The Korean daily media headlines and humor

The Korean daily media headlines and humor

Friday, February 24, 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

Security guards at Constitutional Court guard with loaded revolvers

Special prosecutors are closely protected by armed security guards

With the final ruling against President Park Geun-hye expected to come on Feb. 27, 2017, the security guards for the Special Prosecutors are armed with pistols and the personal security personnel for the Special Prosecutors have been substantially increased for increased protection of the Special Prosecutors amidst fast-growing reactions by ultra-rightist group desperately attempting to 'protect President Park Geun-hye at all cost.'The pro-Park demonstrators are obviously inspired by the reportedly extremist defense lawyers for President Park such as Lawyer Kim Pyung-woo.With the possibilities of arrest (or voluntary departure) of President Park looming imminent, the ultra-rightist lawyers more and more appear to try to resort means that are far from normal legal practices or proceedings.

(Visit:http://www.koreapost.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=3038)

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Your Excellency:

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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/)

Rival Parties Fail to Agree on Parliamentary Vote for Probe Extension

The floor leaders of rival parties have failed to reach an agreement on holding a parliamentary vote regarding the extension of the special prosecutor team’s probe period.National Assembly Speaker Chung Sye-kyun and the floor leaders of ruling and opposition parties held 40-minute discussions on the issue Thursday morning to no avail.

BOK Chief Downplays April Crisis Talk as Exaggerated

Bank of Korea Governor Lee Ju-yeol says rumors of an economic crisis looming in April are exaggerated and unlikely.He made the comments at a news conference following the central bank's decision to keep key rates unchanged for an eighth straight month Thursday.

Lee Seung-hoon Becomes 1st S. Korean to Grab 4 Gold Medals in Asian Winter Games

Speed skater Lee Seung-hoon has grabbed another gold medal at the Sapporo Asian Winter Games, becoming the first ever South Korean to win a total of four gold medals in the Games.Lee came in first among eleven speed skaters in the Men 16 Laps Mass Start event held at the Obihiro Forest Speed Skating Oval on Thursday.

S.Korea to Launch Diplomacy to Condemn Kim Jong-nam Assassination

The government has decided to launch active diplomatic efforts to condemn North Korea as signs have surfaced that the North’s government was systematically involved in the assassination of Kim Jong-nam.

S. Korean Expats Allowed to Vote in Early Pres. Election

South Korean nationals residing overseas will be able to vote in a presidential election that will be held earlier than originally scheduled if the Constitutional Court approves the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye.The parliamentary committee on security and public administration passed a revision to the public official election law in a general meeting Thursday.

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

Trump says he's 'very angry' at N.K. missile launch, too late to meet with Kim Jong-un

U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday he is "very angry" at North Korea's latest missile launch, and it's too late to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, according to an interview.

Consumer sentiment improves in February

South Korea's overall consumer sentiment improved this month from a month earlier, central bank data showed Friday, as the economy got a boost from increased exports and investments.

Mercedes-Benz recalls 280 cars in S. Korea for Takata airbag

Mercedes-Benz Korea, the local importer and distributor of the German vehicle, will recall some 280 cars sold here for an airbag issue that has affected millions of cars of various brands throughout the world, the transportation ministry said Friday.

Trump 'very angry' at N. Korean missile launch: Reuters interview

U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday he was "very angry" at North Korea's latest missile launch and that bolstering missile defenses for South Korea and Japan is among the options to counter the threat, according to an interview.

3 insurers ordered to halt some operations over unpaid suicide insurance benefits

South Korea's financial regulator on Thursday ordered three insurance firms to halt some of their operations as a punitive measure over their overdue suicide insurance benefits.

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

Probe into Kim Jong-nam's death a 'conspiracy,' N.Korea claims

North Korea on Thursday dismissed the Malaysian investigation into the mysterious death of the half brother of the North’s leader Kim Jong-un, accusing the Southeast Asian country of conspiring with South Korea to sabotage the regime.

Who will fill Samsung’s leadership vacuum?

Shortly after the arrest of Samsung Group’s de facto leader Lee Jae-yong last week, speculations began to swirl over possible alternatives for his leadership, with some even touting his younger sister Lee Boo-jin, who currently leads the group’s hotel and duty-free business, as a likely candidate.

Central bank stands pat as uncertainties build

South Korea’s central bank took a wait-and-see approach in its key rate decision Thursday, amid mixed signals from local indicators and growing uncertainty over the US economy.The seven members of the Bank of Korea’s monetary policy committee left its key rate at a record low of 1.25 percent, an eighth consecutive rate freeze since it lowered the rate by 0.25 percentage point in June last year. It was a unanimous decision.

Special probe faces end of tenure, with no extension

Efforts to extend the ongoing special investigation into President Park Geun-hye’s corruption scandal were effectively thwarted Thursday.Having failed to put the extension to a parliamentary vote, opposition parties once again turned to Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, who holds the authority to prolong the investigation upon his right as acting president. Chances, however, remain slim as Hwang has persistently expressed disapproval on granting the extra period to the investigators.

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

Curtain falling on Seoul's red-light district called 588

Cheongnyangni 588, a red-light district in Seoul, has had its heyday. At its peak in the 1980s, the district housed some 200 brothels with more than 500 sex workers, and was reputedly the biggest and busiest sex-for-sale area in the capital.

N. Korea blames Seoul over Kim Jong-nam's death

North Korea denied its involvement in the death of Kim Jong-nam, Thursday, calling Seoul's claims that Pyongyang was behind the incident a conspiracy against the North.In its first official comment on the murder, North Korea also accused Malaysia of having infringed on its sovereignty and human rights, rebuffing the results of the Malaysian police's investigation into the case.

Hooked: Korea's 'salmon renaissance'

People love to eat, and Koreans take every opportunity to enjoy their food.Beaches and mountain valleys are often bustling with food stalls that sometimes prompt visitors to complain that vendors disrupt the vistas. Nevertheless, people line up in front of the shacks to get ice-creams, coffees, hot dogs, waffles and whatever else looks worth a try.

Actress wearing 'invisible' scarlet letter

There is no doubt actress Kim Min-hee, 34, is in her heyday. She became the first Korean to win the Silver Bear for Best Actress for director Hong Sang-soo's "On the Beach at Night Alone" at the 67th Berlin Film Festival on Saturday.

'Beach taekwondo' set to debut in Greece

The inaugural beach taekwondo championships will take place on the Greek island of Rhodes in May.The World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) said Wednesday it will hold the first WTF World Taekwondo Beach Championships on the island from May 5 to 6. The taekwondo beach championship will be held to expand the martial arts sport concept from an indoor-only sport to one that can be enjoyed everywhere.

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

Mounting calls in U.S. for putting N. Korea back on ‘state sponsors of terrorism’ list

There are mounting calls in the United States for adding North Korea back to the State Department list of states sponsoring terrorism following the Malaysian police’s announcement that Pyongyang was directly involved in the assassination of Kim Jong Nam, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s half-brother.

Soundtrack of the movie 'Fifty Shades Darker'

“Fifty Shades of Grey (2015)” has left a good impression with a soundtrack. The first note of Jay Hawkins’ “I Put a Spell on You” was the right choice as it was reinterpreted by Anne Lennox of Eurythmics. The dangerously sensual atmosphere was followed by The Weekend’s “Earned It.” “Love Me Like You Do (Ellie Goulding)” in the helicopter scene was comparable to “Take My Breath Away (of Top Gun) in the 2010s.

Researchers discover 10 times more efficient ceramic fuel cell

A group of domestic researchers has discovered a way to maximize efficiency of fuel cells that is considered to be green energy resources for the next generation. The research team headed by Professor Shim Jun-hyeong at Department of Mechanical Engineering of Korea University announced on Thursday that it has developed ceramic fuel cell whose efficiency is enhanced by 10-fold at the maximum compared to the previous one in cooperation with other team headed by Son Ji-won, senior researcher at Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST).

Women's ice hockey team defeats China at Asian Winter Games

“'Until the East Sea's waters and Baekdu Mountain are dry and worn away, God protects and helps us.”The national anthem of Korea rang out from the Tsukisamu Gymnasium on Thursday after women’s ice hockey game between Korea and China at the Asian Winter Games in Sapporo. Korean players won 3-2 over China after a close game of which winner was decided in the shootout and they calmly celebrate their victory. As they entered the locker room, however, players hugged each other and shed tears of joy.

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

N.Korea Tightens Controls After Kim Jong-nam Assassination

The North Korean regime is tightening controls in its border regions for fear that news of the murder of leader Kim Jong-un's half-brother Jong-nam will seep into the country. Authorities are stopping frequent travelers from visiting their relatives in China and dispatching security forces to the Chinese border regions, sources said Wednesday.

N.Korea's Rift with Malaysia Deepens Over Kim Jong-nam Killing

The North Korean ambassador to Malaysia on Monday continued his grandstanding over the assassination of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's half-brother Kim Jong-nam and subsequent investigation.

Court Extends Park's Impeachment Trial by a Few Days

The Constitutional Court on Wednesday granted a brief extension of the impeachment trial of President Park Geun-hye, whose lawyers have begged for more time.The final hearing is now scheduled for next Monday. The court also told the defense that Park must decide by Sunday whether she intends to testify at the final hearing.

Seoul Motor Show to Kick off Next Month

The Seoul Motor Show will start its 10-day run from March 31 at KINTEX in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province. Starting in 1995, the biennial auto show will display over 300 cars from 27 automakers around the world, with 32 cars to be premiered, according to the organizing committee on Wednesday.

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

Eight North Korean suspects implicated in killing of Kim Jong-nam

On Feb. 22, Malaysian police investigating the killing of Kim Jong-nam, 46, released the identities of two additional North Korean suspects, bringing the total number of suspects of North Korean nationality in the case up to eight. Police believe HyonKwang-song, a 44-year-old second secretary at the North Korean embassy in Malaysia, and Kim Uk-il, a 37-year-old employee of Air Koryo, to be currently hiding out at the embassy.

Kim Jong-nam apparently killed with toxin that entered through lungs

What was the toxin that suspects Doan ThiHuong (29, of Vietnam) and SitiAisyah (25, of Indonesia) are believed to have used in the murder of Kim Jong-nam?

While no definitive conclusion can be drawn since the Malaysian government has yet to announce the results of its postmortem, the announcement by the Malaysian police on Feb. 22 strongly suggests that the toxin was of the sort that penetrates the human body through the respiratory system.

Kim Jong-nam killing causes quake in North Korea-Malaysia relations

The Malaysian police’s identification on Feb. 22 of a diplomat at the North Korean Embassy to Malaysia as a suspect in the killing of Kim Jong-nam essentially makes official its belief that the North Korean government was behind the crime. Since this represents a change in attitude for the Malaysian authorities, who had exercised caution in the early phase of the investigation in consideration of their diplomatic relations with North Korea, this is sure to have an impact on relations between the two countries.

China cautious in mulling response to Kim Jong-nam’s killing

The announcement on Feb. 22 by Malaysian investigators that a diplomat in the North Korean embassy was implicated in the killing of Kim Jong-nam has prompted some to suspect that China, which had been extremely reticent about North Korea’s involvement in the killing, might change its stance.

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

North breaks its silence on killing

Pyongyang accused Seoul of drumming up a “conspiratorial racket” around the murder of one of its citizen in the Kuala Lumpur airport last week - while adamantly refusing to acknowledge that the dead man was their leader’s half brother or that he was assassinated by poison.

Busan encouraged to move statue

Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent a letter to the Busan city government encouraging the removal of a statue representing victims of Japan’s wartime sexual slavery, the cause of diplomatic tensions with Tokyo. But after receiving the letter, Busan’s Dong District Office declared on Thursday it has no intention of removing the monument.

HHI labor union holds full strike

The labor union of Hyundai Heavy Industries took to the streets on Thursday, holding a strike for eight hours to protest the company’s decision to split the shipbuilder into four companies.

Dongwha Duty Free’s future remains murky

The status of Dongwha Duty Free remains unclear as it has yet to reach an agreement with Hotel Shilla about who will control the duty-free business.Thursday was the second due date set by Hotel Shilla for Kim Ki-byung, chairman of Dongwha’s parent company Lotte Tour Development, to pay back his debt of 78.8 billion won ($69.2 million). The amount includes the 60 billion won principal loan borrowed in 2013 plus 11.5 billion won in interest. Dongwha was assessed an additional 10 percent for failing to repay its investment by the initial Dec. 23 due date.

Bank of Korea keeps rate steady

The Bank of Korea held its key rate for an eighth straight month on Thursday as a combination of snowballing household debt, uncertainties surrounding U.S. economic policies and the domestic political scandal prompted the central bank to maintain its wait-and-see approach.

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

President Park's Legal Representatives' Contempt of Court Has Gone Too Far

The behavior of President Park's legal representatives in the impeachment trial has gone too far. Yesterday in the sixteenth hearing at the Constitutional Court, they insulted Justice Kang Il-won, the lead justice in the impeachment trial referring to him as the "chief spokesperson for the National Assembly," and went so far as to request the removal of Kang from the bench. The reason was that Kang asked a lot of questions that worked against the president. They may be at the brink of impeachment, but still their behavior was unacceptable.

Constitutional Court Stands Firm on 8-Judge Ruling: President's Lawyers Unable to Answer Whether They Will Accept the Court's Decision

On February 22, the Constitutional Court justices overseeing the impeachment trial of President Park Geun-hye said that they would hear the final arguments on February 27 and requested the president's attorneys to confirm whether or not the president will appear in court by February 26. The court confirmed that they will make a decision under the current eight-justice system before Justice Lee Jung-mi, the acting president of the Constitutional Court, steps down at the end of her term (March 13).

Literature Is Still Too Hard for Machines: Translation Match, Humans vs. AI

"He was rude to the blanket." That was the translation presented by a translation software. Other translation programs presented results with similar meanings, such as "The puppy disrespects the quilt." The Korean sentence that the translation software tried to translate was, "The puppy excused himself (peed) on the blanket." A Korean knows that the expression, "excuse" means that the puppy relieved itself, but the computer programs interpreted the word literally to mean "impolite."

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

Korea's Short-term Debt Ratio Hits 4 Year High of 27.6%

The share of short-term loans (whose term is shorter than 1 year) out of total foreign loans has climbed up to a high of 27.6 percent, the highest level since President Park Geun-hye took office in 2013. Meanwhile, the balance of net foreign credit has also hit a record high.

New York's FIT May Soon Offer Classes in Incheon Global Campus

The world's leading universities that have set up shop in Incheon Global Campus are working hard to enlist young minds in East Asia. According to the Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority on February 22, the Fashion Institute of Technology, one of the world's top-five fashion schools, has submitted an application with the Korean Ministry of Education to establish a presence in Incheon in May 2016 and is set to open the program by September this year.

China's "One Belt, One Road" Ambition May Be Frustrated by EU Investigation

The European Union put a brake on China's "One Belt, One Road" initiative in Central Europe. A Chinese government-led construction project to link Hungary's capital Budapest with Belgrade in Serbia by railway is under investigation by the European Commission for possible violation of its public procurement laws.

Sejong City Population Surpasses 250,000 in 56 Months

The number of population in Sejong Special Autonomous City has exceeded 250,000 first time in 56 months since its founding in July 2012. The city government announced on February 21 that its population within the jurisdiction was 250,178 as of the 20th. When it started out in 2012, its population was 100,751, the 17th highest among all cities in the country.

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

Pyongyang blames Seoul for colluding with Malaysia

North Korea fired a broadside at Malaysia at the risk of a diplomatic war over the apparent assassination of leader Kim Jong-un's half-brother, accusing the Southeast Asian country of dancing to South Korea's tune.

N. Korea launches rare attack on China for blocking coal trade

In a rare attack on its traditional ally and economic lifeline, North Korea blasted China for taking "non-humanitarian" steps to impose a trade embargo, referring to the suspension of coal imports.

LG introduces 4mm ultra-slim wallpaper 'SIGNATURE' OLED TV

For domestic sales starting this week, LG Electronics unveiled to the public a new ultra-slim "wallpaper" OLED television that earned international acclaim at an international trade show.

Consumers' doubt grows over success of LG's new flagship

As the much-anticipated launch of LG's flagship G6 is just around the corner, consumer doubt is growing over specs, mainly on its processor using an outmoded chipset.

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

Bowater Korea to pull out of Korea on newsprint industry slump

South Korea’s fourth largest newsprint producer Bowater Korea Ltd. will withdraw from the Korean market, a move expected to benefit its rivals suffering from falling newsprint demand amid shift from traditional print news media to digital media.

Hyundai, Kia in their best U.S. confidence score in J.D. Power survey

South Korea’s largest automaker Hyundai Motor Co. and its smaller sibling Kia Motors Corp. claimed sixth and 11th in this year’s survey on vehicle dependability by U.S.-based J.D. Power and Associates Inc., respectively - their best-ever win in confidence from American consumers.

Korean govt devises tourism incentives to stimulate domestic consumption

South Korean government desperate to reinvigorate stubbornly depressed consumer spending has come up with various incentives to keep Koreans spending at home instead of going abroad with their extra time and money.

Tesla to sell Model S at $114,000 in Korea

U.S. electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla Motors Inc. has set the initial price of its latest Model S that will be officially launched in Korea in May at 130 million won ($113,995).

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