for the first time. Nearly 600 patients were in serious condition, and 35 people died from the virus in just one day. The Central Disease Control Headquarters announced that as of midnight November 24, they have confirmed 4,116 new cases of the novel coronavirus from the previous day. Among them, 4,088 cases contracted the virus in the local community while 28 cases entered the country from overseas. A regional analysis showed that 76.7% (3,135 cases) of the cases occurred in the greater Seoul area with 1,730 cases confirmed in Seoul, 1,184 cases in Gyeonggi, and 221 in Incheon. Authorities also confirmed 118 cases in Busan, 78 in Daegu, 45 in Gwangju, 51 in Daejeon, 11 in Ulsan, 7 in Sejong, 62 in Gangwon, 40 in Chungcheongbuk-do, 291 in Chungcheongnam-do, 34 in Jeollabuk-do, 52 in Jeollanam-do, 65 in Gyeongsangbuk-do, 87 in Gyeongsangnam-do, and 22 in Jeju.
No State Funeral for Chun Doo-hwan: Government “Will Not Support Chun’s Funeral”
On November 24, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced that the funeral of former President Chun Doo-hwan, who died on November 23, would not be held as a state funeral. Thus the government will not provide any assistance for Chun’s funeral. An official from the interior ministry said, “We will not hold a state funeral according to the announcement by the Cheongwadae spokesperson, who mentioned that Chun’s funeral would be held as a private family funeral in a briefing on November 23.” He further explained, “The words of the Cheongwadae spokesperson that Cheongwadae had no plans to pay a visit or send flowers means that the funeral will not be a state funeral,” and said that the announcement by the Cheongwadae spokesperson was the government’s position.
Record-breaking Number of Young NEETs due to COVID-19: One in Ten Have Given up on Employment Including Many Women
Amidst the economic shock due to COVID-19 last year, the nation saw a record-breaking number of young people who are “Not in Education, Employment, or Training” (NEET). A recent survey showed that one in ten young people did not even try to find employment. Unlike the government’s analysis showing that employment is on the rebound, this year the increase in the number of young NEETs is expected to be bigger, pushing the total up from last year. Experts are calling for policies for young people, since it gets harder to find jobs the longer the period out of employment, and since wages could be lower even if they do find employment.
Maeil Business News Korea (http://www.pulsenews.co.kr/)
Hyundai E&C links up with US-based Holtec for SMR partnership
South Korea’s Hyundai Engineering & Construction Co. has gained traction in its efforts to rebrand itself as a total construction solution creator through partnership with the U.S.-based nuclear equipment vendor Holtec International. Hyundai E&C announced it signed a partnership deal this week with Holtec International, a U.S.-based small modular reactor vendor, under which the Korean engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) company will be in charge of the detailed design and full plant construction for the SMRs under development by Holtec.
Seoul to release state oil reserves to join US-led efforts
South Korea is joining U.S.-led actions of releasing state oil stock to ease fuel prices amid inaction from oil producing majors to increase supplies to stabilize international commodity prices that have been fanning inflation across the globe. In a press release, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy on Wednesday said the government will comply with the U.S. proposal of major oil importers releasing national reserve in sync to tame oil prices ahead of the winter peak season.
Samsung Engineering to join Saudi Arabia’s Jafurah shale gas project
South Korea’s Samsung Engineering Co. will join Saudi Arabia’s first-ever shale gas project, which would lead the company to additional shale gas exploration and production deals in the Middle Eastern country that is seeking to become the world’s third biggest shale gas producer. The construction and engineering unit of Samsung Group disclosed Tuesday that it signed a deal with Saudi Aramco to build a gas treatment facility that produces clean gas by filtering out impurities from shale gas as part of Jafurah Gas Plant Project Package 1.
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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
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