The Korean daily media headlines and humor

The Korean daily media headlines and humor

Thursday February 9, 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

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

Daewoo Shipbuilding set to win US$1.6 bln deal

Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co., a major shipyard in South Korea, said Thursday that it has signed a letter of intent with a U.S. firm to build up to seven floating storage and regasification units (FSRUs).

U.S. lawmakers petition White House to beef up missile defense

A group of U.S. House lawmakers has petitioned the White House to quickly allocate funds needed to rebuild and update the U.S. missile defense systems to defend against threats from North Korea, Iran and elsewhere around the world.

ROK to build 900 kilometers in new roads in 2017

South Korea will extend national roads by over 900 kilometers this year, greatly improving the accessibility of the entire nation while also helping boost the local economy, the government said Thursday.

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/)

BOK Chief: Cannot be Optimistic About Exports With US Protectionism Evident

Bank of Governor Lee Ju-yeol has stressed that tackling worsening trade conditions, including the U.S.’s protectionist moves, is the most urgent task at hand. Lee unveiled the view on Wednesday during a meeting at the central bank on economic trends.

Saenuri to Change Name to Liberty Korea Party

The ruling Saenuri Party plans to hold an emergency committee meeting on Thursday to endorse a decision to change its name to the Liberty Korea Party. The governing bloc said on Wednesday that it decided through consultations among member lawmakers to change its name to convey to the public its will to be reborn as a sincere conservative party.

Samsung-Apple Legal Battle Sent Back to Lower Court

A U.S. federal court has sent back the long-running patent dispute between Samsung Electronics and Apple to a lower court. IT-focused Web site CNET and other media reported that the Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered that a lower court will decide whether to hold another damages retrial or what other recourse to take.

Convene Committee of Whole Assembly Proposed to Discuss Presidential Runoff

A legislator has urged the National Assembly to convene the Committee of the Whole Assembly to decide whether a presidential runoff system can be introduced by revising law or the Constitution. Representative Won Hye-young of the main opposition Democratic Party made the call on Wednesday during a forum on the presidential runoff.

DP to Accept Electoral College Application for Presidential Primary

The main opposition Democratic Party will begin accepting electoral college applications for its presidential primary as early as Monday. Party members and ordinary citizens can apply. The primary will likely be a three-way competition among former party chairman Moon Jae-in, South Chungcheong Governor An Hee-jung and Seongnam Mayor Lee Jae-myung. Representative Kim Boo-kyum bowed out Tuesday.

S. Korea's Investment in US Hit 5-Year High

South Korea’s investment in the United States hit a five-year high last year, while the U.S.’ investment in South Korea decreased by 30 percent. According to data from the Korea International Trade Association(KITA), new South Korean investment in the U.S. reached almost seven billion U.S. dollars in the first nine months of last year.

'N. Korea's Participation in Pyeongchang Olympics Depends on Int'l Regulations'

South Korea’s Unification Ministry says North Korea’s participation in the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang should be decided according to international practices and rules and procedures of the Games.

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

Daewoo Shipbuilding set to win US$1.6 bln deal

U.S. lawmakers petition White House to beef up missile defense

Kakao's 2016 operating profit gains 31 pct

Kakao Corp., the operator of South Korea's top mobile messenger KakaoTalk, on Thursday said its operating profit for last year rose 31.1 percent on-year, helped by strong sales of mobile games, music and other content.

S. Korea to build 900 kilometers in new roads in 2017

Wage hikes at major firms lowest since global financial crisis

The wage hike rates agreed at private and public enterprises in South Korea averaged 3.3 percent in 2016, the lowest after 1.7 percent tallied in 2009 during the global financial crisis, a state-run employment statistics service said Wednesday.

Cheong Wa Dae slams independent counsel for leaking info on timing of president's questioning

The presidential office Cheong Wa Dae on Wednesday lambasted special prosecutors for leaking the schedule set for investigators to question President Park Geun-hye over her role in the corruption scandal that led to her impeachment, further clouding the prospects of the unprecedented inquiry.

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

Park rejects face-to-face questioning scheduled for Thursday

President Park Geun-hye on Wednesday called off a plan to undergo face-to-face questioning, saying the special counsel team betrayed trust by leaking the schedule of the session to the media. The abrupt cancellation came after multiple local media outlets reported Park, impeached for corruption and currently standing trial at the Constitutional Court, was to face investigators Thursday, becoming the first sitting president to be interrogated.

Opposition tenses on impeachment trial delay

Amid growing tension that the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye may be thwarted or delayed considerably, opposition parties Wednesday renewed the call for her prompt ouster, which would give way to an earlier-than-planned election.

Hankook Tire, Kumho Tire expand US presence

Hankook Tire, South Korea’s No.1 tire maker, will be hiring about 1,200 employees to work at its new plant in the US state of Tennessee, the firm said Wednesday. The tire maker has already hired some 300 workers at its new US facility, which recently began test runs.

In Berlin with woman at center of scandal

Director Hong Sang-soo is making his third foray to the Berlinale, or Berlin International Film Festival, with the film “On the Beach at Night Alone,” which stars his alleged lover Kim Min-hee. The seemingly autobiographical film features Kim as the lead character who wanders a seaside town in torment over an affair with a married man, according to Internet Movie Database, though its international distributor Finecut did not confirm the plot.

Korea to build 900 kilometers in new roads in 2017

Ruling party tentatively decides to change name to 'Liberty Korea'

The ruling Saenuri Party on Wednesday tentatively decided to change its name to "Liberty Korea" as part of its effort to refurbish its image and shore up public trust in the wake of a corruption scandal involving President Park Geun-hye and her close friend.

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

PyeongChang Winter Olympics celebrating one-year countdown

PyeongChang, the host to Korea's first Winter Olympics in 2018, is celebrating the one-year countdown to the global sports events. Next year's Winter Olympics will be Korea's second Olympic hosting following the 1988 Seoul Summer Olympics and the third winter event in Asia, with the previous two being held in Japan in 1972 and 1998.

Sungshin Women's Univ. president jailed for embezzlement

Sungshin Women's University president Shim Hwa-jin was found guilty of embezzlement on Wednesday and jailed for a year. Judge Oh Won-chan of the Seoul Northern District Court handed down the verdict, saying Shim is "unlikely to flee, but (I) don't rule out the possibility that (she) could commit a similar crime again."

Men work, women stay home? No longer the case

Traditional perceptions of gender roles ― men work and women stay home ― are fading away, research results showed Tuesday. Three organizations ― the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs, the Institute for Social Development and Policy Research at Seoul National University and the Institute for Social Research at Sungkyunkwan University ― jointly conducted a survey on 1,052 adults aged over 18 last year from June to November.

Hyundai Motor to provide 4,100 cars for PyeongChang Olympics

Hyundai Motor is set to help the upcoming PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games and Paralympics by providing transport vehicles during the sports event next year. The nation's largest carmaker also sponsors Korea's national bobsleigh team.

Samsung acts as key sponsor for PyeongChang Olympics

Samsung Electronics is ready to act as a key sponsor for the upcoming PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games in 2018 by providing a series of its latest info-tech devices such as smartphones, tablets and desktops as well as telecommunication equipment.

SK geared up for PyeongChang success

SK Group is exerting efforts for the successful hosting of the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics, the first Winter Games to be held in Korea in February next year. According to the group, Wednesday, it has been conducting various activities for the success of the Games and the following Paralympic Games as a Tier 1 partner.

Lotte chief cheerleads for PyeongChang

Lotte Group, which has continued its support for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Games, has been motivated by Chairman Shin Dong-bin's passion for skiing, according to company officials, Wednesday.

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

84 million people watch Samsung ad in 40 days

Samsung Electronics ad, which had been aired in India, is creating a huge buzz online, recording a whopping 84 million view counts on YouTube in just 40 days. According to Cheil, Samsung’s advertising agency, on February 8, Samsung Electronics posted ad tagged with “We will take care of you wherever you are” on YouTube in last December. So far, more than 84 million people watched the Cheil India’s ad.

Salman Rushdie’s new novel takes on Donald Trump as villain

Salman Rushdie, the British writer who gained worldwide fame with his 1988 novel “The Satanic Verses,” will release his 13th novel in September that will portray U.S. President Donald Trump as a villain, U.S. and British media reported Tuesday (local time).

Moon Jae-in draws attention at U.S. House hearing

Moon Jae-in, a front-runner presidential candidate from the liberal bloc and a top contender in a local opinion poll, was mentioned at the U.S. Congressional hearing where its members paid attention to his North Korea policy and raised concerns. It is unprecedented that a Korean presidential contender is mentioned at a Washington's public occasion since the presidential impeachment scandal emerged.

Will North Korean players play at Pyeongchang?

As the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Games Olympics will open in a year, there is much attention towards the possible participation from North Korea and Russia.

POSCO becomes Korea's first lithium ion secondary battery producer

POSCO has opened Korea's first lithium ion secondary battery plant, as demand for lithium ion batteries is set to rise sharply thanks to the growing electric vehicle market. With POSCO setting eyes to strengthen non-steel business and push ahead with developing materials for future industries, the latest transformation efforts by POSCO is being assessed as an effort to produce seeds for future industries.

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

Young Jobseekers Tailor Facebook Accounts to Employers

Young jobseekers do not want potential employers to see their social media accounts, according to a straw poll of 505 people by job portal Career. Some 54.5 percent of respondents did not want to reveal their social media accounts on job applications. Six out of 10 said they would have to tailor their social media accounts to employers if there was no way around it.

Young Husbands Happy to Do Housework

Young husbands are increasingly willing to help around the house, cook dinner and do the laundry, a survey suggests.Some 15.3 percent of husbands cooked dinner once a week last year, up from 11.5 percent in 2006, according to the survey of 476 husbands and 576 housewives by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs and Seoul National University's Institute of Social Development and Policy Research.

Hyundai Delays Launch of Eco Car in China

Hyundai has decided to postpone the launch of the Sonata plug-in hybrid PHEV in China until February next year. Hyundai had hoped to release it there in April. But the necessary batteries from LG Chem's Chinese operation still await certification amid signs that Beijing is retaliating against Korean businesses over the stationing of a U.S. Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense battery here.

Park Backs out of Questioning by Independent Counsel

President Park Geun-hye has backed out of an appointment for questioning by the independent counsel investigating the massive corruption scandal that has brought her down.

Tillerson Vows 'Steadfast' U.S. Commitment to S.Korea

New U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Tuesday pledged "steadfast" commitment to the alliance with Seoul.

Tillerson described North Korean nuclear program as an "immediate threat" both to Seoul and Washington, adding the two countries should finds a joint approach.

Court Schedules More Hearings in Impeachment Trial

The Constitutional Court on Tuesday scheduled more hearings later this month to question eight out of 15 witnesses President Park Geun-hye's lawyers wanted called.

They include Park's longtime confidante Choi Soon-sil, who is at the center of the massive influence-peddling and corruption scandal that led to the president's impeachment.

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

Constitutional Court impeachment trial dragging on as eight new witnesses added

The Constitutional Court’s decision to accept eight witnesses requested by representatives of Park Geun-hye in her impeachment trial and set additional dates for arguments is raising fears that it is succumbing to stalling tactics by her legal team.

Hereditary politicians: What do Park Geun-hye and Shinzo Abe have in common?

What kind of person is Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who is fundamentally dismantling the postwar Japanese system that was built during the 70-plus years since its defeat in World War II? “Three Generations of Abe,” which was published last month by Osamu Aoki, 50, an independent journalist and a former reporter with Japan‘s Kyodo News, is a book that seeks an answer to this simple yet important question.

Wolseong-1 reactor lifespan extension cancelled, but could keep operating

After a court ordered the cancellation of the extension of the operational lifespan of a reactor at Wolseong Nuclear Power Plant in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, on Feb. 7, questions are being raised about whether the reactor will keep running in the future. The group of plaintiffs promised to shut down the reactor‘s operations at once by asking the court to invalidate the permit for continuing operations at the Wolsong-1 reactor.

Former Foreign Minister warns about risks of relations with US under Trump

University of North Korean Studies president and former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Song Min-soon warned on Feb. 7 that South Korea should be prepared for the possibility of the Donald Trump administration “attempting to ‘kill the chicken as a warning to the monkey” by taking advantage of Seoul’s security vulnerabilities compared to Japan or Germany.

Civic groups oppose deployment of stealth destroyer to Jeju Naval Base

After it was reported that the US navy has suggested deploying the USS Zumwalt, a stealth destroyer, at the Jeju Naval Base, civic groups in Jeju held a press conference on Feb. 7 in front of the entrance to the base to criticize the South Korean and American governments’ discussion of its deployment.

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

Blue House squawks over grilling of president

A showdown between the Blue House and independent counsel Park Young-soo started Wednesday over a planned questioning of the president about corruption and abuse of power allegations.

Farm close to Seoul is hit with foot and mouth

Despite a 30-hour lockdown of cattle farms nationwide, a third was hit by foot-and-mouth disease on Wednesday. The farm is in Yeoncheon County, Gyeonggi, making it the first in the greater Seoul area to be affected in this year’s outbreak.

U.S. House lines up to introduce North resolution

A bipartisan resolution condemning North Korea’s development of multiple intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) and urging the prompt deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (Thaad) system to South Korea was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives on Monday.

Local tech firms bet big on artificial intelligence

After the epic man-vs-machine match between Google’s AlphaGo and Korean Go master Lee Se-dol ended in human defeat last year, Korean tech companies have been pouring money into developing artificial intelligence.

Hyundai pushes back plug-in launch in China

Hyundai Motor has delayed the launch of its Sonata’s plug-in hybrid in China until next year. The midsize sedan was scheduled go on sale in China in the first quarter of this year, but has been pushed back to February 2018 because it is on the verge of being excluded from the list of EV makers qualified for government subsidy because it is equipped with Korean-made batteries.

Exports, imports of tobacco reach record high

Korean exports of tobacco products reached an all-time high last year. Imports broke records, too. Tobacco exports rose 11.1 percent from a year earlier to $1.01 billion, the Korea Customs Service said Wednesday. The United Arab Emirates was the biggest buyer, accounting for 36.9 percent all tobacco goods exported, followed by Japan with 14.1 percent and the United States with 10.3 percent.

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

Nuclear Safety Commission Left out Information and Neglected Legal Safety Assessments

According to the ruling from the Seoul Administrative Court on February 7 canceling the permit to continue the operation of Wolsong Nuclear Power Plant Unit 1, the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (NSSC) left out data that should have been reviewed when deciding to continue operations of the unit and failed to conduct a safety assessment using the latest technology.

Hwang Kyo-ahn, "High Possibility of Provocations from the North in February": Is He Raising the Security Issue?

Acting President Hwang Kyo-ahn said, "The possibility of strategic provocation is higher than ever" this month, for February 16 would have been the 75th birthday of Kim Jong-il, chairman of the National Defense Commission. "Strategic provocation" refers to a nuclear test or a test launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). Although North Korea has expressed its intention to test fire an ICBM since its New Year's address on a number of occasions, it is unusual for Hwang to pinpoint the timing to this month.

Unusual Wind Blowing from Ahn Hee-jung's Camp: Will It Also Blow into the Party?

Support for Ahn Hee-jung (52), the Minjoo Party of Korea's governor of Chungcheongnam-do is showing a clear rise. In a number of surveys recently conducted, his approval ratings have surged into two-digit figures, placing Ahn at a stable second or third place behind former party leader Moon Jae-in.

Park Geun-hye's Lie that She Thought Choi Soon-sil Was an Ordinary Housewife

A lie is bound to lead to more lies. One has no choice but to lie further in order to cover up the first lie. President Park Geun-hye is caught in such a vicious cycle. President Park said she thought Choi Soon-sil was an ordinary housewife. According to a report by the Kyunghyang Shinmun, President Park submitted her opinions in a document titled "The Views of the Defendant on the Grounds for Impeachment" to the Constitutional Court on February 3. In that document, she wrote, "The defendant (President Park) thought Choi Soon-sil was an ordinary housewife and was not aware of the fact that she was managing a number of companies."

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

LG Breaks Ground for New HQ Building in New Jersey...Expected to Create 2,000 Jobs

LG Electronics has begun constructing a new headquarters building in the United States. The company held on February 7 a groundbreaking ceremony at the Englewood Cliffs (New Jersey) site. The building with the total floor area of 63,000 square meters will be completed by late 2019 at the cost of US$300 million.

Kumho Asiana Chairman Succeeds in Securing 1 Tril. Won to Buy back Kumho Tire

Kumho Asiana Group chairman Park Sam-koo has succeeded in securing funds of 1 trillion won to buy back Kumho Tire. In addition, he is currently in talks with Hyosung Group to enlist it as a strategic investor. A high-ranking official of Kumho Asiana Group said on February 8, "Chairman Park has completed his bid to amass the funds to acquire Kumho Tire. As far as I know, he did this by borrowing from multiple financial investors and a strategic investor instead of borrowing from affiliates."

Korea's ST Unitas Takes over U.S. Educational Service Company Princeton Review

ST Unitas, an educational service company with brands like, English Dangi, State Exam Dangi, and SkyEdu under its wings, has recently acquired the Princeton Review, a U.S. college admission services company offering test prep services, tutoring and admissions resources, and online courses. This is the first time for a domestic educational service provider to take over a foreign education firm.

SK Innovation CEO Says "We Will Go for Profitable M&As"

Kim Joon, CEO of SK Innovation, said "To innovate our business structure, we need to make aggressive investment. We will go for M&As that can lead to the creation of corporate value." This means that SK Innovation will aggressively pursue M&A opportunities but focus on "profitable" M&As only.

POSCO Succeeds in Localizing Carbon Lithium

POSCO is set to launch mass-production of carbon lithium, a core element of rechargeable cells used widely in smartphones, laptop computers, and electric vehicles. This localization came after POSCO launched independent technological development seven years ago.

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

S. Korean police declare war on drivers playing Pokemon Go

A police officer has pulled over a car driving in zigzags, thinking the driver must be drunk, but she was found to be busy playing Pokemon Go. The case reported last Saturday highlighted the danger of playing a mobile game on the move.

ABC to air remake of S. Korean TV thriller drama in June

The remake of "God's Gift: 14 Days", a 2014 South Korean television thriller drama, will be aired by US TV station ABC as a 10-episode series titled "Somewhere Between" from June.

Former 2NE1 member Minzy to come back as TV show entertainer

Former 2NE1 member Minzy will make her first appearance as an entertainer this week on a Friday night TV entertainment show "Sisters' Slam Dunk" that will be broadcast on KBS, a state-run broadcasting company.

BIGBANG's Daesung to release new album in Japan

BIGBANG member Daesung will release a new mini-album "D-DAY" in Japan on April 12. That will be his first album to be released in Japan in two and a half years.

"The album's title 'D-DAY' contains a commemorative meaning," the 27-year-old, also known as D-LITE in Japan, said in a statement Wednesday. "I wanted to commemorate the album's release date as the moment when I finally get to meet my fans again."

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

Kakao forms AI development subsidiary to pit against Naver’s AI team J

South Korea’s largest mobile platform operator Kakao Corp. has jumped on the artificial intelligence (AI) bandwagon by setting up a subsidiary named Kakao Brain that will steer the development of AI-powered Kakao services.

Korea and Australia renew and double currency swap deal for another 3 yrs

South Korea and Australia agreed to extend and double bilateral currency swap arrangement for another three years amid increased volatility in the foreign exchange and global financial market.

S. Korea’s investment in U.S. hits record-high last year

South Korea’s investment in the United States is estimated to have reached a five-year high in 2016 while U.S investment to Asia’s fourth largest economy dwindled 30 percent over the same period, a data Seoul could use to argue against any charges from the Washington administration under Donald Trump about imbalances in bilateral trade.

LG Elec breaks ground on its North American HQ

South Korea’s leading electronics maker LG Electronics Inc. on Tuesday (local time) broke ground for its North American headquarters in New Jersey, which would be completed by 2019 at a cost of $300 million.

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