Monday, March 8, 2021
Round-up of important news from major Korean dailies and from international media today
The Korea Post (http://www.koreapost.com/)
Yoon wins 32.4% in Presidential polls beating Gyeonggi governer (24.1%), ruling party head (14.9%)
Former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl has recently won the top lace in the opinion polls on the Presidential hopefuls in the upcoming Presidential election slated on March 9, 2022 — exactly one calendar year from today.
According to the results of an opinion survey conducted by Korea Society Opinion Institute (KSOI) and disclosed today (March 8), Yoon won the top place with 32.4% of the votes followed by followed by Governor Lee Jae-myung of the Gyeonggi Province with 24.1% and Chairman Lee Nak-yon of the ruling Democratic Party with 14.9%.
KSOI said that Yoon achieved an approval rating that jumped 17% compared with one conducted six weeks earlier on January 22.
The survey, reportedly commissioned by TBS, is known to enjoy a confidence level of 95% with a margin of error of +/- 3%.
Yoon has been battered severely by many leaders of the ruling camp for the past one year, especially by former Minister of Justice Madam Choo Mi-ae, and this is largely understood to have ultimately boomeranged and caused Yoon to win the top place well ahead of his other contenders.
President Moon Jae-in urges distribution of $17.7 billion COVID-19 stimulus funds
The government plans to distribute its fourth round of emergency relief payments worth 19.5 trillion won ($17.7 billion) to small business owners and the self-employed having difficulty due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Space of ECO a region with great potential with common history, religion, culture, values”
he event, chaired by the President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was also attended by the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, the President of Afghanistan Ashraf Ghani, the President of Iran Hassan Rouhani, the President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Zhaparov, the President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, the President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, the Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan, as well as ECO Secretary General Hadi Soleimanpour, heads of regional structures.
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KBS (http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/news/)
S. Korea Reports 346 New COVID-19 Cases
South Korea reported 346 new COVID-19 cases on Monday amid lingering concerns about a possible fourth wave of infections.
Moon: S. Korea Will Accelerate to Inclusion with More Women in Diverse Workplaces
President Moon Jae-in said the nation will accelerate towards inclusion and leap forward when women are able to work at more diverse places without having their careers halted due to family duties.
PM Chung Orders Special Interagency Team to Probe Alleged Speculation of LH Workers
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun ordered the launch of a special interagency investigation team into alleged speculative land buying by employees of the state-run housing development corporation.
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Yonhap (http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr)
S. Korea, U.S. kick off scaled-back combined exercise
The computer-simulated Combined Command Post Training (CCPT), set to continue until March 18, involves a "minimum level of troops" compared with previous ones given the coronavirus situation, and no outdoor drills will take place, according to the military.
Defense cost-sharing deal signals tighter, more stable S. Korea-U.S. alliance
SEOUL, March 8 (Yonhap) -- This week's conclusion of defense cost-sharing talks between South Korea and the United States put their alliance back on a firmer and more stable footing after an embarrassing stretch of friction caused by former President Donald Trump's criticism of allies as free riders, analysts said Monday.
Weekend box office hits 4-month high thanks to 'Minari'
A combined 524,000 people went to theaters from Friday to Sunday, according to the data by the Korean Film Council (KOFIC). It is the largest three-day weekend figure since the second weekend of November, when the box office posted a total of 580,000 moviegoers before the third wave of the novel coronavirus pandemic started.
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The Korea Herald (http://www.koreaherald.com)
New virus cases under 400 on less testing; potential resurgence
South Korea's daily new coronavirus cases fell back below 400 on Monday apparently due to less testing over the weekend, but health authorities remained wary of a potential resurgence as outdoor activity increases due to warmer weather.
Samsung Heavy to appeal arbitration ruling for drill rig
Samsung Heavy Industries Co. said Monday that it plans to appeal a British arbitration ruling that ordered the South Korean shipbuilder to return money received from Swedish company Stena for a shipbuilding deal.
Banks' 2020 earnings down 11.5% on loan-loss reserves
South Korean banks saw their 2020 earnings decline 11.5 percent from a year earlier as they set aside more loan-loss reserves amid the pandemic, data showed Monday.
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The Korea Times (http://www.koreatimes.co.kr)
All 85,000 foreign workers in Gyeonggi ordered to take virus test before March 22
All foreign workers in Gyeonggi Province, which surrounds Seoul, were ordered Monday to take the coronavirus test before March 22, as part of authorities' efforts to cope with a recent spike in COVID-19 cases in foreigner-dense areas and workplaces.
Enhanced awareness on rights interrupt animal-related businesses
Animal-related commercial projects and festivals across the country have faced growing backlash from residents and activists who want to protect animal rights as well as the environment.
South Korea, US reach defense cost-sharing agreement
South Korea and the United States have reached an agreement on Seoul's share of the burden in maintaining U.S. troops on the Korean Peninsula, Seoul's foreign ministry said Sunday.
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HanKyoReh Shinmun (http://english.hani.co.kr)
Are the Tokyo Olympics really going to happen?
It seems certain that one of the variables that will have a major impact on the Korean Peninsula this year is whether the Summer Olympics are held in Tokyo this coming July as currently scheduled. After Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga assumed office in September 2020, South Korean President Moon Jae-in pledged to help ensure the success of the Tokyo Olympics as part of a proactive campaign to improve relations with Japan.
Will Covid-19 vaccines boost Moon’s approval ratings?
South Korean President Moon Jae-in observed the country’s first administration of a COVID-19 vaccine on Feb. 26. The beginning of inoculations comes a year and month after the first confirmed COVID-19 case was diagnosed in South Korea in January 2020.
Zainichi scholar urges S. Korea to enlist Japan as ally in Korean Peninsula peace process
“The Future of the Korean Peninsula and Japan” is a book by Kang Sang-jung, 71, a second-generation Zainichi Korean who lives and works in Japan. As a Waseda University student in 1972, he visited South Korea and gained a newfound understanding of his own identity, which led him to begin using his Korean name instead of his Japanese name.
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Chosun Ilbo (http://english.chosun.com)
Pentagon Nominee Hints at Downsizing U.S. Forces Korea
A Pentagon nominee has alarmed some South Koreans by saying the troop strength of the U.S. Forces Korea is not a "magic number," suggesting it could be downsized or increased as needed.
S.Korea, U.S. Stage Scaled-Down Military Exercise
The command post exercise will have to be carried out without actually mobilizing much equipment and troops. The two countries have not conducted field training exercise since then-U.S. President Donald Trump suspended them in 2018.
More Than 60% of Conglomerates Reluctant to Hire New Staff
Amid the prolonged economic recession caused by the COVID-19 epidemic, six out of 10 conglomerates either have no hiring plans or have yet to finalize them for the first half of this year.
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The Dong-A Ilbo (http://english.donga.com/)
S. Korea-U.S. joint drills to begin without outdoor maneuvers
South Korea and the United States will conduct the first joint exercise of the year from Monday to March 19, which will only involve a computer-simulated command post exercise (CPX) without outdoor maneuvers. It is said that the drills have been scaled back significantly again this year in the light of COVID 19 and North Korea’s demand for cancelling the exercise, which has raised concerns that the lack of field trainings since 2019 will weaken the combat readiness of the combined forces as well as the forces of South Korea.
Tesla closes below $600 since December
The U.S. electronic carmaker Tesla’s stock price almost reaching 900 dollars per share tumbled below 600 dollars in just three months. The anxiety is growing among Korean investors who bought the stocks worth more than nine trillion won.
Myanmar junta exhumed body of taekwondo girl
Myanmar authorities exhumed the body of a 19-year-old woman who was killed at a demonstration wearing a T-shirt that read “Everything will be OK,” which has sent shock waves. It is seen as an attempt of the junta to manipulate the cause of death of Kyal Sin, widely known as taekwondo girl in South Korea who died from a shot to the head, while there is growing violence among supporters of the coup.
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The KyungHyang Shinmun (http://english.khan.co.kr/)
Sexual Minorities Fought by “Being,” While Discrimination and Hatred Drove Them to “Not Being”
Two transgender activists who had publicly confronted hatred of sexual minorities died. On February 24, Kim Ki-hong (38), head of the Jeju Queer Culture Festival organizing committee died and on March 3, Byun Hee-soo (Byeon Hui-su, 23), a former Army staff sergeant--the first transgender professional soldier--was found dead. The two had fought discrimination against sexual minorities in their respective places after voluntarily disclosing their identity as a transgender. A reality in which the government didn’t bother to collect statistics on sexual minorities and the failure to enact an anti-discrimination bill with relevant discussions going around in circles at the National Assembly for a decade are some factors that may have contributed to the tragic deaths.
Ruling Party and Prosecutors Clash on the Authority of the Serious Crime Investigation Agency: Will the Separation of Investigation from Prosecution Weaken the Capacity to Conduct Investigations?
On February 8, the ruling party motioned a bill on the establishment of a serious crime investigation agency, quickly launching “season 2” of reforms in the Prosecution Service. Twenty-one lawmakers including Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Hwang Un-ha proposed a bill on “the establishment and operation of a serious crime investigation agency,” which stipulates that the new agency will oversee the six major crimes--corruption, economic crimes, crimes by public officials, election crimes, crimes involving the defense industry and major disasters--on which the prosecutors can launch an investigation, after the investigative authority between the police and prosecutors was adjusted.
Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl Steps Down: A Political Career up Ahead?
On March 4, Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl resigned after criticizing the ruling party’s attempt to establish a Serious Crimes Investigation Agency. Yoon argued, “The spirit of the Constitution and the rule of law are being destroyed,” and said, “This is as much as I can do in the Prosecution Service.” He also said, “I will continue to do my utmost to defend liberal democracy and to protect the people from whichever position I hold,” and hinted at a possible bid in politics. President Moon Jae-in immediately accepted Yoon’s letter of resignation.
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Maeil Business News Korea (http://www.pulsenews.co.kr/)
Hyundai Motor sees 26% growth in India, dominates No. 2
South Korea’s largest automaker Hyundai Motor Co. is making fast strides in the world’s second most populated country with shipments surging by 26 percent led by its latest hatchback i20 crowned as the Car of the 2021 in India.
SK Hynix eyes faster profit swing in NAND flash on price strengthening
SK Hynix Inc., the world’s second-largest memory maker, expects to leapfrog in NAND where it is a modest fourth, due to strengthening in prices in flash memory and synergy with its $9 billion acquisition of NAND business from Intel.
DSME may save $1.2 billion drillship deal with Valaris by putting off delivery
South Korea’s Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co. (DSME) may resolve the dispute and risk related to a $1.2 billion order from an American drillship client under the Chapter 11 process in a U.S. bankruptcy court.
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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 www.smh.com.au
Colombia Reports www.colombiareports.com
Bogota Free Planet www.bogotafreeplanet.com bfp@bogotafreeplanet.com
El Universal www.eluniversal.com.mx/english
Andes www.redaktionstest.net/andes-info-ec/
Ecuador Times www.ecuadortimes.net/
The Jordan Times www.jordantimes.com/
LSM.lv www.lsm.lv/
The Baltic Times www.baltictimes.com lithuania@baltictimes.com, estonia@baltictimes.com, editor@baltictimes.com
El Pais https://english.elpais.com/
Philippine Daily Inquirer www.inquirer.net/
Daily News Hungary https://dailynewshungary.com/
Budapest Times www.budapesttimes.hu/
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The Korea Post is running video clips from the different embassies.
Azerbaijan: www.youtube.com/watch?v=OR8CBpcQ4WM
Sri Lanka: www.youtube.com/watch?v=hByX92Y2aGY&t=22s
Morocco: www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfFmp2sVvSE
And many other countries.
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