The Korean daily media headlines and humor

The Korean daily media headlines and humor

Tuesday, October 24, 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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Date of 'Glami Health Kingdom' Tour finally set on Saturday 28 October

Ambassadors, Spouses and All Their Family Members are invited!

Your Excellency:

Finally, Saturday 28 October 2017 has been set for the Tour of the Ambassadors and All
Their Family Members to the Glami Health Kingdom.

The Host, Chairman & CEO Nam Jong-hyun of the Glami Co., Ltd., presents the Madam of each Ambassador with a prestegious guilded Turtle Ship with an expression of his wishes for the Longevity and Good Health of Your Excellency and the entire Family.

The travelling time is only one hour, and it is a one day tour, which also includes a 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 Ambassadors, Madams and all the Family members by The Korea Post media at the invitation of the diplomat-friendly Chairman Nam Jong-hyun of the Company.

The itinerary of the Tour follows:

0900 hours, Saturday, 28 Oct. 2017: Meet at the Grand Hyatt Seoul (near the water fountain).

0910-1030 hours: Move to the Cheorwon City by deluxe Limousine buses.

1030-1200 hours: Visit Glami Industrial Plant and watch the production lines of the health beverage, Dawn 808.

1200-1330 hours: Attend Gala 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).

1500-1830 hours: Move back to the Grand Hyatt Seoul.

For inquiries, please call Ms. Kim Sua (English and Korean) at 010-7584-5873, John Kim at 010-9205-0200 or Hwi Won at 010-5376-1225.

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

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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.

S. Korea, France agree on strong sanctions against N. Korea

The foreign ministers of South Korea and France held talks Monday during which they agreed on strong sanctions that would lead North Korea to talks on denuclearization. South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and her French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian also agreed that North Korea's nuclear and missile programs are one of the top threats for the global community. Kang said at a press conference that North Korea's repeated provocations and advances in its nuclear capability are the "most urgent and significant threat" to security around the world. Kang said strong sanctions and pressure are needed for North Korea to come to the negotiating table.

GM Korea CEO does not deny possible withdrawal at parliamentary audit

The head of General Motors Co.'s South Korean operations, speaking during a parliamentary audit session Monday, didn't deny speculation that the U.S. carmaker may withdraw from South Korea on weaker sales. At the audit, GM Korea President and Chief Executive Kaher Kazem repeatedly said he will do his best to put the Korean unit's business back on track without dismissing the decadelong rumors. Repeatedly asked if there was a possibility of the U.S. auto giant's exit from Korea, he said GM Korea's executives and employees are doing their best to normalize operations and to develop a sustainable business model in the country. His direct quotes were not available for this article.

KEPCO CEO says electricity price rise not likely in 5 years

The head of the state-run Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO) said Monday that electricity prices are not likely to rise within five years, but it could happen in the long term as the government is set to switch from coal and nuclear to renewable energy.Since taking office in May, President Moon Jae-in has pledged to phase out nuclear reactors and increase the ratio of renewable energy to 20 percent by 2030. The government's energy initiative, however, has raised suspicions that reduced dependence on coal and nuclear power and high production costs of renewable energy could lead to higher electricity costs."There are not many factors that could push up electricity costs in the next five years," KEPCO CEO Cho Hwan-eik said during a parliamentary audit.

New firms join 10 trillion-won market cap club

Twenty-four companies have newly joined the ranks of those with 10 trillion-won (US$8.84 billion) market capitalization compared with 10 years ago, raising the number of such firms to a record high of 35, according to the Korea Exchange on Tuesday. Of the group, 34 were on the main bourse, including Samsung Electronics with a market cap of 352.32 trillion won as of Monday. SK hynix had 61.66 trillion won, and Kakao had 10.24 trillion won. Celltrion, with 21.86 trillion won, was the only firm on the secondary tech-heavy bourse KOSDAQ to make the list, although the company is scheduled to move to the main stock market early next year. There have been ups and downs in the number of firms in the top club over the past 10 years. There were 24 in 2007 and 10 in the wake of the global financial crisis the following year. The number returned to 20 in 2009 and increased to 28 in 2010. It fell back to 21 in 2011 and was back up to 24 in 2012. Last year, 28 were in the club.

Samsung Electronics says OLED displays not suitable for TVs

Samsung Electronics Co. said Tuesday the organic light-emitting diode (OLED) technology is not suitable for use on television sets, apparently targeting its main rival LG Electronics Inc. while promoting its own QLED screens. The statement follows a YouTube video posted by the South Korean giant earlier, which also criticized LG Electronics' OLED displays. Samsung and LG have been promoting QLED and OLED as their next-generation TV technologies, respectively. The South Korean tech giant said OLED displays are only suitable for devices with shorter life expectancies, such as smartphones, due to the so-called screen burn-in, or image retention, saying the case is different for TVs and monitors, which are normally used for longer periods. "The reason OLED TVs have image retentions is because they are made of organic materials," Samsung said, comparing the OLED TVs with fruit juice that oxidizes as time passes.

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KBS (http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/news/)

White House: Trump Seeks Peaceful Resolution of N. Korean Nuke Issue

The White House says that U.S. President Donald Trump is basically seeking a peaceful resolution of the North Korean nuclear issue, although he keeps sending warnings of possible military options. A senior White House official made the remarks on Monday during a news briefing on Trump's Asia tour scheduled for next month.The official said that all related countries, including China, need to do more to comply with two U.N. Security Council resolutions, hinting that Trump will ask China to take more steps to pressure North Korea during his China trip. The official said Trump will ask China to address trade imbalances with the U.S. during his planned summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

UN Adds 32 Items to List of Prohibited Goods for N. Korea

A United Nations(UN) committee has added 32 items to a list of prohibited items of dual use that could be used by North Korea as weapons. The Associated Press said on Monday that the UN Security Council Sanctions Committee on North Korea reported the additions to the Security Council. The additions reportedly range from boxes that can be used to carry radioactive materials to continuous cooling systems, flash X-ray machines and seismic detection equipment.The newly banned items also include particle accelerators, "software for neutronic calculations," and "radiation-hardened television cameras.”

'S. Korea-US Alliance is Linchpin of Regional Peace'

The defense chiefs of South Korea and the U.S. have reaffirmed that their alliance is the "linchpin" of regional peace and security in the Asia Pacific region. U.S. Pentagon spokesperson Dana White said in a statement on Monday that U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis and South Korean Defense Minister Song Young-moo agreed on the importance of the U.S.-Korea alliance during their meeting held on the sidelines of a regional forum in the Philippines on Monday.The spokeswoman said that regional and global security issues, including the North Korean threats, were also discussed in the meeting. Mattis and Song agreed to continue discussions in Seoul on Saturday when they meet for the annual Security Consultative Meeting.

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

S. Korea, France agree on strong sanctions against N. Korea

S. Korea-U.S. alliance is 'linchpin' of regional security: defense chiefs

The defense chiefs of South Korea and the United States reaffirmed Monday that their alliance is the "linchpin" of regional peace and security. The acknowledgment from South Korean Defense Minister Song Young-moo and U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis comes as tensions have heightened over North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile programs. The two met on the sidelines of a regional defense ministerial meeting in the Philippines earlier in the day."Secretary Mattis and Minister Song reaffirmed the U.S.-ROK alliance is the linchpin of peace and security in the Asia-Pacific region," Pentagon chief spokesperson Dana White said in a statement. ROK is the acronym of South Korea's official name, the Republic of Korea. They agreed to continue discussions in Seoul on Saturday when they meet for annual bilateral security talks.

Trump likely to visit major U.S. base in S. Korea

U.S. President Donald Trump is likely to visit American troops at a newly expanded U.S. military base in South Korea next month, a senior White House official said Monday. The visit would take place during Trump's state visit to Seoul on Nov. 7-8 amid high tensions over North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile programs."The president is most likely going to be visiting Camp Humphreys," the official told reporters on condition of anonymity. "Camp Humphreys is a relatively new base, a major base on the peninsula that is also a great example of burden sharing."Some 28,000 American troops are stationed in South Korea as a legacy of the 1950-53 Korean War that ended in an armistice, not a peace treaty. Located in Pyeongtaek, a port city some 70 kilometers south of Seoul, Camp Humphreys has served as the new headquarters of the U.S. 8th Army, the backbone of the U.S. Forces Korea, since July.

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

Trump says ‘totally prepared’ for military action; North nixes six-party talks

US President Donald Trump on Sunday renewed the possibility of military action against North Korea, while the North‘s senior diplomat refused to return to long-stalled six-nation talks for denuclearization unless the US’ attitude changes. Trump said he is “totally prepared” to use military force against the rogue regime if necessary, in an interview with Fox News on Sunday. The remark follows a series of bellicose rhetoric between the US president and Pyongyang. Trump previously threatened to “totally destroy” North Korea, which the North’s top body viewed as a “declaration of war” as it hinted at a possible hydrogen bomb test in the Pacific Ocean near Guam.

Massive underground transit terminal to be built in Gangnam

The Seoul Metropolitan Government on Monday unveiled a 1.3 trillion won ($1.15 billion) project to build a mammoth underground public transit terminal in Gangnam by 2023 to alleviate road traffic in Seoul’s most congested area. Spanning 160,000 square meters of space across six basement floors, the Yeongdong-daero transit terminal is to be the single largest multifunctional underground complex to be built in the country, the city government said.

How artificial intelligence will impact culture

Experts in the artificial intelligence and content industries gathered to address the impact of new technology on culture at the Next Content Conference on Monday. The conference, hosted by the Korea Creative Content Agency and the Culture Ministry, is taking place at Coex in southeastern Seoul through Tuesday. New media theorist and computer science professor Lev Manovich addressed the potential of Korean content in the international market. “With the rise of K-pop from around 2009, Korea’s content industry has been successful, global social media platforms have paid attention,” said Manovich. “Korean films seem extremely successful. ... But if you look at companies like Samsung or LG, the software seems lacking.”

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

Abe victory shadows Seoul-Tokyo relations

A big victory by Shinzo Abe's Liberal Democratic Party-led coalition in Japan's snap election is casting a cloud over relations between South Korea and the neighboring country. Abe will obviously push for a revision to Japan's so-called pacifist Constitution based on his renewed political momentum; and the militaristic move could complicate bilateral policy cooperation against North Korea's provocations and resolving historical issues, analysts said Monday. "Abe must have interpreted this overwhelming victory as being given the authority to push ahead with the constitutional revision, his personal ambition that had been pushed back by a recent corruption scandal," said Yang Kee-ho, a professor of Japanese studies at Sungkonghoe University.

Job fair for expats due Oct. 31

The annual event will be held at COEX in Gangnam-gu between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Around 60 companies and 2,2000 expats are expected to participate. Beginning in 2014, the Seoul Global Center has hosted the event with Seoul Business Agency (SBA), a business-supporting institution, to provide expats with career opportunities and companies a chance to hire foreign employees who can help them expand their businesses abroad. In 2015, 49 companies and 2,082 foreigners participated, with 50 landing jobs.

Pet management rules to be toughened

The government vowed Monday to toughen regulations on pet dogs that attack people, in response to the recent death of a famous upscale Korean restaurant owner who died after being bitten by her neighbor's dog. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, one of the measures is to increase the number of breeds required to wear a muzzle when outside. Currently, only breeds like Tosas, American pit bull terriers, American Staffordshire terriers, Staffordshire bull terriers and Rottweilers are required to wear one.

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

International community cuts humanitarian aid to North Korea

The amount of international humanitarian aid to North Korea has dramatically dropped at a time when the Moon Jae-in administration is mulling over the right time to send humanitarian aid to the impoverished nation after approving an 8-million-dollar assistance plan for the North. With the North's continuing provocations, Western superpowers, including the United States, which have led humanitarian support for the North, have closed their purses. If this trend continues, North Korea will likely achieve less than 30 percent of its humanitarian funding needs for this year.

Hyundai Heavy wins 400-million-dollar deal to build ore carriers

Hyundai Heavy Industries has won another deal to build very large ore carriers (VLOC) worth 400 million U.S. dollars, after winning a deal last month. It has been awarded a contract to build five 325,000-ton VLOCs from the domestic shipper Polaris Shipping, according to South Korea’s largest shipbuilder on Monday. The shipbuilder won an 800-million-dollar deal last month to build 10 VLOCs from the same shipper, which is the largest deal the shipbuilder has clinched in five years. Because the two companies signed an option contract last month, the shipper placed an additional order this time. As a result, Hyundai Heavy Industries has earned the entire 1.2-billion-dollar contract from the shipping company.

A massive urban park to be built in southern Seoul by 2023

A consortium project “Light Walk” by French architect Dominique Perrault and Junglim Architecture has been selected for the underground Yeongdong-daero transit terminal project, the Seoul Metropolitan Government said Monday. Earlier in June, the city government announced that on Yeongdong-daero located in the middle of Gangnam, the most affluent district in the Korean capital, it would construct a mega-transit underground complex that holds five lines including two subway lines (Line 2 and 9), GTX and KTX, and a park that is 1.5 times greater than the Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul.

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

U.S. to Put Nuclear Bombers on 24/7 Alert
The U.S. Air Force is preparing to put B-52 nuclear bombers on 24-hour alert for the first time since the Cold War in response to North Korea's "rapidly advancing nuclear arsenal", U.S. news site Defense One reported Sunday.The concrete pads at the runway of Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana "could once again find several B-52s parked on them, laden with nuclear weapons and set to take off at a moment’s notice," Defense One said. "This is yet one more step in ensuring that we’re prepared," Air Force chief of staff Gen. David Goldfein told Defense One. "I look at it more as not planning for any specific event, but more for the reality of the global situation we find ourselves in and how we ensure we're prepared going forward."

N.Korea Still Owes Sweden for Volvos Bought 43 Years Ago
North Korea still owes Sweden 2.73 billion kronor or about US$330 million for 1,000 Volvos and other equipment it imported from the Scandinavian country in 1974, reports said Monday.Sweden established diplomatic relations with the North in 1973. The following year, it placed an order for 1,000 Volvo 144 sedans, Asea ship equipment, and Atlas Copco mining excavators. The Swedish companies sent the shipments as ordered, but Pyongyang never paid the 600 million kronor bill.Under an export credit insurance contract, the unpaid export bills were purchased by the Swedish Export Credit Agency, and receivables have now snowballed to 2.73 billion kronor with accumulated interest.

How to Get the Most out of Tomatoes
Tomatoes are one of people's favorite health foods. They are easy to get all year long, though summer is the best season, and are low in calories but give a feeling of satiety. They also contain lycopene, an antioxidant that can slow aging. Tomatoes contain 14 kcal per 100 g. An average tomato weighs 160 g, which roughly translates into 22 kcal, making it an excellent choice for those trying to lose weight. The lycopene found in tomatoes, which is what makes them turn red when fully ripe, helps improve vascular function, strengthen the immune system and prevent cancer.

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

KIET report shows that preferential duties in KORUS FTA had little effect on export increases

South Korean trade authorities submitted empirical analysis findings to Washington showing that preferential US duties as part of the South Korea-US Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA) had almost no direct effect on the increase in South Korean exports to the US over the past five years.The findings are expected to be used as major support in the two sides’ amendment negotiations to counter Washington’s claims that the agreement is unfair and beneficial only to South Korea. An Oct. 22 Korea Institute for Industrial Economics & Trade (KIET) report titled “Analysis of FTA Effects by Industry” included results from a quantitative analysis of the effects of preferential FTA duties (abolition or reduction) on South Korean exports of 12 major manufacturing items to the US in the period (2007-16) before and after the agreement took effect in Mar. 2012.

Documents show Lee Myung-bak personally ordered Cyber Command staffing increases

Then-President Lee Myung-bak personally ordered additional increases in staffing for the Military Cyber Command in 2012 ahead of the general election in April and the presidential election in December, a document suggests. The timing for Lee’s additional order, which came after a previous staffing increase in 2010, came while the command was reporting to the Blue House on its “internet posting operations,” suggesting an increased likelihood that the president was aware of the illegal nature of its activities when he ordered the increases. Democratic Party lawmaker and National Assembly Legislation and Judiciary Committee member Jung Sung-ho provided this explanation to the Hankyoreh on Oct. 22 after reading a confidential national defense document titled “Unit 1011’s Periodic Unit Planning Report, 2012.” The name “Unit 1011” refers to the Military Cyber Command.

Trump hints at a push for tougher NK sanctions during Asia trip

As he prepares for his trip to South Korea, China and Japan in early November, US President Donald Trump hinted that he will pressure China to further increase the intensity of sanctions against North Korea after the conclusion of China’s 19th Communist Party Congress, which began on Oct. 18.“President Xi is right now going through his Congress,” Trump said in an interview with Fox News that was conducted on Oct. 20 and aired on Oct. 22. “I believe he’s [consolidated] the power to do something very significant with respect to North Korea. We’ll see what happens.”“Now with that being said, we’re prepared for anything. You would be shocked to see how totally prepared we are if we need to be,” Trump said in the interview.

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

Kospi cracks 2,500 ceiling for very first time

The benchmark Kospi reached a fresh milestone on Monday, topping the 2,500 mark in intraday trading for the first time in history. The Kospi hit an all-time high of 2,500.3 less than 3 minutes after the opening as investors bet on sound earnings in the third quarter and a cheerful investment sentiment from record high market indexes in the United States. U.S. stock indices including the Dow, the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq hit new closing highs last Friday after the U.S. Senate passed a budget resolution containing tax cuts, a move that some analysts believe will be needed to maintain the bullish market.

China ‘helping’ U.S. with North issue, says Trump

President Donald Trump touted U.S. capabilities in dealing with North Korea during a recent interview with Fox News, boasting that his country was “prepared for anything.” “We’ll see what happens,” Trump told host Maria Bartiromo on “Sunday Morning Futures.” “We are so prepared like you wouldn’t believe.” Trump didn’t go into the specifics but told Bartiromo she “would be shocked to see how totally prepared we are if we need to be,” adding, “Would it be nice to do that? The answer is yes. Will that happen? Who knows, who knows, Maria.” Trump underscored Beijing’s role in the North Korea crisis, saying the country had the “power to do something very significant.” Regardless of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s actions, Trump said the U.S. was prepared for anything when it comes to dealing with the North.

Moon names new nominee for SME minister

President Moon Jae-in on Monday named Hong Jong-haak, former lawmaker of the Democratic Party and a liberal economist, as the head of a new ministry to support small companies and startups. According to Presidential Spokesman Park Soo-hyun, Hong, an economist-turned-politician, was nominated as the minister of SMEs (small- and medium-sized businesses) and Startups. The ministry, created in June, was part of Moon’s ambition to create jobs by improving support for small companies. Hong, a former professor of economics at Gachon University, served as a proportional representative for the Democratic Party from 2012 until 2016. He was also a key member of Moon’s presidential campaign.

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

First Weekend After Park Geun-hye Refuses Trial: March for Park's Release by Day and Candlelight for MB's Arrest by Night
On the first weekend after former President Park Geun-hye declared to refuse her trial, pro-Park groups held a Taegeukgi rally during the day, while progressive groups held a candlelight demonstration in the evening. The Campaign for the Acquittal of Former President Park Geun-hye, which includes pro-Park groups such as the Korean Patriots' Party held a rally at Marronnier Park in Daehak-ro, Seoul on the afternoon of October 21. The campaign headquarters said, "Former President Park is suffering murderous political retaliation on top of an unfair impeachment," and also said, "We support the president's declaration of a political struggle." They held the Taegeukgi and the Stars Spangled Banner and shouted the slogan, "Release President Park Geun-hye."

Maintain the Three Principles of a Nuclear Phase-out
After the committee overseeing the public debate on the construction of Shin Kori nuclear power plants 5 and 6 decided to resume construction on October 22, President Moon Jae-in said, "We will quickly resume the construction of Shin Kori 5 and 6," but at the same time he added, "We will promote policies to switch to new energy sources including a nuclear phase-out as planned." Although the decision to suspend the construction of Shin Kori 5 and 6, which was a part of the nuclear phase-out pledge during the presidential election, was overturned, the president reaffirmed his position to maintain the three principles of a nuclear phase-out: no new nuclear power plants; safely maintain the existing plants; and quickly shut down the plants that have reached their lifespan.

It Will Take Months for a Public Defender to Review the Records: Ruling on Park Geun-hye's First Trial Grows Distant
On October 19, former President Park Geun-hye (65) did not appear at her trial and has put into practice her declaration of October 16 to refuse the trial. The court expressed its intention to continue with the trial after appointing a public defender for the former president, but a long delay in the trial seems inevitable. The court decided to hold separate hearings on Choi Soon-sil (61) and Shin Dong-bin (62), chairman of Lotte group, who had been on trial after being prosecuted along with the former president. Thus a trial on Park Geun-hye without Park Geun-hye has come true.

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

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

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

Industry Panics over Prospect of Rising Subcontract Worker Disputes

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

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

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

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

Pilot project for 'well-dying' bill launched to allow spontaneous euthanasia

A pilot project on spontaneous euthanasia was launched in South Korea, allowing patients with no hope of recovery to reject medical care for life prolongation and die "with dignity", ending a prolonged debate for two decades. The project began on Monday at designated hospitals to cause less confusion before the so-called "well-dying" bill takes effect in February next year, according to the health ministry. The bill allows patients with incurable diseases to reject any life-sustaining treatment such as CPR, artificial respiration and cancer-fighting drugs when they clarify their clear intention in written statements while still being sentient.

Trump likely to visit US camp in S. Korea: Yonhap

U.S. President Donald Trump is likely to visit American troops at a newly expanded U.S. military base in South Korea next month, a senior White House official said.The visit would take place during Trump's state visit to Seoul on November 7-8 amid high tensions over North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile programs."The president is most likely going to be visiting Camp Humphreys," the official told reporters on condition of anonymity. "(It's a) relatively new base, a major base on the peninsula. (It's a) great example of burden sharing."

S. Korean researchers develop highly effective CO2 generator

South Korea's state-run research institute claimed to have made a technological breakthrough in enhancing the efficiency of generators that use carbon dioxide to produce electricity instead of steam for the first time in the world.The Korea Institute of Energy Research (KIER) said it has developed a highly efficient turbine axial type generator using carbon dioxide. It did not say when commercialization is possible.Although research has been conducted on carbon dioxide generators in many countries, only small-sized radial generators have been developed. Large axial generators could produce more power but they could easily break down due to the friction caused by turbines being turned at extreme speeds.

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

Samsung Elec expected to announce record dividend payout and buyback plans

Samsung Electronics Co. is expected to share its skyrocketing profits with shareholders in the form of record-high dividends and buybacks. Industry insiders said on Monday the company will release a detailed three-year plan to boost shareholder value along with its final third-quarter results on Oct. 31. On expectation that the semiconductor boom would continue throughout next year, the world’s largest memory chipmaker is said to allocate its free cash flow to buying back its shares and paying out what could be its biggest dividend yet.

BOK won’t move to tightening cycle until clear signs of economic recovery, Gov

Bank of Korea Governor Lee Ju-yeol said Monday that the central bank sees the need to lift the policy rate from current record-low level after inaction for the longest-ever period, but won’t shift to tightening cycle until clear signs of economic recovery and stability in consumer prices. Answering to lawmakers’ questions in the regular parliamentary probe on government offices, Lee said the bank thinks time has come to lift the interest rates from a historic low, but “we must have clearer signs if we are to make it (rate increases) our policy.”

16th World Korean Business Convention to kick off on Oct. 25 in Changwon

The 16th World Korean Business Convention, the biggest networking event for Korean businesses, will be held from Oct. 25 to 27 at Changwon Exhibition Convention Center in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province. Under the slogan “better Hansang (Korean business) for better Korea,” the convention aims to build stronger ties among Korean enterprises, exchange ideas for job creation and offer practical business programs. The event is expected to be attended by about 3,500 participants, including 2,500 from home and 1,000 from abroad.

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