Headlines, July 31, 2019

The Korean daily media headlines and humor

Wednesday, July 31, 2019

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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.

N. Korea fires multiple unidentified projectiles off east coast: JCS

North Korea on Wednesday fired multiple unidentified projectiles off its east coast, the Joint Chiefs of Staff said, the second such launch in less than a week. The projectiles were launched from the Hodo peninsula in South Hamgyong Province on the country's east coast, the JCS said, adding that it is monitoring the situation in case of additional launches and maintaining a readiness posture.

Kia workers vote to go on strike over wages

Unionized workers at Kia Motors Corp. on Tuesday voted to go on strike over wages, raising concerns of production losses at a time of rising demand for some models. In the companywide vote, 83 percent of the 26,290 workers who cast a ballot supported a walkout after management refused to accept the union's wage demands in talks held July 23.

Industrial output down 0.7 pct on-month in June

South Korea's industrial output edged down 0.7 percent in June from a month earlier due to decreased production in the service sector, government data showed Wednesday. The data compiled by Statistics Korea showed the production in the service sector declined 1 percent in June from a month earlier, while the output of semiconductors rose 4.6 percent on-month.

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

JCS: N. Korea Fires Multiple Unidentified Projectiles

North Korea on Wednesday fired multiple unidentified projectiles off its east coast. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff(JCS) said that the projectiles were launched from the Hodo peninsula in South Hamgyong Province on the North's east coast early on Wednesday.

Reuters: US Urges S. Korea, Japan to Consider 'Standstill Agreement' for Trade Dispute

The United States has reportedly urged South Korea and Japan to consider signing a "standstill agreement" to buy time for negotiations on the growing trade dispute between Seoul and Tokyo. According to Reuters on Tuesday, a senior U.S. official said that Washington is trying to be helpful in the dispute between its regional allies.

Report: US, N. Korean Officials Met in DMZ Last Week

A White House National Security Council(NSC) official reportedly met with a North Korean counterpart at the demilitarized zone(DMZ) on the inter-Korean border last week. Reuters on Tuesday quoted a senior U.S. official as saying that an NSC official traveled to the DMZ while U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton was visiting Seoul on official business.

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

U.S. says it is aware of reports of N.K. missile launch

The United States is aware of reports of a missile launch from North Korea and will continue to monitor the situation, a State Department spokesperson said Tuesday ahead of the expected resumption of denuclearization negotiations with the regime. The response comes after South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said North Korea had fired multiple unidentified projectiles into the East Sea early Wednesday (Seoul time), six days after it launched two short-range ballistic missiles into the waters.

S. Korea logs decline in exports to FTA-linked countries

South Korea's exports to countries it has free trade agreements (FTAs) with fell 7.9 percent in the first half of 2019 from a year earlier, customs data showed Tuesday. The country's outbound shipments to the United States, China and 50 other countries reached US$198.1 billion in the January-June period, compared with $215 billion in the same period of 2018, according to the data from the Korea Customs Service (KCS).

S. Korea's pro football body sends protest letter to Juventus

South Korea's pro football governing body, the K League, said Tuesday that it has sent a letter of protest to Juventus FC for its breach of contract for benching Cristiano Ronaldo in an exhibition match in Seoul last week. On Friday, the friendly between the Italian champion and K League All-Stars was scheduled to start at 8:00 p.m., but the kick-off was delayed about one hour as the Italian team arrived at Seoul World Cup Stadium at 8:15 p.m.

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

[Breaking] N. Korea fires multiple unidentified missiles off east coast: JCS

North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles off its east coast on Wednesday, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said, the second such launch in less than a week. The first missile was launched at 5:06 a.m., and the second at 5:27 a.m., from the Kalma area near the North's eastern port of Wonsan, according to the JCS. Both are estimated to have flown about 250 kilometers at an approximate altitude of 30 km, the JCS said, adding that the South Korean and US militaries are analyzing more details.

Seoul, US agree on ‘rational and fair’ defense cost-sharing negotiations: Cheong Wa Dae

South Korea and the United States have agreed to negotiate in a “rational” and “fair” way for a defense cost-sharing deal, Cheong Wa Dae said Tuesday, denying local news reports that Washington had suggested a specific amount for the renegotiation.

Industrial output down 0.7% on-month in June

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

Abe Refuses to Meet Moon Unless Korea Relents

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said he refuses to meet with President Moon Jae-in unless the Korean government stops victims of wartime forced labor from seeking compensation, the Sankei Shimbun reported Monday.

Xi 'Promised to Pay' for New Bridge to N.Korea

Chinese President Xi Jinping promised to foot the bill for the completion of a bridge between North Korea and China when he visited Pyongyang last month, the Asahi Shimbun reported Monday quoting sources.

Airlines Scrap Flights to Japan as Bookings Dwindle

Budget airlines and even flag carrier Korean Air are cutting down flights to Japan amid a dearth of bookings exacerbated by a widening boycott of the island country here. Korean Air on Monday said it will halt flights between Busan and Sapporo from Sept. 3 because there have not been enough bookings.

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

Kim Jong-un’s escalating pressure campaign against S. Korea and US

A series of recent moves by North Korea — including the announcement that Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho won’t be attending the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), leader Kim Jong-un’s tour of a submarine production facility, a short-range missile launch following a 77-day hiatus on such activity, and the rejection of 50,000 tons of South Korean-grown rice sent via the World Food Programme — are being taken as signs of irritation and attempts to pressure South Korea and the US, which are planning to hold a joint military exercise in August.

Two projectiles launched by N. Korea assumed to be new kind of short-range ballistic missile

The two projectiles assumed to be short-range missiles separately test-launched by North Korea toward the East Sea from near Wonsan early in the morning on July 25 represented a “new kind of short-range ballistic missile,” the South Korean government officially confirmed.

Japanese tourism industry feeling effects of S. Korea’s travel boycott

The effects of a boycott on tourism emerging in South Korea in the wake of Japan’s export control measures are beginning to be felt in Japan. According to the Asahi Shimbun newspaper on July 25, the major Japanese travel agency JTB reported a drop of around 10% in individual South Korean tourists using the company’s service in July compared to the same period last year. The company’s PR division was quoted by the newspaper as saying, “This appears to be a manifestation of political effects.”

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

U.S. report proposes ‘sharing of nuclear capabilities with S. Korea, Japan

A proposal made by the National Defense University (NDU) under the U.S. Department of Defense in its recent report for the U.S. to share its nonstrategic nuclear capabilities with South Korea and Japan is causing a stir in conjunction with North Korea’s resumption of provocations.

Samsung’s home appliances remain in No. 1 spot in U.S. market

Samsung Electronics has kept the top spot in terms of the market share in the United States for 13 consecutive quarters. The company’s dryer models have taken the No. 1 position in the world’s largest home appliances market since 2017.

‘First girlfriend’ moves into U.K. prime minister's official residence

The Agence France-Presse (AFP) and other news agencies reported that the newly appointed U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his girlfriend Carrie Symonds moved into the official residence of the prime minister on Monday (local time). This is the first time in British history that a prime minister and unmarried partner reside in the residence.

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

Sending Troops to the Strait of Hormuz, No Cause and No Benefits

The government is considering dispatching troops to the Strait of Hormuz. On July 29, the Ministry of National Defense mentioned some related news reports and said, "Currently, there have been reports like 'the dispatch of the Cheonghae Unit' but nothing has been decided." At the same time, the ministry added, "We are considering a number of ways to protect our ships." The dispatch of troops to the Hormuz Strait suddenly emerged after U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton met Chung Eui-yong, chief of the National Security Office on July 24. Cheong Wa Dae announced that Chung and Bolton decided to discuss cooperation for the safety and freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, and it seems the request for our troops was made at this time.

Liberty Korea Party Calls for Nuclear Armament Again. “Security Populism” Aiming to Attract the Conservatives

On July 29, a surprise argument emerged from the Liberty Korea Party. It called for the nation to withdraw from the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and develop nuclear weapons. It was an obvious attempt to take advantage of the fact that the mention of nuclear armament triggers public anxiety on security and attracts conservatives, but it also triggered criticism for it goes against the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and is simply unrealistic. It was nothing more than “security populism” seeking political interests, such as conservative voters, rather than resolve the nuclear issue.

Government "Determined" as It Prepares for WTO Dispute Settlement

After elaborating on the unfairness of Japan's export control measures to the United States and to the World Trade Organization (WTO), the government is now preparing for a dispute settlement at the WTO. According to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy on July 28, the government expects Japan to violate more WTO conventions if it excludes South Korea from its list of "white countries" and is preparing to settle the dispute at the WTO.

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

Samsung Electronics confirms Q2 OP more than halved on year

Samsung Electronics Co. held back capital investment in the first half – 10.7 trillion won including 8.8 trillion won in chip sector – as its income plunged nearly 60 percent in the period from a year ago due to subdued chip prices and demand from an industry glut and trade tensions between the United States and China.

KCGI seeks to join tender for Asiana Airlines

South Korea’s activist fund Korea Corporate Governance Improvement (KCGI), the second largest shareholder of the parent company of the country’s top full-service carrier Korean Air Lines Co., is considering participating in a bid to buy the second largest full-service carrier Asiana Airlines Inc.

Korea’s online insurance market on fast expansion, with internet giants joining race

Competition in Korea’s online insurance market is growing fiercer with the country’s top internet players as well as existing insurance companies rushing to launch mobile insurance services. Naver Corp., operator of Korea’s top search engine, recently established a subsidiary that will specialize in offering finance services, according to IT industry sources on Tuesday. It is reported that the internet giant’s new subsidiary will provide finance services ranging from mobile payment to loans and insurance.

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