Monday, August 8, 2022
Round-up of important news from major Korean dailies and from international media today
The Korea Post ( www.koreapost.com )
Korea-Malaysia cross-border cooperation for CCS project
Six industry leaders in South Korea announced their partnership with the Malaysian national energy company PETRONAS to undertake a cross-border Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) project on Aug. 2. The six South Korean companies are SK Energy, SK Earthon, Samsung Engineering, Samsung Heavy Industry, Lotte Chemical, and GS Energy. They signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with PETRONAS to jointly develop the Shepherd CCS Project, an international project between South Korea and Malaysia to capture, transport, and store carbon dioxide (CO2).
Samsung Electronics to be presenter for WorldSkills Competition 2022
Samsung Electronics announced on Aug. 5 that it will once again be the Overall Event Presenter for WorldSkills Competition 2022 Special Edition, the world’s largest skill championship. The events will take place across 15 countries and regions from September to November of this year. Last year, Samsung Electronics committed to being the headline supporter of WorldSkills Shanghai 2022, which was cancelled in May due to the pandemic.
GCEL holds World Coffee & Tea event with Azerbaijan Embassy
Global Culture & Economy Link (GCEL), aiming for international cultural exchange held the first cultural event World Coffee & Tea Day together with the Azerbaijan Embassy in Korea on July 23, 2022 at One Poche, a social salon located in Dogok-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. This event is scheduled to be held once every two months, and each time, coffee, tea and refreshments of the selected host countries, as well as food culture, music, dance, and various related local cultures will be presented.
Chosun Ilbo (http://english.chosun.com)
Apartment Prices in Tailspin for 10th Week in a Row
Apartment prices in Seoul are on a downward spiral for the 10th week in a row. Even in the upscale district of Seocho south of the Han River they have finally stopped rising. According to the Korea Real Estate Board on Thursday, prices in Seoul this week were down 0.07 percent on-week. n April and May, when prices in most districts in Seoul took a downturn, only those in Seocho continued to rise. But they topped out this week after rising another 0.01 percent last week.
Samsung Wins 5G Contract in India
Samsung has clinched its first 5G contract in India, the world's second-largest mobile communications market. India has 1.1 billion mobile subscribers who use 15.3 billion gigabytes of data a month on average. The Korean electronics giant said Thursday that it was chosen as 5G equipment supplier to Bharti Airtel, India's No. 2 mobile provider and the world's No. 4, operating in 17 countries with 490 million customers. Top-ranked Reliance Jio already uses Samsung's 4G equipment.
Kim Jong-un's Security Beefed up After Abe Assassination
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un seems to have beefed up his personal security since the assassination last month of former Japanese Premier Shinzo Abe. Kim is now always flanked by bodyguards, which is a new development. "Bodyguards generally stand at distance because the propaganda effect of a photo decreases when they can be seen," a source said. "The new development shows that special circumstances require a sacrifice."
Joongang Ilbo (https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com )
Is it time for Korea to repeal the death penalty?
Yoo Young-chul, a serial killer who killed at least 20 people; Kang Ho-soon, a serial killer who raped and killed 10 women; Lim Do-bin, an army sergeant who killed five soldiers and wounded seven others in a shooting spree — these are some of the names of Korea’s highest profile criminals who have been sentenced to death but still live to this day. Korea is officially pro-capital punishment, but no one has actually been put to death for the last 25 years.
Nurse dies trying to save patients in Icheon blaze
A fire broke out in a building in Icheon, Gyeonggi last Friday, killing five and injuring 42 others. All five deaths were connected to a dialysis hospital on the top floor of the four-story building. Four patients and one nurse were unable to escape, police said. Police and firefighters said the cause of the blaze has yet to be determined, but the possibility of arson was “near zero,” said Yeo Un-cheol, head of the forensic unit at the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency.
Lee Jae-myung has early lead in race for DP chairmanship
Lee Jae-myung, candidate for the Democratic Party (DP) in last March's presidential election, swept the first round of regional voting to elect a new party chairman. Lee won 74.81 percent of the vote Saturday in the northeastern province of Gangwon, the southeastern city of Daegu and nearby North Gyeongsang. DP lawmakers Park Yong-jin and Kang Hoon-sik won 20.31 percent and 4.88 percent of those votes respectively.
The Dong-A Ilbo (http://english.donga.com/)
China conducts live-fire drills in Yellow Sea after Taiwan Strait
China conducted live-fire artillery drills in the Yellow Sea after carrying out military drills surrounding Taiwan. Pundits says Beijing’s military responses are now targeting South Korea and the U.S. The Chinese naval bureau said Saturday, “China will conduct live-fire artillery drills around the Shandong Peninsula between August 6 and 15, and certain waters in the Bay of Bohai in the north of the Liaodong Peninsula between August 8 and September 8.
Ruling party members say Yoon’s confidants should take responsibility
As the approval rating for the ruling party and the Yoon Suk-yeol continued to drop since the June 1 local elections, members of the ruling party raised a voice that those close to President Yoon Suk-yeol should take responsibility.“Those close to President Yoon are pushing the ruling party and government relationships and the emergency committee,” said Rep. Kim Keun-sik, who headed the political situation analysis at the ruling party’s election campaign committee. “Their decision to retire from the front line of power would be a true loyalty for the Yoon administration’s success,”
ROK-US house speakers commit to strong nuclear deterrence
U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited South Korea on Thursday and met with National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo, echoing their mutual commitment to working towards denuclearizing North Korea and bringing peace to the Korean Peninsula through nuclear deterrence against the communist regime.“Seoul and Washington expressed deep concerns about the dire situation and the escalating threats from North Korea,” said Mr. Kim through a joint press statement after meeting with Ms. Pelosi.
Maeil Business News Korea (http://www.pulsenews.co.kr/)
S. Korea goes on its first trip to the moon on successful launch of lunar pathfinder
The Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter (KPLO) dubbed Danuri has embarked on maiden five-month journey to the moon on a successful liftoff by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral in the United States Friday morning, adding another landmark to South Korea`s fledgling space program. A livestream of SpaceX’s YouTube channel showed Danuri soaring toward space on the rocket at 8:08 a.m. Friday (Korean time).
Korea’s C/A surplus thins by $3 bn June and nearly $17 bn H1 vs yr ago
The surplus in South Korea’s current account thinned more than $3 billion in June on imports running stronger than exports from spike in commodity prices, raising concerns for growth in the external-reliant economy and foreign exchange reserves. The country’s current account surplus stood at $5.61 billion in June, losing $3.22 billion from $8.83 billion in the same month a year ago, according to data from the Bank of Korea Friday.
Seoul authorities float the option of split sale of DSME amid widening losses
The consensus is building up among South Korean state authorities to break up Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co. (DSME) to facilitate privatization of the shipwright stricken with deficit and regular strikes under state management for decades after $9 billion bailout with public funds. Korea Development Bank (KDB)’s new Chairman Kang Seog-hoon in a recent parliamentary hearing said that the state policy lender is “reviewing various options including a split sale” for DSME after a near two-month-long strike by subcontractor workers.
HanKyoReh Shinmun (http://english.hani.co.kr)
More allegations of sexual violence against women at Korean Air Force unit come to light
“Was there ever a moment I was wholly sad and overcoming the harm done to me? [. . .] I tried to get over it as a victim, but I can’t.” This is part of a memo the Center for Military Human Rights Korea (CMHRK) released on Thursday, written by a woman who was sexually harassed by a male superior in her unit, the 15th Special Activity Wing of the Air Force. The victim stated through the CMHRK that she is not receiving adequate victim protection from the military since the incident.
Korea stays awkwardly on fence amid clashes, coordination between US and China
US Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi's Asia tour, which was capped off with visits to South Korea and Japan after a prior stopover in Taipei, is causing Taiwan significant hardship. However, even after the US lawmaker’s visit to Taiwan this week, the US and China seem to not have crossed each other’s red lines. Instead, the diplomatic and economic costs that resulted from the visit were left mainly to be borne by Taipei.
Yoon’s clumsy diplomacy adds to confusion with Pelosi
South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol had an unplanned phone call with US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi during her time in Korea on Thursday in lieu of meeting her in person. Yoon appears to have chosen the path of prudence given soaring tensions between China and the US, with China objecting vociferously to Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan and initiating large-scale military exercises on the same day that effectively encircled the self-governing island.
The KyungHyangShinmun (http://english.khan.co.kr/)
South Korea’s First Moon Orbiter, Danuri, Lifts Off from Earth Toward a Dream of Becoming a Space Power
The first Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter (KPLO), Danuri, lifted off. When Danuri enters the moon’s orbit as scheduled four and a half months later and begins observation, South Korea will be the seventh in the world to successfully engage in lunar exploration. This is the first time that a South Korean space probe broke away from the Earth’s orbit and pioneered the space frontier. At 8:08 a.m. August 5, South Korean time (7:08 p.m. Aug. 4 local time), the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, carrying Danuri, was launched from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, U.S.A.
“The Latest Wave Expected to Peak When Students Return to School in Mid to Late August” Government to Strengthen Preventive Measures in Schools and Maintain In-person Classes
The government expects the latest Covid wave to peak in mid to late August, when summer vacation ends and students return to school, and will tighten preventive measures in schools. Lee Sang-min (minister of the interior and safety), second assistant director of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters spoke at a Headquarters meeting in response to COVID-19 at the government office in Jongno-gu, Seoul on the morning of August 5 and announced,
Yoo Seong-min, “Why Doesn’t President Yoon Suk-yeol Meet U.S. House Speaker Pelosi When He Has Time to Drink with Actors after the Play?”
On August 4, former lawmaker Yoo Seong-min criticized President Yoon Suk-yeol for not meeting Nancy Pelosi, speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives currently in South Korea, and asked, “What should we make of the president not meeting the U.S. House speaker when he joined the actors for drinks after watching a play in Daehak-ro (the previous day)?” This day, Yoo wrote a post on his social media titled, “President Yoon Suk-yeol Should Meet U.S. House Speaker Pelosi”
KBS(http://world.kbs.co.kr/service)
Heavy Rains to Hit Capital Region Early This Week
Heavy rains are forecast for the central region as the seasonal rain front is slowly moving back down the nation. The Korean Meteorological Administration said on Monday that more than 300 millimeters of heavy downpour are expected to hit parts of the capital region and inland areas of Gangwon Province until Tuesday. Northern parts of Chungcheong and North Gyeongsang Provinces and coastal areas of Gangwon Province are forecast to receive 30 to 80 millimeters, with some of the regions expected to see up to or more than 150 millimeters.
Yoon to Return to Work after Summer Vacation
President Yoon Suk Yeol will return to work on Monday after a weeklong summer vacation amid low approval ratings. President Yoon is set to receive a policy briefing on Monday from Financial Services Commission(FSC) Chairman Kim Joo-hyun at the presidential office. The FSC chief's briefing is expected to include financial policy measures aimed at reducing the burden on low income households amid soaring prices, rising interest rates and the economic slowdown.
N. Korea to Hold National Meeting for Anti-Epidemic Review Early August
North Korea said it will hold a national meeting to review its emergency anti-epidemic policy in early August. According to the North's state-run Korean Central News Agency(KCNA) on Monday, the Central Committee of the ruling Workers' Party and the Cabinet decided to convene a national meeting to conduct an emergency anti-epidemic review early August. The meeting will reportedly review the achievements and lessons from the national antivirus efforts and to confirm the new orientation of its quarantine policy.
Yonhap (http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr)
Education minister expected to resign amid criticism of proposal to lower school entry age
Education Minister Park Soon-ae is expected to tender her resignation Monday, a ruling party official said, amid criticism she mishandled key policy proposals, such as lowering the elementary school starting age. Park has come under pressure to quit after many teachers and parents protested strongly against lowering the school entry age by one year to 5. She has been criticized for announcing the proposal without sufficient preparations, such as collecting public opinion.
Exports of Korean instant noodles hit fresh all-time high in H1
South Korea's exports of instant noodles hit a fresh all-time high in the first half on the increasing popularity of Korean pop culture and a rise in demand for home-cooked food amid the pandemic, data showed Sunday. Exports of instant noodles, or "ramyeon" in Korean, came to US$383.4 million in the January-June period, according to the data from the food industry and the Korea Customs Service. The amount was up 19.9 percent from the same period a year earlier when ramyeon exports rose to a record-high $319.69 million.
Yoon's approval rating sinks below 30 pct
President Yoon Suk-yeol's approval rating fell below 30 percent just three months after he took office amid strong backlash against a proposed education policy and leadership turmoil in the ruling party. In the poll of 2,528 people conducted by pollster Realmeter from Monday to Friday, 29.3 percent responded that Yoon was doing well on state affairs, down 3.8 percentage points from the previous week.
The Korea Herald (http://www.koreaherald.com)
North Korea says Yoon’s ‘audacious plan’ is rehashed ‘waste’
North Korea bashed the Yoon Suk-yeol administration’s North Korea policy, likening the “audacious plan” which offers economic benefits in exchange for denuclearization as rehashed “trash” on Sunday. The Tongil Shinbo, a weekly North Korean publication, said Yoon’s “audacious plan” to offer significant economic benefits to the North if it abandons its nuclear program is only rehashing former president Lee Myung-bak’s North Korea policy, which it called discarded “trash.”
Whereabouts of 55 Thai tourists on Jeju unknown
The whereabouts of 55 out of 280 Thai tourists who entered South Korea earlier this week through the airport on the southern island of Jeju are unknown, immigration officials said Sunday. Out of 697 Thai nationals who arrived at the Jeju International Airport from Bangkok through a direct Jeju Airlines flight between Tuesday and Friday, 417 were denied entry and were flown home, according to the Jeju Immigration Service.
KT, Turk Telekom sign deal on K-content, 5G
South Korean telecommunications firm KT and its Turkish counterpart Turk Telekom have signed a strategic partnership to foster collaboration in the field of media content to private fifth-generation network setup and joint investment in startups, KT announced Sunday. This is a follow-up to the nonbinding memorandum of understanding for cooperation between the two companies at the Mobile World Congress in March.
The Korea Times (http://www.koreatimes.co.kr)
'Taiwan is part of China,' says Chinese ambassador
South Korea and China established diplomatic relations on Aug. 24, 1992, which was a historic turning point in their bilateral relations. Thirty years have passed since the establishment of diplomatic relations and China now has become South Korea's No. 1 trade partner. China's relations with North Korea have also put the former's relations with the South to the test. Chinese Ambassador to Korea Xing Haiming,
Why Beijing won't retaliate against Seoul for 'Chip 4'
The South Korean government has begun engaging in active diplomacy to allay Beijing's concerns by defining the "Chip 4" alliance as nothing more than a partnership for supply chain resilience as Seoul confirmed its plan to attend a preliminary meeting of the consultative body sometime early September this year. "The foreign ministry confirmed the country's plan to attend a preliminary meeting of the Chip 4.
Ruling party's self-inflicted crisis
After two consecutive election wins for president and local offices, the ruling People Power Party (PPP) has found itself in a self-inflicted "emergency" that will only get worse as faction leaders vow to continue to fight despite President Yoon Suk-yeol's abysmal approval ratings. Suspended PPP Chairman Lee Jun-seok is at the very center of the party's internal conflict. Under the 37-year-old leader, the party won the executive office in March and a majority of local offices nationwide three months later.
What’s ticking around the world at this second?
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USA Today www.usatoday.com aallman@gannett.com
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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
Gwangmyeong Daily 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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