Headlines, November 9, 2018

Friday, November 9, 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.

‘President Moon’s visit to the UAE further upgrades the already close ROK-UAE relations’

Ambassador Abdulla Saif Al Nuiami of the United Arab Emirates in Seoul said, “The bilateral relations between the UAE and the Republic of Korea has recently witnessed a great leap forward and last March President Moon Jae-in visited the United Arab Emirates and during his visit the bilateral relation was upgraded to a Special Strategic Partnership, a move reflecting the high importance the two countries place to each other.”This statement was made by Ambassador Al Nuiami of the UAE at a recent interview with The Korea Post media, established 33 years in 1985 and now operating 3 English and 2 Korean-language media outlets.

KDB to seek 3-way talks with GM Korea, union over spin-off plan

The head of the state-run Korea Development Bank (KDB) said Thursday he will propose three-way talks with GM Korea and its labor union amid a deepening spat over the carmaker's plan to spin off its research unit.

Hyundai names flagship SUV the Palisade

Hyundai Motor Co., South Korea's biggest carmaker by sales, said Friday it has officially named its 2020 flagship SUV the Palisade, with a plan to debut the new SUV at the Los Angeles Auto Show later this month.

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

Moon to Replace Finance Minister as Early as Friday

President Moon Jae-in will reportedly replace Finance Minister Kim Dong-yeon as early as Friday.A senior official at the top office said that the announcement could be made any time between Friday and next Tuesday before Moon leaves for Singapore for annual summits with Southeast Asian and other regional partners.

Moon Stresses Need to Realize 'Fair Economy'

President Moon Jae-in has stressed the need to realize a "fair economy" and vowed the government's utmost efforts to achieve the goal. Moon made the remark on Friday during a fair economy strategy meeting at the Convention and Exhibition Center in southern Seoul.

Fmr Supreme Court Justice Cha Questioned over Judicial Power Abuse

The prosecution recently summoned former Supreme Court Justice Cha Han-sung for questioning as part of its probe into allegations of power abuse by the top court. A probe team at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office said Friday that they called in Cha for questioning on Wednesday regarding the top court's alleged meddling in politically sensitive trials to gain favors from the previous Park Geun-hye government.

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

N. Korea, U.S. rescheduling high-level talks: Seoul's top diplomat

North Korea and the United States are trying to set a new date for a meeting between their top officials, Seoul's foreign minister said Friday in response to skepticism about momentum in denuclearization talks. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was supposed to meet Kim Yong-chol, a senior aide to the North's leader Kim Jong-un, in New York this week.

S. Korea, U.S. aim for deal next week on sharing USFK cost

South Korea said Friday it will hold another round of negotiations with the United States next week on sharing the cost of stationing American troops on the peninsula. The two sides are running out of time for an agreement. The existing accord is to expire at the end of this year. South Korean officials said they aim to strike a deal in the four-day talks to open in Honolulu, Hawaii, on Tuesday.

Koreas to hold second meeting of joint road research group Monday

South and North Korea plan to hold a second meeting of their joint road research group on Monday in the North's border city of Kaesong, the Ministry of Unification said Friday. Lee Eugene, deputy spokeswoman of the ministry, said that the agreement was reached after North Korea proposed the second meeting on inter-Korean road connection and modernization via the inter-Korean liaison office.

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

Traffic jam expected in Seoul on Saturday as tens of thousands gather to rally

Central Seoul is expected to suffer heavy traffic congestion Saturday, as more than 40,000 people are expected to participate in various rallies in the city, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said. The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, an umbrella labor group, will hold a workers’ rally in Gwanghwamun Square from noon to 7 p.m. Police said some 40,000 workers from around the country will gather to protest and march from the square toward the gate Daehanmun in front of the palace Deoksugung, across from City Hall.

Will Park Su-geun beat his own record?

Park Su-geun’s 1961 work “People at the Marketplace” will be auctioned on Nov. 21 at K Auction’s November sale. Park is a Korean painter known for his artworks that portray the daily life of the Korean people in the mid-20th century.

Lawmakers receive Sunfull National Assembly Awards

Twenty-six members of the National Assembly were selected by the Sunfull SNS Youth Monitors to receive Sunfull National Assembly Awards at the Assembly Members’ Office Building on Wednesday. The Sunfull Foundation, founded in 2013, honors National Assemblymen deemed to have used positive language during plenary sessions.

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

Moon sacks key economic policy chiefs

President Moon Jae-in has fired his top economic policymakers as widening criticism of his signature "income-led" growth policy has put the initiative in jeopardy. Chief presidential press secretary Yoon Young-chan said Friday that Moon had designated Hong Nam-ki for finance minister, replacing Kim Dong-yeon, and named chief presidential social policy secretary Kim Soo-hyun to succeed Jang Ha-sung to oversee overall economic policies.

Goldman Sachs economist to lead northern economic policy body

Senior Goldman Sachs economist Kwon Goo-hoon officially began his duties as head of the Presidential Committee on Northern Economic Cooperation (PCNEC), one of the key policymaking bodies for the President Moon Jae-in government. President Moon Jae-in gave Kwon an appointment letter Wednesday.

No further dismantlement at NK missile site: 38 North

North Korea's key missile site has not been dismantled further since August, a U.S. website monitoring the regime said Thursday. North Korea has pledged to dismantle a missile engine testing site and a launch pad in Dongchang-ri as part of its stated commitment to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula.

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

Korean Children Suffer Some of World's Worst Air Pollution

Korea children suffer the second-worst exposure to ultrafine particle pollution in the OECD, just behind notoriously smoggy India, a World Health Organization report said. The report last month said Koreans under 14 were exposed to a daily average of 24 ㎍of PM2.5 particles in 2016, more than double the rate in Japan of 11.4 ㎍/㎥.

Gov't Whacks Billions on Cross-Border Budget

The Defense Ministry belatedly asked lawmakers to approve another W10.1 billion in next year's budget to finance spending on a cross-border military agreement. According to Liberty Korea Party lawmaker Baek Seung-joo on Thursday, the Defense Ministry had allocated W15 billion in the 2018-2019 budget on inter-Korean military projects, or W4 billion this year and W11 billion next year (US$1=W1,117).

Apartment Price Surge in Seoul Comes to a Halt

The explosive surge in apartment prices in Seoul has finally come to a halt for the first time in a year and two months and 56 days after the government took drastic steps to stem real estate speculation. The Korea Appraisal Board on Thursday said apartment prices in Seoul were unchanged in the first week of November from the previous week.

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

Investigation of DSC suspended after being unable to locate former commander

“Back when he was commander, he’d go around all the 50 or so security units nationwide and hold lavish events. That’s all gone now. The former subordinates are very disgruntled, since they’re the ones being questioned while he remains overseas.”

Investigative teams points to EGR valve, not bypass, as cause of BMW fires

A joint civilian-government team formed to investigated the causes behind a series of fires in BMW vehicles announced on Nov. 7 that faulty exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valves as one of the main culprits. Since this is contrary to BMW’s initial explanations of the fires, which blamed the EGR bypass and not the valve, observers are pointing to the possibility of more unseen causes behind the seemingly spontaneous combustions of several BMW models in South Korea.

Artist celebrates Apr. 27 inter-Korean summit with paper collage exhibition

Artist Lee Yeong-gyeong is holding a solo exhibition, Letting Go, at Gallery Woomul in Seoul’s Hyoja neighborhood until Nov. 18. The exhibition highlights Lee’s work that express the hope and atmosphere of reconciliation during the Apr. 27 inter-Korean summit between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Panmunjom.

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

Kim Jong Un’s visit to Russia is delayed

North Koreans leader Kim Jong Un’s visit to Russia appears to be delayed from the end of this year to next year. As U.S.-North Korea negotiations did not work out as anticipated, relevant schedules are also readjusted as well. According to TASS on Thursday, Kremlin foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov said, “It seems to be possible next year.” The North Korea–Russia summit was an issue that was negotiated under the table after Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who visited Pyongyang in May, delivered President Vladimir Putin’s invitation to Kim.

Korean National Literary Center to be built in northern Seoul

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced on Thursday that it designated the Gijachon Geunrin Park in Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul as the land to build the Korea National Literary Center. Although Culture Station Seoul 284, former Seoul Station, Paju Book City land in Gyeonggi Province, and Heyri land in Paju City were final candidates, Gijachon Geunrin Park has been ultimately decided after considering accessibility, and possibility of international exchange.

Manchester United manager’s provocative celebration

After Manchester United defeated Juventus 2-1 in the fourth Champions League Group H match at the Allianz Stadium in Turin, Italy on Wednesday, United manager José Mourinho strode onto the pitch, cupping his hand to his ear and making a provocative gesture taunting the Juventus fans.

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

1st Korea-Russia forum in Pohang

South Korean President Moon Jae-in emphasized trilateral cooperation between Seoul, Pyongyang and Moscow Thursday while giving a speech at a forum in Pohang, North Gyeongsang, describing the southeastern port city as a potential trade and tourism hub once an “era of peace” begins on the Korean Peninsula.

Im scolds unions for resisting new policies

Im Jong-seok, President Moon Jae-in’s chief of staff, said at a National Assembly audit Tuesday that the country’s major umbrella labor union and teachers’ union are not “socially vulnerable” and should “share more social responsibility.” The remark underscored the government’s growing discontent toward progressive labor groups.

Moon to appoint 7th minister without approval

President Moon Jae-in is expected to confirm his appointment of Cho Myung-rae as environment minister on Friday, making him the seventh official appointed by the president to a ministerial position without National Assembly approval. Cho, president of the state-run Korea Environment Institute, was chosen by the president to lead the Ministry of Environment on Oct. 5. He struggled in the National Assembly’s confirmation hearings over allegations of ethical lapses, including tax evasions and plagiarism of his thesis.

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

Phase out of Diesel Cars: "Alternate Car Days" Expands to Private Sector

The "clean diesel" policy launched by the Lee Myung-bak government will be abolished in order to reduce the number of diesel-fueled automobiles, cited as the main cause of high-density fine dust. The alternate driving system, which was enforced only in the Seoul metropolitan area, and other emergency measures to reduce fine dust will be expanded to the seventeen metropolises and provinces nationwide as well as to the private sector.

The BTS Generation: Hipsters Enjoying K-pop

The global rage over BTS, which doesn't seem likely to fade anytime soon, marks another cultural turning point in the history of K-pop, which is now entering adulthood. The formation, development and evolution of K-pop can be explained in two aspects. One is the route through which K-pop expanded geographically. This route started from Asia, moving on to North America and Europe, and from Europe to all continents including South America. The K-pop bands that contributed to the expansion of this route were TVXQ, Girls' Generation, Big Bang and BTS. One notable point is that unlike other bands, the geographic expansion of BTS occurred instantaneously, making it highly unpredictable.

Defense Security Command's Investigation of Sewol-Related Civilians Confirmed: Will the People Still Defend the Command?

On November 6, a special investigation team of the Ministry of National Defense announced the results of an investigation on the alleged monitoring of Sewol-related civilians by the former Defense Security Command. According to the investigation, the command first began investigating civilians to turn the tide after the situation around the June 4 local elections in 2014 turned against the Park Geun-hye government due to the Sewol tragedy.

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

Hyundai reveals name of new flagship sport utility vehicle

South Korean carmaker Hyundai Motor revealed "Palisade", the name for its new luxury sport utility vehicle (SUV), which will be launched at home next month. Palisade will be showcased at a motor show in Los Angeles on November 28. It will hit the North American market in the summer of 2019.

LG Chem appoints 3M executive vice president as new CEO

Shin Hak-cheol who served as an executive vice president at 3M, an American company operating in the fields of industry, health care and consumer goods, was appointed to head LG Chem, a major producer of petrochemical products and batteries for electric vehicles in South Korea.

JYP warns of legal action against fans violating GOT7's privacy

JYP Entertainment has warned of stern legal action against over-enthusiastic fans who are accused of violating the privacy of K-pop boy band GOT7. "We are monitoring evidence of privacy violation," JYP said in a statement, vowing to take legal action. It listed cases such as trading or disclosing phone numbers and other personal information.

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

Korean finance ministry’s tone on economy turns subdued

South Korea’s economy is exposed to greater external uncertainties at a time when domestic conditions have deteriorated from weak industrial activity, demand, and jobs, said the finance ministry in its monthly review of the economy. “The industrial data in September was weak. Despite steadiness in exports and consumption figures, they are exposed to uncertainties from sluggish investment and jobs, worsening trade conflict between the U.S. and China, and rising oil prices,” the ministry said in its November review.

Moon promotes key aide as policy chief, replaces fin min with moderator

South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Friday replaced his top commanders on economic policy amid the faltering economy, but his choices nevertheless indicated little change in policy direction.

Korea’s top 3 game publishers score poorly Q3, pin hope for new releases in Q4

Korea’s top three game developers turned in disappointing results in the third quarter as the popularity of existing games has declined, while the launch of new games is being delayed, according to sources on Friday.

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