Headlines, November 22, 2018

Thursday, November 22, 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.

Amb. Alharthy stuns Korean guests at the party with impeccable Korean greetings

he Korean guests at the Omani National Day reception at Lotte Hotel in Seoul were pleasantly surprised at the impeccable Korean language ability of Ambassador Mohamed Alharthy of Oman at a reception he hosted at the Crystal Ballroom of the Lotte Hotel in Seoul on Nov. 22, 2018 in celebration of the 48th National Day of his country. He gave his welcome message in perfect Korean, which was followed by an Omani version with interpreterations in English and Korean on the screen.

Philippines Embassy in Seoul brings diplomats, businessmen from Korea to Bohol

Philippine Ambassador to South Korea, His Excellency Raul S. Hernandez and Madame Maria Ana A. Hernandez, led a successful familiarization tour of Bohol, Philippines on 8-12 November 2018 with thirty (30) participants from the diplomatic and business communities of Korea, including the Ambassador of Greece, Amb. Ifigeneia Kontoleontos, as well as diplomats from Portugal and South Africa.

Jeju Air inks $4.4 bil. contract to buy 4- new Boeing planes

Jeju Air Co., South Korea's biggest budget carrier by sales, said on Nov. 20, 2018 it inked a US$4.4 billion deal for 40 new planes, with the delivery set to begin in 2022. Jeju Air has decided to buy Boeing Co.'s new B737 MAX passenger jets to strengthen its fleet, the company said in a statement.

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

Short-Term Foreign Debt Ratio Highest in 3 Years

The Bank of Korea says South Korea's short-term foreign debt ratio has reached the highest level in more than three years at 31-point-eight percent. The ratio of short-term foreign debt to foreign reserves rose half-a-percentage point from the previous quarter. It has been rising since the end of last year and it's the highest since the second quarter of 2015.

Income Disparity Reaches Widest Level in 11 Years

Statistics Korea has released data indicating the country is experiencing its biggest income disparity in more than a decade. Nominal income of households in the lowest 20 percent income bracket stood at some one-point-32 million won in the third quarter, down seven percent from a year ago. Earned income dropped 22-point-six percent to a monthly average of 479-thousand won, while income from operating businesses decreased 13-point-four percent.

Seoul City Launches Hydrogen Bus Service

The Seoul Metropolitan Government has launched a hydrogen fuel cell bus.The capital city kicked off the environment-friendly bus service on a trial basis on the route of Number 405 bus on Wednesday and plans to put eight more hydrogen buses in service next year.

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

S. Korean parliament resumes review of bills, gov't budget proposal

Rival parties on Thursday resumed their review of key bills and the government's 2019 budget proposal one day after they agreed to put parliament back on track following a weeklong hiatus. The National Assembly has around 90 bills to review for their passage during the ongoing regular session. The government's record 470.5 trillion-won (US$416.5 billion) budget proposal is also pending, with a legal deadline for the review scheduled for Dec. 2.

Household income grows in Q3, but wealth gap widens

South Korea's household income rose in the third quarter from a year earlier, but the income gap between the haves and have-nots widened, a government report showed Thursday. An average household earned 4.74 million won (US$4,200) per month in the July-September period, up 4.6 percent from the previous year, according to the report by Statistics Korea.

Air Busan wins preliminary approval for IPO

Air Busan Co., one of South Korea's low-cost carriers, won approval on Thursday for its planned initial public offering (IPO) on the country's main exchange, the bourse operator said. After conducting a preliminary screening, the Korea Exchange (KRX) said it found Air Busan suitable for going public on the KOSPI market.

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

Government agency to train Vietnamese workers on international trading

The Human Resources Development Service of Korea and Seoul Business Agency on Thursday launched a program aimed at supporting Vietnamese nationals in importing Korean small and medium-sized enterprises’ products to their country.The program will provide international trade-related training and education to 33 Vietnamese workers in Korea this year in a bid to expand Korean SMEs’ export routes, HRD said. The 33 workers were selected from those who re-entered Korea on the E-9 visa.

Seoul to expand operation of nighttime buses for year-end

The Seoul Metropolitan Government said Thursday it will launch additional nighttime bus services and expand operations of existing bus lines to meet the increase in demand expected at the end of the year. The city government will introduce four new nighttime bus routes that pass through major city spots, including Gangnam, Hongik University, and Yeongdeungpo, from Dec. 1 to 30.

Under pressure, Supreme Court decides to punish scandal-ridden judges

Korea’s top court said it will resume disciplinary procedures for justices involved in a massive judiciary power abuse case, apparently under pressure from ongoing public discussions on impeaching the offenders. The Supreme Court on Wednesday said it will reopen the disciplinary committee against 13 judges for their collusion in a power abuse case involving former Supreme Court Justice Yang Seung-tae, with the aim of taking action by the end of the year.

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

Court gives megachurch pastor 15 years for rape

The Seoul Central District Court sentenced mega-church pastor Lee Jae-rock to 15 years in prison, Thursday, for raping and sexually harassing at least eight female congregants. It also ordered the 75-year-old pastor of Manmin Central Church to take 80 hours of therapy classes and banned him from working at youth-related institutions for 10 years after serving his prison term.

University adds social value with upcycling project

Hanyang Women's University (HYWU) is promoting a project to produce socioeconomic value through fashionable "upcycled" bags that could ease environmental and employment problems. The project, led by the school's Leaders in INdustry-University Cooperation (LINC+) organization, is to make bags from recycled fishing nets and waste collected from Nagwol Island in South Jeolla Province. The nets are recycled, dyed and used as fabric to make tote bags.

Courier saves driver from fire

A 35-year-old CJ Logistics courier has been in the spotlight recently for saving a driver in a flaming car. He is Yoo Dong-woon, who is in charge of the company's parcel delivery service in Gochang, North Jeolla Province. His heroic act belatedly went viral, Tuesday, after footage of his good deed was posted on Bobaedream, an internet forum specializing in cars.

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

N.Korean Soldier Who Fled Across DMZ Struggling in S.Korea

North Korean defector Oh Chong-song, whose bold dash across the heavily armed border in November last year made global headlines, has been struggling in South Korea since he was released from hospital. "I took a job as a construction worker to feed myself," Oh (not his real name) told the Chosun Ilbo Wednesday. "I experienced how hard it is to make money in the South." Oh left Hanawon, a halfway house that helps North Korean defectors adjust to life in South Korea, in June after a long hospital stay to treat his many gunshot wounds and clear him of a mass of parasites in his stomach.

Anger in Japan as Korea Dismantles Sex Slaves Fund

The government on Wednesday formally started dismantling a foundation set up under an agreement with Japan to compensate victims of wartime sexual slavery. "The agreement was signed without reflecting the views of victims," the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family said. "We are starting the process of dismantling the foundation in accordance with the views of the victims."

Samsung to Release 'Bigger Phone with Multiple Cameras' Early Next Year

Samsung's upcoming flagship smartphone Galaxy S10, set for release early next year, will come with a massive 6.7-inch screen and six cameras, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday. Samsung is expected to launch four different versions of the phone including one premium model with high-spec features in February next year.

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

Hankyoreh-Busan International Symposium focuses on great paradigm shift on Korean Peninsula

The 14th Hankyoreh-Busan International Symposium, which focused on the topic “Seeking a Great Paradigm Shift and Peace on the Korean Peninsula,” kicked off its two-day schedule on Nov. 21 at Nurimaru APEC House in Busan.“Peace cannot be created by people who fixate on a past of divisions and antagonism, distrust and hostility. Peace belong those who dream and imagine,” declared Moon Chung-in, keynote speaker and special presidential advisor for unification, foreign affairs, and national security.

There is no “reconciliation” or “healing” without a sincere apology

The South Korean government officially announced on Nov. 21 that it plans to go ahead with legal procedures to dissolve the Reconciliation and Healing Foundation. This comes two years and four months after the foundation was established in July 2016 to pay compensation to comfort women survivors and surviving family members following the Park Geun-hye administration’s agreement with the Japanese government on the comfort women issue the preceding December.

S. Korea-US working group needs to provide leverage for denuclearization negotiations

A South Korea-US working group was launched in Washington, DC, on Nov. 20. The two sides established plans to hold regular meetings of the group to systematically discuss denuclearization, North Korea sanctions, and inter-Korean cooperation. The group’s membership includes a wide range of working-level officials responsible for peninsula issues on both sides. It’s a positive step that Seoul and Washington have established this framework for diplomatic discussions to allow for efficient communication on a full range of North Korea-related issues.

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

Korean-American Young Kim narrowly misses election

“I am a roly poly. It seems like I’ve fallen down for the time being but I will rise up immediately. I will not get disappointed and I will start again.” Young Kim was looking to become the first Korean-American woman in the U.S. House of Representatives (California’s 39th Congressional District) at the U.S. midterm elections on November 6. The voice of candidate Young Kim (age 56, Republican), who lost narrowly, was calm yet full of energy.

Pompeo warns against Seoul’s speeding in improving inter-Korean relations

The Donald Trump administration has officially warned that South Korea’s speeding up improving ties with North Korea should not outpace progress in denuclearizing North Korea. “We have made clear to (South Korea) that we do want to make sure that peace on the (Korean) peninsula and the denuclearization of North Korea aren't lagging behind the increase in the amount of inter-relationship between the two Koreas,”

Hyundai, Kia invent world’s first robot-based quality test system

The world’s first intensive inspection system of auto electronic devices, in which a robot automatically performs a quality test on auto electronic devices, is invented, Hyundai Motor and affiliate Kia Motors announced on Wednesday. The automatic system that was unveiled by the automobile manufacturer uses six robots to inspect a total of six safety related systems, including five different kinds of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). The invention is the outcome of three years of research since 2015 in response to growing consumer preference for ADAS equipped cars.

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

Korea shutting down ‘comfort women’ fund

Seoul announced Wednesday it would shut down a Japanese-funded foundation meant to support women forced to work as sex slaves in Japan’s military brothels during World War II, the latest step to effectively void a 2015 bilateral agreement that was supposed to solve the enduring comfort women issue. South Korea’s Ministry of Gender Equality and Family said in a press release that it would undergo legal procedures to scrap the Reconciliation and Healing Foundation, which was launched in July 2016 to manage a multimillion dollar fund from the Japanese government.

Seoul’s first hydrogen bus plies No. 405 route

A hydrogen-powered bus made its debut in Seoul on Thursday as part of a city government pilot program to see if hydrogen could be a viable source of energy for public transport. Thirty more hydrogen-powered buses will be added to regular bus routes in six cities for test runs starting next March.

Household debt breaks 1,500 trillion won in Q3

Korea’s household debt reached a new high in the third quarter despite the recent slow pace of growth, surpassing the 1,500 trillion won ($1.3 trillion) level for the first time. The Bank of Korea said on Wednesday that the country’s outstanding household debt, which includes loans from banks and other financial institutions as well as credit card spending, stood at 1,514.4 trillion won between July and September, up 22 trillion won or 1.5 percent from the previous quarter.

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

Dissolution of the Reconciliation and Healing Foundation According to the Wishes of the Comfort Women Victims

The government decided to dissolve the Reconciliation and Healing Foundation for the comfort women victims in the Japanese military, established with the 1 billion yen that Japan gave in the days of the Park Geun-hye government. The foundation will shut down two years and four months after it was first launched. Relations between South Korea and Japan, which froze after the latest court ruling calling for Japanese companies to compensate South Korean victims of forced labor, are expected to cool down further.

The People Opposing the Impeachment of the Judges Involved in the Abuse of Court Authority Must Stop Distorting Facts and Engaging in Sophistry

After the National Judges Conference released their opinion that the nation should consider the impeachment of judges involved in the abuse of court authority, the Liberty Korea Party and some conservative media outlets have gone all out to stop the impeachment. They are arbitrarily interpreting the purpose of the separation of powers stipulated in our Constitution and are undermining the loyalty of the judges, who are willing to cut out their own flesh in order to restore the people's trust in our judiciary.

Judges Call for the Impeachment of Judges Who Abused Court Authority

On November 19, the National Judges Conference agreed to consider impeachment in addition to other punitive measures for incumbent judges connected to the alleged abuse of court authority. They passed a declaration that read, “Officials at the National Court Administration discussed the future of trial proceedings with government officials concerning certain trials and made specific demands and suggested the direction of court rulings for some judges on the bench. We share the awareness that this is a serious violation of the Constitution.”

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

French auto giant Renault opens first test center in Asia

French auto giant Renault will open its first test drive center in Asia this week in the southeastern city of Daegu. It would be used to check the reliability of new global models and develop technologies related to autonomous driving, electric cars and driver assistance systems.

Koreas connect cross-border road for excavation of war remains

South and North Korean military engineers shook hands to celebrate the connection of a new cross-border road that would be used for a joint project to excavate war remains buried in a 1953 battlefield in the world's last Cold War frontier.

New anti-epileptic drug from SK's biotech wing to seek FDA approval

Cenobamate developed by SK Biopharmaceuticals, a pharmaceutical company in South Korea, is ready to file for a new drug application (NDA) in the United States for its commercialization as clinical trials showed the novel new anti-epileptic drug dramatically decreased median seizure frequencies.

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

Six out of 10 Koreans consider themselves “fat”

About six out of 10 South Koreans think themselves overweight, a survey showed Thursday. According to a telephone poll conducted by the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS), 60.5 percent of Koreans with a body mass index (BMI) of more than 18 thought they are overweight or obese. About 79.5 percent of the respondents consider obesity is a serious health problem.

Half of Koreans unhappy about mobile phone bills and cost of phones

Approximately one in two Korean mobile phone users find phone bills burdensome and a majority are positive towards the idea of zero-rating, according to a survey. Zero-rating is the practice of providing free or discounted content access under a contract between service carriers and content providers.

Koreans think after-work drink part of work, once a month enough

Drinking still dominates after-work socialization for South Korean salaried workers, but is becoming a lesser burden as the young prefer to lunch over good food and enjoy recreational activities instead of night drink to please their seniors, a survey showed.

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