Headlines, April 17, 2019

The Korean daily media headlines and humor

Wednesday, April 17, 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.

Moon to hold summit with Turkmen president

South Korean President Moon Jae-in will meet his Turkmen counterpart, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, on April 17, 2019 to discuss ways to improve the countries' bilateral ties. The summit will follow a welcome ceremony for Moon, who arrived here Tuesday on a three-day state visit.

S. Korea issues travel ban for Myanmar-Bangladesh border

South Korea's foreign ministry said on April 16, 2019 that it has decided to issue its highest-level travel restriction to ban travel by its citizens in the northern part of Myanmar's Rakhine state that borders Bangladesh, citing high safety risks. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also issued its second-highest travel warning, recommending the evacuation of areas neighboring China, Laos, Thailand and India in Myanmar.

N. Korean leader visits military unit for first time in 5 months

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has made a surprise visit to an air force unit and reviewed a flight exercise, the official news agency reported on April 17, 2019, in his first public inspection of military activities in five months. During the visit to the Unit 1017 of the Air and Anti-aircraft Force of the Korean People's Army on April 16, 2019, Kim ordered pilots to "take off and perform difficult and complicated air combat actions," the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.

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

CSIS: Satellite Images Show Possible Transfer of Radioactive Material at Yongbyon

A U.S. think tank said commercial satellite imagery from last week shows activity that could indicate the transfer or reprocessing of radioactive material at North Korea's main nuclear site in Yongbyon. The Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies(CSIS) unveiled the images on Tuesday on its Web site Beyond Parallel. The CSIS said in a report that the April 12 imagery shows five specialized railcars near the uranium enrichment facility and radiochemistry laboratory at the Yongbyon nuclear site.

Air Koryo to Fly Extra Flight to Vladivostok Next Tuesday

KBS has learned that North Korea's national flag carrier Air Koryo is scheduled to fly an extra flight to Vladivostok from Pyongyang next Tuesday. An official at Vladivostok International Airport confirmed that an extra Air Koryo flight is scheduled for next Tuesday, but said it's unknown why the flight was scheduled. However, the planned extra flight comes amid reports that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin will hold their first-ever summit in Vladvostok next week. The flight raises speculation that North Korean officials will fly to Vladivostok on the eve of the summit.

UN Grants Sanctions Exemption for Koreas' Archaeological Project

A United Nations committee granted a sanctions exemption to allow the two Koreas to resume a joint archaeological project. According to a diplomatic source, on Tuesday the U.N. Security Council sanctions committee on North Korea issued the waiver requested by South Korea for a joint excavation project at an ancient royal palace in the North Korean border city of Gaeseong. The exemption will enable the transfer of relevant equipment to the North for the excavation project at the Goryeo Dynasty palace known as Manwoldae, a UNESCO world heritage site.

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

Renault Samsung says it continues investment in S. Korea amid labor dispute

The chief of Renault Samsung Motors Corp. has promised to continue investment in South Korea as the Korean unit of Renault S.A. serves as an R&D center for midsize vehicles for the French automaker, Renault Samsung said Wednesday. In his meeting Tuesday with Oh Keo-don, mayor of Busan Metropolitan City, Renault Samsung CEO Dominique Signora asked for joint efforts to resolve an extended labor dispute at the carmaker's only plant in Busan, 450 kilometers south of Seoul, the company said in a statement.

S. Korea to create 3 tln-won fund for builders' overseas push

South Korea will create a 3 trillion-won (US$2.6 billion) fund to help local construction companies expand overseas, the finance minister said Wednesday. Hong Nam-ki, the minister of economy and finance, made the comments in a meeting with officials in Seoul on how to boost the economy.

Apartment arson suspect detained for stabbing five residents to death

A man in Jinju, southeastern South Korea, set his apartment aflame on Wednesday and attacked fleeing residents with a knife, killing five of them and injuring 13, police said. The arson and murder suspect, identified only as a 42-year-old man, set fire to his apartment building in Jinju, about 435 kilometers southeast of Seoul, at around 4:29 a.m. before randomly stabbing other residents coming out of their houses to evacuate, police said.

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

Satellite imagery shows possible transfer of radioactive material at Yongbyon: US monitor

Commercial satellite imagery from last week shows activity that could indicate the movement of radioactive material at North Korea's main nuclear facility, a US think tank said Tuesday. The April 12 imagery shows five specialized railcars near the uranium enrichment facility and the radiochemistry laboratory at the Yongbyon nuclear site, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Apartment arson suspect detained for stabbing five residents to death

S. Korea issues travel ban for Myanmar-Bangladesh border

South Korea's foreign ministry said Tuesday that it has decided to issue its highest-level travel restriction to ban travel by its citizens in the northern part of Myanmar's Rakhine state that borders Bangladesh, citing high safety risks. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also issued its second-highest travel warning, recommending the evacuation of areas neighboring China, Laos, Thailand and India in Myanmar.

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

North Korean leader visits military unit for first time in 5 months

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has made a surprise visit to an air force unit and reviewed a flight exercise, the official news agency reported Wednesday, in his first public inspection of military activities in five months. During the visit to the Unit 1017 of the Air and Anti-aircraft Force of the Korean People's Army on Tuesday, Kim ordered pilots to "take off and perform difficult and complicated air combat actions," the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.

Indonesian voters deciding between moderate and ex-general

Voting is underway across Indonesia in presidential and legislative elections Wednesday after a campaign that pitted the moderate incumbent against an ultranationalist former general. The first votes were cast in easternmost provinces after polling booths opened at 7 a.m. followed an hour later by central regions such as Bali and then the capital Jakarta and western provinces. Indonesia, a sprawling archipelago of 17,000 islands, has time three zones. About 193 million people are eligible to vote in polls that will decide who leads the world's most populous Muslim-majority nation.

Police search singer Park's home in drug scandal

Police have searched the home of K-pop singer Park Yu-chun, Tuesday, in their investigation into a drug scandal involving his former fiancee. The actor and member of boy band JYJ will be questioned today as well. Eleven investigators from the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency searched Park's home in Hanam, Gyeonggi Province, for about three hours in the morning, to secure evidence for the allegation that he and his former fiancee Hwang Ha-na, the granddaughter of Namyang Dairy Products founder Hong Du-yeong, used methamphetamine together.

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

More Evidence Points to S.Korean Ship Selling Oil to N.Korea

A South Korean tanker suspected of carrying out illegal ship-to-ship oil transfers for North Korea never made the port calls in Singapore it regularly reported as its final destination, Voice of America said Tuesday. The Lunis was the first South Korean ship to be put on the U.S. Treasury Department's list of vessels suspected of carrying out illegal ship-to-ship transfers with the North last month.

Kim Jong-un Tipped to Meet Putin

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin next week, according to a diplomatic source in Russia. It would be Kim's first overseas trip after his failed summit with U.S. President Donald Trump in Hanoi in February. Speculation is rife that Kim is trying to find a way out of international sanctions through Russia and China after he warned Seoul and Washington last week that they must change their approach.

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

Moon vows to pursue another inter-Korean summit as soon as possible

South Korean President Moon Jae-in said on Apr. 15 that he would be “pursuing an inter-Korean summit regardless of location and format as soon as North Korea’s situation allows it.” His message affirmed his active commitment to using inter-Korean talks as a “pump primer” for the currently deadlocked denuclearization talks between North Korea and the US. Presiding over a meeting of senior secretaries and aides at the Blue House that day, Moon declared, “This is a time for seriously preparing for and pursuing an inter-Korean summit.” “I hope that South and North can sit down together and hold concrete and practical discussions on areas that will bear fruit at a more advanced level than the two North Korea-US summits,” he said.

Kim Jong-un’s speech may include exit from demands for corresponding measures from US

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s Apr. 13 policy speech at the inaugural meeting of the 14th Supreme People’s Assembly (SPA) showed “the potential for an avenue away from demands for corresponding measures centering on sanctions relief” in Pyongyang’s talks with Washington, an Institute for National Security Strategy (INSS) analysis concluded. On Apr. 15, the state-funded think tank held a talk with reporters at the Sejong Center in Seoul’s Jongno district on the topic “The Recent North Korean Situation and an Assessment of the North Korea-US Summit.” During the talk, Kim Il-ki, who heads INSS’ North Korea research division, noted that Kim Jong-un’s policy speech “made reference to the need for both sides to set aside their unilateral preconditions and work to come up with constructive solutions that accord with each of their interests.”

Market roils over question: Who will be the next owner of Asiana Airlines?

Who will be the new owner of Asiana Airlines? The question is stimulating enough to roil the stock market and grab the attention of South Korea’s business community. Speculation is rife about groups with the financial wherewithal to pull off an M&A worth more than 1 trillion won (US$880.3 million) or with operations in logistics, distribution, and low-cost carriers (LCC) that would enjoy synergy with an airline. Such groups include SK, Hanwha, Aekyung, Lotte, Shinsegae, CJ, and the Hotel Shilla. The next steps after the announcement of the sale of Asiana Airlines on Apr. 15 are likely to be a due diligence of Asiana, the selection of preferred bidders, the sell-off of company stock currently held by Kumho Industrial, recapitalization through issuing new stock to third parties, and financial support from the creditors.

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

Massive fire engulfs Notre Dame cathedral in Paris

The devastating fire that broke out on Monday evening (local time) at the Notre Dame cathedral in Paris has destroyed the Gothic cathedral’s two important iconic symbols. The cathedral’s vaulted roof that looks like a giant blue cross from above and the 90-meter wooden spire soaring between menacing gargoyles disappeared in flames in about an hour. The Notre Dame cathedral, which means Our Lady (the Virgin Mary), was built between the years 1163 and 1345 but went through several renovations later, reflecting a variety of architectural styles. It was the early 18th century when the cathedral was extended in size to start looking like what it is today.

Samsung reveals the specifications of the Galaxy Fold

Samsung Electronics on Tuesday unveiled the specifications, such as the thickness, weight, and battery, of its upcoming “Galaxy Fold (picture)” slated to hit the domestic market next month. The tech giant’s first foldable smartphone is slightly thickerㅡup to 6 millimetersㅡand 32 grams lighter than Huawei’s foldable device. According to Samsung Newsroom, the official communications channel of the company, the Galaxy Fold is 15.5-17 millimeters thick when folded with a gap of less than 1.5 millimeters, and 6.9-7.5 millimeters (including the frame) thick when unfolded. It weighs 263 grams.

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

"We Only Did as We Were Told" Public Officials Who Became Accomplices in Sinking the Special Committee on the Sewol

"I didn't think much of it at the time." "I thought it was inappropriate, but I had no choice." These words were repeated by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries civil servants who appeared as witnesses in the trial of misfeasance in interrupting the investigation by the Special Committee for the Investigation of the April 16 Sewol Accident (hereafter “special committee”). They personally drew up documents interfering with the investigation of the special committee and put the documents into practice according to instructions from Cheong Wa Dae. Public officials may refuse illegal orders from their supervisors. However, not one refused the instructions from Cheong Wa Dae. Cheong Wa Dae took advantage of the silent civil servants. The civil servants allowed Cheong Wa Dae to take advantage of them.

President Moon, "Inter-Korean Summit Regardless of Place or Format"

On April 15, President Moon Jae-in said, "I hope that the North and the South can sit face to face, regardless of location and formalities, as soon as the situation in North Korea allows it, and engage in concrete and practical discussions to bear fruits that go beyond the two summits between North Korea and the United States." In a meeting with Cheong Wa Dae senior secretaries and aides President Moon said, "In his address to the nation (at the Supreme People's Assembly on April 12), Chairman Kim Jong-un once again declared his firm determination to achieve denuclearization and establish peace on the Korean Peninsula. He also expressed his willingness to resume dialogue with the U.S. and to attend a third North Korea-U.S. summit." The president officially proposed a fourth inter-Korean summit based on the willingness of the North Korean leader and U.S. President Donald Trump to hold a third summit.

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

Kospi extends winning streak for longest 13 days on foreign buying spree

South Korea’s benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (Kospi) on Tuesday enjoyed its longest winning streak of 13 days, lifted by the buying spree of foreign investors amid eased concerns over the world’s two biggest economies. The country’s main Kospi index on Tuesday gained 5.75 points, or 0.26 percent, to end at 2,248.63, extending its winning streak for 13 days since Mar. 29. It is the second time for the index to gain for 13 straight days since it was introduced on Jan. 4, 1980. The only 13-day winning streak was in 1984 from Jan. 19 to Feb. 2.

Hyundai, Kia unveil new models at Shanghai motor show

South Korea’s auto giant Hyundai Motor Co. and its smaller sibling Kia Motors Corp. on Tuesday debuted new models customized for Chinese drivers at Auto Shanghai 2019 running until April 25 as they fast lose grounds in the world’s largest car market. Hyundai Motor unveiled four new models for the first time at the motor show in Shanghai, China, that target local consumers. The new ix25 sport utility vehicle (SUV) and new Sonata sedan are strategically made for Chinese consumers. The Encino electric vehicle is the Chinese version of its Kona SUV, and Lingdong plug-in hybrid vehicle is sold as Avante in Korea.

DB HiTek mass produces FHD image sensor for China’s CCTV makers

South Korean silicon foundry DB HiTek Co. announced Tuesday it commenced the mass production of its new full HD-resolution image sensor for closed circuit televisions (CCTVs) early this year. The image sensor product was developed in partnership with China’s surveillance giant SmartSense to target the rapidly growing video surveillance market in China. It is available in two resolution options – 2 million pixels and 3 million pixels – with higher light sensitivity and enhanced noise by two to three times.

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Lee Kyung-sik edt@koreapost.com