The Korean daily media headlines and humor

The Korean daily media headlines and humor

Thursday, September 7, 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/)

US Demands N. Korean Oil Embargo, Asset Freeze on Kim Jong-un

The draft also calls for freezing Kim Jong-un's assets and banning him from traveling abroad. Four additional high-ranking North Korean officials and organizations were also put on the blacklist. Also included in the draft is a call for an end to hiring North Korean laborers and making payments to the workers. The foreign media reported that the U.S.-authored draft is being circulated and considered among the members of the UN Security Council(UNSC). The U.S. had imposed sanctions against Kim Jong-un in the past over North Korea's human rights violations, but it is the first time he could become subject to UNSC sanctions.

THAAD Launchers Arrive at US Military Base

Four THAAD launchers entered the U.S. military base in Seongju, North Gyeongsang Province Thursday morning after fierce clashes between protesters and police, local media said. Earlier Thursday, hundreds of local residents and activists clashed with police who tried to clear the way for the deployment of the remaining THAAD antimissile system launchers. Local fire authorities said that 27 local residents and police officers were injured during the clashes and sent to nearby hospitals. Most of the injured reportedly went home after receiving treatment. The clashes occurred as police were attempting to disperse about 400 local residents from their community center near the THAAD base in Seongju.

Moon Asks Russia to Cut Oil Supply to N. Korea, Putin Refuses

President Moon Jae-in has asked Russia to cut its oil supplies to North Korea to put pressure on the regime in response to its sixth nuclear test, but the idea was dismissed by his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Presidential press secretary Yoon Young-chan said Moon made the request during his summit with Putin in Russia’s eastern city of Vladivostok on Wednesday. Moon explained to Putin that the U.N. Security Council(UNSC) sanctions on the North should be strengthened to make the regime take the path to dialogue, adding that suspending crude oil to the North is inevitable this time, and asked for the Russian leader's cooperation.

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

THAAD launchers enter U.S. base amid protests

Four more interceptor launchers for a U.S. missile defense system entered a southern military base Thursday after clashes between police and protesters that resulted in dozens of injuries. The arrival of the launchers and other equipment came some 14 months after Seoul and Washington decided to deploy the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system to Seongju, some 300 kilometers south of Seoul, to counter escalating North Korean threats. Clashes occurred throughout the night as some 400 residents fought police officers near their community center in Seongju.

Military action is not first choice for N. Korea

U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday that military action is not his first choice for dealing with the nuclear threat from North Korea. He made the remark before boarding a plane to North Dakota, in response to reporters' questions about North Korea and his phone call earlier in the day with Chinese President Xi Jinping. "We had a very good phone call. It lasted for a long time," he said. "President Xi would like to do something. We'll see whether or not he can do it. But we will not be putting up with what's happening in North Korea."

LG Group rules out producing its own electric cars

LG Group, which has been aggressively expanding its presence in the vehicle components sector, made clear it is not moving to build electric vehicles (EVs), industry sources said Thursday. "We are not even considering manufacturing a complete vehicle," an LG Group official stressed. Industry watchers have been speculating that LG Group may jump into car production as its affiliates recently expanded investment in the vehicle components businesses.

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

THAAD launchers enter US base amid protests

Four more interceptor launchers for a US missile defense system entered a southern military base Thursday after clashes between police and protesters that resulted in dozens of injuries. The arrival of the launchers and other equipment came some 14 months after Seoul and Washington decided to deploy the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system to Seongju, some 300 kilometers south of Seoul, to counter escalating North Korean threats.

Teenage anecdote reveals Kim Jong-un's real temper

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has already shown his hot temper through his teenage years in the Switzerland, which is an important factor behind the North’s provocations, a North Korea expert said. Nam Seong-wook, professor of Korean Unification, Diplomacy and Security at Korea University, presented his findings on Kim’s personality at the Liberty Korea Party general meeting Wednesday. Nam, during his former job at the Institute for National Security Strategy, carried out extensive research on the North Korean leader.

Seongju tense as THAAD equipment on the move

South Korea’s rural town of Seongju was tense Wednesday evening, as activists and protestors converged and villagers built up a barricade with tractors and vehicles to block the imminent arrival of the equipment of a controversial US missile defense system. Seoul’s Defense Ministry announced Wednesday afternoon that four launchers of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system would be moved to a US military site in Seongju, North Gyeongsang Province, early Thursday morning. “As a result of consultation between South Korea and the US, we decided to temporarily station the remaining THAAD launchers alongside the construction material and equipment for the US military,” the ministry said in a statement.

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

Additional THAAD launchers deployed amid protests

Four more rocket launchers for a U.S. missile defense system were deployed in South Korea Thursday after police removed hundreds of protesters from the site. Clashes occurred throughout the night as some 400 residents fought off police officers near their community center in Seongju, some 300 kilometers south of Seoul, where the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system has been partially deployed on a military base. Police dispersed the residents around 5 a.m. but only after dozens of locals and police officers sustained injuries and were taken to nearby hospitals.

Putin opposes North Korea oil embargo

Russian President Vladimir Putin rejected President Moon Jae-in's request to play a role in imposing an oil embargo on North Korea in their summit in Vladivostok, Wednesday. Moon said Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping are the only leaders who can stop North Korea's provocations, according to Moon's chief press secretary Yoon Young-chan. "During the summit, Moon told Putin that tougher sanctions are required to make Pyongyang come forward for dialogue. He said an oil embargo on the North was inevitable this time, requesting Russia's cooperation," Yoon said.

US-N. Korea peace treaty would be 'disaster'

The United States should never sign a peace treaty with North Korea just to control the reclusive country's nuclear threats, experts on the North warned Wednesday. The warning comes after Pyongyang conducted its sixth nuclear test Sunday, the most powerful one to date, claiming it successfully exploded a hydrogen bomb that was small enough to be loaded onto its intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs).

With the North closer to becoming a nuclear weapons state, there is growing expectation that Pyongyang will demand a peace treaty with Washington by calling for the withdrawal of U.S. forces from South Korea and a guarantee of the regime's security.

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

Korean military to deploy additional THAAD launchers on Sept. 7

The South Korean military plans to install four more Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) rocket launchers at a U.S. missile defense base in Seoungju, North Gyeongsang Province. The move comes after President Moon Jae-in ordered a temporary deployment of the remaining launchers on July 28, a day after North Korea launched the inter-continental ballistic missile Hwasong-14. The installation would complete the deployment of a THAAD battery (six rocket launchers, a fire control and communications unit) in six months after the first batch of equipment including two launchers arrived in South Korea through the U.S. air base in Osan, Gyeonggi Province in March.

SK C&C launches Korean version of AI platform Watson

IBM’s artificial intelligence platform “Watson” is ready to hit the Korean market and will provide a variety of services in Korean language. SK C&C has launched a Korean version of Watson, which is expected to help not only traditional companies or start-ups but also individuals build their own AI platforms quickly and expand the AI business. With the Korean version of Watson, named as Aibril, individuals can create AI-based services. During a promotional event of Abril held last month, non-tech people and students developed new services in only one day after using the Korean APIs for the first time.

Japanese island conducts missile evacuation drill

“Move to the center of a classroom, hide your head and crouch.” It was 10 a.m. on Wednesday at Nakasuji Elementary School on the Oki Islands in Shimane Prefecture, Japan. As soon as an announcement was made about a missile launch, teachers dropped curtains and shouted at students. Students gathered at the center of the classroom, put a bag filled with thick books on their heads and kept their bodies low. The mock training was designed with a scenario that glasses are shattered from a missile launch.

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

Putin Rejects Moon’s Calls for N.Korea Oil Embargo

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday rejected a request by President Moon Jae-in to cut off oil supplies to North Korea. "Putin said no pressure will make the North give up its nuclear program for its security," Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Yoon Young-chan said. "He said Russia opposes Pyongyang's nuclear weapons development, but worries the oil embargo could make the North Korean people suffer." The two presidents met on the sidelines of an economic forum in Vladivostok. "To bring North Korea dialogue, [UN] Security Council sanctions must be made stronger," Moon told Putin according to the spokesman. "Stopping oil supply to North Korea is inevitable. I'm asking for Russia's cooperation."

Youth Crime Getting More Vicious

The savage beating of a 14-year-old girl by her classmates in the southern port city of Busan has raised calls for tougher punishment of juvenile delinquents. The incident made headlines earlier this week when one of the assailants posted a shocking picture of the bloody victim that went viral on the internet. Violent crimes by teenagers have increased sharply over the last 10 years, and they are getting more vicious all the time. According to the Supreme Public Prosecutors Office, the number of crimes committed by teens per 100,000 people rose 36.4 percent over a decade from 540.8 in 2006 and 737.4 in 2015.

10-Day Chuseok Holiday to Boost Consumption

The government has declared Oct. 2 a one-off holiday this year, which creates a record 10-day Chuseok break lasting from Sept. 30 to Oct. 9. The aim is to boost domestic consumption, but it remains to be seen whether that will happen as record numbers plan to spend their money on trips abroad instead. The number of Koreans traveling abroad in October is expected to rise 30 percent compared to the same period of last year. On the other hand fewer Chinese tourists are expected to visit Korea during China's National Day holidays, also in early October. In the last three years, some 160,000 to 200,000 Chinese tourists visited Korea during "Golden Week," but numbers have dwindled amid an unofficial Chinese boycott.

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

US pushing for cap on Chinese oil exports to North Korea following latest nuclear test

Sept. 4, US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley said that the Trump administration’s goal is for the UN Security Council to pass a new sanctions resolution against North Korea by Sept. 11 in response to North Korea’s sixth nuclear test. Since China is also believed to be very upset about North Korea’s nuclear test, observers think it is very likely that Beijing will accept the US request to cap the North’s supply of crude oil.

Moon eschews talk of dialogue with North as standoff continues over nuclear program

President Moon Jae-in said on Sept. 5 that he sees the present moment as “not a time for dialogue, but a time for strong denunciations and pressure in response to North Korea’s dangerous provocations.”

The message stood in stark contrast to the one delivered in a July 6 speech in Germany at the invitation of the Körber Foundation, when Moon stressed that the “need for [inter-Korean] dialogue is more urgent than ever before.” Many are now questioning whether Pyongyang’s sixth nuclear test has prompted an about-face in North Korea policy by Moon, who previously said he hoped to use inter-Korean relations as a means of taking the initiative on Korean Peninsula issues and encouraging action by other countries.

Putin expresses opposition to new North Korean sanctions

Russian President Vladimir Putin exhibited a negative view to the idea of cutting off North Korea’s crude oil supplies in reaction to its recent sixth nuclear test. Putin’s response came in a telephone conversation on the evening of Sept. 4 with South Korean President Moon Jae-in. Many are now watching to see what conclusion is reached on potential North Korea sanctions – including those related to crude oil supplies – at a South Korea-Russia summit scheduled to take place in Vladivostok on Sept. 6. In the conversation, Moon declared that it was “time for the UN Security Council to seriously consider ways in which North Korea’s foreign currency sources could be fundamentally cut off, including a halt to crude oil supplies and a ban on earnings by North Korean overseas workers.”

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

Moon fails to sway Putin on sanctions

President Moon Jae-in’s attempt to get Vladimir Putin to put greater pressure on Pyongyang failed Wednesday, as the Russian president said he opposed cornering the North with “emotional” sanctions.

Moon and Putin’s failure to agree was evident when the two leaders addressed the press after a summit in Vladivostok on the sidelines of a regional economic forum hosted by Russia. “Russia does not and will not tolerate a nuclear-armed North Korea,” Putin said, criticizing the Kim Jong-un regime’s nuclear test on Sunday. “We must not be overwhelmed by emotions and drive the North into a dead end,” he continued. “We must act cold-headedly and avoid any measures that will escalate tensions.”

Watson now speaks Korean, says IBM, SK C&C

IBM Korea and its local partner SK C&C are hoping to shake up the local enterprise software market with the American tech giant’s famed Watson supercomputer. The companies said Wednesday that the artificial intelligence software best known for beating human contestants on the quiz show “Jeopardy!” can now understand Korean. IBM Korea introduced eight application program interfaces, or APIs, that clients can customize to fit their business needs.

Final 4 Thaad launchers to be installed today

Additional launchers for a controversial American antimissile system will be installed Thursday in Seongju County, North Gyeongsang, the Ministry of National Defense said Wednesday. The ministry said four launchers for the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (Thaad) antimissile system will be placed in the Seongju base to counter the mounting North Korean nuclear and missile threats. Installing the four launchers will complete the deployment of a Thaad battery. A Thaad unit typically consists of six launchers, 48 interceptors, a fire control and communication unit and radar.

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

Conservatives “Evicted”

The conservative opposition parties are caught in a vicious cycle of poverty. They don't seem likely to escape from that wheel for a long time, at least not until they admit their downfall and overturn the unfounded optimism that they will reign again, which currently dominates their mind. They claim that they have not fallen, so naturally, there's no reason for them to reflect on why they have been abandoned. However, their frustration ends up magnifying the faults of others. Given that the starting point of a rebound is self-reflection, it is difficult to imagine the end of the "dark tunnel" before them.

NK Walks a Meticulously Calculated “My Way” for Nuclear Armament

North Korea's sixth nuclear test appears to be the result of long and careful preparations following their own timetable, regardless of external factors, such as the changes in the political situation on the Korean Peninsula and the North Korean policies of the U.S. Donald Trump administration and the Moon Jae-in government. In other words, North Korea did not conduct the nuclear test strategically to send a political message or warn the U.S. They were just continuing their efforts to make technical advances for a set goal: nuclear armament.

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.

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

Nuclear N. Korea and fortified S. Korea

North Korea declared it has successfully tested a hydrogen bomb. The US, China, Japan and Russia all do not know what to do with Kim Jong-un who is uncontrollable. All of this is happening because South Korea, the US, Japan, China and Russia all have decisive weaknesses. For their structural reasons, they can not take military measures against North Korea. If there was any possibility of military action, Kim would not have got on the runaway locomotive.

US troops allowed to complete THAAD deployment this week

US troops were allowed to complete the deployment of an advanced missile shield this week in their new camp set up on a golf course as agreed at talks between US and South Korean leaders that followed North Korea's nuclear test, the defense ministry said. Tension ran high around the base for a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system in Seongju some 200 kilometers (124 miles) southeast of Seoul after the ministry agreed to push ahead with the deployment of four more THAAD launchers on Thursday along with construction equipment and related materials.

Putin reluctant to cut oil supply to N. Korea

Russian President Vladimir Putin dismissed a request from his South Korean counterpart Wednesday to cut off oil shipments to energy-starved North Korea as a way of punishing the communist state for its latest nuclear test and also forcing it out to the dialogue table. South Korean President Moon Jae-in renewed his request for Russia's support in pushing for a fresh UN Security Council (UNSC) resolution in a bilateral summit with his Russian counterpart held in the Russian far eastern city of Vladivostok, according to Moon's chief press secretary Yoon Young-chan.

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

Samsung Elect phone brands fast losing ground in China

World’s largest smartphone maker Samsung Electronics Co. may be moving towards a disgraceful exit from the Chinese market as it helplessly loses against domestic brands, according to a study. Apple stayed bestseller as of the second quarter with Chinese owning 171.1 million of its phones, showed latest report by the Chengdu outlet of the Korea International Trade Association on Wednesday. Chinese makers Huawei and Oppo tagged closely behind Apple with 132 million units and 124 million units, respectively. Oppo zoomed to the third from sixth a year ago. Other China-born brands Vivo and Xiaomi also fared well with 108 million units and 68 million units, respectively.

Taihan Electric Wire inks $82.7 million cable deal in Singapore

Taihan Electric Wire Co., South Korea’s leading provider of industrial cables, finally inked a 94 billion won ($82.7 million) contract with Singapore-based SP PowerAssets Ltd. to supply extra-high voltage cables. What would be the largest deal for Taihan Electric Wire in the last five years accounts for 6.9 percent of its total sales of 1.37 trillion won last year. According to Taihan Electric Wire, it on Wednesday clinched a deal with SP PowerAssets, a subsidiary of Singapore Power Ltd., to set up a 400 kilovolt cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) electric grid in Singapore. The final agreement comes 10 months after the Korean firm received a letter of award (LOA) from the Singaporean company on the project.

Kumho Tire sale to Doublestar de facto dead

The deal to sell South Korea’s industry second Kumho Tire to smaller Chinese rival Doublestar Tyre is de facto dead as the Korean creditor banks on Tuesday decided to reject the new term demands by the Chinese company and end negotiations. Shares of Kumho Tire finished Wednesday at 5,350 won ($4.71), down 18.69 percent from the previous session. Creditors will send the request to nullify the share purchase agreement signed in March this week. If the Qingdao-based company agrees, the deal is officially killed. Negotiations can start from the scratch if the Chinese tire maker decides to rebid.

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

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