The Korean daily media headlines and humor

The Korean daily media headlines and humor

Monday, September 4, 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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Time is running out and the Namyangju Food Festival is Fri. Sept 22!

Excellency (and Madam):

As the Korean proverb says, “Time really flies!”

The much coveted Namyangju World Festival is less than THREE WEEKS away! on Friday September 22^nd!

Mayor Lee Seok-woo of the Namyangju City, concurrently chairman of the Organizing Committee of the famed 2017 Namyangju Slow Life International Food Festival, cordially invites Your Excellency and Madam to the Opening Ceremony of the Festival on Friday Sept. 22, 2017. The tour is organized for the Ambassadors and Madams by The Korea Post media at the invitation of the Organizing Committee of the Festival. And is fully covered by the five media outlets of The Korea Post—as follows:

www.koreapost.co.kr

www.koreapost.com

http://www.koreapost.co.kr/pdf/list.php

http://www.koreapost.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=4637

http://www.koreapost.com/cover/coverList.html

So, why hide the fact how hard Your Excellency (and Madam) is working for the promotion of understanding, friendship and cooperation between your country and Korea, the Korean people in particular?

Please call 010-7584-5873 for English-speaking Ms. Sua Kim for further details.

Please scroll down to the bottom for full details of INVITATION AND ITINERARY!

Very Respectfully Yours

/s/

Lee Kyung-sik

Publisher Chairman

The 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/)

S. Korea Holds Ballistic Missile Drill in Response to N. Korea's Nuke Test

The South Korean military on Monday conducted a combined live-fire exercise in response to North Korea's sixth nuclear test a day earlier. The Joint Chiefs of Staff(JCS) said that the Army and the Air Force conducted a joint missile exercise early on Monday to send a strong warning against the North’s nuclear test. The training involved the country's Hyunmoo 2A surface-to-surface ballistic missile and F-15K fighter jets. The JCS said that the Hyunmoo missile and the F-15K's long-range air-to-ground missile accurately hit designated targets in the East Sea.

Moon Orders Maximum Punishment Against North

Moon made the remark in a National Security Council(NSC) meeting on Sunday shortly after the North’s sixth nuclear test, according to National Security Office chief Chung Eui-yong in a news briefing. Moon also told the NSC to consider all diplomatic measures including UN Security Council resolutions for the North to abandon its nuclear and missile plans in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner. Moon ordered readiness against additional provocations and plans to come up with active measures based on the South Korea-U.S. alliance. The president said he won’t allow the advancement of the North’s nuclear and missile development. He added that the government must protect the people and maintain national security without waver.

S. Korea Vows to Seek Denuclearization Through Peaceful Ways

South Korea has reaffirmed that it will continue to seek the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula through peaceful ways in cooperation with its allies. The presidential office said in a statement on Monday that Korea experienced a tragedy of a fratricidal war in the past and another war on the Korean Peninsula is unacceptable. The presidential office said that Seoul and Washington remain firm in their position that they put maximum pressure and sanctions on North Korea along with the international community.

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

S. Koreans' LPGA winning streak ends at 5

Chun In-gee finished runner-up to Stacy Lewis by one stroke at the Cambia Portland Classic in Portland, Oregon, on Sunday (local time). Chun's bogey-free round of six-under 66 at the par-72 Columbia Edgewater Country Club took her to 19-under 269 but wasn't enough to overtake Lewis, who, playing in the same group with Chun, held on with a 69 in the final round. A South Korean player had won each of the past five LPGA tournaments, dating back to Park Sung-hyun's victory at the U.S. Women's Open on July 16. Chun, world No. 6, started the day four strokes behind Lewis in third place at 13-under but cut the deficit to a single stroke after draining a long birdie putt at the 16th.

N. Korea claims successful test of H-bomb mountable on ICBM

North Korea said Sunday that it has successfully conducted a test of a hydrogen bomb that can fit on its intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in its sixth and most powerful nuclear detonation yet.

In an "important" announcement carried by its state television, Pyongyang said the test was conducted at 12:00 p.m. (Pyongyang Time) under the direction of leader Kim Jong-un. It called the test a "perfect" success. The announcement came hours after an artificial earthquake with a 5.7 magnitude was detected near North Korea's nuclear site in the northeastern area, according to Seoul's meteorological service.

"The H-bomb test was carried out to examine and confirm the accuracy and credibility of the power control technology, and internal structural design newly introduced into manufacturing the H-bomb to be placed as the payload of the ICBM," the North's official Korean Central News Agency said.

Number of temps at public agencies increase in Q2

The number of nonregular workers at South Korea's public institutions rose in the second quarter from three months ago despite the government's push to cut them, with over half of them posting gains, government data showed Monday. According to the government portal All Public Information in One (ALIO), temporary employees at 355 public organizations stood at 39,681 as of the end of June, up 1,765 from the first quarter. Of the total, 180 institutions, or 50.7, hired more nonregulars during the three-month period, with their combined number of increased temps reaching 2,508. In contrast, 108 public agencies reported a combined decline of 743 nonregular workers, with the remaining 67 institutions registering no changes.

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

S. Korea holds ballistic missile drill against N. Korea

South Korea's military said Monday it conducted a combined live-fire exercise in response to North Korea's sixth nuclear test a day earlier. The training involved the country's Hyunmoo ballistic missile and F-15K fighter jets. In the drill, the Hyunmoo-2A surface-to-surface missile and the F-15K's SLAM-ER long-range air-to-ground missile accurately hit designated targets in the East Sea, according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

6th test brings North Korea closer to becoming full-fledged nuke state

With Sunday’s nuclear test, North Korea is seen drawing increasingly closer to becoming a full-fledged nuclear weapons state, which would further unsettle Northeast Asia’s geopolitical landscape and may escalate risks of a military standoff. State media said the test was designed to chiefly examine the technology to adjust the explosive power of a hydrogen bomb to be mounted on an intercontinental ballistic missile. As a result, it proved the high reliability of the device’s mutually reinforcing fission-fusion reactions.

Economy beleaguered by nuke test, US trade tension

South Korea’s economy faced serious threats on two fronts Sunday, following North Korea’s strongest-ever nuclear test, as well as increased indications from the United States that their bilateral free trade deal was under threat. Such challenges, combined with the Korea-China tension over the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense and the prolonged slow growth trend, is likely to further weigh down on Asia’s fourth-largest economy. Deputy Prime Minister for economic affairs and Finance Minister Kim Dong-yeon on Sunday summoned an emergency meeting at the Seoul Government Complex in response to North Korea’s sixth nuclear test.

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

N. Korea claims successful H-bomb test for ICBM

North Korea detonated a hydrogen bomb that can be mounted on an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in its sixth nuclear test conducted Sunday, according to claims from its state media.

The (North) Korean Central News Television (KCTV) said the test of the missile-capable H-bomb was a "complete success." The announcement came after the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said it detected a 5.7-magnitude earthquake around 12:29 p.m. at North Korea's nuclear test site in Punggye-ri, Kilju-gun, North Hamgyong Province. It said the event was an artificial earthquake.

S. Korea holds ballistic missile drill against N. Korea

Food shortage forces reduction in Pyongyang population

North Korea has significantly reduced its capital's population to stave off political instability amid a protracted food shortage, Radio Free Asia (RFA) reports citing sources in the reclusive state. Pyongyang's population is estimated at 2.6 million, down from 3 million in 2010. Its regime has taken additional measures to cut it to 2 million, according to RFA. The reduction was made by forcing ex-convicts and jobless people to move outside Pyongyang, it said. "The policy was decided by the central committee of the Workers' Party of Korea and implemented by the Pyongyang city council committee," a North Korean source was quoted as saying.

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

N. Korea claims successful hydrogen bomb test

North Korea conducted the sixth nuclear test in a surprise move on Sunday local time, and it has now come very close to the finish line of nuclear weapons development. The North will likely accelerate the process to consolidate its status as a nuclear and missile power by conducting more nuclear tests or making extra provocations with intermediate- and long-range missiles targeting the U.S. Pacific island of Guam and the U.S. mainland going forward. For one, chances are high that Pyongyang will push to conduct additional nuclear tests with a boosted fission nuclear bomb (pre-step to the hydrogen bomb), and hydrogen bomb, which is dozens of times more powerful than a conventional nuclear warhead.

Trump considers withdrawal of Korea-US FTA amid N. Korea crisis

U.S. President Donald Trump said he would discuss the withdrawal from Korea-U.S. free trade agreement (FTA). His remarks to consider the withdrawal from the deal that he was discontented with is expected to shake both economic cooperation and security alliance between the two countries. President Trump hinted at withdrawal from the Korea-U.S. FTA while visiting Houston, Texas to meet with victims of Hurricane Harvey on Saturday (local time). When reporters asked if he instructed advisers to prepare to withdraw the U.S. from a free-trade agreement with South Korea as posted on the Washington Post the previous day, Trump said, “It is very much on my mind.”

C-segment Genesis G70 unveiled with dynamic design

Hyundai Motor has recently showcased its third sedan "G70" for its premium Genesis line-up. As a luxury sedan brand, Hyundai G70 is expected to heighten the status of its luxury brand. The urgency came as Hyundai Motor desperately needs to go beyond a "good for price brand" and transform itself to overcome the barriers that it faces home and abroad. The C-segment luxury sedan G70 comes in a price range between 37.5 million to 52.3 million won, which is lower than its predecessors G90 (EQ900) and G80. Major competitors include the three major German automakers popular among young consumers; Mercedes-Benz C Class, BMW 3 series and Audi A4.

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

N.Korea Claims Success in Testing H-Bomb

North Korea on Sunday said it successfully tested a hydrogen bomb that can be mounted on an intercontinental ballistic missile. The official Central Television said the test of the "two-stage thermonuclear weapon" was a "complete success." South Korean analysis of tremors said the bomb was five to six times more powerful than the atomic bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima, and U.S., Chinese and Russian assessments suggest the blast was strong enough to level Seoul. Top presidential foreign policy aide Chun Young-woo said, "It appears that the process of miniaturizing a nuclear weapon to mount on a ballistic missile has been completed."

Pyongyang Becoming Rapidly Westernized

The lifestyles of the North Korean elite in the capital Pyongyang are becoming westernized despite international sanctions, according to a researcher. Cho Jeong-ah at the Korea Institute for National Unification said in a report, "Pyongyang and cities on the border have become much more westernized since Kim Jong-un came to power." Cho added that the pace of westernization "belies the fact that North Korea is the target of tough economic sanctions by the international community."

More and More Koreans Die Alone

More and more people are dying alone as the traditional family network erodes under the pressures of modernity. The Ministry of Health and Welfare said that the number of people dying alone rose 77.8 percent from 693 in 2011 to 1,232 last year. People are classified as dying alone if nobody steps up to claim their bodies after their death and the state foots the bill for funeral and cremation. Most of these people lived alone or on the streets, and those in their 60s and 70s accounted for about half.

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

New ambassador to China takes over at rocky moment in Sino-Korean relations

The mood at the South Korean-Chinese foreign ministers’ meeting on Aug. 6 was stormy to say the least. It was the first meeting between South Korean Minister of Foreign Affairs Kang Kyung-wha and her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, and I’d heard from the Chinese side that the two had a bit of a chaojia – a dust-up. Chaojia may seem like too frank a word to ever encounter in lofty diplomatic circles, and it was quite a shock to hear it being thrown around. I’d heard something similar from the South Korean side. Reporting on the meeting, TV Chosun reported that Wang had “expressed only China’s side, only what China wanted to say, and seemed to become testy when it wasn’t accepted,” while Kang had “taken down everything Wang said and gave a point-by-point explanation, arguing that China’s claims about THAAD were getting things backwards.”

Does Lee Jae-yong conviction signal an end to the “Republic of Samsung”?

This was how the essence of the Samsung bribery case was summed up by the court in its first trial. Samsung has long reigned as a symbol of business world power in South Korea. The power ultimately became so vast as to spawn fears that it was escaping the bounds of normal social controls and compromising the very identity of the republic – the so-called “Samsung Republic” debate. In particular, that controversy was touched off by the 2005 Samsung “X-file” case, in which the company was found to have provided illegal election funds and bribes to prosecutors.

Samsung investment arm remains active despite Vice Chairman’s imprisonment

I sent a text message to a friend of mine in Silicon Valley and mentioned that I’d heard that Samsung Electronics had failed to acquire an artificial intelligence (AI) firm. My friend – an old hand in the US tech community and the founder of a startup – sent me the link to a website. The link showed a list of companies that were being invested in by Samsung Venture Investment Corporation, the venture capital wing of Samsung Electronics.

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

North conducts 6th nuclear test, crossing red line

North Korea carried out its sixth and most powerful nuclear test on Sunday, claiming to have detonated a hydrogen bomb that can be loaded onto an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said it detected a 5.7 “artificial tremor” that originated from North Korea’s Punggye-ri Nuclear Test Site in Kilju County, North Hamgyong Province, at 12:29 p.m., after which the Blue House confirmed it was a nuclear test. Neither the presidential office nor the military mentioned whether it was a hydrogen bomb.

Gov’t preps for all possibilities in FTA talks

The Korean government remained unfazed despite reports U.S. President Donald Trump is considering terminating the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement. The Korea Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy on Sunday said it is preparing for all possibilities and monitoring the situation closely. The ministry said the government will maintain its earlier position of engaging the FTA situation with confidence and the national interest in mind. Trump, who was visiting Houston on Saturday following the devastation caused by Hurricane Harvey, answered “I am” when asked if he was discussing with his advisors on the termination of the bilateral free trade pact with Korea as reported by the Washington Post earlier.

Auction houses now offer designer goods

A 34-year-old office worker surnamed Yoo recently bought a secondhand wallet from Italian luxury brand Bottega Veneta. She didn’t buy it from an unauthorized website or a shady secondhand shop, but instead purchased it at the kind of luxury auction house that most people associate with expensive artwork. The wallet cost more than 1 million won ($890) at department stores, but Yoo was able get her hands on it at only 310,000 won minus the commission. “Although it is a secondhand product, there is hardly a scratch on it. I am very satisfied with it,” Yoo said.

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

Ruling Party Calls for an Investigation into MB, the “Body” of the Intelligence Service's Intervention in State Affairs

On August 31, members of the ruling party claimed that a prosecutor's investigation of former President Lee Myung-bak (MB, image) was inevitable. Such arguments were triggered after Won Sei-hoon (66), former director of the National Intelligence Service (NIS) was arrested again on charges of violating the Public Official Election Act and the National Intelligence Service Act the previous day. A number of circumstances suggested that "Lee Myung-bak's Cheong Wa Dae" was involved at the time of the intervention in state affairs by "Won Sei-hoon's NIS," including the illegal involvement in the presidential election, and so the ruling party members argued that an investigation of the former president was unavoidable.

Court Rules That Regular Bonuses Are a Part of Ordinary Wages

The court recognized the regular bonuses and lunch expenses for Kia Motors workers as ordinary wages and ruled that the company should pay the workers 422 billion won, three-years’ worth of various benefits. The company argued that the labor union's demand would put a serious burden on the management of the company, violating the principle of good faith, but the court dismissed their argument.

On August 31, Civil Department 41 of the Seoul Central District Court (Chief Judge Gwon Hyeok-jung) partially ruled in favor of the plaintiff in a lawsuit filed against the company by 27,437 workers in the Kia Motors union requesting their wages. The court, however, excluded the daily expenses from the ordinary wages and also denied the union’s request for double benefits when workers had to work overtime on holidays. Thus the court ordered the company to cough up 422 billion won (38.6%) of the 1.9 trillion won requested by the union.

“North Korea‘s Reckless Act Against Neighboring Countries···Exert Maximum Pressure on North Korea”

On August 30, President Moon Jae-in announced that he would join efforts by the U.S. and Japan to seek further UN Security Council sanctions on North Korea for Pyongyang’s test launch of a mid-range ballistic missile. This morning, President Moon spoke with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe over the phone and defined the North‘s missile launch of the previous day as “a reckless act against neighboring countries” and said, “We deeply sympathize with the fear and threat felt by the Japanese people and we extend our words of comfort,” according to Cheong Wa Dae spokesperson Park Soo-hyun.

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

SK E&C Wins $210 Mil. Petrochem Plant Project in Thailand by Outbidding Japanese Consortium

SK Engineering & Construction has won a large-scale petrochemical plant project in Thailand. The company said on August 29 that it clinched a deal worth US$210 million to build polyol plant within the Hemaraj industrial zone in Thailand's Rayong. This followed news that the company signed a $1.6-billion project to modernize an oil refinery in Iran earlier this month. The plant, located 150 kilometers southeast of Thailand's capital Bangkok, is commissioned jointly by PTT Global Chemical, an affiliate of the country's state-run oil company PTT Group, Japan's Sanyo Chemical, and Toyota Tsusho.

Under the terms of the deal, SK E&C will take charge of building the plant with an annual polyol capacity of 130,000 tons. Polyol is the main ingredient of polyurethane, the material used for making automotive interior products and other construction and electronic applications.

IKEA to Open Stores in Giheung, Geryong, and Busan

Global furniture and home furnishing company IKEA has earned 365 billion won in sales for the past one year in Korea. The company said that it would open a total of six stores in Korea starting with a second store in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, followed by Yongin (Gyeonggi) and Gyeryong (South Chungcheong) by 2020. Andre Schmidtgall, president of IKEA Korea, said on August 29 in a press briefing held in Bread Comma in Seoul's Yeonnam-dong that his company's sales revenue for the 2017 fiscal year (September 2016 to August 2017) was 365 billion won.

R&D-to-Sales Ratio of Most Korean Petrochem Companies Below 1%

Despite the record-high results, the R&D investment level of the nation's petrochemical industry is still miserably low. According to industry sources on August 28, the amount of R&D investment of Lotte Chemical, which achieved a record-high sales revenue of 7,849.4 billion won in the first half, fell short of 44.5 billion won. This is only 0.57 percent of the total sales. Even last year when the company posted the highest operating profit (2,547.8 billion won) among all petrochemical companies, the R&D investment sum and its share were paltry 63.6 billion won and 0.48 percent each. This is even lower than the large-company average of 1.4 percent. Hanwha Chemical barely surpassed the 1.0-percent level in the first half by spending 25.2 billion won (1.3%) in R&D.

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

Comedian Jang Dong-min declares war against cyber bullies

Jang Dong-min, a popular comedian who was under constant attacks in forms of malicious rumors and curses, declared war against cyber bullies. The 38-year-old said in a Friday statement that he has filed complaints against about 100 cyber bullies alleging the people have attacked Jang and his family members through malicious comments. The comedian promised "strong legal actions without forgiveness".

The level of insults has crossed a line which Jang can accept and condone, the comedian's agency said. The cyber bullies demanded Jang step off the stage and urged Jang to kill himself. The agency said Jang was stressed by such malicious comments and had to receive psychotherapy.

Soaking in the beauty of Hallstatt, Austria

Hallstatt is a picturesque little town nestled by Hallstatter Lake in Austria. The region was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998. From the parking area, when you walk up toward the entrance of the town, it is easy to see why it was included in the UNESCO list. The captivating beauty will dazzle any visitors. As you walk along the narrow main road to reach the heart of the village, you see swans silently gliding along the lake, adding the fairy-tale-like-charm to the scene. The beautiful town is also famous for its salt mines that date back to the Neolithic Era, making them the oldest salt mines in the world. The salt mines are still being worked and it is the popular tour destination.

S. Korea stages simulated missile attack on N. Korea nuclear test site

South Korea's military fired a volley of missiles off the east coast in a simulated attack on North Korea's nuclear test site after President Moon Jae-in ordered strong military pressure against Pyongyang.

The live-fire drill at sunrise involved an unspecified number of Hyunmoo surface-to-surface ballistic missiles and air-to-ground missiles, which were fired at a designated target in international waters off the east coast, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said in a statement.

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

LG V30 smartphone with upgraded camera system debuts ahead of IFA 2017

LG Electronics Inc. unveiled its new flagship smartphone V30 in Germany on Thursday (local time), a day before the opening of IFA 2017, world’s leading consumer electronics trade show in Berlin. It is the first time for the South Korean electronics giant to debut its V series smartphone at the IFA. V30 is slimmer and lighter than its predecessor, but has far advanced camera system. With V30, it is easy to take pictures like professional photographers, said Juno Cho, president and chief executive of LG Electronics` mobile communication division during the event showcasing the new premium phone.

Samsung sails through rough waters amid Lee’s absence

South Korea’s tech giant Samsung Electronics Co. is facing may hurdles in seeking investments for the future or reform in its business portfolio amid the absence of vice chairman Jay Y. Lee, a high-ranking executive from the company said on Thursday. “It is true that there are many difficulties in seeking investments for the future or reorganizing business portfolio as the captain of a ship is absent,” said Yoon Boo-keun, chief of Samsung Electronics’ consumer electronics business unit.

S. Korean auto parts manufacturer CAP up for grabs

South Korea’s Corea Autoparts Producing Corporation (CAP), a manufacturer of vehicle-use wiper blades and related auto parts, is up for grabs in a competitive auction that is expected to draw dozens of bidders.

On Friday, co-sales advisors Hana Financial Investment Co. and Korea Investment & Securities Co. announced that they will receive letters of intent from potential buyers interested in acquiring a full stake in CAP until September 27. CAP is fully owned by IMM Private Equity (PE), one of the country’s top private equity firms.

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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

Japan's Yomiuri www.yomiuri.co.jp japannews@yomiuri.com

Asahi www.asahi.com customer-support@asahi.com

Mainichi www.mainichi.jp

Le Monde www.ilemonde.com

Italy LaRepubblica www.quotidiano.repubblica.it vittorio.zucconi@gmail.com

Germany Frankfurter AllgemeineZeitung www.faz.net anzeigen.ausland@faz.de

SüddeutscheZeitung www.sueddeutsche.de forum@sueddeutsche.de

Australia Brisbane Times www.brisbanetimes.com.au syndication@fairfaxmedia.com.au

Sydney Morning Heraldwww.smh.com.au

Colombia Reports http://colombiareports.com

Bogota Free Planet http://bogotafreeplanet.com bfp@bogotafreeplanet.com

El Universal http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/english

Andes http://www.andes.info.ec/en

Ecuador Times http://www.ecuadortimes.net

The Jordan Times https://www.jordantimes.com

LSM.lv http://www.lsm.lv/en

The Baltic Times http://www.baltictimes.comlithuania@baltictimes.com, estonia@baltictimes.com, editor@baltictimes.com

El Pais http://elpais.com/elpais/inenglish.html

Philippine Daily Inquirer https://www.inquirer.net

Daily News Hungary http://dailynewshungary.com

Budapest Times http://budapesttimes.hu

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The Korea Post is running video clips from the different embassies.

Azerbaijan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OR8CBpcQ4WM

Sri Lanka: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hByX92Y2aGY&t=22s

Morocco: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfFmp2sVvSE

And many other countries.

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The tour is organized for the Ambassadors and Madams by The Korea Post media at the invitation of the Organizing Committee of the Festival. The itinerary of the day is as follows:

0900 hours, Friday, Sept. 2017: Meet at the Grand Hyatt Seoul (near the water fountain).

1000-1200 hours: Attend Opening Ceremony, including the Lee Sang-bong Fashion Show.

1200-1330 hours: Attend luncheon hosted by Mayor and Mrs. Lee of Namyangju City.

1330-1430 hours: Tour the Paldang Hydro-electric Plant.

1430-1500 hours: Visit the Home (birth place) of Confucian Schollar Dasan Jeong Nak-yong.

1500-1600 hours: Visit ‘Piano Waterfall’ at Hwado Water Purification Reservoir.

1600-1630 hours: Visit the Multi-culture Center/International Hall.

1630-1700 hours: Move to the Namyangju Festival ceremony site.

1700-1800 hours: Attend a refreshment party, attend a Slow Life Network meeting.

1800-1900 hours: Move back to Grand Hyatt Seoul.

For inquiries, please call Ms. Kim Jong-mi (010-3388-1692) and (for English callers) Jean Kim (010-9205-0200), Ms. Kim Su-a (010-7584-5873) and/or Publisher-Chairman Lee Kyung-sik (010-5201-1740).

Very Respectfully Yours

/s/

Lee Kyung-sik

Publisher-Chairman

The Korea Post media

Lee Kyung-sik edt@koreapost.com