Tuesday, January 17, 2023
Round-up of important news from major Korean dailies and from international media today
The Korea Post ( www.koreapost.com )
“Leaders of the two countries have strong interest to a higher level”
Ambassador Nguyen Vu Tung of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam in Seoul said, “The Presidents of the two friendly countries discussed and agreed to elevate the bilateral relationship to a ‘comprehensive strategic partnership,’ which is a new framework that will serve the goal to bring the cooperative relations between the two countries to a higher level.” It appears that the two countries are now in good hands, especially at this time when Korea is led by President Yoon Suk-yeol who is very international cooperation-friendly.
Ensuring state sovereignty, inviolability of borders and territorial integrity of Uzbekistan is our sacred duty to history and future generations
The National Defense Control Center hosted an expanded meeting of the Security Council. The President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Shavkat Mirziyoyev chaired the meeting. It was attended by members of the Security Council, the command staff of the Armed Forces, heads of the military administrative sectors, representatives of state and public organizations. The work carried out in 2022 to strengthen the defense and security of Uzbekistan was analyzed at the meeting.
President Yoon Suk-yeol's remarks on nuclear weapons
On Jan. 11, President Yoon Suk-yeol made a statement that South Korea can make nuclear weapons on its own. This remark is a hot topic at home and abroad. President Yoon's remarks do not mean that South Korea will make nuclear weapons unconditionally, but with the following conditions. If there is no solution to North Korea's nuclear threat, he said he would either introduce strategic U.S. nuclear weapons or manufacture nuclear weapons on its own.
Chosun Ilbo (http://english.chosun.com)
More Provincial Universities Have Trouble Finding Students
Two dozen Korean university departments had no applications from new students this year as the young population shrinks and their reputations wobble. All are in the provinces. Private crammer Jongro Academy came across the bleak figures when it compiled the number of applicants to some 208 universities nationwide for the upcoming academic year. It found that 26 academic departments at 14 universities had no applicants at all -- 16 in the humanities and 10 in natural sciences.
Korean Embassy Identifies 2 Bodies Believed to Koreans in Deadly Nepal Plane Crash
The Foreign Ministry says it has identified the bodies of two Korean passengers who died in Sunday's plane crash in Nepal, which is not believed to have left any survivors. The ministry says an official from Korea's Embassy in Nepal made the identification on Monday after visiting the hospital where the bodies were sent upon recovery. The identification was done through the belongings that were found with them. The victims are known to be a man in his 40s and his teenage son.
Yoon Says Nuclear Power Is in His Plans to Reach Carbon Neutrality by 2050
President Yoon Suk-yeol shared Korea's approach to reaching carbon neutrality by 2050, especially through nuclear energy, and also shared his vision in working with the UAE in tackling climate change in an address on Monday at Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week. Korea's efforts to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 will depend in part on a return to nuclear power despite the previous administration attempt to move away from it. His remarks made in front of UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan underline Seoul's commitment to nuclear power as it works to finish the first atomic power plant on the Arabian Peninsula.
Joongang Ilbo (https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com )
Yoon Suk Yeol visits Korean-made reactors at Barakah
Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol visited the Barakah nuclear power plant on Monday during a state visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Yoon was accompanied by UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to attend a ceremony to mark the completion of the construction of the third reactor at Barakah in the Al Dhafra region of Abu Dhabi and check on the progress on Unit 4.
DP's Lee Jae-myung summoned for questioning again
Prosecutors summoned Democratic Party (DP) Chairman Lee Jae-myung on Jan. 27 to answer questions about development projects that were approved when he was mayor of Seongnam, including Daejang-dong and Wirye. The Seoul Central District Prosecutor’s Office told Lee to appear for questioning on alleged breach of trust and violations of the Corruption Prevention Act, according to legal sources.
Yoon Suk Yeol takes economic diplomacy to Davos Forum
President Yoon Suk Yeol will make his debut at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in the Swiss resort town of Davos this week, joining over 50 other foreign leaders and some 600 CEOs to discuss challenges facing the world. Since Saturday, Yoon has been on a two-country, eight-day trip: first, a state visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and the to Switzerland to attend the so-called Davos Forum. The trip is heavy on economic diplomacy to help Korean businesses expand overseas.
The Dong-A Ilbo (http://english.donga.com/)
Pres. Yoon visits Akh military unit in the UAE
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol visited Akh Unit, the Republic of Korea Special Warfare Unit in the United Arab Emirates, along with First Lady Kim Keon-hee on Sunday (local time) and said that UAE’s enemy is Iran and our enemy is North Korea, emphasizing the similarity between the two countries for having another country that threatens their security. Akh Unit, which consists of the Army Special Warfare Command’s special welfare and high-altitude counterterrorism teams and UDT/SEAL agents, is a military unit deployed to the UAE since 2011 upon its request. Akh means ‘brothers’ in Arabic.
‘Forced labor issue will be resolved before summer,’ says S. Korea
On Saturday (local time), Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said, “We have reached an agreement with Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and have been engaging in communications with South Korea’s diplomatic authorities to swiftly resolve the ongoing issue of compensating victims of forced labor during Japan's colonization of Korea. We’re committed to restoring healthy relations between the two countries.” In his earlier speech at Johns Hopkins University in the U.S. on Friday, he emphasized, “We will swiftly resolve pending issues between Japan and South Korea. We will strengthen security cooperation with South Korea and the U.S. in response to the North Korean threat.”
KIA’s Carens named ‘India’s 2023 Car of the Year’
KIA announced Sunday that its strategic Carens MPV model for India has been named ‘India’s 2023 Car of the Year.’ The award, whose winners are picked by reporters specializing in automobiles, is the most prestigious prize in the automotive sector and plays an important role in consumers’ automobile purchases in India, the automaker said. The Carens beat the Scorpio and the Grand Vitara from the Indian automakers Mahindra and Maruti Suzuki to receive the honor.
Maeil Business News Korea (http://www.pulsenews.co.kr/)
Kospi rebounds to above 2,400 as investors turn upbeat on Korea stocks
Kospi rebounded to breach the psychologically-important 2,400-mark on Monday for the first time this year and also in a month after the U.S. reported improved consumer spending last week. Kospi rose 0.8 percent to 2,404.91, as of 1:30 p.m. in Seoul, with foreign investors net purchasing 203.8 billion won ($165 million) worth and institutions 225.9 billion won. Kosdaq, the tech-savvy secondary bourse, also is on the rise, adding 0.7 percent to 717.09 in the early afternoon on Monday.
UAE pledges $30 billion investment in S. Korea
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) pledged to invest $30 billion in South Korea in the fields of mainly nuclear power, energy and defense, following a bilateral summit between President Yoon Suk-yeol and his counterpart Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Sunday. “We have decided on the $30 billion investment based on the trust Korea keeps its promises under any circumstance,” the UAE president was quoted as saying by Korea’s presidential office.
Financial authorities seek to ease eligibility for housing pension
Korean financial authorities will push for a plan to widen the eligibility for housing pension, where the monthly annuity is secured by the beneficiary’s property, by raising the declared house price to less than 1.2 billion won ($1 million) from the current less than 900 million won. The plan is designed to provide more seniors with a stable income.
HanKyoReh Shinmun (http://english.hani.co.kr)
Ire mounts over Seoul’s “humiliating” solution to Japan’s wartime forced labor
South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol and his administration are the focus of growing concerns over their perceived support for the Japanese government’s new defense strategy and their plans to resolve the compensation of forced labor mobilization victims with contributions from South Korean companies. Some observers are suggesting they risk facing a heavier backlash if they rush to improve relations with Tokyo without considering public opinion at home.
Kishida vows quick resolution to historical issues between Korea, Japan
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has said that he would “resolve” the pressing issue of compensation for victims of forced labor “as quickly as possible.” It can be inferred that this means he will start talks surrounding the issue based on the proposal brought forward in the public debate held in South Korea on Thursday, which states that Korean companies will compensate victims instead of offending Japanese companies, and bring the issue to a speedy conclusion.
US endorsement of Japan’s militarization could fuel NE Asia arms race
The US has officially approved Japan’s plan to acquire counterstrike capabilities and double its defense spending over the next five years.With this, Japan is effectively abandoning its principle of exclusively using defensive capabilities when under attack, which it has adhered to for over seven decades. It is also gaining strong reinforcements for its march to become a military power. The overt boosting of the US-Japan alliance’s military cooperation in the face of the challenges posed by China threatens to accelerate the arms race in Northeast Asia.
The KyungHyangShinmun (http://english.khan.co.kr/)
Foreign Ministry Sues MBC for Coverage of President Yoon’s “Foul Language”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs filed a claim for corrections against MBC, which first reported President Yoon Suk-yeol’s comment including foul language. The Seoul Western District Court announced on January 15 that the foreign ministry filed a suit against MBC on December 19. The plaintiff was Minister of Foreign Affairs Park Jin and the defendant was MBC President Park Sung-jae. President Yoon, who made the controversial comment, did not participate in the lawsuit. The complaint was delivered to MBC on January 2.
Police Arrest Head of Real Estate Consulting Firm, the Figure Behind the Dead “Villa King”
The police caught the head of a consulting firm and accomplices in fraud, who were the masterminds behind Jeong, the “villa king” who died in Jeju in 2021. This group cheated tenants out of their rent deposits by making gap investments with no capital in the greater Seoul area. The Financial Crime Investigation Division of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency announced on January 13 that they arrested 78 people including Shin, the head of a real estate consulting firm, and Gim, a rental property businessman, who schemed frauds in the Seoul metropolitan area from July 2017 to September 2020.
Office of the President to Allow MBC Reporters on Board Presidential Jet
The Office of the President decided to permit MBC reporters on board the presidential jet when President Yoon Suk-yeol travels to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Switzerland on January 14. According to an official from the presidential office on Friday, the Office of the President informed MBC reporters that they could board Code One on Thursday night. The president normally flies on the presidential jet, the Air Force Code One, for his overseas trips and reporters covering the presidential office accompany him. All costs during the trip including the cost to board the presidential jet are covered by the newspaper and broadcasting companies.
KBS(http://world.kbs.co.kr/service)
S. Korea-UAE Summit Statement Contains Pledge to Invest $30 Bln
President Yoon Suk Yeol and United Arab Emirates(UAE) President Sheik Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan adopted a joint summit statement containing the UAE's commitment to investing 30 billion dollars in South Korea. In the statement adopted after the summit in Abu Dhabi on Sunday, the leaders agreed to further deepen and develop the special strategic partnership of the two nations. The two sides agreed to bolster strategic cooperation in four key areas – conventional and clean energy, peaceful nuclear energy, economy and investment, defense and related technology.
Yoon to Travel to Switzerland after UAE Visit
President Yoon Suk Yeol will wrap up his first state visit to the United Arab Emirates and travel to Switzerland on Tuesday. According to Yoon's office, the president will attend a future vision forum in Dubai on Tuesday morning and express South Korea's willingness to contribute to mankind through science, technology and international alliances. President Yoon will then travel to Switzerland to attend the World Economic Forum in Davos set for Wednesday and Thursday, where he will meet with CEOs of major global companies on the sidelines of the forum to promote investment in South Korea.
Yoon Proposes S. Korea, UAE Work Together to Achieve Carbon Neutrality
President Yoon Suk Yeol has proposed that South Korea and the United Arab Emirates(UAE) expand their bilateral cooperation in achieving carbon neutrality. The president, on a state visit to the UAE, made the call on Monday during a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, a global platform accelerating the world's sustainable development.
Yonhap (http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr)
Yoon visits S. Korean-built nuclear power plant in UAE
President Yoon Suk Yeol visited the Barakah nuclear power plant in Abu Dhabi on Monday, South Korea's first overseas nuclear power plant project and a symbol of the two countries' cooperation. Yoon traveled to the Al Dhafra region of Abu Dhabi to visit the power plant together with UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on the third day of his four-day state visit to the country.
Opposition leader accuses gov't of 'subservient' diplomacy toward Japan
Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung accused the government of President Yoon Suk Yeol of "submissive and subservient" diplomacy toward Japan after it proposed compensating victims of Japan's wartime forced labor with money from South Korean firms without the participation of Japanese companies. The government unveiled the proposal last week in an effort to patch up long-strained relations with Japan, but the idea drew strong criticism from forced labor victims, the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) and other critics.
Timing of S. Korea-Japan summit too early to say: presidential office
The office of President Yoon Suk Yeol said Monday it is too early to say when Yoon will hold another summit with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida following a news report that it was being scheduled for as early as next month. The Donga Ilbo newspaper carried the report earlier Monday, saying Kishida told a news conference in Washington that he and Yoon agreed to swiftly settle the issue of compensation for Korean victims of Japanese wartime forced labor.
The Korea Herald (http://www.koreaherald.com)
Yoon lauds Barakah nuclear plant as symbol of special partnership between S. Korea, UAE
President Yoon Suk Yeol visited the Barakah nuclear power plant in the United Arab Emirates, accompanied by Emirati leader Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Monday, reconfirming close energy ties with the UAE on the third day of his state visit. The Barakah nuclear power plant was the first nuclear power plant in the country and the first overseas nuclear power plant designed and built by Korea. The nuclear power plant is being jointly constructed by Hyundai Engineering and Construction and Samsung C&T.
Democratic Party accuses Yoon of ‘kowtowing to Japan’
The Democratic Party of Korea held a series of emergency meetings Monday, accusing the Yoon Suk Yeol administration of “being subservient” to Japan with its apparent plan for compensating victims of colonial forced labor. “The Yoon administration is willing to give up everything if it means mending ties with Japan,” Democratic Party head Rep. Lee Jae-myung said at the meeting convened by the party’s committee on peace and foreign affairs.
SK, UAE sovereign wealth fund to create carbon credit market
SK Group, South Korea’s semiconductor-to-telecommunications conglomerate, said Monday it had signed a partnership deal with the United Arab Emirates’ sovereign wealth fund to tackle climate change together by establishing a carbon credit market in Asia. SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, who doubles as chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, signed a memorandum of understanding with Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak, CEO and managing director of the Mubadala Investment Company, at the United Arab Emirates presidential palace in Abu Dhabi, Sunday.
The Korea Times (http://www.koreatimes.co.kr)
Korea, UAE firms sign $6.1 bil. worth of deals in energy, defense and mobility businesses
Korea and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) signed a total of 24 agreements worth $6.1 billion in traditional industries, such as energy and defense, as well as emerging businesses, including hydrogen, mobility, bio and digital transformation, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, Monday. The ministry said about 320 officials from business lobby groups, Samsung Electronics, Hyundai Motor Group and other Korean companies, who accompanied President Yoon Suk Yeol's state visit to the Middle Eastern country, held the Korea-UAE Business Forum at the Rixos Marina Abu Dhabi hotel.
Yoon reveals hopes of another nuclear project with UAE
President Yoon Suk Yeol and United Arab Emirates (UAE) President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan visited the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in Abu Dhabi, Monday, which has become the symbol of the two countries' partnership. "The Barakah Nuclear Power Plant has a symbolic meaning representing the special strategic partnership between Korea and the UAE," Yoon said. "As Team Korea showcased the country's capabilities in the nuclear power industry, now is the time for both Korea and the UAE to join hands to create additional nuclear power partnerships in the UAE and other countries, with the success of the Barakah plant."
Korea cannot build own global supply chains like US, China, EU: trade minister
Korea should diversify its export destinations for more sustainable economic growth, Trade Minister Ahn Duk-geun said Monday, adding that the country is heavily dependent on exports at a time when large economic regions such as the United States, China and Europe are using on-shoring strategies to add value their own economies. "The problem is that the biggest topical question so far is the answer to what Korea will do when the world becomes more protectionist, for example, the U.S., the EU and China separate their respective supply chains.
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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
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Sri Lanka: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hByX92Y2aGY&t=22s
Morocco: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfFmp2sVvSE
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