Thursday, April 6, 2023
Round-up of important news from major Korean dailies and from international media today
The Korea Post ( www.koreapost.com )
President Yoon stresses 'innovation, freedom, solidarity to revive democracy'
President Yoon Suk-yeol on March 29 said, "Korea, as a host country of the next Summit for Democracy, will do our part to further consolidate democracy that guarantees freedom and parliamentary democracy, which is represented by rule of law and representative democracy." He said in his opening speech at the first plenary session held online of the second Summit for Democracy at Yeongbingwan, the guesthouse of Cheong Wa Dae, presidential spokesperson Lee Do Woon said in a news release.
Hainan free trade port in prosperous development
In April 2018, China announced the decision to support the southern province of Hainan in developing the whole island into a pilot free trade zone and gradually exploring and steadily promoting the establishment of a free trade port (FTP) with Chinese characteristics. Five years on, the construction of the Hainan FTP has achieved fruitful results and significantly boosted the development of the province. Hainan's GDP expanded 5.3 percent annually on average in the past five years, while the province's trade in goods and services surged 23.4 percent and 17.7 percent each year averagely during the same period.
Culture Days of Turkmenistan were held in the Republic of Korea
The international conference on the occasion of the 300th anniversary of the birth of the classic of Turkmen literature, poet and philosopher Magtymguly Pyragy opened the events held in Seoul as part of the Culture Days of Turkmenistan. The conference, organized at the site of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Korea, brought together representatives of government agencies, embassies accredited in the country, members of the scientific community, representatives of the Friendship Association between the Republic of Korea and the countries of Central Asia, as well as Turkmen students studying in Korean universities.
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Chosun Ilbo (http://english.chosun.com)
Saudi Arabia Deploys Korean Rocket Launchers
Saudi Arabia on Tuesday showed off its new Korean-made Chunmoo multiple rocket launchers. The Saudi Defense Ministry tweeted pictures and a video clip of Saudi military chief Lt. Gen. Fayyad al-Ruwaili being shown two Chunmoo MRLs and an ammunition resupply vehicle during a visit to military units on the border with Yemen on March 31. Military boffin site Janes.com wrote, "The MRLs clearly had Royal Saudi Land Forces (RSLF) markings. The two MRLs were numbered 878 and 885, indicating the RSLF has acquired several more."
AliExpress Most Downloaded Shopping App in Korea
Cheap-and-cheerful Chinese retailer AliExpress was the most downloaded online shopping app in Korea last month, pushing flea market Daangn Market into second place. According to big data analysts Mobile Index on Tuesday, AliExpress was downloaded 682,332 times on Google's Play and Apple's App Store in March, twice as many as a month earlier, while Daangn Market was downloaded 585,541 times. The shopping site's hiring of movie star Ma Dong-seok as its official advertising "face" may have had a part to play. Since entering Korea in 2018, AliExpress has been boosting its market share here especially among younger consumers.
President's Front Lawn to Open on 1st Anniversary of Inauguration
The lawn in front of the presidential office in Yongsan will open to the public next month to mark the first anniversary of President Yoon Suk-yeol's inauguration on May 10. It was part of the U.S. Forces Korea's old garrison that is currently in the process of being turned into a huge park. When Yoon moved the presidential office from Cheong Wa Dae to the former Defense Ministry building last year, he pledged to turn the deserted grounds into a space to "share and communicate with the public." Once completed, the park will measure 3 million sq.m, which is roughly equivalent to New York's Central Park.
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Joongang Ilbo (https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com )
Yoon says diplomacy is linked to public livelihood in town hall
President Yoon Suk Yeol stressed the importance of solidarity between countries with shared values, which he said is directly related to South Korea's national interest and survival, as he presided over a policy review meeting Wednesday. "Diplomacy and security are directly linked to the livelihood of the people in a situation where advanced science and technology cooperation is a package deal," Yoon said in his opening remarks.
Yoon orders use of controversial weirs to fight drought
President Yoon Suk Yeol on Tuesday ordered the government to make use of reservoirs along Korea's four major rivers to supply water and fight the severe drought that southern areas of the country have faced since last year. “We are experiencing an unprecedented severe drought and floods due to the climate crisis,” Yoon said during a Cabinet meeting Tuesday. “The disused weirs on the four major rivers should be used actively.”
South turns hawkish as UN council condemns North
South Korea's recent international engagement regarding North Korea suggests Seoul may be returning to a hawkish stance toward Pyongyang. The UN Human Rights Council in Geneva adopted a resolution Tuesday condemning human rights violations by the North Korean regime. South Korea co-sponsored the resolution, ending a multi-year hiatus that began during the previous liberal administration, which favored improving relations with the North.
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The Dong-A Ilbo (http://english.donga.com/)
The number of emergency medical centers to increase to 60
The South Korean government began the review and improvement of the country’s overall emergency medical system to address the ‘drift’ issue of emergency patients where patients’ lives are put in danger while looking for hospitals to accept them. The number of emergency medical centers for severe cases that ensure patients’ arrival within one hour anywhere in the country will increase from 40 to 60 and a one-stop patient transfer system will be set up.
Hyundai Motor releases video to promote Busan as World Expo host city
Korean companies are joining efforts to promote Korea as the host for the 2030 World Expo as the Bureau International des Expositions’ inspection team arrives in Korea. On Wednesday, Hyundai Motors Group released a video campaign highlighting Busan’s competitiveness from the perspective of foreigners living in Korea. Foreigners from 17 BIE member states were featured in the “Busan is ready!” video. In the video, the foreigners explained Busan’s competitiveness as a host city for the event.
N. Korean hacking group finances Kim Jong Un
A North Korean hacking group known as “Kimsuky” or “Thallium” is financing the North Korean regime by engaging in cybercrimes, including stealing cryptocurrency and laundering money, a new analysis has found. Luke McNamara, a chief analyst at global cyber security company Mandiant, a subsidiary of Google Cloud, held a media briefing in Yongsan, Seoul on Tuesday and briefed the “North Korean Hacking Group APT43 Analysis Report.” APT43 is a North Korean hacking group that Mandiant officially named after APT42 in September of last year.
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Maeil Business News Korea (http://www.pulsenews.co.kr/)
Korean major labor groups demand 25% hike in minimum wage for 2024
South Korea’s two largest labor groups - the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) and the Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU) - on Tuesday demanded a minimum wage of 12,000 won ($9.14) per hour for next year, a nearly 25 percent increase from this year. The minimum wage for 2023 is 9,620 won. It is set to top 10,000 won for the first time if the rise exceeds 3.95 percent.
Washington puts brakes on Korea Hydro’s nuclear power plant export to Czech
Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power’s application to export nuclear power plants to the Czech Republic was rejected by the U.S. government, according to court documents. The subsidiary of state-run Korea Electric Power Corp. is locked in litigation with U.S. Westinghouse over whether South Korea’s nuclear power technologies can be exported independently. The rejection means that the U.S. government intends to force Korea Hydro to cooperate with Westinghouse, which claims ownership of Korean nuclear technology, raising concerns that South Korea’s nuclear power plant exports to the European country could be blocked unless an agreement with U.S. company is reached.
Samsung Display to invest $3.1 billion in advanced OLED panels
Samsung Display Co. will spend 4.1 trillion won ($3.1 billion) to establish a mass production system for advanced organic light-emitting diode panels in South Korea as demand for high-end displays is expected to grow. On Tuesday, Samsung Display held a ceremony to invest in advanced production lines for OLED panels to be used in laptops and tablets by 2026. The display manufacturer plans to establish the world’s first mass production system for Gen 8.6 OLED panels for IT devices, going beyond the production of Gen 6 OLED panels for smartphones.
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HanKyoReh Shinmun (http://english.hani.co.kr)
AUKUS puts South China Sea in reach of submarines, prompts debate over nuclear proliferation
US President Joe Biden held a press conference with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on March 13 at Naval Base Point Loma in San Diego, California. The USS Missouri nuclear-powered submarine was visible in the background. Saying that “we stand at the inflection point in history where the hard work of enhancing deterrence and promoting stability is going to affect the prospect of peace for decades to come,”
Top SK, US and JP envoys on N. Korean nuclear issue to meet in Seoul this week
The senior South Korean, US, and Japanese representatives on the North Korean nuclear issue plan to meet in Seoul this Friday to discuss response measures to the North Korean nuclear program. “During the meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs complex in Seoul on April 7, the three countries’ senior representatives plan to share their assessment of the grave situation on the Korean Peninsula in the wake of North Korea’s recent provocations and to discuss response measures,”
S. Korea, US and Japan hold anti-submarine drills in response to N. Korean threats
South Korea’s Ministry of National Defense said Monday that Korea, the US and Japan will be holding two days of search and rescue exercises, along with naval drills exercises aimed at detecting, tracking and destroying submarines in international waters south of Jeju Island on Monday and Tuesday. “We are holding search and rescue exercises and anti-submarine exercises in response to the growing underwater threat posed by North Korea’s submarine-launched ballistic missiles,” the Defense Ministry said Monday.
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The KyungHyangShinmun (http://english.khan.co.kr/ )
Cho Su-jin, “Instead of the Grain Management Act, Let’s Start a Campaign to Eat an Entire Bowl of Rice”
On April 5, Cho Su-jin, a member of the People Power Party’s (PPP) Supreme Council said, “The problem of rice surplus is a sad reality, and we must discuss Eat a Whole Bowl of Rice,” and added, “There are many women who do not eat rice to lose weight, but compared with other foods, it (rice) actually has fewer calories.” Her words triggered criticism from party members who don’t support President Yoon Suk-yeol. They asked, “Is the Republic of Korea the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea?” The party leader Kim Gi-hyeon also tried to resolve the controversy by asking, “What kind of a solution can that be?”
Is a 69-hour Work Week Okay? Far More Deaths from “Overwork” Recognized as an Occupational Hazard When Workers Work More than 52 Hours a Week
The rate of workers whose death from an excessive workload is recognized as an occupational hazard significantly jumped when they were forced to work an average of 52 or more hours a week. Even a government agency concluded that a work week of 52 or more hours increased the risk of death from too much work. If the government’s new work hour policy allowing up to 69 hours of labor a week (based on a six-day work week) is passed, workers can be forced to face bigger threats.
On the Brink, 60% of Self-employed People Have Multiple Loans
The volume of loans--personal loans and business loans--taken out by self-employed people were estimated at over one quadrillion won. Six out of ten self-employed people with loans had multiple loans, drawing funds from three or more banks and loan products. The annual interest they must pay is estimated to have increased by an average of nearly ten million won in the past year and a half. Self-employed businesses faced tougher challenges after they were hit hardest by distancing measures against COVID-19 and struck by higher costs due to the recent high prices and interest.
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KBS(http://world.kbs.co.kr/service)
IAEA Issues New Report on Safety of Japan's Fukushima Water Plan
The International Atomic Energy Agency(IAEA) Task Force has released a new report in its safety review of Japan’s plan to discharge contaminated water from its crippled Fukushima nuclear plant into the sea. In its fourth report published on Wednesday, the task force assessed that the Tokyo Electric Power Company, the operator of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, has a reliable and sustainable radiation protection program. Regarding the radiological environmental impact assessment, the Task Force said it made a number of suggestions where further justification or explanation of the assumptions and methodology should be provided.
Yoon Declares Special Disaster Zones for 10 Wildfire-Hit Areas
President Yoon Suk Yeol on Wednesday designated ten areas hit by wildfires as special disaster zones. The ten regions are the South Chungcheong counties of Hongseong, Geumsan, Buyeo and cities of Dangjin, Boryeong and Daejeon's Seo District, the North Chungcheong county of Okcheon, the South Jeolla city of Suncheon and county of Hampyeong as well as the North Gyeongsang city of Yeongju. President Yoon instructed acting interior minister Han Chang-seob to support residents in the affected areas to quickly return to their daily lives, and to put every effort into restoration projects and safety measures to prevent landslides in the areas during the summer monsoon season.
Pentagon: Efforts Continuing with Allies to Secure Ammo for Ukraine
The U.S. Department of Defense said that the United States continues to work with its allies and partners to help Ukraine secure ammunition for use in its war with Russia. Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh made the remarks on Wednesday during a press briefing when asked about the U.S.' stocks of ammunition for the war. With a focus on military readiness and munitions reserves, the spokesperson said that the U.S. is directing efforts toward acquisition through the continuation of contracting to not only supply Ukraine but replenish its own stocks.
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Yonhap (http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr )
S. Korea to invest 160 tln won in key tech sectors by 2027
South Korea will funnel a total of 160 trillion won (US$122 billion) into research and development to foster research capabilities in the three key technology sectors of semiconductors, displays and next-generation batteries by 2027, the science ministry said Thursday. Under the road map submitted to a government meeting, the funding jointly created by the government and private sector will be used to help local companies and research centers secure cutting-edge technologies and create new markets in the three tech sectors, according to the Ministry of Science and ICT.
N. Korea slams UNHRC's adoption of resolution on its human rights as 'document of fraud'
North Korea on Thursday condemned the latest adoption of a resolution by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) that denounced the North's human rights violations as "the most heavily politicized document of fraud." Han Tae-song, the North's permanent representative to the U.N. office in Geneva, said his country "categorically" rejected the U.N. resolution as an "intolerable act of political provocation and hostility," according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
Yoon 'pleased' to deliver 'historic address' at joint session of U.S. Congress
President Yoon Suk Yeol said Wednesday he is "pleased" to be invited to address a joint session of the U.S. Congress during his state visit to Washington later this month as the two countries mark the 70th anniversary of their alliance. Yoon is scheduled to hold a summit with U.S. President Joe Biden in Washington, D.C., on April 26. The address will be delivered the next day, according to reports.
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The Korea Herald (http://www.koreaherald.com )
N. Korea slams UNHRC's adoption of resolution on its human rights as 'document of fraud'
North Korea on Thursday condemned the latest adoption of a resolution by the United Nations Human Rights Council that denounced the North's human rights violations as "the most heavily politicized document of fraud." Han Tae-song, the North's permanent representative to the UN office in Geneva, said his country "categorically" rejected the UN resolution as an "intolerable act of political provocation and hostility," according to the Korean Central News Agency.
US working with allies, partners to supply ammunition to Ukraine, also backfill US stockpile: Pentagon
The United States continues to work with its allies and partners to help Ukraine secure ammunition for use in its war with Russia but also to replenish its own stockpiles, a Pentagon spokesperson said Wednesday. The spokesperson, Sabrina Singh, however, declined to comment when asked if ammunition secured from South Korea would be supplied to Ukraine. "We are, of course, focused on our military readiness and our stocks and that's why we have a whole division here focused on our acquisitions and continuing to contract to not only supply Ukraine but to also backfill our own stocks," the deputy spokesperson for the Department of Defense told a daily press briefing.
Yoon reiterates stronger security cooperation with US, Japan
President Yoon Suk Yeol has reiterated the importance of cooperation and solidarity with countries that share universal values at a meeting on national affairs Wednesday, underscoring the need for security collaboration with the United States and Japan to counter the North Korean threat. Yoon presided over the second national task inspection meeting to discuss major diplomatic and security issues, including Korea-Japan relations and North Korean nuclear threats, with 100 experts and citizens, according to the presidential office.
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The Korea Times (http://www.koreatimes.co.kr )
US House leader and Taiwan president meet
Risking China's anger, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy hosted Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen on Wednesday as a "great friend of America" in a fraught show of U.S. support at a rare high-level, bipartisan meeting on U.S. soil. Speaking carefully to avoid unnecessarily escalating tensions with Beijing, Tsai and McCarthy steered clear of calls from hard-liners in the U.S. for a more confrontational stance toward China in defense of self-ruled Taiwan. Instead, the two leaders stood side by side in a show of unity at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California, acknowledging China's threats against the island government but speaking only of maintaining longstanding U.S. policy.
NK says US-South Korea drills push tension to 'brink of nuclear war'
North Korea on Thursday accused the U.S. and South Korea of escalating tensions to the brink of nuclear war through their joint military drills, vowing to respond with "offensive action," state media KCNA reported.
KCNA released a commentary by Choe Ju-hyon, whom it called an international security analyst, criticizing the exercises as "a trigger for driving the situation on the Korean peninsula to the point of explosion." "The reckless military confrontational hysteria of the U.S. and its followers against the DPRK is driving the situation on the Korean peninsula to an irreversible catastrophe ... to the brink of a nuclear war," the article said.
Korea to actively recruit foreign talent in public sector
The Korean government seeks to actively hire foreign nationals in the public sector, reflecting the need for more global talent in the country's rising industries such as space and ICT. The Ministry of Personnel Management on Wednesday preannounced a revision to the presidential ordinance on the recruitment of civil servants, which is aimed at allowing the ministry to launch a candidate database of foreign nationals for senior-level positions in the public sector. Under the revised measures, the government will be able to collect the personal information of foreign nationals who visit state-run organizations or attend international conferences organized by the Korean government.
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Daily News Hungary http://dailynewshungary.com
Budapest Times http://budapesttimes.hu
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