Monday May 18, 2020

 Round-up of important news from major Korean dailies and from international media today

The Korea Post (http://www.koreapost.com/)
“United We Fight”
Corona virus has had a huge impact on humanity cutting across all boundaries, physical and social, of nations, caste, class, colour, religion and belief systems bringing the world to its knees. But united we stand, steadfastly helping, assisting, sharing knowledge, cooperating and coordinating with each other, cutting across boundaries fighting as ONE force against the Corona virus.

Patient treated with novel stem cell tells his experience of full recovery
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, has ordered that all costs be covered for any critical coronavirus cases treated using a breakthrough stem cell treatment. In the words of the Crown Prince, "the UAE sent aid to nearly 10 countries every week. It is our duty towards our brothers, allies, and friends as we see some countries in a difficult situation.
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KBS (http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/news/)
Pres. Moon Vows Best Efforts to Shed Light on Gwangju Uprising
President Moon Jae-in has vowed best efforts to shed light on the May 18 Gwangju pro-democracy uprising as the nation marked on Monday the 40th anniversary of the movement.
In a speech at a ceremony marking the event in Gwangju, Moon stressed that the truth must come to light on violence ordered by the state, including finding out who ordered the use of military force against civilians during the uprising.

S. Korea Reports Less than 20 New Coronavirus Cases for 3rd Day in Row

South Korea reported less than 20 new coronavirus cases for the third consecutive day as a cluster of infections linked to clubs in Seoul’s Itaewon area showed signs of dying down.

The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(KCDC) announced 15 COVID-19 cases compiled in the 24-hour period through 12 a.m. Monday, lifting the national tally to 11-thousand-65.

S. Korea Postpones Maritime Live-fire Drill to June

The South Korean military has postponed maritime firing drills set for this week to next month.

According to a government source in Seoul on Sunday, military authorities put off the drills set for Tuesday off the east coast in Uljin, North Gyeongsang Province, as the region is forecast to see rain that day.
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Yonhap (http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr)
S. Korea adds 15 new virus cases amid respite from club infections
South Korea added 15 new cases of the coronavirus Monday as the country saw clear signs of a slowdown in nightclub-linked infections.
The new cases, detected Sunday, brought the country's total to 11,065, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). Five of them were local infections.
The country added 13 new cases a day earlier, the lowest daily increase since Itaewon, a nightlife district in Seoul, emerged as a hotbed for coronavirus infections this month.

Moon underscores 'May spirit' from Gwangju democratization movement
President Moon Jae-in pledged every form of support Monday for the long overdue task of finding the truth about the bloody crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in Gwangju in 1980.
Addressing South Korea on the 40th anniversary of the May 18 Democratization Movement, he also repeatedly emphasized the "May sprit" shown by Gwangju citizens at that time. He said the spirit still resonates not just in the country's democracy but also its response to the coronavirus crisis

Coronavirus drives unemployment to new high in Jan.-April
The number of jobless South Koreans hit a record high in the first four months of the year due mainly to the coronavirus impact, a report showed Monday.
Roughly 2.08 million people in the country remained unemployed during the January-April period, according to the report from Rep. Choo Kyung-ho of the main opposition United Future Party.
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The Korea Herald (http://www.koreaherald.com)
S. Korea adds 15 new virus cases amid respite from club infections
South Korea added 15 new cases of the coronavirus Monday as the country saw clear signs of a slowdown in nightclub-linked infections.
The new cases, detected Sunday, brought the country's total to 11,065, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). Five of them were local infections.

40 years on, key questions about Gwangju uprising still unresolved
South Korea commemorates the 40th anniversary of the country’s bloodiest moment on its turbulent path toward democracy -- the May 18 Gwangju Democratic Movement -- with critical questions still unanswered.
The 10-day clampdown on pro-democracy protesters in 1980 is believed to have killed 160 people and injured thousands, but the figures are only estimates, due to the absence of an official clarification of the facts.

Coronavirus drives unemployment to new high in Jan.-April
The number of jobless South Koreans hit a record high in the first four months of the year due mainly to the coronavirus impact, a report showed Monday.
Roughly 2.08 million people in the country remained unemployed during the January-April period, according to the report from Rep. Choo Kyung-ho of the main opposition United Future Party.
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The Korea Times (http://www.koreatimes.co.kr)
S. Korea adds 15 new virus cases amid respite from club infections
South Korea added 15 new cases of the coronavirus Monday as the country saw clear signs of a slowdown in nightclub-linked infections.
The new cases, detected Sunday, brought the country's total to 11,065, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). Five of them were local infections.
The country added 13 new cases a day earlier, the lowest daily increase since Itaewon, a nightlife district in Seoul, emerged as a hotbed for coronavirus infections this month.

2.08 million jobless: Pandemic sends S. Korea's unemployment rate to record high
The number of jobless South Koreans hit a record high in the first four months of the year due mainly to the coronavirus impact, a report showed Monday.
Roughly 2.08 million people in the country remained unemployed during the January-April period, according to the report from Rep. Choo Kyung-ho of the main opposition United Future Party.
The figure was the largest since data tracking began in 2000. The report was based on raw data from Statistics Korea.

Do K-pop boy bands outperform girl groups?
For K-pop record labels, boy bands have long been thought to be more lucrative than girl groups because the former often attract loyal female followers who loosen their purse strings for costly concerts and albums.
In terms of concerts abroad, phenomenal boy band BTS's 2019 world tour "LOVE YOURSELF: SPEAK YOURSELF" had an accumulated audience of more than 2 million, while heavyweight girl group BLACKPINK's "KILL THIS LOVE" drew around 260,000 concertgoers. Billboard reported that BTS grossed about 136 billion won ($117 million) through ticket sales ― Touring Data said BLACKPINK earned 44.2 billion won ($38 million).
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HanKyoReh Shinmun (http://englishani.co.kr)
The individual stories of pain amid the Gwangju Democratization Movement
The May 1980 Gwangju Democratization Movement is now marking its 40th anniversary, but many continue to call for a thorough investigation of the facts and punishment of those responsible for the slaughter of civilians. The Hankyoreh decided to look at the stories of lives plunged into disarray by the brutal violence of the military regime at the time, focusing on five key themes: separation, pain, forgetting, repentance, and revival.

A life of pain following Gwangju
Na Il-seong, 59, who lives in the Seo (West) District of Gwangju, has been studying the history of Korea’s liberation from Japanese colonial occupation and its aftermath. Na was a part of a special strike force of the citizens’ militia during the Gwangju Democratization Movement in 1980. During his younger years, his reputation as a “commie” kept him from getting a decent job, forcing him into a life of manual labor. The beatings he received from martial law forces during his detainment left him in poor health, and now he lives alone in a small apartment, getting by on a basic living allowance from the government.

Education authorities to proceed with back-to-school schedule despite Itaewon club outbreak
The coronavirus outbreak that originated at clubs in the Seoul neighborhood of Itaewon has spread to private after-school academies and other areas frequented by Korean students, leading South Korea’s educational authorities to strongly recommend that these academies move their classes online. But the authorities still plan to proceed with their current back-to-school schedule, under which third-year high school students will resume on-campus classes on May 20, with other grades returning in phases thereafter.
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Chosun Ilbo (http://english.chosun.com)
High Schools Brace for Return of Seniors
Schools start to reopen this week as planned amid efforts by education authorities to minimize contact between them.
The reopening of schools was already delayed for another week due to a fresh surge in coronavirus infections traced to clubgoers in Seoul's Itaewon, but high school seniors are to return on Wednesday and the rest in the following weeks.

Hiking Draws Younger Crowds Amid Social Distancing
Hiking is no longer the domain of sprightly pensioners but now appeals to younger people who are barred from gyms and other exercise and entertainment by the coronavirus lockdown.
According to the Mt. Bukhan office, a whopping quarter of a million people visited the mountain in northern Seoul in February of this year, when the epidemic started, up 25 percent on-year. There was another explosive increase in visitors in March to 427,000 people as the weather grew warmer. And last month numbers reached almost 450,000.

Movie Theaters Hit by Coronavirus Resurgence
The distributors of "Innocence" said they decided to postpone the premiere due to "increasing social concerns" as the number of daily new cases are resurging. This is the second time the movie's premiere has been delayed after it was originally slated to hit screens on March 5.
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The Dong-A Ilbo (http://english.donga.com/)
Moon: Truths about Gwangju Uprising should be investigated
South Korean President Moon Jae-in has expressed his determination to find out who ordered to fire on citizens during the May 18 Gwangju Democratic Movement in 1980 and who is legally responsible for it.

KT, Bill Gates cooperate to prevent another pandemic outbreak
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation plans to invest six billion won in South Korean telecommunications operator KT’s research on solutions to pandemic control and prevention over the next three years. U.S. tech guru Bill Gates has recently commended South Korea as one of the best examples of successfully containing the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cluster infection triggered by Itaewon-clubbers is confirmed over weekend
The second case of COVID-19 cluster infection has been reported in South Korea since a mass infection was confirmed at clubs around the Itaewon area, central Seoul. To everyone’s relief, any explosive increase in the number of confirmed cases did not occur over the weekend.
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The KyungHyang Shinmun (http://english.khan.co.kr/)
College Students to Launch a Lawsuit for Tuition Refunds
A group of university students announced plans to launch a lawsuit for tuition refunds against the universities and the Ministry of Education claiming that they failed to receive proper education due to COVID-19. They will begin gathering a list of plaintiffs on May 18 and plan to submit the lawsuit by the end of June.

Removing the Traces of Chun Doo-hwan and Roh Tae-woo at Cheongnamdae
Traces of Chun Doo-hwan and Roh Tae-woo will be erased from Cheongnamdae, formerly a presidential vacation home in Munui-myeon, Sangdang-gu, a district in Cheongju-si, Chungcheongbuk-do.
The province of Chungcheongbuk-do announced on May 14 that it decided to tear down the statue of former presidents Chun Doo-hwan and Roh Tae-woo in Cheongnamdae after discussions with various representatives and civic groups within the province.

The Cluster Infection in Itaewon Is Threatening Schools
The massive transmission of COVID-19 that rekindled in Itaewon clubs has forced schools into a state of emergency, as they go in search of hidden cases of the novel coronavirus. Some teachers and high school students visited the Itaewon clubs, and some students were infected through secondary transmission from a teacher at a private academy, fueling the fear of more local transmission. The first day of offline classes in schools has been delayed another week, with twelfth graders first starting school on May 20, but if authorities continue to confirm more patients in schools, they may have to push back school further
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Maeil Business News Korea (http://www.pulsenews.co.kr/)
SsangYong Motor shares tumble after receiving disclaimer of opinion on its Q1 report
Shares of SsangYong Motor Co. crashed Monday as investors grew wary of the viability of the South Korean auto unit under India’s Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. after its dismal first-quarter report was turned down by its auditor.
In morning trade, shares of SsangYong Motor plunged 11.6 percent to 1,295 won ($1.05).

NH Investment joins a consortium preferred over UAE’s $8 bn pipeline stake
A multinational consortium including South Korea’s NH Investment & Securities Co. won the preferential status to acquire a 49 percent interest in Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. (Adnoc)’s natural gas pipelines worth an estimated $8 billion.
Apart from NH Investment & Securities, U.S-based Global Infrastructure Partners and Singapore sovereign fund GIC Pte are included in the winning consortium.

SKT, Samsung unveil world’s first quantum cryptography 5G smartphone
SK Telecom and Samsung Electronics have released the world’s first 5G smartphone equipped with a quantum cryptography chipset for super-strong protection in data transmission, expanding the top security technology from the B2B market to the mass consumer market.
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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

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

GwangmyeongDaily 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

Germany Frankfurter AllgemeineZeitung www.faz.net anzeigen.ausland@faz.de

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://www.colombiareports.com

Bogota Free Planet http://www.bogotafreeplanet.com,bfp@bogotafreeplanet.com

El Universal https://www.eluniversal.com.mx/english

Andes https://www.redaktionstest.net/andes-info-ec/

Ecuador Times https://www.ecuadortimes.net/

The Jordan Times https://www.jordantimes.com/

LSM.lv https://www.lsm.lv//

The Baltic Times http://www.baltictimes.com lithuania@baltictimes.com, estonia@baltictimes.com, editor@baltictimes.com

El Pais https://english.elpais.com/

Philippine Daily Inquirer https://www.inquirer.net/

Daily News Hungary https://dailynewshungary.com/

Budapest Times https://www.budapesttimes.hu/

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The Korea Post is running video clips from the different embassies.

Azerbaijan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OR8CBpcQ4WM

Sri Lanka: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hByX92Y2aGY&t=22s

Morocco: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfFmp2sVvSE

And many other countries.

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