Wednesday, September 21, 2022


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

 

The Korea Post ( www.koreapost.com )

Korean-Chinese ties continue to grow in trade, other areas despite obstacles
On Aug. 24, the Republic of Korea and the People’s Republic of China commemorated the 30th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties with events in their capital cities. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Korea announced that official anniversary ceremonies were held concurrently at the Four Seasons Hotel in Seoul at 7 p.m. on Aug. 24 and the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing at 6 p.m., China time also on Aug. 24.

Foreign Minister Park attended the Seoul gathering and read President Yoon Suk Yeol’s letter celebrating the 30-year milestone between the two countries.


2022 Korea Wellness Travel Festa opens at Suncheon Bay National Garden on Oct. 1

Ministry of Culture, Sports & Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization(KTO) co-hosting the 2022 “Korea Wellness Travel Festa” on Oct. 1 this year in the picturesque port city of Suncheon, Jeollanam-do Province, some 200 miles south of Seoul. The two ministers are cordially inviting interested ambassadors and spouses to attend the opening ceremony on Oct. 1 in the Suncheon City. The Korea Post media are organizing the tour for the Ambassadors and Madams to this Festival at the request of the Ministry of Culture, Sports & Tourism and the Mayor of the KTO.


Top Seoul bartenders design creative cocktails with Rabbit Hole, Malfy and Lillet at ‘Accor Bar Exchange’
Global liquor company Pernod Ricard Korea announced that it will hold an ‘Accor Bar Exchange’ promotion with global hotels affiliated with the ‘Accor’ hotel chain. The ‘Accor Bar Exchange’ promotion is a program in which will showcase the talents and creativity of Accor Hotel bartenders and will be held at Fairmont Hotel’s flagship rooftop bar M29, Mondrian Hotel’s Itaewon bar Privilege and Sofitel Hotel’s Latitude 32 bar starting from August 21st to early October.


                                                              

 

Chosun Ilbo (http://english.chosun.com)
Koreans' Obsession with 'Golden Ticket' Unproductive, OECD Warns

Young Koreans' obsession with landing places at top universities and jobs in a large conglomerate are counterproductive even though the country's economic development has been in some ways exemplary, the OECD warns in a new report. The biennial OECD Economic Survey of Korea released Monday offers policy advice based on analysis of the country's economic situation and policies. It warns of a "golden ticket syndrome" in Korean society, where competition is fierce to win a place at a top university in the hope of "a secure and attractive career in a large firm or the public sector."

Yoon Among World Leaders as Queen Elizabeth Laid to Rest
President Yoon Suk-yeol and his wife Kim Keon-hee attended the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey in London on Monday. After a service and colorful pageant watched by millions around the world, they then signed the condolence book at Church House near the abbey. Yoon wrote he was "honored to have been among the contemporaries of the queen who had lived a life dedicated to protecting freedom and peace." After the funeral, Yoon took time out to award a Civil Merit Medal to Victor Swift, a British veteran of the Korean War, at a hotel in London.

Yoon Vows to Thwart N. Korea's Nuclear Ambitions
President Yoon Suk-yeol told the New York Times on Sunday that his predecessor Moon Jae-in was like a "student obsessed with only one friend in his classroom: North Korea." The U.S. daily quoted Yoon as describing Moon's rapprochement efforts and inter-Korean summits as a "political show." Instead, Yoon vowed to seek the answer "in strengthening the extended deterrence based on a strong South Korea-U.S. alliance." That includes "a package of all possible means and methods," such as use of the U.S. nuclear umbrella.

                                                                                            

Joongang Ilbo (https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com )

Nuclear energy included in Korean green taxonomy draft
Nuclear power has been included in Korea's green taxonomy, reversing the stance of the previous administration. A green taxonomy is a list of economic activities considered environmentally sustainable. It describes activities and assets that can be defined as green. With nuclear on the list, funding for reactors will be easier and Korea's taxonomy will be more in line with global trends. The Environment Ministry on Tuesday released its first draft of the nuclear energy green taxonomy. R&D of core technology, testing, constructing new nuclear plants and the operation of nuclear reactors were included.

 

More Covid restrictions could be on the chopping block
Korea is considering lifting some of its last Covid-19 restrictions, including on-arrival testing for the virus and a mask mandate for outdoor events. The outdoor face mask mandate was ended on May 2 except for events with 50 attendants or more considering the crowd density, such as at rallies, concerts and sports stadiums. Questions have been raised about the policy’s efficacy, as eating and drinking seats are allowed in sports stadiums.

 

K-Chips bills drag as laws elsewhere already provide support
The K-Chips acts, Korea's answer to the U.S. Chips Act, are caught in a political quagmire. One of the bills in the legislative push to support semiconductor companies, which would reduce red tape and subsidize training programs, was finally put up for discussion on Thursday at the National Assembly, 47 days after first being introduced. Another bill, which would expand tax credits, is still pending. The government estimates a total of 340 trillion won ($260 billion) will be funneled into the semiconductor industry over the next five years once the bills are passed. 

 

                                                                                               

 

The Dong-A Ilbo (http://english.donga.com/)

USFK commander mentions contingency plan for China’s invasion of Taiwan
U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) Commander Gen. Paul LaCamera said on Monday that the U.S. is considering a “contingency plan” to support South Korea’s defending Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion. This suggests the USFK is making a contingency plan to tackle a potential armed conflict in Taiwan, with U.S. President Joe Biden having vowed a day earlier to defend Taiwan in the event of an unprecedented attack. This is the first time an incumbent USFK commander has mentioned the necessity for the U.S. forces to respond to the Chinese invasion.

 

Maturity for Covid loans for small businesses to be postponed
The financial support under the Covid-19 pandemic for small-sized business owners and small-and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) will likely be extended for another round. Discussions are underway to extend loan maturity to three years and postpone repayment of principal and interest by one year. According to the pundits of financial circles, the Financial Services Commission (FSC) has effectively decided to extend the maturity again and postpone the repayment of loan principal and interest for small-sized business owners and SMEs, which was to be exterminated late this month.

Ruling party elects Joo Ho-young as the new floor leader
Five-term legislator Joo Ho-young was elected as the new floor leader of the People Power Party on Monday. With this decision, the floor leader returned to the party’s leaders 24 days after the court granted an injunction for suspension regarding the system of Joo as the leader of the emergency committee. Joo beat two-time legislator Lee Yong-ho and became the new floor leader by winning 61 votes from 106 legislators who voted at a general meeting of the party, which was held on Monday morning at the National Assembly. Lee won 42 votes.

 

                                                                                                             

 

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

WKF: World leaders call for freedom and alliance to fight common challenges
Europe invites stronger alliance with South Korea from technology value chain to security and climate changes to address common challenges from pandemic to supply crisis from the protracted Russia-Ukraine war, according to Francois Hollande, former president of France.What we wish to see, first of all, is Korea, because it is so equipped with great technologies, we could collaborate on satellites, missiles, and cyber security,” said Hollande at “Europe, At Its Turning Point: Beyond Conundrum Toward Prosperity”


Seoul officially includes nuclear energy in green taxonomy
The government under President Yoon Suk-yeol out to undo reactor phase-out policy of the past administration is officially classifying nuclear energy as green and sustainable taxonomy. The Ministry of Environment on Tuesday unveiled a draft on the green taxonomy – a classification of eco-friendly activities on a national level - to include nuclear energy. Korea’s green taxonomy, also referred to as K-taxonomy, classifies eco-friendly economic activities as either “green activities” or “transitional activities.”

 

Asia’s biggest startup convention Try Everything to run on Sept. 21-23 in Seoul
Promising startups, investors, and accelerators from around the world will come together at Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) in Seoul for Asia’s biggest global startup convention ‘Try Everything 2022’ this week to seek funding tips and mentoring and next unicorn candidates. The global startup festival, which marks its third year this year, is a venue for open innovation involving global startups and enterprises working toward a healthier startup ecosystem, and it will be jointly hosted by Seoul Metropolitan Government and South Korea’s Maekyung Media Group and organized by Seoul Startup Hub.


                                                                                             

 

HanKyoReh Shinmun (http://english.hani.co.kr)

Return of the “northern triangle” of Russia, China and N. Korea
The Cold War was a battle between blocs. Even on the Korean Peninsula, the so-called northern triangle consisting of North Korea, China and the Soviet Union was facing off against the southern triangle made up of South Korea, the US and Japan. However, these blocs collapsed as soon as the Cold War was over. In the postwar period, South Korea shifted to a more cooperative relationship with both China and Russia and this northern triangle also became laxer. However, due to the recent US-China strategic rivalry and Russia's invasion of Ukraine, this northern “triangle” is showing signs of revival for the first time in more than 30 years.

 

Putin’s show of humility
If I were asked which bilateral relationship is the most peculiar and difficult to interpret in the world, I might have to say it’s the one between China and Russia.
They were “sibling empires” that once shared the same socialist ideology, then they were rivals that clashed intensely within the same bloc, and now they are “strategic partners” that feel obliged to step up their cooperation in the face of pressure from the US and the rest of the West.

 

Japanese anti-nuclear activist says fishers’ consent is crucial for Fukushima water release
On Aug. 4, the Japanese government and the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) began construction on the underwater tunnel that will be used to release treated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant into the ocean. Their plan is to use the Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS) to reduce the amount of radioactive material in the contaminated water, after which the treated water would be released into the ocean. Currently, they are at the soil preparation stage.

 

                                                                                     

 

The KyungHyangShinmun (http://english.khan.co.kr/)

President Yoon Failed to Pay His Last Respects to the Queen after Stressing Its Diplomatic Significance, Triggering Controversy over Poor Preparation
President Yoon Suk-yeol’s schedule to attend the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom has stirred a heated debate over prior preparations. The president wrote in the book of condolence for the queen a day after his scheduled visit to pay his last respects. The Office of the President explained that things proceeded according to instructions from the U.K. government, but the opposition party criticized asking, “Why did he go to the U.K. (if that was all he was going to do)?”


PPP Lawmaker Yoo Sang-bum, “The Police Appear to Have Confirmed Lee Jun-seok’s Alleged Sex Bribe to Some Extent”
On September 20, People Power Party (PPP) lawmaker Yoo Sang-bum said, “The police are investigating the case after deciding to call Lee Jun-seok in for questioning, and I believe this means they have internally confirmed the sexual bribery to some degree.” The lawmaker also mentioned rumors that Lee refused to appear before the police because of the second “text message incident” and argued that this showed that Lee was aware of the possibility that his criminal charges could be recognized.

 

Presidential Office to Spend 87.8 Billion Won to Build a New State Guest House in Yongsan
On September 15, it was confirmed that the Office of the President was planning to spend over 80 billion won of the nation’s budget to build a new state guest house to receive important state visitors and host events. According to the National Property Management Fund Budget for 2022, which Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Han Byung-do received from the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the government estimated 87,863,000,000 won in operating expenses for the construction of main and attached facilities of the Office of the President to receive foreign guests and host various events.

 

                                                                                                

 


KBS(http://world.kbs.co.kr/service)

Sung Kim: US Continued Contact with N. Korea Until July, No Response
U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Sung Kim said that the U.S. continued contact with North Korea until July but received no response. Kim made the remarks to reporters on Tuesday at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, saying that the last U.S. attempt at contact was this summer through the “New York channel,” referring to the North’s diplomatic mission at the United Nations. The top U.S. nuclear envoy said that Washington expressed interest in resuming dialogue and conveyed its intent to send supplies to help the North manage COVID-19, but Pyongyang failed to respond.


Police Drops Sexual Bribery Charges against Former PPP Chief
Police will not refer the sexual bribery case of the former leader of the ruling People Power Party(PPP) to the prosecution. The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency on Tuesday decided to dismiss all charges against former PPP chair Lee Jun-seok, including bribery, prostitution and abuse of power after it investigated claims that Lee had a quid pro quo arrangement with the CEO of tech company i-KAIST Kim Sung-jin. Police determined that it has cannot indict Lee on charges related to the allegations that he was provided with sexual favors by Kim in 2013 in exchange for brokering a meeting with then-President Park Geun-hye as the statute of limitations has expired.

 

Industry Minister to Take 'Political Approach’ to US Inflation Reduction Law
Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Lee Chang-yong says he will press the U.S. to resolve Seoul’s concerns with the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act(IRA) through a “political approach.” The minister made the remarks to reporters on Tuesday upon arrival at Dulles International Airport in Washington D.C. for discussions on rectifying the exclusion of South Korean-made electric vehicles from tax incentives under the new U.S. law. Noting that the IRA is a law written and passed by Congress, the minister said talks between the administrations of the two nations are unlikely to influence those with the ability to affect change, adding that it is not easy to address the issue from an economic perspective since it was made from a political one.

 

                                                                                                               

 

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

Yoon calls on U.N. member countries to stand together to defend freedom
President Yoon Suk-yeol called on U.N. member countries Tuesday to stand together to defend freedom and peace, saying South Korea will step up contributions to solving global issues and problems. Yoon made the appeal in his first address to the U.N. General Assembly in New York, as he outlined his vision for South Korea's increased role in the global community and acknowledged the support it received from the U.N. "When freedom of any citizen or nation in the global community is in peril, it is the community of nations that must stand together in solidarity to defend that freedom," he said.

 

Intimidation aside, Son Heung-min wants S. Korea teammates to enjoy World Cup experience
Even with two FIFA World Cups under his belt and a third appearance on the horizon in Qatar, South Korea captain Son Heung-min still feels intimidated by the prospect of playing in the big tournament. Nonetheless, the 30-year-old forward for Tottenham Hotspur will try to enjoy the experience. He wants his teammates to do the same. "The World Cup will always be a challenging stage, because we will face opponents that are stronger than we are, and I understand how much our fans and fans of all the other countries value this competition,"

 

Police drop sexual bribery charges against ex-PPP leader Lee
Police have decided not to refer Lee Jun-seok, the former chairman of the ruling People Power Party, to the prosecution for indictment over allegations he received sexual services as bribery from a businessman about 10 years ago. The 37-year-old Lee has been accused of receiving sexual services paid for by Kim Sung-jin, CEO of tech company I-kaist, in 2013 and attempting to cover it up by promising to pay off a whistleblower. Kim's side claimed Lee had promised to set up a meeting with then President Park Geun-hye in return. Lee was considered close to Park at that time, because she had handpicked him for a seat on the party's collective leadership two years earlier.

 

                                                                                  

 

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

Foreign ministers of South Korea, Japan vow 'sincere efforts' to resolve historic disputes
Foreign ministers of South Korea and Japan agreed to work together to resolve historic disputes in a bilateral meeting in New York, Seoul's Foreign Ministry said Tuesday. South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin and his Japanese counterpart, Yoshimasa Hayashi, held bilateral talks on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Monday. In their meeting held for some 50 minutes, the two ministers agreed to continue to strengthen bilateral, and also trilateral cooperation with the United States, in light of the fast-changing geopolitical environment.

 

Expanding horizons for global development partnership
Last December, Kazakhstan celebrated the 30th anniversary of its independence. A country with modest beginnings, Kazakhstan made a significant transition from being a recipient of Official Development Assistance (ODA) to the first country in Central Asia to adopt the national law on ODA in 2014. Given Kazakhstan’s geographic location, its national capacity, as well as the challenges of global development, Kazakhstan has prioritized development assistance to the countries of its immediate neighborhood: Central Asia and Afghanistan.


Yoon should have met Pelosi,’ says ruling party lawmaker
On the second day of the National Assembly’s interpellation session on Tuesday, Rep. Yoon Sang-hyun of the ruling People Power Party said President Yoon Suk-yeol “should have met with” US Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi during her trip to Seoul last month. In a question addressed to Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, the ruling party lawmaker on the parliamentary committee for national policy asked if he believes the president not meeting with the US House Speaker was “in national interest.”

 

                                                                                     

 

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

'Inter-Korean trust should be prioritized over military tug-of-war'
Former German politician Wolfgang Nowak had trudged the waters of both West and East Germany before their unification in 1990. He saw how East Germany, also known as the German Democratic Republic (GDR), stalled behind West Germany, but how both states never gave up on unification by signing the Basic Treaty in 1972, which allowed mutual cooperation on business, science, telecommunications and culture during the years that followed.

 

Prosecutors drop sexual bribery allegations against ex-PPP leader Lee
Police have decided not to refer Lee Jun-seok, the former chairman of the ruling People Power Party, to the prosecution for indictment over allegations he received sexual services as bribery from a businessman about 10 years ago. The 37-year-old Lee has been accused of receiving sexual services paid for by Kim Sung-jin, CEO of tech company I-kaist, in 2013 and attempting to cover it up by promising to pay off a whistleblower. Kim's side claimed Lee had promised to set up a meeting with then President Park Geun-hye in return. Lee was considered close to Park at that time, because she had handpicked him for a seat on the party's collective leadership two years earlier.

 

US made dialogue offer to N. Korea in July, no response yet: envoy
The United States made yet another dialogue offer to North Korea this summer through a communication channel in New York, but the North has not responded, Washington's top nuclear envoy said Tuesday. U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Sung Kim said that the overture was made through the so-called New York channel, involving the North's diplomatic mission at the U.N., in July, as he highlighted the Joe Biden administration's continued commitment to reengage with Pyongyang.


                                                                                                                  

 

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

Gwangmyeong Daily 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://colombiareports.com

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

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

Andes http://www.andes.info.ec/en

Ecuador Times http://www.ecuadortimes.net

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

LSM.lv http://www.lsm.lv/en

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

El Pais http://elpais.com/elpais/inenglish.html

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

Daily News Hungary http://dailynewshungary.com

Budapest Times http://budapesttimes.hu
                                                                                                                

 

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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