The Korean daily media headlines and humor

The Korean daily media headlines and humor

Monday, July 10, 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

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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:

The Korea Post media (www.koreapost.com) in English, (www.koreapost.co.kr) in Korean.

KBS (http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/news/)

G20 Summit Ends, Final Statement Makes no Mention of N. Korea

World leaders wrapped up two days of the G20 summit meetings on Saturday after releasing their final statement. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who hosted the summit in Hamburg, presented the G20 declaration at a news conference marking the end of the summit. In the final communique, the leaders agreed they would fight protectionism including all unfair trade practices, and the 19 countries except the United States took note of Washington’s decision to withdraw from the Paris climate accord. However, the North Korean issues were not mentioned in the statement. South Korea’s presidential office said that in a news conference, Merkel publicly expressed her support for President Moon Jae-in’s calls for a joint response by the international community on the North Korean nuclear and missile provocation, which is Moon’s diplomatic achievement.

No Watered-down UN Resolution against N. Korean ICBM

The U.S. Ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, says that Washington will push for a strong resolution against North Korea at the UN Security Council(UNSC). In an interview with U.S. broadcaster CBS' "Face the Nation" on Sunday, Haley said that threats from North Korea have reached a whole new level with its latest intercontinental ballistic missile(ICBM) test. While calling North Korean leader Kim Jong-un a dangerous person with access to an ICBM, Haley said that she does not expect a watered down resolution as the U.S. is negotiating on the matter with UNSC member states.

Heavy Rain Pounds Central Part of Korean Peninsula

Heavy rain is pounding the capital Seoul and the central part of the Korean Peninsula on Monday. The Korea Meteorological Administration(KMA) expected 50 to 100 millimeters of rain Monday and Tuesday for Seoul and Gyeonggi Province, the western part of Gangwon and North Chungcheong provinces. Heavy rain warnings issued Sunday for Seoul and parts of Gyeonggi Province were lifted as of 4 a.m. Monday.

However, the weather agency urged people to keep monitoring weather forecasts as another rain warning could be issued for Seoul and its surrounding areas.

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

N.Koreans striving to prevent possible flood damage

North Korea is busy bracing for possible floods after it has been struggling to fight drought damage in its western provinces, its news reports showed Monday. The country's northeastern areas were hit hard by massive floods in August 2016, prompting the country to shift its drive from hard work to flood recovery. "We are aware that it is important to prevent floods from damaging crops. We are making efforts to tackle possible flooding and winds, together with fighting droughts," the state-run radio station reported, citing remarks by officials at the country's agricultural ministry.

President Moon returns home after G-20 summit

President Moon Jae-in returned home Monday after a five-day trip to Germany that largely sought to win international support for his efforts to bring North Korea back to the dialogue table and rid the communist state of its nuclear ambitions. The main purpose of his trip to the European nation was to take part in the Group of 20 summit held Friday and Saturday, but his main objective clearly was to rally international support for fresh sanctions against the North for its latest missile provocation. Pyongyang test launched what it claims to be its first intercontinental ballistic missile Tuesday, just one day before the new South Korean president embarked on his first overseas trip for a multilateral gathering.

Health ministry to inspect new e-cigarettes for possible risks

Government authorities said Monday they will be examining the e-cigarette IQOS for any health risks starting next month. IQOS, a product that heats tobacco, went on sale locally in June. Its manufacturer, Philip Morris International, claims that it has removed health-harming substances in the product by 90 percent compared with conventional burning cigarettes. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said it will verify the claims, and measure nicotine and tar levels: the two chemicals that are said to be the most dangerous substances inhaled from smoking. In addition to safety inspections, IQOS and other e-cigarettes are under scrutiny for their tax benefits. E-cigarettes are levied with taxes that are only 50 to 60 percent of those on conventional cigarettes.

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

President Moon returns home after G-20 summit

Visa dispute frustrates foreign teachers

South Korean immigration’s lax guidance and examination on E-2 visa applications are the cause of the ongoing deportations of foreign teachers here, triggering a legal fight against the government body, deported teachers claimed. The Korea Herald has interviewed nine former teachers from the Canadian British Columbia International School in eastern Seoul, which shut down in May after 14 teachers and the dean were deported, and other English immersion institutions currently under investigation. Two former employees from CBIS are taking legal action against the Korea Immigration Service and are fighting their deportation.

SK hynix on quest for 3-D NAND crown

The global semiconductor industry is experiencing an unconventional market boom as the world approaches the “fourth industrial revolution.” Defined by the World Economic Forum as a fusion of technologies that blur the lines between the physical, digital and biological spheres, the fourth industrial revolution brings the possibilities of connecting not only billions of people but also countless objects. At the core of the gigantic change lies a 3-D technology to develop NAND flash memory chips. Their structure is often likened to those of high-rise apartments, and enabling connections of all mobile devices such as smartphones and tablet PCs, and storage of massive amounts of data.

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

Up to 150 mm of rain to hit nationwide

Up to 150 mm of rain is expected to slam Seoul and other regions of the country Monday with thunderstorms and extreme wind gusts, as the peninsula slips into the annual monsoon season, the state weather agency said Sunday. A heavy rain warning was issued for hard-hit areas, said the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA), calling on people to stay informed about the latest weather information. Seoul, Gyeonggi Province, the eastern part of Gangwon Province and islands in the West Sea will see major downpours. Southern regions are forecast to have a less but risky level of precipitation of around 80 mm.

Moon Jae-in yet to resolve conflict over THAAD

President Moon Jae-in has concluded a successful diplomatic debut at the Group of 20 summit in Germany, but only reaffirmed differences on the U.S. anti-missile system with China, and the comfort women deal with Japan. The G20 summit that ended in Hamburg, Germany, Saturday, leaves concerns that the U.S. missile interceptor in South Korea may hinder full-pledged support from China and Russia in curbing North Korea's nuclear ambitions.

Moon calls for aid for N. Korea children

President Moon Jae-in has called for increased aid for North Korean children, saying political circumstances should not affect it. "Humanitarian aid for the North's healthcare and medical affairs should not be tied to political affairs," Moon said at a G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany, Saturday. Moon said Seoul is planning to help the North while keeping pace with international sanctions against the reclusive country's nuclear and missile programs, being conscious of its recent launch of intercontinental ballistic missile.

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

'U.S. is pushing Korean Peninsula to brink of nuclear war ,' says Pyongyang

As North Korea has test-fired its intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), tension has been heightening on the Korean Peninsula. The U.S. sent the B-1B, a supersonic heavy bomber, to the peninsula to conduct a live-fire exercise for the first time on Saturday when Pyongyang was honoring the 23rd anniversary of Kim Il Sung’s death. Pyongyang immediately backlashed by calling it a treacherous military gambling, which is intended to light the fuse of nuclear warfare. South Korean President Moon Jae-in said that the Korean Peninsula is currently faced with the most serious crisis since the Korean War.

Samsung Galaxy S8 and Note FE gain popularity together

Samsung Electronics’ Galaxy S8 smartphone has been selected as the highest rated smartphone by American early adopters. Previously, the Galaxy S8 topped the Consumer Reports ratings. Research firm Strategy Analytics says on Sunday the Galaxy S8 has an average rating of 4.57 out of 5, making it the highest-rated smartphone on the market based on buyer reviews. When new smartphone hits the market, Strategy Analytics gives grades to the newly-introduced phone based on consumer reviews posted on major websites that sell smartphones such as Amazon, AT&T, Verizon for the first 40 days. Some 1,500 consumer reviews were analyzed for the Galaxy S8.

Endangered bird fairy pitt catching snake spotted

An inspection team of the Korea National Park Service was surprised while watching birds at Hallyeohaesang (Maritime) National Park on June 24. While watching a fairy pitt after spotting the rare bird, the team saw the bird catch a snake. The fairy pitt is an endangered wild bird species (Grade 2). Only 2,500 to 10,000 of the bird are surviving worldwide due to a rapid decline in its population caused by deforestation. A fairy pitt mostly finds habitat in dark and humid mountain valleys or primeval‎ rainforest. In Korea, the bird has been mostly found in Jeju Island, Geoje Island, and Geumsan area in Namhae County, South Gyeongsang Province.

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

Torrential Downpours Continue

Torrential downpours drenched Seoul and central parts on Monday morning. Some central parts were forecast to see more than 50 mm of rain per hour. A heavy rain advisory was issued for Incheon and some parts of Gyeonggi and Gangwon provinces. Some 50 to 100 mm of rain was expected in Seoul, Gyeonggi, and western Gangwon, 30 to 80 mm in eastern Gangwon, Chungcheong Provinces, inland areas of northern North Gyeongsang Province, western South Gyeongsang Province, and Jeolla Provinces, and 5 to 40 mm in other regions.

American B-1B Bombers in Live-Fire Drill Over Korea

Two B-1B Lancer strategic bombers from the U.S. conducted live-fire drills with precision-guided munitions over the Korean Peninsula on Saturday. The drill came in response to North Korea's latest test of an intercontinental ballistic missile and was conducted amid maximum publicity. A South Korean Air Force spokesman said, "It was a strong show of force against the North's repeated firing of ballistic missiles."

Two South Korean F-15Ks and two U.S. F-16s also practiced precision strikes on North Korean mobile missile launchers and major facilities by releasing bombs at a range in Gangwon Province.

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

S. Korean, US and Japanese leaders agree to peaceful resolution of N. Korea nuclear issue

The leaders of South Korea, the US, and Japan agreed upon a “peaceful resolution without military options” on the North Korean nuclear and missile issues during a dinner at the US Consulate General in Hamburg on the evening of July 6. The approach includes ruling out military measures such as preemptive strikes on nuclear facilities or the source of missile provocations and stepping up economic sanctions to bring North Korea to the negotiation table.

South Korea now taking steps to implement Pres. Moon’s vision for inter-Korean exchange

The South Korean government began work on follow-up measures to implement the vision shared by President Moon Jae-in Berlin on July 6. “We are working on follow-up measures to implement the various tasks for South and North Korea that the president proposed,” Ministry of Unification deputy spokesperson Lee Yoo-jin said at a regular briefing on July 7. “My understanding is that working-level Red Cross talks for reunions among divided South and North Korean family members and working-level military talks to halt hostile actions are also under consideration,” Lee said.

James Mattis says US still not planning military action against North Korea

As tensions rise on the Korean Peninsula in the wake of an ICBM launch by North Korea, US Secretary of Defense James Mattis has stressed that current US policy towards the North remains committed to applying economic and diplomatic pressure instead of seeking a military solution. “I do not think this capability [to launch an ICBM], in and of itself, brings us closer to war. The president’s been very clear, the secretary of state’s been very clear, that we are leading with diplomatic and economic efforts,” Mattis stated in a press interview on July 6. The sudden press conference has been interpreted as an attempt to quell speculation about a pre-emptive strike after Nikki Haley, US ambassador to the UN, mentioned the previous day that the US is prepared to use its "considerable military forces" to defend itself and its allies "if we must."

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

Moon urges action on North’s food crisis

President Moon Jae-in highlighted North Korea’s food shortage during a Group of 20 meeting in Hamburg, Germany, on Saturday, calling on the world to provide assistance and separate humanitarian aid from politics when dealing with Pyongyang. The statement, one of his last in Hamburg before flying back to Seoul, was a clear sign that the liberal-leaning president would stick to his two-track North Korea policy of engagement and pressure despite Pyongyang’s recent launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile.

Prosecution requests arrest of People’s Party’s Lee Jun-suh

The prosecution requested Sunday a pre-trial arrest warrant for Lee Jun-suh, a former member of the People’s Party leadership accused of spreading false information about President Moon Jae-in’s son during this year’s presidential election. The prosecution requested Sunday a pre-trial arrest warrant for Lee Jun-suh, a former member of the People’s Party leadership accused of spreading false information about President Moon Jae-in’s son during this year’s presidential election.

President’s economic policies earn a nod at G-20

President Moon Jae-in’s economic policies have earned endorsements from other countries in the Group of 20, Finance Minister Kim Dong-yeon said Saturday in Hamburg, Germany, where the G-20 summit was held. Kim during a press briefing at the summit said the heads of the G-20 countries expressed support for the Moon government’s economic policies focused on social investment, fair competition and innovative growth.

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

Country Responsible for False Accusation in “Suicide Note Case,” Court Orders State to Pay Kang Ki-hun’s Family 850 Mn Won

The court ruled that the state should compensate Kang Ki-hun (54, photo) for damages, after he served an unfair prison sentence for having allegedly written a suicide note for another person, a typical case involving the abuse of state authority in an authoritarian government in the 1990s referred to as the "Suicide Note (Ghostwriting) Case." The court acknowledged the government's responsibility in this case for the first time, but made a controversial judgment claiming that they could not hold the prosecutors in charge of the investigation at the time responsible.

"Hamburger Disease Controversy" Ministry of Food & Drug Safety Orders Companies to Improve Management, Prosecution Service Launches Investigation

A victim's family filed a lawsuit against a fast food company claiming that their child got sick after eating a hamburger with a patty that wasn't sufficiently cooked. This incident has triggered widespread interest in hemolytic-uremic syndrome, also known as "hamburger disease," and the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has ordered franchise restaurants selling hamburgers for better hygiene control. The investigative authorities have also assigned prosecutors to the case, launching an investigation.

South Korea and the U.S. Fire Back: Korean Peninsula Trapped Under Missiles

On July 5, President Moon Jae-in mentioned North Korea's intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch and said, "At North Korea's severe provocation, we cannot respond with just a statement. We need to clearly show North Korea our strong joint response posture." The previous day, after the North's provocation, the president ordered Chung Eui-yong, head of the Office of National Security to conduct a joint demonstration of the ROK-US missile defense force, and Yoon Young-chan, the senior secretary for public relations conveyed that U.S. President Donald Trump also agreed to such actions. President Trump said that he highly valued and shared President Moon's firm determination against North Korea's provocation.

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

Samsung Electronics Set to Produce AI Speakers

Samsung Electronics is working on an initiative to develop its own voice recognition artificial intelligence speaker using its AI service "Bixby." According to a report by the Wall Street Journal on July 4, Samsung has engaged in the development of its own AI speaker for about an year under the code name "Vega." Once Samsung releases its own AI speaker, it would compete with Amazon, Alphabet (Google), and Apple in the same product category.

Samsung Electronics to Invest 40 Tril. Won to Cement Current Semiconductor Leadership

Samsung Electronics has announced a plan to invest almost 40 trillion won (US$34.8 billion) in 3D NAND flash memory chips (30.4 trillion won) and OLED chips (9.0 trillion won). With this investment which will be made by 2021, as many as 440,000 new jobs will be created. Samsung revealed the plan on July 4 when it held an event to celebrate the first shipment of wafers in its No. 1 production line in the Pyeongtaek plant. Kwon Oh-hyun, vice chairman, said, "We have successfully completed the construction of the chip-making plant in Pyeongtaek, a monumental challenge for our company." With the completion of the production line, the company will be able to produce 300,000 3D NAND wafers a month from current 200,000 wafers.

Hitachi Elevator Makes Comeback to Seoul

In 18 years after withdrawing from the Korean elevator market, Japan's Hitachi, the world's fifth largest player in the elevator market, has made a comeback. The latest comeback is based on the judgment that Korea's ultra high-rise elevator market is expanding fast. Competition is expected to flare up further in the Korean elevator market as a string of global elevator giants such as Otis of the United States, Mitsubishi of Japan, and Thyssenkrupp of Germany are expanding their investment here.

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

N. Korea state media rules out family reunions without repatriation of defectors

North Korea's state media rejected any reunions for family members separated by war unless Seoul sends home its citizens who defected last year, clouding prospects of an inter-Korean thaw proposed by South Korea's president. The North's official website, Uriminzokkiri, renewed its demand for the return of 12 waitresses at a North Korean restaurant in the Chinese city of Ningbo who arrived in Seoul in April 2016. Pyongyang accused South Korean intelligence agents of abducting them, but Seoul insisted they have come of their own volition.

"Just lie down and scream" if you get stung by this bug, Experts say

During summer, the most of the insects are active. There are many different types of bugs that you need to avoid: African wasps, yellow jackets, black widows, poisonous caterpillars, and more. There is a more painful encounter that tops these. If you ever get stung by a tarantula hawk, you need to "just lie down and scream", experts say in a peer-reviewed journal. Apparently, when you get bit by this bug, it is so painful to a point where you cannot even think. This spider wasp earned its name as tarantula hawk because it hunts tarantulas. The females are the ones with the extremely painful stinger but they don't sting often.

Naver starts test service for AI-based image search

Compared to global tech firms like Google which provide various image search services with advancing artificial intelligence technology, similar services provided by South Korean search portals, Naver and Daum, are rather primitive with results relying on matching keywords. To catch up with foreign giants, Naver has started a test service for its new AI-based image search service "Smart Lens" for randomly selected one percent of the users of its smartphone app. The lucky test users will be able to search for images based on photographs they took with smartphones or uploaded images.

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

Samsung Elec likely crowned as world’s top technology hardware maker

South Korea’s Samsung Electronics Co. has become the world’s most profitable technology hardware producer as it is believed to have performed better than world’s most valuable technology names Apple Inc. and Intel Inc. The world’s largest memory chip and smartphone maker on Friday reported its historic three-month operating profit of 14 trillion won ($12 billion) on sales of 60 trillion won for the second quarter ended June, having profited 23.3 percent for every product it sold during the period.

Samsung Elec Q2 Op at new record high of $12 bn, dethrones Intel as top semicon maker
Proving to be an unrivalled winner in the exceptional semiconductor boom, Samsung Electronics achieved a new milestone in the second quarter with its operating profit at a record high of 14 trillion won ($12 billion), up 41 percent from the previous three-month period and 72 percent from a year-ago. According to its earnings guidance for the second quarter ended March, the world’s largest memory chip and smartphone maker reported that its revenue surged 19 percent on quarter and 18 percent on year to 60 trillion won, dethroning Intel Corp. as the world’s largest semiconductor maker by revenue for the first time.

LG Elec’s Q2 OP misses market estimate on tepid G6 performance

LG Electronics Inc. on Friday estimated its second-quarter operating profit at 664.1 billion won ($574.5 million), slightly missing market expectations due to poorer-than-expected performance of its new premium phone G6. The tech giant’s earnings guidance for the quarter ended in June came in slightly below market expectations. According to the market data provider FnGuide, the market consensus for the firm’s operating profit in the second quarter was 770.9 billion won on sales of 15 trillion won.

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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

China Dailywww.chinadaily.com.cn circulation@chinadaily.com.cn

GwangmyeongDailywww.gmw.cn webmaster@gmw.cn