The Korean daily media headlines and humor

Friday, July 26, 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.

N. Korea says it fired new tactical guided weapon in 'warning' against Seoul

North Korea has fired its "new tactical guided weapon" under leader Kim Jong-un's guidance in a demonstration of power, state media reported Friday, a day after the communist state launched two short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea. The firings were aimed at sending a "solemn warning" to "South Korean military warmongers" who are deploying "ultramodern offensive weapons into South Korea" and pushing to "hold (a) military exercise in defiance of the repeated warnings" from the North, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.

S. Korea, Russia hold working-level talks over airspace intrusion

South Korea and Russia held a working-level meeting in Seoul on Thursday over a Russian warplane's recent violation of Korean airspace, the defense ministry here said, amid conflicting accounts of the incident from the two countries. On Tuesday, the Russian A-50 early-warning jet intruded into Korean airspace twice in the East Sea near its easternmost islets of Dokdo, prompting the South Korean Air Force to fire hundreds of warning shots, according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS).

Seoul to use ASEAN meetings for diplomacy to reverse Japan's export curbs

Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha will use a series of multilateral talks in Thailand next week to step up diplomacy to reverse Japan's recent export control measure against South Korea, a foreign ministry official here said Thursday. Kang is set to attend the annual ministerial gatherings, involving the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), set to take place in Bangkok from Thursday to Saturday.

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

Heavy Monsoon Rains Pounding Seoul, Central Regions

Heavy downpours are pounding large parts of the country Friday, with heavy rain advisories and warnings issued for Seoul, Gyeonggi and Gangwon Province. The Korean Meteorological Administration said that the seasonal rainfall is forecast to let up in southern provinces on Saturday, but will continue into Sunday in central regions, some of which will receive more than 50 millimeters of rain per hour.

US Urges N. Korea to Stop Provocations, Return to Talks

The U.S. State Department on Thursday urged North Korea to stop provocations and return to talks, reaffirming its commitment to diplomatic engagement. Regarding the North's firing of two ballistic missiles on Thursday, Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said in a news briefing that President Donald Trump has stressed that the U.S. wants to have diplomatic engagement with North Korea.

S. Korea's Consumer Sentiment Drops for Third Straight Month in July

South Korea's consumer sentiment dropped for the third consecutive month in July. The Bank of Korea(BOK) said on Friday that the composite consumer sentiment index(CCSI) came to 95-point-nine for the month, down one-point-six from the previous month. The index fell for the third straight month after rising for five consecutive months from December last year.

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

U.S. seeks to keep diplomacy with N.K. alive despite missile launches

The United States on Thursday insisted to continue its diplomacy with North Korea despite the communist state's new missile launches, apparently keeping hopes alive that the latest provocation would not derail efforts to resume nuclear talks between the two countries. The test of two short-range ballistic missiles on Thursday (Seoul time) marked a new turn in the on-again, off-again negotiations to dismantle the North's nuclear weapons program.

DMZ hiking trail to open in Paju next month

South Korea said Friday it will open the third and last hiking trail along the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas next month. The western section of the DMZ trail in Paju, some 30 kilometers northwest of Seoul, will be available to the public under the DMZ Peace Trail program starting Aug. 10, according to the government.

Closing ceremony to feature wonders of Korean four seasons

The closing ceremony of the FINA World Championships Gwangju 2019 will take place in the southwestern metropolitan city Sunday featuring the region's seasonal wonders in various forms, organizers said. The closing ceremony, wrapping up the 17-day global aquatics festival that opened in Gwangju on July 12, will consist of two parts -- a one-hour cultural performance set to begin at 5 p.m. at the Asia Culture Center and the official event scheduled to begin at 10:40 p.m. at the Nambu University Municipal Aquatics Center.

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

North Korea fires 2 short-range missiles into East Sea: JCS

North Korea fired two short-range missiles into the East Sea from Hodo Peninsula, northeast of Wonsan, Seoul’s military said Thursday. According to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, North Korea launched two projectiles from the peninsula in South Hamgyong Province at 5:34 a.m. and 5:57 a.m.

Nationwide #boycottJapan campaign puts Korean workers in tight spot

These days, Kim Hyun-jin feels uneasy telling others where he works.“I have been working at Uniqlo for two years as a part-timer. I am proud of my workplace. It is a fun place to work, with nice people and relatively a good amount of pay,” said the 25-year-old student majoring in fashion at a university, who agreed to speak under a pseudonym.

Korea to raise tax credit rate for corporate facility investments, R&D

The South Korean government announced Thursday that it plans to raise the tax credit rate for corporate facility investment and research and development in an effort to stimulate the economy by lifting the tax burden on firms. The government’s announcement of its 2019 tax code revision bill, comes amid an escalating trade row between Korea and Japan, after Tokyo placed export restrictions on key materials needed for semiconductors and display screens, as well as a slew of pessimistic economic indices including a slashed economic growth outlook of 2.2 percent for this year by the central bank.

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

Kim warns S. Korea: 'No more weapons development, military drills'

A day after two North Korean missile launches rattled Asia, the nation announced Friday that it had tested a ''new-type tactical guided weapon'' that was meant to be a ''solemn warning'' about South Korean weapons development and its rival's plans to hold military exercises. The message in the country's state media quoted North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and was directed at ''South Korean military warmongers.'' It comes as U.S. and North Korean officials struggle to set up talks after a recent meeting on the Korean border between Kim and U.S. President Donald Trump seemed to provide a step forward in stalled nuclear negotiations.

Tough road ahead for Seoul's trade row with Tokyo

South Korea did not get the response it wanted at the World Trade Organization (WTO) General Council meeting in Geneva, with Tokyo declining to accept Seoul's proposal to have one-on-one negotiations there regarding their ongoing trade dispute. The delegation from Seoul focused on raising awareness of Tokyo's "unilateral and unfair" trade restrictions during the WTO session, Wednesday (KST). The South Korean delegation was seeking international consensus on Japan's "unfair" trade acts.

'Boycott Japan' leading to cancellations of trips to Japan

A Korean consumer boycott of Japanese products, to protest Japan's export curbs to Korea, has expanded to the tourism sector, and a number of travelers are canceling their trips to the neighboring country. According to local website WeMakePrice (WMP), Thursday, the cancellation rate for flight tickets to Japan has risen five-fold since the boycott began earlier this month.

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

China Says THAAD Undermines Regional Security Balance

China in its annual defense white paper on Wednesday said the U.S.' Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense battery in South Korea "has seriously undermined" the balance and security interests of the Asia-Pacific region. The white paper was published only a day after Chinese warplanes again buzzed Korea’s Air Defense Identification Zone without warning.

Russia Accuses Korea of Threatening Pilots

Russia on Wednesday denied that one of its warplanes violated Korean airspace and accused Seoul of threatening the safety of its air crew. The Russian Defense Ministry said, "The Korean pilots did not establish communications with the crews of Tu-95MS, fired flares and then the [Korean] F-16s conducted another maneuver, retreating away from the Russian planes."

N.Korea Refuses Food Aid from Seoul

North Korea has refused to accept 50,000 tons of food aid Seoul wants to send through the World Food Programme amid posturing over joint South Korea-U.S. military drills next month. A Unification Ministry official here on Wednesday said North Korean Foreign Ministry officials told WFP staff in a meeting that they do not want the aid and cited the joint drills. "We're trying to find out from the WFP what the North's official position is," the official added.

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

S. Korea and Japan battle it out at WTO General Council

South Korea and Japan exchanged blows over Japan’s tightened export controls on South Korea at the General Council of the World Trade Organization (WTO). Alleging that Japan was engaging in “behavior that disrupted world trade for political purposes,” the South Korean delegation proposed that their respective delegations stay in Geneva for two-party talks. But the Japanese delegation rejected this proposal, prompting the interpretation that Japan has no intention of resolving this issue.

Bolton asks S. Korea to increase share of USFK defense costs during Seoul visit

White House National Security Advisor John Bolton demanded an increase in South Korea’s share of US Forces Korea defense costs and the deployment of South Korean Navy forces to the Strait of Hormuz in a July 24 meeting with Blue House National Security Office Director Chung Eui-yong. But on the matters of the frictions between South Korea and Japan sparked by the latter’s trade retaliation measures and the recent unauthorized intrusion of Chinese and Russian military aircraft into the Korea Air Defense Identification Zone (KADIZ), Bolton offered only an abstract and general position – effectively presenting a bill to Seoul without offering anything else.

S. Korea sends letter to Japan lambasting export controls as “unjust”

The South Korean government sent an official opinion to the Japanese government on July 24 calling its intensification of export controls “unjust.” It also stressed to member countries in the WTO General Council that Japan’s actions constitute a violation of WTO norms and threatening behavior that jeopardizes global support networks.

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

S. Korean, U.S. intelligence agencies closely watch signs of N. Korea’s missile launch

The South Korean and the U.S. intelligence authorities reportedly detected signs of North Korea’s missile launch in advance and maintained a close watch. Surveillance satellites, the RC-135 surveillance aircrafts and high altitude unmanned aerial vehicles are said to have been maintaining a close watch on the North’s major missile bases and launch sites.

Samsung offers the largest-ever incentives to partners

Samsung Electronics will pay a total of 32.3 billion won to the members of its 271 semiconductor partners as production and safety incentives for the first half of this year. This is the largest-ever amount for the first six months of a year since the South Korean electronics giant introduced its partner incentive policy in 2010. It is thought to be Samsung’s determination to achieve joint growth with subcontractors despite the current external challenges, such as export regulations by Japan and trade disputes between the U.S. and China.

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

Russia Insists There Was "No Violation of Airspace," While Government Argues "Distorted Facts"

On July 24, the Russian government delivered its official position on the invasion of its military aircraft into airspace over Dokdo to the South Korean government and said, "The Russian military aircraft did not invade South Korean airspace." The South Korean government refuted saying, "The Russian claims are a distortion of fact." The previous day, a military officer at the Russian Embassy in South Korea said, "It appears the aircraft entered an unplanned area due to malfunction of equipment," and expressed "deep regrets," but Russia switched its position in just a day. However, the Russian charge d’affaires said, "We will investigate the details after requesting cooperation from the South Korean government." Thus it is likely for the two countries to conduct an investigation of the incident.

Territorial Provocation and Exclusion from the "White List": Japan Should Not Cross the Rubicon

Japan is heightening its provocations against South Korea after it tightened its export regulations. On July 23, the Japanese government expressed regrets on how the South Korean Air Force fighters fired warning shots at a Russian early warning and control aircraft, which invaded Dokdo airspace. Japan announced that a military aircraft of the Self-Defense Forces made an emergency take off to respond to the invasion by the Russian aircraft. Japan has expanded the scope of its attacks beyond trade into territorial issues. On July 24, the Japanese government finished collecting opinions on an amendment of an ordinance on the enforcement of a bill on export trade control excluding South Korea from the list of “white countries (countries allowed simpler export screening).” By the end of next month, South Korea will not be able to enjoy the simpler export procedures, which it has enjoyed for the past six decades. The conflicts between South Korea and Japan are about to take a decisive turn for the worse.

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

SK Hynix Q2 OP thins to 3-year low, rolls back output amid Japan curbs

SK Hynix Inc. said it will cut back capital investment and production after reporting its worst operating profit in three years, as it grapples with Japan’s export curbs and a chip industry downturn exacerbated by the trade war between the United States and China.

Korea’s Q2 GDP adds 1.1% on qtr, 2.1% on yr, the best since 2017

South Korea’s gross domestic product (GDP) rebounded 1.1 percent in the second quarter against a negative 0.4 percent number in the previous three month period to avoid a technical recession, led by heavy government spending as the economy lumbers through its worst year in a decade. According to the preliminary second-quarter GDP data released by the Bank of Korea (BOK) on Thursday, the country’s GDP turned direction to growth above 1 percent to show the strongest-yet figure since 1.5 percent in the third quarter of 2017. Against a year ago period, GDP grew 2.1 percent. The total GDP for the second quarter was 459.96 trillion won ($390.5 billion).

Samsung Elec Galaxy Fold set to re-launch in September

Samsung’s Galaxy Fold will officially hit the market in September after the bar-raising foldable smartphone passed the final round of tests and addressed various glitch issues raised by tech experts and journalists, the company announced on Thursday. The device was originally set to release in April but it was indefinitely delayed after multiple reports of defects in review samples.

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What’s ticking around the world at this second?
See what the world media around the world have to report:

USA Today www.usatoday.com aallman@gannett.com
The New York Times www.nytimes.com inytletters@nytimes.com
Wall Street Journal www.wsj.com support@wsj.com, service@wsj-asia.com
Financial Times www.ft.com ean@ft.com
The Times www.thetimes.co.uk help@timesplus.co.uk
The Sun www.thesun.co.uk talkback@the-sun.co.uk
Chinese People's Daily www.people.com.cn kf@people.cn
China Daily www.chinadaily.com.cn circulation@chinadaily.com.cn
GwangmyeongDaily www.gmw.cn webmaster@gmw.cn
Japan's Yomiuri www.yomiuri.co.jp japannews@yomiuri.com
Asahi www.asahi.com customer-support@asahi.com
Mainichi www.mainichi.jp
Le Monde www.ilemonde.com
Italy LaRepubblica www.quotidiano.repubblica.it vittorio.zucconi@gmail.com
Germany Frankfurter AllgemeineZeitung www.faz.net anzeigen.ausland@faz.de
SüddeutscheZeitung www.sueddeutsche.de forum@sueddeutsche.de
Australia Brisbane Times www.brisbanetimes.com.au syndication@fairfaxmedia.com.au
Sydney Morning Herald http://www.smh.com.au
Colombia Reports http://colombiareports.com
Bogota Free Planet http://bogotafreeplanet.combfp@bogotafreeplanet.com
El Universal http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/english
Andes http://www.andes.info.ec/en
Ecuador Times http://www.ecuadortimes.net
The Jordan Times https://www.jordantimes.com
LSM.lv http://www.lsm.lv/en
The Baltic Times http://www.baltictimes.com lithuania@baltictimes.com, estonia@baltictimes.com, editor@baltictimes.com
El Pais http://elpais.com/elpais/inenglish.html
Philippine Daily Inquirer https://www.inquirer.net
Daily News Hungary http://dailynewshungary.com
Budapest Times http://budapesttimes.hu
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The Korea Post is running video clips from the different embassies.
Azerbaijan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OR8CBpcQ4WM
Sri Lanka: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hByX92Y2aGY&t=22s
Morocco: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfFmp2sVvSE
And many other countries.
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