Headlines, January 29, 2019

The Korean daily media headlines and humor

Tuesday, January 29, 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.

About 50 pct of Americans very concerned by N.K. threat: poll

Around half of Americans are very concerned about the threat posed by North Korea's nuclear weapons, a new poll showed Monday as the two nations gear up for another summit aimed at removing that danger. According to the poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, 52 percent of those surveyed said they are "very" or "extremely" concerned that North Korea's nuclear program poses a direct threat to the United States.

S. Korea to provide more incentives to foreign firmsSouth Korea's industry ministry said Tuesday it plans to provide more incentives to overseas companies operating in the country and induce them to carry out more foreign direct investment (FDI). The Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Energy, which hosted meetings with officials from foreign companies here, said it is seeking FDI projects that utilize advanced technologies and maximize value creation.

Abe vows 'decisive' approach toward N. Korea to normalize ties

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Monday made public his determination to have talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in a bid to normalize bilateral diplomatic relations. In a policy speech to the Diet, Abe said he will "act decisively without losing any opportunity" to settle the issue of Japanese citizens abducted by the communist nation decades ago and its nuclear and missile programs.

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

S. Korea Confirms Outbreak of Foot-and-Mouth Disease

South Korea on Monday confirmed an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease(FMD) ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday. Quarantine authorities from the province said the first outbreak of the animal disease this year was confirmed at a dairy farm in Anseong, Gyeonggi Province, located 77 kilometers south of Seoul. The owner of the farm reported a suspected case early in the morning after about 20 out of 120 cows at the farm showed symptoms of the highly infectious disease.

Gov't to Name Projects Exempt from Pre-feasibility Study

The government will soon announce a list of major public investment projects to be implemented at an early date. The Ministry of Economy and Finance said Minister Hong Nam-ki will name the projects to be exempt from pre-feasibility studies on Tuesday, following a deliberation and confirmation by a presidential committee and the Cabinet earlier in the day.

KCTU Fails to Decide on its Participation in Tripartite Dialogue

A major South Korean umbrella labor union has failed to decide whether to participate in a tripartite dialogue among government, labor and business. The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions(KCTU) held a conference with over one-thousand delegates in Seoul to decide whether to join the government-led Economic, Social and Labor Council. The delegates voted down motions supporting or opposing the group's participation in the social dialogue as well as conditional participation.

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

S. Korea confirms foot-and-mouth disease case

South Korea on Monday confirmed a foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak at a farm located less than 80 kilometers south of Seoul. The first outbreak of the animal disease this year was confirmed at a milk cow farm in Anseong, located 77 kilometers south of Seoul. The owner of the farm reported a suspected case early in the morning after about 20 out of 120 cows at the farm showed symptoms of FMD, according to quarantine officials from Gyeonggi Province. Initial tests confirmed the outbreak of type 0 FMD, they added.

Mobile fees hit new low in 2018

Mobile phone fees in South Korea reached an all-time low in 2018 thanks to a government policy and carriers' fee cuts, government data showed Tuesday. The "mobile fee index" stood at 98.4 last year, down 1.6 percent from the previous year, according to the data from the Ministry of Science and ICT, and Statistics Korea. It marks the lowest level since the government began compiling data in 1995. The base year for the index is 2015. The index, which came to 188.8 in 1995, had been hovering around 100 since falling there in 2012.

S. Korea confirms foot-and-mouth disease case

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

Artificial rain experiment over sea ends in failure

The South Korean government’s first artificial rain experiment this year over the Yellow Sea failed to induce rain, the Korea Meteorological Administration said Monday, with 14 more experiments planned throughout the year. The KMA observed an increase in the size of precipitation particles in the clouds, but there was no rain or snow, it said, announcing the interim result of the experiment carried out Friday.

LG already moving toward 6G network technologies

LG Electronics announced Monday it is embarking on a research and development plan for the sixth generation of the telecommunications network beyond the upcoming fifth generation in order to lead the future market. LG opened a 6G research center within KAIST Institute, a research organization for technologies for the country’s economic development run by the Korea Advanced Institute of Technology in Daejeon Metropolitan City, which will be headed by Cho Dong-ho, professor of electrical engineering at KAIST.

Ulleung County chief vows to create world-class ecotourism

Ulleung County Gov. Kim Byeong-su said all-out efforts will be made to transform the small island in the East Sea into a world-class ecotourism attraction in 2019, driven by a newly opened road along the coast and cultural heritage preservation. The 72.86-square-kilometer small island, located 178 kilometers east of Gangwon Province, is vital for South Korea, as the county oversees the diplomatically significant island of Dokdo and 42 other islands.

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

Seoul-Tokyo radar row risks derailing military cooperation

An ongoing military spat between Seoul and Tokyo is casting a shadow on bilateral exchanges. According to Japanese media reports, Tokyo is likely cancel the planned dispatch of a Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyer to Busan for a joint maritime exercise in April. Japan planned to deploy the MSDFS Izumo to take part in the ASEAN plus eight drill. Defense ministry spokeswoman Choi Hyun-soo said Monday that the countries and vessels taking part will be decided in late February.

Chinese economy at growing risk of hard landing

Korea should brace for a looming crisis from China in light of the latter's recent "dismal" 6.6 percent growth rate in 2018, the slowest in 28 years since 1990, according to global economists. Following the disappointing GDP figure, analysts are split over whether the world's second-largest economy will undergo a "hard landing," which many worry will send a shudder through the global economy and financial markets.

US charges Huawei, top executive

The Justice Department unsealed criminal charges Monday against Chinese tech giant Huawei, two of its subsidiaries and a top executive, who are accused of misleading banks about the company's business and violating U.S. sanctions. The company is also charged in a separate case with stealing trade secrets from T-Mobile, according to federal prosecutors.

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

Forces Upkeep Spat with U.S. Could Hurt Exports

Concerns are rising that a spat between Korea and the U.S. over the upkeep for American troops here could prompt Washington to slap punitive tariffs on Korean exports like cars. The notoriously peevish Trump Administration is adamant that the minimum South Korea should pay for the upkeep of the U.S. Forces Korea should be US$1 billion per year or W1.12 trillion. But Seoul wants to pay no more than W1 trillion. There are fears that by trying to save W120 billion per year on defense, Korea faces greater losses in exports to the U.S.

More Koreans Park Their Money in Overseas Real Estate

More and more Koreans are parking their money in real estate overseas as the domestic economy wallows in the doldrums. According to the Bank of Korea on Sunday, individual Koreans and businesses spent US$445.1 million on properties abroad last year, up a whopping 47 percent from the year before and 3.8 times from five years ago. The government lifted all restrictions on buying overseas real estate in 2008 as long as the purchase is declared and the purpose stated.

Xiaomi Beats Samsung Smartphones in India

Chinese tech giant Xiaomi's cheap and cheerful smartphones topped the Indian market last year, beating Samsung into second place. Xiaomi grabbed a 28 percent share of the world's third largest market last year compared to Samsung's 24 percent, according to market researcher Counterpoint Research last Friday. Xiaomi had overtaken Samsung in some quarters in the past, but it was the first time it finished first for an entire year.

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

S. Korean military determined to firmly respond to continuing flybys from Japanese aircraft

The South Korean military is leaning toward a “strict but sober response” to threatening flybys by Japan’s patrol planes. The military’s plan is to make the strongest response possible within the legal limits, while respecting military regulations and international rules. The military doesn’t intend to ease up pressure or lower its readiness, even if this complicates South Korea-Japan military cooperation in the short term.

Japan’s recent actions explained by its need for a new enemy

Seishiro Itagaki and Kanji Ishiwara, officers in Japan’s Kwantung Army, staged an explosion at a section of the Manchurian Railroad running through Liutiao, near the Chinese city of Mukden (today Shenyang, Liaoning Province). Next, the officers alleged that the explosion had been the act of Chinese troops under Zhang Xueliang and initiated military operations that resulted in the conquest of Manchuria. The Great Depression had thrown Japan into turmoil, and Japan sought to escape that crisis by invading other countries. Subsequently, all of East Asia was engulfed in the flames of war.

Japan postpones arrival of JS Izumo destroyer at Busan for ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting

The Japanese government is postponing the scheduled Port of Busan arrival of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) helicopter carrier JS Izumo over its conflict with South Korea regarding low-altitude flybys and the use of radar, Japanese news outlets reported on Jan. 27. The Japanese Ministry of Defense had initially planned to have a convoy including the Izumo at Busan for this spring’s ADMM-Plus ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting in South Korea. Multilateral naval exercises have also been scheduled to take place this April in the waters around South Korea.

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

Japanese PM vows to restore diplomatic relations with N. Korea

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pledged to improve diplomatic relations with North Korea in his parliamentary address on Monday. “I will aim at diplomatic normalization by settling the unfortunate past,” said Abe adding that he will closely work with the international community, including the U.S. and South Korea, to that end. But that was the only time Abe mentioned South Korea in his speech. There was no comment on improving bilateral relations between South Korea and Japan. It appears Japan has no intention of mending soured relations with South Korea, which has been aggravated by the recent radar dispute and the ruling by Korea’s top court that ordered Japanese companies to pay compensation to Korean victims of wartime forced labor.

U.S. Ambassador meets with S. Korean Defense Minister

Harry Harris, U.S. Ambassador to South Korea, visited the headquarters of the Ministry of National Defense in Seoul Monday to have a closed-door meeting with South Korea’s Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo. The meeting lasted about an hour and 20 minutes, and Harris walked out of the building, saying that he was grateful for having great, constructive talks. Still, he did not comment when asked by reporters whether he discussed (with Minister Jeong) the allies’ negotiations over the Special Measures Agreement (SMA).

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

North to destroy its main missile test site

Seoul and Washington last week confirmed that Pyongyang will scrap its Tongchang-ri missile engine test site and launch pad in the presence of international experts, a South Korean diplomatic source said Monday. That promise was one of several agreements reached by South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un last September in their third and most recent summit. The regime, however, has stayed quiet on the matter, as nuclear talks between the United States were deadlocked. The silence had left Pyongyang watchers wondering whether the regime would actually follow through and destroy the site.

Tax service is focused on rich to help fair economy

The National Tax Service (NTS) on Monday said it will be tightening its auditing in support of the fair economy, in particular looking for conglomerate owners embezzling funds, evading taxes or otherwise improperly managing company finances.“We need to act decisively against tax evasion,” said Han Sung-hee, the NTS commissioner. “And through fair taxation, we need to strengthen public trust.”

Japan-Korea cooperation crumbling

A series of spats between Korea and Japan are dampening military exchanges between the two countries, straining their long-standing strategic partnership in the region. Tokyo’s Defense Ministry is reportedly revisiting its plans to deploy its Izumo-class helicopter destroyer - the ship Tokyo recently announced would be converted into its first aircraft carrier since World War II - and a number of other military vessels to international maritime security exercises scheduled to be held in Busan in April.

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

Why Can't the Kaesong Industrial Complex Business Representatives Go to North Korea to Inspect Their Assets?

Once again, the government withheld the approval to visit North Korea for businesspeople with factories in the Kaesong Industrial Complex. This is already the seventh time. The Ministry of Unification sent a notice to the association of businesses at the Kaesong Industrial Complex on January 25 and informed them of the government's decision to suspend the approval of their visit to North Korea. The government said, "This requires specific discussions with North Korea, as well as discussions between related ministries and the understanding of the international community. Currently, not all conditions have been met." A total of 179 business representatives--one for each company--submitted an application for a one-day trip to North Korea on January 9 to inspect their facilities in the North.

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

Qatar willing to place order for construction of 60 LNG carriers in S. Korea

Qatar, a major producer of liquefied natural gas (LNG), expressed its willingness to place multiple orders for the construction of about 60 LNG carriers at South Korean shipyards, during a summit between the leaders of the two countries, the presidential office said. Qatar's Energy Minister Saad al-Kaabi called for a good partnership with South Korea, citing its reputation and experience in shipbuilding, and he said that a Qatar delegation has visited South Korea to discuss the possible introduction of LNG carriers, presidential spokesman Kim Ui-gyeom said in a statement.

S. Korean visual effects company Dexter Studios to provide VR contents to Chinese market

Dexter Studios, a Seoul-based visual effects company, has forged a partnership with Digital Domain Space, a virtual reality (VR) theme park wing of U.S. digital production company Digital Domain, to distribute VR contents to China. Dexter Studios, known for South Korean blockbuster film series "Along with the Gods", said in a statement Monday that it signed a distribution contract deal to provide VR contents. Dexter Studios plans to release the franchise-themed VR contents of "Along with the Gods" through Digital Domain Space's VR theme parks in China.

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

Facebook agrees to pay network fee to SK Broadband in Korea

Facebook Inc. has agreed to pay unknown fees for providing contents to Korean users through the lines of South Korea’s internet service provider SK Broadband Inc., a move that may pressure other major platform multinationals like YouTube and Netflix to take similar actions. SK Broadband, the internet service arm of the country’s top wireless carrier SK Telecom, reached a deal with Facebook to set up a separate cache server and charge fees for using its leased lines for the next two years, according to IT industry sources on Sunday.

Korea’s LNG imports hit record high last year, imports from US doubles

South Korea’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports hit a record high of 44 million tons last year while shale gas imports from the United States more than doubled from a year earlier amid state-led efforts to reduce the country’s fuel dependency on the Middle East and Southeast Asia and in trade-off to avoid protectionist action from Washington.

Aeon suspends sales of Ministop Korea to wait out for better condition

Japan’s Aeon Group has suspended sale of Ministop, a fifth among convenient store franchises in Korea, deeming the market conditions are not right to get a good price. According to industry sources on Sunday, Aeon Group owning a 76.6 percent stake in Ministop Korea has reportedly notified shortlisted bidders including Lotte Group, Shinsegae Group and a local private equity fund Glenwood Private Equity to discontinue the tender that had been in process since November.

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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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