The Korean daily media headlines and humor

The Korean daily media headlines and humor

Wednesday, February 22, 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

The Korea Post TV:-

English: www.koreapost.com

Korean: www.koreapost.co.kr

Your Excellency:

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Please visit: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC38m7LSEw-TkTcV5P-MoD3Q

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Publisher-Chairman Lee Kyung-sik

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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/)

`No Signs of Heart Attack or Injection Mark on Kim Jong-nam's Body`

Malaysian health authorities say there were no signs of heart attack or injection marks in the body of Kim Jong-nam. The half brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was murdered in Malaysia's main international airport last Monday in what appears to be a poison attack.

Ex-N. Korean Diplomat: Kim Jong-un Must Stand ICC Trial over Half Brother's Death

Amid concerns that he could be the next target of a North Korean terrorist attack, the former North Korean deputy ambassador to London, Mr. Thae Yong-ho, held an interview with KBS. In the wake of the apparent assassination of North Korean leader's half brother, Kim Jong-nam, the defector called for referring Kim Jong-un to the International Criminal Court. Kim Bum-soo has more.

Court Refuses Arrest of Ex-Presidential Secretary Woo Byung-woo

The court has turned down the special prosecutors’ request to arrest former senior presidential secretary for civil affairs Woo Byung-woo, over his alleged role in the Choi Soon-sil scandal. Following a hearing to review the case on Tuesday, the Seoul Central District Court ruled early morning Wednesday that it will not issue the arrest warrant for Woo, saying it couldn’t recognize a reason or necessity of placing him behind bars.

S. Korean DMZ Loudspeakers Broadcast Kim Jong-nam Assassination

The South Korean military has begun to inform North Koreans of the death of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s half-brother, Kim Jong-nam, through loudspeakers on the border. According to a South Korean military official, the loudspeakers began to send out messages across the border over the weekend announcing that 45-year-old Kim was assassinated in Malaysia in a scheme orchestrated by North Koreans.

Only 34% of Large Firms Have Recruitment Plan for First Half of Year

Just three out of ten large companies in South Korea have established a recruitment plan for the first half of this year amid an economic slowdown and growing uncertainties at home and abroad. Job portal JobKorea on Tuesday announced its recent survey results on the country’s top 500 companies.

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

Court rejects arrest warrant for ex-presidential aide in influence-peddling scandal

A court in Seoul rejected an arrest warrant early Wednesday for a former senior presidential secretary accused of overstepping his authority and exercising undue influence over personnel affairs in other government agencies and an investigation into suspicions involving him.

Relations with Japan could become flash point in S. Korean election: CRS report

South Korea's relations with Japan, including a deal on resolving the issue of wartime sexual slavery, could become "political flashpoints" in the South's upcoming presidential election, thus hampering U.S. efforts to bolster trilateral security cooperation, a congressional report said.

Report says Korea-U.S. trade mutually beneficial

South Korea continues to profit from its bilateral trade with the United States, but its trade surpluses largely come from outbound shipments of intermediate goods needed by U.S. manufacturers to produce their own finished goods, making their trade both complementary and mutually beneficial, a report said Wednesday.

White House: Many trade deals can be updated

Many trade deals the U.S. has with other countries can be updated, the White House said Tuesday, reaffirming President Donald Trump's pledge to review all trade pacts and renegotiate them if necessary to make sure they benefit American workers.

Talks with N. Korea would give Trump same old lesson Pyongyang isn't interested in disarming: ex-official

Even if U.S. President Donald Trump gives negotiations with North Korea a shot, he would end up learning the same lesson his predecessors learned that North Korea isn't interested in giving up its nuclear weapons, a former senior White House official said Tuesday.

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

S. Korea ups security for NK diplomat defector

With the North Korean ruler’s estranged half brother killed in an apparent assassination, attention is now on the safety of Thae Yong-ho, one of the remaining high-profile critics of the ruthless Kim Jong-un.

Qualcomm files suit against FTC citing unfairness

Qualcomm on Tuesday filed an injunction against South Korea’s Fair Trade Commission, which imposed over 1 trillion won ($873 million) in fines and a corrective measure on the company, a court official confirmed.

Opposition vows to revise independent counsel law on probe extension

The four opposition parties agreed Tuesday to submit a revision bill of the independent counsel law to the parliamentary plenary session Thursday, seeking to extend the investigation into alleged corruption by President Park Geun-hye.

Exports seen improving but no time for relief, experts say

South Korea’s exports, the backbone of the country’s economy, seem on course to end their two-year losing streak this year. If they do, it will be a relief for Asia’s fourth-largest economy, whose exports plunged 5.9 percent on-year in 2016 and 7.9 percent in 2015, the country’s first two straight years of decline.

Trump names new national security adviser

US President Donald Trump named Army Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster to be his new national security adviser Monday, a week after sacking Mike Flynn accused of having inappropriate contact with Russia's ambassador.

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

Kim Jong-nam had offer to lead N. Korea's government-in-exile

North Korean defectors in Europe and the United States had offered Kim Jong-nam to serve as head of a government-in-exile, if one had been established, but he rejected the offer, according to sources, Tuesday.

Human translators rout AI in much-hyped translation event

Humans proved they have the competitive edge in comprehension of original texts compared to translation programs, despite the rapid improvement of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, Tuesday.

Household debt hits W1,345,000,000,000,000

Korea's household debt surpassed 1,300 trillion won ($1.13 trillion) in the fourth quarter of last year, reaching its highest level since 2002, central bank data showed on Tuesday.

Gwangju to publish daily living guidebooks for foreigners

Gwangju's efforts to help foreign residents settle in Korea continue this year, with the city's Gwangsan-gu district working on a guidebook containing useful tips for Korean life.

The district office in South Jeolla Province plans to print 8,000 copies of the booklet, which does not yet have a title, in March.

Hwang pressed to extend probe of Park Geun-hye scandal

The acting President faces growing pressure to extend the period for the independent counsel team to investigate the corruption scandal involving the impeached President Park Geun-hye and her confidant Choi Soon-sil.

Minor earthquake jolts Gyeongju

A minor 2.1-magnitude earthquake rattled the southeastern city of Gyeongju early Tuesday. There were no reports of damage or casualties. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA), the quake took place at 3:21 a.m. about nine kilometers south of the city. "The tremor was too weak to feel," a KMA official said.

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

Trump chooses McMaster as his national security adviser

U.S. President Donald Trump appointed Lt. Gen. H. R. McMaster as his new national security adviser, replacing Michael T. Flynn, who was fired for his alleged secret communication with Russia. McMaster is the current director of the Army Capabilities Integration Center and is known for his expertise in strategic intelligence in the U.S. Army.

Evolution of poison

Agrippina the Younger, mother of the Roman emperor Nero, is probably one of the most infamous human figures in the history who borrowed poison to kill an enemy. After poisoning her husband, she was not afraid of using poison to kill anyone to clear a way for his son to succeed the Roman emperor Claudius, who was her uncle.

Woo Byung-woo’s case in prosecutors’ history

Woo Byung-woo, former presidential senior advisor for civil affairs, underwent a court review on his arrest warrant sought by the independent counsel on Tuesday. Woo is being charged with abuse of power.

N. Korea attempted murder of high-ranking defected official

Barun Party Rep. Ha Tae-kyung argued Tuesday that North Korea infiltrated a foreign hired killer into South Korea and attempted terror against a high-ranking North Korean defector.

Hyundai Motor Group to launch strategic research lab

Hyundai Motor Group is establishing a research organization to find a new growth engine for the future. The new research body, “Strategy and Technology Research Lab of Hyundai Motor Group,” will be located in the group’s central research institute in Uiwang City, Gyeonggi Province, and the group is planning to recruit outside personnel to lead the new research center.

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

No Signs of Cardiac Arrest or Puncture Wounds on Kim Jong-nam

No signs of cardiac arrest or puncture wounds were found on the body of Kim Jong-nam, the half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Malaysia's director-general of health, Hisham Abdullah, told reporters Tuesday that the cause of death remains unknown and samples taken from Kim Jong-nam's body were sent to a research center for analysis.

Stop Dithering, Court Tells Park

The Constitutional Court on Monday told President Park Geun-hye's lawyers to decide now whether or not she will testify in the final hearing of her impeachment trial. Acting chief justice Lee Jung-mi said once the hearings come to an end there will be no chance for Park to reconsider, a broad hint that this particular attempt by the defense to drag out proceedings is likely to come to nothing.

Kuala Lumpur's Restaurateur 'Helped S.Korea Spy on Kim Jong-nam'

Kim Jong-nam was a regular customer at a Korean restaurant in Kuala Lumpur's busy Bukit Bintang district, its owner claims. Koryowon is run by a South Korean named Alex Hwang, a long-term expatriate who now tells the press he helped South Korean authorities spy on Kim.

Park Aide Emerges from Hiding to Face Questioning

Former presidential secretary for public relations Ahn Bong-geun on Monday emerged from hiding to answer questions from the independent counsel over his involvement in the Cheong Wa Dae scandal.

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

In sign of growing discord with North Korea, Malaysia recalls ambassador

The Malaysian government’s powerful move in recalling its ambassador to North Korea on Feb. 20 and summoning the North Korean ambassador in Kuala Lumpur to voice protests shows an increasing likelihood that authorities in Pyongyang were behind the killing of Kim Jong-nam.

Despite mounting evidence in Kim Jong-nam’s killing, N. Korea still shameless

Despite the confirmation that a large number of North Koreans were involved in the killing of Kim Jong-nam, North Korea remains shameless. Rather than taking responsible actions, it continues to talk about conspiracy theories. This is sure to provoke more anger from the international society. But it is also problematic for South Korean Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn to define the killing as an act of terrorism by North Korea and to talk about its “just deserts.”

Attack on Kim Jong-nam carried out in just 2.33 seconds

Video footage shows that it only took 2.33 seconds for the female suspects to attack Kim Jong-nam, 46, in the incident that ended in the death of the half brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Considering that no one else was injured in the crowded airport and that Kim himself continued walking by himself even after the attack until he gradually lost consciousness and died, the toxic material used in the crime is thought to have been prepared through an elaborate high-tech process.

One suspect in Kim Jong-nam’s killing was middleman buying commodities in Malaysia

Ri Jong-chol, 47, who was arrested as a suspect in the killing of Kim Jong-nam, 46, half brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, was confirmed to have been a middleman buying commodities in Malaysia and selling them to North Korea. The Malaysian police said that Ri was working in the IT department of a Malaysian company, but his actual role appears to have been a commerce agent for North Korea.

North Korean and US officials planning 1.5 track meeting in New York

North Korean officials and American experts on North Korea are reportedly getting ready to engage in “1.5 track dialogue,” which would involve figures from both the government and the private sector, in New York. Since North Korean officials will need the US State Department to approve and issue visas in order to visit the US, this is expected to serve as a litmus test for President Donald Trump’s North Korean policy.

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

Impasse over corpse continues

The police presence at Hospital Kuala Lumpur, where the corpse of Kim Jong-nam remains, escalated Tuesday after rumors spread that his son arrived in the Malaysian capital to claim his father’s body and provide samples for a DNA test.

Machines no match for humans in translations

Human translators proved their superiority in the first translation competition with artificial intelligence programs here on Tuesday. Their translations were significantly better in terms of quality and accuracy.

Corporate reform bill in limelight once again

Opposition parties’ proposed reforms for Korea Inc., which include limiting the power of the families that control Korea’s conglomerates, are back in the limelight after the nation’s top economic policymaker sided with the business communities.

Kakao Pay, Alipay form a strategic partnership

Kakao Pay and China’s hugely popular fintech platform Alipay have signed a partnership deal involving their mobile wallets. This means local consumers will be allowed to make payments for the Chinese retail giant Alibaba Group’s online markets using Kakao Pay.

Microsoft debuts cloud service for local firms

Microsoft Korea on Tuesday launched a cloud platform for corporate clients that will be managed by two data centers in Seoul and Busan. Called Azure, the platform comes nine months after the global tech giant announced its intention of bringing its cloud business to Korea.

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

South Korean Government, "Terrorism and a Crime Against Humanity," Hardline Stance to Isolate North Korea

The South Korean government is accelerating efforts to respond to the murder of North Korean Kim Jong-nam. The government stressed the fact that the incident confirmed the brutality of the Kim Jong-un regime and focused on ways to further pressure and isolate the hermit state.

Grants Cut for Groups Opposing the Comfort Women Agreement

Government grants for comfort women support groups that opposed the 2015 comfort women agreement between South Korea and Japan were all cut last year.

President Park's Involvement in "Plan B" to Support Chung Yoo-ra: Changes to Horse Management Method Written in Ahn Jong-beom's Planner

The team of special prosecutor Park Young-soo secured circumstantial evidence suggesting President Park Geun-hye's involvement in establishing "Plan B" to have Samsung "indirectly" support Chung Yoo-ra (21), the daughter of Choi Soon-sil (61), and her equestrian training in Germany after Choi's involvement in state affairs was exposed to the media last September.

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

KOSPI Hits 2,100 Mark in 19 Months

The KOSPI has surpassed the 2,100 level for the first time in 19 months. At 10:13 am on February 21, the KOSPI was traded at 2,100.18, up 0.76 percent (15.79 points) from the previous day's closing price. This is the first time for the KOSPI index to hit the 2,100 mark since July 17, 2015.

Naver Acquires Approval to Operate Self-driving Vehicles on Public Roads

The self-driving vehicle that Naver is developing acquired an approval from the Korean government to run on public roads, first of its kind among Korea's IT companies. Thus far, such approvals were granted mainly to automobile manufacturers such as Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors and research units of universities such as Seoul National University and the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology.

LG Display Vice Chairman Says: "We Will Supply LCD Panels to Samsung in July"

LG Display will supply LCD panels to Samsung Electronics in July or August at the earliest. Han Sang-beom, vice chairman of LG Display, held a press talk after participating in the general meeting of the Korea Display Industry Association on February 20.

Chairman Kwon Makes Big Push for "Premium POSCO"

POSCO doubled its production capacity of hyper non-grain oriented electrical steel, also known as Hyper NO, which is used mainly for motors of electric vehicles. POSCO plans to boost the output of high value-added steel, for which demand is growing, while reducing the production of commodity steel, aimed at enhancing its profitability.

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

Footprint fossil of kangaroo-like Cretaceous mammal found in S. Korea

An 110 million-year-old footprint fossil of a small and hopping kangaroo-like mammal has been found in South Korea. It was the first of its kind from the Cretaceous period of the Mesozoic Era.

S. Korean car carrier seized in Libyan waters: report

A carrier packed with thousands of South Korean cars has been seized by Libyan militants for violating their territorial waters, reports said Tuesday. The car carrier, Morning Compass, was held at a Lybian port after it was seized last Saturday, Yonhap News Agency said, adding there was no Korean sailor aboard the ship, which was carrying 5,107 cars produced by South Korea's Hyundai Motor and its affiliate Kia Motors.

LG's smart robots deployed at airport for field test

Two smart robots developed by South Korea's LG Electronics became a mascot for South Korea's gateway after they were deployed at Incheon International Airport for field testing.

China's Alipay forges cross-use partnership with S. Korean mobile payment

Alipay, China's biggest online payment platform run by Alibaba Group founder Jack Ma, has forged a cross-use deal with KakaoPay launched by South Korea's largest top mobile messaging service.

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

Korea’s exports gain 26.2% on year in first 20 days of Feb

South Korea’s exports have expanded in the first 20 days of this month, extending gains for the third month in a row much thanks to brisk semiconductor shipment and recovery in oil demand.

Management instability added to Korean Inc. woes amid looming commercial act revision

The Korean Inc. struggling with losing competitiveness and disgrace from high-profile political scandal has management instability added to its list of worries as opposition-led legislative is poised to pass revisions to the Commercial Act largely aimed to constrain chaebol excesses by restricting voting rights of shareholders proportionate to their stake ratio.

Hyundai Motor to set up strategic technology lab for future growth engines

Hyundai Motor Group will add a new research lab dedicated to developing future growth technologies such as self-driving and connected car applications. The South Korean conglomerate said on Tuesday a strategic technology research lab will be launched as early as next month. The new R&D center will play a role in materializing the group’s new business while focusing on research in the area of information/telecommunication and artificial intelligence, new materials, energy, robotics, shared economy to better respond to industrial transformations.

LG Display working to ship nano-cell panels to Chinese firms: CEO

South Korea’s LG Display Co. is in talks with several Chinese companies to sell advanced liquid crystal display (LCD) panels in proprietary nano cells, said vice chairman and chief executive Han Sang-beom.

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