The Korean daily media headlines and humor

Thursday, December 28, 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

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

It may not be amiss to repeat our announcement of yesterday—just in case some of our readers might missed it…

Wish to see the treasured Hat of Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte of France?

Lotte World recently won a bidding for it for nearly 2.6 billion Won, and puts it on display for the Ambassadors

To see on Friday 19 January 2018!

Hat of Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte of France

President and Mrs. Dongki Park of the Lotte World Tower Company cordially invite Your Excellency and Madam, together with other Ambassadadors and Madams, to a Special VVIP Tour of the famed Lotte World Tower on the morning of Friday 19 January 2018. The exhibits on that day include the Hat of Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte of France. Please visit: http://www.koreapost.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=5725

The Tour is orgaized by The Korea Post media at invitation of President and Mrs. Dongki Park of the Lotte World Tower Company.

The tour schedule is as follows:

Scary? Yes, right down below your feet sprawl the downtown Seoul as you stand on the Observation Tower on the 123rd floor of the Lotte Tower.

Picturesque garden and surrounding areas of the Lotte Tower Building.

9:30 hours Friday 19 January 2018: Meet at the Cartier of the Avenuel Hall on the 1st Floor of the Lotte World Jamsil builing. (Cars may be parked at the Parking Lot of the Lotte World Tower Building.)

09:40-10:10 hours: Vivit the Public Information Center, view video presentations.

10:20-11:00 hours: Tour the Lotte World Tower Observation hall.

11:00-12:00 hours: Vivist the 123 Lounge and attend a snack-beverage meeting hosted by President Park and the other leaders of the Lotte World Tower.

12:00 hours: Leave the Lotte World Tower.

Note: The Visitor's Car may be parked at the Parking Lot of the Lotte World.

To make reservation, please call Ms. Kim Jung-mi at 010-3388-1682 or Ms. Shin Eugene at 010-6589-4378.

Very Resepctfully Yours

/s/

Lee Kyung-sik

Publisher-Chairman

The Korea Post media

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

Round-up of important news stories from major Korean dailies today:

The Korea Post media (www.koreapost.com) in English, (www.koreapost.co.kr) in Korean.

Court rejects arrest warrant for ex-culture minister over bribery, abuse of power

A Seoul court on Thursday turned down prosecutors' request for a warrant to arrest Cho Yoon-sun, a former minister and presidential aide to then-President Park Geun-hye on charges of bribery and abuse of power.

U.S., Russian foreign ministers agree on diplomatic solution to N.K. issue

The top diplomats of the United States and Russia have agreed to work together to peacefully resolve the issue of North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile programs, the State Department said Wednesday.

Loan guarantees among conglomerate affiliates shrink in 2017

Loan guarantees among affiliates of South Korea's large business groups sank in 2017 from a year earlier, the country's corporate watchdog said Thursday. The total corporate debt payment guarantees made among units of 31 conglomerates reached 257 billion won (US$239 million) as of May 1, down 20 percent, or 64.2 billion won, from 321 billion tallied a year ago, according to the Fair Trade Commission (FTC).

S. Korea's industrial output rebounds in November

South Korea's industrial output rebounded in November from a month earlier on an improvement in the automaking and machinery sectors, government data showed Thursday. Production in the mining, manufacturing, gas and electricity industries rose 0.2 percent on-month in November, following an adjusted 1.5 percent on-month dip in the previous month, according to the data by Statistics Korea.

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

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

Task Force Reveals Hidden Agreements behind 2015 Seoul-Tokyo Sex Slavery Deal

South Korea's previous government kept secret some parts of its 2015 deal with Japan on how to settle Japan's wartime sex slavery of Korean women. This is according to a South Korean foreign ministerial task force, which has been probing the unpopular deal signed two years ago.

Business Sentiment Remains Negative for January

South Korean firms' business outlook remained negative for 20 straight months. According to the Korea Economic Research Institute's survey of the country's top 600 companies on Thursday, their Business Survey Index(BSI) for January marked 96-point-five.

Court Rejects Arrest Warrant for Former Culture Minister Cho Yoon-sun

A Seoul court has rejected an arrest warrant for former Culture Minister Cho Yoon-sun, but dismissed the request by ex-presidential secretary Woo Byung-woo to reconsider his arrest. The Seoul Central District Court on Wednesday turned down the warrant request for Cho, saying her charges are disputable and it's difficult to see how she presents a risk of flight or destroying evidence in light of the progress in the investigation.

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

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

Number of households raising pets rise gradually in recent years: survey

The number of South Korean households raising pets has risen gradually in recent years, a survey showed Thursday. About 28.1 percent of 5,000 households have dogs, cats or other pets, according to the survey done by the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency last month.

Cosmetics industry eyes growth recovery in 2018

South Korea's cosmetics industry is looking to regain growth in 2018 after taking a big hit from China's retaliation against Seoul over a missile row this year, sources said Thursday.

In March, China banned sales of group tours to South Korea in retaliation against Seoul's decision to deploy an advanced U.S. missile defense shield, which Beijing sees as a security threat.

S. Korea, U.S. to kick off trade deal renegotiation next week

South Korea and the United States will kick off negotiations to amend their bilateral free trade agreement next week, Seoul's trade ministry said Wednesday. The first round of talks will be held in Washington on Jan. 5 following months of preparation triggered by the Donald Trump administration's request to revise the pact.

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

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

Park administration kept parts of ‘comfort women’ agreement secret

The Park Geun-hye administration kept parts of the 2015 Korea-Japan agreement on Japan’s wartime enslavement of Korean women in the dark, a South Korean task force confirmed Wednesday. The administration also pushed the deal despite the pact falling short of fundamentally resolving related issues.

Ex-USFK commanders support delaying drills for PyeongChang Games

Pushing back joint South Korea-US military drills until after the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics and Paralympic Games is worth considering, said former commanders of US Forces Korea in a Voice of America report Wednesday.

Economic policies to focus on improving quality of life in 2018

South Korea’s key economic policy goal for next year is to create jobs and innovate growth, under a mid- and long-term vision to improve people’s quality of life, the Ministry of Strategy and Finance said Wednesday.

.

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

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

Sensitive parts of sex slavery deal concealed

The government of former President Park Geun-hye kept sensitive parts of its December 2015 agreement with Japan over "comfort women" secret, the chief of an investigation into the deal said Wednesday.

Special team prepares to fight foreigner crimes during Olympics

A joint quick response team was launched to prevent crimes by foreigners in areas near PyeongChang Winter Olympics venues, the National Police Agency and Ministry of Justice said Wednesday.

South Korea forecasts 3% GDP growth, $30,000 per capita income in 2018

The economy is expected to grow 3 percent next year, with per capita income topping $30,000 for the first time ever, the government said Wednesday. To attain the 3 percent economic growth target, the government will front-load a larger chunk of its budget expenditure in the first part of 2018.

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

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

Kim Jong-il's Former Sushi Chef 'Can't Get Foreign Fish'

Ex-North Korean leader Kim Jong-il's former chef Kenji Fujimoto, who runs a Japanese restaurant in Pyongyang, has complained that he can only get North Korean fish as sanctions bite. He made the remarks to Fuji TV on Monday.

Park Refuses to Be Questioned on Fresh Charges

Ex-President Park Geun-hye on Tuesday refused to be questioned by prosecutors. The prosecutors wanted to question her on charges that she took W4 billion in envelopes from the National Intelligence Service while in office (US$1=W1,077).

Babies in Hospital Deaths Infected with Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria were found in the blood of three babies who died at Ewha Womans University Medical Center in Mok-dong, Seoul and in an injection solution given to them, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Tuesday.

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

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

Heightened tensions on Korean Peninsula merit more serious attitudes from media, politicians alike

North Korea has crossed a psychological redline for the American public with the Hwasong-15 missile test. Looking back on this year, it seems as if there was hardly a time when the Korean Peninsula was not in a state of heightened tensions.

North Korean economic growth surpasses South Korea’s for first time in eight years

2017 growth is expected to be hindered by drought conditions and international sanctions. North Korea’s economic growth rate for 2016 surpassed South Korea’s for the first time in eight years, Statistics Korea data show.

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

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

Panel dissects the ‘comfort women’ accord

The Moon Jae-in administration accused the former government of neglecting victims’ opinions while negotiating an agreement with Japan in 2015 to deal with the World War II sexual slavery issue, saying Wednesday it would individually interview all 32 Korean survivors to ultimately decide its official stance on the 2-year-old accord.

Economy to grow 3% and lead to GNI of $32,000

The government Wednesday predicted Korea’s economy will grow by 3 percent next year, with per capita gross national income (GNI) breaking the $30,000 threshold for the first time. The Ministry of Strategy and Finance said that 2018 “will be the first year of the $30,000 income era,” predicting per capita GNI will reach $32,000.

LG partners with Here on self-driving vehicles

LG Electronics is working with Here Technologies, a provider of mapping data and services, on technology that will allow self-driving cars to collect information about their surroundings, the companies said Wednesday.

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

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

All Jecheon Citizens Come out to Embrace the Victims' Families

At 9 a.m. on December 26, a black funeral car left the funeral parlor at Seoul Hospital in Seobu-dong, Jecheon-si, Chungcheongbuk-do. This was the last funeral of the victims of the fire that broke out at Noble Fitness and Spa in Jecheon on December 21.

99% of Incheon Airport Workers to Acquire “Regular” Worker Status by 2020

Incheon International Airport has decided to switch the status of irregular part-time workers to full-time regular workers. The company will hire 99% of the temporary workers as regular workers by 2020.

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

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

Trade ministry to turn disused mine into solar power plant

In an effort to utilize the area surrounding an abandoned coal mine and revitalize the local economy, South Korea's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy unveiled a plan to turn an old coal mine into a solar power plant.

Task force says comfort women deal lacked victims' views, confirms existence of secret agreements (Yonhap)

South Korea's previous government of ousted President Park Geun-hye kept part of a 2015 deal with Japan on resolving the issue of wartime sexual slavery secret from the public in order to avoid criticism of concessions made secretly to Tokyo, a task force said Wednesday.

Prosecutors keep 12 yr jail term demand for Samsung heir in appeals trial (Yonhap)

Prosecutors asked an appellate court on Wednesday to sentence Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong to 12 years in prison for bribery and other crimes, maintaining their initial request for punishment from the lower court trial.

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

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

Hyundai Heavy to seek $1.2bn rights offering, IPO of Hyundai Oilbank

Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. will pursue a rights offering worth 1.29 trillion won ($1.2 billion) in March to strengthen shipbuilding capacity and research and development, while its non-shipbuilding sector will separately reinforce its balance sheet through initial public offering of its lucrative gasoline retailer Hyundai Oilbank Co.

SK Siltron to bump up wafer production capacity

SK Siltron, the semiconductor wafer unit of South Korea’s SK Group, will invest 400 billion won ($372 million) to increase capacity to meet the growing demands from chipmakers, including its sister company SK Hynix.

Korean won rise to 32-month high vs greenback

The South Korean currency soared to a 32-month high against the U.S. dollar amid broad weakness in the greenback and surge in the Chinese yuan with the momentum of latest central bank’s action implicating Beijing’s strategy to fortify its currency to back branding strategy of a strong currency equaling strong economy.

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

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

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

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.

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

TO ERR ON THE SAFER SIDE!

I trust that Your Excellency may be aware that we are ready to fully meet ALL the information dissemination-acquisition requirements of the Embassies—free of charge.

Please visit the following URLs and order us:

Real time-updated Korean Internet news http://www.koreapost.co.kr/

Real time-updated English Internet news http://www.koreapost.com/

20-page Korean-language newspaper http://www.koreapost.co.kr/pdf/list.php

English E-daily http://www.koreapost.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=5504

English monthly magazine The Korea Post http://www.koreapost.com/cover/coverList.html

To satisfy your information dissemination-acquisition requirements, please drop a line at edt@koreapost.com, pub@koreapost.com or yeskoreapost@gmail.com

The publisher-chairman of The Korea Post media is serving the Diplomatic Community for more than 40 years, 32 years with The Korea Post and 10 years with The Korea Herald as the Cultural Editor who covered the Diplomatic Community.

For quick response, call Chairman Lee directly at 010-5201-1740 or reporters at 010-3388-1682 or 010-7584-5873.

저작권자 © The Korea Post 무단전재 및 재배포 금지