Monday October 5, 2020

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

The Korea Post (http://www.koreapost.com/)
Hanwha Q Cells ranked No. 1 in U.S. solar module market
Hanwha Q Cells has achieved the top market share in the U.S. solar energy module market in the first half of this year.
According to a recent survey released by Wood Mackenzie, a global energy consulting firm, Hanwha Q Cells topped the U.S. residential solar module market for the eighth consecutive quarter with a 22 percent share in the first half.
In addition, in the U.S. commercial solar module market, the market share was 21.5 percent in the first half, up 8.4 percentage points from the annual market share recorded by Hanwha Q Cells last year, maintaining its No. 1 position in the market.

Kia Motors K5 Infotainment UX wins a prize at 2021 German Design Award
Kia Motors' Infotainment System UX (User Experience) has been recognized for its world-class competitiveness by winning the European prestigious Design Award.
Kia Motors announced on Sept. 29 that the dynamic theme applied to the K5 cluster won the Special Mention, a special award in the Interactive User Experience category of the 2021 German Design Award.
The German Design Award, organized by the German Design Committee, is a world-renowned design award that has continued its reputation for about 50 years since 1969. It is also called the "Champion Competition" of the International Design Awards, given that it only reviews and awards works invited by the committee.

Hyundai Motor exports hydrogen-powered cars and buses to the Middle East
Hyundai Motor exported hydrogen-powered electric vehicles to Saudi Arabia. Hyundai Motor has exported a total of four vehicles, including two hydrogen-powered vehicles "Nexo" and two hydrogen-powered buses "Elec-city FCEV," to Saudi Arabia, a company spokesman said on Sept. 27.
The shipment of the Nexo and Elec-city FCEV will be delivered to Saudi Aramco, an energy and chemical company in Saudi Arabia.
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KBS (http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/news/)
S. Korea's New COVID-19 Cases under 100 for Fifth Day
South Korea has reported below 100 daily COVID-19 cases for the fifth straight day.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency(KDCA) said on Monday that 73 new cases were detected throughout Sunday, raising the accumulated total to 24-thousand-164.
Of the new cases, 64 are domestic infections while the remaining nine are imported.
The daily number remained below 100 for the fifth consecutive day, but virus risks remain high amid continued outbreaks of new clusters from the military, medical institutions and nurseries.

Trump Leaves Hospital Briefly to Greet Supporters
U.S. President Donald Trump, who is being treated or COVID-19 at a military hospital, went for a short drive to wave at supporters on Sunday.
According to the Associated Press and other foreign media, Trump briefly left Walter Reed National Medical Center for a drive-by in front of crowds of supporters lining the street outside.
Trump, wearing a mask, was seen in the back of a slow-moving SUV, waving to the assembled crowds.
In a video post on social media, Trump said it’s been a "very interesting journey and he learned a lot about COVID.” He added that he gets it and understands it.

Season's First Ice Reported on Mt. Seorak
The season’s first ice has been reported on Mount Seorak’s Jungcheong Peak in Gangwon Province as morning temperatures fell sharply.
According to the Gangwon Regional Meteorological Administration, the mercury fell to minus one-point-seven degrees Celsius on the mountain Monday morning.
It's the first time the temperature fell below zero during the fall season this year.
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Yonhap (http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr)
New virus cases under 100 for 5th day, potential uptick after holiday worrisome
South Korea's new coronavirus cases stayed below 100 for the fifth straight day Monday, but the country remained cautious about another potential uptick in new infections down the road after the long Chuseok holiday.
The country added 73 more COVID-19 cases, including 64 local infections, raising the total caseload to 24,091, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
It marked a slight rise from the 64 cases added Sunday and a drop from 75 cases reported Saturday. After daily infections hit 133 on Wednesday, they have been in double-digit figures. The drop was in part attributed to fewer tests carried out over the Chuseok autumn holiday that began Wednesday.

Tottenham's Son Heung-min grabs brace vs. Man United in return from injury
Tottenham Hotspur's South Korean star Son Heung-min, back from a hamstring injury that clearly wasn't as serious as originally feared, grabbed a brace against Manchester United in a Premier League match at Old Trafford in Manchester, England, on Sunday (local time). With six goals in four matches, Son is tied with Dominic Calvert-Lewin of Everton for most goals in the league this season. The Spurs clobbered Manchester United 6-1.

Pompeo cancels visit to S. Korea after Trump's virus diagnosis
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo canceled a planned visit to South Korea, the State Department announced Sunday, after President Donald Trump tested positive for COVID-19.
The State Department released an update on Pompeo's planned Asia visit, which included a single travel itinerary to Tokyo from Sunday to Wednesday.
The update did not include the previously announced trips to South Korea and Mongolia.
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The Korea Herald (http://www.koreaherald.com)
New virus cases under 100 for 5th day, potential uptick after holiday worrisome
South Korea's new coronavirus cases stayed below 100 for the fifth straight day Monday, but the country remained cautious about another potential uptick in new infections down the road after the long Chuseok holiday.
The country added 73 more COVID-19 cases, including 64 local infections, raising the total caseload to 24,091, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
South Korea's new coronavirus cases stayed below 100 for the fifth straight day Monday, but the country remained cautious about another potential uptick in new infections down the road after the long Chuseok holiday.
The country added 73 more COVID-19 cases, including 64 local infections, raising the total caseload to 24,091, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).

Another mass rally scheduled for Saturday after small drive-thru protests on Oct. 3
Authorities are staying on guard for another wave of rallies in downtown Seoul this coming weekend, amid concerns over the spread of the coronavirus.
Far-right groups have taken to the streets on major holidays to condemn President Moon Jae-in, drawing thousands of protesters. One such event, held Aug. 15, Liberation Day, was blamed for a spike in the number of coronavirus cases.

NK paper lauds leader Kim's care for people ahead of party founding anniv.
North Korea's official newspaper lauded leader Kim Jong-un for putting people ahead of anything else, calling for loyalty to his people-oriented leadership ahead of this week's founding anniversary of the ruling Workers' Party.
"The days and nights of the past nine years all boil down to the people," the Rodong Sinmun said in a commentary, referring to Kim's rule since late 2011. "The top priority and most important thing for our party is to safeguard the lives and homes of our people."

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The Korea Times (http://www.koreatimes.co.kr)
Japan to restart business travel with Korea: Nikkei
Japan and South Korea are likely to agree as early as this week to restart short- and long-term business travel between the two countries, the Nikkei reported, in a move aimed at helping their economies following travel curbs due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Short-term visitors will not need to quarantine if they show proof of a negative coronavirus test and provide a travel itinerary upon entry, the Japanese daily reported on Monday, citing unidentified government sources from both sides.

New virus cases under 100 after Chuseok holiday
South Korea's new coronavirus cases stayed below 100 for the fifth straight day Monday, but the country remained cautious about another potential uptick in new infections down the road after the long Chuseok holiday.
The country added 73 more COVID-19 cases, including 64 local infections, raising the total caseload to 24,091, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).

Fashion designer Kenzo Takada dies from COVID-19
Kenzo Takada, the iconic Franco-Japanese fashion designer famed for his jungle-infused designs and free-spirited aesthetic that channeled global travel, has died. He was 81.
The family said in a statement to French media Sunday that Takada died from complications from COVID-19 in a hospital in Neuilly-sur-Seine, near Paris. A public relations officer for Kenzo's brand confirmed that Takada died, but didn't give a cause of death.

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HanKyoReh Shinmun (http://english.hani.co.kr)
Trump’s supporters won’t go away, even if he isn’t reelected
In a recent poll of swing state voters by the New York Times, 86% of those who voted for US President Donald Trump in 2016 said they intend on voting for him again on Nov. 3, and only 6% said they wouldn’t vote for him. The US has seen 7 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 and more than 200,000 deaths. In the second quarter alone, more than 40 million people filed for unemployment. But Trump’s approval rating is still fixed at around 43%, where it has been ever since his inauguration in January 2017.


Dispelling the myth of Cuban doctors as “slaves in white gowns”
“Fidel [Castro] once said, ‘Cuba does not bomb our neighbors; we send doctors.’ But recently one South Korean news outlet published an article out of nowhere with the sensationalistic title, ‘White Gown Slaves: Another Name for Health Services in Cuba.’ I see this as biased and distorted reporting, which overtly shows the political aim of supporting a physicians’ strike in protest of policies to bolster health services by citing an overseas example where it’s difficult to verify the facts or for the people involved to respond directly. That’s why I felt like I needed to do something at least.”

Would a second wave of COVID-19 benefit the stock market?
The global stock market has been registering major gains since last April, when COVID-19 was spreading throughout Europe and the US. The initial fear in the market was that the economy and stock prices might collapse in tandem due to the virus. There was of course a rapid chill in the business climate and a precipitous drop in stock prices early on in the contagion, but it only lasted for a short time. Ever since the US Federal Reserve announced the unlimited quantitative easing on Mar. 23, global stock prices have continued to rise even as the virus has continued to rapidly spread.

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Chosun Ilbo (http://english.chosun.com)
Pompeo Cancels Visit to Seoul
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has canceled his visit to Seoul this week after his boss, U.S. President Donald Trump, tested positive for coronavirus.
Last Saturday, the State Department released an update on Pompeo's travel schedule that shaved planned stopovers in Ulaanbaatar and Seoul off his original itinerary.
Instead he will just be going to Tokyo to meet the foreign ministers of the other members of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue or "Quad" -- Japan, India and Australia.

W400 Million in Financial Assets Considered Financially Secure
W400 million in financial assets is considered the new threshold for financial security in retirement.
Hana Bank analyzed male clients between 30 to 55 with more than W10 million worth of financial assets in either insurance or pension deposit accounts (US$1=W1,169).
The bank classified them as financially stable clients after comparing their financial assets and savings with their spending and income.

'Coronavirus Blues' Sends Men Seeking out Erectile Dysfunction Cure
The coronavirus epidemic, accompanying depression and more time spent with their partners, have sent many men to their urologists in search of a cure for erectile dysfunction and low libido.
At one urology clinic in Songpa in southern Seoul, patients increased between 20 to 30 percent compared to pre-coronavirus days. Operations for erectile dysfunction have risen from two to three a month to two to three a week.

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The Dong-A Ilbo (http://english.donga.com/)
White House says next 48 hours would be critical in terms of Trump’s care
U.S. President Donald Trump who tested positive for COVID-19 and hospitalized is reportedly in a worse condition than previously known. President Trump posted a video clip to tamp down the concerns, but confusion is growing due to his age of 74 and the medical team’s reluctance to provide accurate information. The U.S. president stopped his campaign and the presidential election to be held in a month has become more unpredictable than ever.

Pompeo cancels his Korea visit after Trump tests positive to COVID-19
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has cancelled his visit to South Korea planned on early this month after President Donald Trump tested positive for COVID-19. This is likely to put a damper on the South Korean government’s scheme to trigger “October surprise” such as a surprise summit between the U.S. and the North before the U.S. presidential election on November 3 by sending Pyongyang a message declaring the end of war during Pompeo’s visit.

Big Hit opens public subscription
Big Hit Entertainment, a label behind the South Korean boy band BTS, will open subscription for retail investors for two days on Monday and Tuesday. The IPO of the company is expected to make CEO Bang Si-hyuk the 14th richest stockholder in South Korea.
According to the financial investment industry on Sunday, Big Hit has set the price of its shares at 135,000 won, which was the top price in demand forecasting with institutional investors where it was subscribed 1,117 times.

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The KyungHyang Shinmun (http://english.khan.co.kr/)
President Moon Shares His View on North Korea’s Shooting of a South Korean Civilian for the First Time, “It Was a Most Regrettable Incident, and I Extend My Deepest Apologies to the People”
On September 28, President Moon Jae-in apologized for the shooting of a South Korean civilian by North Korean soldiers in the Yellow Sea saying, “Regardless of the reasons, as a government that should protect the lives and safety of our people, we express our deepest apologies.” The president suggested that North and South Korea jointly seek a solution to the latest incident and repeatedly proposed to restore the military communication line. But North Korea, to this day, shut down its military communication line, so a favorable response seems unlikely.

Prosecutors Drop Charges Connected to Choo Mi-ae’s Son and His Alleged AWOL
Prosecutors decided not to press charges against Seo (27), the son of Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae, who was accused of receiving special privileges in his leave of absence while completing his mandatory military service. Despite circumstantial evidence suggesting that the justice minister instructed her secretary to call her son’s superior officer in the military, prosecutors decided that it was not a crime.
Criminal Division 1 (chief prosecutor Kim Deok-gon) of the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors’ Office announced on September 28 that they would not press charges against Seo, who was suspected of being absent without leave (AWOL).

Loose Tongues Fueling Political Strife Following the Tragic Shooting of a Civilian
Some ruling and opposition politicians are making provocative comments on the shooting of a South Korean civilian by the North Korean military. Expressions suggesting an “extreme solution” and “humiliating inter-Korean relations” as well as accusations of “advocating the (North Korean) regime” can easily be heard in the political circle. Some experts claim that the politicians are trying to trigger a political battle over security before an unprecedented shooting of an unarmed civilian.
Rhyu Si-min, chairperson of the Roh Moo-hyun Foundation likened North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to an “enlightened monarch.” At a ceremony commemorating the 13th anniversary of the October 4 North-South Korea Summit Declaration, which was aired live online on September 25, Rhyu mentioned Chairman Kim’s written apology and said, “It was good news, since in a way it was progress toward what we had wanted, and the leadership style of Chairman Kim Jong-un is different from past styles. In my opinion, he is like an enlightened monarch.”
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Maeil Business News Korea (http://www.pulsenews.co.kr/)
Korea’s Sept exports rise 7.7% on yr, biggest since Oct 2018
South Korea’s exports jumped 7.7 percent on year – the biggest rise in nearly two years – in September, ending the losing streak for the past six months despite the protracted COVID-19 impact.
According to data released by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy on Thursday, the country’s exports totaled $48.05 billion in September, up 7.7 percent from a year ago.

Hyundai Motor shows off RM20e racing EV concept with 810 horsepower
Hyundai Motor Co.’s electric racing car concept RM20e poses as a formidable challenge to the global EV giant Tesla’s all-electric sedan Model S on the back of better driving performance and technical specifications, signifying the electric-based high-performance potential for Hyundai N brand.
RM20e was showcased at this year’s first international motor show Beijing International Automotive Exhibition (Auto China 2020) running on Sept. 26-Oct. 5 in Beijing.

Korea’s recovery from pandemic may slow from tepid domestic demand: think tanks
Meaningful recovery in the Korean economy after a contraction this year would depend on how much demand at home and overseas is restored after the pandemic ruins, said heads of top economic think tanks in Korea.
Korea Economic Research Institute (KERI) President Kwon Tae-shin, LG Economic Research Institute President Kim Young-min, Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Sustainable Growth Initiative head Lim Jin and Korea Institute of Finance President Sohn Sang-ho all pointed to the depressed sentiment as the result of the lengthening in virus crisis as the biggest worry about the economy during a telephone interview with Maeil Business Newspaper on Monday.

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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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