Monday, January 2, 2023
Round-up of important news from major Korean dailies and from international media today
The Korea Post ( www.koreapost.com )
“We must break through the complex crisis through increased and revitalized export”
President Yoon Suk-yeol said, “We must break through the complex crisis through increased and revitalized export!” Speaking in his New Year’s Address for 2023, Yoon said, “Exports are the backbone of our economy and a source of jobs.” Then he said: “In the process of strengthening protectionism, security, economy, technical cooperation is being sought as a package deal. Our export strategy must be different from those of the past.”
Hyundai Motor unveils an EV-derived design for KONA subcompact SUV
Hyundai Motor unveiled an EV-derived, futuristic design for its new generation KONA subcompact SUV on Dec. 20. The upscaled model will be available in four variants, including all-electric (EV), hybrid electric (HEV), internal combustion engine (ICE) and sporty N Line, with a universal architecture for all and unique styling for each. With the all-new KONA, Hyundai Motor has brought its commitment to sustainable mobility and technology-led design thinking to expand its EV offerings — innovated and advanced by the award-winning IONIQ lineup — while also meeting the diverse mobility needs of its customers with a variety of powertrains.
SK to showcase multiple EV technologies at CES 2023
SK Group will unveil its “EV ecosystem”, which comprises the world’s thinnest copper foil for secondary batteries (4 ㎛) and an EV battery that drives 400 km on a single charge at the upcoming CES 2023, the group said on Dec. 29. “Mobility” has been chosen as one of the main themes at CES 2023, the world’s largest technology exhibition. It is expected that visitors from around the globe will show increased interest in SK Group’s battery-related products and technologies.
Chosun Ilbo (http://english.chosun.com)
Debts of Self-Employed Reach W1 Quadrillion
The debts of self-employed Koreans have surpassed W1 quadrillion for the first time ever (US$1=W1,265). According to the Bank of Korea, loans to the self-employed totaled W1.01 quadrillion as of the third quarter this year, up from around W700 trillion until the first quarter of 2020, before lockdowns crippled many small businesses. Loans surged to W803.50 trillion by the end of 2020 amid ultra-low interest rates and rose even further to W909.20 trillion by the end of last year. That is up 14.3 percent over the past year which is way faster than the 0.7-percent increase of household loans.
New Law to Let Foreigners Work in Korea Longer
The government will revise labor laws for the first time in 19 years so foreign migrants can work in Korea for more than 10 years in a row and in a wider range of jobs. Currently they must leave Korea after four years and 10 months and then reapply from overseas. The entry barrier will also be lowered in jobs like housekeepers, nannies and warehouse workers where demand for foreign laborers is high. Ethnic Koreans from China and Central Asia will be allowed to work in most professions. The Ministry of Labor and Employment on Thursday said the plans are aimed at addressing a growing labor shortage due to the low birthrate and aging population.
Tesla Benefits from Half of Korea's Electric Car Subsidies
Tesla accounted for almost half of government subsidies in Korea for electric cars in the first half of this year. Chinese electric bus makers also benefited significantly. According to the Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association on Sunday, EV sales during the January to June period increased 2.7 percent on-year to 16,359 cars. Korean automakers' sales plunged 43.1 percent during that period due to the delayed release of new models, as well as reduced subsidies per car and increased recharging costs.
Joongang Ilbo (https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com )
Seoul warns use of nuclear weapons would end Kim Jong-un regime
South Korea's Defense Ministry warned that any attempts by North Korea to use nuclear weapons will mean the end of the Kim Jong-un regime Sunday. The statement comes after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un ordered that the the country's nuclear arsenal be "exponentially" expanded and a new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) developed in the new year, according to state media Sunday. Seoul's warning also comes after Pyongyang fired a series of short-range missiles over Saturday and Sunday, on New Year's Eve and Day.
Owner of suspected Chinese secret police station denies forcing people to return home
Wang Haijun, owner of the restaurant in Seoul pegged as a secret Chinese police station, admitted that he had helped some Chinese nationals return home, yet not because of their alleged political dissidence. Wang, besides running Dongfang Mingzhu, a Chinese restaurant that floats on the Han River, also operates the Overseas Chinese Service Center (OCSC) in Seoul, which nongovernmental human rights organization Safeguard Defenders suspects could be a channel used by the Chinese secret police around the world to monitor its citizens.
Travelers from China required to undergo Covid-19 testing
All inbound travelers from China are required to be tested for Covid-19 upon their arrival in Korea starting Monday, with measures to be strengthened from Thursday. Short-term visitors will be tested at the airport upon their arrival. They will have to wait for their results before passing through the airport and those who test positive will be transported to state-run quarantine facilities, to be quarantined for seven days, said the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), country’s Covid-19 response body. Travelers from China with residency status in Korea will be required to be tested at a local public health center in the district of their residence, within 24 hours of their arrival.
The Dong-A Ilbo (http://english.donga.com/)
Former Pope Benedict XVI dies at age 95
“With sorrow I inform you that the Pope Emeritus, Benedict XVI, passed away today in the Vatican,” said Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni. Former Pope Benedict XVI has died, aged 95, on Saturday (local time). As of Monday morning, the body of Pope Emeritus will be in Saint Peter's Basilica so the faithful can pay their respects. The mass will be held in St. Peter’s Square, presided by Pope Francis. Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI was born in Germany and became the 265th pope in 2005 after Pope John Paul II.
Britain, France obligate passengers from China to take COVID-19 test
Britain, France, Canada, and Australia join countries such as South Korea and the United States, which already have strengthened immigration control and quarantine measures regarding China, by mandating any incoming visitor from China to take COVID-19 tests. British news outlets including BBC reported Friday (local time) that the British government will soon announce a set of immigration regulations to make COVID-19 testing a mandatory step for visitors departing from China to take.
Former Pres. Lee Myung-bak apologizes to public upon release
Korea's former President Lee Myung-bak (aged 81) said Friday that he sincerely apologized for causing concerns to the people upon his release by special presidential pardon after serving prison time for four years and nine months. Lee was sentenced to 17 years by the Supreme Court in October 2020 for charges including embezzling 25.2 billion Korean won from DAS Corp., a Korean auto parts maker mainly owned by Mr. Lee's brother. Lee has been hospitalized at Seoul National University Hospital since June 2022, as his prison sentence was suspended due to health concerns.
Maeil Business News Korea (http://www.pulsenews.co.kr/)
S. Korea to jack up electricity rates in Q1 ’23 by biggest margin in 30 years
South Korea will raise electricity rates in the first quarter of next year by the largest ever margin in response to soaring fuel prices and mounting losses of debt-ridden Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO), the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said Friday. The government and KEPCO decided to raise the power bill for consumer and industrial use by 13.1 won ($0.01) per kilowatt hour (kWh) for the January-March period next year following a 2.5 won hike in the fourth quarter of this year.
Korean SMEs struggling to fill a record 149,000 jobs
South Korea’s talent mismatch is deepening as many small businesses are struggling to fill a record number of positions, while job seekers want jobs that offer better working conditions and high wages. According to data from the Ministry of Employment and Labor on Thursday, the number of unfilled job openings at companies with five or more full-time workers stood at 149,000 in the third quarter of this year, up by 39 percent from a year earlier. The figure is the highest since 2008, when data compilation began.
South Korea set to extend permit for foreign workers stay up to 10 years
The South Korean government will allow foreign workers to extend their stay for 10 years as part of the country’s first revision in the overseas employment program in 19 years to ease labor shortage problem. The Ministry of Employment and Labor announced on Thursday that its foreign workforce policy committee decided on the reform plan, which will allow migrant workers to stay for 10 years when they meet requirements for occupational and language proficiencies.
HanKyoReh Shinmun (http://english.hani.co.kr)
Yoon’s tax policies would make Liz Truss proud
Liz Truss went down in history as the shortest-serving prime minister in the history of the United Kingdom. But as recently as her inauguration in September, she was sharing her dreams of becoming a second Margaret Thatcher. Known as the “Iron Lady,” Thatcher ushered in the neoliberal era with policies that centered on cutting taxes, deregulation, privatization and neutralizing unions. She argued that granting businesses maximum freedom would lead to rapid economic growth that would allow everyone to prosper. Truss followed the Thatcher prescription when she announced her “mini-budget,” which centered on massive tax cuts. But she ended up facing a severe backlash for it.
The troubling far-right tendencies of Korea’s Yoon Suk-yeol
Yoon Suk-yeol did not start out as someone with a strong political bent. This may have been natural for him as someone who had worked nearly his entire life as a prosecutor. At one point, he so much as admitted that he had “zero sense for politics.” On page three of the Hankyoreh issue on Sept. 9, 2019, I published an article titled “As prosecutors deftly navigate administration, are prosecutorial reforms running aground?” The gist of it was that the investigation then-Prosecutor General Yoon Suk-yeol was leading against minister of justice nominee Cho Kuk had the underlying aim of thwarting reforms to the prosecution.
Korean teachers worry new policies will undo inclusive education on sex, gender
“I closed my eyes at night. And dreamed a dream where I wasn’t hassled for loving.” This is the last line of poet Hwang In-chan’s “Forest of Figs.” Z, who teaches Korean Literature at a school in the metropolitan area read this poem with their students to teach them about gender equality and queerness. To borrow the words of the poet himself, this poem is a metaphorical expression of the reality of sexual minorities, who have to hide their identities. Z does not only teach poems, but uses pop songs and works of literature as class material. Their classes listen to Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way,” read “Master Heo’s Wife,”
The KyungHyangShinmun (http://english.khan.co.kr/)
Yoo Seong-min, “What Will the People Say If the Leader of the People Power Party Is Like President Yoon’s Slave?”
On December 29, former lawmaker Yoo Seong-min argued that the race to lead the People Power Party (PPP) was turning into a competition of candidates promoting special ties with President Yoon and criticized, “If the People Power Party leader is someone like the slave or servant of President Yoon, what will the people think when they see such a party leader and such a party?” Yoo appeared on Kim Hyun-jung’s News Show on CBS radio Thursday morning and said, “It seems like this party convention has turned into some race to promote special ties with President Yoon.
Kim Byung-joo, “NK Drone Seems to Have Come All the Way to Namsan... Likely to Have Passed the No-Fly Zone”
On December 29, Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Kim Byung-joo said, “It appears the North Korean drone came all the way to Namsan Mountain,” and claimed it was likely the drone passed through the no-fly zone. In an interview on Kim Hyun-jung’s News Show on CBS radio Thursday, Kim, a former deputy commander (Army general) of the R.O.K.-U.S. Combined Forces Command, spoke on the military’s explanation that the North Korean drone did not reach the Office of the President in Yongsan and said, “You shouldn’t look at this from the perspective of whether or not it came to Yongsan. If the drone entered the no-fly zone, then the guard operation has failed.”
Pardoned Kim Kyoung-soo, “Forced to Accept a Present I Did Not Want”
Kim Kyoung-soo, former governor of Gyeongsangnam-do, left the Changwon Prison a little after midnight December 28 following a special pardon granted by the Yoon Suk-yeol government. Kim entered the Changwon Prison on July 26, 2021 after the Supreme Court sentenced him to two years in prison. He was detained for 77 days during his first trial and released from prison 520 days after he was imprisoned in Changwon following the Supreme Court ruling. Kim was only pardoned of his remaining sentence, so he is not eligible to run in an election until December 28, 2027.
KBS(http://world.kbs.co.kr/service)
S. Korea Resumes COVID-19 Testing for Arrivals from China
The nation began to impose stricter quarantine measures for travelers from China on Monday amid a surge in COVID-19 infections in China following Beijing's decision to lift its “zero-COVID” policy last month. Last week, health authorities announced that the government will implement tightened quarantine measures for arrivals from China from Monday through the end of February. All travelers from China, whether by plane or ship, will be required to present a negative result from a PCR test taken within 48 hours of departure, or 24 hours for a rapid antigen test. They will also have to take another PCR test within one day of arrival.
Yoon Orders Thorough Military Readiness Posture against N. Korea
President Yoon Suk Yeol has ordered military commanders to maintain a thorough readiness posture against North Korea and punish provocations “with a mindset to not avoid going to war.” According to presidential spokesperson Lee Jae-myoung, the president issued the directive on Sunday during a video-linked call with Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Kim Seung-kyum and other top commanders. President Yoon told Kim that the new year has begun, but the nation's security situation remains grave, adding that North Korea will continue hostile acts using various symmetrical and asymmetrical means while advancing its nuclear and missile threats.
Disabled Advocacy Group Resumes Subway Protest
A disability advocacy group has launched a subway protest in Seoul, calling for an increase in the government budget to protect the rights of people with disabilities. The Solidarity Against Disability Discrimination(SADD) began the protest at 8 a.m. Monday at Samgakji Station in Yongsan District, the closest station to the presidential office, saying that the increase in funding for the disabled in the 2023 budget is absurdly small. The group has staged subway protests since late last year, with wheelchair-bound activists repeatedly boarding and disembarking trains to cause delays in subway services.
Yonhap (http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr)
N. Korean leader calls for 'exponential' increase in nuclear arsenal
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un stressed the need to "exponentially" increase the number of the country's nuclear arsenal and develop a new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in the new year, Pyongyang's state media reported Sunday. He delivered the message during a plenary meeting of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) that ended the previous day. It was held to set Pyongyang's major policy directions for the new year.
N. Korean leader visits late father's mausoleum
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visited the mausoleum of his late grandfather and father in his first reported public activity this year, according to Pyongyang's state media Monday. Kim paid tribute at the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, where the bodies of state founder and his grandfather, Kim Il-sung, and his father, Kim Jong-il, are enshrined, on the occasion of the start of the new year, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said. The visit to the mausoleum came after he unveiled this year's policy direction and called for an "exponential" increase in the country's nuclear arsenal during a rare six-day meeting of the ruling Workers' Party held until Saturday.
N. Korea fires one SRBM into East Sea: S. Korean military
North Korea fired one short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) into the East Sea on Sunday, South Korea's military said. The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said it detected the launch from the Ryongsong area in Pyongyang at 2:50 a.m., adding the missile flew some 400 kilometers before splashing into the sea. It appears to be another response to Seoul's test launch of a homegrown solid-propellant space rocket on Friday, according to North Korea observers. On Saturday morning, the North shot three SRBMs from Chunghwa County, just south of Pyongyang, into the East Sea.
The Korea Herald (http://www.koreaherald.com)
Yoon calls for new export strategies to weather crisis
President Yoon Suk-yeol used his New Year's address Sunday to call for new export strategies in South Korea to overcome external crises that threaten an economic recession, vowing to personally attend to the nation’s export strategies and focusing diplomacy on the economy. Stressing the importance of exports to Korea, Yoon said it was time to change its export strategy, as protectionist trade policies were undermining the world's joint efforts to tackle inflation, global supply chain disruptions and raw material price volatility. "Our export strategy must differ from the past," Yoon said in the presidential office in Yongsan-gu, Seoul.
Any NK attempt at nuclear attack will bring end to regime, Defense Ministry says
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un urged the country to exponentially increase its nuclear arsenal and mass-produce tactical nuclear weapons able to strike within South Korean territory, labeling South Korea as an “undoubted enemy” at a key party meeting, North Korean state media reported Sunday. In response to Kim’s explicit threat, the South Korean military publicly warned that any nuclear attack by North Korea would spell the end of the Kim Jong-un regime. Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup also ordered an emergency meeting and for the military to “firmly and sternly punish” North Korean provocations.
Tech firms to highlight cutting-edge technology at CES
South Korean companies are gearing up to showcase their latest future technology at the upcoming CES 2023 -- the world’s largest tech convention -- slated to be held from Jan. 5 to Jan. 9 in Las Vegas. According to CES organizer, Consumer Technology Association, this year’s event will feature over 3,100 exhibitors from 173 countries and regions around the world. The CTA expects the four-day event to draw over 100,000 visitors. After years of pandemic disruptions, this year’s event will be the biggest edition held in the last three years. And South Korea, with some 550 companies set to join the event, is expected to be the second-largest exhibitor behind only the US.
The Korea Times (http://www.koreatimes.co.kr)
South Korea-US alliance built to last
The South Korea-U.S. alliance, formed in October of 1953 with the signing of the mutual defense treaty, has successfully lived up to its primary goal of protecting the South from another North Korean invasion. Over the past seven decades, their defense ties have grown into a stronger and wider partnership encompassing several fields other than security, despite North Korea's continued provocations which have increasingly become a growing threat to global security. Despite the strengthening alliance, the bilateral pact has had its ups and downs. The Yoon Suk-yeol government has been leaning toward the U.S., in terms of foreign policy, over Seoul's biggest trading partner, China.
Team Korea confident about winning World Expo 2030 bid
Busan's bid to host the World Expo 2030 is likely to gain greater momentum in 2023, because the central and the city governments, as well as domestic companies, vowed to make all-out efforts until members of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) vote in November to choose the international event's venue among Busan, Saudi Arabia's Riyadh, Italy's Rome and Ukraine's Odessa. Confident about Busan's capability of defeating its competitors, working-level staff representing the government, the city and business community dismissed concerns that it is virtually impossible for Korea's second-largest city to outstrip the oil-rich Middle Eastern country's capital.
N. Korean leader visits late father's mausoleum
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visited the mausoleum of his late grandfather and father in his first reported public activity this year, according to Pyongyang's state media Monday. Kim paid tribute at the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, where the bodies of state founder and his grandfather, Kim Il-sung, and his father, Kim Jong-il, are enshrined, on the occasion of the start of the new year, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said. The visit to the mausoleum came after he unveiled this year's policy direction and called for an "exponential" increase in the country's nuclear arsenal during a rare six-day meeting of the ruling Workers' Party held until Saturday.
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