May 08 2014
The Korean daily media headlines and humor
Thursday, May 8, 2014
Here are The Korea Post news, notice, 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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What’s in store in the April issue of The Korea Post?
There are many interesting stories and photos, including untold stories and photos on:
Will South Korea go nuclear?
Who killed President Park Chung-Hee and Dr. Benjamin W. Lee? To what stage had President Park and Dr. Lee arrived in their development of nuclear weapons? Why did they die a sudden mysterious death in connection with their effort to make nuclear weapons?
Many wives of the ambassadors are floral artists. See their wonderful works at the Garden Club meeting.
Scroll down to the bottom for further details on the contents of the controversial stories in the April issue of The Korea Post.
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Humor from Korean economic dailies:
Seoul Kyungje
Dentist: Don't worry, it will take me only a minute to pull your tooth out.
Patient: And how much will it cost me?
Dentist: 100$.
Patient: For a one minute job?!
Dentist: If you prefer, I can be pulling it out for one hour.
Hankuk Kyungje
Noise NuisanceA man came into a music store to buy a mute for his violin.
When he was told the price, he said he couldn’t and wouldn’t pay that much, and stormed out.
A few days later, he returned and started counting out the money.
“I thought you couldn’t afford it,” the store owner said.
“I can’t,” mumbled the violin player. “But the neighbors chipped in.”
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KBS (http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/news/)
Foreign Minister Urges International Community to Address N. Korea's Nuclear ThreatsForeign Minister Yun Byung-se has called on the international community to effectively address North Korea’s nuclear threats against world peace and security.
S.Korea Reaffirms Position Against Lifting NK Sanctions
Seoul's Unification Ministry has reaffirmed its position against lifting its economic sanctions on North Korea.
A ministry official told reporters Wednesday that it would be strange to discuss lifting the sanctions at a time when the North is moving to conduct its fourth nuclear test.
Ceremony Marks Completion of Incheon Asiad Main StadiumIncheon City has held a ceremony marking the completion of the main stadium for the 2014 Asian Games.
Gov't to Introduce Safety Inspectors to Prevent Maritime Disasters
Parties Feud Over Parliament Probe into Ferry Sinking
Report: 1 out 4 S. Koreans Not Willing to Shoulder Unification Costs
Gov't to Support Disaster-hit Service Industry, Regions
Pyeongchang to Host Islamic Investment Roundtable Session
OECD Raises Economic Growth Outlook for S.Korea
Foreign Minister Urges International Community to Address N. Korea's Nuclear Threats
UN Report Recommends N. Korea to Improve Human Rights
NY Senate Passes "East Sea" Bill-----------------------------------------
Yonhap (http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr)
All-out efforts to search sunken ferry continue amid weak currents
Rescue workers continued their search Wednesday for 33 people still missing in the sinking of a ferry 22 days ago, amid favorable weather conditions and slow tidal currents.
The 6,825-ton ferry, the Sewol, plying between Incheon, west of Seoul, and the southern resort island of Jeju, sank in waters off South Korea's southwestern island of Jindo on April 16. Of the 476 people on board, 269 have been confirmed dead, with 172 others rescued on the day of the accident.
Korea's FX reserves hit fresh record high in AprilSouth Korea's foreign exchange reserves set a record high in April on the rise in the value of non-dollar assets and investment profit, the central bank said Thursday.
S. Korea considers reducing civilian control area near DMZThe defense ministry is considering reducing the civilian control area south of the demilitarized zone (DMZ) and easing regulations on other military reservation zones for the convenience of residents, a senior official said Wednesday. The latest move, part of President Park Geun-hye's deregulation initiative, is aimed at making it easier for residents to exercise their land and property rights, officials said.
Korean won rises to over 5-year high against dollarThe Korean currency rose to its highest in more than five years against the U.S. dollar on Wednesday on the back of the greenback's weakness against major currencies and exporters' dollar sales from brisk exports.
China's role in taming N. Korea 'overestimated': expert
North Korea is not likely to heed China's warning against conducting its fourth nuclear test, a Chinese expert said Wednesday, arguing that Beijing's role in taming Pyong..
4 out of 10 S. Koreans unwilling to shoulder unification cost: pollFour out of 10 South Koreans are unwilling to shoulder the economic burden of potential unification with North Korea, a poll showed Wednesday. The survey of 1,001 people ..
European business delegation to visit N. Korea in Sept: reportA European business delegation plans to visit North Korea in September to explore business opportunities in the isolated country, a U.S. radio report said. The Washington..
China denies report on contingency plans for collapse of N. Korea
China on Tuesday denied a published report that its military has drawn up contingency plans to cope with a possible regime collapse in North Korea, saying that the docume..
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The Korea Herald (http://www.koreaherald.com)
Probe confirms ex-chief prosecutor's lovechildProsecutors said Wednesday that they have secured sufficient evidence confirming that a 12-year-old boy is former Prosec...
Real estate deals between Yoo, son may have broken bankruptcy lawsA transfer of assets between former Semo Group chairman Yoo Byung-eon and his eldest son has co...
Dollar lowest vs. won since 2008 financial crisisOn the first working day following a four-day holiday, the won-dollar exchange rate fell below ...
Korea to reinforce maritime safetyThe government is taking steps to bolster maritime safety as the search for those missing in th...
Medical aid comes late after diver's deathThe government on Wednesday said it had allocated military medical staff to aid divers in the continued s...
Safety in wrong handsThe crew members of the Sewol, who deserted their sinking ship without taking any discernibl...
Boosting overseas aidKorea has temporarily earmarked 1.2 trillion won ($1.16 billion) in overseas grant aid for n...
Young Koreans’ credit ratings plungeThe credit ratings for Koreans in their teens and 20s rapidly declined after the global financial crisis due to factors including reduced employment and student loan delinquencies, data collected from...
IoT boom in the offingWhen Jim Clark, the Silicon Valley entrepreneur who started Netscape, set out to build his high...
John Mayer brings warm, groovy performance to SeoulThe internationally renowned singer-songwriter John Mayer delivered a heartfelt performance for...
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The Korea Times (http://www.koreatimes.co.kr)
'We need pan-national body to handle Sewol tragedy'
Kim Geo-sung, chairperson of Transparency International Korea, has called for the establishment of a pan-national consultative body to find ways to heal the wounds of the families of the Sewol ferry disaster victims. “After wrap... Cronyism, corruption to blame for disaster
Burying them in our hearts (2)
The entire nation feels an enormous sadness over the loss of lives of people in the sinking of the...
Search efforts expected to pick up pace this week
Search and rescue efforts will be increased to account for the 35 passengers still missing from th...
Language barrier puts off Chinese tourists
Chinese and Japanese tourists picked language barriers and high-pressure selling as the two major ...
Visit to Ansan joint altar
On May 3 when this reporter visited the joint altar in Ansan for the victims of the sunken ferry S...
Why didn't sailors tell them to evacuate?
It’s been three weeks after the ferry Sewol capsized and the biggest question thus far is why the ...
Korea slides in press freedom rankings
Korea has slipped down the global rankings for freedom of the media as journalists here face a dua...
Victims' families call for special law
The committee representing relatives of the missing and dead from the ill-fated ferry Sewol are ca...
Maritime safety superintendents to be introduced
The Cabinet decided Wednesday to introduce maritime safety superintendents at the Ministry of Mari...
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Dong A (http://english.donga.com)
Chinese official visits U.S. amid N. Korea`s imminent signs
A Chinese official who played an important role in the six-party talks on denuclearizing North Korea`s nuclear program has visited the United States amid a rising sense of urgency over Pyongyang`s imminent nuclear test....
Won reaches the highest level in almost six years
The electronic notice board shows won/dollar exchange rate at the 1,022 range Wednesday afternoon at the Korea Exchange Bank headquarters in central Seoul. The won closed at 1,022.5 per dollar, reaching the highest...
Cinema ticket sales revive during holidays
Following a drop in cinema admissions after the tragic Sewol ferry sinking, last weekend saw signs of revival. According to the Korean Film Council, movie audiences stood at 5.84 million people between May 1 and 6, a...
Korean won hits 5-year high against dollar
The Korean currency rose to its highest in five years and nine months against the U.S. dollar on Wednesday. As the won`s strength increased concerns over the price competitiveness in Korean exporters, Seoul`s main stock...
Lee Yong-dae joins national badminton team to recover reputation
U.S, Britain belatedly set out to help rescue kidnapped Nigerian girls
Consumer sentiment slumps after ferry disaster
Politicians to brace up for June 4 elections amid dim prospects
Apple`s patent troll strategy fails-----------------------------------------------
Chosun Ilbo (http://english.chosun.com)
Sewol Operator Routinely Overloaded Ferry
Ferry operator Chonghaejin Marine overloaded the ship that sank off the southwest coast last month 139 times over a period of 13 months and earned around W2.9 billion in additional fares. The Sewol's maximum cargo capacity is 1,077.5 tons. >> Full Text
China Makes Plans for N.Korean Regime CollapseThe Chinese army has drawn up a detailed contingency plan in case of a regime collapse in North Korea, including closer monitoring along the border and the creation of refugee camps, Japan's Kyodo News reported Sunday. >> Full Text
N.Korea Blasts Seoul Over Handling of Ferry DisasterThe North Korean state media have attacked the South Korean government over its handling of the ferry disaster off the southwest coast on April 16. The official Rodong Sinmun daily carried a photo of South Korean demonstrators. >> Full Text
Satellite Spots Preparations for N.Korean Nuke Test
N.Korean Bigwig Demoted After Long Absence
Rodman Claims Jang Song-taek Still Alive
U.S. Jury Cuts Samsung Compensation for Apple
Sect Petitions White House Over Link to Ferry Disaster---------------------------------------------
Hankyoreh (http://english.hani.co.kr)
“Yellow envelopes” offer hope to dismissed Ssangyong workersFive years after layoffs, many workers still struggling with their assets tied up in paying damages
“During the layoffs in 2009, I was one of the survivors,” the man said, meaning that he had not been fired. “But I thought that I could lose my job at any time, and the same thing could happen to my son. I joined the strike to stop that kind of unfair dismissal.”
Lee Jae-won, 38, who met a Hankyoreh reporter on May 4 in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, was explaining how he had been punitively dismissed after taking part in the 2009 strike to oppose the layoffs at Ssangyong Motor.
Students gathering en masse to remember their lost friends
“They’re saying that we’re being paid to carry the candles? We will never forget the Sewol.”
Overwhelmed with grief over the sinking of the Sewol ferry, high school students around Ansan, Gyeonggi Province are holding a large candlelight vigil in the hope that the deaths of the Dangwon High School students will not be in vain. High school students in the region had already been visiting memorials and attending candlelight vigils organized by civic groups,
Diver dies while participating in Sewol searchOn the 21st day after the sinking of the Sewol ferry, a diver brought in to replace the exhausted civilian divers, Lee Gwang-uk, 53, died during his first day taking part in the search.
“Lee, a civilian diver, entered the water at 6:06 am today as part of underwater search efforts,” the headquarters for the government response to the Sewol disaster said.
To stem criticism, Pres. Park making apologies for SewolEvery two or three days, President Park Geun-hye has been expressing her regret to the families of the victims of the Sewol ferry. Park may have moved into full-blown apology mode after facing a storm of public outrage for her “seated apology” at a cabinet meeting on Apr. 29.
Russia seeking Korean cooperation in the Far EastAt the end of April, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yury Trutnev visited North Korea and proposed three-way economic cooperation between North Korea, South Korea, and Russia to promote development of the Russian Far East. The proposal could be intended to counter the American policy of ‘rebalancing Asia’.
4 out of 10 S. Koreans unmarried, highest in OECDFour out of ten South Koreans are not married, the highest rate among the 34 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development member countries, a recent report said. According to marriage figures included in the Society at a Glance 2014 report release...
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Joong Ang (conservative): (http://koreajoongangdaily.joinsmsn.com/)
Won hits highest level since 2008
Exporters tremble as weak U.S. economy, trade surpluses, add up
Exporters’ fears of an ever-strengthening won have turned into a never-ending nightmare as the local currency strengthened to the 1,020 won-to-the-U.S. dollar level, …
Metro’s operating system was buggy back in 2007The automatic train-stopping system (ATS) used by the Seoul subway system, which is being blamed …
Seoul sees signs of 4th nuke test in North KoreaFollowing U.S. media reports suggesting North Korea was preparing for a fourth nuclear weapons test, …
Knox gets tougher in version 2.0
Samsung Electronics yesterday released the upgraded version of its in-house mobile security platform Knox 2.0 to its Galaxy S5 …
Assembly passes law to restrict phone subsidiesStarting in October, consumers will notice a change in Korea’s system for distributing mobile phones after the National Assembly …
Korea scores poorly on OECD lifestyle reportAn Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development index shows that overall living conditions in Korea improved …
Workers’ hunger grows for quality cafeteriasYoo Jeong-il, a 29-year-old office worker, considers himself a frequent user of cafeterias. Ever since he had his first meal …
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Edaily (http://eng.edaily.co.kr/Stock/)
[Table] Today’s Stock Market BriefThis is a stock market brief of Today. [table] Total stock market id="" width="570...
[Closed]KOSPI 1,934.94p( 15.42p) slightly up, KOSDAQ 546.83p( 5.04p) slightly upKOSPI & KOSDAQ Index Closed KOSPI closed slightly up 15.42p( 0.80%) at 1,934.94p from yesterday. KOS...
[Table]Currently Index of Major Country in ASIAThis is Index of Major Country in ASIA. [table] Index of Major Country in ASIA ...
[Midday]KOPSI 1,931.41p( 11.89p) slightly up, KOSDAQ 546.56p( 4.77p) slightly upKOSPI & KOSDAQ Index KOSPI slightly up 0.62%(11.89p) to 1,931.41p at 14:01. KOSDAQ slightly up 0....
[Table]Currently Index of Major Country in ASIAThis is Index of Major Country in ASIA. [table] Index of Major Country in ASIA ...
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Maeil Kyungje (neutral-oriented conservative, economic/business): (http://news.mk.co.kr/english/)
Economic indicators paint mixed picture for regional gov’ts
Economic indicators of production, consumption and employment for South Korea’s Chungcheong province and Jeju Island improved markedly for four years after the 2010 local election. Meanwhile, those for Seoul, Busan and North Gyeongsang province stayed below the average. A host of regional governments’ indicators saw sharp changes from the 2010 local election to 2013, according to the Maeil Business Newspaper’s analysis of economic and social data r.....
Poll: 53% of experts predict jump in housing prices ..
2014 Seoul Money Show attendants expect real estate ..
Intellectual property rights account de..
S. Korean manufacturing faces ‘perfect..
Failure to follow manual leads to massi..
Park apologizes to public over Sewol fe..
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The Korea Post News:
Highlight topics in the April issue of The Korea Post- Will South Korea go nuclear?
- 2017 Presidential Hopeful Chung Mong-joon forefront in demanding S. Korea’s nuclear armament.
- Polls show 64% of South Koreans wanting independent nuclear armament while 28% say no.
- With whom will China take sides between North Korea and NE Asian US allies in the face of imminent 4th N. Korean nuclear test?
- Pres. Park Chung-hee almost finished nuclear weapons in 1979, but he was killed. Who was behind the assassin widely suspected as henchman?
- How correct is the book, “Mugungwa Flowers Have Now Come Out,” concerning the collaboration between President Park Chung-Hee and noted Korean-born nuclear physicist, Dr. Benjamin W. Lee, and the real cause of their mysterious deaths?
- “South Korea can persuade the US, allies to acquiesce at its development of nuclear weapons as it’s for self-defense and survival from N. Korea nuke attack.”
- Wives of ambassadors show off their outstanding live flower arrangement works at Seoul Garden Club exhibition.
- Ambassadors, spouses attend Wangin Culture Festival of Baekje Dynasty (BC18-AD660) in Yeongam County, Jeollanam-do Province.
- Ambassadors, spouses join Dangjin Tug-of-War Culture Festival, visit Hyundai Steel and Catholic martyr Sacred Land.
- National Day, Armed Forces Day, wine-tasting, tourism promotion and various other functions hosted by Poland, Slovakia, Oman, Myanmar, Senegal and Bulgaria.
- President Park Geun-hye has a summit meeting with President Obama of the United States in Seoul for increased ROK-US cooperation.
- Korea and Australia are set to increase bilateral cooperation in trade and security areas.
- President Park: Korea plans to build a ‘Korea Street’ in Dresden in Germany.
- President Park visits the Netherlands and Germany
- President Park discloses plans for peaceful unification of the Korean peninsula.
- “The Demilitarized Zone will become the symbol of peace in Korea and the world: President Park.
- KEPCO dedicates 433MW gas-burning power plant in Mexico.
- SK Hynix develops world’s first highest-density module.
- Korea Agro-fisheries & Food Trade Corps set to increase export.
- Do you wish to have windmill power plants in your country? Why not cooperate with Korea Wind Energy Industry Association for technology and investment?
- Ambassador Krzysztov Majka of Poland receives an honorary doctorate from Keimyung University in Daegu.
- Gwangyang Port is equipped with such optimal environment for logistics business for domestic and international business organizations.
- Azerbaijan: Armenia invades Kalbajar of Azerbaijan, kills 511, captures 321, and displaces 58,000 persons.
- Simone Hearts of Vision Chamber Orchestra presents performance.
- Traveltalk: BBQ Happy Hour at the Oak Room Garden at Millennium Seoul Hilton?
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The Korea Post notices:
We have stories and photos on the following events:
Yeongam Wangjin Culture Festival: /news/view.html?section=161&category=181&no=504Dangjin Tug-of-War Festival in English: /news/view.html?section=165&category=192&no=503Dangjin Tug-of-War Festival in Korean: http://koreapost.co.kr/bbs/board.php?bo_table=Korea_tour&wr_id=57Live Flower Arrangement Exhibition: /news/view.html?section=162&category=182&no=497
Is your National Day coming up soon? Or is the Head of State of your 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.
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.
For more photos, please visit:
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
▲ Secretary General Ban Ki-moon of the United Nations
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▲ Former President Jimmy Carter of the United States (left) and First Lady Mrs. Carter.
▲ Founding Chairman Koo In-hoi of the LG Business Group
The late former President Deng Xiaoping of China
President Kim Il-sung of North Korea (right) and Rev. Moon Sun-myung of the Unification Church of the Republic of Korea (South) embrace with each other when the latter visited Pyongyang.