The Korean daily media headlines and humor

Monday, January 28, 2019

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.

Military spat dampens S. Korea-Japan naval exchanges

A protracted military spat between South Korea and Japan appears to be taking a toll on their military exchanges, despite calls for cooperation over their shared concerns about North Korea's nuclear program, observers said Sunday. Japan is reportedly reconsidering its plan to send warships to an international maritime security exercise in waters off the peninsula in April, while a senior South Korean Navy official has called off his plan to visit Japan next month.

Rep. Joo joins Liberty Korea Party leadership race

Four-term Rep. Joo Ho-young declared his bid Sunday to run in the main opposition Liberty Korea Party's leadership contest slated for next month, vowing to heal internal division and unite the fractured conservative bloc. His entry into the increasingly crowded field of potential candidates for the Feb. 27 election came as the conservative party is pushing to reform itself, shore up public support and regroup in the face of the strong liberal ruling camp.

UNSC grants sanctions exemption for inter-Korean excavation of DMZ war remains

The U.N. Security Council (UNSC) has granted a sanctions exemption for an inter-Korean project to excavate Korean War remains in the Demilitarized Zone, a diplomatic source said Monday. The UNSC made the decision last week as Seoul sought the exemption to ensure that the delivery of equipment into the communist state for the project will not be impeded by anti-Pyongyang sanctions.

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

UNSC Grants Sanctions Exemption for Inter-Korean DMZ Excavation Project

The UN Security Council(UNSC) has reportedly granted a sanctions exemption for an inter-Korean project to excavate Korean War remains in the Demilitarized Zone. According to a diplomatic source on Monday, the UNSC made the decision last week as Seoul sought the exemption for its plan to bring mine clearing equipment into the communist state for the excavation project.

Radar Dispute Dampens S. Korea-Japan Naval Exchanges

A continued military spat between South Korea and Japan appears to be taking a toll on the two nations' military exchanges. According to Seoul's Defense Ministry and Navy on Sunday, Adm. Kim Myung-soo, the commander of the Korean Navy's First Fleet, has canceled his planned trip to Japan set for next month.

LKP Leadership Race Heats up

Major candidates are set to announce their bids for the main opposition Liberty Korea Party's(LKP) new leadership this week. Former Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn will reportedly make his official bid on Tuesday, while former LKP chairman Hong Joon-pyo and former Seoul mayor Oh Se-hoon will likely follow suit on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively.

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

S. Korea's vice defense minister to attend security forum in Singapore

South Korea's Vice Defense Minister Suh Choo-suk will attend an annual security forum in Singapore this week to help drum up international support for ongoing peace efforts on the divided peninsula, Seoul's defense ministry said Sunday. Hosted by the International Institute for Strategic Studies, the 7th Fullerton Forum is set to take place from Sunday through Tuesday. The institute has invited Suh to join the forum seen as a major venue for regional military diplomacy.

Gov't to launch special probe team to investigate sexual violence in sports

The South Korean government said Friday it will launch a special probe team to look into sexual violence and other human rights violations in the country's sports community, following a series of claims by athletes that they were assaulted by their coaches. Sports Minister Do Jong-hwan, Education Minister Yoo Eun-hae and Gender Equality Minister Jin Sun-mee convened for a ministers meeting on social affairs and discussed measures to prevent and eradicate violence in sports.

Trump defends progress with N. Korea ahead of 2nd summit

U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday that there has been progress in talks with North Korea despite criticism and that he expects another good meeting with the North Korean leader soon. Trump said the media has been unfair by accusing him of producing few tangible results toward dismantling the North's nuclear weapons program since his first summit with Kim Jong-un.

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

Xi watches performance of N. Korean art troupe

Chinese President Xi Jinping attended a rare concert by a North Korean state art troupe and met with the delegation's chief, Chinese state media reported Monday, as the two countries boast close ties ahead of a second summit between the United States and North Korea. Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, met with Ri Su-yong, vice chairman of the North Korean ruling party's Central Committee, on Sunday and watched the performance by the North Korean artists, according to China's Xinhua News Agency.

Korea seeks to ease trade dependency on China, US, Japan

South Korea began to seek free trade deals in 1999, when it started negotiations with Chile, its first partner for a free trade agreement that took effect in April 2004. Over the past 20 years, 15 FTAs between Korea and its counterparts have taken effect, with 52 partner countries in total. The 15 FTAs include those with three continental economic blocs: the European Free Trade Association (four countries), the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (10) and the European Union (28).

Going walletless: Korea’s mobile payment market diversifies as competition grows

South Korea is increasingly going walletless, as more people are opting to use services that allow payments to be made easily with just smartphones both offline and online. With growing opportunities, smartphone-based payments have drawn interest from multiple players including information and technology companies, credit card companies and the government.

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

Why foreigners buying Korean stocks in 2019

Foreign investors have been rushing to buy Samsung Electronics, SK hynix and other stocks since the beginning of the year as global funds shift to emerging markets on the easing of U.S.-China trade tensions and other favorable conditions. Stock prices have yet to rise above certain levels predicted by brokerages due to mounting fears about the country's sluggish economy, but foreigners are coming back on the belief that the recent slowdown has been fully reflected on the bourse, and shares will take off soon.

Merit, wisdom and the Korean tradition of governance

The ruthless competition between young Korean to get into good high schools and then be admitted to leading universities as the necessary step to finding superior jobs takes a terrible toll on the lives of many and has distorted the nature of learning. Education has become a concealed combat that drives us into isolation, rather than the grounds for cooperation among all people for the purpose of discovering the truth or creating a better society.

'Korea, not US nor China, will lead 5G era'

Korea is leading in fifth-generation (5G) networks as the country possesses better 5G technology and infrastructure than the United States and China, according to KT Chairman Hwang Chang-gyu. KT said Sunday that Hwang made the remarks during a meeting of the International Business Council (IBC), which took place on Jan. 22 on the occasion of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos. "Compared to the United States and China, Korea has better technology, services and infrastructure," Hwang said during the meeting.

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

Hyundai's Profits at Historic Low

Hyundai recorded its lowest operating profit in eight years last year. The carmaker on Thursday said sales inched up 0.9 percent from the previous year to W97.25 trillion, but operating profit plummeted 47.1 percent to W2.42 trillion (US$1=W1,130). Sales have grown every year since 2010, when they stood at W67 trillion, reaching a record last year, but operating profit has been declining since a peak of W8.44 trillion in 2012 and now stands at just one-third of that figure. With that, Hyundai's operating margin, which stood at 10.4 percent in 2011, has plummeted to 2.5 percent.

Military Could Send Chopper to Block Japanese Flybys

The military is considering sending a helicopter to respond to any further Japanese spy planes buzzing Korean warships. The chopper would block the flight path of any Japanese patrol plane if it came close to a Korean destroyer, as happened on several occasions in the past few weeks. The idea was mooted by the Joint Chiefs of Staff during a briefing of the ruling Minjoo Party on Thursday.

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

S. Korea and US enter final stages of defense cost-sharing negotiations

South Korea and the US have entered the final stage of negotiations aimed at concluding their 10th defense cost-sharing agreement as they wrangle over the total amount of South Korea’s contribution and the agreement’s period of validity. Since no agreement has been in place since the 9th agreement terminated at the end of 2018, the next question is whether the two sides’ war of nerves will culminate in a breakthrough in the negotiations.

Small deals more realistic and practical as initial step for denuclearization

When North Korean Kim Yong-chol, vice chairman of the Workers’ Party of Korea, was flying to Washington, DC, on Jan. 17, I visited six hotels in the area in an attempt to figure out where he would be staying. I’m ashamed to say that my efforts were in vain. Reporters from South Korea, the US and Japan joined the hunt. The veil of secrecy around Kim’s accommodations wasn’t lifted until his plane was about to touch down. Kim’s entrance to the hotel was the point where I felt the security measures were particularly intense. Kim appeared through the loading entrance at the back of the hotel. It was a sorry sight, leading some reporters to wish that the staff had at least removed the garbage cans.

Bank of Korea lowers projection for 2019 economic growth

The Bank of Korea (BOK) lowered its projection for economic growth in 2019 by 0.1 percentage points from 2.7% to 2.6%. The bank also projected a 2020 growth rate of 2.6%. The BOK’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) announced the projections as part of an economic outlook report following a meeting at the BOK’s main building in Seoul’s Jung (Central) district on the morning of Jan. 24. The BOK, which announces economic projections each quarter, has now lowered its growth rate forecast by 0.1 percentage points for three straight quarters, with previous predictions of 2.9% in April of last year, 2.8% in July, and 2.7% in October. Speaking to reporters, BOK Governor Lee Ju-yeol cautioned against reading too much into the situation.

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

North Korea’s art troupe performs in Beijing

North Korea’s art troupe performed at the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing on Saturday under tight security where mobile phones are banned. North Koreans, members of the communist party and their family were the only ones who were allowed at the venue.

Burwell Bell emphasizes need for unwavering S. Korea-U.S. alliance

Gen. Burwell Bell, former commander of the United States Forces in South Korea, stressed that the South Korea-U.S. alliance (including the Mutual Defense Treaty between the Republic of Korea and the United States of America) should be firmly maintained regardless of how the two countries’ ongoing negotiation over defense cost sharing ends, in an exclusive written interview with The Dong-A Ilbo on Sunday.

A memorial for Lee Su-hyun held in Tokyo

“My son absolutely loved Japan. He used to say he wanted to become a bridge connecting Korea and Japan. I think this means a lot in the current political situation.” NHK’s interview with Shin Yoon-chan, mother of late Lee Su-hyun, was broadcasted all across Japan on Saturday. Her remarks moved many Japanese even though Korea-Japan relations keep getting aggravated. Japanese people shared the news online and commented: “Unforgettable event. My tribute goes out to Lee,” or “I hope youngsters who don’t know about this story would learn about the incident.”

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

North culls officials after disappearance

Several high-level officials in North Korea, including a distant cousin of leader Kim Jong-un, were fired after Pyongyang’s acting Ambassador to Rome Jo Song-gil disappeared, multiple sources in Seoul exclusively told the JoongAng Ilbo on Sunday. Among the first sacked was Ho Chol from the North Korean Foreign Affairs Ministry, who was in charge of monitoring North Korean diplomats’ loyalty to the regime and whether they were smoothly implementing the foreign policies of the ruling Workers’ Party.

Consumption growth hits highest level since 2011

Korea recorded its highest private consumption growth in seven years last year, a rare positive result amid the country’s gloomy economic outlook. On Sunday, the Bank of Korea said consumer spending grew 2.8 percent in 2018, expanding at the fastest pace since 2011. The central bank attributed the latest gain to growing sales of new home appliances, such as air purifiers and clothing care dressers, as well as imported cars.

Funeral insurance scams take poor elderly for all they have

Kim Ok-ja, 74, makes a living by selling waste paper and lives by herself in a house near Dongdaemun, central Seoul. Even during freezing weather, she recycles discarded paper and boxes, earning just a few thousand won a day. “This is all I earned for today,” said Kim, pulling out 1,300 won ($1.16). “I’m not afraid of dying. That’s the least thing I’m worried about right now. What really scares me is what would happen to me after I die.”

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

The Arrest of Yang Seung-tae, an Opportunity for the Court to Overcome the Disgrace and Start Over

Former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Yang Seung-tae was arrested. This was the first time that a former head of the judiciary was arrested. It was embarrassing and devastating, but it was bound to happen. The court displayed the strictness of the law by sending the principal offender responsible for the abuse of court authority to the detention center with its own hands. The court, which had been criticized as a "bulletproof bench," probably found it difficult to ignore the seriousness of the abuse of court authority, which threatened the constitutional order. Yang's arrest shows that no one is an exception when it comes to realizing justice, and it will play an important role in the development of democracy in the Republic of Korea.

"Monitor and Delete Illegal Videos in 24 Hours" The Government Gets Involved

The government decided to strengthen its monitoring and punishment of illegal pornography imported without permission as well as illegal videos, such as those taken from spy cameras. It will also speed up efforts to establish a system banning "webhard" operators, web filtering firms and companies that delete unwanted information online from mutually owning shares and stocks to prevent them from forming a cartel.

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AJU Business Daily (http://www.ajudaily.com)

Hyundai Motor set ups sales joint venture with Vietnamese partner

South Korea's Hyundai auto group agreed with its Vietnamese partner, Thanh Cong Group, to set up a sales joint venture and boost production in one of Southeast Asia's fast-growing auto markets. Hyundai said Thursday that at its head office in Seoul, a memorandum of understanding was signed with the Vietnamese group in a ceremony attended by Thanh Cong's chairman Nguyen Anh Tuan. The two companies run a joint venture car factory called Hyundai Thanh Cong Manufacturing Vietnam (HTMV).

Trump defends progress with N. Korea ahead of summit

U.S. President Donald Trump said that there has been progress in talks with North Korea despite criticism and that he expects another good meeting with the North Korean leader soon. Trump said the media has been unfair by accusing him of producing few tangible results toward dismantling the North's nuclear weapons program since his first summit with Kim Jong-un. "The Fake News Media loves saying 'so little happened at my first summit with Kim Jong Un.' Wrong!" the president tweeted, referring to the meeting in Singapore in June.

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

Hotel Shilla’s Q4 OP up 77% on yr on strong duty-free operations

Hotel Shilla Co., hotel and travel retail unit of South Korea’s top Samsung Group, on Friday reported a 77 percent on-year jump in its fourth-quarter operating profit largely driven by stellar performance of duty-free business, allowing it to deliver record full-year earnings last year. Hotel Shilla said in a regulatory filing on Friday that it raised 27.5 billion won ($24.6 million) in operating income in the October-December period, up 77 percent from a year earlier. Revenue gained 33.7 percent to 1.19 trillion won during the same period.

Ex-Samsung SDI executive moves to Apple to head battery development

Apple Inc. hired former executive of Samsung SDI Co., a Korean battery maker affiliated with Samsung Electronics Co., in a move industry experts believe as a part the iPhone maker’s efforts to lessen reliance on outsiders for costly components amid sagging sales. Industry sources and Bloomberg reported on Thursday that Samsung SDI’s former senior vice president Ahn Soon-ho moved to Samsung’s arch rival Apple last December, citing Ahn’s LinkedIn profile.

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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.cn kf@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.com lithuania@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
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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.
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