Monday, October 31, 2022


Round-up of important news from major Korean dailies and from international media today

 

The Korea Post ( www.koreapost.com )

More than 149 killed at Halloween festivities in Itaewon, Seoul
More than 149 people have died in a stampede among huge crowds for Halloween festivities in Itaewon, Seoul, government officials said. The first big Halloween celebration since the end of Covid-19 restrictions on people gathering turned to tragedy on Saturday night on Oct. 29, when huge crowds of partygoers, many in their late teens and 20s, converged in the entertainment district for late-night Halloween celebrations. Authorities are still investigating what caused the incident, but Choi Seong-bum, chief of the Yongsan-gu Fire Department, said it was a stampede, in which many people fell, injuring at least 76 people.


President Yoon places emphasis on protecting the socially underprivileged
President Yoon Suk-yeol said on Oct. 25, "The country's basic duty is to protect the socially underprivileged, who suffer greater hardship amid economic difficulty.” In a speech to the National Assembly in Seoul on next year's fiscal budget, he said, "Our government is pushing for fiscal consolidation while pursuing 'welfare for the underprivileged' to strengthen support for both them and the common people." "Through bipartisan cooperation at the National Assembly, we could securely finalize the supplementary budget in May to support the self-employed and small business owners damaged by the COVID-19 pandemic," he added.

 

Korea will strive to further expand exchange, cooperation with Nigeria"
President Yoon Suk-yeol hosted summit talks with Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari on expanding bilateral cooperation on Oct. 26 at his office in Seoul's Yongsan-gu District. President Yoon welcomed President Buhari, the first Nigerian leader to visit Korea in 10 years, and expressed sympathy for the Nigerian people for the damage caused by record-breaking floods in the African country, according to the Office of the President. President Buhari is in Seoul to attend the 2022 World Bio Summit.

 

                                                             


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

Gov't to Increase Quota of Foreign Workers Amid Labor Shortage

he government will bring in more foreign workers to Korea next year in a bid to help alleviate labor shortages in the manufacturing and agriculture industries.The government said Thursday that it will increase the foreign worker quota from 70,000 this year to 110,000 next year. Small and mid-sized manufacturers and agriculture and livestock farms have suffered a shortage of laborers since the entry of foreign workers was curbed sharply during the last two years due to the coronavirus pandemic.

 

Elderly Koreans Spend Most on Dementia Treatment
The medical costs of senior citizens surged more than W10 trillion over the last four years as Korea's population ages (US$1=W1,417). According to data from the National Health Insurance Service, senior citizens over 65 spent W41.5 trillion on medical treatment last year, up 46 percent from W28.9 billion in 2017. The proportion of Koreans' total treatment costs rose from 40 percent to 43.3 percent over the period. The biggest expenditure was on dementia treatment at W2.21 trillion, accounting for 5.3 percent of the total, compared to W1.59 trillion just four years ago.


S.Korea to Join Japanese Fleet Review Despite Flag Controversy
South Korea will join Japan's international fleet review next month for the first time in seven years, the government here said Thursday. The decision came amid controversy over the imperial rising-sun flag that the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force uses. A government official said that it made the decision because it thinks "the best weapon to respond to nuclear threats from North Korea is security cooperation between South Korea, the U.S. and Japan."

                                                                                      

Joongang Ilbo (https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com )

154 die in Halloween crowd crush in Korea's Itaewon
Scores died Saturday in Itaewon in a horrific crowd crush during the first Halloween celebrations since most Covid-19 restrictions were lifted. The tragedy left Korea in shock and wondering how an evening of fun could turn fatal for so many so quickly, and how one of Seoul's most iconic locations could be left looking like war zone in a matter of minutes. As of 11 p.m. Sunday, 154 deaths and 132 injuries were confirmed by the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters.

 

Is South Korea ready to go it alone on defense?
Forged in the crucible of the 1950-53 Korean War, the military alliance between Seoul and Washington has held on through numerous crises, including developments in North Korea's nuclear and missile programs, Cold War-era disagreements over South Korea's dictatorship and brief nuclear ambitions, as well as episodic reductions of the U.S. military presence on the peninsula. The alliance has been underpinned by a pair of complementary military interests: Seoul's need for a defense guarantor in a neighborhood enveloped by superpowers, and Uncle Sam's desire to maintain a physical check on powerful foes that could encroach on U.S. domination of the Pacific.

 

Itaewon declared special disaster area, subsidies to be disbursed
The government has declared Yongsan District, where Itaewon is located, as a "special disaster area" and will provide subsidies to those who have been injured and to the families of people killed in the tragedy Saturday night, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said in an emergency briefing held Sunday at noon.
"We have decided to declare today, Nov. 5 as a national mourning period to pay our respects to the deceased," Han said. "We will delay any events that are not urgent and declare Yongsan a special disaster area. We will provide the families of the deceased and those who have been injured with subsidies and other necessary measures. We will also work with embassies to make sure that the injured foreigners are properly supported."

 

                                                               
 

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

Seoul announces a national mourning and condolence period
The Korean government has set Oct. 30 to midnight of Nov. 5 as a national mourning period for the “Itaewon crushed deaths tragedy.” Yongsan-gu is announced as the special disaster zone, and subsidies for healing the bereaved and injured will be distributed. On Sunday, Prime Minister Han Duk-soo stated, “During the mourning period, all public institutions and diplomatic offices will fly flags at half staff, and civil servants and employees of public institutions will wear ribbons to express their condolences during the mourning period” at the briefing after the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCH) meeting led by President Yoon Suk-yeol at Central Government Complex.

 

Japan dispatches police for Halloween events
Around the same time on the same day as the Halloween disaster in Itaewon in South Korea, hundreds of thousands of people also gathered in Shibuya, Tokyo to enjoy the Halloween event, which took place for the first time in three years since the outbreak of COVID-19. Unlike the tragic incident in Itaewon, there wasn’t any dangerous situation. The police maintained order in real time to prevent accidents, and the local government has been conducting a campaign since more than a month ago. In New York, traffic in over 100 streets was controlled, and many police officers were dispatched during Halloween.

 

Putin: providing weapons to Ukraine will ruin Seoul-Moscow relations
Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned South Korea against providing weapons to Ukraine, saying that such a provision will ruin relations between Seoul and Moscow. South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol responded, “That's in any regard a matter of our sovereignty.” Putin issued the warning on Thursday while speaking at a meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club, a conference of international foreign policy experts, in Moscow. Putin told the conference that he was aware of South Korea’s intention to supply arms and ammunition to Ukraine, and such a provision will ruin relations between Seoul and Moscow.

 

                                                                   
 

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

Seoul asks institutions to refrain from bond and fund withdrawals to stabilize debt market
Seoul authorities have urged public and private institutional majors to refrain from pulling out of bonds and funds excessively until the debt market recovers from the tantrums over a default in a public debt related to Legoland Korea project through multiple state-led stabilization measures. According to multiple sources from the financial industry on Friday, policymakers from the Financial Services Commission (FSC) together with Financial Supervisory Service and Ministry of Economy and Finance on Thursday held videoconference with institutional majors including National Pension Service, Korea Post, Teachers’ Pension, Government Employees Pension Service, Korea Land and Housing Corporation, NH Bank, and Samsung Life Insurance.

 

S. Korea to up E-9 visa quota for migrant workers to 110,000 in 2023
Record number of 110,000 foreigners would be granted South Korea’s E-9 visa enabling legal stay in the country for five years or more to work in non-professional fields to address the dire shortage of labor force in factory lines and farm and fisheries segment. The Ministry of Employment and Labor announced Thursday it set quota for E-9 visa to 110,000 for next year, which would be almost doubled from this year’s 69,000. Specifically, 75,000 will be accepted for factory work, 14,000 for field and livestock farming, 7,000 for fisheries, and 3,000 for construction sites. About 10,000 workers will be decided upon demand.

 

South Korean corporate magnates getting younger in generational shift
South Korea’s four largest conglomerates are now under the command of the third- to fourth-generation leaders of the founding family after Jay Y. Lee finally took up the title as the executive chairman on Thursday. Lee, 54, was formally named the chair two years after Samsung’s patriarch Lee Kun-hee died and 10 years since he served as the vice chair. Among the four major magnates, he makes the second oldest after 62-year-old Chey Tae-won of SK Group. Hyundai Motor Group’s Chung Euisun, 52, ascended to the top command in Oct. 2020.

 

                                                     
 

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

Common sense and fairness out the window, Yoon Suk-yeol leans hard right
After facing a firestorm over what sounded like vulgar remarks captured on a hot mic during a US visit, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol is facing a new controversy — this one involving “red-baiting” remarks. At an Oct. 19 invitational luncheon organized by the head of the People Power Party (PPP) non-parliamentary party committee, Yoon said that “pro-Pyongyang ‘juche believers’ are anti-state and anti-Constitution forces,” adding that it was “not possible to cooperate with them.” This was a different sort of issue from the hot mic gaffe. Viewed within the context of politics, it reads as a declaration that Yoon’s administration does not intend to “cooperate” with the opposition party.

 

Failed Hanoi summit strengthened N. Korea’s resolve for nukes, but dialogue is answer, argue experts
The ultimate method for reaching peace on the Korean Peninsula is through dialogue between the two Koreas.” On Thursday, the second day of the 2022 Hankyoreh-Busan International Symposium, a roundtable was held with the theme of “In the Age of Crisis, How Do We Achieve Peace?” Participants cited the 2019 North Korea-United States Hanoi summit as the turning point for the souring relationship between the two Koreas, and all agreed that the only way to resolve this strained relationship is through dialogue.

 

S. Korea, US, Japan vow “unprecedentedly strong” response if N. Korea tests nuke
Senior diplomats from South Korea, the US and Japan agreed during a meeting in Tokyo on Wednesday to make an unprecedently strong response if North Korea goes ahead with a seventh nuclear test. The three countries also mentioned the possibility of security cooperation aimed at maintaining peace in the Taiwan Strait. If the US and Japan ask South Korea for military cooperation in connection with an incident in Taiwan, Korea would confront a harsh choice that might lead to a rupture in relations with China.

 

 

                                                  

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

Silly Fake News,” Says President Yoon on Allegation that He Had Drinks with Han Dong-hoon in Cheongdam-dong
Lee Jae-yong (54), vice chairman of Samsung Electronics, was promoted to chairman a decade after he became vice chairman in 2012. Lee, who officially returned to the company’s helm after a special pardon on National Liberation Day, will now ensure corporate responsibility for a “new Samsung” as the true chairman. Samsung Electronics announced that board members voted for the promotion of Lee in a board meeting on October 27. The board of directors explained, “As global conditions deteriorate, we made the decision after determining that the company seriously needed to strengthen corporate responsibility, enhance the stability of management, and ensure swift and bold decision making.”

 

Lee Jae-yong, Promoted to Chairman of Samsung Electronics: The Beginning of a New Samsung Era
Lee Jae-yong (54), vice chairman of Samsung Electronics, was promoted to chairman a decade after he became vice chairman in 2012. Lee, who officially returned to the company’s helm after a special pardon on National Liberation Day, will now ensure corporate responsibility for a “new Samsung” as the true chairman. Samsung Electronics announced that board members voted for the promotion of Lee in a board meeting on October 27. The board of directors explained, “As global conditions deteriorate, we made the decision after determining that the company seriously needed to strengthen corporate responsibility, enhance the stability of management, and ensure swift and bold decision making.”


Supreme Court Finds Kim Tae-hyo, the Incumbent First Deputy Director of National Security, Guilty of Leaking Military Secrets
Kim Tae-hyo, who was in charge of international strategy planning at Cheongwadae in the Lee Myung-bak government, was found guilty of leaking military secrets. Kim is currently serving as the first deputy director of national security in the Office of the President. Kim Kwan-jin (73), former minister of national defense, who was prosecuted for ordering the Cyber Command to manipulate public opinion, will be tried in court once again. The Supreme Court decided there was a need to review some of the allegations that were recognized in the first trial.

                                                             


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

Itaewon Crowd Crush Kills 154, Injures 149 Others Russian The number of fatalities from the tragic accident in Itaewon late Saturday night was tallied at 154 as of 6 a.m. Monday while the number of injured climbed to nearly 150 people. According to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, the number of people who lost their lives in the crowd crush in Yongsan District remained unchanged from the previous night, but the number of injuries rose to149, with 33 in critical condition. Serious injuries dropped by three from the previous tally compiled at 11 p.m. Sunday, but the number of those mildly injured climbed by ten.


Foreign Ambassadors Express Condolences over Itaewon Crowd Crush
Foreign diplomatic envoys and embassies in South Korea have expressed condolences to the victims of the fatal crowd crush in Itaewon on Saturday. U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Philip Goldberg tweeted on Sunday that he was “devastated by the tragic loss of life in Itaewon” and shared a message of condolences and consolation for the victims, their families and Korean people. The U.S. embassy in Seoul posted a statement on its website wishing that everyone injured in the Itaewon accident would fully recover, stressing that the U.S. stands with South Korea “during this incredibly difficult time” as allies, partners and friends.

 

Halloween Events, Crowded Festivities Canceled or Curtailed after Itaewon Disaster
Provinces, cities and districts across the nation have canceled or downsized Halloween-themed events or other major gatherings following the deadly crowd crush during the Halloween festivities in the Itaewon area of Seoul on Saturday. Legoland in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province said on Sunday that it has canceled its Halloween party, which had been up and running since mid-October, out of respect for the victims of the Itaewon disaster, with over 150 people dead and another 150 injured.

 

 

                                                                        
 

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

At least 153 killed, 133 injured in Halloween stampede in Seoul's Itaewon
At least 153 people have been killed and 133 others injured in a deadly stampede in Seoul's Itaewon district as huge crowds of partygoers, many in their 20s, converged in the entertainment district for late-night Halloween celebrations. The deadliest stampede in South Korea's history happened Saturday night in a narrow 3.2-meter-wide downhill alley near Hamilton Hotel in the famous nightlife district after tens of thousands of people visited the area for Halloween. The death toll could rise further, as 37 people sustained serious injuries, officials said. Police data, which is believed to have not been incorporated into the official tally, put the death toll at 154.

 

Industrial output falls for 3rd month; retail sales, facility investment retreat in Sept.
South Korea's industrial output fell in September for the third month in a row, data showed Monday, with retail sales and facility investment also losing ground, hinting the country's economic recovery may be losing steam. Industrial production declined 0.6 percent on-month in September, following a 0.1 percent on-month decrease the previous month, according to the data from Statistics Korea. From a year earlier, however, the output rose 3.1 percent. Output in the mining, manufacturing, gas and electricity industries fell 1.8 percent, due mainly to losses from sectors, such as chips and cars.

 

Halloween events, K-pop shows canceled amid mourning for victims of Itaewon stampede
Most Halloween festivals, events and parades, as well as shows by K-pop stars have been canceled, their organizers and the government said Sunday, as the country mourns the deaths of at least 153 people in an overnight stampede. At least 103 others were injured after being crushed in a narrow downhill alley in the famous nightlife district of Itaewon in Seoul on Saturday after tens of thousands of people visited the area for Halloween. The government has designated a national mourning period starting Sunday through Saturday and also ordered flags at government buildings and public offices to fly at half-mast.

 

 

                                                    


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

Could Itaewon tragedy have been prevented?
With the nation in shock with the overnight tragedy from the crowd surge at Halloween festivities in Itaewon, questions surfaced about the lack of safety control and crowd management over the event. The tragedy happened as a large number of people were packed at a narrow alley that connects Exit 1 of Itaewon Station with the World Food Street -- a street filled with clubs and bars -- behind the Hamilton Hotel.

 

S. Korea announces week of national mourning
South Korea has officially entered a weeklong national mourning period for the victims of Saturday night’s human stampede in Itaewon, which was recorded as one of the worst peacetime disasters in the country with over 150 casualties. Following the president’s directive, the government has decided to observe a national mourning period until midnight of Nov. 5, during which the nation will mourn the perished,” Prime Minister Han Duck-soo told a media briefing. A joint altar for the victims will be set up at a location in Seoul that has yet to be decided, he added.


Apologizing CEOs: New law that holds chiefs accountable for accidents has become biggest fear
Bowed heads, a mumbled apology and camera flashlights. The public apology issued last week by the head of South Korean food and beverage giant SPC was any businessperson's worst nightmare. Chairman Hur Young-in of the food and bakery giant apologized for the death of a 23-year-old worker who was crushed by a sauce mixing machine at a factory affiliated with SPC during an overnight shift. The chairman does not just face public humiliation and a nationwide boycott of his company’s products, he also faces a lawsuit filed by the deceased employee’s family on charges of violating the Serious Accidents Punishment Act, a new law that went into effect in January and has become a source of fear for businesses since.

 

                                                    

 

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

Young people's excitement over Halloween turns to horror
The vast majority of the hundreds of people who were caught up in the fatal crowd crush incident that occurred in central Seoul's Itaewon during Halloween celebrations on Saturday night were Koreans in their teens or 20s. As such, some consider the tragedy a representation of the generational divide between older and younger Koreans. While many older Koreans are simply uninterested in the celebration of Halloween, younger Koreans, particularly those of Generation Z, are used to celebrating the annual holiday.

 

Yoon announces national mourning period over Itaewon stampede
Yoon addressed the nation live from the presidential office a day after a crowd surge in a narrow alley in Itaewon crushed scores of young revelers, many in their 20s. "It's truly horrific," Yoon said, saying Saturday's "tragedy and disaster should never have happened." "As president, who is responsible for the people's lives and safety, my heart is heavy and I struggle to cope with my grief," he said. "The government will designate the period from today until the accident is brought under control as a period of national mourning and will place top priority in administrative affairs in recovery and follow-up measures."

 

Hyundai Motor chief meets Slovak PM, requests support for Expo bid
Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Chung Euisun met with Slovak Prime Minister Eduard Heger to request support to host the World Expo 2030 in Busan, according to the company Sunday. Chung met with Heger Friday, asking for support in the Korean port city's bid to host the World Expo and discussing ways to cooperate in expanding eco-friendly mobility. Slovakia is the chair of the Visegrad Group, a regional cooperation organization between Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Poland, and Hungary, and Kia operates a European production base in Slovakia.
                                                                             

 


                                                                                                                  

 

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

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.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.
 

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