The Korean daily media headlines and humor

The Korean daily media headlines and humor

Thursday, August 10 2017

Your Excellency:

Here are The Korea Post notices and a roundup of importantheadlines 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/)

4 Missiles to Land 30-40 km off Guam

According to Commander Kim Rak-gyom of the strategic rocket force of the North Korean People's Army, the missiles will fly three-thousand 356-point-seven kilometers before landing 30 to 40 kilometers off the coast of the Western Pacific island. The North's Korean Central News Agency on Thursday cited the general as saying that the operational plan will be finalized by mid August and brought to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un for his final approval. The North Korean general said that the operation is to subdue U.S. military capabilities in Guam and send a grave warning to the U.S.

N. Korea Releases Jailed Canadian Pastor

North Korea has released a Canadian pastor who was imprisoned and serving a life sentence for allegedly attempting to overthrow the North Korean regime. The North’s state-run Korean Central News Agency reported that Lim Hyeon-soo, a Canadian citizen, was released on sick bail on humanitarian grounds on Wednesday in line with the decision of the Central Court of the North. Lim, a Korean Canadian pastor, was arrested by the North in 2015 and sentenced to life imprisonment with hard labor on charges of devising subversive plots against the North Korean regime.

Assembly Speaker Chung, Top Pakistani Officials Discuss Cooperation

National Assembly Speaker Chung Sye-kyun has discussed mutual cooperation with Pakistan's top government officials, including the country’s interim Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. During a meeting in Islamabad on Tuesday, with Abbasi and Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif, Chung expressed confidence in Pakistan's smooth transition from the current political turmoil caused by the ouster of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif over a corruption scandal. He pointed to President Moon Jae-in's smooth transition to replace impeached President Park Geun-hye as an example.

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

N.K. threatens to fire four missiles toward Guam

North Korea's military said Thursday it is considering a plan to fire four intermediate-range ballistic missiles around Guam, home to strategically important U.S. Air Force and Navy bases. In a tit-for-tat of bellicose rhetoric, North Korea's Strategic Force said that it will finalize the plan by mid-August and report it to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, and await his order, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). It said that the Hwasong-12 missiles will cross the sky above the Shimane, Hiroshima and Koichi prefectures of Japan and fly 3,356.7 kilometers for about 18 minutes before landing 30 to 40 km away from Guam.

Mattis warns N. Korea to cease actions leading to end of its regime

U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis warned North Korea Wednesday to stop provocations that could bring destruction to its regime and its people. The rebuke comes as tensions have heightened over North Korea's threats to strike the U.S. with nuclear weapons. "The DPRK should cease any consideration of actions that would lead to the end of its regime and the destruction of its people," Mattis said in a statement. DPRK is the acronym of North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Hyundai Motor unionists start partial strikes

Union members of Hyundai Motor Co. will go on partial strikes starting Thursday after failed labor talks with the management over wage hikes and job security. Union leaders said workers on the early shift will stage a strike for two hours beginning at 11:30 a.m. Workers of the following shift will walk out for two hours at 8:20 p.m. The strikes will be repeated Monday, they said. The unionists will also refuse weekend work shifts starting this week. This is the sixth consecutive year for the automaker's unionists to go on strike ahead of a wage agreement. Hyundai's union is demanding an increase of 154,883 won (US$135.92) in monthly salary on top of an automatic annual hike and 30 percent of the company's 2016 net profit in bonuses. Workers also want to be guaranteed their jobs regardless of factory line changes from technological and industrial advancements.

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

NK threatens to fire four missiles toward Guam

North Korea's military on Thursday repeated its threat to attack Guam, saying it is considering a plan to fire four intermediate-range ballistic missiles around the home to several US strategic bombers. In a tit-for-tat of bellicose rhetoric, the Korean Central News Agency said its strategic force is "seriously examining" the plan for an "enveloping strike" at Guam with four Hwasong-12 missiles "in order to interdict the enemy forces on major military bases on Guam and to signal a crucial warning to the US.

Trump, NK escalate tension with war of words

North Korea and the United States are exchanging threats, with US President Donald Trump threatening Pyongyang “with fire and fury like the world has never seen” and the North’s military claiming Wednesday it was examining plans to attack Guam. The comments followed reports that US intelligence now believes Pyongyang has successfully produced a nuclear warhead that can fit inside its missiles.

Amid rising tension surrounding the Korean Peninsula, South Korean President Moon Jae-in called for a complete and thorough overhaul of the country’s armed services Wednesday, highlighting an “urgent” need to enhance the country’s defense capabilities against North Korea’s evolving nuclear and missile technologies.

Ban on texting after-hours orders, will it work?

Lawmakers are moving to introduce a new law that would ban employers from sending work-related messages outside work hours, amid rising calls to protect the right to disconnect from work. Recently, two bills have been recently submitted to the National Assembly, both intending to revise the labor law to stop employers and managers from giving work-related orders, directly and indirectly via mobile messengers, phone calls and other forms of social network services. “Many South Koreans complain of a stressful work environment, saying they are on call 24 hours a day because of work-related messages popping up any time after office hours,” said Rep. Lee Yong-ho of the minor opposition People’s Party who led the drafting of one of the two bills. The other bill was proposed by Rep. Son Kum-ju of the same party.

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

North Korea to finalize Guam strike plan by mid-August

In a tit-for-tat of bellicose rhetoric, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said its strategic force is "seriously examining" the plan for an "enveloping strike" at Guam with four Hwasong-12 missiles "in order to interdict the enemy forces on major military bases on Guam and to signal a crucial warning to the U.S." It said in an English statement that the missiles will cross the sky above the Shimane, Hiroshima and Koichi prefectures of Japan and fly 3,356.7 kilometers and land 30 to 40 km away from Guam.

Matthieu Juery to head BAT Korea

British American Tobacco (BAT) has appointed Matthieu Juery as the new head of its Korean unit, effective Sept. 1. He will replace CEO Tony Hayward, who has gone to the United States to become chief financial officer of U.S. cigarette maker Reynolds. The Swiss national, who worked as a global brand director at BAT's London headquarters for the past three years, is already in Korea to take over the company that faces a range of challenges amid intensifying competition and falling smoking rates.

Korean nuclear policy stuck in limbo

A majority of experts have been dissatisfied with the work of the public opinion committee on reactors 5 and 6 at the Shin Kori Nuclear Power Plant in Ulsan, regardless of their stances on atomic energy.

The committee was launched late last month after the temporary suspension of construction of the two reactors. It has declared it will act as just an advisory body, unlike the government's initial plan to follow the final decision made by the so-called "citizen jurors" selected by the committee. Ten experts interviewed by The Korea Times generally agreed the committee has a long way to go. They are from the fields of nuclear power, environmental studies, sociology and law.

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DongA Ilbo (http://english.donga.com)

Magnitude 7.0 quake kills 13, injures over 200 in Sichuan

A strong earthquake hit Jiuzhaigou, a famous tourist site in China’s south-western province of Sichuan around 9:19 p.m. on Tuesday, killing at least 13 people and leaving some 200 others injured. The death toll will likely rise further, as many people are buried under the rubbles and aftershocks continue. About 40,000 tourists were reportedly visiting Jiuzhaigou on the day of the quake. Two South Korean tourists also suffered light injuries. The China Earthquake Networks Center measured the earthquake at magnitude-7.0. The tremor also shook buildings in other cities as far away as Xian, Shaanxi Province and Lanzhou, Gansu Province. The Chinese authorities said that at least 13 people were killed, with 217 others injured as of Wednesday. Tourists who were visiting Jiuzhaigou on Tuesday were tallied at 38,799. As 31,500 tourists were evacuated from the affected area, there are concerns over the safety of the other tourists.

Veteran publisher to publish a Bible-turned poetry

"I could realize the dreams that I had shared with poets Park Mok-wol and Hwang Geum-chan. I believe they would give me an encouraging pat on my shoulder?" Chairman Kim Young-jin of publisher Sungsuwon looked out through the window for some time at an interview with a Dong-A Ilbo reporter Monday. Having debuted as a poet in 1965, Kim is a living witness in the Korean publishing circle as he was head of Korea Magazine Association and Korean Christian Publishers Association. He however said the reason he has lived until now is for the book he has published only recently. It is titled "The Song of Bible," a combination poems derived from 1,189 chapters of Bible that he has worked on for some 20 years.

Korean Education Center opens in Atlanta on Thursday

A new Korean Education Center will open its doors in the United States in 29 years. The Ministry of Education announced on Wednesday that the Korean Education Center will open in Atlanta, Georgia on Thursday. The center supports local schools adopt Korean language classes as regular courses (as first and second foreign language), and also provides many programs including Korean language school, life-time education for expats, and helping foreign students studying in Korea.

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Chosun Ilbo (http://english.chosun.com)

U.S. Against Reopening Kaesong Industrial Park

The U.S. State Department on Monday made it clear that Washington is against the reopening of the joint-Korean Kaesong Industrial Complex. The department's East Asian and Pacific Affairs Bureau spokesperson Grace Choi said that Seoul's 2016 decision to shut the industrial park down reflected mounting worries in the region over the North's outright violation of UN Security Council resolutions, according to Voice of America. She also rebutted calls from some inside the camp of President Moon Jae-in to exempt the industrial park from sanctions. She urged all nations to take action to further isolate the North economically. She added Washington has closely cooperated with Seoul over the North Korean issue and will continue to maintain to do so.

U.S. 'Favorably Inclined' to Boosting S.Korean Missile Power

The U.S. Defense Department said Monday it is reviewing guidelines that limit the firepower of South Korean missiles amid accelerating missile development in North Korea. The announcement came a day after President Moon Jae-in told his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump over the phone that the South Korean military needs to drastically strengthen its own defense and strategic deterrence to cope with North Korean missiles. Asked if the Pentagon was reviewing the request, Pentagon spokesman Jeff Davis said, "There is currently a limit on the warhead size and missiles that South Korea can have and yes, it is a topic under active consideration here."

Employers Obliged to Protect Workers in Record Heat

The government is revising regulations so employers must guarantee water, shade and break times to staff working in hot weather, the Labor Ministry said Tuesday. Employers will have to guarantee 10 to 15-minute breaks every hour when heat alerts are issued, and ensure they have enough drinking water and proper shade. Violators face up to five years in jail or a maximum W50 million fine (US$1=W1,127). To begin with, the ministry said it will suspend businesses that do not protect their workers from heat.

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HanKyoReh Shinmun (http://english.hani.co.kr)

The US will consider giving South Korea bigger warheads, the Pentagon says

The US Department of Defense says it is actively considering the idea of increasing the maximum weight of the warheads on South Korea’s ballistic missiles, as proposed by President Moon Jae-in for the purpose of strategic defense and deterring North Korea. When asked about increasing the size of the payloads during a meeting with reporters at the Pentagon in Washington on Aug. 7, Pentagon spokesperson Capt. Jeff Davis said this “is a topic under active consideration here.” “There is currently a limit on the warhead size and missiles that South Korea can have,” Davis said. "I would tell you that we would be favorably inclined to do anything which furthers the defense capabilities of South Korea.” Davis also noted that the US will have to adapt to an increasing and changing North Korean threat, suggesting that the US recognizes the need for allowing more powerful missiles.

Manila ARF underscores nuclear and missile issues, N. Korea’s deepening isolation

The 24th ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) in Manila came to a close on Aug. 8. Participating countries showed deeper concern than ever before over the North Korean nuclear and missile issues, while Pyongyang’s diplomatic isolation continues to deepen. For South Korea, the interest and support expressed by participating countries toward President Moon Jae-in’s “Berlin vision” counted as a diplomatic accomplishment.

South Korean Minister of Foreign Affairs Kang Kyung-wha held a press conference at a hotel in downtown Manila that morning to discuss the forum’s outcome prior to its closing ceremony later that day.

In US-China trade war, South Korea losing out

In 2009, US market imports for Chinese oil well casing steel pipes totaled some US$2.75 billion. That same year, the US International Trade Commission (ITC) launched a surprise antidumping investigation on Chinese steel. In May 2010, it instituted antidumping duties. Soon after the regulations took effect, Chinese steel exports to the US fell to almost zero. They have not recovered since. Around the time China was being hit with an antidumping bomb, US imports of South Korean oil well casing steel pipes totaled just US$370 million. That number immediately skyrocketed, reaching US$1.34 billion by 2014. In September of that year, South Korean steel was also listed as being subject to US antidumping regulations. Last year, exports of South Korean oil well casings dropped to US$190 million.

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JoongAng Ilbo (http://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/)

Trump, North trade dire threats

U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday North Korea will face “fire and fury like the world has never seen” if it continues to threaten the United States, apparently in response to remarks made by North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho, who said his country will “teach the U.S. a severe lesson with its nuclear strategic force.” “North Korea best not make any more threats to the United States,” Trump told reporters at his New Jersey golf club during a vacation. “He has been very threatening beyond a normal statement. As I said, they will be met with fire, fury and frankly power, the likes of which this world has never seen before.”

Moon expands coverage of state health insurance

President Moon Jae-in on Wednesday unveiled an ambitious plan to significantly expand the coverage of national health insurance by investing more than 30 trillion won ($26.4 billion) over the next five years. Moon’s commitment to expanded universal coverage is part of his main campaign pledge to provide more welfare to society as president. “Protecting the health and lives of its people is the most fundamental responsibility of a nation,” proclaimed Moon, adding that a nation that “can’t look after sick people” and “lets households fall into poverty because of medical costs” is not worthy “of being called a nation.”

Row over discounts on phone bills heats up

The battle between mobile carriers and the Moon Jae-in government over lowering people’s phone bills headed to a climax as the companies squawked Wednesday about a proposal to allow bigger discounts on monthly bills. The nation’s three major mobile carriers - SK Telecom, KT and LG U+ - were requested by the Ministry of Science and ICT last month to submit position papers by Wednesday on raising the discount ceiling on monthly phone bills for long-term plans from 20 percent to 25 percent.

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The KyungHyang Shinmun (http://english.khan.co.kr/)

Efforts to Root Out Bad Practices and to Communicate with the People Push President Moon Jae-in's Approval Ratings Up

The public's approval ratings on President Moon Jae-in's handling of state affairs continue to soar, because, it appears, of his efforts to eradicate deep-rooted evils and to communicate with the people. Moon's efforts to communicate with the people and his determination for reforms are the driving force behind the president's administration of state affairs. Meanwhile, presidential appointments such as his choice of ministers, have been the negative factors affecting his approval rating. On August 8, the Kyunghyang Shinmun analyzed the factors affecting the president's approval ratings based on the surveys of the president's approval ratings conducted by Gallop Korea.

One Officer Forced Soldiers to Eat Hunted Goose, Another Forced Subordinate to Stay Up All Night Doing His Wife's Homework

Violence and abuse of power in the military is nothing new. Due to an unreasonable structure that makes the victims suffer disadvantages when they ask for help, this has been one deep-rooted evil that we have not been able to eradicate. The recent case of Captain Bak Chan-ju and his wife, who treated the soldier in his official residence like a slave, has triggered citizens to call out, "It is now time to speak up." On August 8, the Kyunghyang Shinmun received tips on cases of abuse in the military through social network service accounts and e-mail.

A Number of Heroes and Heroines Reveal the “Truth” of May 18

A Taxi Driver, a film depicting the May 18 Democratic Uprising, continues to enjoy its popular success at the box office. The film tells the true story of Jurgen Hinzpeter, a German journalist who went to Gwangju in May 1980 and recorded the truth, and the taxi driver who took him there. Hinzpeter’s film, which captured the devastating spectacle of May 18, was possible because of the help of a Korean taxi driver, who remains unidentified.

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

Doosan Heavy Looks to Find Future Growth Engine in Wind Power

Doosan Heavy Industries is looking to find a future growth engine in offshore wind power generation. This is in response to the government's policy stance against nuclear power and coal-based thermal power generation that would cause the company to lose sales. Beginning next year, Doosan is set to move overseas to win orders. The company is Korea's largest wind power generator maker that designs and manufactures critical parts such as blades, nacelles, and hubs and then assembles them into complete sets. As major producers such as Hyundai Electric, Samsung Heavy Industries, and Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering folded their business, Doosan has become the only maker with years of experience in land-based and offshore wind power turbines.

Domestic Banks Post 1H Net Profit of More Than 8 Tril. Won

Korean banks posted a first-half net profit of more than 8 trillion won. Comparing to the 3-trillion-won level net profit in the same period last year, this is an increase by more than 5 trillion won. The turnaround in state-run banks such as Korea Development Bank and Korea EximBank following the closure of restructuring measures on the shipbuilding and shipping industries was an important factor in the improved financial results.

"I Can't Let This Country Experience War Again"...Prez. Moon

President Moon Jae-in said on August 7, "I can't let this country experience again the atrocity of war in the Korean Peninsula." The President talked with U.S. President Donald Trump for 56 minutes and said afterward, "The North Korean nuclear issue must be resolved peacefully and through diplomatic means by close cooperation between South Korea and the United States." His remarks were intended to quiet down the rumor of a major crisis in the peninsula in August this year following the July 28 test-firing of an intercontinental ballistic missile by the North and a possible response by the United States in the form of a punitive strike.

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

S. Korean scientists find and nurture 'good' mosquitos to fight Zika virus

South Korean scientists have discovered an effective way to reduce the population of mosquitos carrying bad things like the Zika virus by using "mosquito eaters" which are indigenous to the Korean Peninsula. It's not clear if there is a similar research in other countries. It was the result of joint research by scientists from the state-funded Korea Environmental Industry Technology Institute (KEITI) and Korea University who have farmed Gwang-leung-wang-mo-gi (Toxorhynchites christophi), an indigenous breed known as "elephant" mosquitos, in a light-controlled nurturing facility.

President Moon urges improvement of human rights at military barracks

President Moon Jae-in called for the improvement of human rights at South Korean military camps saying an alleged abuse of authority by a four-star field army commander and his wife at their official residence has caused a public shock. The president's request came a day after military prosecutors questioned Park Chan-ju, chief of the 2nd Operations Command, over allegations that he and his wife had abused authority to treat house-keeping soldiers like slaves.

N. Korea threatens to stage missile attack around Guam

North Korea ratcheted up its rhetoric with fresh threats to stage a missile attack on Guam, a US strategic air base in the Western Pacific, and turn Seoul into a sea of fire, after President Donald Trump said the North would be met with "fire and fury". Pyongyang's sabre-rattling was directed simultaneously at Seoul and Guam. In its first statement, the North's military warned it was ready to stage a preemptive strike on US bases in the Pacific as well as key targets in South Korea if Washington launches a "preventive war".

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

Samsung Elec unveils world’s largest capacity V-NAND chip and new SSD

The world’s largest memory chip maker Samsung Electronics Co. unveiled its new Vertical NAND (V-NAND) flash memory with the world’s biggest storage capacity of 1-Terabit (Tb) along with next-generation solid state drive (SSD) solutions. At the Flash Memory Summit 2017 held at the Santa Clara (CA) Convention Center on Tuesday (local time), Samsung Electronics presented its new 1-Tb V-NAND chip.

V-NAND is the flash memory technology used in data storage devices including mobile phones and digital cameras. The V-NAND in a stacked structure can provide higher single-die density than those with 2-dimensional (2D) cell-arrays, and its demand is growing rapidly along with rising applications of artificial intelligence and Internet of Things (IoT).

Samsung Display unveils 65-inch, next-generation curved display in LCD

South Korea’s Samsung Display Co. on Tuesday unveiled next-generation curved panels in liquid crystal display (LCD), pushing the rigid display technology to a new level as it has been quickly losing appeal against flexible OLED. The company presented 65-inch S-Curved LCD and 65-inch Curved Glass Light Guide Plate (LGP) at the 2nd Curved Forum held at the Yanqi Lake International Convention Center in Beijing, China.

Posco Q3 earnings to be high and end ’17 at six-yr best

South Korea’s largest steelmaker Posco has become a strong buy as capacity streamlining in China and a pickup in global economy prop up its earnings and business outlook. Analysts are now betting the steelmaker to end the year at its six-year best with its full-year profit nearing 5 trillion won ($4.4 billion). Shinhan Investment Corp. revised up the forecast for Posco’s consolidated profit for this year to 4.78 trillion won, up 68.1 percent from last year’s 2.84 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.cnkf@people.cn

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

GwangmyeongDailywww.gmw.cn webmaster@gmw.cn