The Korean daily media headlines and humor

The Korean daily media headlines and humor

Wednesday April 12, 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

Woo Byung-woo, former senior presidential secretary for civil affairs, arrives at the Seoul Central District Court in the capital on April 11, 2017, to attend a hearing on his arrest. (Yonhap)

‘Hidden influence of ex-President Park still going strong or our of sympathy?’

Presidential aide again avoids arrest in corruption probe
A court refused to issue an arrest warrant for a former presidential secretary on Wednesday implicated in an influence-peddling scandal that removed President Park Geun-hye from office.

Prosecutors on Sunday asked the Seoul Central District Court to issue the writ to detain Woo Byung-woo, senior presidential secretary for civil affairs from 2015 to 2016, on charges of abuse of power, dereliction of duty and perjury.

Read on: http://www.koreapost.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=3524

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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/)

G7 Foreign Ministers Call on N. Korea to Abandon Nuke Program

Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven(G7) adopted a joint statement on Tuesday urging North Korea to abandon its nuclear program and refrain from additional provocations.

S. Korea Dismisses Rumors of War Crisis on Korean Peninsula

South Korea's Foreign Ministry has dismissed rumors of a looming war on the Korean Peninsula, which are rapidly spreading on social networking sites.

Salvaged Sewol Ferry Safely Placed onto Dock

The Sewol ferry is now safely secured on land, 613 days after the government launched operations to salvage the sunken vessel in August 2015.

S. Korea Dismisses Rumors of War Crisis on Korean Peninsula

South Korea's Foreign Ministry has dismissed rumors of a looming war on the Korean Peninsula, which are rapidly spreading on social networking sites.

Foreign Minister Vows Utmost Efforts to Search for Stellar Daisy Sailors

Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se has vowed all efforts to find the missing South Korean crew of a cargo ship that sank in the South Atlantic last month.

Chinese Nuclear Envoy Vows Efforts for US-N. Korea Talks

China’s top nuclear envoy Wu Dawei says that he will work hard to arrange bilateral talks between the U.S. and North Korea since the two sides are against multilateral negotiations.

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

S. Korea's jobless rate falls to 4.2 pct in March

South Korea's jobless rate fell slightly last month on the back of increased employment in the construction and retail sectors, government data showed Wednesday.

White House: Trump puts North Korea on notice

U.S. President Donald Trump has put North Korea "clearly on notice," and if he decides to take action, it will be "decisive and proportional" as seen in the U.S. airstrikes on Syria, the White House warned Tuesday.

Samsung regains top spot in global smartphone market

Samsung Electronics Co. regained the top status in the global smartphone market in the first quarter of the year, even before the release of its latest Galaxy S8, largely thanks to an increase in shipments of mid- and low-end devices, data showed Wednesday.

U.S. increase antidumping tariffs on OCTG imports from S. Korea

The U.S. Commerce Department decided Tuesday to impose antidumping tariffs up to nearly 25 percent on oil country tubular goods (OCTG) imported from South Korean steelmakers.

Financial holding firms see profits gain 19.6 pct in 2016

South Korea's seven financial holding companies saw their combined net profit gain 19.6 percent on year in 2016, helped by solid interest income and lower debt provisions, government data showed Wednesday.

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

Court rejects warrant for Woo Byung-woo

The Seoul Central District Court dismissed the arrest warrant for Woo Byung-woo, a former presidential secretary for civil affairs, on Wednesday.

How likely is another Korean War?

With a US aircraft carrier group making its way to South Korean waters, rumors are surfacing in South Korea that a war is imminent.

Exports rosy but domestic demand remains weak

Despite optimism growing over South Korea’s exports outlook, buoyed by strong outbound shipments of auto and chip products, domestic demand continued to remain low this month, further weakening business confidence among local manufacturers, data and reports showed Tuesday.

Presidential election, a multimillion won money war

The forthcoming May 9 presidential election is a financial gamble for the political parties and their respective candidate, especially for the minority parties with slim chances of winning.

Chinese envoy’s anti-THAAD campaign double-edged sword

For Seoul, this week’s visit by Wu Dawei, special representative for Korean Peninsula affairs at Beijing’s Foreign Ministry, is timely and weighty, coming amid spiraling concerns over North Korean provocations and shortly after a US-China summit.

Trump says US ready to solve NK 'problem' without China

US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that the United States is ready to solve the North Korean "problem" without China if necessary.

Korean women clinch Asian Cup berth with 4-0 win over Uzbekistan

The South Korea women's national football team on Tuesday clinched a place in next year's top Asian competition after beating Uzbekistan 4-0 in North Korea.

Korea's overseas aid rises 2.6 percent annually in 2016: report

South Korea's financial aid to developing countries showed a slight increase in 2016 from the previous year, the government said Tuesday citing an international report.

N. Korea calls S. Korea 'primary target' of neighbors in THAAD row

North Korea claimed on Tuesday that South Korea has become "a primary target of strike" by neighboring countries with its decision to deploy a U.S. missile defense system.

Ahn irks moms with talks of ‘restraint’ on public kindergartens

Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo, presidential candidate of the People's Party, on Tuesday vowed to promote the independent management of private kindergartens, calling for restraints upon large public ones.

Record number of overseas voters register for election

The number of overseas voters who have registered to participate in South Korea’s May 9 presidential election has reached a record high, the nation’s election commission said Tuesday.

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

Is second Korean War imminent?

Will North Korea conduct a nuclear test in coming days? And will the United States punish it with a military strike, as Donald Trump pledged as one of the options to curb the North's nuclear ambitions?

S. Korea tried to have nuclear bombs in 1980s: declassified papers

While meeting a visiting U.S. official in 1986, then-President Chun Doo-hwan said if South Korea had just three nuclear bombs, it would be enough to induce North Korea to inter-Korean talks, according to diplomatic documents declassified Tuesday.

'Translated works need wider publicity

Korean novelist Han Kang drew global attention when her novel "The Vegetarian" won the Man Booker International Prize for fiction last year.

Daejeon district publishes tax booklet in five languages Posted

Daejeon's Daedeok district has released a booklet on local taxes for non-Korean citizens.

The booklet contains a brief introduction on local tax, payment methods, income tax and residence tax. It is published in Korean, English, Chinese, Vietnamese and Uzbek.

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DongAIlbo (http://english.donga.com)

Five Korean hikers found dead in Mt. Harvey in Canada

Five Korean hikers died at Mount Harvey near Vancouver, Canada. The Vancouver Sun, a local newspaper, said on Sunday (local time) that the hikers, members of the Korean hikers’ club in Canada, fell 500 meters at the top of the snow-covered mountain.

Cellist Istvan Vardai holds his first performance in Korea

Hungarian cellist Istvan Vardai is one of the musicians who performed the most in the world last year. He ranked No. 1 at "The World's Busiest Musicians in 2016" released by classical music database Bachtrack, along with conductor Valery Gergiev, pianist Daniil Trifonov and violinist Leonidas Kavakos.

Researchers develop fabrics that change shapes when heated

Korean researchers have developed fabrics that alter their shapes in a controllable manner in response to varied temperature. It can be the beginning of developing soft robots that move without motors.

Will Ford’s cot simulating car journey put babies to sleep?

There is a saying that car journeys put babies to sleep. Many parents have experience to drive around their neighborhoods with their baby at night. CNN Money reported on Sunday that Ford Motor Company recently developed a car simulating cradle for sleep-deprived parents.

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ChosunIlbo (http://english.chosun.com)

Jobseekers Favor Quality of Life Over High Pay

The most important factor young jobseekers look for in a new job is a corporate culture that gives them time to enjoy their lives rather than high pay, a poll suggests.

Foreigners Snap up Record Amounts of Korean Stocks

Foreign investors have been snapping up Korean shares for four months running and now hold the biggest amount in history.

Sales of Travel Goods Spike

Sales of travel-related products are rising sharply ahead of the week-long break in early May.

Overseas Travel Boosts Domestic Tourism Industry

Koreans spend almost as much money preparing for trips abroad as they do when they are actually on their trips, busting the myth that overseas travel sucks money out of the domestic economy.

Manufacturing Jobs Grow in March

Employment in manufacturing grew for the first time in four months in March as the devastating impact of the shipbuilding slump eased.

5 Hikers Dead in Canada Avalanche

Five members of a Korean hiking club were killed in an avalanche on a mountain near Vancouver, Canada last Saturday, the Foreign Ministry here said Monday.

Kia Releases High-Performance Sedan

Kia on Monday released a high-performance version of its K5 sedan.

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HanKyoRehShinmoon (http://english.hani.co.kr)

Korean peninsula tensions rising with rare redeployment of USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier

The tension index is rising after the unusual decision to send the US aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson back to the Korean Peninsula two weeks after its departure.

Rex Tillerson says US’s objective is a denuclearized Korean peninsula

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said that the purpose of US policy toward North Korea was not regime change but rather the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. This message is thought to clearly rule out a preemptive strike on North Korea or the elimination of Kim Jong-un while leaving open the possibility of negotiations in the future, if not for the moment.

At summit, US and China could have made an agreement behind closed doors

Gong Keyu, a senior researcher at the Center for Asian-Pacific Studies at the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies and a Chinese expert on Korean Peninsula affairs, predicted that the summit meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping would ultimately lead to diplomatic deliberations. Gong made the prediction during an interview with the Hankyoreh’s Beijing correspondent on Apr. 10, in which she remarked that “the North Korean nuclear issue is challenging because Trump has to do something as American president, but the difficult problem is that there isn’t much he can do.”

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JoongAngIlbo (http://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/)

Woo again avoids arrest in corruption probe

A court refused to issue an arrest warrant for a former presidential secretary on Wednesday implicated in an influence-peddling scandal that removed President Park Geun-hye from office.

North Korea tells U.S. it’s ready for ‘toughest’ action

North Korea warned Tuesday it will take the “toughest” military action against Washington following the U.S. Navy’s deployment of an aircraft carrier strike group to the Korean Peninsula.

Foreign reporters reach Pyongyang

A group of Japanese reporters arrived in Pyongyang Monday on the invitation of the North Korean government to cover a meeting of the parliament and the 105th birth anniversary of founder Kim Il Sung, sources in Japan told the JoongAng Ilbo Tuesday.

Oracle disputes big local tax bill

The Seoul office of U.S.-based multinational IT company Oracle reportedly avoided paying its full tax bill between 2008 and 2014 and is fighting the case in court.

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The KyungHyangShinmoon(http://english.khan.co.kr/)

Moon, "No War on the Korean Peninsula. The U.S. Must Consult All Options with South Korea"

On April 10, the Minjoo Party of Korea's presidential candidate Moon Jae-in (64, photo) clearly stated his opposition to the recent statement by the U.S. Trump administration, which suggested that they were considering a preemptive strike on North Korea as one of their options against the hermit state. Moon said, "The United States alone should not unilaterally make a decision without adequate prior consultation with the Republic of Korea."

"This Spy Camera Is Popular" No Questions Asked

"These days, the most popular item is the one in the shape of a car key. It can record up to four hours, and if you use a spare battery, it can record even longer."

An employee at a shop specializing in closed circuit security cameras at Sewun Mall in Jongno-gu, Seoul began recommending products when I asked for a spy camera, without asking any questions as to why I needed the product. The product he recommended, which was slightly over 100,000 won looked like a car remote key, but with a lens on the top side of the key.

Moderates and Conservatives Swing Toward Ahn Cheol-soo: Will They Still Till the End or Will They Scatter?

What makes this election unique is the fall of the conservatives. In the wake of the dismissal of former President Park Geun-hye, it is difficult to find a conservative candidate with any chance of winning the election. Ironically, this has turned the conservative votes into an influential factor in the race.

People Visit the Sewol to Remember Not Just to Offer Flowers

On the afternoon of April 9 at the Mokpo New Port in Jeollanam-do, the Sewol, finally on land, after 1,089 days since the accident, continued silently on its way on a module transporter, a special transporting equipment, at a speed of over 20 meters an hour.

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

"There Will Be No Drastic Change in Gov't Organization"...Moon Jae-in

Moon Jae-in, presidential candidate for the Minjoo Party, said on April 11, "The new government won't make any change to the current ministerial organization by closing some ministries." He said this in an interview with the Korea Economic Daily, adding, "It is not good for government organization to be changed every time an administration changes hands. Only when deemed absolutely necessary, the new government will make minor adjustments."

Hyundai and Kia Face Unexpected Obstacle Due to Recalls

Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors have faced an unexpected obstacle due to a defect in their "Theta II" engine. Securities analysts said it will be hard for the car makers to improve their results this year.

Lawmakers Oppose to Korea's Bid to Win $19 Bil. Moorside Nuclear Power Project

Korea's 28 lawmakers with the Minjoo Party, People's Party, and Justice Party, as well as independent members of parliament have demanded that nuclear power plants not be built anywhere in the world in addition to the total moratorium in Korea. The request aims squarely at a bid by Korea Electric Power Corp. to win a nuclear power project in North West England.

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

LG Display describes Google's reported investment as 'undecided'

LG Display described US tech giant Google's reported investment in flexible OLED displays for smartphones as undecided amid market speculation about a strategic partnership between the two companies.

US raises tariffs on OCTG from S. Korea steelmakers

The US Commerce Department decided to impose antidumping tariffs up to nearly 25 percent on oil country tubular goods (OCTG) imported from South Korean steelmakers.

N. Korea revives parliamentary foreign affairs committee

North Korea revived a parliamentary foreign affairs committee on Tuesday, its official media reported, a move seen aimed at beefing up its diplomacy amid toughening international sanctions.

N. Korea convenes rubber-stamp parliamentary meeting

North Korea convened a key parliamentary meeting on Tuesday, South Korean officials said, amid heightened tensions over its possible nuclear and missile provocations.

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

Hyundai Motor ordered to recall 68,000 Genesis and Equus cars for faulty engine part

South Korea’s largest automaker Hyundai Motor Co. was ordered by its government to recall 68,000 units of luxury Genesis and Equus sedans after defects were found in engine-related component. The order comes after the transportation ministry requested recall of Hyundai Motor and its sister company Kia Motors Corp. vehicles equipped with Theta-2 engine.

Korea’s exports up 6.1% in April 1-10, imports gain faster at 25%

South Korea’s exports in the first 10 days of April reached $11.2 billion, up 6.1 percent from the same period last year, thanks to robust semiconductor shipment, according to the Korea Customs Service on Tuesday.

Korean govt claims economy showing signs of recovery

The South Korean government raised hopes for recovery in domestic demand following strength in export front.

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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