The Korean daily media headlines and humor

The Korean daily media headlines and humor

Monday, October 9, 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

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Some of the participants in the Yecheon archery festival from various countries of the world

Special notice:

Yecheon hosts World Archery Fest with 90 champions from 37 countries

On Oct. 13 on the theme: ‘Bow of Yecheon, Arrow of Cupid’

Some 90 noted archers from a total of 37 different countries of the world are competing with one another at the 3rd World Archery Festival in Yecheon on Oct. 13-16, 2017, including China, Germany, Hungary, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Peru, Poland, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States (see list at the bottom of this report).

This year, the Festival is attended by many VIP guests from various countries of the world.

At a quick glance, the following noted personalities were noticed from the list of participants. Offhand, there was Chairman Bilal Erdogan of the WESF of Turkey (who is the son of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of the Republic of Turkey. There also Chairman Mehmet Fatih Kalender of the Association of Archers of Turkey.

From Indonesia comes Chairman Utut Adiauto of the National Assembly Culture-Sports Committee and France is represented by Mayor Bruno Fortier of the Le Pibalua City with City Counsel Member Julien Pichelin.

Please scroll down to the bottom for the full story and photos and the Invitation Letter of the Mayor to Your Excellency and Madam:

URL: http://www.koreapost.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=5051

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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 Says 'Only One Thing Will Work' to Rein in N. Korea

United States President Donald Trump says that 25 years of talking to North Korea has failed and "only one thing" will work to solve the North Korean nuclear impasse. Trump tweeted on Saturday that presidents and their administrations have been talking to North Korea for 25 years, agreements made and massive amounts of money paid, adding it hasn't worked and all agreements violated before the ink was dry, making fools of U.S. negotiators. He went on to say that “only one thing will work,” without giving any details what particular approach he meant. Trump’s latest comment came after he mentioned “the calm before the storm” after a meeting with his top military generals at the White House on Thursday to discuss strategy on North Korea and Iran.

Kim Jong-un Reaffirms Commitment to Pursuit of Nuke, Economic Development

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has reaffirmed his commitment to the simultaneous pursuit of nuclear weapons and economic development. The North’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on Sunday that Kim chaired the ruling Workers’ Party's conference on Saturday. Kim reportedly told the conference that the current situation and reality clearly proved that the party was right about its strong commitment to following the path of socialism and the simultaneous pursuit of nuclear weapons and economic development.

S. Korea, US Enhance Surveillance of N. Korea

South Korean and the United States military authorities have stepped up monitoring and surveillance on North Korea amid speculation of Pyongyang’s possible provocation around Tuesday. A military official in Seoul said Sunday that there is no sign that the North's provocation is imminent, but some activities have been detected from the North's missile facilities and bases and thus the military is maintaining a heightened readiness posture and surveillance. The official said that U.S. Forces Korea has enhanced the operations of the U-2S ultra-high altitude reconnaissance aircraft and South Korea also increased surveillance with the RC-800 and RF-16 reconnaissance planes, the E-737 airborne early warning and control aircraft and P-3C maritime patrol aircraft.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

Choe Ryong-hae elected to N.K. ruling party's central military commission

Choe Ryong-hae, vice chairman of North Korea's ruling party and known to be one of the closest aides to leader Kim Jong-un, has been picked as a member of the party's powerful military commission, the North's state-run media reported Sunday. Choe, 67, was elected to the Central Military Commission of the North's Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) during the second plenum of its seventh central committee Saturday in Pyongyang, according to the North's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

N. Korea marks anniversary of former leader's assumption of power

North Korea celebrated the 20th anniversary of former leader Kim Jong-il's ascent to power Sunday, pledging to uphold his legacy of fighting against its archenemy the United States and building a powerful socialist nation. The North's state media released eulogies on the achievements of the father of incumbent leader Kim Jong-un. Some 100,000 people, including top officials, participated in a rally in central Pyongyang, and a large firework display will be held in the capital in the evening, the North's news outlets reported. Kim Jong-il, a son of the national founder Kim Il-sung, was elected general secretary of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) in 1997 and ruled the country until he died in December 2011.

Former NIS official, rightist group suspected of trying to have Kim's Nobel prize canceled

Prosecutors are looking into a former intelligence official's alleged collaboration with a rightist civic group seeking to have the 2000 Nobel Peace Prize awarded to former President Kim Dae-jung revoked, officials said Sunday. A prosecution team investigating the National Intelligence Service's interference with politics and blacklisting of celebrities has recently examined emails exchanged between a former agency official and a conservative activist. The investigators found that after Kim died in August 2009, they discussed a plan to petition the Norwegian Nobel Committee to strip Kim of the prize in a bid to block nationwide mourning for the former liberal leader worsening public sentiment against then conservative President Lee Myung-bak.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

Tension mounts ahead of NK anniversary

With North Korea gearing up to mark a major anniversary this week, concern is rising that the communist regime might celebrate the occasion with another provocation and heighten tension on the Korean Peninsula again. North Korea has not staged major provocations since its launch of an intermediate ballistic missile on Sept. 15 and a test of what it said was a hydrogen bomb on Sept. 3, though it has exchanged war of words with the US President Donald Trump and made a series of verbal threats toward South Korea.

US safeguard likely to hurt Samsung, LG washer sales

The US International Trade Commission’s latest ruling in favor of Whirlpool to impose safeguard restrictions on Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics will deal a blow to the Korean tech giants, who together sell $1 billion worth of washing machines every year in the US. Whirlpool filed a petition with the ITC in May, seeking restrictions to stop Korean firms from flooding the US market with cheaper washers. A safeguard law is a restraint on international trade to protect home industries from foreign competition.

Seoul irked by NK’s secret use of joint factory complex

Revelations that North Korea has been secretly operating South Korea-invested factories in a joint industrial park shuttered in 2016 have angered South Korean officials, politicians and businesspeople. But there seems to be no practical way to stop the North’s “illegal use” of South Korean properties. On Friday, North Korea’s propaganda outlet Uriminzokkiri claimed that “it’s nobody’s business” what it does at Kaesong Industrial Complex, where its “sovereignty is exercised.” It also vowed to run the factories more actively and to show how its citizens are currently working “with confidence” there.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

Trump's 'madman' strategy troubles Korean economy

President Donald Trump's America-first policy is putting more pressure on the Korean economy which is already suffering Chinese economic retaliation against the placement of a U.S. missile shield here.

Trump's trade negotiators have successfully brought South Korean officials to the renegotiation table for the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA). The U.S. trade commission has set the stage for the real estate mogul-turned-president to impose safeguard restrictions on washers made by Samsung and LG Electronics. In the wake of the growing trade pressure, the government is scrambling to hold meetings with relevant companies this week.

Holidaygoers return home as Chuseok break comes to an end

Expressways were congested on Sunday due to vehicles returning to Seoul and the airport teemed with those coming back from trips over the extended Chuseok holiday. Monday is the last day of the unprecedentedly long Chuseok break which started on Sept. 30. The Korea Expressway Corporation (KEC) estimates 3.58 million vehicles used major expressways on Sunday and 420,000 vehicles returned to Seoul and surrounding cities. The congestion was heaviest from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. and eased after midnight. According to the KEC, a large number of vehicles returned to Seoul on Friday after visiting hometowns, and many of the vehicles heading back to Seoul on Sunday were returning from outings.

One million Korean smartphone users 'at high risk of addiction'

More than one million South Koreans are smartphone addicts who face the risk of developing depression, insomnia or other health problems unless they receive immediate consultation or treatment, according to state data released on Sunday. The National Information Society Agency (NIA) said 1,042,000 people were at "high risk of addiction" in 2016, up 1.6 percent from the previous year. Teenagers (aged 10-19) made up the biggest portion of 30.6 percent, followed by preschoolers (3-9) at 17.9 percent, adults under 60 at 16.1 percent and adults over 60 at 11.7 percent. Messenger apps were the No. 1 culprit for addiction, followed by games, web surfing and social media.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

‘The calm before the storm. You’ll find out,’ Trump says

Along with an observation that North Korea will go on a massive provocation around Oct. 10, the anniversary of its communist party foundation, the North is reportedly getting ready for launching inter-continental ballistic missiles (ICBM). “As the North has been preparing to launch a long-range missile, we are closely watching the situation,” a high-level official of Cheong Wa Dae said on Saturday. “If the North makes a provocation, we will respond firmly and sternly.”

ICAN’s Nobel prize win warns against the North’s reckless fireworks

he International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), a non-government organization designed to remove all nuclear weapons across the globe, has won the Nobel Peace Prize of 2017. Consisting of 468 NGOs from 101 countries around the world, ICAN drafted the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons adopted by the United Nations last month, as a driving force behind anti-nuclear movements of international community. The Nobel committee cited ICAN for “its work to draw attention to the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of any use of nuclear weapons and for its groundbreaking efforts to achieve a treaty-based prohibition of such weapons.”

N. Korea admits operation of Kaesong Industrial Complex

North Korea has made a sudden acknowledgement about the partial resumption of the Kaesong Industrial Complex and its background is drawing attention. In response to the North’s announcement, the Unification Ministry of South Korea remonstrated and said, “North Korea should refrain from infringing on property rights,” but there are no suitable sanctions at place. “It will be seen clearly how our workers are working (at the Kaesong Industrial Complex) proudly,” said Uriminzokkiri, Pyongyang’s official website, on Friday.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

Hiking Mountain Trails Offers the Perfect Autumn Workout

Autumn is a perfect time for outdoor activities. Hiking in the mountains is a wonderful way to take in some beautiful scenery and enjoy the colorful foliage.

It's also a great workout, as it burns around 500 kcal per hour for someone who weighs 60 kg, for example. Hiking exercises the whole body and strengthens leg muscles. But hikers are advised to be careful when venturing into the mountains, as injuries and accidents can happen at any time.

Low-Cost Carriers Boost Overseas Travel

Budget carriers are seeing an explosive growth in passengers as they expand flights to Japan and Southeast Asia. There are six budget airlines in Korea Air Busan, Air Seoul, Eastar Jet, Jeju Air, Jin Air and T'way Airlines -- and according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, 9.31 million out of 25.1 million passengers who flew on Korean carriers in the first half of this year used them. That boils down to one in three.

Yecheon hosts World Archery Fest with 90 champions from 37 countries

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

Study calls for “globalizing” the issue of divided family reunions

54% of the 130,000 people who applied for reunions with family members in North Korea have since passed away, while 85% of the surviving 60,000 are aged 70 or older from the first generation of divided families. A new analysis shows over 7,300 people per year would have to have reunions for all of the survivors to have at least one opportunity in their lifetime to see their family in the North. Amid the chill in inter-Korean relations, some observers are now calling for a solution of “globalizing” the divided family issue by working with the UN and other international institutions to persuade Pyongyang to allow reunions.

South Korean public enterprises’ overseas resource investments showing low rates of return

South Korean public enterprises have pumped tens of billions of dolalrs into overseas resource development, but more than a decade later they have still only recovered one-third of their investments, a government report shows. According to the 2016 Overseas Resource Development Report, which People’s Party lawmaker Lee Chan-yeol received from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy on Sept. 25, South Korean companies in the public and private sectors have invested a cumulative total of US$74.63 billion in overseas resource development. But the money recovered as of the end of last year through profits, dividends and asset sales amounted to US$41 billion, or 54.9% of the money invested. More than 10 years have passed since the presidency of Lee Myung-bak, who rapidly increased public enterprises’ investment in overseas resource development, but the amount recovered in earnings is still quite low.

Dog farmers demand that their industry be legalized

“I can’t agree with that. Dogs didn’t come from wolves. All the hundreds of types of dogs were made by human hands. They say wolves evolved into dogs and became friends to humans, but it only looks that way because of a repeated learning process. We can communicate with any kind of animal, be it cattle, pigs, chickens, food dogs, or dinosaurs.” Korea Dog Farmers' Association (KDFA) President Kim Sang-young’s message on Sept. 18 was delivered forcefully. Among the various local farms and merchant associations existing nationwide around the dog meat industry, the KDFA was founded in 2008 as an association for full-time dog farmers, raising an average of 700 to 800 animals apiece according to its own estimates.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

‘Only one thing will work,’ says Trump

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Twitter on Saturday that “only one thing will work” in dealing with North Korea. Criticizing the past diplomatic approach to the regime, he wrote: “Presidents and their administrations have been talking to North Korea for 25 years, agreements made and massive amounts of money paid .?.?. hasn’t worked, agreements violated before the ink was dry, making fools of U.S. negotiators. Sorry, but only one thing will work!” This follows Trump’s remarks to White House reporters during a gathering with top U.S. military leaders Thursday evening, in which he warned of “the calm before the storm.”

Kim Jong-un names sister to ruling party politburo

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has promoted his younger sister to the ruling party’s political bureau, strengthening the family’s grip on the regime. The decision was made Saturday during the second plenary meeting of the 7th Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea, an annual gathering of Kim’s closest political aides to discuss domestic and international issues in addition to announcing any personnel changes. The previous plenary meeting was held in May 2016. During the latest meeting, Kim Jong-un appointed his sister, Kim Yo-jong, to the Workers’ Party Political Bureau as a candidate (alternate) member, a role that does not have a vote but is allowed to participate in debates on key issues.

Korea has 3.98 million solo businesses

Korea ranks fourth among members of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development for the number of one-person businesses operating in the country, with nearly four million people working alone. According to the OECD report published on Sept. 28, entitled “Entrepreneurship at a Glance,” Korea has 3.98 million self-employed people who run their businesses without hiring employees to help them, coming in fourth place among the 38 surveyed nations. The report shows that in the category of “own account workers,” a reference to those who run their businesses without employees, the United States tops the list with 9.82 million, followed by Mexico with 9.77 million and Turkey with 4.1 million. Coming in fifth is the United Kingdom, which has 3.6 million solo entrepreneurs.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

Park Geun-hye Spending the Chuseok Holiday Alone in Prison

It looks like former President Park Geun-hye (65) will be spending the first holiday in the detention center alone. According to the Korea Correctional Services under the Ministry of Justice on October 1, the prisoners in 52 correctional facilities nationwide will be allowed to see their families for two days-October 2 and 7-during this year's Chuseok holidays, which last from October 2 to 8. Former President Park, who has been detained at Seoul Detention Center from March, will be among these prisoners, but the former president has added her younger sister, Park Geun-ryeong and younger brother, Park Ji-man on the list of people she refuses to see.

MB’s Cheong Wa Dae Also Behind Defense Security Command's Online Operations

The military's Defense Security Command (DSC) had organized a unit to post online comments and conducted operations to manipulate public opinion upon orders from Cheong Wa Dae in the Lee Myung-bak government. An internal investigation by the Defense Security Command officially confirmed such facts for the first. Under the Lee Myung-bak government, state agencies-from Cheong Wa Dae to the National Intelligence Service (NIS), the military's Cyber Command, and the Defense Security Command-were mobilized in an illegal attempt to manipulate online public opinion. A prosecutors' investigation of relevant officials in Cheong Wa Dae and the defense command at the time is now inevitable.

MB's Cheong Wa Dae, "Help Chung Jin-suk and Park Hyung-joon Win the Parliamentary Elections"

On September 28, documents from the Lee Myung-bak government were released showing that at the time, Cheong Wa Dae had intervened in an investigation of an alleged wiretapping of the Democratic Party by KBS, along with circumstantial evidence suggesting that former President Lee personally received a report on the blacklist of cultural figures. The Lee Myung-bak government used government ministries to give disadvantages to local government heads of opposition parties, and allegations were raised that the government established and operated a separate support group under the presidential office to assist Cheong Wa Dae officials in the Lee Myung-bak government, such as Chung Jin-suk and Park Hyung-joon in the parliamentary elections.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

Chinese parts get indispensable in S. Korea's robotics industry

Chinese parts are indispensable for their excellent design and fine performance, prompting South Korean robotics companies to rely on them more and more, but many here are still obsessed with an old perception that cooperation with Chinese companies could lead to technology spills. MD, a developer of control programs and technologies for robots, suggests South Korea's robotics industry should seek symbiotic cooperation with Chinese companies to survive in the global market.

N. Korean leader's sister comes forward to political center stage

The 30-year-old younger sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was thrown into the spotlight this week in a reshuffle which was seen as marking the generational shift of elite party members.

Pyongyang's state media said Kim Yo-jong was elected as an alternate member of the central committee's Political Bureau, the decision-making body of the ruling Workers Party of Korea, in a change ahead of the party's founding anniversary of the party which falls on October 10. The party's official newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, carried Yo-jong's picture with her title and name for the first time, indicating she would play an open role as a senior party member.

S. Korea close to developing 'blackout bomb'

South Korea has secured technologies to build a non-lethal graphite bomb which can paralyze the North's power systems in case of war, military sources said. The so-called "blackout bomb" works by spreading chemically treated carbon graphite filaments over electric facilities to short-circuit and disrupt the power grid. The weapon has been developed by the Agency for Defense Development as a key part of South Korea's pre-emptive strike program called Kill Chain. "All technologies for the development of a graphite bomb led by the ADD have been secured. It is in the stage where we can build the bombs anytime," a military official said.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

Hyundai, Kia’s compact SUVs Kona, Stonic ready to hit European market

South Korea’s largest automaker Hyundai Motor Co. and its smaller sibling Kia Motors Corp. are aiming to roll out the Kona and Stonic compact sport utility vehicles in Europe this month, gearing up to take on Renault SA’s Captur that has become one of best-selling small SUVs in the region. According to multiple industry sources on Wednesday, Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors will begin the sale of the Kona and the Stonic in Europe starting this month. Hyundai Motor unveiled the Kona in June and launched its sale in Korea in August. In the first month, the automaker sold 4,230 units of the Kona, outpacing 4,178 units tallied by rival Ssangyong Motors’ Tivoli that had been the top-selling compact SUV in the country before the Kona’s arrival. Kia Motors also sold 1,655 units of the Stonic in August, exceeding its initial sales target.

Netmarble Games’ Lineage 2 Revolution heads for China after success in Japan

South Korea’s top mobile game company Netmarble Games Corp. that has successfully launched its mobile game Lineage 2: Revolution in Japan is readying to repeat the success in China. “We will make a success” of the new game in foreign countries with thorough pre market research and specifically customized versions, Netmarble CEO Kwon Young-sik told in a recent interview with Maeil Business News.

Kwon’s comment comes after the company successfully launched Lineage 2: Revolution in Japan. He explained that the Korean game player has revamped the new mobile game to meet the specific demands of Japanese game players and showcased the game at the pre-release party via Niconico Live, the Japanese Internet broadcasting platform, to make headlines among Japanese game players.

S. Korea`s Enzychem in phase II study of new concept oral mucositis drug

Enzychem Lifesciences Corp., a South Korean biotech company, is closer to penetrating overseas markets with its independently developed investigational oral compound EC-18 to prevent and treat chemo-radiotherapy induced oral mucositis. A phase II study is underway for the compound after receiving approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the company said. The company expected that once its global sale is approved, the drug would generate more than 3 trillion won ($2.6 billion) in sales as it would be the first oral cancer therapy. Currently, the related global market including its related immune disorders is valued at about 74 trillion won ($64.2 billion).

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