Headline, April 6, 2022

Wednesday, April 6, 2022
Round-up of important news from major Korean dailies and from international media today

The Korea Post ( www.koreapost.com )

Nuclear North Korea versus the U.S.-South Korea: Synopses

This book is to explain the nuclear threat from North Korea and the options the U.S. and South Korea could take to readers who are curious about these. As readers clearly witnessed, war can occur anywhere and anytime, and any war could escalate into a nuclear war. Actually, there are three countries in the world that have the intent and capability to attack the United States with nuclear weapons. North Korea could have the most hostile intent among the three and is getting closer to having ICBMs, SLBMs, and potentially SSBNs to attack the U.S. mainland.

Bilateral cooperation grows fast also in the educational field

Uzbekistan has entered a new level of its development, based on the Action Strategy developed by the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, which is carrying out constant transformations in all spheres of society. The goal was set for Uzbekistan to enter the top 30 leading countries by 2030 according to the PISA international student assessment program. The key to digital transformation is the “human capital” created by the education system, so the role of Universities in solving ambitious tasks can hardly be overestimated.

KRA reveals Korean horse racing 100 years’ official emblem
Korea Racing Authority, led by CEO Jung Ki-hwan, has released the official emblem commemorating the 100th anniversary of Korean horse racing, promoting the history of a century of Korean horse racing, and spurring efforts to make horse racing a national sport. KRA unveiled the official emblem on April 3, symbolizing the slogan “Together with the people, the new 100-year dream of Korean horse racing,” which was declared at the inauguration ceremony of the Korean Racing 100 Years Commemorative Project Promotion Committee on March 24.

Chosun Ilbo (http://english.chosun.com)
Yoon Starts Policy Consultation with U.S.
President-elect Yoon Seok-youl has started policy consultation with the U.S. government by sending a seven-member delegation to Washington even before he is inaugurated next month. The delegation, led by People Power Party lawmaker Park Jin, met Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman on Monday and delivered a letter to U.S. President Joe Biden. The delegation will have in-depth discussions with U.S. officials to "seek ways for U.S. commitment to the security" of the Korean Peninsula and "a comprehensive strategic alliance between Seoul and Washington," Park told reporters on arrival in Washington Sunday.

N.Korean Hackers 'Stole Missile Intercept Technology'
North Korean hackers have stolen foreign technology to evade intercept defenses against hypersonic missiles, a UN report suggests. The annual report by the UN Security Council's Panel of Experts overseeing sanctions against North Korea last Friday warns the North continues development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles and has probably stolen the intercept-evasion technology. The regime has already succeeded in testing a hypersonic missile capable of flying at a low altitude along an irregular trajectory from a mobile missile launcher, which is hard to intercept with the existing defense systems of South Korea and the U.S.

Banks Prefer Experienced Recruits to Newbies
University graduates are having an increasingly hard time finding entry-level jobs in banks and other financial institutions now the business is moving online and employers prefer seasoned professionals to newbies they have to train. The proportion of newly hired workers in their 40s and 50s in the financial sector surpassed those in their 20s and 30s for the first time ever last year. According to a report by the Korea Institute of Finance, 8,076 new graduates and 11,339 experienced workers were hired by financial institutions last year. The number of entry-level recruits peaked at 13,647 in 2019 but fell to 8,076 in 2021.

Joongang Ilbo (https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com )
Pre-emptive strike would trigger nuclear war: Kim's sister

North Korea would use nuclear weapons if South Korea launched a pre-emptive attack, the powerful sister of leader Kim Jong-un threatened Tuesday. It was her second comment in recent days about hawkish views emanating from Seoul about Pyongyang's growing arsenal of weapons of mass destruction. In the English-language version of her statement, carried by the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Kim Yo-jong once again took aim at Seoul’s Defense Minister Suk Wook’s comments about South Korea’s ability to pre-emptively strike targets in North Korea if an attack was imminent — remarks she described as a “fantastic daydream” and the “hysteria of a lunatic.”

Government liabilities break 2,000 trillion won for first time

Government liabilities last year exceeded 2,000 trillion won ($1.65 trillion) for the first time as spending surged to fight the pandemic. Increases in public service provisions due to increased hiring also stressed the budget. Korea's 2021 financial statement showed national liabilities increasing 10.8 percent to 2,196.4 trillion won, according to information released during a cabinet meeting. The liabilities include government bonds and contingent liabilities, such as provisions for public servant pensions. Pension provisions are not current obligations but forecasts of what is owed going decades out as government employees retire. Current debt including government bonds in 2021 totaled 818.2 trillion won, up 14 percent.

Google payment policy violates the law, KCC determines

Korea's communications regulator said Tuesday that Google's new in-app payment policy will be illegal if implemented. The Korea Communications Commission (KCC) concluded in an authoritative interpretation that Google's new rule violates the Telecommunications Business Act because it forces app operators to use a billing system run by Google or a third-party payment service hosted by Google Play. The commission will not punish Google immediately but wait to see if Google acts on its threat despite the announcement of the government. The penalty will be decided after an investigation of whether illegality took place or not, the KCC said.

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

Ukraine says killing of civilians a 'deliberate massacre'
As news about Russian troops’ massacre of innocent people in Bucha near the capital city of Kyiv has driven the rest of the world into a state of shock, there is growing evidence that Russia committed the mass-killing of civilians in other parts of Ukraine. The West World including the United States has started collecting evidence to put Russian President Vladimir Putin on trial for his involvement in wartime wrongdoings. The Ukrainian government on Monday (local time) found the mayor of Motyzhyn, a village 45 kilometers west of Kyiv, and her family dead covered with sand, according to the Guardian.

N. Korea warns of nuclear attack in case of military confrontation

Kim Yo Jong, the younger sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and vice director of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea, on Tuesday mentioned North Korea’s nuclear combat force, saying if military confrontation occurs between the two Koreas, the North will launch a terrifying attack, and the South Korean military will have to endure its dismal fate that is close to annihilation and complete destruction. This is the first time that the North has directly hinted at the possibility of using nuclear weapons against the South.

Democratic Party vows to scrutinize PM nominee

The ruling Democratic Party of Korea declared to make a detailed scrutiny into the confirmation of Han Deok-soo, the candidate for the South Korean prime minister, dismissing his experiences from the previous administrations. The members of the DPK mounted offensives against Mr. Han, who served in major posts during the Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun administrations, mockingly labeling him as “old boy,” “prime minister for election only,” and “puppet prime minister.”“We won’t repeat the past mistakes of the People Power Party by pursuing blind slandering and mud-slinging,” said Yoon Ho-joong, the chairman of the DPK’s joint emergency committee during a meeting in Busan Monday.

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

Korea’s new conservative govt faces stagnation risks, may name econ team this week

Prosecutor-turned-political novice Yoon Suk-yeol and a conservative party back in governing power in five years face a challenging environment with inflation at 4 percent range and geopolitical risks in danger of slowing the economy recovering from pandemic amid reduced fiscal and monetary options. Little upsides await the incoming government. The inflation rate in March broke above 4 percent for the first time in 10 years and is expected to stay strong throughout the year, given the protracted Russia-Ukraine crisis that has sent prices from fuel to grains Korean relies entirely on imports to multiyear highs.

Korea’s new conservative govt faces stagnation risks, may name econ team this week

S. Korea’s national liabilities near $2 trillion as of 2021

South Korea’s national liabilities snowballed to a record high of 2,196.4 trillion won ($1.81 trillion) in 2021, deepening fiscal deficit due to record fiscal spending amid Covid-19 despite economic growth of 4.0 percent and extra tax revenue of near $50 billion. Korea’s broad liabilities that include the national debt and state pensions to be paid later to civil servants and veterans surged to 2,196.4 trillion won ($1.81 trillion) last year, adding 214.7 trillion won or 10.8 percent from a year ago, according to the government’s 2021 settlement report approved by the Cabinet on Tuesday.

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

S. Korean military plans to launch small satellite with solid-fuel rocket by 2025

In the wake of South Korea’s recent success with its first-ever test-firing of a solid-fuel space launch vehicle made with domestic technology, military authorities announced plans to launch a small satellite into low Earth orbit within three years. The authorities stressed that the solid-fuel space launch vehicle has no connections with long-range missile development as some have speculated, explaining that the plan is to use it only for placing very small satellites into low orbit. Meeting with reporters on Monday, an official from a research institution affiliated with the Ministry of National Defense (MND) said, “We’re anticipating being able to launch [the completed solid-fuel space launch vehicle from the Naro Space Center in Goheung, South Jeolla Province, around 2025.”

The 3 major risks of Yoon Suk-yeol’s economic pledges

While President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol’s transition team is in the process of setting its national political agenda, concerns about how to actually implement Yoon’s key economic pledges are being voiced both within his team and elsewhere. During his campaign, Yoon promised to ease real estate and loan regulations and allocate 50 trillion won (US$41 billion) to compensate the public for damages caused by COVID-19. However, with inflation and housing prices on the rise, the economic environment in South Korea is calling into question the feasibility of Yoon’s promises.

S. Korean prime minister appointee says presidential authority should be distributed

Han Duck-soo, who was nominated to be South Korea’s next prime minister, said Sunday that he would “give [his] all to cooperate with president-elect Yoon Suk-yeol, the administration, the legislature, and the people in order to produce good results.” Speaking at a press conference at the presidential transition committee’s headquarters following his nomination, Han said he felt a “huge responsibility” given South Korea’s complicated geopolitical and economic circumstances. Han cited the Yoon administration's four mid- to long-term tasks, which include strengthening national defense and diplomacy aimed at national interests, fiscal soundness, maintaining a surplus, and expanding productivity.

The KyungHyangShinmun (http://english.khan.co.kr/)

Shadow of Kim & Chang Cast on the New Government, as Former Lawyers Take on Key Roles In and Outside the Transition Committee

At a workshop on March 26, eight days after the launch of the presidential transition committee, Kim Hyoung-tae, the chief economist at Kim & Chang, appeared on stage. He gave a lecture on the changes in the global macroeconomy and responses from the South Korean economy, and President-elect Yoon Seok-youl changed his previous schedule to attend the lecture. The shadow of the law firm Kim & Chang is cast over the new government. The deputy chief spokesperson, working-level officials, and experts in the transition committee and the first prime minister nominee appointed by the president-elect were all former employees of Kim & Chang.

Discussions on the First Minimum Wage Set under the Yoon Seok-youl Government Begins Today: Key Issues Are the Increase Rate and Different Wages

Deliberation on next year’s minimum wage will begin on April 5. Officials will discuss the first minimum wage set under the Yoon Seok-youl government scheduled to launch next month. The Minimum Wage Commission will meet at the Press Center in Jung-gu, Seoul at 3 p.m. this day and hold the first plenary session. According to the Minimum Wage Act, the Minimum Wage Commission must decide and submit the minimum wage to the minister of employment and labor within 90 days from the day the minister requests deliberation on the minimum wage. Earlier on March 31, the legal deadline, the minister of employment and labor requested the commission to review next year’s minimum wage. Now according to the law, the committee must reach a conclusion by June 29.

President Moon, “It Was a Great Pleasure to Be with the People of the Jeju April 3 Incident for 5 Years”

On April 3, the 74th anniversary of the Jeju April 3 incident, President Moon Jae-in said, “It was a great pleasure to be with the people of the Jeju April 3 incident for five years. I will never forget the spring in Jeju,” in memory of the victims of the Jeju uprising. This day, President Moon wrote on social media, “Once again, I remember the victims, who have blossomed as rape flowers, and show my respect for the residents of Jeju-do and the bereaved families of the victims who stand tall after overcoming their grief.” According to the amendment of the Special Act on the Jeju 4·3 Incident, which was revised during President Moon’s term, the first retrial and the special retrial of those convicted in connection to the April 3 incident were recently held, and the prosecutors asked to have all the defendants acquitted.

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

S. Korean Delegates Deliver Yoon's Letter for Biden

President-elect Yoon Suk Yeol’s delegation to the U.S. visited the White House on Tuesday and delivered his letter for U.S. President Joe Biden. The delegation, led by Rep. Park Jin of the People Power Party, met with reporters in Washington on Tuesday and shared the outcome of their meeting with U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan at the White House earlier in the day. Park said the letter, which was given to Sullivan, contains a proposal to further upgrade the South Korea-U.S. alliance to a comprehensive strategic partnership to jointly cope with new challenges such as the North Korean nuclear threat and economic security issues.

Seoul Expresses 'Serious Concerns' over Russia's Apparent Civilian Killings

South Korea has expressed its "serious concerns" over the apparent indiscriminate killing of civilians by Russian forces in Ukraine. The foreign ministry issued a statement on Tuesday, saying it was seriously concerned by the Ukrainian government's announcement of a civilian massacre, adding that the killing of non-combatants in wartime is an explicit violation of international laws. The ministry also said it supports UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres' statement on Sunday which called for an independent investigation for “effective accountability.”

3 Documents Nominated for UNESCO's Regional Memory of the World Register

South Korea will nominate three historic documents to be inscribed on UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register for the Asia-Pacific. The Cultural Heritage Administration said Tuesday the three items it selected are “Samguk Yusa” translated as “Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms,” “Naebang Gasa” from the Joseon dynasty translated as “Song of the Inner Chambers,” and records documenting the nation's fight against a devastating 2007 maritime oil leak in Taean, South Chungcheong Province.“Samguk Yusa” is a collection of folktale and historical accounts related to the Three Kingdoms era penned by Buddhist monk Il Yeon in the year 1281.

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

Yoon delegation discusses deployment of U.S. strategic assets to S. Korea with NSA Sullivan

South Korean delegates representing President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol discussed the possible deployment of U.S. strategic assets to South Korea in a meeting with U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan on Tuesday, the chief delegate said. Rep. Park Jin of Yoon's People Power Party also said the sides discussed a need to hold a bilateral summit between U.S. President Joe Biden and Yoon at an early date. "The two sides also exchanged views on the need to hold a U.S.-South Korea summit at an early date since their two leaders remain determined to strengthen the South Korea-U.S. alliance,"

Pyongyang will not fire 'single bullet' toward Seoul: Kim Yo-jong

The sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said South Korea is no match for her nuclear-armed country, as she reiterated Pyongyang's position that Seoul is not a "principal enemy," according to state media Tuesday. Kim Yo-jong again took issue with the South Korean defense chief's talk in public last week of his troops' "preemptive strike" capabilities, boasting repeatedly about Pyongyang's nuclear combat force. Kim, vice department director of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea who is known to be in charge of inter-Korean affairs, described the minister's remarks as an "irretrievable very big mistake."

Mountain behind Cheong Wa Dae to fully open to public

he mountain sitting behind Cheong Wa Dae will fully open to the public this week after being off-limits for decades for security reasons, officials said Tuesday. The section that will newly open Wednesday is the southern side of Mount Bukak, which was largely closed to the public after a North Korean commando infiltration in 1968. The 31 commandos were on a mission to assassinate then-President Park Chung-hee and hid in the mountain for two weeks before all but two were killed.

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

US agrees to upgrade strategic alliance with Korea: Yoon’s delegation

Washington agreed to raise the level of strategic alliance with South Korea and agreed on the need for complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization (CVID) of North Korea, the chief of President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol’s policy consultation delegation said during his trip to the United States on Monday (US time). Rep. Park Jin of the People Power Party, who is leading Yoon’s delegation, said he had also discussed the importance of the Extended Deterrence Strategy and Consultation Group and reviving it between the two countries in a meeting with US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman in Washington. Reactivating the EDSCG with the US was one of Yoon’s election pledges.

Prime minister nominee faces controversy ahead of hearing

Former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo denied allegations that he is unfit to serve again in the prime minister post for the Yoon Suk-yeol administration due to his alleged involvement in a problematic legal case. Spec Watch Korea claimed after Han was nominated for the post that he should not be appointed as the prime minister for receiving 150 million won ($124,000) while working as an adviser for local law firm Kim & Chang from November 2002 to July 2003. He is accused of helping the firm represent US private equity firm Lone Star, which faced criticism of taking advantage of South Korea’s economic difficulties during the Asian financial crisis in the 1990s by acquiring the Korea Exchange Bank in 2003 and selling it off for huge profit in 2012.

Lee Jae-myung fandom grows despite defeat in presidential race

Lee Jae-myung, former presidential nominee of the liberal Democratic Party of Korea, is continuing to receive support from the general public even after last month’s presidential election defeat. The Democratic Party has effectively decided to move forward with Lee and his aides at the center with the latest floor leader election, and his fandom is believed to help Lee return to the political scene quickly as the new leader of the liberal faction. As of 1 p.m. Tuesday, Lee’s online fandom community was composed of more than 191,000 members, a surprising gain considering the community was formed on March 10, just a day after the presidential election.

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

North Korea's harsh rhetoric seen as attempt to tame South Korea

Scathing remarks made by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's sister in response to South Korea's defense minister touting the South's "pre-emptive strike" ability were aimed at taming Seoul's new administration, which is widely expected to take a tougher stance against Pyongyang, including the use of military options, according to experts. They also noted that North Korea's warning, the second of its kind in just three days, was largely propaganda aimed at bolstering internal solidarity amid economic woes triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Yoon's plan for Korean version of NASA seen as half-baked

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol and his incoming administration should be more specific in their pledges to establish a control tower directing the nation's space policies, while conducting a fundamental review of its necessity and roles, according to aerospace experts. This advice has come amid intensifying conflict among local governments over the location of the Korean version of the U.S.' National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Korean Society for Aeronautical and Space Sciences Chairman Kim Chong-am said that a space agency should be established within this year for the strategic and systematic development of Korea's aerospace sector and for greater international cooperation.

Pusan National University nullifies medical school admission of ex-justice minister's daughter over fake documents

Pusan National University (PNU) made a final decision Tuesday to nullify the 2015 admission of former Justice Minister Cho Kuk's daughter into its medical school for using forged documents on her application. The school in the southeastern port city of Busan had tentatively decided in August last year to cancel Cho Min's admission to its Graduate School of Medicine and finalized the decision in a general faculty meeting Tuesday. Tuesday's decision came after the Supreme Court upheld a conviction on her mother, Chung Kyung-sim, in January for forging a university president's citation and getting a false internship certificate to use for her daughter's admission to the medical school.

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.com bfp@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.

What are you waiting for?
Use us!
The Korea Post media are more than eager to be used, and to serve you—with the following five news outlets, 37 years old this year!

Korean-language Internet edition: http://www.koreapost.co.kr
English-language Internet edition: http://www.koreapost.com
Korean-language print newspaper:
http://pdf.koreapost.co.kr/38/3801.pdf
http://pdf.koreapost.co.kr/38/3802.pdf
http://pdf.koreapost.co.kr/38/3803.pdf
http://www.koreapost.co.kr/pdf/list.php?category=&syear=2018&smonth=03&sday=26&hosu=40
English E-daily: http://www.koreapost.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=10690

Lee Kyung-sik edt@koreapost.com

다른기사 보기