Friday August 28, 2020
Round-up of important news from major Korean dailies and from international media today
The Korea Post (http://www.koreapost.com/)
"We are going to be a company beyond Tesla Motors in ten years”
“We are going to be a company beyond Tesla Motors in 10 years,” said Chairman Youngkwon Kang of Edison Motors in Seoul at a recent interview with The Korea Post media, publisher of 3 English and 2 Korean-language media since 1985. Then he said, “One of our strategies is focusing on the performance and design of the car that the consumers want.”
"Prayers at 'Gut' rites are offered for the benefit of troubled minds"
Korea has a time-honored folk religious rite named Gut which has been the target of criticism from some quarters of the Korean society but which continues to stay in the hearts of many strata of people in Korea. Gut, with the passage of time, has not become an important part of traditional Korean folk religion. And the religious rites, including the unique shaman dances, have become a part of traditional Korean art and culture.
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KBS (http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/news/)
Daily Infections Fall Below 400 after Previous Day's Surge
The number of daily COVID-19 infections slipped below 400 after nearing a near six-month high the previous day.
The Central Quarantine Countermeasures Headquarters said as of 12:00 a.m. Friday, 371 additional people tested positive for the virus, raising the accumulated total to 19-thousand-77.
Out of the new cases, 359 were community infections, while the remaining 12 were imported.
Daily infections surged to 441 on Thursday, the highest number since early March which had clusters involving the Shincheonji religious sect in the southeastern city of Daegu.
S. Korea's Health Insurance Rate to Rise 2.89% in 2021
South Korea's national health insurance rate will rise two-point-89 percent on-year to six-point-86 percent next year.
The Health Insurance Policy Deliberation Committee under the Health and Welfare Ministry made the decision in a meeting on Thursday.
Under the decision, health insurance subscribers will pay six-point-86 percent of their monthly income for health insurance premiums from next year.
N. Korean Leader Visits Typhoon-hit Hwanghae Province
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has reportedly visited South Hwanghae Province, which was hit by Typhoon Bavi, to assess the damage.
The North's official Rodong Sinmun said on Friday that Kim visited the country's southwestern province and received a report on damage from a party official.
Although the paper did not specify the date of Kim's trip, Kim is thought to have made it Thursday afternoon as the typhoon made landfall in the province early that day.
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Yonhap (http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr)
New virus cases drop below 400, tougher distancing extended in greater Seoul area
The number of daily new coronavirus cases in South Korea dropped to below 400 on Friday, but sporadic cluster infections are still putting the country's virus fight at risk as health authorities decided to extend tougher social distancing measures in the greater Seoul area for one more week.
The country reported 371 new COVID-19 cases, including 359 local infections, raising the total caseload to 19,077, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
Friday's daily tally marks a sharp drop from the previous day when the country's new virus cases spiked to a nearly six month high of 441. Still, the number of daily virus cases has stayed in the triple digits for more than two weeks.
S. Korea to retain Level 2 social distancing for one more week, consider restricting operations of restaurants, cafes: PM
South Korea will retain its Level Two social distancing requirements in Seoul and its surrounding areas for another week from Sunday despite the recent surge in COVID-19 transmissions in the area, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said Friday.
"The government will extend the Level Two social distancing (rules), set to expire this weekend, by one more week," the prime minister said in a regular government COVID-19 response meeting.
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HanKyoReh Shinmun (http://english.hani.co.kr)
Provisional agreement between medical residents and government scrapped after just 1 day
“The increase in medical college admission caps and pursuit of the establishment of new public medical colleges is to be suspended until further notice as the COVID-19 outbreak in the Greater Seoul area stabilizes, and every possibility will be considered in subsequent discussions with the Korea Medical Association (KMA) by a consultative group once stabilization has been achieved. During the negotiation period, there will be no unilateral execution of policy measures, such as raising the admissions cap for medical schools.”
A comeback of disco amid the COVID-19 pandemic
The boys move to an infectious beat, laying down lyrics full of hope. In place of their typical perfectly synchronized choreography, in which each group member moves in unison, group members groove to unique dance routines. Both the choreography and the song itself are lively and light-hearted.
On Aug. 21, BTS released their latest single “Dynamite,” an upbeat tune grounded in disco rhythms. The jabs, twirls, and kicks of disco jump out from the choreography. On top of the song and the dance moves, the retro outfits that the BTS members donned for the music video are attention-grabbing, too. The bell bottoms on their bootcut jeans, the bright patterns on their shirts, and their vintage jackets are a callback to the disco look of the 1970s and 1980s.
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Chosun Ilbo (http://english.chosun.com)
Coronavirus Infections Rise to Fresh High
Coronavirus infections rose above 400 in Korea on Thursday, the most since March when mass infections were reported in Daegu.
Out of 441 cases reported as of Thursday morning, some 315 or most of them came from the Seoul metropolitan area -- 154 in Seoul, 102 in Gyeonggi Province and 59 in Incheon. But an increasing number of new cases were reported throughout the country including 39 in the southwestern city of Gwangju.
N.Korea 'Building Mini Subs'
An American submarine expert believes that an "unusual object" seen in satellite imagery from July at a shipyard in North Korea is either a "new class of midget submarine or extra-large un-crewed underwater vehicle."
Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo also reported to the National Assembly's Defense Committee on Tuesday that North Korea is building a new type of submarine.
H. I. Sutton wrote in Forbes magazine on Tuesday, "The new type was first reported, simply as an 'unusual object,' by North Korean monitoring group 38 North on May 29. My own initial assessment was that it was likely to be a new class of midget submarine or extra-large un-crewed underwater vehicle."
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The Dong-A Ilbo (http://english.donga.com/)
Racial conflicts grow in U.S.
The incident, in which a black man named Jacob Blake was shot by a white police officer in the presence of his three young sons and is currently in a critical condition, is sending the shock waves across the U.S. as the second George Floyd incident. In particular, there is growing anger among the black community and protestors as it has been revealed that a 17-year-old white teenager shot and killed two protestors in Kenosha, Wisconsin on Tuesday (local time). As anti-racial discrimination protests become larger in many cities, the situation is getting ever so tense with President Donald Trump officially announcing that the federal government will get involved.
Gov't sticks to revision bill on inter-Korean exchange and cooperation
The South Korean Ministry of Unification announced on Thursday to legislate a revision bill on inter-Korean exchanges allowing North Korean businesses to earn a profit on South Korean soil and permitting installation of offices of South Korean companies within the North. Even with room for infringement on Washington-led sanctions against Pyongyang as pointed out during the early stages of legislation, the ministry decided to maintain the original version of the revised bill. Instead, a step was taken backward to simplify procedures for meeting North Korean citizens by exempting prior declaration. Nevertheless, the ministry showed a possibility of pushing for it when things allow.
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The KyungHyang Shinmun (http://english.khan.co.kr/)
Doctors Go on Strike Despite Government Order to Return to Work
The Korean Medical Association launched a second general strike, a 3-day strike, on August 26. The government engaged in negotiations with the Medical Association into the early hours of this day, but failed to prevent the strike. The Korean Intern Resident Association also continued its indefinite strike, which began on August 21.
The nation is facing a lack in medical staff, leading to delays in surgeries and doctor’s examinations at general hospitals due to fewer interns and residents. The government issued an order for interns, residents and fellows in the Seoul metropolitan area to return to work, but they have refused to follow the order.
A Fierce and Violent Typhoon: People Paused Flood Recovery Operations and Bore the Storm with No Protection
Southern regions, such as Jeju and Jeollanam-do, which were directly affected by Typhoon Bavi (no. 8), a storm with legendary strong winds, spent a nervous August 26. The wind and rain, which started to fall on the morning of this day, grew stronger as time passed, eventually causing damages in the Jeju and Jeollanam-do area. In Gurye, Jeollanam-do, which suffered major damage from the recent torrential rain, people halted recovery operations, and the operation of COVID-19 screening centers set up outdoors was also interrupted.
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Maeil Business News Korea (http://www.pulsenews.co.kr/)
Seoul extends six-month ban on short sale until March 2021
Short sale of all publicly trading stocks in South Korea will be prohibited for another six months from Sept. 16 as the country’s financial regulator aims to protect retail investors that have led the strong revival of the local stock markets during the COVID-19 turmoil.
The county’s top financial authority Financial Services Commission announced the stabilization action on Thursday to restrict any speculative practice in the stock markets amid rising uncertainties from the protracted COVID-19 pandemic.
Update: BOK readies additional easing as econ set to contract by 1.3%~2.2% this year
The Bank of Korea may push the policy rate to a fresh low and take additional stimuli measures if necessary upon projecting the economy to fall from 1.3 percent to 2.2 percent this year if virus woes last throughout the year.
The Korean central bank on Thursday stood pat on its policy rate, already at a record low of 0.5 percent, as widely expected, while turning out more negative picture on the economy for this year and the next.
S. Korea to extend credit lines, cut fees to sustain aviation industry
South Korea will extend financial relief to the aviation industry as passenger travel remains at a standstill from the protracted pandemic crisis.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport on Thursday announced the latest aviation rescue package, which includes extended credit lines and reduction of airport usage fees.
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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
AustraliaBrisbaneTime www.brisbanetimes.com.au syndication@fairfaxmedia.com.au
Sydney Morning Herald www.smh.com.au
Colombia Reports http://www.colombiareports.com
BogotaFree 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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