The Korean daily media headlines and humor
Wednesday, October 18, 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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Chairman Nam Jong-hyun invites all the Ambassadors and their
Family Members to the Glami Health Kingdom.
Excellencies and Madams please advise Chairman
Nam a most convenient date and time to visit...
as shown below:
Chairman and Mrs. Nam Jong-hyun of the ‘Glami Health Kingdom’ are inviting all the Ambassadors and their
Family Members and other VVIP guests from Korean government and society.
Tentative Dates of Invitation have been set as follows, among which the most convenient one will be selected:
Saturday November 11, 2017
Wednesday November 15, 2017
Friday November 17, 2017
Saturday November 18, 2017
Please scroll down to the bottom for full details on the ‘Glami Health Kingdom’ and Chairman Nam’s Invitation.
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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.
Authorities deny allegation of mistreatment of jailed ex-president
South Korea on Wednesday denied a reported allegation by a group of lawyers that former President Park Geun-hye's human rights are being violated in her detention cell. CNN reported Park's international legal team led by MH Group plans to submit a document on her human rights situation to the United Nations Human Rights Council. They claimed that Park, who's standing trial for corruption and abuse of power, "is living in a cell that's dirty, cold and constantly lit so she cannot sleep," according to the report.The team's draft report said the 65-year-old ousted leader suffers from a handful of chronic conditions and maladies.
S. Korea's auto exports surge in Sept.
South Korea's exports of automobiles jumped nearly 60 percent last month from a year earlier on recovering demand from Europe and North America, government data showed Wednesday. The total value of vehicles shipped overseas reached US$3.82 billion in September, up 57.6 percent from a year earlier, according to the data compiled by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. The number of vehicles sold abroad also soared 45.3 percent on-year to 226,479 units last month, marking the highest monthly increase since April this year. The ministry attributed the brisk overseas sales to strong performances in big markets like North America and Europe. A total of $1.4 billion worth of vehicles were sold in North America in August, up 52.7 percent from a year earlier, while shipments to the European Union shot up 120.9 percent on-year to $806 million.
U.K. launches auto campaign for biz ops with S. Korea firms
Britain on Wednesday launched an automotive campaign in South Korea in a move to seek business opportunities with local companies in "next-generation" vehicle technologies, the British Embassy said. The Automotive is GREAT campaign is aimed at promoting Britain's advanced technologies in less-emitting, autonomous and other future vehicles and looking for business deals with South Korean auto and auto components makers. "Automotive is GREAT will showcase the strengths of U.K. autonomous production, design and technology and its global leadership in the future vehicle trends such as low carbon, autonomous and connected vehicles," British Ambassador to South Korea Charles Hay said in a press briefing on the country's automotive industry.
Prosecutors raid McDonald's Seoul office over undercooked patty scandal
Prosecutors on Wednesday raided McDonald's Korea's headquarters and three partner companies as part of a probe into allegations that it undercooked burger patties, causing some consumers to get sick. Investigators searched the main office of McDonald's Korea in central Seoul and its patty suppliers to confiscate evidence, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office said. The probe was launched after a complaint was filed in July by a woman who claimed her five-year-old daughter was diagnosed with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) after eating a Happy Meal burger that came with undercooked meat. She now has to receive dialysis for the rest of her life. A series of similar consumer accusations followed.
LG Chem forecast to report upbeat earnings for Q3
LG Chem Ltd., South Korea's No. 1 chemical company, is expected to deliver market forecast-beating earnings for the third quarter of the year, driven by firm demand for its key products and a recovery in its EV battery business, industry data showed Wednesday. LG Chem, set to report its third-quarter bottom line next week, is estimated to have logged a net profit of 517 billion won (US$458 million) during the July-September period, compared with 297 billion won a year earlier, according to data compiled by Yonhap Infomax, the financial information provider affiliated with Yonhap News Agency. Its operating income is projected at 736 billion won, also up 60 percent from a year earlier, with sales spiking 26.5 percent on-year to reach 6.39 trillion won. "Its battery business is expected to help boost its earnings," said Yoon Sung-noh, an analyst at Daishin Securities. "Demand from smartphone makers remain strong as well."
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KBS (http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/news/)
Arrest Warrant Sought for 3 Ex-NIS Officials
Prosecutors have requested arrest warrants for three former senior officials of the National Intelligence Service(NIS) who are at the center of allegations surrounding the spy agency's interference in domestic politics. The three are Choo Myeong-ho, Shin Seung-gyun, and Yoo Seong-ok who each led NIS divisions on national intelligence, strategy and psychological warfare. The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office requested the warrants Wednesday morning on charges of violating the ban on political involvement under the NIS Act. The prosecution says that Choo is accused of slandering opposition politicians and being involved in the so-called blacklist of cultural figures when he served in the strategy division along with Sin under the Lee Myung-bak administration.
Trump Alleges Nuclear Collaboration between N. Korea, Iran
U.S. President Donald Trump has raised suspicions that North Korea and Iran have been collaborating on nuclear development. Trump made the remark at the White House on Friday while announcing that he will decertify the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. "There are also many people who believe that Iran is dealing with North Korea. I am going to instruct our intelligence agencies to do a thorough analysis and report back their findings beyond what they have already reviewed."
Unification Minister: N. Korea Unlikely to Give Up Nukes
Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon said Wednesday that it's extremely unlikely that North Korea will give up its nuclear weapons. Cho said that in fact, it wouldn't be wrong to say that there is no possibility for now that the North will give up its nukes as the regime considers them its life line. The minister made the remark in a speech at an inaugural meeting of an academy for fostering senior-level leaders for South Korea and China held in Seoul. Regarding Pyongyang's nuclear capabilities, Cho said that experts forecast two years until they are perfected but that goal could be reached next year.
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Yonhap (http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr)
S. Korea 'continuously' mulling unilateral sanctions on N. Korea
South Korea said Wednesday that it is "continuously" considering ways to impose fresh unilateral sanctions on North Korea over its nuclear and missile tests. The government has been mulling punitive actions in the follow-up to the U.N. Security Council sanctions over the North's sixth nuclear test on Sept. 3. "The government is continuously considering slapping unilateral sanctions, but specifics have not been decided," Baik Tae-hyun, spokesman at Seoul's unification ministry, said in a regular press briefing."As long as North Korea continues its provocations, various measures could be considered as a way to increase (the effects) of international sanctions and pressure," he added.
N.K. sends congratulatory message for China's party congress
North Korea on Wednesday sent a short congratulatory message to China on the opening of the 19th congress of the communist party, in what could indicate strained ties over Pyongyang's nuclear and missile tests. The central committee of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea warmly congratulated the Communist Party of China's on its congress, according to the Korean Central News Agency. "It sincerely wished the 19th Congress of the CPC satisfactory success," the report said. Earlier in the day, Chinese President Xi Jinping opened the crucial party congress, a forum expected to further consolidate his power. The congress is likely to be presented with his blueprint for leading the country for a second five-year term.
N.K. leader focuses public activities on military affairs
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un reduced public appearances by a fourth so far this year, with half involving military inspections, Seoul's unification ministry said Wednesday. Kim conducted 75 inspections between Jan. 1 and Oct. 17, a 24.2 percent decrease from 99 during the same period last year, according to the data compiled by the ministry. Military-related tours accounted for 49 percent. Only 22.7 percent were related to the economy, the lowest ratio since he took office in late 2011. Especially in July and August, Kim engaged in no economy-related public events, as the North apparently focused on missile testing.
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The Korea Herald (http://www.koreaherald.com)
Trump to make first state visit by US leader in 25 years
US President Donald Trump’s visit to Korea next month will take the form of a state visit, marking the first by a US leader since 1992. According to Seoul’s presidential office, Trump will arrive early on Nov. 7 in Seoul, where he will attend welcome ceremonies and hold a summit meeting. “The schedule was agreed to in consideration of President Trump’s flight schedules, and in consideration of ceremony schedules,” Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Park Soo-hyun said Tuesday. He added that although the two sides had initially discussed arranging a three-day schedule for Trump’s visit, the plans were reduced as a three-day schedule would involve the US president arriving in the late hours of Nov. 6.
Korea's jobless rate drops to 3.4% in Sept.
South Korea's jobless rate dropped slightly last month, with the number of newly employed people rising at the fastest pace in four months, government data showed Wednesday. The unemployment rate stood at 3.4 percent in September, down 0.2 percentage point from the same month last year, according to the report compiled by Statistics Korea. From a month earlier, it also fell 0.2 percentage point. The number of employed people reached 26.84 million in September, up 314,000 from a year earlier, marking the largest monthly gain since May, when it was 375,000.
Whirlpool demands 50% tariff on Samsung, LG washers
US tech manufacturer Whirlpool Corp. has demanded a punitive tariff of 50 percent on South Korean firms' washers, government sources said Wednesday. According to South Korea's trade ministry, Whirlpool submitted the demand to the US International Trade Commission (ITC), which earlier determined that Samsung Electronics Co. and LG Electronics Inc.'s washers are harming the domestic industry. The US authority's announcement followed a four-month investigation that was kicked off by a safeguard petition proposed by Whirlpool.
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The Korea Times (http://www.koreatimes.co.kr)
Washington's messaging on North Korea 'confusing'
South Korea is confused by the mixed signals the United States has been sending on how it wants to handle the threat of North Korea's nuclear weapons program, a ranking Democratic senator said Tuesday. Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI), the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, recently returned from a trip to South Korea, where he met with Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and other officials. "I think the confusion is the message the administration is sending," he told CNN. "Secretary (of State Rex) Tillerson has been trying to establish diplomatic channels to North Korea. He's been trying to collaborate with our allies. But President Trump ... repeatedly sort of dissed him, told him not to do it in a series of tweets."
Prosecutors raid McDonald's Korea over 'hamburger disease'
Prosecutors on Wednesday raided McDonald's Korea's headquarters and three partner companies as part of a probe into allegations that it undercooked burger patties, causing some consumers to get sick. Investigators searched the main office of McDonald's Korea in central Seoul and its patty suppliers to confiscate evidence, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office said. The probe was launched after a complaint was filed in July by a woman who claimed her five-year-old daughter was diagnosed with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) after eating a Happy Meal burger that came with undercooked meat. She now has to receive dialysis for the rest of her life. A series of similar consumer accusations followed.
46,000 born with 'diamond spoon' in mouths
More than 46,000 under-age minors own an average of 112.74 million won ($99,549) in inherited assets, including 304 who are less than one year old, a report from the National Tax Service said Wednesday. The data, submitted to the National Assembly for parliamentary audits, covered the 2008-2016 period. The report showed 46,542 minors aged under 18 held 5.24 trillion won in handed-down wealth. Financial assets accounted for 2.81 trillion won, or 39.7 percent, while real estate amounted to 1.69 trillion won, or 32.3 percent. Stocks counted for 1.25 trillion won -- 24 percent -- of the total.
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DongA Ilbo (http://english.donga.com)
U.S. calls to launch negotiations for FTA with Japan
Washington has officially called for negotiations for U.S.-Japan free trade agreement. According to Japanese news media outlets, including Kyodo News, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence expressed a "strong interest" in bilateral free trade agreement with Japan and practically requested opening of negotiations during the U.S.-Japan Economic Dialogue, which took place on Monday in Washington, between Japanese Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Taro Aso and the vice president.
Galaxy S8 series ranks No. 1 in U.S.’ consumer review
The “Galaxy S8” series, a smartphone series launched by Samsung Electronics in the first half of this year, has received the top evaluation from Consumer Reports magazine. According to the report by the electronics industry on Tuesday, Consumer Reports evaluated the smartphones released in the American market, and both the Galaxy S8 and the Galaxy S8 Plus received 81 points. With decimal points included in the calculation, the S8 was ranked N. 1, the S8 Plus ranked No. 2. They were evaluated to be better than the “Galaxy Note 8,” a smartphone strategically launched by Samsung in the second half of this year, and “iPhone 8” series, the latest smartphone by Apple.
Pres. Trump announces his first visit to Asia in November
The South Korean presidential office of Cheong Wa Dae announced on Tuesday that U.S. President Donald Trump will make a two-day visit to South Korea on Nov. 7. President Trump will become the first U.S. leader to visit South Korea in 25 years. Amidst heightened tensions within the Korean Peninsula due to North Korea’s continuous provocations, Trump’s visit is the highest respect paid to a foreign leader in order to parade the soundness of S. Korea–U.S. alliance. However, there are mixed views towards whether this state visit will be able to reap diplomatic achievements that are suitable for a state visit in 25 years. In a situation where President Trump is emphasizing military options against the North, the focus is on whether South Korean President Moon Jae-in will be able to persuade President Trump to solve the North Korean issue in a peaceful manner.
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Chosun Ilbo (http://english.chosun.com)
N.Korean Envoy Warns Nuclear War Could Break out at 'Any Moment'
North Korea warned on Monday that "a nuclear war may break out any moment. North Korea's deputy ambassador to the UN Kim In-ryong made the remarks in a statement to a UN general assembly committee in New York. He said the situation on the Korean peninsula "has reached touch-and-go point."He claimed that North Korea completed its "state nuclear force and thus became a full-fledged nuclear power which possesses the delivery means of various ranges, including the atomic bomb, H-bomb and intercontinental ballistic rockets."
U.S. Embassy in Seoul Denies Secret Plan to Evacuate Americans
The U.S. Embassy in Seoul said Tuesday it would not evacuate American citizens without informing the South Korean government first. The embassy issued a statement responding to rumors that the U.S. was making secret evacuation plans amid growing North Korean nuclear threats. The embassy said it was aware of recent rumors, inaccurate news reports, and false social media warnings regarding the alleged imminent evacuation of Americans from South Korea, and urged the public to check the U.S. government’s official websites for accurate information.
Income Disparity Huge Among Entertainers
Income disparity is still huge in the entertainment industry, with individual star power by far the most important factor determining earnings, the latest data from the National Tax Service show. Last year, the top 1 percent of singers, actors, models and other entertainers earned W500 million to W4 billion, while the rest made W200,000 to W700,000 a month (US$1=W1,133). According to the data, which was obtained by Minjoo Party lawmaker Park Kwang-on Tuesday, 15,870 entertainers reported total pre-tax income of W670.8 billion last year, averaging W42 million. The top 1 percent accounted for 47.3 percent of total earnings, or W317.3 billion, averaging W2.1 billion, which was 47.8 times higher than the overall industry average. About 90 percent made W88.8 billion or just W517,500 a month. Park said, "A-listers made 324 times more than the remaining 90 percent."
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HanKyoReh Shinmun (http://english.hani.co.kr)
Park defiant in first court appearance since additional arrest warrant issued
Park Geun-hye called her investigation and trial “political retaliation” and declared in court that the “truth will come out” after an additional arrest warrant was issued for the former President. Showing no sign of remorse after being impeached for role in government interference, Park continued to speak of her own actions as if she had done nothing wrong. Her apparent aim is to use the “retaliation” frame suggested by the Liberty Korea Party and other politicians to turn the case into a political battle – rather than a legal one that she is likely to lose.
Investigation opens against former NIS sixth bureau chief
A former National Intelligence Service (NIS) bureau director is facing accusations of collusion with former Blue House Senior Secretary to the President for Civil Affairs Woo Byung-woo after failing to report intelligence gathered on the Choi Soon-sil government interference case from late 2014 to his superiors. Investigators also found that former head NIS sixth bureau, which is the department in the agency of charge of domestic intelligence gathering. Chu Myeong-ho had ascertained the activities of special inspector Lee Seok-su, who conducted an investigation of Woo, and reported this directly to Woo in July 2016. The revelations are raising questions over whether Chu was a key link connecting Woo with Choi.
NIS funded conservative group’s efforts to revoke Kim Dae-jung’s Nobel Peace Prize
The National Intelligence Service (NIS) enlisted a conservative group to wage a campaign funded by the service’s budget to have former President Kim Dae-jung’s Nobel Peace Prize revoked during the Lee Myung-bak administration (2008 - 13), the NIS’s Reform and Development Committee revealed on Oct. 16. The plan for the Nobel Prize operation was reported by the NIS by personal wire to the service’s then-director Won Sei-hoon. In Mar. 2010, the year after Kim’s death, the NIS’s psychological warfare team formed a plan – subsequently reported to the service’s director – for the group Liberalism Progress Union to send a letter to the chairperson of the Nobel Committee requesting that it revoke the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to Kim in 2000.
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JoongAng Ilbo (http://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/)
Trump’s state visit starts Nov. 7
President Moon Jae-in and U.S. President Donald Trump will have a summit in Korea on Nov. 7, presidential offices in the two countries announced on Monday. According to the Blue House, Trump and his wife Melania will visit Korea on a state visit at the invitation of Moon. “Trump is the first foreign head of state to visit Korea since Moon took office [in May],” presidential spokesman Park Soo-hyun said in a press statement released Monday night. “Trump is the first American president to make a state visit to Korea in 25 years.”
Constitutional Court judges challenge Moon
President Moon Jae-in faced a predicament on Tuesday as the Constitutional Court publicly pressured him to name a new chief justice of the court, rejecting his choice for the job, acting chief justice Kim Yi-su. “All judges of the Constitutional Court had a meeting and expressed deep concern about the prolonged vacancy of the chief justice,” the Constitutional Court said in a press statement released Monday afternoon. Since January, the court has been operating with one or two vacancies.
Interest rates on mortgages start to creep up
Major commercial banks started raising interest rates on mortgages Tuesday as a benchmark index rose and the U.S. Fed moves toward tighter monetary supply. The move will affect both existing and new borrowers of adjustable rate mortgages, making Korea’s mountain of household debt more costly to service. Shinhan Bank, KB Kookmin Bank and Woori Bank pushed up the interest rate on mortgages between 0.02 percent and 0.05 percent following a rise in the Cost of Funds Index (Cofix).
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The KyungHyang Shinmun (http://english.khan.co.kr/)
Death by Water Cannon, Abuse of Police Authority
Prosecutors will put the police officers who operated the water truck and the police commanders on trial for the death of farmer Baek Nam-gi, who died after being hit by a police water cannon at a rally. The prosecutors released their investigation results 700 days after Baek's family reported the police officers on November 18, 2015. On October 17, Criminal Department 3 of the Seoul Central Prosecutors' Office announced that they prosecuted Goo Eun-soo (59), former commissioner of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency; Shin (49), former chief of the 4th riot police at the Seoul Policy Agency, and sergeants Han (38) and Choi (28), who operated the water truck, for the death of Baek (involuntary manslaughter on duty) by firing a water cannon during a general people's rally on November 14, 2015. The prosecutors did not press charges against Kang Shin-myung (53), the police commissioner general at the time, after deciding that he was not responsible for personally commanding and supervising the management of the water truck.
Simultaneous Eradication of a Decade of Irregularities: Judicial Process to Accelerate
The Prosecution Service has embarked on a number of investigations on a decade of irregularities carried out in the Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye governments. The Moon Jae-in government's efforts to eradicate long-established bad practices, the stream of specific criminal circumstances, the Prosecution Service's practice of investigating "dead power," and the Prosecution Service's need for self-help measures ahead of fierce reforms have come together to create a political situation calling for such investigations. In a way, the Moon Jae-in government's drive to eradicate such irregularities has moved on to the judicial process.
Park Attempts to Gather Her Supporters by Creating a Political Issue as Her First Court Sentence Approaches
On October 16, former President Park Geun-hye expressed her intention to reject the trial. Her action is seen as an attempt to turn the trial into a political issue rather than accept a judicial judgment after the court issued an additional arrest warrant. Other experts believe she may be trying to gather her supporters as the conservatives, including the Liberty Korea Party, recently tried to accuse the Moon Jae-in government's efforts to eradicate long-established bad practices of political retaliation.
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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.
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AJU Business Daily (http://eng.ajunews.com/korea)
S. Korea's IoT trend shifts from home devices to commercial services
Watched by scores of curious visitors, devices for industrial use such as valves, sensors and robots showed off silent automated dance moves, demonstrating a change in South Korea's internet of things (IoT) industry. The change in IoT technology was clearly witnessed at the "IoT KOREA Exhibition" hosted by the science ministry on October 12 at COEX, a conference and exhibition complex in southern Seoul. Most of the devices displayed were designed for commercial purposes or made to be connected to commercial services.
California couple went missing months ago in Joshua Tree Park and bodies found in an embrace
A Southern Californa couple, 21-year-old Joseph Orbeso and 20-year-old Rachel Nguyen, went missing on July 27 after their weekend hiking trip to Joshua Tree National Park. Their family reported the couple missing on July 28. The search party formed after the couple went missing has been searching for the couple for months including Joseph's father, Gilbert Orbeso. The searches led by Orbeso went on even after the authorities scaled back their searches for the couple.
Lawyers of jailed ex-president boycott court hearings in protest
South Korea's ousted ex-president Park Geun-hye challenged her extended detention as political retaliation, insisting she has endured a mental and physical pain enough for six months behind bars, as her lawyers resigned en masse in protest. At a hearing Monday, Park read her first open statement in court, saying her legal battle has become meaningless. After Park read out her statement, her seven-member defense team boycotted court hearings by submitting a letter of resignation.
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Maeil Business News Korea (http://www.pulsenews.co.kr/)
Diplomacy, the only way to solve North Korean crisis
Coercive diplomacy is the only path that has a decent chance of solving the current North Korean crisis, said Hillary Rodham Clinton, former U.S. Secretary of State. “Diplomacy, preventing war, creating deterrence is slow, difficult work…especially in the volatile peninsula with proximity to an aggressive actor like North Korea,” Clinton said on Wednesday during a session titled ‘Global Leadership at Inflection Point’ at the 18th World Knowledge Forum (WKF) in Seoul. “But we can’t take shortcuts, we can’t end diplomacy,” she stressed.
Seoul avoids currency manipulator tag by U.S., but remains on monitoring list
Seoul avoided the label of a currency manipulator, but stayed on Washington’s monitoring list for close watch on foreign exchange interventions. “Treasury finds that five major trading partners warrant being placed on the Monitoring List for special attention: China, Germany, Japan, Korea and Switzerland,” said the U.S. Department of Treasury that released its second semi-annual foreign exchange report on Tuesday (local time).
Korean govt mulls allowing independent contractors the right to unionize
The South Korean government is seeking to allow independent contractors such as deliverymen and truck drivers the right to unionize as a part of President Moon Jae-in’s labor policies to strengthen precarious workers’ rights and conditions. The Ministry of Employment and Labor said Tuesday that they would set up a legal framework to guarantee basic labor rights - to organize, bargain collectively and take collective actions - to provide protection for workers in precarious jobs through outsourcing and employment agencies who fall under the classification as “independent contractors.” Such jobs include caddies, home-school teachers, truck drivers, and insurance agents. They are classified as independent contractors but usually are dependent on a single employer behaviorally or financially. Because they are legally independent, the hiring company can easily replace them.
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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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Invitation to a DMZ tour and 'Glami Health Kingdom' in Cheorwon
All members of the Family of the Ambassadors are invited on a date of their own selection (dates at the bottom)
Your Excellency:
Here is a very attractive invitation!
This is an invitation for all the Ambassadors in Korea, their Spouses and Family Members.
Chairman & CEO Nam Jong-hyun of the Glami Co., Ltd. in the Cheorwon City, an hour's run from Seoul, cordially invites Your Excellency, Madam and all the other members of Your Excellency's Family to the 'Glami Health Kingdom' and a DMZ Tour on Friday Oct. 20, 2017.
One of the most successful businessmen in Korea, Chairman Nam is very comfortable financially, and wishes to treat the Excellencies and all their Family Members to a wonderful luncheon prepared by the famed chefs of the Lotte Hotel on the occasion of the Tour of the DMZ and his all-automated health-promoting beverage production facilities at his 'Health Kingdom.'
The travelling time is only one hour, and it is a one-day tour, which also includes the rare opportunity to tour the Demilitarized Militarized Zone.
For details on the 'Glami Health Kingdom,' please visit: http://www.koreapost.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=4556
The tour is organized for the Excellencies, Madams and all the Family Members by The Korea Post media at the invitation of the diplomat-friendly Chairman Nam Jong-hyun of the 'Glami Health Kingdom'
The itinerary of the Tour follows:
0830 hours, date to be selected by the visiting VIP members of the Seoul Diplomatic Corps from among:
(Sat. Nov. 11, 2017, Wed. Nov. 15, Fri. Nov. 17, and Sat. 18).
0900-1030 hours: Move to the Cheorwon City by deluxe Limousine buses.
1030-1200 hours: Visit Glami Industrial Plant and watch the fully automated production lines of the health beverage, Dawn 808.
1200-1330 hours: Attend Luncheon at the Glami Daepyoung Hall (comparable to a five-star hotel banquet hall).
1330-1500 hours: Tour DMZ (to see if there have been any changes across the DMZ under Chairman Kim Jong Un of North Korea).
1500-1630 hours: Move back to the Grand Hyatt Seoul.
Recommend dates (please pick one and send it to edt@koreapost.com, pub@koreapost.com or yeskoreapost@gmail.com.
For inquiries, please call Ms. Kim Sua (English and Korean) at 010-7584-5873 or John Kim at 010-9205-0200. Other phone numbers are: Ms. Kim Jung-mi (010-3388-1682) and/or Publisher-Chairman Lee Kyung-sik (010-5201-1740).
Very Respectfully Yours
/s/
Lee Kyung-sik
Publisher-Chairman
The Korea Post media