The Korean daily media headlines and humor

The Korean daily media headlines and humor

Wednesday, September 13, 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/)

Trump Downplays New UN Resolution on N. Korea

"We had a vote yesterday on sanctions. We think it's just another very small step, not a big deal. Rex and I were just discussing, not big," Trump also expressed doubt about the effectiveness of the new resolution, as key sanctions such as a complete oil embargo were removed due to opposition by Russia and China. "I don't know if it has any impact, but certainly it was nice to get a 15 to nothing vote. But those sanctions are nothing compared to what ultimately will have to happen." Trump made the remark speaking to reporters at the start of talks with Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak while noting that Malaysia has stopped doing business with North Korea, something the administration finds to be "very important."

N. Korea Rejects UN Resolution, Threatens to Make US Suffer

"Since the Washington regime reveals its evil intention to completely strangle the DPRK by fabricating a fresh sanction resolution in defiance of our repeated stern warnings, the DPRK will no longer be an onlooker and make sure the US pays a due price." Han Tae-song, North Korean Ambassador to the UN-sponsored Conference on Disarmament in Geneva said on Tuesday that his delegation condemns in the strongest terms and categorically rejects the latest illegal and unlawful UN Security Council resolution.

EU to Implement UN Resolution, Produce Own Sanctions on N. Korea

“Yet the international community has done the right thing a few hours ago, strengthening the pressure on North Korea while calling at the same time for a peaceful solution of the crisis through a meaningful, credible political dialogue. Strengthening economic pressure, sanctions and keeping the door of dialogue open on the other way, as I said, encouraging a meaningful, political, diplomatic solution." The EU's foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini made the remarks on Tuesday in her report on the North's sixth nuclear test and global responses during a plenary session of the European Parliament in France.

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

N. Korea denounces new U.N. sanctions

North Korea on Wednesday condemned new sanctions approved by the U.N. Security Council (UNSC) following its sixth nuclear test, vowing to strengthen its nuclear force at a faster pace. North Korea's foreign ministry said that it "categorically" rejected the U.N. sanctions, which it says are aimed at "completely suffocating its state and people through a full-scale economic blockade." The adoption of the U.S.-led sanctions served as an occasion for North Korea to "verify that the road it chose to go down was absolutely right and to strengthen its resolve to follow this road at a faster pace without the slightest diversion until this fight to the finish is over," showed a statement carried by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

S. Korea's jobless rate remains steady at 3.6 pct in Aug.

South Korea's jobless rate stayed unchanged in August, but the number of newly employed people dropped to a 4 1/2-year low amid weak signs of economic recovery, government data showed Wednesday.

The unemployment rate stood at 3.6 percent last month, staying flat from the same month last year, according to the report compiled by Statistics Korea. From a month earlier, it gained 0.1 percentage point.

The number of employed people reached 26.7 million in August, up 212,000 from a year earlier, marking the lowest monthly gain since February 2013, when it hit 201,000. The unemployment rate for young people, aged between 15 and 29, was 9.4 percent, slightly up from 9.3 percent tallied a year earlier. It is the highest number among all August data since 1999.

Air Seoul adds routes to Osaka, Guam this week

Air Seoul Inc., one of South Korea's six low-cost carriers, said Wednesday it has added two new routes this week as part of its initial expansion strategy. Air Seoul, which started operations in October by offering flights to Takamatsu, began passenger services to Osaka and Guam on Tuesday, bringing the total number of routes it serves to 13, the company said in a statement. It plans to add two additional routes to Tokyo and Hong Kong on Oct. 31 and increase its fleet to five A321 jets by December from the current four, it said. Air Seoul is a 46 percent-owned budget unit of Asiana Airlines Inc., the country's second-biggest carrier after Korean Air Lines Co.

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

Sanctions draw mixed reactions over concerns for efficacy

The UN has imposed its toughest sanctions on North Korea to date, but South Korea’s politicians and experts remain divided on how efficient they will be. On Tuesday, the presidential office and the ruling party welcomed the measures, hailing them as an example of the international community uniting to bring Pyongyang under control. Seoul’s presidential office welcomed the new resolution, saying that its approval confirms that the international community holds the shared belief that stronger measures are needed.

On Seoul streets, hawks outnumber doves on North Korea

To South Koreans, North Korea has never been a foreign country. Despite the war six decades ago and occasional military conflicts with it thereafter, North Koreans were always “brethren” to those in the South who share the same history, culture and language. Even at the height of inter-Korean tensions, there were always people in the South who sympathized with the sufferings of those across the border. This complex sentiment toward North Korea is now giving way to a more hawkish one, as the communist regime, under the young third-generation leader Kim Jong-un, has been stepping up military provocations.

Seoul working to identify Koreans among IS family members

The Korean government is looking into recent reports that its citizens were sighted among more than 1,000 wives and children of suspected Islamic State group fighters detained in Iraq. “We are currently working with the Iraqi government, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and International Committee of the Red Cross through our embassy in Iraq to look further into the matter,” the Foreign Ministry here said Tuesday.

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

Sanctions won't stop N. Korea provocations

New sanctions imposed by the U.N. Security Council (UNSC) against North Korea will not stop the Kim Jong-un regime from continuing military provocations, analysts said Tuesday. They said the watered-down resolution will fail to choke off Pyongyang's economic lifelines, raising the possibility of the North continuing larger provocative actions including the launching of more intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). However, they agreed the new resolution is still meaningful in that it targets oil supplies to the impoverished state for the first time, signaling that further tougher action is in store. The council unanimously approved a resolution Monday, eight days after the North's sixth nuclear test, representing a swift response by the international community to Pyongyang's latest provocation.

Juvenile criminals to face harsh punishment

The government will consider all options, including a revision of the Juvenile Law, to better protect children from their violent peers, Education Minister Kim Sang-gon said Tuesday. Following a series of recent brutal attacks at middle and high schools, Kim pledged to come up with more effective measures to prevent such crimes. He also said he will start a discussion with the Ministry of Justice and the National Assembly over whether it is necessary to review the law, which protects juveniles from receiving harsh punishment. The decision came a day after a request from President Moon Jae-in. During a meeting with senior secretaries at Cheong Wa Dae, Moon said the government should respond to the online petition for a revision of the law, which has been signed by 260,000 people, to strengthen punishment for juvenile crimes.

Awkward encounters at men's toilets in Korea

Men's toilets in Korea have been places of embarrassment and the subject of debate for years, especially among non-Koreans, because of women cleaners there. Whenever females enter, wearing rubber gloves and holding brushes to scrub urinals and toilet seats, male patrons cannot help feeling embarrassed. The cleaners, mostly ajumma ― Korean jargon for tough middle-aged women ― apparently cause serious mental discomfort to men who cannot handle the awkward situation. Some patrons are philosophical with the attitude that the women are simply doing their jobs. But other patrons claim the presence of the women is violating the men's human rights.

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

UN unanimously passes fresh sanctions against N. Korea

The UN Security Council unanimously passed Resolution No. 2375 for sanctions against North Korea that was agreed among the U.S., China and Russia on Monday (local time) at the UN Headquarters in New York. As the UN promptly passed the resolution in nine days after the North's sixth missile test, it remains to be seen how firmly UN member states support and implement the sanction. The new resolution restricts UN member countries that export oil to North Korea for the first time. Under the resolution, the North's oil import, which was presumed to be exported solely by China, has been capped at 4 million barrels a year (600,000 tons), and its import of refined oil including gasoline and heavy oil, which it imported 4.5 million barrels (675,000 tons) from China and Russia, will be capped at 2 million barrels (300,000 tons). This means a 30 percent cut from the North's current oil import. The new sanction will shave as much as 1.3 billion dollars from North Korea’s revenue, as it will ban the country's textile exports, overseas laborer contracts and joint ventures with China, according to the Washington Post.

Kim Jong Un appears public despite new UN sanctions

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un met teachers at schools in rural villages and on islands and had a photo op with them, the state-run Korean Central News Agency reported on Tuesday. While the global media reported Monday a new set of U.N. sanctions imposed on North Korea including a cut on oil exports, the North did not make a comment on this and showed its leader doing his job as usual way. Kim’s appearance among the general public was made first in 84 days after his visit to a factory producing dental hygiene products on June 20.

Korean automakers showcase strategic vehicles in Frankfurt

Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors have unveiled their strategic vehicles exclusively for the European market at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show. At the exhibition center located in downtown Frankfurt, Hyundai Motor is showcasing the high-performance i30N series, such as the i30 Fastback, the i30 5 Door and the i30 Wagon. Hyundai Motor has chosen its new SUV "Kona" as the main exhibition model for this year’s event. Aiming at attracting European customers of high-performance models, the Korean automaker will launch the Kona in the European market starting from mid-October.

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

More Young Koreans Look for Jobs Abroad

A growing number of young Koreans are looking for jobs abroad amid record youth unemployment at home. Last year some 4,811 young Koreans found jobs overseas, about three times as many as the 1,607 in 2013. But not all are white-collar office positions, and many are willing to work as welders, delivery staff and in other labor-intensive jobs. One 27-year-old university graduate from Seoul found at a recent job fair that the available jobs were in software development and general office work but also baking, carpentry, electrical and plumbing and welding. "I want to leave Korea where it is extremely hard to find a job," he said. "I want to go abroad rather than work for a small Korean company."

UN Security Council Approves More Sanctions Against N.Korea

The UN Security Council on Tuesday unanimously approved a set of new but watered-down sanctions against North Korea in response to the country's nuclear test earlier this month. They include a ban on the rogue country's textile exports and a cap on how much crude oil it can import rather than the full ban the U.S. and South Korea had been seeking. The revised resolution has followed tense negotiations with China and Russia, who have a veto and opposed a full oil embargo and the blacklisting of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, his sister Kim Yeo-jong and flag carrier Air Koryo.

Busan Flooded After Heavy Rains

Torrential downpours drenched the southern port city of Busan on Monday with the heaviest rainfall in the morning hours causing flooding and submerging vehicles in low-lying roads. The Busan Metropolitan Office of Education ordered 1,047 elementary, junior and senior high schools in the city to close for the day. Many parents who were taking their children to school in the morning had to turn back either due to inundated roads or school closures. A part of the ceiling on the first floor of Gimhae International Airport collapsed from the rain and inundated the concourse. Around dozen flights were suspended due to heavy rain and high winds.

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

UN agrees on watered-down sanctions against North Korea

The UN Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2375 on the afternoon of Sept. 11, imposing sanctions on North Korea in response to its recent sixth nuclear test. The new resolution includes a ban on textile and garment exports and a cap on crude and refined oil exports to the North. While the resolution’s content is milder than the full-scale crude oil embargo demanded by the US, it does appear to have laid the foundation for stiffer sanctions if North Korea engages in additional strategic tension-raising actions going ahead. The final resolution also does not include a ban on the overseas dispatching of North Korean workers or list leader Kim Jong-un as being subject to sanctions. The results suggest the content was toned down substantially from the “ultra-hardline” sanctions called for by the US under pressure from China and Russia for a “peaceful resolution.”

Chinese banks suspending the opening of accounts for North Koreans

The US’s announcement of plans for additional pressure on Pyongyang amid discussions toward a new UN Security Council resolution after North Korea’s sixth nuclear test is drawing new attention to the issue of North Korean citizens unable to conduct bank transactions in China. Japan’s Kyodo News reported on Sept. 10 that the Bank of China and other large-scale Chinese banks were “confirmed to have suspended the opening of new accounts in North Korean names, as well as remittances and other transactions involving existing accounts.” The agency also quoted a source knowledgeable on North Korea-China relations as saying the transaction restrictions “have been introduced gradually since last year, and were implemented last April in Liaoning Province, which is a base for North Korea-China trade.”

Newly minted citizens to aid South Korea’s Winter Olympics efforts

Nineteen athletes altogether have been naturalized as South Koreans to compete on the South Korean national team in the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics – the most athletes to ever be naturalized for such a purpose. The sports world has truly entered a multicultural and multinational era. As of Sept. 11, records maintained by the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics Organizing Committee on “special naturalization for outstanding athletes” in five categories showed that the most athletes (seven men and four women) had been naturalized in the category of ice hockey, followed by four in biathlon, two in skiing, one in ice dancing and one in luge. By nationality, there are eight athletes from Canada, five from the US, four from Russia, one from Norway and one from Germany. This is quite an increase from the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, when the only athlete to be naturalized as a Korean citizen was Kong Sang-jeong, a Taiwanese national of Korean descent who competed in the women’s short track.

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

New sanctions fall short of total embargo on oil

The UN Security Council on Monday unanimously adopted new sanctions against North Korea following its sixth nuclear test, imposing a cap on exports of crude oil to the country, though it fell short of a complete ban. The 15-member council based in New York approved Resolution 2375, which imposes a cap on the supply, sales or transfer of crude oil to North Korea to the level of the past 12 months, some 4 million barrels, and limits exports of refined petroleum products to the country to 2 million barrels a year. It also bans the sale of condensates and natural gas liquids to the North.

Haggard says UN action makes North pay a price

North Korea expert Stephan Haggard says Pyongyang is trying to “drive a wedge” between regional partners and the United States with its nuclear tests and maintains that additional sanctions are effective in raising the cost of the regime’s pursuit of weapons of mass destruction. Haggard, director of the Korea-Pacific Program and distinguished professor of political science at the University of California, San Diego’s School of Global Policy and Strategy, sat for an interview with the Korea JoongAng Daily and JoongAng Ilbo Tuesday at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in central Seoul.

Gov’t offers lots of Chuseok favors

The government is offering free parking and cheaper Napa cabbages over the Chuseok holiday to make life easier and encourage spending. According to the Finance Ministry Tuesday, the government will open up parking lots on government-owned properties across the country that can accommodate 1.14 million units. That figure includes the 600,000 parking spaces run by public companies. Tolls on expressways will be waived for three days to help people traveling home on Chuseok, Korea’s harvest festival, and discounts will be offered on KTX bullet trains.

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

"How Old Is the Earth?" "The Church Says It Is 6,000 Years Old...."

The confirmation hearing of Park Seong-jin (49), nominee for the minister of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and startups, on September 11 was the stage for an unusual question, "How old do you think the Earth is?" The question emerged because of Park's experience as a board member of the Korea Association for Creation Research. The Korea Association for Creation Research denies the theory of evolution and believes in creationism. The organization aims to scientifically prove this. When the Minjoo Party of Korea lawmaker Kim Byoung-gwan asked Park the age of the Earth, Park answered, "From the perspective of one who believes in the Creation, the church says that it (the age of the Earth) is 6,000 years old." However, when Kim asked, "Creation scientists claim that it is 6,000 years old based on science. Do you agree?" Park replied, "No, I do not. I believe so as part of my faith."

The Redeployment of Tactical Nuclear Weapons on the Korean Peninsula

Redeploying U.S. tactical nuclear weapons on the Korean Peninsula has been a controversial issue recently between South Korea and the U.S. U.S. President Donald Trump and some congressional leaders have suggested the possibility of redeploying the nuclear weapons and even in South Korea, Defense Minister Song Young-moo publicly said, "We are willing to review it," suggesting a serious situation.

John McCain, the chair of the Senate Armed Services Commission said in an interview with CNN on September 10, "The Korean defense minister just a few days ago called for nuclear weapons to be redeployed. It ought to be seriously considered.” Earlier on September 8, NBC conveyed the words of White House and military officials and reported, "In addition, the administration is not ruling out moving tactical nuclear weapons to South Korea...."

People at Risk of Suicide Lived in Poor Housing Conditions

South Korea's suicide rate is among the highest in the world. Since 2003, more than 10,000 people took their own lives every year, granting South Korea with the disgraceful title of the number one country in suicides among the member states of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Last year, 28.7 people per every 100,000 of the population committed suicide, widening the gap with second place Japan (18.7). It now seems possible to identify areas where people at risk of suicide mostly reside using numbers, such as the population, geographical information and past suicide statistics. If we concentrate on areas at high risk based on this data, we may be able to prevent a considerable number of suicides.

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

POSCO Daewoo Opens 5-star Hotel in Myanmar's Yangon

POSCO Daewoo has opened Lotte Hotel Yangon on September 8 in Myanmar's capital Yangon. The five-star hotel, located near Inya Lake in the central business district of the city, consists of a 15-story hotel building (343 rooms) and a 29-story long-term serviced apartment building (315 rooms). POSCO Daewoo is responsible for the overall management while Lotte Hotels and Resorts taking charge of daily management. On the opening day, Myanmar Minister of Hotels and Tourism Ohn Maung, Chief Minister of Yangon Region Phyo Min Thein, POSCO Daewoo president Kim Young-sang, POSCO Engineering & Construction Han Chan-geon, and Lotte Group vice chairman Song Yong-deok were in attendance.

Hanwha Chemical an Unexpected Beneficiary of Coal Price Hike

As international coal prices are on the rise, Hanwha Chemical's prospect is getting brighter. That's because the Korean company uses naphtha to produce polyvinyl chloride (PVC) while its rivals in China are largely based on coal, which will make it more price competitive vis-a-vis the Chinese chemical producers. According to Korea Resources Corp. and chemical industry sources on September 10, the freight-on-board (FOB) price of bituminous coal out of the Chinese port of Qinhuangdao was US$95.06 as of September 1 per ton from $81.58 on June 2, up 16 percent in three months.

Mixed Fortunes of LG Group and Hyundai Group in Terms of Market Value

The market value of LG Group companies has moved up to the third place after overtaking that of Hyundai Motor Group following Samsung and SK. Hyundai Motor lost out to LG after giving away the second place to SK Group in June this year. According to the Korea Exchange on September 6, the aggregate market capitalization (including that of preferred stocks) of LG Group's 16 publicly listed affiliates was 96,883 billion won as of the end of September 5. On the same day, the value of 16 publicly listed Hyundai companies was 95,058 billion won.

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

Hyundai Motor stops sponsoring Chinese women's golf event

South Korea's leading carmaker, Hyundai Motor, has decided to stop sponsoring China's biggest female golf tournament, sparking speculation that the withdrawal has been related to poor sales in Asia's largest auto market. Hyundai has informed the China Ladies Professional Golfers' Association (CLPGA) of its decision to end sponsorship of China Ladies Open, according to South Korea's female golf governing body, KLPGA. From 2010, Beijing Hyundai Motor, a joint venture between Hyundai Motor and China's BAIC Motor Corp., has been the title sponsor for the event, which was also co-sanctioned by KLPGA and played a crucial role in promoting golf exchanges between the two countries.

Seoul acknowledges 'difficult realities' in solving missile dispute with China

South Korea's industry minister acknowledged practical challenges in bringing China to an international arbitration panel for unfair trade retaliation over a US missile shield, saying it requires a "cautious" approach. China's informal trade and economic retaliation intensified after US troops brought in a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system to intercept North Korean ballistic missiles in April. Chinese consumers have also shunned South Korean products.

Postal service apologizes for delayed shipment of Moon's stamp album

South Korea's postal service issued a letter of apology via text messages to clients who ordered the second additional issue of commemorative stamps marking the 100th day of President Moon Jae-in's inauguration, citing explosive popularity. "Due to an unprecedented number of orders, we think many days are needed to make President Moon's stamp albums," the Korea Post said in a text message Tuesday. "We are very sorry for delayed delivery and ask for your understanding." The postal service said stamp albums could be delivered around the end of October. Since August, the postal service has seen a series of unexpected situations caused by the popularity of Moon's stamp albums. Initially, they were to be printed only once but high demand caused a shortage in supply.

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

Samsung Galaxy Note 8 pre-orders hit new record in Korea

Samsung Electronics Co. has received 650,000 pre-orders for its Galaxy Note 8 series in five days, a new high for the company’s premium phone series, raising expectations that it would give another chance for the company to restore the lost trust from consumers during the Galaxy Note 7 debacle. Koh Dong-jin, president of the mobile communications business at Samsung Electronics, said at a Galaxy Note 8 media event on Tuesday that the pre-order volume for the new Galaxy Note handset reached 650,000 over five days since the pre-sale began on September 7. This is 2.5 times more than its predecessor’s record.

S. Korea’s household loans gain $7.8 billion in August

South Korea’s household loans extended by local financial institutions increased by 8.8 trillion won ($7.8 billion) in August from a month ago as gains in non-mortgage-backed loans including credit loans have accelerated after the launch of Internet-only Kakao Bank, data showed on Tuesday. According to Financial Services Commission and Bank of Korea on Tuesday, loans extended by both banks and non-banks grew by 8.8 trillion won in August from a month ago, outpacing this year’s monthly average gain of 7.3 trillion won. The increase, however, slowed down from 14.3 trillion won in the same month last year and 9.5 trillion won in July.

Samsung SDI to unveil next-generation EV battery technologies

Samsung SDI Co., South Korea’s electric vehicle and smartphone battery manufacturer, will unveil a slew of its new battery technologies at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show to be held from September 12 to 24.

The company said on Tuesday in a press statement that it will introduce Multifunctional Battery Pack that allows a car manufacturer to adjust the number of modules at the auto show. With this technology, a car maker can choose to design a 20-module pack for a premium electric vehicle that can drive 600 to 700 kilometers or 10 to 12 modules for a regular sedan that can go about 300 kilometers.

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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