The Korean daily media headlines and humor

The Korean daily media headlines and humor

Tuesday, February7, 2017

Your Excellency:

Here are The Korea Post notices and a roundup of important headlines from all major Korean-language dailies, TV and other news media of Korea today:

Very Respectfully Yours

/s/

Lee Kyung-sik

Publisher-Chairman

Korea Post Media

(Excellency, please deliver this message to Madam.)

Last chance to introduce the culinary wonders of your country!

Madam, are you sure that you want to pass up this rare chance to do justice to the culinary wonders of your country for the 30 million Koreans tomorrow?

For the sake of the culinary wonders of your country, call Chairman Lee for the last chance to do justice to them. The number is 010-5201-1740.

Limousine buses leave Grand Hyatt Seoul at 9:20 a.m. and the return by 3:40 p.m the same day.

Note: And, of course, there is a throw-in, a prestigious Plaque of Citation (which would be yours)!

Major topics on The Korea Post website (www.koreapost.com) today:

Former doctor of President Park questioned over influence-peddling scandal

Special prosecutors on Monday questioned the head of a renowned local hospital, who formally served as President Park Geun-hye's doctor, over his alleged involvement in an influence-peddling scandal rocking the country.

Kim Jong-un of N. Korea inspects precision machine plant in Pyongyang

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has visited a precision machine factory in Pyongyang, calling for its employees to steadily improve their technical skills, state-run media said Tuesday.

U.S., Japan successfully tests jointly developed interceptor missile

The United States and Japan have successfully carried out a missile interception test with a jointly developed interceptor missile, the U.S. Missile Defense Agency said.The test took place off Hawaii early Saturday (Eastern Time), with the Aegis-equipped destroyer USS John Paul Jones shooting down a medium-range ballistic missile target with the SM-3 Block IIA interceptor missile, the agency said in a statement.

Gallucci says he advised N. Korea not to greet new U.S. president with nuclear, missile tests

A former chief U.S. nuclear negotiator with North Korea said he advised diplomats from Pyongyang to refrain from greeting a new U.S. administration with nuclear or missile tests when he met with them in Malaysia in October.

For up-to-the-minute Korea-language news, please visit www.koreapost.co.kr. there major topics on The Korea Post website (www.koreapost.com)

What’s ticking in Korea today?Here is a quick roundup of important news stories from the major Korean news media today:

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

Independent Counsel Team Seeks Extension of Probe Period

The independent counsel team investigating a corruption scandal involving President Park Geun-hye's confidante Choi Soon-sil will likely seek an extension of its investigation period.Deputy Independent Counsel Lee Kyu-chul explained at a press briefing on Monday that the progress of the team’s probe into 14 major charges is still lacking, adding the team will have to positively consider an extension.

Samsung Electronics Retains Top Spot in Global Smartphone Market

Samsung Electronics and Apple have retained their top spots in the global smartphone market with Chinese firms closely trailing behind.In a report by U.S. market researcher International Data Corporation(IDC) on Monday, Samsung held on to first place with a 21 percent share in the worldwide smartphone market, shipping 311 million units. Apple ranked second with a market share of 14-point-six percent.

S. Korea Issues 30-Hour Nationwide Livestock Standstill

South Korea has issued a nationwide standstill order for all livestock breeding farms after an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease was confirmed at a dairy farm.The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said on Monday that a ban on the movement of all livestock and farm vehicles will take effect as of 6 p.m. Monday and last for 30 hours.

Assembly Passes Motion to Request Acting Pres. to Attend Interpellation Session

The National Assembly has passed a motion on Monday, requesting Acting President and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn to appear at a parliamentary interpellation session.The motion requires Hwnag to appear at a plenary session on noneconomic issues on Friday.

Opposition Criticizes Acting Pres. for Inaction on Search of Top Office

Opposition parties have criticized Acting President Hwang Kyo-ahn for his refusal to cooperate with the independent counsel team’s request to search the presidential office.Chairwoman of the main opposition Democratic Party ChooMi-ae said on Monday during a meeting of the party’s supreme council that Hwang is not President Park Geun-hye's guard and should not violate laws and principles to protect her.

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

Gallucci says he advised N. Korea not to greet new U.S. president with nuclear, missile tests

Former doctor of President Park questioned over influence-peddling scandal

S. Korean FM Yun has phone conversation with Tillerson

South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se talked over the phone with new U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson for the first time Tuesday, the foreign ministry said.

U.S., Japan successfully tests jointly developed interceptor missile

The United States and Japan have successfully carried out a missile interception test with a jointly developed interceptor missile, the U.S. Missile Defense Agency said.

U.S. approves sale of two sets of fighter jet missiles to S. Korea

The United States has approved a proposed sale to South Korea of two sets of advanced short-range missiles designed to arm fighter jets, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said.

Scientists develop smarter MRI technology

A group of South Korean scientists discovered a new magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) platform that selectively finds diseased cells, the state-run research center said Tuesday, a development that could overcome the limits of the current MRI technology.

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

Choi, Ko face off in court over corruption scandal

Choi Soon-sil, President Park Geun-hye’s longtime confidante at the center of the corruption scandal, fiercely clashed with Ko Young-tae, her now-estranged associate and alleged “boy toy,” during her trial Monday.

Independent counsel considers to extend investigation period

The special prosecutor’s team looking into the President Park Geun-hye scandal is “positively considering” asking for an extension of its 90-day investigation period, citing the need to look at the case more thoroughly, it said Monday.

‘Unique battery model behind Note 7 explosions’

The Korean government concluded Monday that Samsung Electronics’ Galaxy Note 7 explosions were caused by faulty batteries and vowed to strengthen battery safety and recall measures for smartphones. The conclusion came after the state-run Korean Agency for Technology Standards conducted tests for three months with 14 overheated smartphones, 46 normal phones and 169 batteries given by Samsung Electronics.

Korea’s green car market small, but growing fast

South Korea’s eco-friendly car market is continuing its rapid growth as the number of the country’s green cars increased by 63.9 percent from 2015 to 2016, the Korea Automobile Importers & Distributors Association said Monday.

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

Duterte threatens to kill Korean gangs

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has threatened to kill Korean criminal gangs who are involved in the illegal drug trade in his country, according to local media Monday.

Korea-China dispute chips away at K-pop stars' wealth

The dispute over a U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system to be installed here, continues to wreak havoc on stock-rich Korean entertainers. The stock values of two entertainment moguls ― S.M. Entertainment Chairman Lee Soo-man and YG Entertainment chief Yang Hyun-suk ― have seen their stock values plummet by almost 50 percent compared to a year ago, according to chaebul.com, Monday.

Moon Jae-in cements lead; Ah Hee-jung jumps in poll

Former opposition leader Moon Jae-in is cementing his lead in the presidential race, while South Chungcheong Governor AnHee-jung has soared as the runner-up, according to the latest poll, Monday.

N. Korea has yet to master ICBM technologies

North Korea still has a lot of work to do in developing an operational intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), so the test it threatened to do will almost certainly end in failure, according to military experts.

Jeonju to provide free medicals for immigrants

Jeonju Health Center (JHC) is offering free medical checkups to 110 female marriage immigrants in the city.The examination is available on a first-come-first-serve basis. It covers basic and 19 other check-ups, including hyperlipidemia, electrocardiogram, hepatitis B, cervical, thyroid cancer, and liver and lung health.

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Dong-AIlbo (http://english.donga.com)

U.S. finds facts on N. Korea’s alleged kidnapping of college student

It was confirmed on Monday that the Trump administration recently began to investigate on the alleged kidnapping of American student David Sneddon to North Korea in 2004 behind closed doors.

Novel on N. Korea’s human rights to be published

A revised edition of the Accusation, a novel written by an anonymous North Korean author to offer a glimpse into the human rights in North Korea, will be published in South Korea.

LG to unveil Android-powered smartwatches in U.S.

LG Electronics, one of the largest manufacturers of electronic devices in Korea, will unveil its newest smartwatches “LG Watch Sports” and “LG Watch Style” (pictured) in the U.S. on Wednesday. The last time LG electronics released a smartwatch was roughly a year ago when it rolled out “LG Watch Urbane Second Edition,” which gained popularity as the “Lee Se-dol Watch” since the Korean go player was wearing it when he had the historic match against Google’s program DeepMind.

Kim Jin-yeol wins the 2nd Park Su-geun Art Award

Kim Jin-yeol, a 65-year-old painter, has been selected as the winner of the Park Su-geun Art Award. The award was created to honor the artistic sprit of Park Su-geun, a famous Korean painter (1914-1965), by the Dong-A Ilbo, Yanggu-county of Gangwon Province, the GangwonIlbo newspaper, K-Water, the Dongdaemun Future Foundation, and the Seoul Design Foundation.

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

Elderly Parents Rely More on Daughters Than on Sons

Elderly parents are most likely to be in touch on a regular basis with their eldest daughter if they have several children. Just a decade ago it was most likely to be the son and heir, signaling seismic changes in social attitudes.

Park Denies Charges in Statement to Constitutional Court

President Park Geun-hye in a statement to the Constitutional Court denied all charges against her in the National Assembly's impeachment motion.

Park's lawyer Lee Joong-hwan in a text message to reporters confirmed that he has finally submitted the statement, for which the court had set a Friday deadline.

Demand for Imported Delicacies Grows

Demand for imported food is growing significantly in Korea. In the markets for beef, grapes, squid and nuts, imports accounted for 55 percent, 71 percent, 91 percent and 93 percent of sales in superstores last year.

Power Struggles Continue as Kim Jong-un Ousts Spy Chief

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has sacked the chief of his secret services amid ongoing power struggles in the reclusive country.The Unification Ministry on Friday said the North's State Security Minister Kim Won-hong was dismissed in mid-January on charges of corruption and abuse of power. He was demoted from a four-star to a one-star general.

Samsung Loses Ground to Chinese Smartphone Makers

Chinese handset makers are becoming big players in the Asia-Pacific market, sweeping the top spots in smartphone sales in the fourth quarter of last year.

Latecomer Oppo took the top spot, while Huawei and Vivo took third and fourth. Samsung, which had dominated the market until recently, dropped to fifth in the wake of the massive recall of its combustible Galaxy Note 7 smartphone.

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HanKyoReh-Shinmoon (http://english.hani.co.kr)

Moon Jae-in leading among possible presidential candidates

A poll by the Hankyoreh and Research Plus has reconfirmed the results of surveys on preferences for possible presidential candidates, conducted by more than ten newspapers and broadcast media earlier this year, which showed Moon Jae-in, former leader of the opposition Minjoo Party, in the lead. The Hankyoreh-Research Plus survey, conducted on Feb. 3 and 4, gave Moon 30.2% of those polled, which is a 2.8% increase over the 27.4% he received in the Hankyoreh‘s Dec. 28-29 survey.

Poll: PM Hwang Kyo-ahn emerging as top conservative candidate for president

In a public opinion poll carried out by the Hankyoreh and Research Plus over two days, since Feb. 3, Prime Minister and acting president Hwang Kyo-ahn came in third at 12.5%, after former Minjoo Party leader Moon Jae-in (30.2%) and South Chungcheong Province Governor AhnHee-jung (14.1%). Another conservative candidate, Righteous Party lawmaker YooSeong-min, only received 4.3% of support. Since former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s withdrawal from the race, Hwang seems to be emerging as the leading choice for the conservative establishment.

Poll: More than half of South Koreans think THAAD decision is a mistake

While more than half of the country thinks that the decision to deploy the THAAD missile defense system on the Korean Peninsula was a mistake, just 37.5% think the next administration should reconsider the plan.

This week, Pres. Park could be questioned in person by Special Prosecutor

As the investigative team led by Special Prosecutor Park Young-soo attempts to question President Park Geun-hye in person around the end of this week, attention is focusing both on her questioning as well as on how the team will overcome Blue House opposition to a search and seizure, which the Blue House describes as an anti-Constitutional act. With the team reportedly planning to send a summons as early as this week to former Blue House Senior Secretary Woo Byung-woo, this week is likely to be a watershed point in the team‘s investigation.

As part of whitelist, FKI doled out millions to right-wing groups

With the Special Prosecutor’s investigation turning up a series of allegations that the Blue House asked the Federation of Korean Industries (FKI) and chaebol to provide financial support to conservative and right-wing organizations on a “whitelist” that it had prepared, records made public on Feb. 5 confirmed that the FKI directly provided more than 2.5 billion won (US$2.19 million) on a total of 61 occasions to 38 conservative and right-wing groups and individuals over three years, from shortly after Park Geun-hye‘s inauguration as president in 2013 through 2015.

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JoongAng-Ilbo(conservative) (http://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/)

Lotte may close three retail stores in China’s capital

Lotte Super, a supermarket affiliate of Lotte Group, may shut down three branches in Beijing, although it denied this was caused by the Chinese government’s retaliation against Korea for deploying an anti-missile system.

Japan’s envoy absent from Korea for 30 days

If Japanese Ambassador to Korea YasumasaNagamine doesn’t return to Seoul by Thursday, he will be the first envoy from Japan to be recalled by Tokyo for an entire month since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1965.

Farm travel banned on new outbreak

The government on Monday imposed a 30-hour nationwide travel ban on all livestock farms as the emergency level on foot-and-mouth disease was raised after a second case was confirmed just a day after the first. The cases are the first in 10 months.

Trump fears spread to local SMEs

Concerns about Donald Trump’s economic policies are spreading to Korea’s small and medium-sized businesses.Although the president-elect has fired much of his trade rhetoric at major conglomerates like Samsung and Toyota, a report released by IBK Economic Research Institute on Monday showed Korea’s small and medium-sized enterprises are also worried about Trump. They cited him as one of the biggest risk factors for their business this year.

Bank shares benefit from Dodd-Frank moves

Financial shares on Monday rose after U.S. President Donald Trump took his first step to roll back financial regulations set in the aftermath of the 2008 global crisis under Barack Obama’s administration.

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

[Result of U.S. Defense Secretary Mattis's Visit to Korea & Japan] "THAAD" Missiles in South Korea, "Wings" on Japan, and "Provocation" to China and Russia

U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis visited South Korea and Japan last weekend and confirmed the U.S. strategy against China with its military alliances with South Korea and Japan. In this process, Japan's Shinzo Abe cabinet reaped the fruits of obtaining U.S. approval for plans to strengthen its military.

Colleagues Block Move to Bestow the Title of Honorary 5-Star General to Paik Sun-yup, Who Allegedly Subdued the Independence Army

On February 5, it was confirmed that there had been plans to present the title of honorary 5-star general, the first in the South Korean Army, to Paik Sun-yup (97, photo), a retired Army general known as a Korean War hero, who was also formerly a member of the "punitive" forces in Jiandao, but that the plans had been canceled due to the opposition of senior military veterans who had also fought in the Korean War.

Mattis Delivers Trump's Message, "Cooperation Against North Korea's Nuclear Program Top Priority"

U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis made an official visit to South Korea on February 2. His first remarks emphasized the strengthening of the ROK-US alliance and bilateral cooperation against North Korea's nuclear program. He also made clear U.S. intentions to conclude the discussions on the placement of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system in Korea.

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The Korea Economic Daily (http://english.hankyung.com/)

1 Tril. Won Operating Profit Club Members Increase to 37 in 2016

The combined operating profit of the nation's 280 publicly traded companies has surpassed 140 trillion won for the first time in history. The number of companies with more than 1 trillion won in operating profit has also hit a record high of 37. According to FnGuide, a financial information provider, on February 6, the aggregate operating profit of 287 public corporations that have announced their 2016 preliminary results or made available data to estimate results was 140,390 billion won, up 18.6 percent from the previous year's 118,421.3 billion won.

GS Retail's Acquisition of Watsons Korea Raises Concerns

GS Retail has decided to acquire the 100-percent stake in an investment firm Watsons Korea, raising concerns that it would have a negative impact on GS Retail's financial performance. The financial structure of Watsons Korea, which runs the drug store chain, has remained poor due to its chronic losses.

KT to Transform Itself into Platform Business Operator...Chairman Hwang

KT chairman Hwang Chang-gyu, who succeeded in getting elected again in his second term, will focus on establishing the five platform businesses of smart energy, corporate and public sector value, financial transaction, disaster and safety for the next three years. He promised that he will transform KT into a platform operator whose sales revenue from non-telecom business areas accounts for more than 30 percent in total.

China-Korea Motor to Launch Small Chinese-made SUV Model before Year's End

China-Korea Motor, the local importer and distributor of mid-sized SUV "Kenbo 600" produced by China's BAIC Motor, is set to import a small-sized SUV within the year's end. According to industry sources on February 6, the importer will bring in a small SUV model following the successful launch of the Kenbo 600.

SK Speeds up Efforts to Improve Governance Structure

Chey Tae-won, chairman of SK Group, said, "No matter who will become the next Korean President, the government's pressure on large business groups to reform their governance would get higher," adding "We at SK Group are reviewing a new governance structure."

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AJU Business Daily (http://eng.ajunews.com/korea)

S. Korea confirms fresh outbreak of foot-and-mouth animal disease

South Korea confirmed a fresh outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease Monday at a dairy farm as its livestock community is still reeling under the worst outbreak of avian influenza that has ravaged poultry farms, sending egg prices soaring.

Lotte decides to close some retail outlets in China amid diplomatic row

South Korea's Lotte group has decided to close three supermarkets in the vicinity of Beijing amid a worsening business environment exacerbated by a thorny diplomatic row over the deployment of an advanced US missile shield.

Missing seven-year-old child found playing Pokémon GO

Pokémon GO has become a syndrome since it was launched in South Korea three weeks ago, causing many incidents and social problems as experienced in other countries.

Cruise ship to serve as floating hotel for Pyeongchang Olympics guests

A luxury cruise ship will serve as a floating hotel to accommodate foreign visitors during next year's Winter Olympics in South Korea's eastern ski resort of Pyeongchang, provincial government officials said Monday.

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

Lotte poised to phase out business in China as Seoul, Washington push ahead with THAAD

Lotte Group, South Korea’s fifth largest conglomerate, appears to be readying phasing-out of China following unexpected clampdown from authorities after a premise under its ownership has become a location to host a battery of antimissile Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD).

Netmarble reports record sales and earnings in 2016

Netmarble Games Corp., Korea’s top mobile game company, on Monday reported best-ever earnings in 2016 thanks to blockbuster hits of new releases and increased market presence overseas.

Mercedes-Benz commands 41% of Jan Korean import car sales

Sales of imported car brands rose in Korea for the first time in three months in January with Mercedes-Benz leading the way with a monthly record shipment of over 6,800 units.

SK Group acquires 27% stake in Chinese livestock firm to enter livestock industry

South Korea’s conglomerate SK Group is moving into agriculture and livestock segment by investing in a Chinese livestock company. The group will sign a contract to acquire a 27 percent stake in China’s third largest beef producing and processing company Kerchin Cattle Industry Co. for 80 billion won ($70 million), according to sources from the business circles on Sunday.

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 Timeswww.nytimes.com inytletters@nytimes.com

Wall Street Journalwww.wsj.com support@wsj.com ,service@wsj-asia.com

Financial Times www.ft.com ean@ft.com

The Timeswww.thetimes.co.uk help@timesplus.co.uk

The Sun www.thesun.co.uk talkback@the-sun.co.uk

Chinese People's Dailywww.people.com.cn kf@people.cn

China Dailywww.chinadaily.com.cn circulation@chinadaily.com.cn

GwangmyeongDailywww.gmw.cn webmaster@gmw.cn

Japan's Yomiuriwww.yomiuri.co.jp japannews@yomiuri.com