Tuesday, February 14, 2023
Round-up of important news from major Korean dailies and from international media today
The Korea Post ( www.koreapost.com )
Yangpyeong-gun promotes meetings, education for heads of towns and villages to attain major 2023 tasks
Yangpyeong-gun, led by Governor Jeon Jin-sun, held a meeting of heads of towns and villages on Feb. 10 to smoothly promote major projects, regional issues, and eup/myeon development plans in 2023 at Yangpyeong-gun Office. The meeting was presided over by Yangpyeong-gun County Governor Jeon Jin-sun, and vice county governor, bureau chiefs, officials, and eup and myeon heads attended to discuss major business issues of eup and myeon and other key pending issue.
Rediscover the seasonal vibrancy of Korea and Japan with Four Seasons this winter
As Japan and Korea open their doors to visitors once again, the warmest welcomes and most reassuring care awaits with Four Seasons. Known as the ‘locals’ favourite season’, winter reveals a new perspective of East Asia that’s perfect for rediscovering the buzzing Four Seasons Hotel Seoul, soaring Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Otemachi, on-trend Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Marunouchi, and tranquil Four Seasons Hotel Kyoto – plus all the exciting seasonal perspectives each city has to offer.
Hyundai Motor participates in 2023 Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Seminar in US
Hyundai Motor this week participated in the 2023 Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Seminar (HFCS), held in Long Beach, Calif., where it explored opportunities to expand its hydrogen business in the North American commercial vehicle market. Organized by the Fuel Cell & Hydrogen Energy Association (FCHEA) and supported by the U.S. government, HFCS is the largest hydrogen industry event in North America, with a history of more than 40 years.
Chosun Ilbo (http://english.chosun.com)
Universities Struggle to Integrate Foreign Students
Private universities in Korea often struggle to integrate students from China and other countries who do not speak the language. Sogang University has set up two new classes for Chinese students in the new semester in March. Taught by Chinese professors, they are only open to students from China who have trouble following Korean lectures. Hyun Dae-won, a professor at the university, said, "We hired two Chinese lecturers and opened two new classes for students from China. We hope that they'll serve as mentors for the students."
Many Koreans Feel Awkward Taking off Their Masks
Many people are still wearing masks both indoors and out although they no longer have to. Particularly young people who have spent nearly three years of their short lives behind masks are experiencing anxiety without them. In a poll of 2,200 people by Lotte last month, before the indoor mask mandate was lifted, 59 percent of respondents opposed it. Some 13.7 percent said they were against because they feel awkward without a mask. A 28-year-old high school teacher who has been in the job for four years has not shown her bare face to students yet. "New teachers, who started teaching in the coronavirus pandemic feel awkward not wearing a mask because they've never been in class without it,
S.Korea to Upgrade Artillery Defense Missiles
South Korea has pledged to develop an improved tactical surface-to-surface missile with a range of about 300 km that would be able to pulverize North Korea's long-range artillery guns with pinpoint accuracy, a military source said Sunday. The current Korean TSSM has a range of 180 km and was developed to strike North Korea's long-range artillery pieces that pose a threat to the capital region from near the demilitarized zone. But the improved version would have a much longer range so it can hit underground bunkers far north of Pyongyang and a caliber of 600 mm to match the North's large artillery.
Joongang Ilbo (https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com )
Turkish ambassador calls relief effort a 'test of humanity'
Turkish Ambassador to Seoul Murat Tamer described the devastating earthquake which struck Turkey one week ago as a "test of humanity" and thanked the Korean government and people for doing its part to support his country from "Day One." "We are deeply touched by this," said Tamer as he sat for an interview with the Korea JoongAng Daily at his embassy in central Seoul on Monday. "From the top of the government, from President Yoon Suk Yeol to the ordinary Koreans walking on the street, we felt like their hearts are beating for us, and with us."
Korea's veteran arctic researchers see big changes over the years
Twenty-four years ago when a Korean researcher set foot on Arctic sea ice, the scenery there looked quite different. When I first reached 75 degrees north in August 1999, the region was filled with two- to three-meter-thick perennial sea ice,” Kang Sung-ho, president of the Korea Polar Research Institute (Kopri), told Korea JoongAng Daily on Feb. 1 in Tromso, where the annual Arctic Frontiers event took place. “But every time I went back there since then, I could see the ice thinning, and pieces of broken ice floating in the water.”
Education must make entrepreneurs, not workers: Yunus
People should not be job seekers, but should be entrepreneurs themselves, a Nobel laureate told the mayor of Korea's capital city. That's what 2006 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus, the Bangladeshi social entrepreneur and chairman of the Dhaka-based think tank Yunus Centre, told Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon when they sat down for a discussion on Seoul's future at Seoul City Hall on Monday.
The Dong-A Ilbo (http://english.donga.com/)
The Philippines may offer base to US in case of Taiwan emergency
In the event of an armed conflict between the U.S. and China in the Taiwan Strait, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. (photo) said that it would be difficult to conceive of a scenario in which the Philippines is not involved. In an interview with the Nikkei on Monday, the president mentioned, “I hope there will be no conflict (in Taiwan), but we feel we are on the frontline.” The newspaper reported that the comment from the president, who completed his visit to Japan the previous day, implies that the country will allow its military base to be used by the U.S. army in case of armed conflict.
‘No Landing’ scenario is on the rise for U.S. economy
Experts say the ‘No Landing scenario,’ meaning the U.S. economy would continue to fly high without experiencing recession or slowdown, is becoming a stronger possibility. This is not a soft or hard landing, but a third possibility is gaining traction thanks to the country’s positive economic signals, including the employment rate. An article from The Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday (local time) that “now have some economists pointing to a third scenario that seemed improbable just a few weeks ago: an economic growth upturn.”
Photos of Korean War heroes to be restored by AI technologies
Marking the 70th anniversary of the Korean Armistice Agreement, the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs is carrying out a project to restore faded black-and-white photos of the South Korean and U.N. forces in the Korean War to high-resolution color photos using artificial intelligence (AI) technology. It aimed to commemorate the vivid images of heroes who safeguarded freedom and peace in Korea 70 years ago. On Tuesday, the ministry will hold an agreement ceremony for the project “Immortal Heroes of the Korean War Return as Young Men” at Sungkyunkwan University’s 600th Anniversary Hall in Jongno-ju, Seoul.
Maeil Business News Korea (http://www.pulsenews.co.kr/)
Number of SK Group affiliates exceeds 200 for first time
SK Group, South Korea’s second-largest conglomerate, has the largest number of affiliated companies among 76 business groups with 5 trillion won ($3.9 billion) or more in assets, data showed Monday. According to the Fair Trade Commission (FTC), SK Group had 201 affiliates as of Feb. 1, six more from three months ago. It is the first time for the number of affiliates among conglomerates to exceed 200 since 1987.
Korean authorities identify $9.5 billion in illegal overseas remittances
The South Korean government has identified 12 trillion won ($9.5 billion) worth of illegal overseas remittances related to virtual assets last year, five times the amount seen between 2018 and 2021, data showed Sunday. Maeil Business Newspaper has learned that the Korea Customs Service and the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) have reported to prosecutors cases worth 12.07 trillion won worth of illegal overseas remittance tied to cryptocurrency trades in 2022. The amount includes 5.7 trillion won in bank transfers uncovered by the Korea Customs Service and $5.04 billion in abnormal transfers through NH Futures Co. caught by the FSS.
Trade deficit hits nearly $5 billion during first 10 days of February
South Korea is expected to suffer a trade deficit for 11 straight months this month due to a continuous decline in exports of chips and outbound shipments to China, data showed on Monday. The country’s exports gained 11.9 percent on year to $17.6 billion in the first 10 days of February, driven by stronger shipments of automobiles and more working days, according to the data from the Korea Customs Service. But the daily export volume fell 14.5 percent on year because the number of working days was 8.5 days, up by two from a year ago.
HanKyoReh Shinmun (http://english.hani.co.kr)
Lights, drones and tears: What N. Korea hides in the spectacle of the military parade
Korean society is abuzz with news about North Korea’s recent military parade. As early as a month before the event, reports drew on satellite imagery to predict that a military parade would be held on Feb. 8, the anniversary of the founding of the Korean People’s Army. There was endless speculation about what new weapons would be unveiled, whether Kim Jong-un would make an appearance, and, were he to speak, what his speech would be about. If the goal of North Korea’s military parade was to draw the eyes of the outside world, the strategy succeeded.
Korea’s atrocities in Vietnam, in the words of those who saw and survived them
In a historic ruling, a victim of a civilian massacre perpetrated by South Korean soldiers during the Vietnam War has won a compensation lawsuit against the South Korean government. This marks the first time that South Korea, the perpetrator, has been held legally culpable for the civilian massacre that took place in Phong Nhị Village, Điện Bàn District, Quang Nam Province in 1968. On Feb. 7, Park Jin-su, the presiding judge in the 68th civil division at the Seoul Central District Court, ruled in favor of plaintiff Nguyen Thi Thanh, 63, in her lawsuit filed against the Korean government.
In Korean politics, partisanship acts as pretext for hatred
There are no media channels devoted to badmouthing different races. There are also no media channels dedicated to denigrating people of various genders. Well, those sorts of channels do exist, but there are no mainstream media channels that draw their audiences by talking about such issues out in the open. However, there are some media channels that focus openly on belittling opposing political parties and people with different political opinions. In fact, it’s more accurate to say that there are many, not just some. They also happen to be very influential. We don’t think that this is strange.
The KyungHyangShinmun (http://english.khan.co.kr/)
Hybe Has the Advantage in SM Acquisition Regardless of Court’s Decision on Lee Soo-man’s Injunction Request
As Hybe follows Kakao and joins the bid for SM Entertainment, the battle over the management of the entertainment company has now become one between Kakao, Align Partners, and SM versus Hybe and former SM chief Lee Soo-man. The court’s decision on executive producer Lee Soo-man’s request for an injunction blocking the issuance of new shares and convertible bonds will be an important turning point in determining who will take over the management of SM Entertainment.
A Man Kidnaps His Ex-lover after She Reported Him for Dating Violence and Confesses to “Doing Drugs Together”
The police captured a man in his twenties who kidnapped and confined his ex-girlfriend, after she reported him to the police for dating violence. On February 13, the Gwanak Police Station in Seoul announced that the police arrested and were questioning A, a twenty-something male, and his friend B, an accomplice who provided the vehicle, for joint confinement based on the Punishment of Violences Act. According to the police, the two men went to the house of C, A’s ex-girlfriend, at around 1:50 a.m. Sunday. They told her they were going to get some things A had left at her home and when C opened the door to hand over the items, they pulled her out of the house and locked her in the car.
Quick to Remove Directors of General Administration, Yet 70% of Those Positions in National Universities Remain Vacant
Five months have passed since the Ministry of Education suddenly removed a large number of directors overseeing the general administration of national universities claiming to remove ministry officials from the position, but the office of the director of general administration still remains vacant in seven out of ten schools. By hastily promoting a policy, the education ministry created a vacancy in a position that oversees the overall management of a university at a crucial moment in seeking solutions to challenges faced by local universities.
KBS(http://world.kbs.co.kr/service)
S. Korea, US, Japan Agree to Bolster Cooperation against N. Korean Nuclear Threat
South Korea, the United States and Japan have reaffirmed their commitment to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and agreed to enhance trilateral cooperation to counter North Korea's nuclear and missile threats. South Korea's First Vice Foreign Minister Cho Hyun-dong, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Takeo Mori issued the position in a joint press conference on Monday after their three-way talks in Washington.
Death Toll from Türkiye-Syria Earthquake Surpasses 37,000
The death toll from the seven-point-eight magnitude earthquake in southeastern Türkiye and Syria has reportedly topped 37-thousand. According to the Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Authority(AFAD) on Monday, 31-thousand-643 people have died following last Monday's strong quake and aftershocks. With at least five-thousand-700 deaths in Syria, the combined death toll in the two nations has reportedly exceeded 37-thousand, much larger than the toll of 31-thousand recorded in the 2003 earthquake in Iran.
VOA: UNSC Fails to Adopt Presidential Statement on N. Korea's ICBM Launch
The UN Security Council has reportedly failed to adopt a presidential statement condemning North Korea's launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile in November last year. According to the Voice of America on Tuesday, a spokesperson for the U.S. mission to the United Nations said that the Security Council could not pursue the statement as two members "refused to engage" in working-level negotiations. Although the official did not specify the two members, the statement appears to have referred to China and Russia, which have been opposed to such statements or new sanctions against the North.
Yonhap (http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr)
Yoon orders maximum relief supplies for quake-hit Turkey
President Yoon Suk Yeol instructed the government Monday to mobilize all available resources to secure maximum relief supplies for quake-hit Turkey, his office said. Yoon gave the instruction during a weekly meeting with his senior secretaries, saying South Korea must be more eager than anyone to help Turkey recover from the devastating earthquake as an "ally forged in blood and a brother nation," presidential spokesperson Lee Do-woon said during a press briefing.
U.S., S. Korea and Japan will jointly deter N. Korean threat: Wendy Sherman
The United States, South Korea and Japan will work together to deter North Korea's nuclear and missile threats and to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said Monday. The U.S. diplomat also insisted that trilateral cooperation among the U.S. and its two allies is only getting stronger. "The DPRK continued to threaten the ROK, Japan and its neighbors and the world with the launch of an unprecedented number of ballistic missiles last year," Sherman said, referring to North Korea by its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
China's defense chief sends congratulatory message to N. Korea over army anniversary
China's defense minister has sent a congratulatory message to his North Korean counterpart on the occasion of the North's 75th founding anniversary of its armed forces last week, Pyongyang's state media said Tuesday. In the letter to North Korean Defense Minister Kang Sun-nam, China's defense chief Wei Fenghe pledged efforts to promote the ties of the two nations' armies and defend regional peace, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
The Korea Herald (http://www.koreaherald.com)
US, S. Korea and Japan will jointly deter N. Korean threat: Wendy Sherman
The United States, South Korea and Japan will work together to deter North Korea's nuclear and missile threats and to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula, US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said Monday. The US diplomat also insisted that trilateral cooperation among the US and its two allies is only getting stronger. "The DPRK continued to threaten the ROK, Japan and its neighbors and the world with the launch of an unprecedented number of ballistic missiles last year," Sherman said, referring to North Korea by its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
‘Paper tiger’ NPS rebrands self as vocal shareholder, but motives murky
The new chief investment officer of the National Pension Service, the country's largest investor, vowed in December last year to be a more vocal shareholder to shore up returns and assert more control over how companies are run. In other words, the CIO aims to more strictly follow the so-called “stewardship code.”
The code is based on the premise that an institutional investor that manages people’s money is in a similar position to a steward who manages a large house or ship.
‘Ahn would get Yoon impeached’: In ruling party chair race, campaign speech goes awry
The ruling People Power Party candidates for the leadership role embarked on a joint tour across the country on Monday with Jeju as the first stop. With the March 8 convention less than a month away, the top contenders’ allegiance to the Yoon Suk Yeol administration is becoming a major talking point in the leadership race. Although the presidential office has officially espoused no particular candidate, as is the norm, the candidate most widely supported by Yoon’s base is Rep. Kim Gi-hyeon. Kim has touted his loyalty to Yoon and his ability to work smoothly with the president as one of his main appeals.
The Korea Times (http://www.koreatimes.co.kr)
Turkey-Syria quake toll rises above 35,000
The toll from last week's earthquake in Turkey and Syria rose above 35,000 on Monday, as rescue teams started to wind down the search for survivors and the aid effort shifted to hundreds of thousands of people made homeless. Eight days after the 7.8-magnitude tremor, Turkish media reported a handful of people were still being pulled from the rubble as excavators dug through ruined cities. The confirmed death toll rose to 35,224 as officials and medics said 31,643 people had died in Turkey and 3,581 in Syria after the February 6 earthquake, the fifth deadliest since the start of the 21st century.
Samsung, KAIST to nurture robotics experts
Samsung Electronics and the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) signed an agreement to establish the Samsung Electronics Robotics Talent Training Program at the school's main campus in Daejeon on Monday. The program aims to foster professionals to lead research and development for the local robotics industry. It is a recruitment-linked master's course and Samsung and KAIST will select 10 scholarship students every year from 2023. They will go through a robotics-related curriculum studying advanced theories and building practical capabilities in the field.
Seoul mayor takes cue from Nobel laureate on helping the poor
Bangladeshi social entrepreneur Muhammad Yunus, who won the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize for pioneering the concept of microcredit and microfinance, met with Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon at city hall, Monday. Oh had requested the Nobel laureate, whose Grameen Bank offered loans to entrepreneurs who are too poor to qualify for traditional bank loans, to teach him how to help the economically vulnerable groups in Seoul. The lesson from the Bangladeshi economist was both straightforward and challenging for Korea, a country that emerged from the ashes of the 1950-53 Korean War to become one of the world's representative success stories of capitalism lifting a country out of extreme poverty.
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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
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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
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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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