Headlines, April 11, 2019

Thursday, April 11, 2019

Moon arrives in U.S. to meet Trump on stalled N. Korea dialogue

South Korean President Moon Jae-in arrived in the United States on Wednesday for talks with U.S. President Donald Trump that will focus on ways to bring North Korea back to the dialogue table.

President Moon Jae-in and his wife, Kim Jung-sook, wave after arriving at Washington's Joint Base Andrews on April 10, 2019, on a two-day visit for a summit with U.S. President Donald Trump.

Moon's visit follows Trump's second meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, held in Hanoi in late February.

Talks between Washington and Pyongyang have since stalled as the second U.S.-North Korea summit ended abruptly and without a deal.

(For further details, visit:http://www.koreapost.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=8829)

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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.

Moon arrives in U.S. to meet Trump on stalled N. Korea dialogue

South Korean President Moon Jae-in arrived in the United States on Wednesday for talks with U.S. President Donald Trump that will focus on ways to bring North Korea back to the dialogue table. Moon's visit follows Trump's second meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, held in Hanoi in late February. Talks between Washington and Pyongyang have since stalled as the second U.S.-North Korea summit ended abruptly and without a deal.

N.K. leader calls for 'self-reliance' to prove sanctions won't work

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has called strongly for "self-reliance," saying the communist nation should deal a "serious blow" to the belief that Pyongyang will give in to sanctions, according to state media. Kim made the remark during a plenary plenary session of the Central Committee of the ruling Workers' Party on Wednesday, a day before the North is to convene the first session of its 14th Supreme People's Assembly, according to the Korean Central News Agency.

Pompeo leaves 'a little room' in sanctions regime against N.K.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Wednesday that he would like to leave "a little room" in the sanctions regime against North Korea in case of "substantial progress" in its denuclearization. Pompeo's remark appeared to signal some flexibility in Washington's position in negotiations with Pyongyang over its nuclear weapons program. A second summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in February ended without a deal in part over the issue of sanctions relief for the regime.

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

US Experts Suggest N. Korea May Be Preparing for Military Parade

Experts in the U.S. have suggested North Korea may be gearing up for a military parade in time for the birthday of late founder Kim Il-sung on Monday or for the anniversary of the founding of the Korean People's Army on April 25th. The suggestion, which was stressed multiple times as "not conclusive", was made on Wednesday by the Center for Strategic and International Studies Korea Chair Victor Cha and senior fellow Joseph Bermudez on the think tank's Web site.

Lawmakers Call On Constitutional Court Justice Nominee to Resign Over Ethical Lapses

Opposition lawmakers on the parliamentary judiciary committee have openly called on Constitutional Court justice nominee Lee Mi-sun to withdraw amid controversy over her ethics as a judge. This comes after Lee came under fire during her confirmation hearing on Wednesday for owning shares in a construction company while presiding over a compensation suit involving the company's subcontractor. Lee denied the company had any relevance in the trial.

FDI Drops Over 30% During 1Q Amid Global Economic Slowdown

Foreign direct investment(FDI) into the South Korean economy dropped more than 30 percent during the first quarter of this year amid the global economic slowdown. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said on Thursday that the amount of reported FDI totaled three-point-17 billion dollars between January and March this year, down 35-point-seven percent from the same period last year. The actual amount of investments also fell 15-point-nine percent to two-point-62 billion dollars.

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

S. Korea's ambassador to Vietnam to be disciplined for alleged 'gapjil,' source says

South Korea's Ambassador to Vietnam Kim Do-hyun will likely get disciplined for his alleged abuse of power and other misconduct, a government source said Thursday. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs carried out a formal audit of the country's embassy in Hanoi last month and received multiple tip-offs about Kim's inappropriate behavior. It has been reviewing the results of the audit.

Seoul to install fine dust signal lamps in public parks

The government of Seoul said Thursday it will install signal lights to display levels of fine dust air pollution at all riverside parks in the capital to caution citizens against health hazards. A total of 12 fine dust signal lamps will be installed at major entrances to all of the 11 public parks in Seoul along the Han River, by Friday, the municipal government said. The 11 public riverside parks include those in the Yeouido, Ttukseom, Jamsil and Mangwon areas, it noted.

S. Korea's exports up 8.9 pct in first 10 days of April

South Korea's exports rose 8.9 percent in the first 10 days of April from a year earlier on increased overseas shipments of petroleum products and vessels, customs data showed Thursday. The country's exports stood at US$15 billion in the April 1-10 period, compared with $13.8 billion in the same period last year, according to the Korea Customs Service. The customs office said daily average exports -- which reflect working days -- declined 3.9 percent on-year to $1.77 billion.

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

Woman dies after Tosa dog attack

A woman in her 60s died after being attacked by a dog Wednesday. According to the Anseong Police Station in Gyeonggi Province, the 62-year-old victim, who was walking near her nursing home in Anseong, was attacked by a Tosa dog at around 7:55 a.m. Wednesday. The woman was rushed to a hospital, but was pronounced dead at 1:16 p.m.

NK leader calls repeatedly for 'self-reliance,' vows never to give in to sanctions

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un called repeatedly for self-reliant economic development during a key meeting of the Workers' Party, as he vowed never to give in to sanctions amid stalled nuclear negotiations with the United States, state media said Thursday. Kim made the remark during a plenary session of the Central Committee of the ruling party Wednesday, a day before the North is to convene the first session of its 14th Supreme People's Assembly, according to the Korean Central News Agency.

S. Korea to celebrate 100th anniv. of establishment of provisional govt.

South Korea is set to mark the 100th anniversary of the establishment of its China-based provisional government on Thursday with a ceremony symbolizing the country's grueling fight for liberation from Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule. The festive ceremony, open to all citizens, will begin in Yeouido, western Seoul, at 7:19 p.m. -- or 19:19 on the 24-hour clock -- to highlight the year, 1919, when the government-in-exile was launched in Shanghai, the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs said.

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

Constitutional Court to rule on anti-abortion law (ruling from 2 p.m.)

South Korea's Constitutional Court on Thursday was set to decide whether it is constitutional to punish women and physicians for terminating a pregnancy, a fresh ruling to come seven years after the court narrowly upheld the long-debated law. The adjudication, due in a 2 p.m. hearing, is the court's response to a 2017 complaint filed by an obstetrician who was charged in 2013 for performing an abortion with the woman's consent. The doctor claimed that the Article 270 of the Criminal Code, which states that a physician shall be imprisoned for up to two years for the offense, infringes upon the woman's right to a free choice.

Moon arrives in US to meet Trump

Georgetown University to investigate Roy Kim over sexual misconduct

Georgetown University will conduct its own investigation into sexual misconduct allegations involving K-pop star Roy Kim, who is a student there. The university in Washington, D.C., said Wednesday it will look into allegations that Kim (whose Korean name is Kim Sang-woo), 25, shared online sexual photos of women without consent with other people, including singer Jung Joon-young. "Georgetown is committed to making sure that reported cases of sexual misconduct are investigated and responded to promptly and thoroughly," university spokesman Matt Hill told The Korea Times. "We take this work extremely seriously and are committed to evaluating each case sensitively and fairly."

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

Moon Arrives in Washington

President Moon Jae-in arrived in Washington on Wednesday for a summit with U.S. President Donald Trump. Before sitting down with Trump, Moon meets with U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, National Security Adviser John Bolton and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. He hopes to convince Trump to resume dialogue with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un after a U.S.-North Korea summit in Hanoi in February collapsed. But even as Moon boarded his plane to Washington, the U.S. made it clear it wants to keep up maximum pressure on North Korea.

Seoul City Wants to Improve Water Quality in Pyongyang

The Seoul Metropolitan Government wants to help the North Korean capital of Pyongyang improve the water quality of the Taedong River that runs through it. The city on Wednesday said it has launched a committee that will help with the task. The first step is to modernize Pyongyang's water supply and drainage system. "It's a humanitarian project to ensure access to clean drinking water, which is at the core of the UN's sustainable development goals," a city official said. The committee consists of eight civilian experts and four city officials. The city has earmarked W1 billion for the project from the Inter-Korean Cooperation Fund (US$1=W1,140). A preliminary survey and consultation are planned for this year. Some W210 million will be spent on equipment to check water quality and detect leaks.

¼ of Young People Out of Work

Youth unemployment has soared to over 25 percent if those who work part-time or are economically inactive to prepare for public service exams are included. The figure flies in the face of government claims to have improved the job market. According to Statistics Korea on Wednesday, a total of 26.8 million people were employed as of March, a nominal increase of 250,000 from a year ago and up more than 200,000 on-year for the second month running.

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

N. Korea’s 14th Supreme People’s Assembly to convene for first session

The first session of North Korea’s 14th Supreme People’s Assembly, which is scheduled for Apr. 11, is expected to confirm or expand leader Kim Jong-un’s titles while also filling key positions such as prime minister of the cabinet, said an official in South Korea’s Unification Ministry. The session, which marks the first meeting of the 687 representatives who were elected to five-year terms on Mar. 10, will unveil the leading figures of the second phase of Kim Jong-un’s regime. Global observers are watching to see whether Kim will take advantage of the session, which will be held shortly before the South Korea-US summit in Washington, DC, to send a message to other countries and, if so, what that message might be.

EU to increase pressure on South Korea for ratifying core ILO conventions before summer

The European Union (EU) is stepping up pressure on South Korea by setting a firm deadline for the ratification of core International Labour Organization (ILO) conventions. Meeting on the afternoon of Apr. 9 with Liberty Korea Party (LKP) lawmaker and Environment and Labor Committee Chairman Kim Hack-yong at the National Assembly, European Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmstrom said she was “curious” whether ratification of the ILO core conventions as pledged in the South Korea-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) would be achieved before summer or completed at all.

China to set up 5G checkpoint at North Korean border

China is setting up a checkpoint equipped with fifth-generation (5G) mobile communications technology at its border with North Korea to crack down on defections and smuggling, China’s Legal Daily and Hong Kong’s South China Morning Post reported on Apr. 9. According to Legal Daily, the local border patrol team for the city of Tonghua in China’s Jilin Province signed an agreement with China Mobile, the country’s biggest telecommunication company, on Mar. 23 to build China’s first 5G checkpoint at Yunfeng near Unbong Lake in North Korea’s Chagang Province. The checkpoint is to be built in Ji’an, a border city (under Tonghua jurisdiction) located on the Yalu (Amnok) River. Although the region is a major base for North Korean defectors traveling into China and a frequent location for smuggling, authorities have had difficulty cracking down in the past due to the rugged topography and broad extent of area to be monitored.

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

Finding a way to restore the souring U.S.-N. Korea relationship

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo described North Korean leader Kim Jong Un as a “tyrant,” revealing that the U.S. government will maintain maximum pressure on North Korea through sanctions until it reaches a “big deal.” Meanwhile, Kim stressed the significance of self-rehabilitation with a mentioning of “political tensions.” Asked if he agrees that Kim Jong Un is a “tyrant” at a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Tuesday (local time), Secretary Pompeo said “yes.”

Walmart adds more robots to its nationwide 4,600 stores

Walmart, the world’s biggest retailer and America’s largest employer, will increase the number of robots in its stores to monitor inventory and clean floors as part of its efforts to replace simple and repetitive human tasks. Walmart will add 1,500 “Auto-C” floor cleaners and 300 “Auto-S” shelf-scanning robots to its 4,600 stores nationwide, according to the retail giant said Tuesday. The Auto-C autonomous floor-scrubbing robot navigates through the store to mop up floors. The Auto-S shelf-scanning robot travels around the store to check the stock and the price of products on the shelves. With the introduction of the robot, human employees will not have to manage inventory every day.

Google to open new data center in Seoul early next year

Google announced Wednesday that it would build a new data center in Seoul to better serve local customers. Eyes are on whether the government would be able to impose corporate tax on Google as the company has not been paying taxes here on the grounds that it does not have fixed places of business (server) in Korea despite an enormous amount of revenue it makes in the country. “Customers can expect to use the Seoul region in early 2020,” Google said at the Google Cloud Next event held in San Francisco on the same day. Currently, the company’s Asian Pacific regions include India, Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, and Australia. According to Google, all key services of Google Cloud Platform, including Cloud Storage will be provided through the Seoul region as well.

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

Koreans Happiest During Children's Day Holiday and Not Fine on Thursdays

When were South Koreans the happiest last year? It was on Children's Day, the start of a three-day holiday, as welcome as the sweet spring rain, in splendid May. Then who in Korean society was the unhappiest? It turned out to be women in their twenties and thirties. These results were released at a press conference celebrating the publication of The Republic of Korea Happiness Report 2019: ABOUT H (21 Century Books) held at Vertex Korea in Jongno-gu, Seoul on April 9. This study was part of the Republic of Korea Happiness Forecast Project jointly conducted by the Seoul National University (SNU) Center for Happiness Studies and KakaoTogether (Kakao Gachi Gachi, meaning "together raising value"), a social contribution platform by Kakao.

Time for the Leaders of North and South Korea and the U.S. to Work for Successful Denuclearization Negotiations

On April 11, the first session of the 14th Supreme People's Assembly will be held in Pyongyang, and on April 12, President Moon Jae-in will meet with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington D.C. A series of political events, which could be a turning point in the denuclearization negotiations between North Korea and the United States, will be held. The Supreme People's Assembly, which is equivalent to our National Assembly, is likely to select figures to lead state agencies and to re-acknowledge Chairman Kim Jong-un as the state leader.

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

Celltrion’s blood cancer biosimilar Truxima cleared by Health Canada

Celltrion’s Truxima has become the first-ever rituximab biosimilar approved in Canada for the treatment of adult patients with non-Hodgkin`s lymphoma (NHL), chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). On Thursday, the Korean biomanufacturer announced Health Canada has approved the rituximab biosimilar monoclonal antibody, whose reference biologic drug is blockbuster Rituxan developed by Biogen and marketed by Roche. The original drug generates 250 billion won ($220 million) each year in Canada alone.

Hotel Shilla projected to post best-ever quarterly earnings in Q1

Hotel Shilla Co., the hotel and travel unit of South Korea’s top Samsung Group, is expected to surprise the market with its largest-ever quarterly earnings in the first quarter this year, thanks to brisk sales at its duty-free business led by a shopping spree of Chinese merchants who make mass purchases. On growing expectations for stellar performance, shares of Hotel Shilla have surged 42.95 percent to 104,500 won ($91.74) on Wednesday from 73,100 in the beginning of the year. As of 12:03 p.m. on Thursday, they rose 0.96 percent to 105,500 won.

Samsung Electronics most loved foreign brand to Americans

Samsung Electronics today has become friendlier name to Americans than YouTube, Walmart and Disney, according to a survey by U.S. market research firm. The South Korean tech giant ranked 12th in this year’s ranking of Top 25 Most Loved Brands in America announced by Morning Consult based in the U.S., dominating the top spot among non-American brands, according to the survey result recently published on its website. Morning Consult analyzed over 400,000 survey interviews for 1,900 brands to determine this year’s rankings.

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