The Korean daily media headlines and humor

The Korean daily media headlines and humor

Friday, December 23, 2016

Your Excellency:

Here areThe Korea Postnoticesandaroundup of important headlines from all major Korean-language dailies, TV and other news media of Korea today:

Very Respectfully Yours

/s/

Lee Kyung-sik

Publisher-Chairman

Korea Post Media

The Korea Post news

What’s ticking in Korea today?Here is a quick roundup of important news stories from the major Korean news media today:

KBS (http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/news/)

Foreign Minister Reaffirms Pressure Track on N. Korea

Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se has again made it clear that Seoul will not accept Pyongyang's offer for any dialogue premised on a nuclear-armed North Korea.

Lawmakers, Attorneys Agree on Witness List for Impeachment Trial

Lawyers representing President Park Geun-hye and the National Assembly met at the Constitutional Court to discuss details of the president's impeachment trial.

At the pretrial conference on Thursday, the two sides agreed to call in 28 witnesses including Choi Soon-sil, Park's former chief of staff Kim Ki-choon and former presidential secretaries Woo Byung-woo and An Chong-bum.

Foreigners Own 0.2% of S. Korean Land

Government data shows that two-tenths of a percent of South Korean land are now owned by foreigners.

According to the Land Ministry on Friday, foreign individuals and companies owned land spanning 232-point-23 million square meters during the first half of the year, up by three-point-96 million square meters six months earlier.

KOSPI Least Volatile among World Markets This Year

USouth Korea’s main bourse was the least volatile among major stock markets around the world this year.

According to the Korea Exchange on Friday, the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index(KOSPI)'s average monthly return volatility index stood at one-point-87 this year, the lowest of 17 major stock markets analyzed.

Poll: UN Chief Ban Leads Moon as Presidential Contender

A new opinion poll shows Ban Ki-moon is, for the moment, the favorite candidate to replace President Park Geun-hye.

Pollster Real Meter said Thursday Ban's ratings increased two-point-six percentage points from last week to 23-point-one percent this week, after UN Secretary-General hinted he might make a run.

Survey: 77% of Separated Families Want Related Civilian Exchanges to be Allowed

A new survey indicates families separated by the Korean War want the South Korean government to take a stronger approach toward the issue.

The Unification Ministry surveyed more than six thousand people who have family members in North Korea.

Deputy PM Not Worried about Meeting 3% Growth in 2017

Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Yoo Il-ho says he will consider launching a supplementary budget if growth drops into the lower two percent range next year.

China Bans Poultry Imports from S. Korea Amid AI Outbreak

China is banning poultry imports from bird flu-hit South Korea.

China's General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine said Thursday it will ban imports of poultry and related products from countries affected by avian influenza(AI).

BOK Head: Rate Policies Should Focus More on Financial Stability

Bank of Korea Governor Lee Ju-yeol told lawmakers Thursday the country's monetary policy should shift its priority next year from growth to financial stability.

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

S. Korean gov't vows to control rising egg, gas prices

The South Korean government said Friday that it will make full efforts to control rising living costs largely driven by the worst outbreak of avian influenza here and a gain in oil prices.

Acting President Hwang calls for efforts to plug loophole in AI quarantine operations

Acting President and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn on Friday called on quarantine officials to strive harder to plug any loophole in their operations to contain avian influenza (AI) that has devastated chicken farms across the country since last month.

Trump: U.S. 'must greatly strengthen and expand' nuclear weapons

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump said Thursday the country should "greatly strengthen and expand" its nuclear arsenal, a stark contrast to outgoing President Barack Obama's championing of a world without nuclear weapons.

N. Korea ranks No. 1 for military spending relative to GDP: State Department report

North Korea ranked No. 1 in the world for military expenditures relative to its gross domestic product between 2004-2014, spending nearly a quarter of its GDP on the armed forces, an annual State Department report showed Thursday.

S. Korean baseball ends 2016 ranked No. 3

South Korean baseball has ended the year at No. 3 in the world.

The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) announced its year-end world rankings Friday, based on each country's results, from under-12 to professional, in international competitions from 2013 to 2016.

Foreign ownership of S. Korean land grows 1.7 pct in H1

Foreign ownership of South Korean land slightly expanded in the first half of the year from six months earlier, the government said Friday.

Seoul to confiscate passport from daughter of key figure in presidential scandal

South Korea's foreign ministry said Thursday it will soon initiate the process of confiscating the passport of the daughter of Choi Soon-sil, the long-time friend of President Park Geun-hye who faces charges for meddling in state affairs.

Diplomatic tensions slow growth of Chinese tourists to S. Korea

Diplomatic tensions have slowed the growth of Chinese tourists to South Korea, the national tourism promotion agency here said Thursday.

N. Korea has economic polarization: think tank

North Koreans in the capital city of Pyongyang are three times as rich as those in other areas, South Korea's state-run think tank said Thursday, in the latest sign of the deepening economic divide in the communist country.

Determining survival of kin in N.K. tops priority for separated families: survey

Nearly 8 out of 10 South Korea families torn apart by the 1950-53 Korean War said their top priority should be placed on confirming whether their family members in North Korea are alive, a government survey showed Thursday.

Dairy Queen to open 50 hamburger restaurants in S. Korea

The U.S. fast food chain Dairy Queen has signed on to expand into South Korea, industry officials said Thursday.

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

Woo remains defiant to parliamentary inquiry

Former presidential aide Woo Byung-woo flatly denied his involvement in the corruption scandal tied to President Park Geun-hye and her confidante Choi Soon-sil during a parliamentary inquiry Thursday on the case that led to Park’s impeachment.

Park, parliament lock horns in impeachment trial

Legal representatives of President Park Geun-hye and the parliament clashed at the Constitutional Court Thursday for the first time, in what is expected to be a long, drawn-out litigation war on the legitimacy of the president’s impeachment.

Central bank chief urges Seoul to use stronger fiscal policy

South Korea’s central bank chief publicly urged the Finance Ministry to use more aggressive expansionary fiscal policy next year to sustain growth, saying the era of monetary policy has nearly ended.

Cigarette packs to carry graphic health warnings

Starting Friday, graphic warnings about the harmful effects of smoking will be attached to cigarette packs sold in South Korea.

N. Korea threatens war over U.N. sanctions

North Korea on Thursday threatened war in response to the latest sanctions by the U.N. Security Council (UNSC).

S. Korea's sea level rise faster than world average

South Korea's sea level rose at a faster pace than the world's average this year due mainly to the ground subsidence, a report said Thursday.

The sea level rose 2.68mm on average this year, up 8 percent from the previous year's 2.48mm, according to the report by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries.

Seoul to confiscate passport from daughter of key figure in presidential scandal

South Korea's foreign ministry said Thursday it will soon initiate the process of confiscating the passport of the daughter of Choi Soon-sil, the long-time friend of President Park Geun-hye who faces charges for meddling in state affairs.

The unlikely saviors of Libya’s Roman remains

Ali Hribish stands by the Arch of Septimius Severus which dominates Libya’s ancient city of Leptis Magna, brandishing letters of thanks for his efforts to protect the site.

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

Korean language proficiency test to be administered in 73 countries

The state-run Korean language proficiency test for foreign students and expatriates is set to be administered in over 70 countries worldwide next year, Seoul's education ministry said Thursday.

Why do US forces recruit 'part-time assistants' for drill?

A military drill and part-time assistants. It is hard to imagine a correlation of the two words under any circumstances. But U.S. forces in Korea have made it — and it has left many people scratching their heads over an "unthinkable" matchup.

S. Korea beefs up anti-terror vigilance

The South Korean government on Thursday decided to beef up its readiness posture against possible acts of terrorism in the wake of a recent attack in Berlin and a shooting death in Ankara.

Growing headache for Korean showbiz industry: Chinese plagiarism

South Korean entertainment has widely been reported to be suffering from the fallout of a political dispute with China, but the real problem is the rise in plagiarism of Korean TV programs there, industry insiders said Thursday.

Korean music stands up at candlelit rallies

Performing for a crowd of 1 million people was "unreal," says Jun Bum-sun.

Jun, whose band Jun Bum Sun and the Yangbans released their first album "Revolution Songs" this year, grew up watching Metallica's 1991 live show in Moscow in front of 1.6 million Russians at the end of the Soviet Union.

Korea-Germany probe to target Choi Soon-sil's daughter, W800 billion hidden asset

Korea's special prosecutor is seeking help from the German prosecution to bring Choi Soon-sil's daughter home and to secure evidence about Choi's alleged hidden wealth of 800 billion won ($668 million).

Unexpected hurdle of corruption scandal probe: inept lawmakers

Criticism against lawmakers flooded in after the fifth National Assembly hearing into the scandal surrounding President Park Geun-hye and her confidant Choi Soon-sil, Thursday.

Revealed: Korean Air's 'psycho' passenger

The video clip of an in-flight drunken rampage involving a South Korean "psycho" passenger and popular U.S. musician Richard Marx went viral on Wednesday, unleashing a wave of criticism of the unruly passenger and curiosity about the man's identity.

SK hynix to invest W3.15 tril. to expand memory chip output

SK hynix will invest a total of 3.15 trillion won ($2.62 billion) to expand its memory chip output in Korea and China, a move to meet growing demand for larger storage in mobile devices and computers, the company said in a regulatory filing, Thursday.

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Dong-AIlbo (http://english.donga.com)

Hyundai’s Xcient selected as 'Truck of the Year' in China

Hyundai Motor’s heavy-duty truck Xcient has been selected as the “Truck of the Year 2017” in China. The two-engine luxury truck was named the top in the tractor category of the award from China Automotive News, the carmaker announced on Thursday.

Fostering experts is top priority for National Korean Literature Center

The selection of the National Korean Literature Center should be based on symbolism, accessibility, representation, scalability and international exchanges,said Kwak Hyo-hwan, head of the Society of Korean Poets.

Ban Ki-moon visits Lincoln’s tomb

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon stopped by the tomb of Abraham Lincoln, the 16th U.S. president, in Springfield, Illinois, on Thursday (local time).

German prosecution to put Choi Soon-sil’s daughter on wanted list

The German prosecution said Thursday that Germany will cooperate with South Korean investigators in the corruption and influence peddling scandal involving President Park Geun-hye and her confidante Choi Soon-sil.

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Chosun-Ilbo (http://english.chosun.com)

Austere Decorations Herald Austerity Christmas

A big, beautifully decorated tree is usually a must for Christmas, with the whole family taking part in the decorations.

But the prolonged economic slowdown and the resulting austerity in decorating trends have led to small, plain Christmas decorations being favored by Korea's growing army of singles.

Park Won't Be Sending Holiday Cards This Year

Embattled President Park Geun-hye does not plan to send out New Year's cards this year as her impeachment over a corruption scandal looms.

A Cheong Wa Dae official said Wednesday, "We decided it would not be appropriate to do so while her authority has been suspended" as the Constitutional Court reviews the impeachment bill.

Ex-Presidential Secretary Denies Role in Scandal

Former presidential secretary Woo Byung-woo on Thursday came out of hiding to deny any involvement in the massive influence-peddling and corruption scandal that has brought down President Park Geun-hye.

Arrest Warrant Out for Choi Soon-sil's Daughter

Independent counsel Park Young-soo has taken out an arrest warrant for the daughter of Choi Soon-sil, the woman at the heart of a massive corruption scandal that has brought down President Park Geun-hye.

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HanKyoReh-Shinmoon (http://english.hani.co.kr)

Special prosecutors team kicks off investigation with raids of ten locations

The special prosecutors team led by Park Young-soo launched its full-scale investigation into the Park Geun-hye/Choi Sun-sil scandal on Dec. 21 with a search and seizure related to third-party bribery acceptance charges against Park and third-party bribery offering charges against Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong.

National Assembly seeking subpoena to question President Park

The National Assembly’s impeachment committee has requested a Constitutional Court subpoena for what it says is necessary questioning of President Park Geun-hye.

Ban Ki-moon says, “I am prepared to surrender my body to those flames”

Ban Ki-moon is underscoring his commitment to running for the presidency as he approaches the end of his ten-year term as UN Secretary-General on Dec. 31.

Sookmyung students prepare blue heart bags for cleaning and security staff

One hundred fifty-nine blue paper bags shaped like hearts were placed at the Sunheon Hall intersection on Sookmyung Women’s University campus in Seoul on the afternoon of Dec. 21.

SK Construction opens underwater tunnel linking Europe and Asia

Construction is complete on a massive underwater tunnel linking Europe and Asia that was built with the advanced technology of the South Korean construction industry.

Egg crisis due to influenza outbreak

A notice limiting customers at one large retailer in Daejeon to one packet of eggs, Dec. 12. Unable to meet the demand for eggs amid lower supply due to an outbreak of avian influenza, the retailer lowered the daily limit for purchase from 300 to 200 flats (one flat contains 30 eggs).

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JoongAng-Ilbo(conservative) (http://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/)

Woo Byung-woo denies any role in Choi scandal

Facing a series of condemning questions and mockery from lawmakers from both sides of the aisle, Woo Byung-woo, former senior presidential secretary for civil affairs, denied Thursday any wrongdoing in the unprecedented abuse of power scandal that led to the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye.

Constitutional Court zooms in on Sewol issue

The Constitutional Court on Thursday demanded President Park Geun-hye submit evidence of her specific whereabouts and actions during the crucial early hours of the Sewol ferry’s sinking in April 2014 in her impeachment trial.

Korea’s entrepreneurs face tough times ahead

It’s been two years since a 35-year-old man surnamed Kim said goodbye to his life as a salaryman at a conglomerate to become an entrepreneur. He gave up a job that paid 70 million won ($58,580) annually and has little to show for it except mounting debt and long daily working hours.

Chungcheong lawmakers look to UN chief

After 35 Saenuri lawmakers outside the pro-Park Geun-hye faction said Wednesday they will defect from the party en masse next week, the JoongAng Ilbo surveyed lawmakers of Chungcheong about whether they would also leave the ruling party.

Hong barred from travel, Chung on wanted list

The independent counsel team issued Thursday an overseas travel ban on Hong Wan-sun, a former senior official of the state-run pension fund, as a part of its investigation into bribery allegations involving President Park Geun-hye, Choi Soon-sil and Samsung.

Mayor Suh’s friend arrested in ongoing bribery probe

Busan Mayor Suh Byung-soo’s confidant, who headed a group of President Park Geun-hye supporters in Busan, was arrested on Thursday for allegedly receiving bribes from Cheongan Construction CEO Lee Young-bok.

Central bank chief stresses fiscal policy

Lee Ju-yeol, head of the country’s central bank, has long been considered unassuming in his tone on the assessment of the economy and future rate-setting moves, but he has recently turned more assertive in pitching the role of the government in steering the economy.

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The KyungHyang-Shinmoon(http://english.khan.co.kr/)

Conservative Ruling Party Divided: Big Bang! A 4-Party Presidential Race

Thirty-three lawmakers, non-Park members of the Saenuri Party, decided to collectively leave the party on December 27. The first ever division of a conservative party will soon become reality.

Special Prosecutor Focuses on Possible Government Involvement in NPS's Support of Samsung Merger

The investigation team led by independent prosecutor Park Young-soo, which is overseeing the investigation of the "Park Geun-hye, Choi Soon-sil scandal," searched the National Pension Service (NPS) and the Ministry of Health and Welfare on December 21 for proof of the alleged bribery by Lee Jae-yong (48), vice chairman of Samsung Electronics.

Saenuri Party Divided

On December 20, the non-Park members of the Saenuri Party began discussing specific plans to leave the party. Reportedly, former leader Kim Moo-sung will announce his departure from the party on December 21 and a massive exodus is expected within this week.

Two Accomplices, Park Geun-hye and Choi Soon-sil, Insist They Are Innocent after Ruining the Country

The people who abused their positions and allowed a civilian to intervene in state affairs are launching a full-scale counterattack. Choi Soon-sil denied all the charges against her in the first trial, which was held on Monday.

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The Korea Economic Daily (http://english.hankyung.com/)

Korea's No. of Newborn Babies Projected to Surpass Barely 400,000 This Year

The number of babies born in the month of October hit a record low. The total number of babies born this year will barely surpass 400,000.

According to data released by the National Statistical Office on December 22, newborn baby numbers were 31,600 in October, down 13.9 percent from the same month last year.

Supreme Court Set to Decide on Weekend/Overtime Pay Rule

Amid a situation in which small businesses are suffering mightily from the domestic economic slump and overseas export drought, another bad news will soon come out of the court.

Won-Dollar Exchange Rate Hits 1,200 Won Mid-Market...9 Month High

The depreciation of the Korean won against the U.S. dollar has continued for seven consecutive trading days. At 2:02 pm on December 22 in the Seoul foreign exchange market, the Korean won was traded at 1,199.05 won per dollar, up 0.45 percent (5.15 won) from the previous day.

SK Hynix to Invest $1.8 Bil. to Build New Chip Plant in Cheongju

SK Hynix said on December 22 that it would invest 2.2 trillion won (US$1.83 billion) from August next year to June 2019 to build a new semiconductor plant and clean room in its Cheongju manufacturing campus.

Appropriate Level of Credit Card Commission for Small Business Operators Is 0.5-1.0%

A survey said eight out of ten small business operators believe that the commission determined by credit card companies is too high.

The Korea Small Business Association recently held a survey on 3,000 small business owners across the country and asked whether the commission charged by credit card companies is appropriate for them.

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AJU Business Daily (http://eng.ajunews.com/korea)

Psy invites Filipino boxing hero Pacquiao to year-end concert

Filipino boxing hero and politician Manny Pacquiao will visit South Korea this week to attend a year-end concert by rapper Psy who earned global fame for his "Gangnam Style" and horse-riding dance.

Girl group members Seolhyun and Nana to make first screen debut

Two girl group members seen as sex icons in South Korea's music scene will make their screen debut next year playing the main characters for the first time.

Digital undertakers help clients remove personal posts: Yonhap

A 28-year-old college graduate from a Seoul suburb, who gave only his surname Oh, was concerned about his Internet posts deemed offensive to the government's policies as he was preparing for an interview to get a government job.

Chinese plagiarism emerges as bigger headache: Yonhap

South Korean entertainment has widely been reported to be suffering from the fallout of a political dispute with China, but the real problem is the rise in plagiarism of Korean TV programs there, industry insiders said Thursday.

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

Samsung unveils IoT-enabled kitchen electronics for premium appliance market

South Korea’s leading home appliance manufacturer Samsung Electronics Co. on Thursday unveiled a package of premium kitchen appliances supported with the Internet of Thing (IoT) solutions, targeting the burgeoning upmarket built-in home appliance market in North America amid intensifying competition from its Chinese rivals with budget electronics.

Korea’s NPS, Shinsegae to jointly invest $667 mn in Starfield Goyang

South Korea’s biggest institutional investor National Pension Service (NPS) and retail conglomerate Shinsegae Group will invest almost 800 billion won ($667.2 million) together in Starfield Goyang, a mega shopping complex slated to open in the second half of next year in Samsong district in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province.

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

timeswww.thetimes.co.uk help@timesplus.co.uk

The Sun www.thesun.co.uk talkback@the-sun.co.uk

Chinese People's Dailywww.people.com.cn kf@people.cn

China Dailywww.chinadaily.com.cn circulation@chinadaily.com.cn

GwangmyeongDailywww.gmw.cn webmaster@gmw.cn

Japan's Yomiuriwww.yomiuri.co.jp japannews@yomiuri.com

asahiwww.asahi.com customer-support@asahi.com

mainichiwww.mainichi.jp

lemondewww.ilemonde.com

Italy rarepupeul Rica www.quotidiano.repubblica.it vittorio.zucconi@gmail.com

Germany Frankfurter AllgemeineZeitungwww.faz.net anzeigen.ausland@faz.de

SüddeutscheZeitungwww.sueddeutsche.de forum@sueddeutsche.de

Australia Brisbane Times www.brisbanetimes.com.au syndication@fairfaxmedia.com.au

Sydney Morning Heraldwww.smh.com.au

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