The Korean daily media headlines and humor

Tuesday, September 26, 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/)

N. Korea Accuses Trump of Declaring War

North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho says that U.S. President Donald Trump has declared war against his country, and Pyongyang will defend itself by shooting down American bombers if necessary.
"As you already know, for the last few days the United Nations and the international community sincerely wished that the war of words between the DPRK and the United States does not turn into real actions."
"However, last weekend Trump once again said that our leadership will not last, making a declaration of war."

N. Korea's Claim that Trump Declared War 'Absurd'

The White House has denied North Korea's claim that U.S. President Donald Trump had declared war on the country, calling the claim "absurd." White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said during a news briefing on Monday that the U.S. has not declared war on North Korea."We've not declared war on North Korea and frankly the suggestion of that is absurd." Speaking to reporters earlier in the day in New York, North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho said that Trump declared war against his country by tweeting on Saturday that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un won't be around much longer.

Taiwan Bans All Trade with N. Korea

Taiwan has reportedly banned all trade with North Korea in line with the UN Security Council sanctions against the country over its sixth nuclear test.According to Japan’s Kyodo News on Tuesday, the Executive Yuan, the executive branch of the Taiwan government said on its Web site that Taiwan is banning all trade activities with North Korea. A spokesman said that Taiwan is not a member of the UN, but as a member of the international community, it is complying with international sanctions against Pyongyang.

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

N. Korea says Trump's words were declaration of war

North Korea's foreign minister said Monday that U.S. President Donald Trump has declared war against his country and Pyongyang will defend itself by shooting down American bombers if necessary. In a Saturday tweet, Trump warned that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and his regime "won't be around much longer. "It is clearly a declaration of war because those were words by an incumbent American president," Ri Yong-ho told reporters in front of his New York hotel. The minister, who was in the city to attend the U.N. General Assembly last week, cited Saturday's overfly of U.S. B-1B bombers in international airspace off North Korea's eastern coast.

N.K. claim that Trump declared war is 'absurd': White House

The White House on Monday denied North Korea's claim that U.S. President Donald Trump had declared war on the country, saying the suggestion is "absurd."Speaking to reporters in New York earlier in the day, North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho said Trump clearly declared war on his country by saying in a Saturday tweet that the North's leader, Kim Jong-un, "won't be around much longer.""We've not declared war on North Korea. And frankly, the suggestion of that is absurd," White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said during a briefing.

S. Korean president congratulates German chancellor on election outcome

South Korean President Moon Jae-in has sent a letter to German Chancellor Angela Merkel to congratulate her on her recent re-election and invite her to visit his country in the near future, the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said Tuesday."I believe the outcome of the recent election reflects the German people's support and faith in the outstanding leadership you have shown, and that you will continue to spearhead Germany's development and prosperity," Moon said in his message, released by Cheong Wa Dae.

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

NK accuses US of declaring war, claims to have justification for shooting down US bombers

North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho on Tuesday accused US President Donald Trump of declaring war on his country, and warned of military response to further show of force maneuvers by the US.
Speaking to the media outside the Millennium Hilton New York One UN Plaza in New York, Ri claimed that recent actions by Trump were declaration of war. “This past weekend, Trump again declared war on us, saying that our regime will not last long,” Ri said, saying that the international community had hoped for the war of words between Washington and Pyongyang to escalate into actions.

Global leaders vow united efforts to address ICT issues

ITU Telecom World 2017, one of the largest UN-backed information and communication technology events, kicked off in Korea’s southern port city of Busan on Monday.Hundreds of ministers, government officials, and business leaders from ITU’s 193 member states packed the auditorium of Bexco, an exhibition center and the main event venue for the conference, to celebrate the opening of the quadrennial event. The conference, which is being held under the theme “Better Sooner,” gives participants the opportunity to discuss how to accelerate the innovation of the ICT segment and the expansion of smart technology across the globe.

Seoul not as vulnerable as it seems

For most South Koreans, war with North Korea is something unfathomable. Regardless of its outcome, they are convinced any armed conflict here would end with millions of casualties and the complete devastation of the South’s flourishing economy. Such worries are shaped by the notion that Seoul and its surrounding provinces, home to some 25 million Koreans and well within the range of the communist North’s artillery and ballistic missiles, would be reduced to ashes if attacked.

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

North Korea 'has right to shoot down US bombers'

North Korea's foreign minister said Monday that U.S. President Donald Trump has declared war against his country and Pyongyang holds the right to self-defense. Trump tweeted over the weekend that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will not last long. "It is clearly a declaration of war because those were words by an incumbent American president," Ri Yong-ho told reporters in front of his hotel in New York. "As long as the U.S. has declared war, even if U.S. strategic bombers don't fly over North Korean air, we will hold the right to all measures of self-defense.

AI to become mandatory KAIST course

Beginning next year, new students of Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) cannot graduate from the ivory tower if they don't complete the artificial intelligence (AI) course. "I will strengthen educations of basic engineering courses. And that includes AI. Those who enter KAIST next year should study at least one AI course. Otherwise, they would not be able to get our diploma," KAIST President Shin Sung-chul said in a recent interview.

Survival kits provided as Chuseok gifts amid geopolitical tension

International new media has portrayed Koreans as staying surprisingly calm despite heightened tension due to North Korea's nuclear and missile tests. But public interest in survival kits and preparation for the possibility of war seem to be picking up. A shipping company based in southern Seoul handed out survival kits to its employees last week as gifts for the traditional thanksgiving holiday of Chuseok, according to Yonhap News Agency. "We have created and are distributing a survival kit with emergency items in consideration of the current circumstances," the company was quoted as saying.

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

Trump adds N. Korea to U.S. travel ban list

“The operation had been reported to President Moon Jae-in in real-time while he was in New York (to attend the UN general assembly last week), and had already been discussed in detail between the two allies” the South Korean presidential office Cheong Wa Dae announced Saturday, regarding the armed protest that involved U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancer conventional strategic bombers that flew over international waters near the North Korean city of Wonsan beyond the Northern Limit Line.“I reconfirmed principles of peace and strong sanctions of the international community against North Korea’s nuclear and missile provocations through the UN General Assembly and meetings with heads of state,” said President Moon who presided the meeting with his senior secretaries on Monday.

North Korea attempts to hack BOK several times this year

North Korea has reportedly attempted to breach the Bank of Korea several times this year. According to data submitted on Monday by the central bank to Shim Jae-chul, a Liberty Korea Party lawmaker and a member of National Assembly's Financial Committee, the number of hacking threats to the Bank of Korea has soared to 116 for the first eight months of this year, from 38 in 2015 and 44 in 2016. Lawmaker Shim said the government confirmed that among those 116 hacking threats, about seven to eight cases were from North Korea.

Hyundai Mobis wins 5 trillion won orders in U.S., China

Hyundai Mobis Co. has won the largest scale orders this year from global automakers exclusive of Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors. The remarkable performance is attributable to the company’s strategy to expand into new markets with high quality auto parts and thereby wean itself off the Hyundai Motor Group, its parent company.The auto parts company based in Korea announced on Monday that it obtained orders worth some 4.8 billion dollars (around 5.424 trillion won) in countries including the United States and China from January to August. The total price of contracts Hyundai Mobis sealed during the period grew 4.8 times from last year’s 1 billion dollars, and is almost a tenfold increase from 490 million dollars in 2015.

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

N.Korean FM Says Trump Makes Rocket Attack on U.S. 'Inevitable'

North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho on Saturday said U.S. President Donald Trump is making a rocket attack on the U.S. mainland "inevitable" amid an escalating war of words between the two countries. Ri was speaking at the UN General Assembly in New York. "The Democratic People's Republic of Korea is a responsible nuclear weapons state," Ri said, using the official name of North Korea. "We will take preventative measures by merciless preemptive action in case the U.S. and its vassal forces show any sign of conducting a kind of 'decapitating' operation on our headquarters or military attack against our country."

N.Korea Bolsters Military Bases on Frontlines
North Korea has bolstered its war footing since its latest nuclear test on Sept. 3, including reinforcing frontline military bases. The North usually keeps the turrets of its frontline observation posts closed, but now they have been opened, which the South Korean military regards as a sign of heightened readiness for war. Bareun Party lawmaker Kim Young-woo of the National Assembly Defense Committee told the Chosun Ilbo on Friday that Defense Minister Song Young-moo was briefed on this during his recent visit to a frontline unit.

France 'Could Skip Olympics If N.Korean Threat Continues'

France could skip the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea if the standoff with North Korea gets worse, its Sports Minister Laura Flessel said last Thursday.

"We will never put our team in danger," Flessel told a radio interviewer. "If it gets worse and we do not have their security confirmed, our French team will stay here."

Flessel later backtracked, saying she was merely talking in principle and added that she has not yet considered that option. South Korean Sports Minister Do Jong-hwan told the National Assembly on Friday that Seoul "needs to publicize the safety of the games here.

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

US Air Force bombers fly to northernmost point of DMZ for first time this century

On the night of Sept. 23, the US Air Force dispatched a number of B-1B Lancers (known as the “Swan of Death”) and F-15C jets to the northernmost point of the DMZ, which is the closest US aircraft have flown to North Korea in the 21st century. The flight is thought to be aimed at raising pressure on North Korea as high as possible to prevent it from taking further actions that would raise tensions and to bring it to the negotiating table by force. During this operation, two B-1Bs, which were escorted by F-15Cs, reportedly crossed to the north of the Northern Limit Line (NLL) in the East Sea before returning to their base. B-1Bs inbound from Guam typically fly in formation with aircraft from the Republic of Korea Air Force or the Japan Air Self-Defense Force, but only the US military was involved in this operation.

Tensions between North Korea and US show no signs of abating

Military tensions are soaring around the Korean Peninsula amid signs that the war of words touched off between Pyongyang and Washington by US President Donald Trump’s remarks about “totally destroy[ing]” North Korea could lead to real actions. Responding to Trump’s remarks, North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho said in a UN General Assembly speech on Sept. 23 that Pyongyang would “take preventive measures with ruthless preemptive action in the event of signs of a military attack against our Republic.”

Chinese government takes steps to implement new UN sanctions against North Korea

The Chinese authorities have announced domestic measures for implementing the UN Security Council Resolution that bans the import of clothing produced in North Korea and the export of petroleum products to the North. On Sept. 22, China’s Ministry of Commerce and the General Administration of Customs posted notices on their websites announcing that they were completely halting imports of textiles produced in North Korea to implement UN Security Council Resolution No. 2375. It will only be possible to import products that enter China through Dec. 10 as part of contracts made before Sept. 11, when the resolution was passed.

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

DP demands a probe into Lee for 2012 election

Calling former President Lee Myung-bak the mastermind behind the military cyber command’s efforts to help Park Geun-hye win the 2012 presidential election, the ruling party on Monday demanded a formal investigation into Lee and his aides.“Lee made a direct order to the Cyber Command of the military to increase the number of civilian employees,” Rep. Woo Won-shik, floor leader of the ruling Democratic Party, said Monday at the party’s leadership meeting. “The Blue House received a daily report from the command’s operation. In addition to the suspicions that the Lee administration mobilized intelligence agencies to manipulate public opinions, we cannot delay an investigation into Lee and former Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin.”

Trump wants to avoid nuclear war

U.S. President Donald Trump wants to avoid nuclear war with North Korea, said his Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.“I can assure you the president’s number one priority is the safety of the American people and our allies,” Mnuchin said on an interview on ABC News’s “This Week” on Sunday. “The president doesn’t want to be in a nuclear war. And we will do everything we can to make sure that doesn’t occur.”
Mnuchin’s remarks represent an attempt to tone down the bellicose back-and-forth denunciations between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and his diplomats over the past week as world leaders gathered in New York for the opening of the 72nd session of the United Nations General Assembly.

Gov’t repeals controversial labor regulations

The Moon Jae-in government on Monday nullified two labor regulations enacted by its predecessor that enabled employers to fire low-performing workers and revise working conditions without majority consent, a 180 degree turnaround from former President Park Geun-hye’s labor policy. Employment and Labor Minister Kim Young-joo declared an end to the two disputed polices that were introduced in the name of easing labor restrictions and setting up clear work evaluation systems. Criticizing the former government’s rush to introduce the two labor regulations, Minister Kim said the two policy lines “failed to win public support because they were rushed out without social consent.”

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

President Moon All In on Preventing a War, While NK and US Bounce in Unpredictable
Despite President Moon attendance at the United Nations (UN) General Assembly and busy bilateral meetings over the course of five days, nothing changed in regards to security on the Korean Peninsula. The American and North Korean leaders exchanged harsh words displaying the worst possible situation, whose future is unpredictable, overshadowing President Moons UN speech stressing peace. A U.S. strategic bomber staged a military demonstration and passed the Military Demarcation Line into international airspace over North Korea’s east coast for the first time since the Korean War.

Solo U.S. Operation: “Swan of Death” Approaches North Korea's “Throat”
Several B-1B Lancer bombers of the U.S. Air Force engaged in a demonstration flight over international airspace in North Korea's east coast around midnight on September 23. This is the first time since the Korean War that a U.S. bomber flew over North Korea's east coast, and the latest flight triggered concerns that it could suggest the possibility of independent military action by the U.S. This afternoon, President Moon Jae-in convened an emergency meeting of the National Security Council (NSC) and discussed ways to ease the recent tension on the Korean Peninsula.

Moon Government to Consider the Inter-Korean Situation in Determining the Time and Scale of First Step in Aid for North Korea
On September 21, the government decided to fund US$8 million to projects supporting the vulnerable, such as pregnant women and infants, in North Korea through international organizations like the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Food Programme (WFP). However, the government decided to consider the inter-Korean situation when determining the time and scale of the actual support. The government appears to have opted for a flexible approach to details considering the public opinion in and outside the country, which has deteriorated due to a series of nuclear tests and ballistic missile launches by the North.

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

POSCO Completes Steel Wire Service Center in the U.S.

POSCO, Korea's largest steel maker, has completed on September 22 the construction of a steel wire service center in Jeffersonville, Indiana, with an annual capacity of 25,000 tons. The plant will supply steel wire goods to be used for bolts, nuts, and bearings to auto parts companies. Started in April last year, the service center cost the company US$20.9 million to build. The high-quality steel materials produced in the new plant will be supplied to companies like Simplex Korea, Taeyang Metal Industrial, Nissan, and Fontana.

Industry Panics over Prospect of Rising Subcontract Worker Disputes

As the government pronounced illegal on the practice of companies relying on subcontract workers for a long time such as the cases in Paris Baguette and Mando-Hella, the whole industry in shock. This is not just restricted to manufacturers but is spread to services and the food franchise industry as well.The corporate sector expected on September 24 that companies like Tous Les Jours, Samsung Electronics service centers, and LG U+ will likely face the same problem any time soon after the Ministry of Employment and Labor made a decision on dispatch workers. An official with a large corporation said that he is worried that the government may pressure his company to hire all dispatch workers as full-time regular employees.

Gov't Decides to Give $8 Mil. Aid to North Korea...Timing to Be Announced Later

The government has decided to give support to North Korea worth US$8 million in programs helping its vulnerable people including children and pregnant women indirectly through international organizations. It, however, has not decided when to start sending money and exactly how. This is interpreted as a choice to deflect criticism that it is undertaking an aid project at a time when North Korea is causing an international storm by launching a series of missile tests.On September 21, the government held a consultative meeting for inter-Korean exchange and cooperation and approved an agenda to provide $8 million to programs such as those for North Korean mothers and children' health and nutrition by way of the UNICEF and the World Food Program.

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

Michelin Guide's new Seoul version to be published next month

Amid lingering controversy over its fairness, French tire company Michelin will publish will publish the new version of Michelin Guide Seoul, a century-old restaurant and hotel guidebook, next month. The second edition will be unveiled at an event on November 8, along with an awarding ceremony with invited chefs from selected restaurants."I think the first edition of Michelin Guide Seoul, published last year, has contributed much to broadening the world of epicures in South Korea," Michelin Korea CEO Lee Joo-haeng said in a statement on Monday. The CEO said the restaurant and hotel guide will provide a new form of joy to readers with a whole new dining experience.

S. Korea pushes for construction of world's largest LNG-powered vessel

In a bid to acquire related technology and take the upper hand in the global market, South Korea will push for a state-sponsored project to build the world's largest vessel powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG).
The project to build a 180,000-ton LNG-propelled vessel for Posco, the country's top steel company, involves shipyards, government bodies, the state-run Korea Development Bank and a research institute, according to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries.

Kakao-invested fintech company to test run digital currency exchange

"Donamu", a financial technology (fintech) company invested by South Korea's second-largest web service provider "Kakao", will beta-open its online digital currency exchange service next month.The fintech company said in a statement Monday that it has established an exclusive partnership with "Bittrex", one of the world's largest online exchange services for digital currencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum, to launch its own exchange, "UPbit".According to Donamu, UPbit will provide a 24-hour trade service via a PC or a smartphone app. The online exchange will support a dozen online currencies including Bitcoin, Ethereum and Ripple.

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

Hyundai Mobis wins combined $4.8 bn deals in China, North America

Hyundai Mobis Co., South Korea’s largest automotive parts supplier, said Monday it has clinched deals worth a combined $4.8 billion in China and North America so far this year. This figure during the January-August period is a nearly five-fold jump from the $1 billion generated in the full year of 2016. The stellar results came despite the ongoing diplomatic spat with Beijing over Seoul’s decision to deploy a U.S. antimissile shield on the Korean soil. While sales in the world’s largest market have suffered since March from a government-led backlash, the car parts supplier succeeded in obtaining a Chinese automaker as a new client, a demonstration of its high-quality products and technological prowess, according to the company.

South Korea’s steel exports to U.S. down 16% on-year in August

South Korea’s steel exports to the United States plunged 16 percent last month from a year ago on rising import restrictions in the country under President Donald Trump and his trade protectionism policy, data showed on Sunday. According to Korea Iron & Steel Association on Sunday, Korea exported 292,433 tons of steel to the U.S. in August, down 16 percent or 55,691 tons from 348,124 tons in the same month last year. Korea shipped 2.518 million tons of steel to the U.S. from January to August this year, which is 100,000 tons less than 2.619 million tons in the same period last year, according to the association. The fall in exports is expected to steepen in the coming months due to seasonal factors.

S. Korean solar cell makers on alert after U.S. safeguard ruling

South Korea’s $1.2 billion worth solar panel exports to the United States are at risk of being hit by higher import tariffs after the U.S. federal trade agency concluded that cheap panel imports have caused “serious injury” to the domestic industry in line with President Donald Trump’s promise to reactivate long-dormant protectionist trade rules to help local industry and jobs under his “America First” slogan. The U.S. International Trade Commission (U.S. ITC) in a 4-0 vote on Friday (local time) ruled that “increased imports of crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells…(is) a substantial cause of serious injury to the domestic industry producing an article like or directly competitive with the imported article.” The ITC is scheduled to hold a public hearing on October 3 and send its recommendation to the White House on November 13.

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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.combfp@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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