The Korean daily media headlines and humor

The Korean daily media headlines and humor

Thursday, September 14, 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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Here are ‘irresistible’ tours for the Ambassadors and Madams. Please do not pass up the rare opportunity!

Hept 22, 2017: Namyangju Slow Food Festival (meet at Grand Hyatt at 0900 hours)
http://www.koreapost.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=1095

Sept 24, 2017: Songpa Hanseong Baekje Culture Festival (meet Grand Hyatt at 1 p.m.)
http://www.koreapost.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=4558

Sept 29, 2017: Andong Mask Dance Drama Festival (meet at Grand Hyatt at 0830 hours)
http://www.koreapost.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=4644

Sept 29, 2017: Jeongseon Arirang Culture Festival (meet at Grand Hyatt at 0830 hours)
http://www.koreapost.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=4420

Oct 13, 2017: Yecheon Bow-Arrow Festival (meet at Grand Hyatt at 0830 hours)
http://www.koreapost.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=2914

Oct 13, 2017: Cheorwon 'Glami Health Kingdom' tour (meet at Grand Hyatt at 0830 hours)

http://www.koreapost.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=4829

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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 Congress Calls for Sanctions against Chinese Banks

The U.S. Congress is calling for sanctions against more Chinese banks as part of efforts to cut off North Korea's access to the international financial system. The sanctions could trigger a financial and trade war between Washington and Beijing. Alannah Hill has more. The U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee has already submitted to the U.S. government a list of 12 Chinese banks subject to the potential sanctions, including the world's largest bank, Industrial and Commerce Bank of China. In September 2005, Washington took measures against a Chinese bank when the U.S. Treasury Department designated Banco Delta Asia, a Macau front bank for Pyongyang, a primary money laundering concern. The move proved to be effective as it prompted the North to return to the negotiating table.

US Not Giving up on Diplomacy on N. Korea

The U.S. State Department says that Washington will not give up on using diplomacy to persuade North Korea to give up its nuclear and missile programs. Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said during a news briefing on Wednesday that the U.S. will not give up on diplomacy, which is still first and foremost, and the preferred approach. The spokeswoman said that the department is "realistic" but also "optimistic" that diplomacy will resolve the issue, expressing satisfaction with the new UN Security Council resolution against the North. Nauert pointed out that the Security Council adopted the resolution with a unanimous vote with China and Russia, expressing hope that the two nations will faithfully implement the new sanctions.

Committee Says SME Minister Nominee 'Unfit' in Confirmation Hearing Report

A parliamentary committee has adopted a report on the outcome of its confirmation hearing for the nominee for the minister of SMEs and startups, stating that he is unfit for the post. The Trade, Industry, Energy, SMEs and Startups Committee on Wednesday adopted the report on SME Minister nominee Park Seong-jin during a plenary session, with none of the ruling Democratic Party lawmakers participating in the adoption. The committee stated in the report that Park is unfit for the nominated post, citing his lack of responsibility and judgment as he recommended or invited controversial figures to an academic forum.

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

China 'condemns' N. Korea for first time after sixth nuke test

China recently "condemned" North Korea for the first time on the United Nations stage, reflecting its growing frustration with its wayward ally, a diplomatic source said Wednesday. On Monday, the U.N. Security Council unanimously adopted new sanctions against North Korea for its sixth and most powerful nuclear test on Sept. 3. China, a veto-wielding council member, backed the resolution and its ambassador to the U.N., Liu Jieyi, said his government "firmly opposes and strongly condemns" the test. According to the source, the Chinese government previously stopped short of using the word "condemn" and only expressed its firm opposition.

Over 20 pct of lavish foreign tourists come from Mideast: poll

Middle Eastern tourists accounted for more than 20 percent of big-spending foreign visitors to South Korea last year with their per-capita spending reaching over US$16,000, a poll showed Thursday. The survey on the top 1 percent high-spending foreign tourists, taken by the Korea Culture & Tourism Institute, showed that 22 percent of them were from the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Iran and other Middle Eastern countries. China came next with 17.2 percent, followed by the United States with 15.4 percent, Malaysia with 10.6 percent, Russia with 6.5 percent and Australia with 4.9 percent. Those deep-pocketed foreign tourists to South Korea spent an average $16,690 per visit in 2016. The institute didn't provide on-year changes or other comparable figures.

POSCO, LG Chem shine during large-cap rally

South Korea's top steelmaker POSCO and leading chemicals manufacturer LG Chem have seen their market value surge during this year's stock rally driven by large caps, data showed Thursday. POSCO's market capitalization stood at 29.1 trillion won (US$25.8 billion) as of Wednesday, ranking fourth among the top 30 companies listed on the local stock market and rising five notches from the end of last year, according to the data by the Korea Exchange. POSCO trails the No. 1 automaker and third-biggest-cap Hyundai Motor Co. by only 500 billion won. Hyundai has been struggling amid a diplomatic row between Seoul and Beijing over the deployment of an advanced U.S. missile shield here. POSCO has been on a roll this year on the back of improving earnings stemming from growing margins, brisk overseas demand, and cost-cutting and reorganization efforts.

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

Seoul carries out missile drill targeting NK’s nuclear sites

South Korea has successfully conducted its first live-fire exercise for an advanced long-range cruise missile capable of striking North Korea’s underground military facilities and command centers, Seoul’s Air Force said Wednesday. According to the military, the Taurus missile fired from a F-15K fighter jet traveled about 400 kilometers before hitting a target on Jikdo in the West Sea on Tuesday. It flew through obstacles at a low altitude of 500 meters and rose up to 3 kilometers before hitting the target, the Air Force said. The live-fire drill came after North Korea on Sept. 3 conducted its sixth and largest nuclear test. The North on Wednesday vowed to continue its nuclear weapons program “until the fight to the finish is over,” despite new, tougher United Nations sanctions imposed on it this week.

Trilateral S. Korea, US, Japan summit in the works

A trilateral summit meeting of South Korean, Japanese and US leaders is being negotiated, Cheong Wa Dae revealed Wednesday. Seoul’s presidential office also revealed that Seoul and Washington have also discuss the possibility of US President Donald Trump making a state visit to South Korea in November. According to a Cheong Wa Dae official, the three governments have been discussing holding a trilateral summit on the sidelines of the upcoming United Nations General Assembly set to take place later this month in New York.

iPhone X likely to go on sale in Korea in December

Apple’s new iPhone X, which was unveiled on Tuesday, is predicted to be launched in Korea in December. The US handset maker said its new phone will go on sale in more than 55 nations, including the US, China, Japan and Canada, on Nov. 3, but not Korea. Apple’s new phones have usually been released here around a month after their US launch. The iPhone 7 series was launched on Sept. 16 last year and arrived here on Oct. 21, with Korea being on the third list of countries for release.

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

New sanctions still provide loopholes for N. Korea

The latest sanctions on North Korea will not stop its illicit activities overseas to earn hard currency as they still provide loopholes for the reclusive country to evade sanctions, analysts said Wednesday. They said that the new measures may delay the completion of its nuclear capabilities but won't discourage North Korean leader Kim Jong-un from giving up his nuclear ambitions. The views came a day after the United Nations Security Council unanimously passed the new resolution that imposed a ban on the country's textile exports and capped imports of crude oil. Balbina Hwang, a visiting professor at Georgetown University's Center for Security Studies, said that the new resolution is not strong enough to rein in the Kim regime.

N. Korean hackers set to increase bitcoin attacks to evade sanctions

North Korean hackers may try to steal bitcoins and other crypto currencies to dodge sanctions, according to a cyber security firm's report cited by Bloomberg on Tuesday (local time). North Korean leader Kim Jong-un appears to be interested in virtual cash because it is secure and secretive. A crypto currency would thus give leeway for the isolated state to move funds where it wants to and change it for various currencies. In retaliation for North Korea's sixth nuclear test early this month, the United Nations Security Council on Monday approved sanctions that could reduce about 30 percent of oil exports to the North, cutting off more than 55 percent of refined petroleum product exports to the state.

Critics apologize for denouncing driver who left child alone at bus stop

Sometimes things are not what they seem. On Tuesday, people criticized the driver of a Seoul transit bus 240 who allegedly did not stop immediately when a mother realized her child had been left behind. But after Seoul Metropolitan City on Wednesday released a closed-circuit video, critics retracted their criticism when they realized the incident had not been the driver's fault."I was the first person who posted a complaint about the bus," a complainant posted on the Seoul Bus Transporting website.

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

S. Korea succeeds in 1st drills of Taurus long-range missile

The South Korean Air Force said Wednesday that it has successfully conducted its first live-fire exercise for the long-range air-to-surface Taurus missile, which is capable of perform precision bombing of the North Korean leadership and key nuclear and missile facilities in North Korea. In the exercise, which took place in the air over Taean, South Chungcheong Province, on Tuesday, the Air Force's F-15K fighter jet fired a Taurus missile, which flew about 400 kilometers and precisely hit a target set up at a firing range on an island off Gunsan, North Jeolla Province, the Air Force said.

Bain, SK Hynix still hope to win Toshiba’s memory business

Amid chaos over a sale of Toshiba’s memory chip business, a group including Korea’s SK Hynix seems to have gotten a chance of winning again. The group signed a memorandum of understanding with Toshiba, but it is hardly a time to take a pause with uncertainty lingering. According to Toshiba’s press release after a board of directors’ meeting on Wednesday, Toshiba claimed it “signed a memorandum of understanding about a sale of its memory chip unit Toshiba Memory with Bain Capital.” Bain Capital has been leading the global consortium including SK Hynix and Japanese partner.

Neymar leads PSG to 5-0 win over Celtic

Paris St-Germain (PSG) had an emphatic 5-0 win over Celtic in the UEFA Champions League group-stage opener on Wednesday. Neymar led PSG to the victory at Group B match at Celtic Park with the first goal and one assist, while Kylian Mbappe solidified the lead with the second goal. Edinson Cavani scored the third and the fifth goals. PSG has been the reigning champion in its domestic league since Qatar Sports Investments took the club over in 2011, grabbing championship for four consecutive years.

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

S.Korea Conducts Live-Fire Drill of Taurus Air-to-Surface Missile

The Air Force successfully completed its first live-fire drill of a Taurus long-range air-to-surface missile on Tuesday, a spokesman said Wednesday. Fired from a fighter jet over Daejeon, the Taurus is capable of striking a major North Korean command facility in Pyongyang with pinpoint accuracy. Fired from an F-15K fighter over the West Sea near Taean, South Chungcheong Province Tuesday, a Taurus missile flew some 400 km at an altitude of 500 m. It made a sharp upturn to the height of 3,000 m near a firing range on the western island of Jikdo and a nearly vertical drop before hitting the target.

Korea's University Tuition Among Most Expensive in OECD
Tuition fees at Korea's state-run universities are the sixth most expensive in the OECD and at private universities the fourth most expensive even though few feature prominently in global rankings. According to the latest OECD educational index published Tuesday, the U.S., Chile, Japan, Canada and Australia are the only other member nations of the club of rich countries where fees are higher. The U.S., Australia and Japan had the most expensive private university fees, but they also have vastly more prestigious schools. The index was complied for 35 OECD member countries plus 11 non-member nations.

It's Not So 'Smart' to Expose Kids to Smartphones Too Early
Smartphones have become an indispensable part of modern life, even when it comes to raising a child, but experts warn against children's first exposure to the device at too young an age. Ahn Dong-hyun, a professor at Hanyang University College of Medicine in Seoul, said, "In academia, it is recommended that children should not be exposed to video devices including smartphones before they reach 36 months. Unilateral stimulation of visual and auditory senses at this age can be harmful."

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

Chinese support of sanctions suggests increasing concern over NK nuclear program

The Chinese government commented on Sept. 12 on the UN Security Council’s adoption of its new Resolution 2375 sanctioning North Korea after its sixth nuclear test. “While taking further measures in response to the nuclear and missile programs of the DPRK and steadfastly upholding the international non-proliferation regime, the Resolution just adopted by the UN Security Council reaffirms the commitment to safeguarding the peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia, stresses on addressing the issue in a peaceful, diplomatic and political way and supports the resumption of the Six-Party Talks and the commitments under the September 19 Joint Statement [of 2005],” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said in a press briefing that day.

North Korean government fiercely denounces latest round of UN sanctions

North Korea has issued a fierce backlash to UN Security Council Resolution No. 2375, which restricts the North’s oil imports. Given Pyongyang’s pattern of behavior, it’s likely to carry out another provocation before long, which will probably bring the standoff on the Korean Peninsula to its worst point yet. “My delegation condemns in the strongest terms and categorically rejects the latest illegal and unlawful UN Security Council resolution,” said North Korean Ambassador to Switzerland Han Tae-song during the UN Conference on Disarmament, which was held in Geneva on Sept. 12. “The forthcoming measures by DPRK will make the US suffer the greatest pain it ever experienced in its history.”

Blue House praises quick passage of NK sanctions

The Blue House praised the UN Security Council’s adoption of Resolution 2375 imposing additional sanctions on North Korea as having been achieved “unanimously in a short period of time.” In a briefing at the Blue House’s press center on Sept. 12, spokesperson Park Soo-hyun stated that, “The resolution today signifies the international community’s agreement and full-scale support on the need for stronger sanctions than [those in] previous Resolution 2371 in response to North Korea’s nuclear test.” “We reiterate that the only way for North Korea to escape diplomatic isolation and economic pressure is to come to table for dialogue toward complete, irreversible, and verifiable denuclearization,” Park stressed.

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

Trump could come for summit in Korea in Nov.

Seoul and Washington are discussing a possible trip to Korea by U.S. President Donald Trump in November, the Blue House said Wednesday. “We’ve discussed his visit to Korea,” said a Blue House official after Japanese media reported that Trump will visit South Korea, China and Japan as a part of a trip to Asia. The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit will take place on Nov. 10 and 11, in Vietnam, and summits of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), Asean Plus Three and the East Asia Summit will take place in the Philippines from Nov. 13 to 14. Japan’s Asahi Shimbun reported that Trump will visit Japan from Nov. 4 to 6 and visit other Asian countries aside from Vietnam and the Philippines, presumably South Korea and China.

New jobs sag in August to 212,000

The number of new jobs in August fell to the lowest level in four and a half year partly due to weather. According to Statistics Korea on Wednesday, only 212,000 new jobs were created last month to make a total of 26.7 million jobs.
That’s the lowest number since February 2013, when 201,000 new jobs were created. From February through July, more than 300,000 jobs were added every month. The government said a primary reason for last month’s drop was weather.

LKP advised to sever ties with former president

A panel recommended the Liberty Korea Party sever its ties to former President Park Geun-hye on Wednesday. “The party must recommend Park give up her party membership by holding her politically responsible for the failure to operate the country,” said Lew Seok-choon, chief of the party’s so-called innovation panel. Lew, recruited in July to help the party recover from the political scandal that led to Park’s removal, said she must be kicked out if she doesn’t leave voluntarily. Lew also recommended that Reps. Suh Chung-won and Choi Kyung-hwan, key associates of Park, should be asked to leave because their factionalist politics dragged the party down. “If they do not accept the recommendation, the party must also expel them,” Lew said.

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

Confirmation Hearing of Park Seong-jin
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: What Is the Intention of South Korea and the U.S.?
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.

Cheong Wa Dae Announces "Opposition" As Public Opinion Calls for Redeployment of Tactical Nuclear Weapons

On September 12, Cheong Wa Dae announced its opposition to the redeployment of US Forces Korea's tactical nuclear weapons through Lee Sang-chul, first deputy director of the National Security Office, after it deemed that the recent public opinion on the issue had gone too far. This day, Lee appeared at the Cheong Wa Dae press room, organized a press briefing and explained why the president opposed the redeployment of nuclear weapons claiming that it not only violated the basic principle of denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, which has been maintained since 1991, but that it would also rob us of an excuse for denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula

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

Kumho Asiana Chairman to Sell 3 Kumho Tire Plants in China

Park Sam-koo, chairman of Kumho Asiana Group, will submit a self-rescue plan for Kumho Tire that includes the sell-off of Chinese plants to the creditors by September 12. In addition, he will sell off a 4.4-percent stake in Daewoo Engineering & Construction worth 130 billion won while asking executives to return their pays as part of the restructuring measures. An industry official familiar with the matter said on September 11, "Kumho Asiana will soon deliver to the creditors a high-intensity plan to increase liquidity by cutting cost through asset sales and cost savings.

LG International Kicks off Cement Production in Myanmar

LG International Corp., Korea's leading general trading company, is set to kick off the operation of a cement factory in Myanmar for which it has invested for two years. This is part of the company's strategy to preempt the rapidly growing Myanmar market by becoming the first general trading firm to build a cement plant in the Southeast Asian nation. According to industry sources on September 11, LG International is currently making a pilot run of the cement plant in the erstwhile reclusive country. Back in 2015, the company jumped into the cement market for the first time among the nation's general trading companies.

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.

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

S. Korea succeeds in first live-fire test of Taurus cruise missile

South Korea claimed to have successfully staged the first live-fire exercise for Taurus, a powerful air-launched cruise missile that enables jet fighters to make a precise and powerful attack on North Korea's underground missile and nuclear facilities. Taurus incorporates stealth characteristics and has a range of more than 500 kilometers (310 miles). South Korea has agreed to bring in the Taurus KEPD 350K, an enhanced version of the Taurus KEPD 350 fielded by Germany and Spain.

Brazil miners massacre indigenous tribe triggers international outrage

Brazil gold miners entered a bar in Javari Valley. After a few drinks, they started boasting about their recent adventure. They talked about how they massacred indigenous tribe members that have never been contacted by the modern world. They even took a trophy, a hand-carved paddle, from the innocent natives who were killed like a prey. The minders told the crowd in the bar that they found an indigenous people gathering eggs along Jandiatuba River, west of Brazil near Peru's border.

Anxiety mounts among working moms over strike planned by kindergartens

Anxiety is mounting among South Korean working moms over a rare strike planned by thousands of private kindergartens or nursery schools which have demanded greater state subsidies and support to ride out their financial crisis caused by a chronic low birthrate. An association of some 4,100 private kindergartens plans to stage a one-day general strike on September 18 and a five-day work stoppage from September 25. It warned of more trouble unless their demands are met.

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

Korea’s job growth slows in August

The growth in the number of new hires in South Korea slowed in August with the on-year employment gain dipping below the 300,000 threshold for the first time in seven months on a downturn in the construction sector and youth unemployment sinking to levels not seen since 1999. According to employment data released by the Statistics Korea on Wednesday, the number of employed in August stood at 26.74 million, up 212,000 from a year earlier.

S. Korea’s top wine importer Keumyang sold to local construction firm

South Korea’s Camus Engineering & Construction Inc. (Camus E&C) has acquired Keumyang International Inc., the country’s top importer and distributor of wine, in a move to make a foray into the wine industry dominated by local retail conglomerates. According to multiple sources from the wine industry on Wednesday, Keumyang International has been incorporated into a unit under Camus E&C in June. The construction firm has secured a 79.34 percent stake in Keumyang International, of which 43.8 percent is owned by Base HD Co., Camus E&C’s largest shareholder with a 54.98 percent ownership, and 35.54 by Taeheung Industry Co., a core unit under the construction firm.

Hyundai, Kia appeal to Europe with high-performance line-up

South Korea’s Hyundai Motor Co. and its sister company Kia Motors Corp. have showed off their high-performance cars and compact sport utility vehicles (SUV) at the world’s biggest auto show with hopes that the European market can help to offset its losses in China and the United States. At the 67th International Frankfurt Motor Show that kicked off on Tuesday at the Frankfurt Messe in Germany, Hyundai Motor unveiled its five high-performance cars including the i30N. As the first model of the company’s high-performance N series, the i30N is powered by the 2.0-liter gasoline turbo engine. Its revved-up engine offers 275 horsepower in maximum and 36 kilogram-force meter (kgf·m) torque, which is 33 percent higher than the general 1.6-liter gasoline engine-powered i30 model.

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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