Headlines, March 20, 2019

The Korean daily media headlines and humor

Wednesday, March 20, 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.

U.S. intelligence chief in Seoul to discuss N. Korea: source

The U.S. intelligence chief is in South Korea, a government source said on Mar. 20, 2019, on a visit seen as aimed at sharing information and assessment of North Korea following the breakdown of last month's summit between the two countries. Earlier, a local newspaper reported that U.S. Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats arrived at a U.S airbase in Osan, south of Seoul, Tuesday night for a three-day stay. The government source confirmed his arrival but declined to elaborate further.

Hyundai Mobis partners with Russia's Yandex on autonomous cars

Hyundai Mobis Co., South Korea's biggest auto parts manufacturer, has partnered with Russia's biggest technology company, Yandex NV, to jointly develop autonomous vehicles, the company said on Mar. 19, 2019. In its research and development center in Yongin, southeast of Seoul on Mar. 19, 2019, Hyundai Mobis inked an initial agreement to develop a prototype driverless car and build an autonomous control system to be marketed to carmakers and car-sharing startups, the company said in a statement.

No significant activity at N.K. missile facility: U.S. monitor

No significant activity has been observed at a North Korean missile facility since several parts were moved around in early March, a U.S. monitor said on Mar. 19, 2019. The Sohae launch facility has been the focus of intense speculation after reports emerged early this month of increased activity to restore the site to normal operational status following its partial dismantlement last year.

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

Research Team Says Geothermal Power Plant Triggered 2017 Pohang Quake

A government research team has concluded that a geothermal power plant triggered the massive quake that rattled the southeastern port city of Pohang in 2017. The team, which included experts from the Geological Society of Korea, announced in a news conference on Wednesday that the Pohang quake resulted due to a nearby geothermal power plant injecting water into the ground.

Scientific Plane Aims to Track Down Path of Fine Dust

Anchor: The government announced new plans to tackle the fine dust problem plaguing the country. An aircraft will launch operations this month to study the travel path of fine dust coming into the country. Our Park Jong-hong has this report. Report: The pan-government fine dust agency announced on Wednesday that it has completed remodeling a mid-sized airplane that will study how fine dust pollutants are formed, react with the atmosphere and travel through the air.

Survey: 72% Support Independent Counsel Probing 2 Key Cases

A new survey finds that seven out of ten people support the idea of introducing an independent counsel to look into the cases involving former Vice Justice Minister Kim Hak-ui and late actress Jang Ja-yeon. Pollster Realmeter surveyed 502 adults nationwide on Tuesday and found that 71-point-seven percent of respondents believe an independent counsel should probe the two cases as there is a possibility of a cover-up by investigative authorities.

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

2017 Pohang earthquake probably caused by geothermal plant

South Korea's second-most destructive earthquake, which struck the southeastern city of Pohang in 2017, was probably triggered by an experimental geothermal power plant, the government said Wednesday. The government-led team of experts, from both South Korea and abroad, concluded that a series of earthquakes, reaching a magnitude of 5.4 on Nov. 15, 2017, could have been brought on by efforts to harness energy from the ground.

Koreas to discuss video reunions of separated families via liaison office

South Korea plans to raise the issue of arranging video reunions for separated families with North Korea through a joint liaison office as soon as internal discussions are complete, the unification ministry said Wednesday. The Seoul government is seeking to hold video calls among those with family members in North Korea, as agreed by the leaders of the two Koreas last September.

Samsung Electronics vows to expand investment in AI, 5G

Samsung Electronics Co. said Wednesday it will propel technology innovations to tackle the unfavorable business environment and foster new growth drivers, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and 5G. The South Korean tech giant announced its business plan during a shareholder meeting, the first since a 50:1 stock split in May, which was aimed at making it easier for retail investors to purchase stakes in the firm.

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

Military recruitment agency okays Seungri's request for draft delay

South Korea's military recruitment agency said Wednesday that it has decided to accept a request by Seungri of boy band BIGBANG to delay his military draft amid a probe into sex-for-favors allegations against him. His conscription, originally scheduled for next Monday, will be postponed by three months, the Military Manpower Administration said.

Gov't to update rules on ownership of fierce dogs

South Korea's agriculture ministry said Wednesday it will implement a tougher set of rules on raising fierce dogs to better protect people and animals. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs said the new rules will require owners of dog breeds known for aggressiveness to receive mandatory education programs on how to properly raise such pets.

Kenyan-born marathoner clears paperwork to represent S. Korea at Tokyo 2020

Oh Joo-han, a Kenyan-born marathoner with South Korean citizenship, will be able to represent his adopted country at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics after clearing paperwork with the International Association of Athletics Federations, his agent said Wednesday. According to Oh Chang-seok, a former men's national marathon coach who helped the Kenyan-born runner with his naturalization, the IAAF recently announced that the 30-year-old marathoner can be formally selected for the South Korean national team starting March 7.

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

Kenyan marathoner set to represent Seoul at Tokyo 2020

Oh Joo-han, a Kenyan-born marathoner with South Korean citizenship, will be able to represent his adopted country at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics after clearing paperwork with the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), his agent said Wednesday. According to Oh Chang-seok, a former men's national marathon coach who helped the Kenyan-born runner with his naturalization, the IAAF recently announced that the 30-year-old marathoner can be formally selected for the South Korean national team starting March 7.

Pyongyang outlets slam Seoul's military exercises

A North Korean propaganda outlet on Wednesday lashed out at military exercises that South Korea plans to conduct on its own without U.S. troops, even though Seoul and Washington have scaled back their joint drills as part of efforts to keep the dialogue mood with the North alive. In a commentary, Uriminzokkiri said the South Korean military's Ssangyong and Ulchi Taegeuk exercises are a "vicious challenge" to hopes for peace and a violation of the agreements reached between the two Koreas.

Two stars pressed to break silence over actress' death

Two actresses, Lee Mi-sook and Song Seon-mi, are pressured to break their silence on Tuesday, a day after President Moon Jae-in singled out actress Jang Ja-yeon's death as one of three cases that need thorough reinvestigation to unearth the truth and bring justice. "There are cases where the truth was buried as investigators intentionally covered them up or didn't do their job properly. The public believes suspicions remain and there are numerous questions unanswered," Moon said on Monday. "Those cases have two things in common ― influential people are involved and the prosecution and the police intentionally didn't dig out the truth."

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

U.S. Diverts Military Spending from Korea to Build Border Wall

The U.S. Department of Defense has diverted funding for military operations in Korea to build U.S. President Donald Trump's wall along the border with Mexico. Trump has had trouble getting funding for the controversial project due to opposition from Democrats, who have taken control of the House of Representatives, so he needs to cast around for money elsewhere. The diversion of funds is raising fears of a further weakening of the Seoul-Washington alliance after they scrapped large-scale joint drills.

Top N.Korean Ambassadors Called Back to Pyongyang

North Korea's ambassadors to China, Russia, and the UN hastily returned to Pyongyang on Tuesday ahead of an expected statement from leader Kim Jong-un about his moratorium on nuclear and missile tests. Ambassadors to China Ji Jae-ryong, Russia Kim Hyong-jun, and the UN Kim Song took an Air Koryo flight from Beijing to Pyongyang on Tuesday afternoon, according to diplomatic sources.

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

S. Korean foreign minister stresses need to “consider all options” in NK-US deadlock

With North Korea and the US engaged in a tense war of nerves following the collapse of their Hanoi summit without reaching a deal, South Korean Minister of Foreign Affairs Kang Kyung-wha suggested a need to “consider all options” to swiftly resume dialogue between the two sides, including sending a special envoy to North Korea and holding an inter-Korean summit. Kang’s remarks came in response to comments raised by lawmakers in the National Assembly Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee on Mar. 18 stressing the need to send a special envoy to North Korea to perform the role of “mediator” or “catalyst” between Pyongyang and Washington.

Defense minister says it’s “too soon” to say activity at Tongchang is related to missile launch

On Mar. 18, South Korean Minister of National Defense Jeong Kyeong-doo said it was “too soon” to refer to activity at North Korea’s missile launch site in Tongchang Village as being “missile-related.” “There is a launch site at Tongchang Village, but we don’t believe the activity spotted there means the North is about to launch a missile.” Recently, work on rebuilding the missile launch site at Tongchang Village has been captured on satellite images, raising questions about North Korea’s intentions.

LKP floor leader calls for Moon to withdraw nomination for Unification Minister

Liberty Korea Party (LKP) floor leader Na Kyung-won delivered a representative speech of the National Assembly negotiation group on Mar. 12, calling for President Moon Jae-in to withdraw his nomination of Kim Yeon-cheol for Minister of Unification. She cited Kim’s opposition to the deployment of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system and his criticisms of sanctions against North Korea as her reasons.

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

Hyundai, Kia to invest in Indian version of Uber ‘Ola’

Hyundai Motor and its sister company Kia Motors will invest 330 billion won in India’s leading ride-hailing company “Ola” as part of their strategy to better respond to changes in the auto industry by expanding their business scope to include a ride-hailing service. The two Korean automakers said Tuesday that they will invest a total of 338.4 billion won (270.7 billion won from Hyundai and 67.7 billion won from Kia) in Ola for their collaboration in the fields of development and supply of vehicles and ride-hailing service. Ola, which was founded in 2011, is the largest ride-hailing service provider in India with some 1.3 million units of registered vehicles operating in 125 cities around the world. The company has boosted the one billion trip milestone.

Collections of foreign news articles on Korea during Japanese colonial rule published

Four new books that collected German and Japanese news articles on Korea during the Japanese colonial rule, including Japanese news articles on the February 8 Independence Movement in 1919, are published. The Independence Hall of Korea said on Tuesday that it recently published “A collection of German news articles on Korea,” “A collection of news articles on Korea by Jiji ShinboⅠ·Ⅱ,” and “A collection of news articles on Korea by Osaka Asahi Shimbun Ⅲ.” These books are part of a series about Korean independence movement published annually by the Independence Hall of Korea.

Husband of top White House adviser publicly criticizes Trump

CNN reported Monday that George Conway, the husband of top White House adviser Kellyanne Conway, publicly criticized Trump, landing his wife in difficulties. It started with a series of tweets Trump posted over the weekend. “Should Federal Election Commission and/or FCC look into this? There must be Collusion with the Democrats and, of course, Russia! Such one sided media coverage, most of it Fake News. Hard to believe I won and am winning. Approval Rating 52 percent, 93% with Republicans. Sorry! #MAGA,” tweeted Trump after the popular American TV show Saturday Night Live lampooned Trump as a bitter and bewildered George Bailey from the movie “It’s a Wonderful Life.”

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

Tax Deduction for Succession of Large Corporations? Excessive Benefits!

The National Assembly is currently discussing amendments to the Inheritance Tax and Gift Tax Act in order to expand tax deductions and increase the number of businesses subject to tax deductions for family business succession. Tax deductions for family business succession refer to tax cuts aimed to prevent the inheritance tax from disrupting management in the process of succeeding the management of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The main details under discussion include expanding the range of companies that can receive deductions--from the current companies with annual sales of less than 300 billion won to those with less than 1.2 billion won in annual sales--and drastically increasing the maximum tax deduction from 50 billion won to 200 billion won.

Investigation on Drugs at Burning Sun Making Headway, But Little Progress on Seungri's Alleged Sex-for-Investment

The police investigation of the alleged drug use and distribution at the nightclub Burning Sun is making progress. Forty people have been booked in connection to this case. However, the investigation of sexual services that Seungri (29, Lee Seung-hyun) allegedly provided his investors has hit a wall, as the police fail to secure concrete evidence. A representative of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency held a press conference on March 18 and announced that the police have booked forty people who either used or distributed drugs at nightclubs in Gangnam including Burning Sun.

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

Hyundai Mobis to develop self-driving platform with Russia’s Yandex

Hyundai Mobis Co., auto parts manufacturing unit under South Korea’s Hyundai Motor Group, will join hands with Russia’s largest search engine Yandex to develop self-driving car systems. Hyundai Mobis said Wednesday that it signed a memorandum of understanding with Yandex to develop deep learning-based autonomous driving systems. Under the agreement, the two companies will collaborate on creating an unmanned mobility technology and launch prototypes for test. Financial terms of the agreement are undisclosed.

Korea must seek miltiech for growth, security in 4th industrial age: forum

South Korea can capitalize on its strengths in tech and military as the evolution in the fourth industrial age could open immense opportunities in the commercialization of defense assets, a forum led by Maeil Business Newspaper found. The world defense industry is projected to jump tenfold to become a $300 billion market in 15 years as emerging technologies make conventional weapons obsolete and more countries rush to digitalize and automate armed forces, according to the joint presentations of the Maeil Business Newspaper and Seoul National University’s College of Engineering.

Short debt or corporate debt preferred over govt bonds in Korea amid stagnant rates

Shorter-dated government bonds or higher-yielding corporate bonds are gaining grounds in the Korean debt market as investors opt for faster returns amid flat-lining in government bonds due to lessening possibility of a rate hike in the near future. According to Seoul-based financial data provider FnGuide on Tuesday, net outflow from government and public bonds over the last month reached 68.3 billion won ($60.4 million), whereas debts dated six months or shorter and corporate bond funds drew 35.9 billion won and 80.8 billion won, respectively.

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Lee Kyung-sik edt@koreapost.com