Monday, April 26, 2021

 

Round-up of important news from major Korean dailies and international media today

 

The Korea Post ( http://www.koreapost.com/ )

Shilla Stay Seobusan aims to satisfy ‘hocance’ and business demands

Hotel Shilla's premium business brand Shilla Stay opened "Shilla Stay Seobusan" on April 15. It is the second hotel to open in Busan after Haeundae, targeting domestic and foreign business and the hocance (hotel+vacance) demand in western Busan, which is becoming an international tourist city.

Enhancing the role of Ombudsman for human rights, freedom, legitimate interests of people

The following article was contributed to The Korea Post media by Vice President Rhee IKHyeon of Mokwon University.—Ed.

 Uzbekistan is carrying out a systematic work to fulfill international commitments, to strengthen the legal and institutional framework of the protection of human rights, to implement international human rights standards in national legislation and to intensify cooperation with international organizations on the protection of human rights..

President Moon sends a letter to Portuguese President to mark 60th year of ties

Korean President Moon Jae-in on April 15 exchanged letters with Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa to commemorate the 60th anniversary of bilateral relations.

Cheong Wa Dae Spokesperson Kang Min-seok said in a written briefing that President Moon in the letter wrote that since forging official ties in 1961, both countries have developed a close cooperative relationship in various sectors such as politics, economy and culture.

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


S. Korea Designates Special Quarantine Period to Contain COVID-19

South Korea has designated one week starting Monday as a special quarantine period to stop the rise in COVID-19 infections.

Health authorities announced the move on Sunday during a news briefing, saying that the special quarantine period will be applied until May 2, when the current social distancing levels will expire.

 Vaccination of Police, Goast Guard, Fire Officials Begins

Starting Monday, essential workers such as police officers, the coast guard and firefighters are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

According to health authorities, about 173-thousand such workers will receive AstraZeneca vaccines.

Presidential Secretary Questioned over Alleged Illegal Exit Ban

A presidential secretary was questioned over suspicions that he was involved in an alleged illegal exit ban imposed on former Vice Justice Minister Kim Hak-ui.

The Suwon District Prosecutors' Office said Lee Kwang-cheol, secretary for civil affairs for President Moon Jae-in, was questioned for about ten hours and 30 minutes as a suspect.


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

S. Korea secures additional Pfizer vaccines for 20 mln people

South Korea said Saturday it has signed a deal with U.S. pharmaceutical giant Pfizer Inc. to import additional Pfizer vaccine doses for 20 million people in a move that could ease public concerns about a vaccine shortage.

U.S. working with Quad members on pandemic, but has no plans to send vaccine: Psaki

The United States is working closely during the pandemic with India and other members of a four-way regional forum known as the Quad, a White House spokeswoman said Friday.

Jen Psaki, however, suggested that her country has no immediate plans to send vaccines to those countries.

After settlement with LG, SK Innovation shifts into full gear for EV battery biz

SK Innovation Co., South Korea's refinery-to-battery maker, is back in the driver's seat to propel its electric vehicle battery business with stake sales and a planned listing of its subsidiary as its recent settlement with LG Energy Solution Ltd. cleared prolonged business uncertainties.

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


Politicians call for leniency for boy accused of damaging by-election posters

Politicians and the public have appealed for leniency for a middle school student who faces legal punishment for allegedly damaging election posters ahead of the April 7 mayoral by-election in Seoul.

Why are foreign financial firms pulling out of South Korea?

Citigroup’s decision to withdraw from retail banking in South Korea has sparked concerns over the possibility of other global financial companies following suit.

What does Korea’s new deal with Pfizer mean for future of AstraZeneca vaccine here?

The latest expansion in South Korea’s COVID-19 vaccine portfolio, with more of the Pfizer product, is one less reason to put young people at potential clotting risk from AstraZeneca inoculations, some experts argue.

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


Korea's immunization plan depends on timely delivery of vaccines

The government's immunization plan against COVID-19 depends on the timely delivery of vaccines without any delay, according to medical experts, even though the country has signed contracts to acquire enough doses for nearly double the entire population.

 

Banks seek to pay interim dividends following earnings surprise

The nation's four major financial holding companies expressed their intentions last week to pay interim dividends to shareholders this year following better-than-expected quarterly earnings.

The move is widely viewed as an effort to win back investors who were disappointed by the relatively low dividend payments in 2020.

 

Slow vaccination may hamper economic recovery

The slow pace of COVID-19 vaccinations here is raising concern that it will stymie the country's much-anticipated economic recovery. This is highly likely to come in line with a rebound in global trade and consumption based on mass vaccination rollouts around the world.


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


Fukushima water contains 5,400 times amount of carcinogenic radioactive material released from Wolsong plant

Masahisa Sato, a senior member of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party and head of the party’s foreign affairs division, tweeted, “South Korea will become a laughingstock when people learn that its nuclear reactors emit more tritium than Japan’s.”

 

World leaders pledge to do more to fight climate change at Biden climate summit

As a two-day climate summit organized by the US Joe Biden administration kicked off by video conference on Thursday with South Korean President Moon Jae-in and the leaders of 39 other countries participating, the first step in a full-scale global response to climate change was taken with the US, the European Union members, the UK, Japan and other major countries announcing greenhouse gas reduction targets far higher than their previous ones.

Japan welcomes S. Korean court’s dismissal of “comfort women” lawsuit

After a South Korean court dismissed a damages lawsuit filed against Japan by “comfort women” survivors, Japan underlined the court’s recognition of the principle of “sovereign immunity” as well as its affirmation of the comfort women agreement concluded by South Korea and Japan in December 2015.


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


More Men Become House Husbands

The number of house husbands alongside their working wives is on the rise. According to Statistics Korea on Thursday, 195,000 men among the economically inactive population identified as house husbands in March, up 20 percent on-year.

Koreans Despair of Herd Immunity Goal

Seven out of every 10 Koreans doubt that the government can keep its promise to achieve herd immunity against coronavirus here by November, a poll suggests.

In the poll by M-Brain, Kstat Research, Korea Research and Hankook Research on Thursday, a whopping 69 percent of respondents said achieving herd immunity by November is impossible, while only 24 percent still have faith. The rest were undecided.

COVID Home Test Kits Get Green Light

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety on Friday approved the emergency use of two coronavirus home test kits made by Korean manufacturers.

The ministry is in the final stage of reviewing the home test kits, with final approval for general use expected in three months' time. They have already been approved in Austria, Germany, Switzerland and the U.S.


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


Pyongyang- Beijing border looks set to reopen

Amid reports that North Korea and China will resume trade at the end of April, evidence of opening the border between the two countries, including the removal of a train shield is emerging.

Samsung C&T to construct solar power plant in U.S.

Samsung C&T is set to construct a 700MW-class solar power plant in Texas, the U.S. The move is being taken by the Korean firm in line with the Joe Biden administration’s environment policy.”

 

Tokyo Olympics athletes to be deported once they leave designated areas

The Yomiuri Shimbun reported Sunday that athletes and coaches who participate in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics to be held in July should get tested for COVID-19 every day and cannot go to places other than the dormitory, arena and training facilities. If they break the rule, they will be expelled from the Olympics.


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


The People Power Party Caught in the Sticky Issue of Pardons

 

The People Power Party is having trouble getting away from the heated debate on the pardons of two former presidents, Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye. The party’s leaders and senior lawmakers continue to argue for the need to pardon the two presidents. Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon and Busan Mayor Park Heong-joon (Park Hyung-joon) personally recommended the pardons to President Moon Jae-in.

 


Ruling Party Apologizes for Sexual Assault by Park Won-soon and Oh Keo-don at the National Cemetery

On April 22, Yun Ho-jung, head of the Democratic Party of Korea’s emergency committee apologized to the victims of sexual offenses by the former mayors of Seoul and Busan, Park Won-soon and Oh Keo-don respesctively. But the apology only raised doubts on its sincerity for the sudden apology was expressed while Yun paid respects at the National Cemetery more than two weeks after the crushing defeat in the April 7 by-elections.

 

“Everyone’s into Coins but Me” 20/30 Somethings Lost in Cryptocurrency

Heo (36), a teacher at a university recently stopped playing games, a hobby he had long enjoyed, because he has been immersed in trading cryptocurrency, more exciting than games, since two months ago. After he had invested in ripple, one type of altcoin (an alternate cryptocurrency other than bitcoin), only to see the value crash three years ago, he had forgotten about “coins.” But he revived his account after watching the value of bitcoin soar after the second half of last year.

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

FSC chief warns investors are on their own and exchanges may disappear in Sept

Cryptocurrencies crashed after Korea’s top financial policy chief reiterated digital coin “is highly speculative without intrinsic value” and therefore not entitled to state protection.

 

KB Financial reports highest-ever quarterly NP of $1.2 bn in Q1

KB Financial Group recorded an all-time high quarterly net profit of 1.27 trillion won ($1.2 billion) in the first quarter, propelled by steady loan sales at its banking unit and brokerage commission income on stock frenzy.

 

Shinhan Financial trails KB in best quarterly bottom line on stock, loan fever

Shinhan Financial Group came neck and neck in first-quarter performance with its archrival KB, also delivering a record quarterly net profit of 1.2 trillion won ($1.1 billion) as it enjoyed industry-wide boon from stock frenzy and income from all-time private-sector loans.


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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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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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