The Korean daily media headlines and humor

The Korean daily media headlines and humor

Friday, January 3, 2014

Good morning, Excellency!
Here are The Korea Post news, African proverbs, humor from Korean-language economic dailies, and a roundup of important headlines from all major Korean-language dailies, TV and other news media this morning:
/s/
        
Lee Kyung-sik
Publisher-Chairman
Korea Post Media
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The Korea Post news

'One of Seven Wonders of Winter' for a 22-day run

Hwacheon Mountain Trout Ice Festival opens Jan. 4 

Ambassadors and families are invited to attend the Festival on

Thursday January 17, 2014. (Further details and photos are toward the end of this Headlines.)

A recent poster introducing some of the events at the Hwacheon Mountain Trout
Festival on January 4-26, 2014. Ambassadors and senior diplomats are invited with
Their spouses and families to attend the Festival on Thursday January 17, 2014.
Individual invitation has already been transmitted to the Ambassadors and the senior
Diplomats. In the event of our transmission failure, please contact Ms. Kim Jeong-mi

At Tel 2298-1740/2, 010-3388-1682 or edt@koreapost.com. English-speaking callers
Please call David Chung at the same number and email address.
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This morning we have the wonderful Facebook share of His Excellency former Ambassador Mustafa Kamal of Bangladesh in Seoul:

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Dr. Sang-Ki Hahn's African wise-sayings:

Do not borrow off the earth, for the earth will require its own back with interest.
-An African proverb

It is a person who is acquainted with the dog that chains it.
-A Nigerian proverb

To good clothes no ornament is added.
-A Kenyan proverb

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Humor from Korean-language economic dailies this morning:

Seoul Kyungje

An attractive young lady was at the dentist for a tooth extraction.
He gave her the usual "This won't hurt a bit" line before bending over her with the proper tool in his hand.
Suddenly, he drew back in complete alarm. "Excuse me, miss," he said in a barely audible whisper, "but you have hold of my testicles!"
"Yes, I know," she said with a slight grin, "and we aren't going to hurt each other, now are we?"

Hankuk Kyungje
Victorian Times
In a class at an American design school the professor began discussing Victorian times.
“In those times a woman’s ability to cook, keep a clean house and sew was considered an important indicator of her morality,” the instructor said. “A dirty house was the sign of a fallen woman. What would we call a young woman today who couldn’t cook, clean house or sew?”
A woman replied, “Normal.”
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KBS (http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/news/)

Park Discusses N. Korea, Regional Issues with UN Chief
President Park Geun-hye has pledged to make great efforts to achieve peace on the Korean Peninsula.

Gov't to Build Support Center on Dokdo
The government and North Gyeongsang Province will build a support center for tourists this year on the Dokdo islets in the East Sea.

Rep. Ahn Closer to Forming New Party
Independent Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo is stepping up his efforts to launch a new political party.

S. Korean Biz Leaders Stress Innovation to Grow in 2014
Anchor: The leaders of Samsung, Hyundai Motor and other major South Korean conglomerates marked the new year on Thursday by speaking about their companies' goals for 2014.

Parliament Approves 2014 Budget, Passes NIS Reform Bill
Lawmakers passed this year's budget plan in the early hours on New Year's day, missing the year-end deadline for the second year in a row.

'President Not Considering Cabinet Reshuffle'

Gov't Seeks Revision to Allow Spouses to Inherit Larger Share

Saenuri Official Urges Ruling, Opposition Camps to Reform
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Yonhap (http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr)

U.S. says denuclearization is unswerving priority on N. Korea
The U.S. government said Wednesday that the only notable thing in North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's New Year speech was a lack of his commitment to denuclearization.

Park In-bee voted top female golfer of 2013 by U.S. golf writers
South Korean LPGA Tour star Park In-bee has been voted the top female golfer for 2013 by American golf journalists.

Commission approves restart of three reactors in fake parts scandal
South Korea's nuclear commission on Thursday approved the restart of three nuclear reactors that were suspended after being found to have used substandard parts approved under fabricated quality certificates.

No Cabinet shakeup in works: presidential chief of staff
President Park Geun-hye has no plans to shake up the Cabinet, her chief of staff said Thursday, rejecting persistent media speculation that she could replace some underperforming ministers to push harder for her agenda in her second year in office.
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The Korea Herald (http://www.koreaherald.com)

DP outlook worsens on Ahn’s party prospects
The upcoming local elections are gripping the political arena with six months left, while independent Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo...

Seoul steps up diplomacy amid N.K. uncertainty, Abe’s shrine visit
South Korea is ratcheting up diplomatic efforts with the U.S. and China amid growing uncertainty surrounding North Korea following the execution of leader Kim Jong-un’s uncle. Seo...

Corporate Korea’s New Year resolutions
Samsung embracing changes yet againAs he has done in many times in the past, Samsung Group chai...

Homeplus union threatens strike
Unionized workers at Homeplus, the nation’s second-largest chain store owned by the U.K.’s Te...

Kerry in Israel for new round of Mideast...

All passengers confirmed rescued from ic...

Stocks start bearish on first trading da...

Commission approves restart of three rea...

Kicking off new year

Cheong Wa Dae denies reshuffle speculati...

America’s first marijuana stores open i...

White House to address petition to remov...

Visa waiver expected to bring more Russi...

KORAIL plans gradual return to normal se...

Hike in Dokdo budget misses original tar...

Court rules against cadet’s expulsion

Seoul City still faces child care defici...

Ahn steps up moves to create new party

S. Sudan peace talks to open in Ethiopia
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The Korea Times (http://www.koreatimes.co.kr)

Can US deal with Asian sensitivities?
Can the United States react properly to Asian sensitivities? The answer will come when it hosts top officials from South Korea and Japan this month. Senior officials of the two countries are scheduled to visit the U.S. to explai...

Drone strikes kill up to 271 in 2013
President Barack Obama’s mid-year decision to wind down drone strikes has accounted for a lower number of deaths resulting from such actions in 2013 but still killed at least 271, newly compiled data indicates.
F-35 purchase to set off air power vacuum 
If Lockheed Martin wins Korea’s “next-generation” fighter program for 40 under-development F-35 Li...
'Samsung, Apple in talks over patents'  
A senior Samsung Electronics executive said Thursday the firm is holding working-level discussions... 

Singles face hassle on family gatherings  
Single men and women find it intimidating to participate in family gatherings of people they are i...
KNOC considers selling Canada's Harvest  
The Korea National Oil Corp. (KNOC) is considering selling its overseas assets, including Harvest ...

KORAIL substitutes' job in jeopardy  
Some 200 substitute workers hired to replace striking Korea Railroad Corp. (KORAIL) workers face l... 

Free childcare short of W60 billion  
The Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) has been left with a shortage of 60 billion won for its fr... 

Call for bigger budget for Dokdo snubbed  
The National Assembly’s Budgetary Committee snubbed a call for an increase in the budget for promo... 

Japan's nuclear capability matches US: Chinese daily  
Japan’s nuclear weapons capability equals that of the U.S., a media outlet for the China’s People’... 

Heartthrobs choose big screen for return 
If the younger generation of Korean heartthrob actors dominated on the small screen in 2013, the 3... 

Google, Apple in race for automobiles  
Google and Apple, the largest competitors in digital business, are about to take their battle to a... 

KT to review business projects in Africa 
KT plans to review its business projects in Africa from a zero-base as its new CEO Hwang Chang-gyu... 
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Dong A (http://english.donga.com)

Seoul to drastically increase exchanges with Pyongyang
South Korea`s Ministry of Unification has decided to drastically expand inter-Korean exchanges to the civilian sector in the fields of bilateral economic cooperation and social and cultural exchanges. "In order to make...

`Have fun fishing and sledding on ice`
Catching smelt through an opening in the ice (left) and sledding on the ice are popular leisure activities for people of all ages. People living in the Seoul metropolitan area can enjoy these activities without going to...

Heroine Han Ji-min talks about new movie `Plan Man`
What if actress Han Ji-min, the goddess of innocence, gets not just easy-going but also dirty? The move "Plan Man" to be premiered next Thursday is a story of a man (played by actor Jeong Jae-yeong) who is obsessed with...

Weaker yen jots Korean stock market
The South Korean stock market was shaken on Thursday, the first day of this year`s trading by the soaring value of the Korean won against the dollar and the Japanese yen. The won-yen exchange rate fell below the 1,000...

`Have fun fishing smelt and sledding on ice`
“Smelt and trout fishing” has become one of the most popular winter festivals in Korea. But should people go to some place as far as Gangwon Province to have this fun? Although winter festivals in Inje and Hwacheon in...

New York City opens De Blasio era 

Desire for anti-aging

Help plant trees in N. Korea to facilitate 'green' reunification

Seoul to drastically increase exchanges with Pyongyang

N. Korean leader makes reconciliatory gesture toward S. Korea
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Chosun Ilbo (http://english.chosun.com)

S.Koreans Have Mixed Feelings About Reunification
A majority of South Koreans believe that reunification is in the national interest, but only a few think it will benefit individuals. This was the outcome of a poll conducted by the Chosun Ilbo.

N.Korean Officials Learn Capitalism in Singapore
Around 260 North Korean bureaucrats and other officials took part in an economic training program last year arranged by a non-profit group in Singapore called the Choson Exchange, the group said on its website on Monday. The North Koreans listened to lectures on economics and entrepreneurial topics.

Visa-Free Travel Starts Between Korea and Russia
A visa-free travel agreement between Korea and Russia went into effect on Wednesday with the first group of Russians to enjoy the waiver arriving by ship in Sokcho Port in Gangwon Province. The New Blue Ocean operated by Stena Daea Line carried 322 passengers including 240 Russians.

Rain Makes Comeback with New Album
K-pop superstar Rain has made an official comeback with his sixth album "Rain Effect" after he was out of limelight for about two years for his compulsory military service. Since...

Hospitalized Barbara Bush in 'Good Spirits'
Former first lady Barbara Bush was in good spirits and doing well after being admitted to a Houston hospital earlier this week with a respiratory ailment, a family spokesman said...

U.S., British Newspapers Call for Snowden Clemency
The New York Times and Britain's Guardian newspaper are calling for clemency for Edward Snowden, the former U.S. national security contractor who leaked a massive trove of details...

Ferrari Fans Plan Red Vigil for Schumacher

China to Open High-Speed Rail Link to N.Korean Border in 2015

To pack clothes in a suitcase without wrinkles
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Hankyoreh (http://english.hani.co.kr)

Pres. Park and Kim Jong-un sound different tones in New Year’s addresses

Kim Jong-un discusses autonomy and conciliation, while Park sticks to standard line on inter-Korean relations
On January 1, North and South Korea’s top leaders greeted the new year with two very different New Year’s addresses. President Park Geun-hye, who turns 62 this year, showed a reluctance to take proactive steps to improve relations with Pyongyang, attaching various conditions to the process. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, who is believed to turn 30 this year, demonstrated an active commitment to achieving the goal.

“The Attorney” movie strikes a nerve, draws more than 6 million views
As the movie ended, the theater erupted into applause. Even some of the people weeping in the darkness put their hands together. It was an unusual site to find at an ordinary theater, rather than an advance screening or film festival. The cinema in Seoul was packed on the last night of 2013, filled with people who had come to ring out the year with a viewing of director Yang Woo-suk’s “The Attorney.” The crowd was a diverse bunch sharing a rollercoaster ride of emotion - everyone from middle-aged couples with children to younger working people who had made an “end-of-year outing” of it.

Self-immolating protester dies from burn shock
The man who set himself on fire as he called for the resignation of President Park Geun-hye and a special prosecutor to investigate the National Intelligence Service scandal has died.
According to the Namdaemun Police Department in Seoul on Jan. 1, the man (surnamed Lee, 40) was taken to a hospital after he ignited his body on the afternoon of Dec. 31 on an elevated road next to Seoul Station. Lee died of burns covering his whole body (burn shock) at 7:55 in the morning on Jan. 1 at Hangang Sacred Heart Hospital in Seoul, police said.

NIS director gets feisty in parliament over political interference
Appearing early in the morning on Jan. 1 at the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee, which was reviewing the National Intelligence Service (NIS) reform bill, NIS Director Nam Jae-joon exchanged some angry words with opposition party lawmakers.

Second consecutive year of fewer N. Korean refugees coming South 
An estimated 1,500 North Korean refugees entered South Korea in 2013.The estimate, which is roughly equivalent to the 2012 total, shows that the number has dwindled to less than 2,000 annually for the two years since Kim Jong-un took power in Pyongyang.
According to a Dec. 25 announcement by the Ministry of Unification, a total of 1,420 refugees had received protection authorization following government questioning as of November 2013.
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Joong Ang (conservative): (http://koreajoongangdaily.joinsmsn.com/)

Tycoons call for innovation to get through 2014
‘We have to review every activity of ours to overcome such a crisis.’Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-hee stressed a shift in focus from hardware to software in his New Year message yesterday, as he ushered in another decade of his “new management initiative” of 1993…

To get clients, lawyers are now breaking the law
Cut-throat competition is causing lawyers to break the law in desperate attempts to win potential clients, according to the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office…

Park advised to ease sanctions, engage North
As China’s military presence and Japan’s nationalism swell, specialists in North Korean affairs are advising President Park Geun-hye to mend fences with Pyongyang…

Dokdo preview released by gov’t
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs unveiled a video clip on Wednesday promoting its ownership over the Dokdo islets in the East Sea - which are also claimed by Japan…

June elections will be a test for the ruling party
The 2014 local elections are expected to serve as a sort of mid-term exam for the Park Geun-hye administration, with a nationwide survey conducted by the JoongAng Ilbo predicting neck-and-neck races in most major cities and provinces.

Military protests court’s ruling concerning cadet
The military said yesterday that it would fight a court ruling quashing its expulsion of an officer candidate from the elite Army Academy for having sex with his girlfriend …

Reshuffle rumors are shot down by the chief of staff
Kim Ki-choonPresidential Chief of Staff Kim Ki-choon held an emergency press briefing yesterday amid speculation that a cabinet reshuffle is imminent to make it…

Operations to resume at three nuclear plants
The Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (NSSC) yesterday decided to resume operations at three nuclear power plants that were closed down in May…

Man’s suicide leads to fight between his family, police
A 40-year-old man’s self-immolation on New Year’s Eve on an overpass near Seoul Station has spawned an unexpected quarrel between his bereaved family and the police over what motivated him to take his own life.

Yonsei-ro becomes first public transport zone
Yonsei-ro, the main thoroughfare that stretches from Sinchon Station to the main gate of Yonsei University, will open on Monday as a newly designated public transportation zone…

Gov’t sounds sanguine note on economy
The nation’s top economic chiefs adopted hopeful tones in their New Year messages to the public yesterday despite lingering uncertainties in the global economy…

Gov’t pours funds into SME’s R&D
Small and midsize companies in Korea will be given more funding support by the government for their research and development this year.According to the Small and Medium…

Kospi falls 2.2% in year’s first trading
Korean shares dropped more than 2 percent yesterday on the first trading day of the new year after figures from China showed that its manufacturing index fell in December…
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Edaily (http://eng.edaily.co.kr/Stock/)

[US the closing price]The U.S. Dow Jones Index, -135.31p(-0.82%) slightly down.
The U.S. Dow Jones Index Closing (At 2014.01.02) The Dow closed at 16,441.35p, slightly down -135.31p(-0....

[Table]Exchange Rate Quotation
This is Exchange rate Quotation offered by Korea Exchange Bank. [table] Exchange Rate Quotation Offered by KEB ...
[Table]Exchange Rate Currency Crossrate
2014.01.03 08:10(Korean time), this is Currency Crossrate of major 12 countries. [table] FX Cross Currency ...

[Closed] Domestic rate of return of final bid closed. 3-year government bond up 5bp.
This is the rate of return of final bid. Quoted by Korea Financial Investment Association, domestic rate of return of final bid of 3-year government bond recorded at 2.91%, up ( 5bp) from yesterday. ...
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Maeil Kyungje (neutral-oriented conservative, economic/business): (http://news.mk.co.kr/english/)

Seoul shares down over 2% on first day of trading in 2014
South Korea’s stock market opened the day higher on the first day of the year of ‘Blue Horse,’ but plummeted over two percent on a stronger won and concerns over corporate earnings for the previous fourth quarter. On January 2, the first day of this year’s trading session, the KOPSI lost 44.15 points or 2.2 percent to close at 1,967.19. The won crossed below 1,000 per 100 yen while it climbed to 1,040 won against the greenback in five years and fo.....

S. Korea builders win large-scale river projects in Myanmar
Infrastructure development projects in emerging Southeast Asian countries are attracting a host of companies from countries to a fierce competition.

Foreign carmakers put forward price cuts, new models at start of new year
Foreign carmakers have initiated an aggressive sales tactic with price cuts and new models in South Korea from the start of new year.

Android smartphones grab 95% of 2013 sales in S. Korea
Only five percent of smartphones sold in South Korea last year adopted mobile operating systems other than the “Android.”

Prices of 31 necessities to be disclosed from January
South Korea’s prices of 31 living necessities closely linked to public livelihood, including flour, cookies and tissues will be made public via a consumer group starting this month.

2014 ITU Plenipotentiary Conference to kick off in Busan in Oct
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Plenipotentiary Conference dubbed as the Olympics in the information and communications technology (ICT) will open in Busan, South Korea, in October.