Thursday, February 9, 2023
Round-up of important news from major Korean dailies and from international media today
The Korea Post ( www.koreapost.com )
The Korean daily media headlines and humor
Monday, January 16, 2023
On 7 February 2023, Turkmenistan and the Republic of Korea celebrate the 31st Anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between two countries. To mark this day, that paved the way for friendly relations and mutually beneficial cooperation between two states, the meeting of the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Turkmenistan to the Republic of Korea H.E. Mr. Begench Durdyyev with chairman-publisher of "The Korea Post" international magazine Mr. Lee Kyung-sik was conducted.
Arkadag smart city to be built in Ahal region, Turkmenistan
On 21st of December, 2022, the Mejlis of Turkmenistan in accordance with the Law of Turkmenistan “On the procedure for solution of issues of administration and territorial structure of Turkmenistan”, adopted the resolution to name the new center “Arkadag city of Ahal region “, taking into consideration requests of residents of the region and other regions of the country as well as proposals of pubic organizations. The city of Arkadag is the name of the new administrative center of the Ahal region of Turkmenistan. The construction of the city began with selecting a construction site.
Cooperation between Turkmenistan, Korea develops based on mutual respect and trust
Adhering to its foreign policy based on the principles of positive Neutrality, peacefulness, good neighborliness, the “Open doors” policy and broad cooperation, Turkmenistan is constantly working on strengthening and increasing the effectiveness of its political, economic, cultural and humanitarian cooperation with neighboring and distant countries, with the United Nations and its entities, as well as other major international organizations.
Chosun Ilbo (http://english.chosun.com)
National Assembly Passes Motion to Impeach Interior Minister
Korea's National Assembly today passed a motion to impeach Interior Minister Lee Sang-min for an alleged lack of appropriate response to the tragic crowd crush in Itaewon late last year. This is the first time that a Cabinet minister has been impeached by the National Assembly. Lee is now suspended from duties until the Constitutional Court makes a final decision on whether to endorse the impeachment. The motion was co-introduced by the main opposition Democratic Party, the Justice Party, and the Basic Income Party on Monday, 101 days after the incident.
Korea Sends Rescuers to Quake-Hit Turkey
Korea has dispatched dozens of rescue workers and emergency supplies to Turkey after thousands died in a devastating earthquake there on Monday. President Yoon Suk-yeol asked his Cabinet on Tuesday to help a "brotherly country that defended Korea's freedom by sending a large number of troops promptly in 1950, when we were invaded by communists." He also sent his condolences to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and promised to spare no efforts to help with the recovery, according to the presidential office. Some 118 emergency rescue workers including soldiers and firefighters headed to Turkey the same day alongside US$5 million worth of medical supplies and other humanitarian aid.
Gov't Ordered to Compensate Vietnamese War Crime Victim
The Seoul Central District Court in a landmark ruling on Tuesday ordered the government to compensate a Vietnamese victim of a war crime committed by the Korean military during the Vietnam War. Lawyers for a Democratic Society filed the lawsuit in April 2020 on behalf of Nguyen Thi Thanh (64), who was a casualty of the 1968 massacre in the village of Phong Nhi in Vietnam's Quang Nam Province. The court ordered the government to pay Nguyen W30 million plus interest accrued since the crime (US$1=W1,255). Her family was killed after being ordered out of their house, and Nguyen, who was a child at the time, was shot in the stomach and nearly died.
Joongang Ilbo (https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com )
Korean interior minister impeached in historic vote
Interior Minister Lee Sang-min became the first sitting minister to be impeached by the National Assembly in the country's modern political history on Wednesday. The impeachment motion, which holds Lee responsible for the government’s handling of a deadly crowd crush in Itaewon in October, was passed by the liberal Democratic Party (DP) with support from the minor liberal Justice Party and Basic Income Party. Out of 293 lawmakers present, 179 voted in favor of impeachment, while 109 voted against.
North's Kim celebrates army's birthday with daughter
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.
President sacks PPP lawmaker Na Kyung-won from two jobs
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un attended a banquet following a visit to a North Korean army barracks with his daughter Kim Ju-ae on Tuesday, in commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Korean People’s Army (KPA), state media reported Wednesday. “Our army was able to win the fulfilling call of the times and history as the strongest army in the world,” the North Korean leader said in a speech at the banquet. Photos of the banquet show that it was held inside what appears to be the renovated lobby of the Yanggakdo International Hotel in Pyongyang.
The Dong-A Ilbo (http://english.donga.com/)
Democratic Party submits impeachment motion
In just 20 minutes after the motion for impeachment against Interior Minister Lee Sang-min was passed at the plenary session of the National Assembly on Wednesday, the Presidential Office issued a statement that it is a complete abandonment of parliamentarism and that it will be written as a disgrace in the history of national assembly affairs. The Presidential Office has been reviewing possible scenarios of response to the passage of an impeachment motion against the interior minister.
Earthquake-affected areas in Syria left unreached
The Syrian regime gets in the way of a myriad of overseas rescuers and emergency aid supplies reaching victims in the country, with borders tightly closed, where more than 25 million lives have been lost since Monday’s devastating earthquakes. Data show that 90 percent of northwestern Syria's citizens will be at severe risk. Aleppo, Hama, and Latakia regions, located in northwestern Syria, have almost zero access to international aid and rescue teams, although they have borne the brunt of the recent catastrophe, reported The New York Times on Tuesday (local time).
Latin America seeks to co-host 2030 World Cup
Four South American countries, including Uruguay, which hosted the first World Cup in 1930, have joined hands to co-host the 2030 World Cup. Sports ministers and football association heads from Uruguay, Argentina, Chile, and Paraguay held a press conference in Essay, Argentina on Tuesday to officially declare their application for co-hosting the 2030 World Cup. “FIFA must hold the 2030 tournament here to celebrate the birthplace of (World Cup) football," said Alejandro Dominguez, president of the South American Football Federation.
Maeil Business News Korea (http://www.pulsenews.co.kr/)
Kakao to buy 9.05% stake in SM Entertainment to become 2nd largest shareholder
South Korea’s platform giant Kakao Corp. has decided to buy a 9.05 percent stake in SM Entertainment Co. to become the second-largest shareholder, a move that will help strengthen its grip on the entertainment giant founded by Lee Soo-man. Kakao said in a regulatory filing on Tuesday that it will acquire 1.23 million new shares in SM Entertainment in the form of a rights offering to a third party and additionally secure 1.14 million common shares through convertible bonds.
S.Korea to implement FX reforms to make it more accessible to investors
The South Korean financial authority will implement regulatory reforms in the local foreign exchange market as early as July to attract more investments from offshore by allowing longer operating hours and overseas financial institutions to trade locally. South Korea’s FX market has been closed and restrictive for decades in the aftermath of the previous financial crisis,” said Kim Seong-wook, a senior official from the Ministry of Economy and Finance, on Tuesday.
Korea’s current account returns to surplus in December
South Korea’s current account balance swung to a surplus in December last year on improved dividend payments, although the goods account stayed in the red for a third month in a row due to a plunge in chip exports. According to data from the Bank of Korea (BOK) on Wednesday, the country’s current account surplus stood at $2.68 billion in December compared with a $220 million deficit in the previous month. The gain, however, was smaller, than a year ago at $6.37 billion.
HanKyoReh Shinmun (http://english.hani.co.kr)
Ruling on Korean atrocity in Vietnam comes 23 years after Hankyoreh 21’s exposé
The civilian massacres perpetrated by South Korean troops during the Vietnam War were first brought to light through reporting in the Hankyoreh 21 magazine in 1999. The shocking report provoked enormous pushback. On June 27, 2000, more than 2,000 members of an association of Korean veterans harmed by Agent Orange in the Vietnam War occupied the street in front of the Hankyoreh office and tried setting the building on fire. Some of the veterans stormed into the office, trashing furniture and assaulting employees.
“Those souls can rest now”: Vietnam massacre survivor reacts to Korean court win
On Tuesday, a South Korean court ruled that the state had a responsibility to compensate a woman who was injured and lost her family in a massacre of Vietnamese civilians by Korean troops in 1968. Did this verdict help to clear away some of the bitterness that had built up in her heart over the past 55 years? “I was so happy and thrilled to hear about the victory,” 63-year-old Nguyen Thi Thanh said with a broad smile after a court ruling finding the South Korean government responsible for a massacre of civilians during the Vietnam War.
Ruling party’s leadership race plagued by ideological attacks, president’s meddling
South Korea’s ruling People Power Party had hoped its convention on March 8 would be a chance to bury the hatchet and move on. But instead, it’s turning into an excuse to fling mud and relitigate past squabbles. On top of a debate over President Yoon Suk-yeol’s meddling in party business and a combined offensive by pro-Yoon party hardliners, rumors are swirling about the prospect of Yoon leaving the party amid an outdated smear campaign over ideological allegiance.
The KyungHyangShinmun (http://english.khan.co.kr/)
Kim Jong-un Visits Military Living Quarters with His Daughter on the 75th Anniversary of the Founding of the Korean People’s Army
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, accompanied by his daughter, Kim Ju-ae, visited the lodging quarters of military commanders and attended a banquet commemorating the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Korean People’s Army (KPA) on the eve of the anniversary. On February 8, the Korean Central News Agency reported, “Chairman Kim Jong-un made a visit to the living quarters of the KPA commanders on February 7 to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Korean People’s Army, which would be engraved in gold letters in the history of a powerful and self-reliant (juche) Korea.”
Lee Jun-seok, “President Yoon Seems to Think He’s Suffering Because of Lee Jun-seok and the Party When He Himself Is Brilliant”
ee Jun-seok, former leader of the People Power Party (PPP), spoke on President Yoon Suk-yeol’s controversial intervention in party affairs and said, “The president’s world view continues to flow along with the thought, ‘I’m such a brilliant man, but it’s obvious we’ll lose in the election because of Lee Jun-seok, and I’m struggling from low approval ratings because the party is not supporting me.’” On February 7, Lee Jun-seok appeared on JTBC and when asked his thoughts on why “Yoon’s intentions” were intervening in the party convention, he said, “When we look at the president, ever since he was a presidential candidate, his actions expressed the idea, ‘I think I’m going to die if he stands there, so I have to kill him.’”
Kim Gi-hyeon, “Based on Ahn Cheol-soo’s Past Comments, It’s Doubtful Whether He Agrees with the Philosophy of the People Power Party”
On February 7, Kim Gi-hyeon, a candidate for People Power Party (PPP) leader, raised an issue with a comment that his opponent, Ahn Cheol-soo, made in the past, criticizing it as not befitting the identity of the People Power Party. He pulled out a past remark by Ahn and attacked his philosophy after the Office of the President labeled Ahn as a candidate not supported by President Yoon Suk-yeol. Ahn argued that trying to find fault with past words and actions was the same as giving up on being the ruling party. On Tuesday, Kim Gi-hyeon wrote on social media, “The past remarks by Ahn have returned to the spotlight with recent press coverage and are stirring party members.”
KBS(http://world.kbs.co.kr/service)
Death Toll from Türkiye-Syria Earthquake Nears 12,000
The death toll from a powerful earthquake in southeastern Türkiye and Syria has reportedly soared to nearly 12-thousand. While on a visit to hard-hit Kahramanmaras on Wednesday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the death toll has passed nine-thousand with some 53-thousand people injured. According to Syrian state media and a rescue service, the death toll in the country from the devastating tremor has surpassed 26-hundred. Foreign media said that the combined death toll in the two nations has climbed above eleven-thousand-600, with AFP noting that the latest earthquake is the eighth-deadliest of the 21st century, behind the 2011 quake in Japan that killed nearly 20-thousand.
N. Korea Stages Nighttime Military Parade to Mark Army Anniversary
North Korea reportedly staged a nighttime military parade on Wednesday to mark the 75th anniversary of the foundation of the Korean People's Army. According to military authorities on Wednesday, the North held a pre-parade event at around 8:30 p.m. before the main event. It marks the 13th military parade since leader Kim Jong-un took power and the first since the parade held on April 25 of last year commemorating the 90th founding anniversary of the Korean People's Revolutionary Army. It was not immediately known whether Kim attended the parade or if any new weapons were unveiled in the event.
2.1 Magnitude Quake Hits Near N. Korea's Nuclear Test Site
A two-point-one magnitude earthquake struck near North Korea's nuclear test site on Thursday. According to South Korea's Korea Meteorological Administration(KMA), the minor quake occurred at around 1:10 a.m. about 38 kilometers north of Kilju, North Hamgyong Province, where the North's Punggye-ri nuclear testing site is located. The depth of the epicenter was estimated at ten kilometers. The KMA said that the tremor appears to have occurred naturally.
Yonhap (http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr)
Nat'l Assembly votes to impeach interior minister over Itaewon tragedy
The opposition-controlled National Assembly voted Wednesday to impeach Interior Minister Lee Sang-min over last year's Itaewon crowd crush, marking the first-ever impeachment of a Cabinet member. The impeachment motion passed 179-109, with five votes ruled invalid, forcing the suspension of Lee from duties until the Constitutional Court decides whether to endorse or reject the motion. Depending on the court's decision, Lee will either be reinstated or removed from office. The court has 180 days to rule on the case.
S. Korea vows to meet 'global standard' for inclusion in WGBI
South Korea will continue to revamp its market policies to attract more foreign investors to join the World Government Bond Index (WGBI) this year, the finance ministry said Thursday. The remark came after Second Vice Finance Minister Choi Sang-dae held a meeting with David Sol, the global head of London-based FTSE Russell, which operates the index Wednesday (Britain time). The WGBI is a broad index designed to measure the performance of government bond markets, including local currencies and sovereign bonds of major advanced nations. Asia's No. 4 economy made it to the "watchlist" in September 2022.
S. Korea, U.S., Japan to hold vice ministerial meeting in Washington next week
South Korea, the United States and Japan will hold a vice ministerial meeting in Washington next week to discuss the security situation on the Korean Peninsula and ways to boost trilateral cooperation, Seoul's foreign ministry said Wednesday. South Korean First Vice Foreign Minister Cho Hyun-dong will meet Wendy Sherman, deputy U.S. state secretary, and his Japanese counterpart, Takeo Mori, for a tripartite session on Feb. 13, according to the ministry.
The Korea Herald (http://www.koreaherald.com)
Parliament passes bill to impeach safety minister
South Korea's parliament passed a bill Wednesday to impeach Minister of Interior and Safety, Lee Sang-min, charging him for the "botched response" to the Itaewon crowd crush disaster. Lee is the first Cabinet member in South Korean history to lose his authority through an impeachment bill. At the National Assembly controlled by the liberal opposition Democratic Party of Korea, the bill passed with 179 votes in favor, 109 votes against and five votes abstained.
Air raid drills return in 6 years amid growing N.Korean threats
South Korea will hold nationwide civil air raid drills in May after a six-year break, improve public alert and warning systems and expand shelters in preparation for potential aircraft and missile attacks from North Korea. The measures were discussed Wednesday in a closed-door meeting of the Central United Defense Council convened by President Yoon Suk Yeol. It was the first time that a South Korean president presided over the meeting since 2016, in light of the significance of pangovernmental efforts to maintain a strong security posture amid growing threats from North Korea.
Kyobo Life Insurance pushes to set up holding unit
Kyobo Life Insurance, one of Korea's leading life insurers, said Wednesday that it will convert itself into a financial holding company before the end of next year in a bid to expand its business portfolio into other financial sectors. The company seeks to seize new business opportunities as the country’s low birth rates and aging population hamper the growth of the life insurance business. “The idea of establishing a holding company began with the recognition that a new corporate governance structure was needed to establish and implement long-term group growth strategies by departing from the current Kyobo Life Insurance-centered structure, in a complex and uncertain environment in which risks and opportunities coexist,” the firm said in a statement.
The Korea Times (http://www.koreatimes.co.kr)
N. Korea holds military parade in Pyongyang to mark armed forces' founding anniv.: source
North Korea held a military parade in Pyongyang Wednesday to mark the 75th founding anniversary of its armed forces, an informed source said, in what was seen as a highly choreographed event to flaunt its military might and foster national unity. It took place at Kim Il Sung Square following a pre-parade event that started at 8:30 p.m., the source said, as the country celebrated the anniversary of the Korean People's Army. It was not immediately known whether North Korean leader Kim Jong-un attended the parade. The secretive regime has often used such an event to showcase its major new weapons.
National Assembly votes to impeach interior minister for Itaewon tragedy
The National Assembly on Wednesday approved a motion to impeach Minister of Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min, to hold him accountable for the deadly crowd crush that killed 159 people who gathered in Itaewon to celebrate Halloween on October 29 last year. With the passage of the motion, Lee has been suspended from his duties at the ministry. This is the first time that the National Assembly passed a motion to impeach a Cabinet member. On Wednesday, 293 out of 300 assembly members were present and 179 voted in favor of ousting Lee, with 109 objections and 5 abstentions.
Retail giants eager to expand wine businesses
Major retailers are eager to grow their wine businesses by purchasing overseas wineries, gaining price competitiveness and expanding overseas distribution networks, according to industry officials, Wednesday. According to Euromonitor, the size of the domestic wine market is estimated to have grown by 50 percent compared to 2020 to 1.5 trillion won ($1.19 billion) in 2021, and to 2 trillion won last year. Following Shinsegae Group's acquisition of a U.S. winery, Lotte is seeking to expand its winery business.
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Financial Times www.ft.com ean@ft.com
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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
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El Universal http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/english
Andes http://www.andes.info.ec/en
Ecuador Times http://www.ecuadortimes.net
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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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