Wednesday, January 4, 2023


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

 

The Korea Post ( www.koreapost.com )

"South Korea, U.S. are discussing joint planning, implementation of nuclear asset"
Presidential office reaffirmed after U.S. President Joe Biden's "No" answer

To cope with North Korea's nuclear weapons program, South Korea and the U.S. are discussing ways to share information on the operation of U.S. nuclear power assets, joint planning, and joint implementation, Kim Eun-hye, senior secretary for public relations of the president’s office said in a written briefing on Jan. 3.

 

Uijeongbu City Youth Foundation, holds the inauguration ceremony for the 2nd Chairman Gyeong Gyu-gwan
The Uijeongbu City Youth Foundation held an inauguration ceremony for the 2nd Chairman Gyeong Gyu-gwan and a kick-off ceremony with the goal of becoming a “specialized youth organization that grows together and shares happiness” in celebration of the New Year 2023. Chairman Gyeong Gyu-gwan, who will be inaugurated as the second Chairman, is evaluated as the right person to lead the Uijeongbu City Youth Foundation as he has extensive experience in youth-related research and field activities while serving as principal of Goyang High School and Uijeongbu Technical High School.

 

Daegu City holds the "2023 New Year's Greetings"
Daegu City held a "Daegu City New Year's Greetings" at Exco on Jan. 2 and declared 2023 as the first year of "Daegu Gulgi (Rise)," where Daegu stands up again vigorously. About 500 people from all walks of life attended the meeting, including Daegu City Mayor Hong Joon-pyo, Daegu City Council Chairman Lee Man-kyu, Daegu City Superintendent of Education Kang Eun-hee, People Power Party Floor Leader Joo Ho-young, and Mayor of Daegu Nam-gu Cho Jae-gu.

 

                                                            


Chosun Ilbo (http://english.chosun.com)
Companies Adjust Employee Benefits to Singles

Businesses are offering more benefits tailored to the growing number of singles in their employ, from pet-care support to wedding money if they remain unmarried after a certain age. Since September 2021, Lotte Department Store has offered single workers over 40 the same one-off bonus that other staff receive when they get married -- a congratulatory payment and five days off. Instead of a bouquet they get a houseplant. The snag is that once they have claimed the payment, they cannot change their minds and claim it again if they decide to marry after all.

 

S.Korea Tests Solid-Fuel Space Vehicle

South Korea has successfully tested a four-stage solid-fuel space rocket, the Defense Ministry said Monday. The craft's second test flight last week was intended to check separation of the second, third and fourth stages as well as ignition and combustion of each engine. In the first test last March, the Agency for Defense Development succeeded only in testing combustion of the second-stage engine.

 

Kim Jong-un Vows to Boost Nuclear Warheads 'Exponentially'
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Sunday pledged to boost the renegade country's nuclear weapons "exponentially" as he fired another volley of missiles into the sea. North Korea launched three short-range ballistic missiles on Saturday that fell into the East Sea and another one on Sunday morning. Here, President Yoon Suk-yeol held a video conference with the Joint Chiefs of Staff and ordered soldiers to retaliate "with a firm determination not to avoid going to war." The Defense Ministry warned the North Korean regime will "face an end" if it attempts to use nuclear weapons.

                                                                                      

Joongang Ilbo (https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com )

New rules for travelers from Hong Kong, Macau
Travelers from Hong Kong and Macau will have to submit negative Covid-19 test results before boarding flights to Korea starting Saturday. On Monday, Korea put new restrictions on travelers coming from mainland China, but they did not apply to flights from Hong Kong and Macau. Worried that people from the mainland would travel through those two autonomous regions to avoid the new rules, Korean health authorities on Tuesday announced slightly less onerous rules for flights from Hong Kong and Macau.


Ford truck with SK On battery powers house during blizzard
SK On batteries recently garnered sudden attention online after the owner of a Ford electric truck in Canada managed to tap the car battery to use as an alternative source of electricity during a power outage caused by an ongoing blizzard.  The user of the Ford F-150 Lightning said that the battery supplied them with power for nearly two days, in a post on Reddit on Dec. 27, as the person went 44 hours without power in southern Ontario.We don't have it wired to our panel, but the two cords with splitters ran our fridges, freezers and our WiFi, select lights and TV for close to two full days,” the user going by RapsFanLJ said, adding that the battery was only down to 65 percent once the power was restored.


Disabled group vows subway protests on every workday
An advocacy group for people with disabilities continued morning rush hour protests on Tuesday, vowing to be near the presidential office every workday this year. In a statement, the Solidarity Against Disability Discrimination (SADD) said it was planning 260 protests this year on Seoul subway line No. 4 during the morning rush hour, which is every day except weekends and holidays. The SADD said it would mainly protest around line No. 4's stop at Samgakji Station because it is near President Yoon Suk Yeol’s office.


                                                               
 

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

President Yoon rules out cabinet reshuffle plans
President Yoon Suk Yeol said in the first Cabinet meeting of 2023 on Tuesday that he had no plans for a cabinet reshuffle, dispelling any rumors of a cabinet change that had been raised since last year. According to the Presidential Office and the government, President Yoon asked cabinet members to “pay no attention to rumors and focus on duties for the new year” in his closing remarks at the Cabinet Meeting held at the Presidential Office in Yongsan.

 

Britain, France obligate passengers from China to take COVID-19 test
Britain, France, Canada, and Australia join countries such as South Korea and the United States, which already have strengthened immigration control and quarantine measures regarding China, by mandating any incoming visitor from China to take COVID-19 tests. British news outlets including BBC reported Friday (local time) that the British government will soon announce a set of immigration regulations to make COVID-19 testing a mandatory step for visitors departing from China to take.


Russia-Ukraine war breaches 10-month mark
The Russia-Ukraine war that started with Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 now passed its 10-month mark, moving fast into a phase of the war of attrition with no sign of an end. In September 2022, Russia announced that it had annexed the following four provinces - Zaporizhzhia, Luhansk, Kherson, and Donetsk - but battles are ongoing between the two nations over those areas. The New York Times estimated that Russia and Ukraine each have over 100,000 casualties.

 

                                                                    
 

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

SK hynix shares hit 52-week low on massive loss outlook
SK hynix Inc., one of two benchmark semiconductor stocks in the Korean stock market, broke new lows on Tuesday due to widespread concerns that the company will report a huge operating loss in the fourth quarter amid sluggish demand across the industry. SK hynix shares recovered its losses to gain 0.4 percent to 75,000 won ($59.04) as of 2:24 p.m. after falling to the day’s low of 73,100 won, down 3.43 percent from the previous session, a new 52-week low.


S. Korea to lift real-estate regulations in most areas in Seoul
Real-estate regulations in South Korea will be lifted in all areas in the capital city Seoul, except three districts in affluent Gangnam, the most expensive real estate market in Korea, as the country’s once-hot property market shows signs of a slump with many unsold apartment units and falling real estate prices. According to multiple sources from the presidential office and government ministries on Monday, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport will announce areas in Seoul that will be free from the government’s strict real-estate regulations this month.

 

Samsung Elec chief Lee meets all subsidiary CEOs in rare gathering
Executive Chairman of Samsung Electronics Co. Jay Y. Lee met the heads of all Samsung Group business units on the first business of the new year, unlike his usual New Year’s business site visits, underscoring the urgency of coming up with emergency measures to cope with growing uncertainties in the global economy. Chairman Lee had a dinner meeting with the presidents of Samsung Group subsidiaries including Samsung Electronics, Samsung C&T Corp., and Samsung Life Insurance on Jan. 2, according to sources on Monday.

 

                                                     
 

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

US calls for bolstering SK-US-JP security cooperation: Ploy for checking China?
Political tensions are climbing on the Korean Peninsula at the beginning of the new year, with the leaders of South and North Korea emphasizing “preparations for war.” As calls for strengthening trilateral security cooperation between South Korea, the United States and Japan grow louder citing the North Korean threat, critics say such cooperation could become yet another factor of tension in line with the strategic competition between the United States and China.

 

Democrats absent from Yoon's New Year’s event amid ongoing partisan strife
South Korea’s ruling and opposition parties continued their streak of intense confrontation from the very start of the new year. The main opposition Democratic Party abstained from the presidential office’s New Year’s gathering on Monday, to which various political and other figures were invited. President Yoon Suk-yeol himself also openly noted his dissatisfaction with the party in an interview with the media. Given the way things are going, the prospects for cooperation between the ruling and opposition parties in the months to come seem increasingly dim.

 

S. Korea’s exports to China drop as US-bound exports climb
With South Korea recording its greatest ever trade deficit last year, exports to China fell by over 4% from the previous year, with China-bound exports accounting for less than 25% of total exports. Exports to the United States, on the other hand, grew by double digits — 14.5% — surpassing US$100 billion for the first time ever. Exports to the United States also climbed above 15% of total exports, a step up from the previous year.

 

                                                  

The KyungHyangShinmun (http://english.khan.co.kr/)

Government to Exempt Tolls During Lunar New Year Holiday and Reduce Utility Bills for the Vulnerable
The government decided to waive expressway tolls during the Lunar New Year holiday and to reduce the electricity and gas bills for the vulnerable. The government will announce Seollal (Lunar New Year) holiday measures to stabilize people’s livelihoods including these decisions on January 4. Sung Il-jong, head of the People Power Party (PPP) policy committee met with reporters after a meeting of government, PPP, and private sector representatives to discuss measures to secure the people’s livelihoods during the Lunar New Year holiday at the National Assembly on January 3.

I Don’t Engage in Politics with Just the Party Convention in My Sight,” Yoo Seong-min, No. 1 in Public Poll, But No. 4 among Party Members
Eyes are on former lawmaker Yoo Seong-min, a key contender representing the non-Yoon members of the People Power Party (PPP), to see if he will run for party leader. Yoo’s bid will be a major factor that could determine the future direction of the People Power Party leadership. Officially, Yoo is still “contemplating” his bid. Word has it that he is keeping an eye on public opinion as he deliberates his bid.


Lee Jae-myung Starts the New Year by Visiting DJ and Roh Moo-hyun, “Violent, Unilateral Control Is Rampant”
Democratic Party of Korea leader Lee Jae-myung began the year 2023 by visiting the graves of former presidents Kim Dae-jung (DJ) and Roh Moo-hyun on January 1. He will travel to Pyeongsan Village in Yangsan, yeongsangnam-do on January 2 to attend a luncheon with former president Moon Jae-in. Lee described the current times as “an age where violent and unilateral control is rampant” and criticized the Yoon Suk-yeol government. He concentrated his efforts to gather Democratic Party supporters ahead of his appearance at the Prosecution Service.

 

                                                             

KBS(http://world.kbs.co.kr/service)

US Reaffirms Security Commitment to S. Korea
A disability advocacy group wrapped up the first day of its subway protest at around 10 p.m. on Monday after 13 hours. The Solidarity Against Disability Discrimination(SADD) attempted to board a train at Samgakji Station in Yongsan District, the closest station to the presidential office, at around 9 a.m., following a press conference by group members in which they called for an increase in the government budget to protect the rights of people with disabilities.


FX Reserves Rise for Second Month in December
South Korea's foreign reserves increased for the second consecutive month in December. According to the Bank of Korea on Wednesday, the nation's foreign currency reserves totaled 423-point-16 billion dollars as of the end of last month, up seven-point-06 billion dollars from a month earlier. The reserves expanded for the second straight month after a decline of three consecutive months from August to October.

 

KARI Unveils Photos of Moon, Earth Taken by Danuri
South Korea's first lunar orbiter, Danuri, has sent back photos of the Earth and the moon taken as it began its yearlong mission in lunar orbit. The Korea Aerospace Research Institute(KARI) released photos on Tuesday with a clear view of Earth as well as craters on the moon’s surface taken with a high-resolution camera onboard the orbiter known as the Lunar Terrain Imager. The first photo was captured on December 24 some 344 kilometers above the moon, with the second coming four days later at an altitude of 124 kilometers after settling into lunar orbit on December 27.

 

                                                                        
 

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

U.S. fully committed to defending S. Korea against N. Korean hostility: White House
The United States remains fully committed to defending South Korea against any hostility, including a nuclear attack by North Korea, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Tuesday. She said the allies are also working to further improve their joint readiness. "The United States is fully committed to our alliance with the ROK, providing extended deterrence through the full range of U.S. defense capabilities," the spokesperson told a daily press briefing, referring to South Korea by its official name, the Republic of Korea.


S. Korea to spend at least 60 pct of budget in H1 amid economic fears
South Korea's finance ministry said Wednesday it aims to spend at least 60 percent of the annual budget in the first half of 2023 amid the slowdown in exports and employment. "Of the expenditure plan of 638.7 trillion won (US$500 billion), we will seek to spend at least 60 percent, or 383.2 trillion won, in the first half," the Ministry of Economy and Finance said in a statement. In late December, the National Assembly passed the government budget for 2023. The final package was down 314.2 billion won from the government proposal of 639.4 trillion won.

 

Yoon calls for quickly easing real estate regulations
President Yoon Suk Yeol called Tuesday for quickly easing demand-side regulations in the real estate market to prevent housing prices from crashing. Yoon made the remark while presiding over a joint New Year's policy briefing by the ministry of land and the ministry of environment, suggesting housing prices soared under the previous administration because of its "ideological" approach to real estate issues.

 

                                                    


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

South Korea, US in talks over joint plans on N.Korean nukes
South Korea and the United States said Tuesday they had been discussing the joint operation of US nuclear assets to enhance the alliance’s capabilities to counter North Korean threats, clarifying that an option to stage nuclear exercises was off the table. The presidential office in Seoul confirmed hours after US President Joe Biden flatly denied a White House reporter question whether he was “discussing joint nuclear exercises with South Korea right now.”

 

'For unhappy Koreans, starting families is difficult task'
Na Kyung-won, a four-term lawmaker and the chief of the Presidential Committee on Aging Society and Population Policy, said young Koreans are reluctant to get married and have children because their lives are “very difficult” with “no expectation that their lives will be any better and happier.” Young Koreans living in a highly competitive society have low expectations for their futures, with the thought that they might not live happier lives than their parents.


Seoul education chief eyes edu-tech, global learning
Seoul education governor Cho Hee-yeon laid out the blueprints for a “future-oriented” education system, highlighting the need to ramp up efforts for students hit by pandemic-related setbacks and technology-led education as well as narrow educational inequalities from the school starting gate. The three-term Seoul education superintendent touted his decade-long achievements, saying the past 10 years have changed from an authoritarian education system to a democracy-based education system.

 

 

                                                   

 

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

Korea to bolster local chipmakers with bigger tax breaks
The government will provide a bigger tax credit rate of 15 percent for conglomerates investing in semiconductor facilities and the tax incentive for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) will also rise to 25 percent, the Ministry of Economy and Finance said Tuesday. The decision is aimed at bolstering the global competitiveness of Korea's key industries, such as computer chips and rechargeable batteries, and revive corporate investments amid escalating fears of a global recession, the finance ministry said in a proposed revision to the taxation act.

 

Gov't seeks ICT, nuclear, defense exports in all-in-one package
The government will outline a strategy to facilitate the export of a package of strong local industries encompassing Information Communications Technology (ICT), nuclear energy and defense under the overarching goal of securing overseas construction and infrastructure projects, the ministry said Tuesday. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said the policy initiative will generate overseas construction orders of at least $35 billion (44 trillion won) this year, thereby advancing the country in becoming the fourth-largest global construction market player.

 

S. Korea, US allay jitters over possible rift in extended deterrence against NK
Seoul and Washington tried to dispel what is seen as a rift between the two allies in their stances on extended deterrence to thwart North Korea's nuclear threats. It all began with President Yoon Suk-yeol's remarks during an interview with the Chosun Ilbo daily published on Monday where he was quoted as saying, "South Korea and the U.S. are discussing information sharing, joint planning and joint execution plans regarding U.S. nuclear assets' operation, in order to counter North Korea's nuclear threats."


                                                                                                                  

 

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

Gwangmyeong Daily 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 Heraldwww.smh.com.au

Colombia Reports http://colombiareports.com

Bogota Free Planet http://bogotafreeplanet.com, bfp@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
                                                                                                                

 

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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