Headlines, October 15, 2018

Monday, October 15, 2018

Round-up of important news from major Korean dailies and from international media today:

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

ROK, NK to have high-level talks to discuss implementation of Moon-Kim agreement

The Republic of Korea (south) and North Korea are set to hold high-level talks on Oct. 15, 2018 to discuss the implementation of the summit agreement which their leaders reached last month.Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon heads a 5-member delegation to the talks that will begin around 10 a.m. at the truce village of Panmunjom. His North Korean counterpart is Ri Son-gwon, chairman of the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Country.

Hyundai to ship 5,000 hydrogen fuel cell cars to France by 2025

Hyundai Motor Co., South Korea's biggest carmaker by sales, said on Oct. 14, 2018 that it aims to ship 5,000 hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles to France by 2025.The carmaker plans to sign initial agreements with local companies to promote hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEV), the company said in a statement.

Bank loans to realtors jump at twice the pace of lendings to private businesses

Bank loans to realtors grew at double the pace of lendings to private businesses over the past five years, according to data that a ruling party lawmaker used on Oct. 15, 2018 to argue that money was not going to industries that create jobs.According to the Bank of Korea, 302.1 trillion won (US$266.63 billion) was lent to private businesses as of the second quarter this year, up 70.6 percent from the 177.1 trillion won in the first quarter of 2013.

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

Moon Expresses Trust in N. Korea's Commitment to Complete Denuclearization

President Moon Jae-in has expressed his trust in North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's commitment to denuclearization and called for global support. In a written interview with French daily Le Figaro on Oct. 15, 2018, Moon said that he believes Kim made a strategic decision to give up nuclear weapons in return for securing guarantees for his regime's safety.

Bodies of Korean Climbers Retrieved

The bodies of five South Korean climbers and four Nepalese guides were recovered on Oct. 13, 2018, a day after they were found dead following a blizzard on a Himalayan mountain in Nepal.The Foreign Ministry said On Oct. 14, 2018 that the bodies are being kept at the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital morgue in Kathmandu.

S. Korea's Q3 Unemployment Tops One Million for First Time in 19 Years

The monthly number of jobless people in South Korea topped an average of one million in the third quarter.According to data by Statistics Korea on Oct. 14, 2018, the average monthly unemployed stood at one-point-06 million in the July-September period, up 102-thousand from a year earlier. The number marks the largest third quarter figure since it posted one-point-33 million in 1999 during the foreign currency crisis. It is also the first time in 19 years that the figure surpassed one million.

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

S. Korean president and BTS bring rare cultural event to France

South Korean President Moon Jae-in received possibly the most enthusiastic welcome he has ever enjoyed from a foreign population on Oct. 14, 2018 when he hosted a cultural event to mark his trip to France that offered a rare performance by famous South Korean boy group BTS.Some 400 French officials and fans hailed both Moon and BTS in the event held in the heart of Paris to celebrate Moon's four-day state visit that began on Oct. 13, 2018.

Seoul shares open lower on trade woes

South Korean stocks started lower on Oct. 15, 2018 as investor sentiment remained subdued over the trade tension between the United States and China and rising U.S. interest rates. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index dropped 13.9 points, or 0.64 percent, to 2,147.95 in the first 15 minutes of trading.

S. Korea excludes defector-turned-journalist from covering talks with N. Korea

South Korea's unification ministry has excluded a North Korean defector-turned-journalist from joining pool reporters for on Oct. 15, 2018 high-level talks with the North.Citing safety concerns and other "special" circumstances, the ministry earlier decided to exclude Kim Myeong-sung of the Chosun Ilbo, a local daily newspaper, from the group of reporters to be sent to the truce village of Panmunjom for the high-level talks with North Korea.

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

Bodies of Korean climbers recovered in Himalayas

All of the nine bodies of Korean climbers and Nepali guides were recovered on Oct. 14, 2018, a day after they were found dead on a Himalayan mountain in Nepal.“At around 10:30 a.m. (local time), the rescue team retrieved three out of the nine bodies and transported them to a nearby village,” a South Korean Embassy official said. “The recovery work was completed at around 11:30 a.m. after the six remaining bodies were also transferred one by one.”

President Moon test rides Hyundai Nexo FCEV in Paris

South Korean President Moon Jae-in test rode the Hyundai Motor Nexo fuel cell electric vehicle during his state visit to France on Oct. 14, 2018 afternoon and observed the charging process of a Tucson FCEV taxi.This marked Moon’s second test ride on the Nexo SUV, following his firsthand experience of the SUV’s driverless technology in Seoul this February.

Around 35,000 Korean Facebook accounts affected by security breach: KCC

South Korea’s media regulator said on Oct. 14, 2018 that around 35,000 Korean Facebook accounts had been compromised in the latest security breach at the social networking site, pledging to continue investigating the matter and to take action as needed.The Korea Communications Commission said Facebook had informed the regulator that an estimated 34,891 accounts had been compromised Sept. 14-25, exposing sensitive information such as names, email addresses, phone numbers and other information visible on users’ Facebook profiles.

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

Campus masturbation video enrages students

Students at Dongduk Women's University have been enraged after a man posted video clips of himself wandering around the campus, naked, and masturbating in a classroom.Police are investigating the case and trying to identify the man after a complaint from the student council. The case was made public Saturday after a student filed an online petition on Cheong Wa Dae's website, calling on the government to guarantee women's right to safety.

Foreign workers demand job change rights

Hundreds of migrant workers and civic activists rallied in front of Seoul Finance Center in Jung-gu, downtown Seoul, On Oct. 14, 2018, demanding workers' freedom to change workplaces and denouncing government crackdowns on undocumented foreign laborers. "We are not machines, we want human rights," the crowd shouted, as an opposing rally down the street called on the government to "kick out illegal migrant workers."

Bodies of Korean climbers killed on Nepal mountain recovered

The bodies of five South Korean climbers and four local guides have all been recovered, a day after they were found dead on a Himalayan mountain in Nepal, local embassy officials said on Oct. 14, 2018."At around 10:30 a.m. (local time), three out of the nine bodies were retrieved and transported to a nearby village," a South Korean embassy official said. "The recovery work was completed at around 11:30 a.m. after the six remaining bodies were also transferred one by one."

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

Koreans Visit Doctor Most Often Among OECD Countries

Koreans visit the doctor more often than people from any other country in the OECD -- by a large margin.In 2016, Koreans went to the doctor an average of 17 times, according to data from the Ministry of Health and Welfare.

Cheong Wa Dae 'Delayed Interceptor Missile Tests'

Cheong Wa Dae has intentionally delayed testing of a new home-grown interceptor missile, an opposition lawmaker alleged on Oct. 14, 2018. The L-SAM, a long-range surface-to-air missile, is slated to become a key weapon in defending South Korea against the nuclear and missile threat from North Korea.

LG to Take Pre-Orders for New Flagship Smartphone This Week

LG will start taking pre-orders for its latest flagship V40 ThinQ smartphone later this week. Pre-orders can be made through its website or major mobile carriers from Oct. 17 to 23 ahead of its release on Oct. 24.The handset comes with five cameras -- three on the rear and two on the front -- and has a price tag of W1.04 million for the one with 128 GB storage (US$1=W1,134).

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

South Korea on threshold of “hereditary society” or “return to the Middle Ages”

This was the total number of homeowners aged ten and under listed in South Korea as of late 2016. In terms of the population for the corresponding age group, it amounts to around one in 600. Of the number, 350 lived in one of Seoul’s three Gangnam districts (Gangnam, Songpa and Seocho), while 25 were listed as owning five or more homes.

The grim truth behind Seoul’s rise of single-person households

Seoul’s Gangseo District has the city’s second largest population of single-person households after Gwanak District (106,865). Purely in terms of age groups, Dobong District has the highest percentage of people over 60 living alone among single-percent households in Seoul. But Gangseo has the highest total number of people over 60 who live on their own. On the streets of the Hwagok No. 1 neighborhood – home to the largest number of single-person households as tallied by the Gangseo District Office last August – strollers are more often seen empty and being pushed by physically enfeebled senior citizens than with children in them.

Moon says Kim Jong-un is willing to get rid of everything in nuclear program

On Oct. 12, South Korean President Moon Jae-in said that the denuclearization discussed by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un means getting rid of everything, including all of the North’s current nuclear weapons and nuclear materials. Moon was also optimistic about the end-of-war declaration by South Korea, North Korea and the US, which he described as “just a matter of time” and something that “will definitely happen.”

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The Dong-A Ilbo (http://english.donga.com/)

Bolton: 2nd summit with Kim in 'next couple of months'

A subtle change is emerging in the situation of negotiations between the United States and North Korea, which seemed to be picking up speed after U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s fourth visit to Pyongyang. While Pyongyang is not giving concrete answer to Washington’s offer for walking-level talks, Washington is postponing a second Washington-Pyongyang summit, as the two sides are effectively engaging in a war of nerves.

Women account for 70 percent of officials at Education Ministry

The Ministry of Education is gathering attention as a women-dominated arm of the government. It is the first time in 70 years that both the minister and the vice minister are women since the Ministry of Education and Culture, the forerunner of the ministry was established in 1948.

SK Telecom goes to the U.S. to hire AI talents

SK Telecom is actively hiring global human resources specializing in AI to strengthen its AI capacity.South Korea's biggest wireless services provider announced that it participated in the 2018 Creation and Invention Conference in Seattle, the United States, which was hosted by a Korean-American IT organization Creation and Invention on Saturday (local time). It shared its vision for AI, business status and future research plans with participants and held an employment consulting session.

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

It’s shopping, but not as we know it

At first glance, there is nothing remarkable about Pho Chen House, a small pho restaurant in Dogok-dong, southern Seoul.But look a little closer, and there is one notable difference between the pho restaurant and the other small establishments surrounding it - an electronic kiosk sitting right next to the door. Pho Chen House is an entirely self-served restaurant. Customers place their order at the electronic kiosk, help themselves to water and cutlery and pick up their meal when their number appears on an electronic panel on the wall. When they’ve finished eating they bus their own tables, returning their dirty dishes to the counter next to the kitchen.

Rescue team recovers bodies of mountaineers

The bodies of five Korean climbers and four Nepali guides who were killed by a vicious snowstorm in the Himalayas on Friday were recovered on Oct. 14, 2018, confirmed Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The nine mountaineers, led by veteran climber Kim Chang-ho, were camped out on the slopes of Mount Gurja in western Nepal at an altitude of approximately 3,500 meters (11,483 feet) when a massive storm swept them off a steep cliff.

Moon touts Hyundai hydrogen cars in France

Hyundai Motor will supply 5,000 fuel-cell electric vehicles to France by 2025, the automaker said on Oct. 14, 2018. While the automaker struggled to boost sales of its hydrogen-powered cars in Korea due to a lack of infrastructure like refill stations, it is hoping to find new demand overseas. President Moon Jae-in, currently in Paris as part of his nine-day trip to Europe that began on Oct. 13, 2018, gave his support for Korea’s largest automaker’s move to penetrate the foreign fuel-cell vehicle market by trying out Hyundai’s technology in France.

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

Inadequate Words by Trump Disrespectful of an Ally

U.S. President Donald Trump referred to the remarks by Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha about a review of the lifting of the May 24 Measure and said, "They won't do it without our approval. They do nothing without our approval." He probably wanted to keep in check a move toward the easing of sanctions at a time when denuclearization negotiations are underway. Nevertheless, President Trump went too far in using the word "approval." An approval is a strong word, which usually suggests permission. Thus using the word in connection with the policy of another sovereign state is a neglect of diplomatic etiquette.

Im Jong-heon Summoned: Opening the Way to an Investigation of Yang Seung-tae

Prosecutors investigating the alleged abuse of court authority by the Supreme Court under Yang Seung-tae summoned Im Jong-heon, former deputy director of the National Court Administration to appear for questioning as a suspect on October 15. Im is a key figure in the allegations, who was allegedly responsible for working level details concerning the trade of trial outcomes and the monitoring of judges when he served as the director and assistant director of planning and coordination at the National Court Administration when Yang Seung-tae served as the chief justice of the Supreme Court.

Abolition of the Death Penalty: The Minimum Qualification of a Civil State Guaranteeing Basic Rights

Two out of three citizens agreed to abolishing the death penalty when alternative punishments were provided. This was the result of a survey released by the National Human Rights Commission of Korea on October 10, the World Day Against the Death Penalty. When simply asked if they were for or against the death penalty, only 20.3% said they were in favor of abolishing capital punishment, but that percentage soared to 66.9% when the introduction of an alternative punishment was added. Practically, South Korea has already abolished capital punishment, for it has not executed a death penalty for over two decades since December 30, 1997. There is no reason to hesitate in formally abolishing the death penalty.

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

Monsta X to join popular concert tour hosted by U.S. radio show
Surfing the waves of K-pop that has swept over the United States and the rest of the world, Monsta X, a hip-hop boy band, will join the lineup of artists for a popular annual concert tour hosted by an American online radio station for the first time as a K-pop band.

Hyundai Motor aims to ship 5,000 hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles to France

Hyundai Motor, a frontrunner in the development of hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs), will sign a deal with two French companies this week to promote the sale of emission-free cars and the establishment of charging stations in the European country.Hyundai said it would sign a memorandum of understanding in Paris Tuesday with Engie, a French multinational electric utility company, and Air Liquide, a multinational company which supplies industrial gases and services to various industries. Based on the deal, Hyundai aims to ship some 5,000 FCEVs to France by 2025.

BMW's 118d sedan faces recall in S. Korea for engine fire

German auto giant BMW will recall its 118d model sold in South Korea after experts discovered the risk of fires stemming from faulty components in its engine like other cars recalled earlier, the transport ministry said Friday.The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said Friday that BMW Korea would recall 2.0-liter 118d sedans mounted with B47U engines after a team of civilian and government experts inspected a 118D car which caught fire on September 11.

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

Korean govt to inject $706mn in Hyundai Merchant Marine this year

The South Korean government is readying to inject 800 billion won ($706 million) into Hyundai Merchant Marine Co. (HMM) to help the container carrier to get back on track and grow bigger as a world-class shipper. According to Korea Ocean Business Corp and Korea Development Bank on Oct. 13, 2018, the Korean government is discussing measures to inject 800 billion won into HMM by the end of this year so that the shipper can use the fund to beef up its business such as securing large container carriers and increasing its stake in Hyundai Pusan New-Port Terminal Co.

Hanwha reshuffles chem, defense divisions along with executives

South Korea’s Hanwha Group on Friday reshuffled the executives of its chemical, defense and insurance units after realigning the businesses to drive synergy and innovation through long-term strategies. Hanwha Group said on Oct. 12, 2018 it named Ok Kyeong-seak, chief executive of Hanwha Corp.’s explosives division, to oversee the company’s new unit that combines the previous explosives and defense divisions to boost synergy given high similarity in the two businesses.

Grab dreams big to revolutionize every aspect of everyday lives: Grab president

Grab’s goal is not to become Asia’s Uber but to become Asia’s biggest platform that enables its users to enjoy just about any service they may need in their everyday lives, said Ming Maa, president of Singapore-based ride-hailing platform provider Grab. “Mobility means much more than ride-sharing because mobility is really about helping consumers get closer to the things that you care about,” Maa said at the 19th World Knowledge Forum in Seoul on Oct. 12, 2018. “Moving people from job to job, from one social class to another … is much closer to our heart, to what we hope to accomplish for Grab.”

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Lee Kyung-sik edt@koreapost.com