Wednesday, February 10, 2021
Round-up of important news from major Korean dailies and from international media today
The Korea Post (http://www.koreapost.com/)
Korea Chapter of SPIC MACAY opens in Seoul with Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre
The Society for the Promotion of Indian Classical Music and Culture Amongst Youth (SPIC MACAY) in association with Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre, Embassy of India, launched its Korea Chapter on 07 February 7, 2021, the Embassy of India in Seoul said on Feb. 9, SPIC MACAY’s newly launched Chapter in Republic of Korea is one of its several global centres worldwide.
Renault Vice Chairman Los Mozos calls for 3 goals to ensure XM3's successful entry into Europe
Jose Vicente de Los Mozos, executive vice president, manufacturing & supply chain of Group Renault, delivered a video message to executives and employees of Renault Samsung Motors' Busan plant on Feb. 9 to ensure XM3's successful entry into Europe.
“UAE approach to spreading the spirit of tolerance, peace could be used for the Korean”
Ambassador Abdulla Saif Al Nuaimi of the United Arab Emirates in Seoul participated in the dialogue session of Pyeongchang Peace Forum (PPF) 2021, which was hosted by Gangwon Province, Pyeong Chang City and KOICA during the period from February 7-9, 2021, in the presence of Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun and Governor Choi Moon-soon of Gangwon Province.
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KBS (http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/news/)
S. Korea Suffers Biggest Job Loss Since 1998
South Korea suffered its biggest monthly job loss in over two decades in January due to the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to Statistics Korea on Wednesday, the number of employed people reached 25-point-81 million last month, down 982-thousand from a year earlier.
US Senate Votes Trump's Impeachment Trial is Constitutional
Former U.S. President Donald Trump’s unprecedented second impeachment trial kicked off on Tuesday as the Senate affirmed the constitutionality of the proceedings.
By a vote of 56 to 44, the Senate voted that it is constitutional to hold an impeachment trial for a former president.
Toll Collectors to Launch Strike ahead of Lunar New Year Holiday
Toll collectors in South Korea plan to go on a general strike ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday, raising concern that holiday travel will be further disrupted.
According to Korea Expressway Service on Tuesday, the labor union of toll booth workers will launch the walkout from 6 a.m. on Wednesday.
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Yonhap (http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr)
S. Korea to start COVID-19 vaccinations on Feb. 26
South Korea will start vaccinating its population against COVID-19 on Feb. 26 if final approval for the use of AstraZeneca's vaccine for elderly people is made this week, health authorities said Tuesday.
The announcement by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) came as the nation reported a slight rise in daily coronavirus cases, with authorities still on high alert ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday.
Couple arrested for inflicting fatal abuse on live-in niece
A couple from Yongin, just south of Seoul, has been put under emergency arrest for allegedly having maltreated their live-in niece to death, police said Tuesday.
The man and his wife, both in their 40s, are accused of having beaten their 10-year-old niece with a plastic broom and other objects and repeatedly throwing her into their home bathtub until she stopped breathing Monday.
AstraZeneca to start supplying COVID-19 vaccines from Feb. 24
AstraZeneca will start delivering the first batch of its COVID-19 vaccine to South Korea starting from Feb. 24, South Korean health authorities said Monday.
The virus response control tower said in a statement that AstraZeneca's vaccine will be supplied in phases from Feb. 24 over the following several days, without elaborating on the amount of doses and other details.
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The Korea Herald (http://www.koreaherald.com)
Caution remains high as new cases jumps back above 300
Local authorities remain cautious over a potential uptick in virus cases as South Korea approaches its second Lunar New Year holiday under COVID-19 pandemic. While the daily addition of new cases has been staying comparatively low for the past week, officials are keen on preventing people from traveling across regions this week as possibilities still remain high for the virus to stay strong during and after the holiday weekend.
Record earnings, but Kakao, Naver can’t just celebrate
South Korea’s two online giants -- Naver and Kakao -- had the best year ever in 2020, benefiting from the rise of e-commerce and the contactless trend. Yet, as the pain of those less fortunate grows, they may have to part with some of their profit if policymakers push ahead with an unprecedented profit-sharing plan they have vowed to introduce.
Ruling party speeds up efforts to weaken prosecution’s power
The ruling Democratic Party is speeding up the process of weakening the power of the prosecution. Now it is moving to create a new investigative agency, on the heels of the establishment of an agency to investigate corruption. On Tuesday, 14 lawmakers led by Rep. Hwang Woon-ha of the ruling party proposed a bill to create an investigative agency tentatively called the serious criminal investigation agency, which would be dedicated to investigating serious crimes -- currently the purview of the prosecution.
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The Korea Times (http://www.koreatimes.co.kr)
Irish street artist recreates urban space with Asian muses
For Irish artist Finbarr Notte, the city is a huge canvas to fill in with his art. He began to view the concrete jungle as a space for his art in 2005 when he worked in digital advertising in central London. Back then, graffiti and street art were part of everyday life, inspiring young artistic souls like him to consider becoming an urban artist.
'Not in my backyard': Residents oppose opening of dog parks
There have been growing calls to protect the welfare of animals as more and more people in Korea opt to live with pets. One of the demands pet owners have been making to local governments is to create off-leash areas where dogs can play freely. To meet their requests, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced a plan last year to build at least one dog park in each of the city's 25 districts by 2022, allocating a budget of 100 million won per district.
Joseon era ancestral rites offerings were simpler than today's, research shows
The charyesang (ancestral rites table) is an important part of Lunar New Year in Korea. One might immediately associate it with all sorts of delicacies laid out on the table, typically seen these days. However, research suggests that the food on the Joseon era charyesang was much simpler, yet with the same respect for ancestors.
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HanKyoReh Shinmun (http://english.hani.co.kr)
S. Korean sci-fi film “Space Sweepers” rockets to top spot on Netflix global list
“Space Sweepers,” South Korea’s first space-based sci-fi film, has enjoyed global popularity since its release on Feb. 5 in 190 countries around the world via the Netflix video streaming service.
According to flixpatrol.com, a website that ranks video content, “Space Sweepers” was the most-watched film on Netflix worldwide for two days in a row on Feb. 6-7.
Kang Kyung-wha shares “pride and fulfillment” as she says goodbye to S. Korean Foreign Ministry
Kang Kyung-wha, the first Minister of Foreign Affairs of South Korean President Moon Jae-in’s administration and the last remaining member of his original Cabinet, has left her position after three years and eight months.
Kang finished out her service by sharing goodbyes with ministry officials on the same steps she climbed when she started 1,331 days ago as the country’s first female Foreign Minister, as well as the first who hadn’t sat for the foreign service exam.
“Pause” or breakdown? Halt to Hyundai-Apple talks draws mixed assessments
The official suspension of autonomous vehicle (AV) talks between the Hyundai Motor Group and Apple is having major repercussions.
In the space of one day, over 9 trillion won (US$8.06 billion) in Hyundai Motor and Kia market capitalization evaporated as market disappointment translated into plummeting share prices. Some analysts are speculating that the talks may have been called off completely.
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Chosun Ilbo (http://english.chosun.com)
Resellers Prop up Duty-Free Shops During Pandemic
Air travel has been at a standstill for almost a year due to the coronavirus pandemic, but some people keep buying huge amounts of products in duty-free shops.
These Chinese resellers or "daigou" buy goods in duty-free shops and sell them to Chinese customers at marked-up prices. Daigou have been around for many years, but now they are evolving.
AstraZeneca Vaccinations to Start on Feb. 24
AstraZeneca's vaccine is expected to arrive in Korea on Feb. 24, but the over-65s could miss out since the brand's efficacy for the elderly is unproven.
"Another vaccine could be administered to elderly people," Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun told the National Assembly on Monday.
Health authorities also said they could buy Russia's Sputnik V vaccine in preparation for uncertainties amid the spread of new coronavirus variants here.
Incheon-Jeju Ferry to Resume 7 Years After Tragedy
The Incheon-Jeju ferry service, which was halted after the tragic sinking of the ferry Sewol in 2014, will resume in September.
The Incheon Regional Office of Oceans and Fisheries said Tuesday that Hydex Storage, which was picked as the operator in 2019, will complete a new ferry by September.
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The Dong-A Ilbo (http://english.donga.com/)
Bitcoin price tops 50 million won for the first time in Korea
Bitcoin price is expected to hit 50,000 U.S. dollars for the first time and its price surpassed 50 million won for the first time in Korea.
It appears the surge in Bitcoin prices reflects expectations that the cryptocurrency will soon be brought into the mainstream following Tesla’s announcement that it is making a large investment in Bitcoin and will accept Bitcoin payments for its vehicles. However, concerns over the digital currency’s excessive volatility and bubble still remain.
The ruling party urges a total war to earn votes in Busan
The leadership of the Democratic Party of Korea is urging a total war to earn votes for the Busan mayoral election on April 7. Party leader Lee Nak-yon moderated a meeting about issues in Seoul and floor leader Kim Tae-nyeon in Busan and went all-in to earn more votes from Busan citizens before the lunar new year holidays.
Holstein Kie’s coach praises Lee Jae-sung
Coach Ole Werner of Holstein Kiel in the second Bundesliga praised Lee Jae-sung (29) to his heart’s content. It is because Lee has been taking a very active part for the team, which is eyeing to advance to the first division for the first time. Lee started the 20th round visiting match of the 2020-2021 2. Bundesliga against Fortuna Düsseldorf held at the Merkur Spiel-Arena in Düsseldorf on Tuesday and scored a goal two minutes into the second half when his team was leading by 1-0.
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The KyungHyang Shinmun (http://english.khan.co.kr/)
“We Will Begin Receiving the AstraZeneca Vaccine for 750,000 People on Feb. 24 and Begin Inoculation Immediately”
The government will begin receiving 1.5 million doses (for 750,000 people) of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine manufactured at the SK Bioscience factory in Andong, Gyeongsangbuk-do on February 24. On February 8, disease control authorities obtained data from the United Kingdom, where the vaccine is being administered to people of all ages, to analyze how effective the AstraZeneca vaccine is in preventing the virus among the elderly.
Disaster Relief Fund, Ineffective for Businesses Hit Hard by COVID-19
The tourism and fitness industries were particularly hit hard by COVID-19, but it turned out that people mostly spent the disaster relief fund at supermarkets, which suffered relatively less. Financial authorities argued that it was inevitable for the government to selectively hand out the fourth disaster relief fund, due to the disparity between businesses that suffered from COVID-19 and those that benefited from the disaster relief fund.
“Do You See Me?” Kim Jin-sook Walks 34 Days to Cheongwadae
“President Moon Jae-in, do you see me? Can you see me? I remain laid off even after you, who fought with me, became president through the power of the candlelight. Why is Kim Jin-sook, fired under the Chun Doo-hwan government, still laid off after 36 years? I walked 34 days because I want to hear the answer.”
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Maeil Business News Korea (http://www.pulsenews.co.kr/)
Kakao reports best Q4, doubled income in 2020
Kakao Corp finished 2020 with a doubled operating profit and record sales as for-profit businesses sprawling on the chat platform almost all Koreans use thrived during the epidemic-stricken year. The parent of Kakao Talk in a regulatory filing on Tuesday reported the three-month best of 149.8 billion won ($134 million) for the fourth quarter, jumping 24.6 percent from the previous quarter and 88.3 percent from a year earlier. Revenue came at 1.2 trillion won, up 12.2 percent on quarter and 45.7 percent on year.
S. Korean shipbuilders top January order book, taking up half of global orders
South Korean shipbuilders topped order book ranking in January, with orders surging by 13 times versus barren month of a year ago.
According to British shipbuilding and marine industry tracker Clarkson Research Services on Tuesday, Korean shipbuilders won orders of 910,000 compensated gross tonnage (CGT) or 20 vessels in January to account for 54 percent of the global total of 1.7 million CGTs or 66 vessels.
KT Q4 OP up 6.4% on year, net figure turns to profit on 5G growth
South Korea’s leading mobile carrier KT Corp. posted a 6.4 percent year-over-year increase in operating profit from October to December last year, although falling 40 percent against the previous quarter due to sluggish real estate and credit card business from winter outbreak in Covid-19.
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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 Herald www.smh.com.au
Colombia Reports www.colombiareports.com
Bogota Free Planet www.bogotafreeplanet.com bfp@bogotafreeplanet.com
El Universal www.eluniversal.com.mx/english
Andes www.redaktionstest.net/andes-info-ec/
Ecuador Times www.ecuadortimes.net/
The Jordan Times www.jordantimes.com/
LSM.lv www.lsm.lv/
The Baltic Times www.baltictimes.com lithuania@baltictimes.com, estonia@baltictimes.com, editor@baltictimes.com
El Pais https://english.elpais.com/
Philippine Daily Inquirer www.inquirer.net/
Daily News Hungary https://dailynewshungary.com/
Budapest Times www.budapesttimes.hu/
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The Korea Post is running video clips from the different embassies.
Azerbaijan: www.youtube.com/watch?v=OR8CBpcQ4WM
Sri Lanka: www.youtube.com/watch?v=hByX92Y2aGY&t=22s
Morocco: www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfFmp2sVvSE
And many other countries.
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