The Korean daily media headlines and humor

The Korean daily media headlines and humor

Wednesday, October 11, 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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Some of the participants in the Yecheon archery festival from various countries of the world.

Special notice:

Coveted prizes are waiting also for lay persons from Diplomatic Corps!

At the World Archery Fest attended by 90 champions from 37 countries

Slated 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

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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/)

S. Korea, US War Plans Safe After Reported N. Korea Hack

The U.S. Department of Defense says war plans with ally South Korea are safe despite reports North Korean hackers stole hundreds of classified military documents. Pentagon Spokesman Rob Manning told reporters that Washington and Seoul are confident in the security of their wartime operational plans and their ability to deal with any threat from North Korea. He refused to confirm whether there was a breach, saying he will not comment on intelligence matters or specific instances related to cyber intrusion. The spokesman then affirmed that South Korea and the U.S. remain steadfast in their commitment to make sure they safeguard wartime operational plans and ensure readiness on the Korean Peninsula to counter any North Korean threats.

IMF Raises S. Korea's Growth Outlook to 3% for 2017

The International Monetary Fund(IMF) has upgraded its growth forecast for South Korea to three percent for both this year and next year. The IMF released the revised outlook in its World Economic Outlook report on Tuesday. The previous estimate was two-point-seven percent for 2017 and two-point-eight percent for 2018. The upward revision is based on the prediction that the recovery in the global economy will continue at a faster pace on increases in global trade and investment and industrial production. The IMF projected the global economy will expand three-point-six percent this year and three-point-seven percent next year, up one tenth of a percentage point respectively from its previous estimate in April.

Moon Calls for Creation of Consultative Body on National Security

President Moon Jae-in has once again urged the opposition political parties to cooperate on the creation of a regular consultative body with the government and the ruling party, stressing it is necessary to assure the public on national security. Moon told legislative, administrative or judiciary leaders Tuesday that the consultative body would help parties to share perceptions and cooperate on national security issues, strengthening national unity. Moon attributed the country’s current security crisis to external factors, saying it is difficult for South Korea to play a leading role in addressing the issue. However, he emphasized that the country still will be able to overcome it by staying united.

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

Two B-1B bombers hold firing drill against N. Korea: military

Two B-1B strategic bombers of the U.S. Air Force trained with South Korea's fighter jets over and near the peninsula earlier this week in yet another show of force against North Korea, defense authorities here said Wednesday. The bombers from Guam entered the Korean Air Defense Identification Zone (KADIZ) at around 8:50 p.m. on Tuesday, according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). They staged a simulated air-to-ground missile firing drill with two F-15K fighters over the East Sea and flew across the peninsula, it said. The B-1Bs and the F-15Ks then had another round of a firing exercise over the Yellow Sea. The bombers flew out of the KADIZ at around 11:30 p.m., added the JCS.

Trump, defense officials discuss N. Korea options

U.S. President Donald Trump met with top defense officials Tuesday to discuss a "range of options" to handle North Korea's nuclear threat, the White House said. Trump received a briefing from Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Joe Dunford, according to a statement by White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders. "The briefing and discussion focused on a range of options to respond to any form of North Korean aggression or, if necessary, to prevent North Korea from threatening the United States and its allies with nuclear weapons," she said. Trump has increasingly hinted at using military options to counter the threat of North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile programs. On Saturday, he dismissed past nuclear agreements with the regime, saying "only one thing will work."

Ex-KAI chief faces trial over corruption, fraud charges

Ha Seong-yong, former CEO of Korea Aerospace Industries Co. (KAI), will face trial over corruption and fraud allegedly amounting to some 500 billion won (US$440.5 million), prosecutors said Wednesday. The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office was set to indict Ha later in the day over a dozen different charges, including violation of accounting rules, breach of duty and bribery, according to the office. He was arrested late last month. The indictment comes after the prosecution launched a probe into the defense company in July, with suspicions that the firm, led by a handful of its top officials, have committed a string of irregularities ranging from price manipulation, accounting fraud and backdoor hiring.

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

Korea-China currency swap expires, negotiations continue

The 64 trillion won ($56 billion) currency swap deal between South Korea and China ended on Tuesday as the two countries failed to agree on terms of deal extension within due time. While tension remained up to the last minute, neither country came up with an official announcement after midnight, which was the expiration point. But possibilities remain that the two countries will carry on with their negotiations and resume the swap at a later stage. South Korea's currency swap with the United Arab Emirates expired in October 2016 but the talks for extension are yet ongoing.“It would be best if everything could be concluded before the current deal expires (by midnight), but this may not be the case,” Bank of Korea Gov. Lee Ju-yeol told reporters on Tuesday morning.

Concern rises over alleged leak of allies’ wartime operational plan

Suspicions that South Korea’s classified wartime operational plan may now be in the hands of the North Korean army continued to roil South Korea on Tuesday after a lawmaker revealed more disturbing details about the alleged North Korean hacking of South Korea’s military network system last year. According to Rep. Rhee Chul-hee of the ruling Democratic Party, a trove of operational schemes drafted by the South Korea and the US militaries were leaked by hackers of North Korean origin, who breached South Korea’s military intranet and internet server in September last year.

NK special forces practice paragliding CFC ambush: military

North Korean special warfare units conducted exercises simulating infiltration of the South Korea-US Joint Combined Forces Command, military sources in Seoul revealed Tuesday. According to multiple sources, North Korean special forces conducted paragliding training on a number of days in mid-September. It was the first time members of North’s special forces are known to have used paragliding equipment to practice targeting the headquarters of the ROK-US Combined Forces Command.

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

North Korea passes critical anniversary without provocation

North Korea celebrated the founding anniversary of its ruling Workers' Party of Korea, Tuesday, without carrying out any military provocations. But the South Korean military said it is continuously monitoring and tracking any developments in the North as the regime there could commit a large-scale provocation at any time. "We are maintaining a thorough readiness posture in preparation for North Korea's possible provocations," said Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) spokesman Army Col. Roh Jae-cheon, refusing to elaborate further. An official from Cheong Wa Dae also told reporters the North was capable of firing a missile at any time, but currently there were no signs of an imminent launch, such as fueling activities.

14,189 Korean-born adoptees in US undocumented

One out of 10 Korean-born adoptees in the United States does not have U.S. citizenship, according to a ruling party lawmaker, Tuesday. Of 111,148 ethnic Koreans legally adopted into American families, 14,189, or 12.8 percent, have failed to obtain American citizenship and are left vulnerable to deportation, said Rep. Shim Jae-kwon of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK). "While 91,719 adoptees from South Korea are confirmed to have won U.S. citizenship, the status of the remaining 14,189 adoptees is left undocumented," said the lawmaker, who heads the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs and Unification committee, citing reports from Korea's welfare ministry.

Thailand publishes Korean textbooks for language students

Thailand has published Korean textbooks for secondary school students who learn Korean as a second language. The publication on Monday came nine years after the country added Korean to a list of second languages taught in middle and high schools. The textbook, co-authored by the education ministries of South Korea and Thailand, will be used from the spring semester. The new textbook is "Korean 1", for beginners. The Thai education ministry will publish five more editions by March for intermediate and advanced learners.

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

‘China has a great responsibility in N.K. nuke,’ says Chinese scholar

“China cannot say it does not have a responsibility (in North Korea’s nuclear issues),” said Wang Yizhou, Deputy Dean of the School of International Studies at Peking University, in a recent interview with the Dong-A Ilbo. “The Chinese government needs to clearly acknowledge that we have a great responsibility (in Pyongyang’s nuclear issues) as well as important interests (in the Korean Peninsula),” the international relations expert added. “(Therefore,) Pressure on the North should be raised to a level where a war would not break out.

N. Korea appoints new members of ruling party’s politburo

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un appointed new “nine members” as the Politburo members of the Workers’ Party of Korea on the second meeting with full attendance of North Korean ruling Workers’ Party of Korea held on Saturday. It can be predicted that the relatively younger entourages in their 50s and early 60s will prevail, making changes in domestic and foreign policies of North Korea. On Sunday, North Korea's state newspaper Rodong Sinmun put the photography of five committee members of the Politburo of the Workers’ Party of Korea—Pak Gwang Ho, Pak Tae Sung, Tae Jong Soo, An Jung Soo and Ri Yong Ho, and four candidates of the Politburo of the Workers’ Party of Korea—Choe Hwi, Pak Tae Duk, Kim Yo Jong and Jong Gyong Taek.

Samsung Electronics debuts world’s first cinema LED theater

Samsung Electronics announced on Monday that a supply contract for cinema LEDs was signed in Bangkok on Thursday by Thai Samsung Electronics President Jo Yong-chul and Major Cineplex CEO Vicha Poolvaraluck. Boasting 668 screens in 110 branches across Thailand, Major Cineplex is the country’s single largest theater chain operator. The cinema LED to be installed at Siam Paragon Complex theater is 10.3 meters wide and 5.4 meters tall. Featuring 4K resolution (4096×2160), the theater display presented by Samsung also supports high dynamic range (HDR) content. The operation of the theater will start in February of 2018.

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

N.Korean Anniversary Passes without Much-Feared Provocation

North Korea marked the 72nd anniversary of the Workers Party on Tuesday without a widely feared major provocation. Instead the North kept up a barrage of verbal threats, with the official Rodong Sinmun daily urging North Koreans on its front page to "advance the final victory in the anti-U.S. war by upholding the banner of byungjin" -- the simultaneous pursuit of nuclear and economic development. A Cheong Wa Dae official told the Chosun Ilbo, "We consider Oct. 18 the next critical moment since that is when China’s Communist Party Congress starts." Other government officials here said poor visibility and overcast skies on Tuesday would have made a missile launch difficult.

Learning Korean All the Rage in Thailand

The Education Ministry on Monday published an official textbook for middle and high school students in Thailand who are learning Korean as a second foreign language. A ministry official here said Sunday, "There has been an explosive growth in the number of people in Thailand who are learning Korean thanks to the popularity of the Korean Wave there." Six textbooks are available for different levels of proficiency. The first edition was published Monday to mark Hangeul Day and additional volumes will be released until March of next year, which marks the 60th anniversary of bilateral relations.

Underage Sex Offenders Hit 3,000 Mark

Some 3,195 juveniles were convicted of sex offenses last year, Justice Ministry data show, the first time their number exceeded 3,000. The number has risen from 2,901 in 2013, but the total number of juvenile convicts under 19 dwindled from 100,891 in 2013 to 87,403 last year. A Justice Ministry official said, "We are considering various measures to alleviate public concerns over increasingly violent crimes committed by juveniles, including lowering the age limit for harsh sentences and strengthening the probation system for minors."

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

KORUS FTA revision spurs calls for a new trade strategy for South Korea

As US President Donald Trump pushes for the Korea-US Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA) to be revised in line with his preferred FTA model due to the US trade deficit, there are calls for South Korean President Moon Jae-in to respond by creating his own signature FTA strategy and framework. Now that Seoul has been forced into negotiations aimed at revising the agreement, experts say, it ought to completely overhaul its FTA strategy in line with changes in the trade environment, which is being battered by the waves of protectionism.

Former US President Carter hopes to return to North Korea

With tensions running high between North Korea and the US over Pyongyang’s nuclear program, former US President Jimmy Carter is trying to arrange a visit to the North to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and mediate between the two sides, according to Han Park, Professor Emeritus at the University of Georgia. “After spending half a day in conversation at Jimmy Carter’s house in Georgia on Sept. 28, we agreed to look into our options. I’ve told the North Koreans that Carter is willing to visit,” Park said on Oct. 8. Park is a preeminent expert on the North Korean issue who has visited the North more than 50 times. He has also played a major role in dialogue between North Korea and the US by arranging Carter’s visits to the North in 1994 and 2010.

Senator Bob Corker likens Trump to a child, warns he may lead US into World War III

US President Donald Trump had a public battle of words with fellow Republican and chair of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations Bob Corker. While coarse rhetoric is nothing new for Trump, few precedents exist for the exchange of barbs between a sitting president and a senator from his own party. Trump started things off with a tweet on the morning of Sunday, Oct. 8, reading, “Senator Bob Corker ‘begged’ me to endorse him for re-election in Tennessee.”

“He also wanted to be Secretary of State, [and] I said ‘NO THANKS,’” he continued.

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

Korea, China yet to reach a deal

The central banks of Korea and China are yet to announce a decision on the renewal of a bilateral currency swap arrangement, raising questions over the future of the deal that was due to expire on Tuesday. The Bank of Korea and the Finance Ministry said that the discussion is still underway. “Nothing has been decided so far and a meeting [with the People’s Bank of China] is scheduled today,” said Bank of Korea Governor Lee Ju-yeol. Multiple media outlets, however, reported that the two sides had agreed to extend the $56 billion currency contract for another three years, despite speculation that Korea’s decision to deploy the U.S.-led Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (Thaad) antimissile system would make China turn its back on the deal.

Moon keeps acting chief justice, defying Assembly

President Moon Jae-in decided to keep Kim Yi-soo as acting chief justice of the Constitutional Court, even after the National Assembly rejected his nomination, the Blue House said on Tuesday.“In a meeting last month, the Constitutional Court justices agreed to have Kim continue his post as the acting head of the Constitutional Court,” said Presidential spokesman Park Soo-hyun in a press briefing at the Blue House. “And the Blue House decided to keep Kim as the acting head.”

UN imposes port ban on North for first time ever

The United Nations imposed a global port ban on four vessels found violating sanctions against North Korea, according to the head of a United Nations panel of international experts monitoring the implementation of sanctions on Pyongyang.
Hugh Griffiths, the coordinator of a UN Security Council panel on North Korea sanctions, announced the port bans during a briefing to UN member states on Monday in a session also attended by a North Korean diplomat. Griffiths, a British arms trafficking expert, told reporters in New York Monday that these ships were found to be transporting prohibited goods and were officially listed last Thursday, an action authorized by the sanctions committee.

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

The FTA and USFK Costs Put the Government's Diplomatic Strategy on the U.S. to the Test
The Moon Jae-in government, which has focused on cooperation with the U.S. in security matters to respond to North Korea's heightened nuclear and missile threats, is now facing a challenge with negotiations on revisions to the South Korea-United States Free Trade Agreement (FTA). North Korea's missile launches and nuclear tests have continued since South Korea's new government entered office, and the government has worked closely with the U.S. to respond to such threats. But now all eyes are on whether the government will be able to negotiate with the U.S. on equal ground despite differences on the issue of trade.

"Soldier in Cheolwon Died from a Direct Shot, Not a Ricochet" Results Different from Military's Initial Explanation
Private First Class Yi (22) of the Army 6th Division in Cheolwon, Gangwon-do, who died from a gunshot on his way back to his unit after military construction work, was confirmed to have died from a bullet that came directly from a nearby shooting range. This is different from the military authority's initial explanation on September 27, when they assumed the cause of death to be a ricochet (a bullet that bounced off a hard object). The people are criticizing the latest incident as a man-made accident caused by the chronic neglect of safety measures in the military, such as failing to stop the traveling of soldiers during shooting training.

"Surgery" on Korea-US FTA Due to the U.S. Trade Strategy

The Republic of Korea-United States Free Trade Agreement (FTA) has entered the revision process. South Korea tried to hold back arguing that the two countries should first take a look at the economic effects of the FTA, but eventually waved a white flag before U.S. President Donald Trump's so-called "crazy guy" strategy. This has led the opposition to launch a fierce attack on the Moon Jae-in government's trade strategy. South Korea's Ministry of Trade and the U.S Trade Representative (USTR) met in Washington D.C. on October 4 (local time) for a second special session of the Joint Committee under the ROK-US FTA and agreed to begin procedures to revise the bilateral trade agreement. The two countries will each follow domestic procedures before officially declaring the negotiations, and will begin the actual negotiations as early as early next year.

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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.

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.

Korea's MBI to Establish EV Plant in Vietnam

MBI, a Korean manufacturer specializing in making transmissions, will build an electric car plant in Hanoi, Vietnam, jointly with local firm N&G Group. The two companies will invest a total of US$1 billion for the next seven years.

The companies said on September 21 that the heads of the two companies signed an agreement to establish a joint venture called Viko Motors in South Hanoi next month. Earlier in June this year, MBI was promised by the Vietnamese government and the Hanoi city government for a 20-year free land lease, high-tech investment incentive, preferential tariffs, and designation of MBI-held patented technologies as Vietnamese standard

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

S. Korea anxiously watches talks on currency swap deal with China

South Korea is anxiously awaiting the outcome of negotiations with China on extending a currency swap deal amid lingering concerns about trade retaliation caused by a row over the deployment of a US missile shield. The swap deal worth 56 billion US dollars expires on Tuesday. It has served as a safety net for an emergency because South Korean and Chinese central banks can use each other’s currency to ride out a financial crisis. Bank of Korea Governor Lee Ju-yeol called for patience as talks were underway. "It would be good to see the conclusion of negotiations before the existing deal expires, but it may not be done so."

Energy minister proposes two-track approach in nuclear power

South Korea's energy minister proposed a two-track approach in nuclear power, saying the government would actively support exports of home-made reactors while pushing ahead with the gradual shutdown of nuclear power plants at home.
The government's "nuclear-exit" policy is "totally different from exports of nuclear power plants", Paik Un-gyu, Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy, told a conference attended by companies involved in the nuclear power industry.

S. Korean digital wallet service starts supporting Google's app market

Instead of using credit cards to buy contents from Google's app market, South Korean users are now capable of paying up with "PAYCO Point", a pre-paid digital wallet service. PAYCO Point is one of the most widely-used digital payment systems in South Korea, favored by young people as its points are filled up by using cash or gift vouchers. It can be used at online shopping malls. "Users of Google Play can use PAYCO Point as a method of payment," NHN PAYCO, a fintech company in charge of the digital wallet service, said in a statement Monday.

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

Hyundai to unveil special edition Sonata built on customer feedback

South Korea’s largest automaker Hyundai Motor Co. will unveil special edition Sonata that has been built based on opinions from customers for the first time. In a new bid to enhance interaction with customers, the carmaker has actively reflected customer feedback even in the determination of key power steering, not the interior or the exterior alone. Japan’s Toyota has made a similar attempt in 2013. Toyota Corolla adopted a separate emblem and a 17-inch alloy wheel among others on customer feedback.

Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power gains reactor design approval in Europe

Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co. (KHNP) has gained approval on the modification to its APR-1400 nuclear reactor design from the European Utility Requirements (EUR), allowing the state energy firm to expand its presence in the global nuclear reactor market. KHNP said on Monday that EUR, an advisory group for European utilities on nuclear power plants, approved changes to its APR-1400 reactor design. The state energy firm has built a number of nuclear reactors under the APR-1400 reactor design in Korea and the United Arab Emirates, and it modified the way nuclear reactor cools itself in case of emergency under European standards.

Doosan’s fuel cell biz in full swing with new orders topping 1 tr won this year

Doosan Group’s fuel cell business is emerging as its core growth engine after it has successfully earned more than 1 trillion won ($878 million) worth new orders so far this year. Its strong performance is in stark contrast to the poor performance of the country’s industry leader Posco Energy whose fuel cell business has posted more than 200 billion won in operating loss over the past three years.

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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