February 3, 2014
The Korean daily media headlines and humor
Monday, February 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 notice:
Is your National Day coming up soon? Or is the Head of State of your esteemed country visiting Korea soon?
You may have the portrait painting of your Head of State painted by a famed Korean portrait artist who has painted the portraits of President George W. Bush, President Lee Myung-bak at Cheong Wa Dae, President Park Chung-Hee, the then First Lady Park Geun-hye and various other most important persons of Korea and the world.
Price of the portrait painting is normally 30 million won (US$30,000) for 30 Ho (90cm x 72cm) which, however, is discounted to mere two to five million won (US$2,000 to US$5,000) for the same size because the balance is covered by the promotional coverage of the artist involved provided by the four media units of The Korea Post (one print monthly and three electronic media).
These famed Korean artists are also famous for their landscapes, figure painting (including nudes) and still life works. Please visit the following sites of The Korea Post Internet for sample paintings.
Please directly call Chairman Lee of The Korea Post at 010-5201-1740 for immediate contact with the artists.
http://koreapost.koreafree.co.kr/board/index.html?id=artgallery&no=3http://koreapost.koreafree.co.kr/board/index.html?id=artgallery&no=11http://koreapost.koreafree.co.kr/board/index.html?id=artgallery&no=1
H.M. Sultan Qaboos Bin Said of Oman.
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Humor from Korean-language economic dailies this morning:
Seoul Kyungje
A man received a message from his neighbor, "Sorry, sir. I am using your wife. I am using it day and night. I am using when you are not present at home. In fact, I am using it more than You are using it. I confess this because now I feel guilty very much. Hope You will accept my sincere apology."
The man went home and had a big fight with his wife.
A few minutes later he received another message, "Sorry Sir, spelling mistake. It's not wife but wifi."
Hankuk Kyungje
Agony Uncle
If Dear Abby was a man….
Q - My fiance still has feelings for his old girlfriends. I’m afraid he will not be faithful.
A - A man’s capacity to love is boundless. It has been proven to increase with the number of sexual partners. Thus, having a few other women, your partner is really increasing his love for you. Best thing to do is cook him a nice meal.
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KBS (http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/news/)
US House Committee Chief Visits Statue Honoring Sex Slave Victims
U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Edward Royce has visited a statue in California that honors Korean victims of Japan’s wartime sex slavery.
S. Korea Posts Trade Surplus for 24 Months Straight
South Korea continued its trade surplus streak in January for the 24th month in a row.
Bean Goose Found in Suwon Tests Positive for Virulent AI
A bean goose that was found dead in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, earlier this week has tested positive for a highly pathogenic strain of avian influenza (AI).
Inter-Korean Trade Tumbles to Lowest Level in 8 Yrs.
ter-Korean trade tumbled last year to the lowest level in eight years.
Pressure on Working Age Population to Support the Elderly Surges
A new assessment finds that the number of elderly citizens that South Korea’s working age population has to support tripled during the past 40 years.
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Yonhap (http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr)
Document shows Japan's aggressive lobbying against East Sea name
The Japanese Embassy in Washington signed a US$75,000 contract recently with a major U.S. public affairs firm in a bid to kill a legislation on the use of the "East Sea" name, according to a related document.
Foreigners' stock selling spree continued last month: data
Foreign investors continued their sell-off of South Korean stocks in January amid concerns over the U.S. Fed's tapering of its stimulus and gloomy corporate earnings outlook, data showed on Monday.
Gov't to enforce 'indefinite crackdown' on illegal circulation of client data
The government on Sunday announced a plan to launch an intensive crackdown on the illegal distributors of personal data to prevent further damage from the latest massive leak of customer data from three leading credit card firms.
Seoul, Washington sign new defense cost sharing pact
South Korea and the United States signed their new pact Sunday on sharing the costs of keeping American troops in South Korea, the foreign ministry here said.
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The Korea Herald (http://www.koreaherald.com)
Work, life balance tall order for Korean moms
Lee So-young, a 35-year-old mother of two daughters, was a straight-A student at college. “I was quite ambitious at ...
News ListKorea-Japan ties approach nadir
The relationship between South Korea and Japan is plunging toward its nadir as Tokyo shows no s...
Oil spill spreads off Yeosu
Crude oil spewed into the sea off the southern coast of South Korea on Friday, after a Singapor...
Lenovo-Motorola out to overtake Apple, Samsung in smartphones
Lenovo, the world’s largest personal computer maker, is ready to beef up its smartphone busine...
Israeli premier rejects Kerry's boycott ...
IOC urging Sochi to sort out hotel probl...
Gov't to enforce 'indefinite crackdown' ...
Korea-Japan feud rages in U.S.
More AI cases reported nationwide over h...
Divorce lawsuits soar 24% after Lunar Ne...
Seoul shares may gain ground this week: ...
Back to life
Parties dig heels in at parliament
Unresponsive N.K. frustrates Seoul over ...
Syrian forces launch new Aleppo strikes
Indonesian volcano erupts again, kills 1...
Thai elections go ahead despite protests
Ukrainian opposition holds rally after E...
Abortion-rights rally in Madrid lambaste...
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The Korea Times (http://www.koreatimes.co.kr)
Abe scheme raises old question anew
By now, it is quite clear what Japan’s latest moves are all about. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe made it clear beyond all doubt last week that his country is willing to take the issue of Dokdo to the International Court of ...
CEO risk weighs on SK future
SK Group is backpedaling in its overseas energy projects because of the incarceration of its chief. In the latest example, SK Energy, an affiliate of SK Group, pulled out of the final bid to acquire a controlling stake worth up ...
Parties set to square off at Assembly
The ruling Saenuri Party and the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) have been gearing up for a ...
3 card firms suspended for 3 months
This is the first time for the FSS to order a business suspension against a credit card firm since...
Korean delegation arrives in Sochi
Korean athletes and officials began arriving in Sochi, Sunday (KST), five days before the start of...
Park gets 2nd nephew
President Park Geun-hye got a second nephew on the Lunar New Year’s Day, Friday.
French cartoon festival highlights sex slavery victims
A special exhibition about Korean women forced into sexual slavery during World War II attracted n...
Extent of oil spill in Yeosu unclear
An oil tanker crashed into three floating bridges supporting pipelines connected to a pier in the ...
Bird flu cases spike during Seollal holiday
The threat of avian influenza has expanded across the country during the Lunar New Year holiday we...
Genesis changes image of Korean car
Hyundai Motor’s new Genesis was one of the most anticipated cars last year. It was said to be a ca...
BMW 5 Series GT displays versatility
One of the dilemmas motorists face when buying a new vehicle is whether to choose a sedan or SUV, ...
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Dong A (http://english.donga.com)
Korea’s records at Sochi Olympics depends on Lee Seong-hoon
At the Sochi Olympics starting on Friday (local time), Lee Seung-hoon will be the first to compete once again among the Korean national team. He aims at his third Olympic medal and Korea’s first medal in men’s...
Fighting against oil pollution
Policemen, government officials, soldiers, and volunteers clean up oil spills with absorbents and scoop nets on Sunday off the coast of Yeosu where oil spills occurred after an oil tanker collided with a pipeline on...
Europe cries over cartoons on comfort women
The biggest issue at the Angouleme International Comics Festival, which ended in Angoulem, France on Sunday (local time), was the Korean cartoon exhibition “The Unfading Flower.” The special exhibition, which brought...
Will thawing sanctions against Iran boost construction business?
GS E&C, a Korean construction company, has recently started to survey the Iranian market to decide on its entry into the market. This proactive attempt is a response to the limited lifting of sanctions against Iran.
Former minister Kang to declare candidacy for Ahn’s new party
Kang Bong-gyun, former finance and economy minister, made a firm decision to run for the governorship of North Jeolla Province as candidate for Ahn Cheol-soo’s new party.
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Chosun Ilbo (http://english.chosun.com)
Veteran Supporting Actors Behind Success of Domestic Films
The influence of supporting actors is growing as they play a critical role in helping to set new box-office records for Korean films even though they may appear on screen for only a few minutes.
Climate of Fear Sparks Strange Behavior in Pyongyang
A climate of fear in North Korea since the bloody execution of leader Kim Jong-un's uncle Jang Song-taek is manifesting some odd behavior, especially in Pyongyang where the nervous elite live.
How Korean New Year Traditions Differ from Neighbors'
Korea, China and Japan share some traditions, but each has also each developed its own distinctive traditions for the Lunar New Year. People in Korea and China prepare food for an ancestral memorial service.
China's Lenovo Buys Google's Smart Phone Business
China's fast-growing Lenovo Group technology business is buying the troubled smartphone manufacturing division owned by Google, the giant U.S. Internet company. Lenovo, already...
White House to Address Petition to Deport Justin Bieber
The White House says it will be responding to a petition calling for the deportation of troubled Canadian-born pop star Justin Bieber. With more than 234,000 signatures and...
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Hankyoreh (http://english.hani.co.kr)
S. Korean companies’ shameful self-portrait in Southeast Asia
Enterprises from S. Korea are gaining a reputation for particularly flagrant abuse of workers’ rights
Forgetting can be bliss. Many South Koreans today have no memory of the role that long hours and low wages played in laying the groundwork for economic growth four decades ago. The appeal of “made in Korea” clothing of the 1960s and 1970s lay in its cheapness. As South Korean wages rose, companies began looking elsewhere. They headed to factories in China and the Philippines - borders had no meaning. Since wages have risen in those countries, the companies have started moving once again, this time to places like Cambodia and Burma (also called Myanmar). Monthly average wages for a sewing factory worker in those countries are US$150 and US$110-120, respectively - well below the US$250 in China and Vietnam.
S. Korean companies’ shameful self-portrait in Southeast Asia
Gunshots have rung out once again on continental South Asia, this time in Chittagong, a port city in the south of Bangladesh. As the police suddenly opened fire, the 5,000 workers demonstrating in front of a Youngone shoemaking plant in the Korean Export Processing Zone (KEPZ) quickly scattered. One of them, a 20-year-old woman, was hit. She was taken to the hospital, where her heart stopped. The bloodbath came amid the workers’ payday protests over how their stipends had been cut.
An elderly sage says the taste of life is bitter, but sweet
The details of Mr. Chae Hyun-gook’s history are not well documented. The year of his birth is unknown. He is from Daegu. He graduated from Seoul National University with a degree in philosophy. He once was wealthy enough to be one of the top ten payers of income tax in the country. This was when he ran Heungkuk coal mining with his father, Chae Gi-yeup, in Gangwon province. Chae Hyun-gook was the last hope for democracy among the chased and prosecuted people during Park Chung-hee’s Yushin period in the 1970s. According to senior journalist Lim Jae-kyung, Chae was a financial sponsor of the progressive Changbi Quarterly and a “revolutionary figure” who provided housing for fired reporters.
Who is a false prophet?
A heated war of words is under way over a recently opened memorial hall for Ahn Jung-geun in Harbin, China. On one side is the Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary, who described Ahn as a “terrorist sentenced to death for killing Japan’s first Prime Minister.” On the other is the South Korean Foreign Ministry, which calls him a “great man who gave his life for this country’s independence and true peace in East Asia.” When Ahn, a Korean independence activist, fatally shot Hirobumi Ito at Harbin Station on Oct. 26, 1909, an English-language newspaper in Kyungsung (the name Seoul went by back then) reported it as a “heroic act by the Catholic Ahn Eung-chil.” Bishop Mutel of the Chosun apostolic vicariate (today’s Archdiocese of Seoul) protested, saying Ahn was not a Catholic.
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Joong Ang (conservative): (http://koreajoongangdaily.joinsmsn.com/)
French ‘comfort women’ exhibit draws crowds
ANGOULEME, France - Thousands of people gathered at a leading international comic festival in southwestern France over the Lunar New Year holiday. This year’s festival focused on the plight of the women and girls who were forced into sexual enslavement by the Japanese military during World War II…
For data leaks, a big punishment
Local financial authorities will impose a three-month business suspension on each of the three credit card companies accused of mishandling their customers’ information…
Authorities work to contain oil spill
The scope of an oil spill on Friday that was spurred by a cracked pipeline in the sea off the southern coast has yet to be determined, authorities have said…
In new project, western island will be revamped
Just a mere 55 kilometers, or 34 miles, from the shores of Taean County in South Chungcheong, lies Gyeokryeolbiyeol Island, an uninhabited land mass that serves…
Public companies aim to slash debt
The Ministry of Strategy and Finance said yesterday that 38 public institutions resubmitted their plans to reduce debt and improve management as the government…
Money transfer app has officials on their guard
The Central District Prosecutors’ Office imposed a travel ban on the head of a mobile application company on Saturday over suspicions that he created a smartphone app…
Korea: Abe’s proposal ‘meaningless’
The Korean government denounced Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s remarks that Tokyo is planning on raising the Dokdo islets issue at the International Court of Justice…
Worshipping Kim Il Sung ruled illegal by top court
The Supreme Court overturned the partial acquittal in the case involving Jo Young-nam, a South Korean man who visited Pyongyang illegally and paid respects…
As Korea ages, long-term care insurance rises
The rapid aging of Korean society has become one of the biggest concerns facing the country. A thinning work force in Korea has caused a reduction in contributions…
Starting firms in Korea costs more than in U.S.
Korea’s regulatory environment is more conducive for starting a business, ranking better than other East Asian nations like China and Japan…
Experts disagree over emerging market woes
The financial crunch engulfing some emerging markets in the world appears to have worsened after the U.S. Federal Reserve decided to continue tapering…
Holidays lead to drop in exports in January
Korean exports shrank in annual terms during January for the first time in four months, preliminary data showed on Saturday, undercut by the effects of the Lunar New Year holidays…
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Edaily (http://eng.edaily.co.kr/Stock/)
[Table- Weekly Market] Weekly Fluctuation of World Index
01.27~01.31 this is the weekly fluctuation of world index. [table] Weekly fluctuation of world index ...
[US the closing price]The U.S. Dow Jones Index, -149.76p(-0.94%) slightly down.
The U.S. Dow Jones Index Closing (At 2014.01.31) The Dow closed at 15,698.85p, slightly down -149.76p(-0....
[Table- Weekly Market] Weekly Fluctuation of Interest Rate
01.27~01.31 this is the weekly fluctuation of interest rate. [table] Weekly fluctuation of interest rate ...
[Table]Exchange Rate Quotation
This is Exchange rate Quotation offered by Korea Exchange Bank. [table] Exchange Rate Quotation Offered by KEB ...
[Table- Weekly Market] Weekly Fluctuation of Exchange Rate
01.27~01.31 this is the weekly fluctuation of exchange rate. [table] Weekly fluctuation of exchange rate ...
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Maeil Kyungje (neutral-oriented conservative, economic/business): (http://news.mk.co.kr/english/)