The Korean daily media headlines and humor

The Korean daily media headlines and humor

Tuesday, August 29, 2017

Your Excellency:

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The 123-story Lotte World Tower in Gangnam where the ambassadors

and madams are invited to visit on Sunday Sept. 24 this year.

To make reservation Chairman Lee of The Korea Post at 010-5201-1740.

Excellencies, Madams, don’t pass up this tour to see

Seoul from the 123-story Lotte Observation Tower

on Sunday Sept. 24 this year

Ambassadors and spouses are invited to attend the spectacular final-day ceremony of the 2017 Hanseong

Baekje Culture Festival in Seoul on Sunday Sept. 24 this year by Mayor Madam Park Choon-hee of the Songpa-gu

Ward of Seoul. Thrown into the tour is an even more interesting event, a tour of the Sky Observation Room

on the 118th floor of the 123-story Lotte World Tower, a 555-meter high skyscraper which was opened to the public on April 3, 2017. Currently, the Lotte World Tower is the tallest building among all the OECD countries as well as in Korea and the fifth tallest in the entire world.

To join the Tour, please call Chairman Lee of The Korea Post at 010-5201-1740 or Reporter Kim at 010-9205-0200 or Ms. Sua Kim at 010-7584-5873.

The Seoul Sky Observation Room has the highest glass-floor observation deck.

The ambassadors and spouses are personally invited by Mayor Madam Park Choon-hee of the Songpa Ward of the Seoul City, who takes strong interest in the promotion of international relations, in particular with the ambassadors and their spouses in Seoul.

As a festival that reproduces the history and culture of the Hanseong period (18B.C.-A.D. 475) of Baekje Kingdom, which was founded 2,000 years ago, the Hanseong Baekje Cultural Festival has been held annually since 1994 in Songpa-gu, the capital city of early Baekje Kingdom. The global festival has been named the representative ‘culture and tourism festival’ for the fourth consecutive year by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

A King of the Baekje Dynasty wearing a crown walks leading a parade at the 2016 Hanseong Baekje Cultural Festival.

Traditional parade of the 2016 Hanseong Baekje Culture Festival.

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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/)

N. Korea Fires Ballistic Missile over Japan

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff(JCS) says North Korea has fired a ballistic missile across Japan into the sea. The missile flew about two-thousand-700 kilometers after it was fired from a location near the North Korean capital of Pyongyang at around 5:57 a.m. Tuesday. The Japanese government said that the projectile flew over Hokkaido before landing in the sea off the east coast of Japan's northernmost main island. The South Korean JCS said that the missile reached an altitude of about 550 kilometers. It is working on identifying the missile with U.S. military authorities.

Moon Congratulates Ex-Rival Ahn on Party Election Victory

President Moon Jae-in has congratulated his former presidential rival Ahn Cheol-soo for reclaiming the top position in the minor opposition People’s Party. Moon phoned Ahn following his election win on Sunday, and expressed hope that he will display a type of leadership that measures up to the new era of politics they are in. The president also asked him to help smooth cooperation among the ruling and opposition parties and the government, and extended an invitation to the presidential office at a later date.

Rival Camps Agree to Pass Noncontentious Bills

The nation’s four main parties have agreed to swiftly handle 62 bills that include common pledges as well as noncontentious bills. The floor leaders of the ruling Democratic Party(DP), main opposition Liberty Korea Party(LKP) and minor People’s Party and Bareun Party reached the agreement during a meeting at the National Assembly on Monday chaired by Speaker Chung Sye-kyun. The DP's floor spokesman Kang Hoon-sik said the parties also agreed to launch operations of a subcommittee on improving confirmation hearings which will be set up in the National Assembly’s House Steering Committee. The parties, however, failed to iron out differences over a motion seeking parliamentary approval of the appointment of Constitutional Court Chief Justice nominee Kim Yi-su.

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

N. Korea fires ballistic missile over Japan: S. Korean military

With new coach, S. Korea face Iran in crucial World Cup qualifier

With a new boss at the helm, South Korea will face Iran in a crucial match this week that may determine their World Cup fate. The men's national football team, now led by head coach Shin Tae-yong, will host Iran at Seoul World Cup Stadium in Seoul at 9 p.m. Thursday for their ninth match in the final Asian qualifying round for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Both teams are in Group A, where they are also paired with Uzbekistan, Syria, Qatar and China. In Asia, the top two teams from Group A and B will directly advance to the World Cup in Russia, while two third-placed teams need to go through playoff rounds to clinch a spot at the top FIFA competition.

Lotte's 4 units set to hold shareholder meeting over holding firm

Four affiliates of South Korea's retail giant Lotte are set to hold their shareholder meetings Tuesday to vote on setting up a holding firm through a division and merger of the units, a move widely expected to strengthen its chairman's control over the business group. The country's fifth-largest conglomerate has pushed to split each of the four listed firms -- Lotte Shopping Co., Lotte Chilsung Beverage Co., Lotte Confectionery Co. and Lotte Food Co. -- into investment and business entities. After the split, the investment entities will be merged into one holding company in what many analysts say will tighten Lotte Chairman Shin Dong-bin's grip over the conglomerate, which has sprawling businesses in South Korea and Japan.

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

N. Korea fires projectile over Japan in aggressive test

North Korea fired an unidentified projectile from its capital Pyongyang that flew over Japan before plunging into the northern Pacific Ocean, officials said Tuesday, an especially aggressive test-flight that will rattle an already anxious region. Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff on Tuesday said the missile traveled around 2,700 kilometers (1677 miles) and reached a maximum height of 550 kilometers (341 miles) as it flew over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido. The JCS said it is analyzing the launch with the United States and also that South Korea's military has strengthened its monitoring and preparation in case of further actions from North Korea. Japanese officials said there was no damage to ships or anything else reported. Japan's NHK TV said the missile separated into three parts.

Talks possible if no NK provocations until October

Despite unabated tensions, denuclearization talks with North Korea would be possible if Pyongyang refrains from additional provocations until its major holidays in October, South Korea’s Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha said Monday. After tensions hit a fresh high with the North’s second launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile early this month, recent signs of de-escalation from both Pyongyang and Washington are nurturing expectations for a “window of new opportunity,” she said.

Antibiotics found in 64% of dog meat sold at markets

Dog meat is touted as a stamina-boosting dish by some in South Korea, but the first nationwide food safety inspection of the meat has revealed that it is not safe and clean: 64 percent of the dog meat being sold at markets was found to contain some kind of antibiotics, while most have potentially harmful bacteria and viruses. According to Konkuk University’s Institute for the 3Rs and the Korean Animal Welfare Association on Monday, which inspected dog meat from 93 vendors at 25 traditional markets, more than one type of antibiotics were detected in meat from 60 shops. This is up to 490 times higher than the levels seen in other livestock products that are sold at regular grocery stores.

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

N. Korea fires ballistic missile over Japan

North Korea fired a long-range ballistic missile eastward over Japan, at around 5:57 a.m., Tuesday, which flew more than 2,700 kilometers at a maximum altitude of around 550 kilometers, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said. The missile, fired from a point near Sunan in Pyongyang, flew through the sky over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido before falling into the North Pacific Ocean. Cheong Wa Dae said it immediately convened a National Security Council (NSC) session to discuss the latest "grave" provocation. Chung Eui-yong, head of the National Security Office and top security adviser to President Moon Jae-in, presided over the session.

North Korea's next step

North Korea appears to be putting the finishing touches on its next nuclear test, South Korea's spy agency said. "With regards to the Nos. 2 and 3 shafts at North Korea's Punggye-ri nuclear site, (activity indicates) preparations have been completed for a nuclear test," Rep. Kim Byung-ki of the ruling Minjoo Party of Korea said on Monday after attending a closed-door parliamentary briefing by Seoul's National Intelligence Service (NIS). The lawmaker said the national intelligence service was preparing for the possibility of North Korea's continued provocation within the period of joint Ulchi Freedom Guardian exercises, especially around Sept. 9, the Day of the Foundation of North Korean. The joint drills will continue through Thursday.

Samsung's management calls for unity to overcome 'unprecedented challenge'

Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Kwon Oh-hyun said Monday that management will take all steps to overcome the current crisis and called for employees to muster unity against upcoming challenges.

In a rare intranet message to all Samsung Electronics employees Monday, Kwon said, "The business environment that the company faces is so competitive that we cannot remain shocked and embarrassed for long," he said. His message came after Samsung heir Lee Jae-yong was sentenced to five years in prison for bribery and other charges. "We all need to join our strengths and wisdom to emerge from this unprecedented challenge," Kwon said. Kwon, the interim leader of Korea's largest company by any measure, also revealed his hope that the guilty verdict at the trial may be changed through an appellate hearing.

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

S. Korea revises assessment on the North’s projectiles in 2 days

South Korea’s military authorities announced Monday that the projectiles that Pyongyang fired into the Ease Sea on Saturday are likely to be short-range ballistic missiles. The revision of assessment came merely two days after the presidential office presumed the missiles were from an advanced 300mm multiple launch rocket system. Critics raise the concern that the rash judgment of the presidential office on the substance and meaning of North Korea’s provocation has caused such confusion.

Park Sung-hyun wins LPGA Canada Pacific Open

South Korean female golfer Park Sung-hyun held up her victory trophy for the first time. She also wrote a new playbook of Korean players' first five successive wins at LPGA Tour. At the Canada Pacific Women's Open in Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club in Canada on Sunday local time, she started the final round at joint 12th lagging behind four hits, but swept seven under pars for a total of 13 under pars, beating second-running Lee Mi-rim by two strokes. Thanks to Park's win, Korean players marked five straight wins following Marathon Classics (Kim In-kyung), Ladies Scottish Open (Lee Mi-hyang) and British Women's Open (Kim In-kyung). Previously, Koreans made four straight wins four times including this year and in 2015.

AI treatment of acute renal damage patients boosts recovery rate by 70 %

Clinical treatment involving artificial intelligence was adopted for the patients of acute renal impairment for the first time in Korea, suggesting that the recovery possibility has improved by 70 percent. This marks the first time to try such a treatment procedure where AI computers assess the renal function of patients and inform the medial staff, thereby assessing the effect of treatment. In June 2014, a medical research team from the Department of Kidney Internal Medicine at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, led by Prof. Kim Se-jung and Jin Ho-jun, developed an artificial intelligence monitoring system for acute renal impairment patients along with the hospital’s medical information unit. On last Monday, the two professors and their team analyzed major indicators of acute renal impairment of both pre-treatment (1,884) and post-treatment patients (1,309), the introduction of the AI system increased the rate of expedited treatment by 6.13 times.

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

Ratings Firms Warn of Leadership Vacuum at Samsung

Global ratings firms were in a flap on Friday after Samsung chief Lee Jae-yong was sentenced to five years in jail, with conspiracy theories flying around Korea that foreigners are trying to talk down the country's most valuable shares. Standard & Poor's said Friday it is maintaining Samsung Electronics' AA- rating, while Fitch kept its A+ rating, but both kept their outlook at stable rather than reflecting the unprecedented boom in semiconductor sales. And both S&P and Fitch had a pessimistic long-term outlook. "Chances are the company may fail to clinch possible mega deals if Lee has to serve a longer-than-expected prison term in the upcoming Supreme Court's final verdict, as it is likely to delay the firm's key strategic decisions," S&P said. Fitch said, "If the vacuum persists for a longer period of time, this will put the firm's business agility at risk particularly in its technology and capital-intensive businesses -- such as semiconductors."

2nd Terminal at Incheon Airport Threatens Logistical Nightmare

Concerns are rising that the opening of the second terminal at Incheon International Airport next January will sow confusion among passengers. Instead of dividing the terminals into rational categories, the plans will put passengers on Korean Air, Delta, Air France and KLM through the second terminal, while fliers on other carriers will keep using the first. Incheon handles more than 5 million passengers a week.

One airline staffer said, "This is the first time in Korea that a single airport will operate multiple terminals, so there's a chance that lots of passengers will go to the wrong terminal." The distance between the two terminals is more than 15 km, and travel from one to the other will take about half an hour by shuttle bus, which could mean that any passengers who arrive at the wrong one could miss their flights.

Gov't to Test All Sanitary Pads

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety on Friday said it will after all inspect all sanitary pad brands as criticism of the slow government response to a contamination scare grew. The ministry will check all 896 sanitary pads made or imported by 56 companies over the past three years, focusing on 10 dangerous volatile organic compounds including benzene. It hopes to be done by the end of September. The ministry will also examine diapers for similar harmful substances.

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

Testing reveals high levels of antibiotics in dog meat

The owners of several dog farms that I met while researching this story over the past few months had a bone to pick with the media. There are a lot of clean farms with good facilities, they complained, but the media always visits ones that are dirty and poorly run. These owners believe that the media is out to make dog farming look criminal. But whether dog farms are clean or dirty, they all share a few traits: raised cages, cramped conditions, food waste and antibiotics.

Samsung Group chain of command likely to persist despite Vice Chairman’s imprisonment

Samsung Electronics, C & T, and Samsung Life to play key roles in managing the conglomerate with Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong having received a five year sentence in his recent trial, there is a great deal of interest regarding who will lead Samsung Group – which brings in nearly 300 trillion won (about US $270 billion) in annual sales – in his stead. The previous leadership triumvirate, comprised of the (Vice) Chairman, the Future Strategy Office (FSO), and a meeting of group affiliate presidents, have all been either jailed or dissolved following the Choi Soon-sil scandal. On Aug. 27, a senior Samsung staff member said that, "It's untrue that Samsung entered into an emergency management system...as we’ve said in the February reform plan, Samsung affiliates are following an independent management system, centered around their respective board of directors."

KAIST Business Professor says it’s time for Chaebol firms to start “dividing up management rights”

Jang Sae-jin also doubts that Samsung Group will be seriously harmed by Vice Chairman’s imprisonment "The media seems concerned with [Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong's] managerial absence, but similar cases have been occurring for decades. I don't think it's that damaging to [Samsung] in general." According to Professor Jang Sae-jin of the graduate school at KAIST College of Business, people shouldn't worry too much about the negative effects of Vice Chairman Lee's absence on Samsung's operations. He says that lessons from history dictate that someone will adopt the role of the Samsung Group's recently dissolved Future Strategy Office, and that the group’s professional management is lining up to help Samsung stay competitive with other firms.

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

North fires missile over Japan

North Korea fired another ballistic missile at around 5:57 a.m. from Sunan in Pyongyang, the capital, that flew 2,700 kilometers (1,678 miles) over Japan before landing in the Pacific. The North’s latest missile launch prompted Japanese authorities to issue an evacuation alert to its citizens in the northeastern region as the missile apparently flew over Japanese airspace before landing in the Pacific to the east of Hokkaido. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missile reached an altitude of 550 kilometers and flew 2,700 kilometers, an indication that the North put the missile on a normal firing angle, in a departure from past instances where it put a missile on a horizontal angle to reduce the flying distance. The Blue House has convened a National Security Council meeting at 7 a.m. presided over by NSC Chairman Chung Eui-yong.

Washington is still open to dialogue

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Sunday that Washington is open to dialogue with North Korea despite its short-range missile test on Saturday. “We’re going to continue our peaceful pressure campaign, as I have described it,” Tillerson said in an interview with “Fox News Sunday,” “working with allies, working with China as well, to see if we can bring the regime in Pyongyang to the negotiating table with a view to begin a dialogue on a different future for the Korean Peninsula and for North Korea.” Through its initial assessment, the U.S. Pacific Command determined that the North’s short-range ballistic missiles on Saturday did not pose a threat to Guam, which Pyongyang threatened to strike earlier in the month.

Document trove from Park found in Blue House

A massive number of digital documents created during the presidency of Park Geun-hye, including information on her alleged abuse of power, were discovered earlier this month, the Blue House said Monday.

“A total of 9,308 electronic documents including 292 records of cabinet meetings, 221 records of senior secretariat meetings hosted by the president and 202 records on senior secretariat meetings hosted by the chief of staff” were found, presidential spokesman Park Soo-hyun said. The documents were created electronically between 2013 and January 2015, according to Park. They were discovered on Aug. 10, 2017, in a shared folder on the intranet used by the second presidential secretary’s office in the Park Geun-hye Blue House, he said. Park, who took office in February 2013, was impeached in December 2016.

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

Samsung Provides a 480,000-Won Discount When Galaxy Note 7 Buyers in U.S. Purchase Galaxy Note 8. The Truth?

On August 24, it was confirmed that the soon to be released Galaxy Note 8 would be sold at a discount to users of Galaxy Note 7 in the U.S. In South Korea, Samsung Electronics is expected to carry out the Galaxy Upgrade Program, which the company had launched last October. Since August 23, the foreign press including Fortune reported that Samsung had announced that owners of Galaxy Note 7 could receive up to $425 in discounts when purchasing Galaxy Note 8 at the unpacking of Galaxy Note 8. People who purchased Galaxy Note 7 and returned the smartphone due to the recall can get up to $425 (approximately 480,000 won) in discounts for Galaxy Note 8 in condition that they return the device they are currently using.

"Highly Regard Our Relationship" South Korea and China Exchange Customary Messages

On August 24, the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between South Korea and China, President Moon Jae-in and Chinese President Xi Jinping exchanged congratulatory messages. The two state leaders said that they highly regarded the bilateral relationship. However, a look at the message and the way it was announced confirmed that the relationship between the two countries is at its ever low since the two states first established diplomatic ties. In the message that President Moon Jae-in sent to President Xi this day, Moon mentioned how the two countries' relationship had made a significant development in all areas during the past 25 years since ties were established in 1992. The president said, "This is the result of a mature relationship based on mutual understanding and trust, which in turn was possible through close communication, exchange and cooperation by the two governments and the people."

Who First Ordered Soldiers to Open Fire and Who Was Behind the Helicopter Shooting? Will the Truth Be Revealed After 37 Years

On August 23, President Moon Jae-in ordered a special investigation into the machine gun shots fired from a helicopter at Jeonil Building in Gwangju and into alleged orders for fighter jets to stand by at the time of the May 18 Democratic Uprising. Although a special bill on an investigation of the May 18 uprising is pending at the National Assembly, the president's orders show his intention to get to the bottom of the May 18 uprising at the government level instead of waiting for the lawmakers to pass the bill. The ruling Minjoo Party of Korea also announced this day that the party would establish a special committee on this issue. Thus, the ruling party and the government are expected to make all possible efforts to uncover the truth of the May incident.

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

Gov't to Create 200,000 Jobs in Healthcare Sector by 2022

The government will create 200,000 new jobs in the healthcare sector by 2022. Vice-Minister of Health Kwon Deok-cheol said on August 25 in a healthcare industry jobs discussion sponsored by the Korea Health Industry Development Institute and the Korea Economic Daily that the government plans to create 168,000 public sector jobs and 32,000 private sector jobs within five years from now. As for the public sector, he explained, the government will expand jobs in nursing and elderly care, as well as through enlarging health security to all. When it comes to the private sector, job creation will be made through the development of industries such as phamaceutical, bio-drug, medical equipment, and cosmetics. The government will create 200,000 new jobs in the healthcare sector by 2022. Vice-Minister of Health Kwon Deok-cheol said on August 25 in a healthcare industry jobs discussion sponsored by the Korea Health Industry Development Institute and the Korea Economic Daily that the government plans to create 168,000 public sector jobs and 32,000 private sector jobs within five years from now.

This Year's Tourism Balance of Payments to hit $15 Bil.

This year's tourism balance of payments is estimated to surpass US$15 billion. This is up more than 40 percent of $10.8 billion recorded in 2007 in the wake of the global financial crisis. According to the Bank of Korea, the tourism balance of payments in the month of June this year was a deficit of $1.39 billion. The cumulative deficit for the first six months of the year has been $7.74 billion, the second all-time highest after the second half of 2007. Last year, the tourism spending by Korean nationals was a record high of $23.1 billion won, up 7.4 percent from the previous year's $21.5 billion.

Hyundai Motor Set to Develop Pickup Truck Model Aiming at U.S. Market

Hyundai Motor is currently in the works to develop a pickup truck model for the U.S. market. Michael O'Brien, vice president in charge of product planning for Hyundai Motor America, said on August 22 in a press conference, "The top management approved a project to develop a pickup truck model." Pickup trucks are highly popular in the United States. There is only one pickup truck model available in Korea, which is Ssangyong Motor's Korando Sports. Hyundai Motor unveiled a pickup truck concept model "Santa Cruz" back in January 2015 in the Detroit Motor Show. The model sports a 2.0-liter turbo engine and 190 horsepower. The model currently under development is also based on the Santa Cruz frame.

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

Jealous S. Koreans file petition urging Blue House to sell President Moon's watch

President Moon Jae-in's soaring popularity was reflected in a recent Blue House petition. Hundreds of people are urging the government to sell president's wrist watches which were originally designed to be presidential gifts. "Feelings of loss and despair are swept through South Korean citizens as public figures show off their wrist watches presented by the president," said an anonymous Facebook user through the witty petition. "Some people find hard to concentrate on their everyday lives because of the feelings." Since president Moon took office in May, many public figures including journalists and celebrities have uploaded photographs of the watches, making some people jealous.

N. Korea fires ballistic missile over Japan: S. Korean military

North Korea lobbed a ballistic missile over Japan on Tuesday in a strategic provocation sharply escalating tensions in Northeast Asia. The missile was fired eastward from the vicinity of Sunan in Pyongyang at around 5:57 a.m., according to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). "It passed through the sky over Japan" and fell into the North Pacific Ocean, the JCS said. It added the missile flew more than 2,700 kilometers at a maximum altitude of around 550 km. It's quite unusual for the secretive nation to fire a ballistic missile from its capital, another sign that it's diversifying launch areas to dodge external surveillance and a possible pre-emptive strike.

Moon to meet chairman of U.S. House committee on foreign relations

President Moon Jae-in was set to meet with the chairman of the U.S. House foreign relations committee Monday, officials from the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said, for discussions on various issues that will likely include North Korea's missile provocations and nuclear ambitions. Ed Royce (R-CA) will be accompanied by four other U.S. representatives in his meeting with the South Korean leader that will be held at Cheong Wa Dae starting at 11 a.m.

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

Korean minister indicates govt can interfere if sale of Kumho Tire hurt competitiveness

South Korea’s industry minister indicated on Monday that the government could interfere with the potential sale of Kumho Tire to smaller Chinese rival Doublestar Tyre if it deems risks in leak in technology and dent in the country’s industrial competitiveness should the country’s second largest tire maker fall under a Chinese company. “It is entirely up to creditors (on what they do with their controlling stake,” Paik Un-gyu, minister of trade, industry and energy, told lawmakers on Monday during a parliamentary questioning. But the sale is not a simple business deal as it should also consider the repercussions on the regional economy, national competiveness and the defense industry, he said.

Samsung Elec’s interim chief boosts employee morale after verdict

Samsung Electronics Co. Vice Chairman Kwon Oh-hyun reiterated that the country’s top conglomerate will appeal to the first-trial outcome on the group’s de facto head Jay Y. Lee that could lead to lengthy absence of the top commander from the founding family if confirmed and pleaded for “unwavering” support from employees to combat their “unprecedented” challenge. On Friday, Lee and four other Samsung Group senior executives were found guilty of bribing former President Park Geun-hye in return for her influence over state agencies to back the group’s plans to help the hereditary succession of the younger Lee through financial assistances to the daughter and a fund in relation to Park’s clandestine friend Choi Soon-sil.

Helen Doron to expand presence in Korea’s English edu market

Helen Doron Educational Group, an international English education franchise that is a leading player in the European market, is poised to make further inroads into the South Korean market by tapping into the country’s unfazed demand for learning English. Helen Doron is a British linguist and educator known for developing her own method of teaching English, dubbed the Helen Doron method, which mimics the natural process of learning a mother tongue. What started as a small language class in northern Israel has now grown into a global franchise with 1,000 learning centers in over 35 countries, including Korea, China and Thailand.

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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 Times www.nytimes.com inytletters@nytimes.com

Wall Street Journal www.wsj.com support@wsj.com,service@wsj-asia.com

Financial Times www.ft.com ean@ft.com

The Times www.thetimes.co.uk help@timesplus.co.uk

The Sun www.thesun.co.uk talkback@the-sun.co.uk

Chinese People's Daily www.people.com.cnkf@people.cn

China Daily www.chinadaily.com.cn circulation@chinadaily.com.cn

GwangmyeongDaily www.gmw.cn webmaster@gmw.cn