The Korean daily media headlines and humor

The Korean daily media headlines and humor

Monday, November 27, 2017

Your Excellency:

Here are The Korea Post notices and a roundup of important headlines from all major Korean-language dailies, TV and other news media of Korea today:

Very Respectfully Yours

/s/

Lee Kyung-sik

Publisher-Chairman

Korea Post Media

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

What’s ticking in Korea today? Here is a quick roundup of important news stories from the major Korean news media today:

The Korea Post media (www.koreapost.com) in English, (www.koreapost.co.kr) in Korean.

Foreign diplomats visit PyeongChang Olympic sites

Foreign diplomats and military officials stationed in South Korea pose for a group photo during their visit to the venues of the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics, east of Seoul, on Nov. 25, 2017. The foreign ministry, which provided this photo, arranged the tour that included a ride on the KTX train that will serve as the main transportation means during the games and a look at the venue of the opening and closing ceremonies.

Ho Chi Minh-Gyeongju World Culture Expo 2017 a great success

Starting with a splendid opening ceremony held on November 11, 2017, the 23-day ‘Ho Chi Minh-Gyeongju World Culture Expo 2017’, the third global joint event of the traditional Gyeongju World Culture Expo, raised its curtain in the Nguyen Hue Street in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Nguyen Hue Street is a symbolic place where a statue of Ho Chi Minh stands and diverse activities and events are held.

President appoints new Constitutional Court chief

President Moon Jae-in appointed a new head of the Constitutional Court on Friday, making the court's nine-member panel whole for the first time in nearly 10 months.

The new chief justice, Lee Jin-sung, was appointed in a ceremony held at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae only hours after the National Assembly approved his appointment in a 254-18 vote.

"I express my gratitude to the National Assembly, which endorsed Lee's appointment in an overwhelming vote today," the president said, according to Cheong Wa Dae pool reports.

Moon, Mirziyoyev up ROK-Uzbek ties

President Moon Jae-in and President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of the Republic of Uzbekistan agreed on Nov. 23, 2017 to enhance bilateral ties and cooperation between the two countries during the latter’s visit to Korea at the invitation of President Moon.

At the Korean-Uzbek summit meeting at the Presidential Mansion of Cheong Wa Dae that day, Moon and Mirziyoyev noted that the two countries have historically maintained a friendly relationship and that there were a wide range of areas where the two countries could explore and develop for mutual benefit.

MAN Truck & Bus Korea seeks to offer best customer service

President Max Burger of MAN Truck & Bus Korea says that his company will step up efforts to enhance its market position in Korea’s commercial vehicle sector with upgraded customer services and new technology related to autonomous driving. At a recent interview with The Korea Post media, President Burger emphasized that opening of the Pyeongtaek PDI (Pre-Delivery Inspection) Center will enable the company to further improve its customer services.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

KBS (http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/news/)

Trial of Ex-President Park to Resume Monday

The trial of former President Park Geun-hye will resume on Monday, 42 days after the proceedings were suspended following her team of lawyers' mass resignation. The Seoul Central District Court will resume the trial at 10 a.m. Monday, but Park is unlikely to appear. The trial was stopped in October after her legal representatives resigned in protest of the court's decision to approve an extension of Park's detention. The court then appointed five public defenders for Park to continue the trial, but she has refused to meet them.

S. Korea's Q3 Growth Ranks Second among OECD

South Korea's economic growth ranked second in the third quarter among member nations of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development(OECD). According to OECD data on Monday, the South Korean economy grew one-point-four percent in the July-September period from a quarter earlier. That's the second largest growth among OECD nations after one-point-five percent for Latvia, which joined the organization last year.

Moon to Take a Day off Monday to Rest

President Moon Jae-in will take a day off on Monday to rest. The presidential office said on Sunday that the president will take a rest at his residence and the weekly meeting of presidential secretaries set for Monday will be canceled. The presidential leave comes 115 days after he took a five-day summer vacation in August. In May, Moon also took a day off to rest at his private residence in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang Province, 12 days after his inauguration. He has so far spent six days of his 21 annual paid leave days.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

S. Korea's Q3 growth ranks 2nd among OECD

South Korea's economic growth ranked second among major advanced and emerging economies in the third quarter of the year on brisk exports and increased fiscal spending, data showed Monday.

Asia's fourth-largest economy expanded 1.4 percent in the July-September period from three months earlier, according to the data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

It was the second-highest on-quarter increase among the OECD members after 1.5 percent for Latvia, which joined the Paris-based organization last year.

Soldier-defector is 'window' onto N. Korean life: U.S. official

A senior U.S. diplomat urged all nations to work together to denuclearize North Korea, saying the recent defection of a North Korean soldier illustrates the cruelty of that regime.

Brian Hook, director of policy planning and senior policy adviser at the State Department, cited the North Korean soldier who dashed across the heavily fortified border into South Korea and was later found with multiple gunshot wounds, along with hepatitis B, pneumonia and large parasitic worms in his intestines.

BTS tops iTunes charts of 47 countries for 'Mic Drop'

South Korean boy band BTS topped the iTunes' Top Songs Chart of the United States on Saturday with "Mic Drop," making them the first Korean band to do so. The "Mic Drop" remix also hit No. 1 on iTunes' Top Songs Chart of 46 other countries, including Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Singapore and Thailand, one day after it was released. The group, also known as Bangtan Boys, collaborated with the famous American DJ Steve Aoki and rapper Desiigner for the remix. The original "Mic Drop" is one of the 11 tracks on BTS' album "Love Yourself: Her," which was released Sept. 18.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

Ahn calls for stronger stance on North’s violation of armistice agreement

The South Korean government must take on a firmer stance on North Korea, according to Ahn Cheol-soo, the chairman of the minor opposition People’s Party. Ahn, who ran against President Moon Jae-in in the presidential election in May, also criticizes the Moon administration of “inaction” with regards to North Korea’s recent violation of the armistice agreement of the Korean War. In an interview with The Korea Herald on Thursday, the party leader said the government should lodge an official complaint to North Korea over the incident.

China, Russia uphold NK sanctions amid NK protest

Despite a series of complaints from North Korea against sanctions imposed against the country, its key business partners are showing signs of upholding the measures drawn to cripple the rogue nation’s economic growth. North Korea’s exports to China in October dropped 62 percent on-year, amounting to about $90 million, showed Chinese customs data released Thursday. The figure also fell nearly 38 percent compared to $145.8 in September.

S. Korean gov't promises to engage actively in debate on abortion

South Korea's government on Sunday promised to give more active consideration to growing public demand to permit artificial abortion. The presidential office released its position toward a petition, posted on its homepage, whose signatories exceeded 200,000 in late October. Cho Kuk, the senior presidential secretary for civil affairs, said the government will resume a survey on abortion next year and will make efforts to promote public debate to resolve the dispute.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

Gov't to review legitimacy of abortion, reigniting pro-life vs. pro-choice debate

Cheong Wa Dae said Sunday it will review the legitimacy of the nation's anti-abortion law. Cho Kuk, the senior presidential secretary for civil affairs, said the government will begin the task by collecting more facts through research next year. The announcement came after more than 230,000 people signed a petition against the law, which carries a sentence of up to one year or a maximum fine of 2 million won ($1,850) for a woman who has an abortion.

US rejects 9% of South Korean visa requests

The United States has rejected one in 10 visa requests from South Korea this year, according to U.S. State Department data. The rejection rate for 2017 was 9.05 percent, up from 8.65 percent last year. But this is still not high enough to jeopardize a 90-day short-term visa waiver program the U.S. has applied to South Korea since 2008, say visa experts here. The rejection rate has been a single digit for the past two years, after hitting a record 21.2 percent in 2014 and 13 percent in 2015.

THAAD conflict not over yet

China is increasingly pressuring South Korea to act more to ensure that the installment of a U.S. missile shield here will not pose a threat to its security, despite their recent agreement to normalize bilateral ties and resolve a row over the defense system. Beijing appears to be interpreting the agreement unilaterally to ensure that the deployment of the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery will not pose a threat to its security. The move has baffled Seoul as it concluded the agreement completely settled the THAAD dispute and that any related issues should no longer be brought up.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DongA Ilbo (http://english.donga.com)

China arrests, probes head of shipping firm engaged in trade with N. Korea

The Chinese government unexpectedly arrested the head of a major company operating cargo ships linking North Korea and China, which the United States had designated as an entity subject to its independent sanctions, a joint investigation by The Dong-A Ilbo and Channel A found on Sunday. Beijing is reportedly conducting far-reaching investigation of all companies engaged in trade with North Korea, as well as Chinese firms and individuals Washington included in the list of entities subject to its independent sanctions since this past summer, and is taking disciplinary action if illegal acts are detected.

Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix expected to hit record revenues

On the back of robust growth in the global semiconductor market, combined sales of Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix are expected to break 100 trillion won mark for the first time this year.

IC Insights, a global market research company, projected on Sunday in its latest report that Samsung will record 65.6 billion U.S. dollars in sales while SK Hynix will see 26.2 billion dollars in sales. The combined figure amounts to 91.8 billion dollars, or 100.8 trillion won.

SK chairman discusses privatization of public enterprises in Vietnam

SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won met with Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc to discuss the privatization of state-owned enterprises in Vietnam and the operation of the working-level consultative body for streamlining the energy industry.

SK Group said on Friday that Charmain Chey had a meeting with the Vietnamese prime minster, the previous day at the prime minister’s official residence.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chosun Ilbo (http://english.chosun.com)

N.Korea Tightens Border Security After Defection

North Korea has tightened security since a soldier fled to the South Korean side of the Joint Security Area through a hail of bullets on Nov. 13.

The North set up a lockable gate at the so-called 72-Hour Bridge over which the defector drove his jeep to reach the border area. And guards have dug a 1 m-deep ditch between the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission's building and a North Korean guard post in the JSA.

The ditch is to the immediate north of the military demarcation line, where the defector abandoned his jeep that had been stuck in a ditch and started running toward the south. "The North seems retracing the escape route to plug up loopholes," a military spokesman here said.

Public Career Nets W800 Million More Than SME Job for Life

Public servants end up making up to W800 million more than staff of small and mid-sized companies over the course of their career, according to a study (US$1=W1,087). The study showed that a growing number of young Koreans are seeking to become civil servants not only because of job security but also because of the pay. Published by the Korea Economic Research Institute on Sunday, it shows that public servants who starts at entry or mid-level positions earn W1.5 billion until retirement, W780.6 million more than individuals who work for SMEs that employ fewer than 50 staff.

N.Korean Soldier Recovering Quickly

The North Korean soldier who was gravely wounded during his frantic defection from the North last week has regained consciousness and is now able to communicate with medical staff.

According to Ajou University Hospital, the soldier has recovered enough to make light conversation with hospital staff and is expected to move out of intensive care into a regular ward this weekend.

Dr. Lee Kook-jong briefed reporters about the soldier's condition on Thursday. The defector is 25 years old and has been identified by his surname Oh. He weighs around 60 kg and is 170 cm tall, which is about 6 cm taller than the average North Korean his age.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

VW resumes sales in South Korea without acknowledging emissions tampering

Volkswagen recently resumed sales in South Korea after they were suspended in the wake of the automaker’s “Dieselgate” scandal. It is set to begin its own sales shortly, on the heels of Volkswagen Group member Audi’s launch of the R8 Coupe sports car on Nov. 6. Its resumption comes two years after a Ministry of Environment sales suspension over tampering with emissions readings. But the key issue of arbitrary manipulation of gas reduction devices has been buried, while compensation to consumers appears unlikely to happen.

Artwork commemorating Candlelight Revolution installed in Blue House

Candles have made a return to the Blue House. “Standing in the Square,” a masterwork by artist Lim Ok-sang showing public squares teeming with candles last winter, was recently installed in the main hall of Blue House. The original artwork consisted of 108 canvases showing images of candles as painted by Lim, who visited Gwanghwamun Square in downtown Seoul every weekend during the candlelight demonstrations. The wall of the Blue House is only big enough to hold 78 canvases, which have been joined together into a vast landscape measuring 11.7 meters long and 3.6 meters high.

North Korea replaces JSA troops following defection

Following the defection of a North Korean soldier on Nov. 13, North Korea has reportedly replaced all of its troops at the Joint Security Area (JSA) in Panmunjeom. “Signs have been detected that the entire security detachment has been replaced following the defection of a North Korean soldier at Panmunjeom. In light of this replacement, it seems nearly certain that the commander and other senior officers will be disciplined,” said a source in the South Korean military on Nov. 23.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

JoongAng Ilbo (http://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/)

North’s Olympic invite still stands

Korean Minister of Foreign Affairs Kang Kyung-wha again extended an invitation for Pyongyang to attend the PyeongChang Winter Olympics in an effort to foster an atmosphere of peace and tolerance, as she led a group of 200 envoys and U.S. military officials, including Gen. Vincent Brooks, the commander of U.S. Forces Korea, in an inspection of the facilities for the upcoming Winter Games.

Former NIS deputy Choi Yun-su questioned

A former deputy head of Korea’s intelligence agency was questioned by prosecutors on Sunday over allegations that the agency had operated illegal surveillance operations against public servants and civilians when Park Geun-hye was president. Choi Yun-su, former second deputy director of the National Intelligence Service (NIS), appeared at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office at around 9:50 a.m. for questioning.

BMW X3 can brave tough roads

Korea’s premium SUV market has just begun to ripen, with import car brands continuously bringing in new models to meet rising demand here. Options include Mercedes-Benz’ GLC and GLC Coupe, Volvo’s XC60 and even Land Rover’s Discovery Sports and Evoque. To compete, BMW has upped the ante with its new midsize X3 SUV. The German automaker is fully overhauling the model for the first time in seven years, hoping to differentiate itself from other premium midsize SUVs in the Korean market by providing powerful and tough driving performance.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The KyungHyang Shinmun (http://english.khan.co.kr/)

PyeongChang = Peace: Launch of "Olympic Truce"

On November 23, the government acknowledged that they were reviewing plans to not conduct the ROK-US joint military exercises during the PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games and Paralympic Games next year. Although the government did not officially admit or deny the report by the Kyunghyang Shinmun the previous day, they said, "It is an option under consideration."

"Trump Never Mentioned a Preemptive Strike Against North Korea"

"You cannot solve the North Korean issue by dividing it into separate issues, such as the nuclear program, missiles, and human rights. That is why we have failed for the past two decades. We need to solve this comprehensively, and the only way to do that is to sign a peace treaty." If someone made this argument, it would be nothing new. After all, it is just an extension of direct engagement with North Korea, which South Korea and the U.S. have both argued for.

The CSAT Was Hard Once Again: Students, "It Was More Difficult"

There was no big aftershock that could have suspended the test and no unexpected situation for the students to evacuate the test area. Everything went smoothly on November 23, for the students who took the 2018 College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), which had been postponed a week due to the earthquake in the Pohang area. The CSAT this year was similar to last year in the level of difficulty in all subjects, continuing the "hard CSAT" trend.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Korea Economic Daily (http://english.hankyung.com/)

Korea's MBI to Establish EV Plant in Vietnam

MBI, a Korean manufacturer specializing in making transmissions, will build an electric car plant in Hanoi, Vietnam, jointly with local firm N&G Group. The two companies will invest a total of US$1 billion for the next seven years. The companies said on September 21 that the heads of the two companies signed an agreement to establish a joint venture called Viko Motors in South Hanoi next month. Earlier in June this year, MBI was promised by the Vietnamese government and the Hanoi city government for a 20-year free land lease, high-tech investment incentive, preferential tariffs, and designation of MBI-held patented technologies as Vietnamese standards.

Oil Refiners See Good Times ahead due to Rising Oil Prices

International oil prices have hit a record high in seven months as they went up over US$50 a barrel. The domestic oil refining sector raised its hopes of improving their profitability in the third quarter after suffering poor results for two consecutive quarters.The spot price for Dubai crude as compiled by the Korea National Oil Corp. was $53.64 a barrel on September 16, up by 7 cents from the previous day. This is the highest level since February this year when the figure was $54.39.

Gov't Decides to Give $8 Mil. Aid to North Korea...Timing to Be Announced Later

The government has decided to give support to North Korea worth US$8 million in programs helping its vulnerable people including children and pregnant women indirectly through international organizations. It, however, has not decided when to start sending money and exactly how. This is interpreted as a choice to deflect criticism that it is undertaking an aid project at a time when North Korea is causing an international storm by launching a series of missile tests.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

AJU Business Daily (http://eng.ajunews.com/korea)

New bill calls on heat-not-burn tobacco products to carry graphic warnings

With a similar amount of taxes to be levied, heat-not-burn tobacco products will be treated like conventional cigarettes in South Korea, carrying graphic and text warnings to highlight their health hazards. From December last year, cigarette packages began carrying obligatory health-warning illustrations such as a diseased lung, a hole in a throat, and a row of rotten teeth.

KT unveils LTE-based AI assistant speaker

KT, one of South Korea's leading telecom companies, unveiled a new AI assistant speaker called "GiGA Genie LTE" for use both at home and in the open air, using an LTE network for the first time in the world.

KT said the new device used a Harman Kardon speaker and featured an LTE router function that can be used to transfer wireless Internet from notebooks and smartphones. GiGA Genie LTE is similar in size to a tumbler (7x7x17cm) and has a black cylindrical shape. It is easy to carry and its battery capacity for non-stop use for up to eight hours is the largest among domestic AI speakers.

Pearl Necklace and Diamond

According to Kenneth Waltz, an international political scientist, countries have developed survival strategies such as balance and alliance. as the war has been caused by the anarchy of international politics. But it's not clear whether international politics in the 21st century will proceed according to his theory. The world is watching with hope and fear that it will be reorganized into the Cold War balance, or whether the U.S. and China will cooperate and move into a new era of peace and cooperation.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

SK Group Chairman Chey eyes Southeast Asia to spur global business

South Korea’s third largest conglomerate SK Group is accelerating its expansion in Southeast Asia as part of its global partnership initiative launched by its chairman Chey Tae-won. According to SK Group on Friday, Chey has embarked on a trip to Singapore and Vietnam on Monday with plans to meet with officials from the government, political, and conglomerate circle as well as entrepreneurs and investors to exchange views on boosting mutual partnership in energy and information and communication technology (ICT) sectors.

Naver emerging as big-name startup backer

Naver Corp., South Korea’s leading online portal operator, has reportedly invested over 140 billion won ($129 million) in local startups with plans to spend more as it seeks new growth engines and areas for future partnership in the budding startup community. According to venture capital database platform The VC on Thursday, Naver and its subsidiary LINE Plus Corp. have injected 138.3 billion won in 12 startups so far this year.

Hyundai Rotem develops new system to boost speed and power of high-speed trains

South Korea’s Hyundai Rotem Co., a locomotive and rolling stock unit of Hyundai Motor Group, has successfully completed development of a new traction converter, traction motor and running gear for high-speed trains to enhance power and speed, the company said Thursday. The new traction converter is able to raise the propulsion capacity of a high-speed train by 10 percent. The new product can be applied to existing trains including KTX-Sancheon, SRT and Honam Line high speed train. A traction converter controls a train’s traction power by supplying power to a traction motor.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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.cnkf@people.cn

China Daily www.chinadaily.com.cn circulation@chinadaily.com.cn

GwangmyeongDaily www.gmw.cn webmaster@gmw.cn