Headlines, July 17, 2019

The Korean daily media headlines and humor

Wednesday July 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.

U.S. looks forward to resuming talks with N.K. despite Pyongyang's warning: State Department

The United States looks forward to resuming talks with North Korea, the State Department said Tuesday, after Pyongyang warned that the prospect of talks would be affected if the U.S. goes ahead with a military exercise with South Korea. The North's foreign ministry issued the warning Tuesday, arguing that the "19-2 Dong Maeng" exercise, slated for around August, runs counter to the commitment that U.S. President Donald Trump made when he held a surprise meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on June 30.

N. Korean envoy seems alive despite report of execution: S. Korea's spy agency

A North Korean nuclear negotiator, reported to have been executed as punishment for the failed summit in Hanoi with the United States, appears to be alive, South Korea's state intelligence agency told lawmakers here Tuesday. Citing multiple sources, a Seoul-based newspaper reported in late May that the negotiator, Kim Hyok-chol, had been executed by gunshot in a purge by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un of some officials involved in preparations for his Hanoi meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in late February.

Pentagon: S. Korea, U.S. preparing for joint exercise despite N.K.'s warning

South Korea and the United States are preparing to stage a joint military exercise this fall, the Pentagon said Tuesday, after North Korea warned the drill will affect the prospects of working-level nuclear talks between the two countries. The North's foreign ministry issued the warning Tuesday, arguing that the "19-2 Dong Maeng" exercise, slated for around August, runs counter to the commitment that U.S. President Donald Trump made when he held a surprise meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on June 30.

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

Trump: US Has Made Progress with N. Korea, Time is 'Not of Essence'

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday his administration had made "tremendous progress" with North Korea and did not feel pressed to conclude a quick agreement with Pyongyang on denuclearization. During a Cabinet meeting at the White House, Trump said time “is not of the essence” in dealing with Pyongyang, but ultimately “good things will happen” with North Korea.

Top US Diplomat for East Asia Policy Arrives in Seoul

A top U.S diplomat for East Asia affairs arrived in South Korea on Tuesday, kicking off a three-day trip during which time he will discuss bilateral security and diplomatic issues. Arriving at Incheon International Airport from Manila, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs David Stilwell told reporters that the relationship between the U.S. and South Korea is vital to stability and prosperity in the region.

Pentagon: US, S. Korea Preparing to Conduct Joint Military Exercises in Autumn

The U.S. Department of Defense said on Tuesday that the U.S. and South Korea are preparing to conduct a combined training program this autumn. The department made the announcement after North Korea's Foreign Ministry threatened that August military exercises between the two allies would negatively impact working-level nuclear talks between Washington and Pyongyang.

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

S. Korea repeats calls on Japan to retract export restrictions

South Korea's finance minister on Wednesday pressed Japan to withdraw its export restrictions on key industrial materials and hold talks over the issue. Hong Nam-ki, the minister of economy and finance, said Japan's export restrictions could undermine the foundation of the two sides' economic cooperation. "The Japanese move could further weaken a global value chain beyond South Korea-Japan relations, which in turn could hurt global economic growth," Hong said in a meeting with officials at a government building in central Seoul.

Japan did not take action against ships suspected of carrying N.K. coal: Seoul

Foreign-flagged ships suspected of carrying North Korean coal docked at and departed from Japanese ports and Tokyo did not take action against them, in potential violation of U.N. sanctions, Seoul's spy agency was quoted as saying Tuesday. Cargo ships, such as the Togo-flagged Shinning Rich and the Belize-flagged Jin Long, made port calls in Japan, lawmakers told reporters, citing a closed-door briefing by the National Intelligence Service (NIS).

N.K. says planned S. Korea-U.S. military drill will affect working-level nuclear talks

North Korea warned Tuesday that the agreed-upon resumption of working-level nuclear talks with the United States would be affected if the U.S. goes ahead with joint military exercises with South Korea. A spokesman of the North's foreign ministry made the remark, referring to the 19-2 Dong Maeng exercise slated for next month. The remark indicates the North could reconsider the agreement to resume working-level talks if the planned exercise takes place.

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

Cheong Wa Dae: Japan's arbitration process offer unacceptable

A couple of days ahead of the deadline set by Japan for South Korea to respond to its offer of a formal arbitration process over historical disputes, the office of President Moon Jae-in made clear Tuesday that it won't accept the call. Cheong Wa Dae’s stern stance came amid Tokyo‘s threat of additional trade measures against South Korean companies. It heralds a possible deepening of the rift between the neighboring countries.

Ex-lawmaker found dead on mountain in western Seoul: police

Former legislator Chung Doo-un was found dead Wednesday afternoon at a mountain in Hongeun-dong, a neighborhood in Seoul’s western district of Seodaemun, according to police. Seoul Emergency Operations Center said Chung’s wife called police at around 4 p.m. after finding a note he had left behind. Police located him 30 minutes into their search at the mountain near an apartment where he used to live.

[News Analysis] Doubts cloud Seoul’s decision to take Japan trade row to WTO

Japan’s latest moves to curb exports of key materials used in South Korea’s high-tech industry is to be an agenda at the World Trade Organization’s General Council meeting next week amid mixed forecasts about the results. The Moon Jae-in administration announced Sunday that it planned to use the upcoming meeting to explain its stance on Tokyo’s decision to apply stricter export rules for three materials used for producing chips and displays, and to remove South Korea from its “whitelist” for sensitive trade.

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

US diplomat to discuss trade scuffle between Seoul, Tokyo

A top U.S. diplomat for East Asia is visiting here to convey Washington's view that Seoul and Tokyo should seek a diplomatic solution to their burgeoning trade war. David R. Stilwell, the new U.S. assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, will arrive in Seoul, Wednesday, to hold talks with foreign ministry officials including Minister Kang Kyung-wha, and senior presidential aides. Some analysts expect he may speak publicly about the feud.

Farmers, fishermen fear Japan's expanding export curbs

The domestic agriculture and fishery industries are expressing growing concern that their products could be the next target of Japan's trade restrictions against Korea, local officials said Tuesday. They fear Tokyo may raise non-tariff barriers, such as tougher customs clearance procedures for food products, as Japan is poised to expand its export curbs to various items. The two countries have already exchanged tit-for-tat measures in fisheries over Korea's ban on seafood from Japan's Fukushima Prefecture.

David vs. Goliath: South Chungcheong's battle against coal

On the morning of July 4, Dangjin Energy Center Chief Lee In-soo was at a community center in the village of Daehoji in Dangjin, explaining how and why the agricultural community of 2,850 could and should switch to clean energy. The head of the city's team promoting clean energy explained why switching from coal to renewable energy resources like liquefied natural gas (LNG), sunlight and wind was necessary; that coal ― a major cause of air pollutions in Korea ― was a finite resource; and that moving to clean energy was a global trend.

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

The Grueling Life of N.Korean Reporters

North Korean photographers were captured on video overzealously snapping photos of leader Kim Jong-un during his meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-in at the border truce village of Panmunjom late last month. They trained their lenses right in front of Kim's face as he shook hands with Moon, prompting the North Korean leader to shoo them away several times until they were eventually ushered away.

Moon Warns Japan Will Suffer More from Export Curbs

President Moon Jae-in on Monday called on Japan to stop making false accusations to justify export restrictions against South Korea and return to the negotiating table. In a meeting with his chief secretaries, Moon urged Japan to agree to dialogue to discuss South Korean court rulings to compensate victims of forced labor. He warned that Tokyo "will not succeed" if it tries to retaliate economically for the unrelated historical issues.

Suicide Propagandists to Face Jail or Hefty Fine

Anyone promoting suicide online by recruiting suicide partners or posting detailed methods will face up to two years in jail or a fine of up to W20 million starting Tuesday, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said Monday (US$1=W1,180). The ministry has toughened the law because the digital universe is overflowing with unregulated information promoting and aiding suicide.

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

Moon warns broadened export controls will damage Japanese economy more

“I warn that the damage to the Japanese economy [from export controls] will ultimately be greater.” South Korean President Moon Jae-in sent a resolute message of warning on July 15 in response to the Japanese government’s move to broaden its export controls. The remarks were also pitched significantly more strongly than a week earlier, when he made his first reference to the export regulation measures on July 8. In addition to sending a clear message on Tokyo’s repeated changing of its reasons for the measures without presenting any solid basis for them, his comments were seen as making it clear at home and internationally that the South Korean administration does not intend to back down or accept a stopgap solution in response to the unjust measures from Japan.

Japan’s use of export controls to upset NE Asia security framework

Japan’s plan to remove South Korea from its “white list” of countries receiving favorable treatment in security terms is being read as an attempt to go beyond economic retaliation and reshape the security framework in Northeast Asia. South Korea and Japan’s security aims have grown farther apart since China’s rise in 2010 to surpass Japan as the world’s second-largest economic power and the rapid changes in the security situation unfolding around the Korean Peninsula and the US since last year. Under this set of circumstances, the Shinzo Abe administration has effectively moved to take advantage of the conflict over the Supreme Court rulings ordering compensation for forced labor mobilization to pressure South Korea into accepting Japan’s strategic aims.

Blue House directly responds to Japan’s “irresponsible remarks” regarding export controls

On July 12, the Blue House’s National Security Council (NSC) expressed its regret for Japanese allegations that South Korea had let strategic materials slip into North Korea, calling those allegations “irresponsible remarks,” and publicly suggested that the two countries have their allegations reviewed by an international organization. In effect, the Blue House has directly accused Japan of imposing export restrictions on South Korea for economic and political purposes and then attempting to justify those restrictions by bringing up irrelevant security concerns, such as an alleged violation of sanctions on North Korea.

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

‘Abe puts the global trade order at risk,’ says New York Times

Japan has garnered criticism from experts and media outlets across the globe that it puts the global trade order at risk by misusing national security as the Japanese government imposed limits on exports of core materials to Korea citing North Korea-related sanction issues. Such critical voices are based on concerns that the global trade order can be shaken by claiming national security, which may be deemed to be a vague notion, to weaponize trade regulation.

SKT launches world’s first 5G roaming service in Switzerland

South Korea’s mobile carrier SK Telecom said Tuesday that it begins the world’s first fifth-generation (5G) roaming service in partnership with Swisscom, Switzerland’s largest mobile carrier. 5G commercial services were first launched on April 3.

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

President Moon, "Japan Will Suffer More Harm from Trying to Stop South Korea's Economic Growth"

On July 15, President Moon Jae-in mentioned Japan's trade retaliation and said, "We cannot ignore the latest measure, for it started with export restrictions on chemicals for semi-conductors, a core industry of the South Korean economy," and criticized, "It was no different from blocking the growth of our economy at a time when our economy is seeking to advance to a higher level."

[Editorial] Law Banning Workplace Bullying Enforced, But It Needs to Be More Effective

The revised Labor Standards Act, which bans bullying in the workplace will be enforced on July 16. The amendment defines and prohibits actions that force physical and mental suffering beyond the “reasonable scope of the task” on a worker based on one's position or "contractual relationship" as bullying in the workplace. The bill bans sixteen types of actions, including forced drinking, forced participation in after-work gatherings, verbal abuse, and the spreading of personal rumors. Even if it is a task order, if it is not recognized as "reasonable," it can be defined as harassment. If such bullying occurs in the workplace, the company must take action, such as disciplinary measures against the perpetrator, after an investigation. Any treatment disadvantageous to the victim or person who reports the incident is also prohibited. The latest bill is significant for it specifies bullying in the workplace, which had been difficult to punish with the Criminal Act in the past, and provides procedures to report and punish such actions.

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

Seoul mulls cutting surtax for owner family inheriting large business

The South Korean government is mulling to lower the surtax on the inheritance tax for the largest shareholder amid criticism that family businesses cannot last long in Korea because of the world’s heaviest inheritance levy.

Korean President Moon suggests hard-line action versus Japan`s export curbs

South Korean President Moon Jae-in indicated the country won’t shy away from a head-on clash with Japan by criticizing its “unwise” move of using economic muscles to solve past historic issues.

Korea overwhelms Japan in oil refining capacity for first time

South Korean oil refiners beat their Japanese counterparts in combined crude oil refining capacity for the first time in history last year, claiming the fifth spot in the global market. According to data released from Korea Petroleum Association on Monday, Korea`s daily average refining capacity came to 3,346,000 barrels last year, elbowing out its neighboring country Japan whose figure stood at 3,343,000 barrels. The top player was the U.S. with an average oil refining capacity of 18,762,000 barrels, followed by China with 15,655,000 barrels, Russia 6,596,000 barrels and India 4,972,000 barrels.

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Lee Kyung-sik edt@koreapost.com