The Korean daily media headlines and humor
Tuesday, May 1, 2018
Your Excellency:
What’s ticking in Korea and around the world today?
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
The Korea Post media
P.S.: If the Headlines are no longer desired, please advise us at: edt@koreapost.com or pub@koreapost.com.
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Round-up of important news stories from major Korean dailies today:
The Korea Post media (www.koreapost.com) in English, (www.koreapost.co.kr) in Korean.
Moon urges parliamentary ratification of Panmunjom Declaration
President Moon Jae-in on Monday called for swift efforts to have the outcome of his historic summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un ratified by the parliament, a move apparently aimed at ensuring the implementation of the inter-Korean agreement despite a possible change in government down the road."I ask you to quickly start taking steps to have the declaration ratified as required under the law on the development of South-North Korea relations," Moon said while meeting with his aides in a weekly meeting held at his office Cheong Wa Dae.It marked the first time for the president or his government to note the need to have the latest inter-Korean agreement ratified by the National Assembly.
Ministry of Health and Welfare holds ‘One Health Forum’
On the occasion of the 46th World Health Day on April 7, the Ministry of Health and Welfare held the "One Health Forum" at the KCCI (Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry) building in Seoul on April 6, 2018.On the topic of ‘Universal Health Coverage (UHC),’ about 400 dignitaries and guests from the government and health and medical institutions, including Minister of Park Neung-hoo of Ministry of Health and Welfare, attended the annual event, managed by Korea Health Promotion Institute.
Samsung expands presence in market for super-large displays
Samsung Electronics Co. is anticipated to penetrate deeper into the market for super-large displays, industry watchers said Monday, in line with the market trend for using TVs as hubs for artificial intelligence services in the home.The South Korean tech giant recently showcased new home cinema solutions in Italy, with sizes ranging from 110 inches to 260 inches and price tags of around 100 million won (US$936,000) and 390 million won, respectively.Earlier this year, Samsung also showcased its high-end TV called The Wall in Las Vegas, to officially be released later this year."The MicroLED technology featured in The Wall eliminates the need for color filters or backlighting, yet allows the screen to offer consumers the ultimate viewing experience," the company said in a previous release.
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KBS (http://world.kbs.co.kr/englis
Moon: Panmunjeom Declaration Will Serve as Start of Great Transition in History
President Moon Jae-in says he is confident that the Panmunjeom Declaration is what the world was waiting for and will serve as the starting point of a great transition in the course of the world's history.Moon made the remark on Monday during a meeting of his key aides at the presidential office, noting that by signing the Panmunjeom Declaration, the two Koreas had agreed on their shared goal of fully denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula. He told his aides that U.S. President Donald Trump had assessed the latest inter-Korean summit to be a historic meeting and that the leaders of China, Russia, Japan and other neighboring countries had welcomed the outcome of the summit which was the first to take place in eleven years. Moon thanked the Korean public for their support and goodwill, as well as the North Korean leader who he said gave his heart and sincerity to make the summit a success.
Customs Service to Summon Korean Air Owner Family over Corruption Scandal
The head of the South Korea's customs authority has vowed a thorough investigation into allegations that the owner of Hanjin Group, Cho Yang-ho, and his family smuggled duty-free items or evaded taxes for years using the group’s affiliate, Korean Air. Korea Customs Service(KCS) Commissioner Kim Yung-moon made the promise during a meeting with reporters on Monday after conducting an on-site inspection at Incheon International Airport. He said the public is strongly demanding the truth be revealed regarding suspicions of illegal business practices by the Cho family, and made clear that his agency will conduct a fair and swift investigation. He said the KCS is currently planning to summon three members of the owner family for questioning. Asked whether they were Cho's wife and two daughters, the commissioner did not confirm but indicated they would have a lot to explain.
S. Korea to Remove Propaganda Loudspeakers Along Border on Tues.
South Korea will remove loudspeakers along the inter-Korean border on Tuesday that were used to blast anti-North Korea propaganda, the Defense Ministry said Monday. The move is the first follow-up measure to the “Panmunjeom Declaration for Peace, Prosperity and Unification of the Korean Peninsula” that was signed after Friday’s inter-Korean summit. In the declaration, the two Koreas agreed to cease all hostile acts against each other on land, air and sea. This included halting loudspeaker broadcasts and the distribution of leaflets around the Military Demarcation Line by May first.
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Yonhap (http://english.yonhapnews.co.
Moon urges parliamentary ratification of Panmunjom Declaration
President Moon Jae-in on Monday called for swift efforts to have the outcome of his historic summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un ratified by the parliament, a move apparently aimed at ensuring the implementation of the inter-Korean agreement despite a possible change in government down the road."I ask you to quickly start taking steps to have the declaration ratified as required under the law on the development of South-North Korea relations," Moon said while meeting with his aides in a weekly meeting held at his office Cheong Wa Dae.It marked the first time for the president or his government to note the need to have the latest inter-Korean agreement ratified by the National Assembly.
S. Korea's military to remove propaganda loudspeakers from DMZ
South Korea's military said Monday it will soon pull back all high-decibel loudspeakers installed along the border with North Korea in its first step to implement the bilateral summit agreement reached last week.The Ministry of National Defense said it will begin the work to remove the equipment from the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) on Tuesday.In their talks last Friday, President Moon Jae-in and the North's leader Kim Jong-un agreed to "completely cease all hostile acts against each other in every domain."The two leaders added that the two sides will cease all hostile acts and eliminate their means, including broadcasting through loudspeakers and distribution of leaflets, in the areas along the Military Demarcation Line.
Senior diplomat to visit Singapore, Indonesia to discuss inter-Korean issues
A senior diplomat will visit Singapore and Indonesia this week to discuss South Korea's cooperation with Southeast Asian nations, the foreign ministry here said Monday. Vice Foreign Minister Lim Sung-nam will be visiting the two countries from Monday to Wednesday to meet with the foreign ministers there as well as the secretary general of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. There, Lim will discuss South Korea's policy to tighten cooperation with Southeast Asian countries as well as with ASEAN. Singapore is this year's chair of ASEAN. The vice minister will also give briefings on the result of the historic inter-Korean summit held last Friday to the countries and appeal for their support for Seoul's diplomacy with North Korea.
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The Korea Herald (http://www.koreaherald.com)
Trump says he likes idea of meeting Kim on inter-Korean border
US President Donald Trump said Monday that he likes the idea of meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un at the inter-Korean border.There could be a "great celebration" on the site if the meeting goes well, he said, referring to the summit being planned for late May or early June."We're looking at various countries, including Singapore, and we are also talking about the possibility of the DMZ, Peace House, Freedom House, and there's something that I thought was intriguing," Trump told reporters at a joint news conference with Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, adding he had talked about it with South Korean President Moon Jae-in.
Seoul keeps close eye on Trump-Kim plans
President Moon Jae-in’s meeting with US President Donald Trump may be brought forward due to apparent changes in the plans for US-North Korea summit, a South Korean official said Monday. Although Cheong Wa Dae has not released the official date of the Moon-Trump meeting, it had been speculated that it would take place mid-May. “If South Korea-US summit is held in mid-May, it may be too close together (with US-North Korea summit),” a high-level Cheong Wa Dae official said. He added that with the location of the Trump-Kim meeting being narrowed down, he expects the schedule to be determined in the near future.
Infrastructure budget cuts raise concerns
With a thaw in inter-Korean relations raising expectations for possible infrastructure projects in the North, concerns are growing over decreasing budgets set aside to build and refurbish social overhead capital in the South.It is still too early to discuss economic cooperation with North Korea as there remain many hurdles to its denuclearization that would be rewarded with the lifting of international sanctions on the impoverished regime.
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The Korea Times (http://www.koreatimes.co.kr)
Trump suggests Korea's Panmunjeom for Kim summit
U.S. President Donald Trump suggested Monday that his summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un be held in the truce village that straddles the border separating the two Koreas."Numerous countries are being considered for the MEETING, but would Peace House/Freedom House, on the Border of North & South Korea, be a more Representative, Important and Lasting site than a third party country? Just asking!" Trump tweeted.The Peace House in Panmunjom, the truce village in the Demilitarized Zone that separates the two Koreas, was where Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in met Friday for a historic summit.
Moon: 'Nobel Peace Prize should go to Trump'
South Korean President Moon Jae-in said the Nobel Peace Prize should go to U.S. President Donald Trump, if anyone were to win it for their efforts to resolve the issues with North Korea, noting that "all we need is peace."His comment came after he received a congratulatory message from Lee Hee-ho, the widow of late South Korean President Kim Dae-jung, Monday, after the historic summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un three days ago.In the message, she said, "You've done great work. You deserve to receive the Nobel Peace Prize."
65% of South Koreans trust Kim Jong-un's denuke pledge
Six out of 10 South Koreans trust North Korea's promise to seek denuclearization, according to a poll released Monday. The survey, conducted by Realmeter after the April 27 inter-Korea summit, showed 64.7 percent of respondents said they trust Pyongyang's willingness for denuclearization and commitment to lasting peace on the peninsula. Those who don't trust the North accounted for 28.3 percent, while 7 percent said they were unsure. The survey was conducted on 500 people aged over 19.In the same survey, 52.1 percent, who distrusted North Korea's willingness for denuclearization and establishment of peace in the past, said they changed their minds to trust it while 12.6 percent said they trusted it in the past. South Koreans who didn't and still don't trust the North Korea's willingness are at 26.2 percent.
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Chosun Ilbo (http://english.chosun.com)
More Koreans Suffer from Shopping Addiction
Shopping addiction is becoming a serious problem for many Koreans as the next purchase is only ever a mouse click or tap of the screen away.Confirming the stereotype, women are more vulnerable than men. One study suggests that women outnumber men nine to one in shopping addiction. "People addicted to shopping also tend to suffer from depression or eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia," said Noh Sung-won at Hanyang University Medical Center. "That may be because women are less prone to drinking, smoking or gambling addictions" and channel compulsive behavior into other areas.
Most Businesses Would Return to Kaesong Industrial Park
Seventy percent of South Korean companies that used to operate in the joint-Korean Kaesong Industrial Complex would return if cross-border relations improve, a survey shows.The companies await further assurances from the South Korean government when it comes to preserving their assets in the business park.A committee representing the companies, which are mostly mid-sized light-industry manufacturers, met on Monday to discuss the timing of their potential return to the complex and what to ask the government for. South Korea closed down the complex in February 2016 after a North Korean nuclear test.
Not All Foods Should Be Stored in a Refrigerator
Conventional wisdom suggests all foods should be kept in a refrigerator to maintain their freshness, but this is not always the case. To bring out the best flavor and maintain proper hygiene, some foods should be refrigerated while others are best stored at room temperature or frozen.
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HanKyoReh Shinmun (http://english.hani.co.kr)
Kim plans to invite experts and journalists to witness nuclear test site shutdown
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s announcement of plans to shut down the “northern (Punggye Village) nuclear testing site” and invite South Korean and US experts and journalists to North Korea is being seen an intended to stress his commitment to implementing denuclearization according to greater standards of transparency through upcoming negotiations with the US.Announced during Kim’s Apr. 27 summit at Panmunjeom with South Korean President Moon Jae-in, Kim’s plan can be seen as having the additional goal of providing the inter-Korean summit with a robust outcome to increase the odds of a scheduled summit with US President Donald Trump going ahead and producing a successful result. Key to this is his declaration of plans to increase transparency going ahead.
US arms control specialist calls for concurrent measures to accelerate denuclearization process
Daryl Kimball, Executive Director of the United States Arms Control Association (ACA), non-profit organization dedicated to effective arms control measures, met with the Hankyoreh in Washington, D.C. on Apr. 27 to discuss necessary steps for both solidifying the results of the inter-Korean summit and ensuring the success of the upcoming North Korea-US summit. Kimball says that if the goal is an acceleration of North Korea’s denuclearization process, then there is a concurrent need to “accelerate the steps that North Korea believes it needs.” Founded in 1971, the ACA is a think bank based in Washington, D.C., that focuses on arms control measure and nuclear non-proliferation.
Chinese expert on Korean studies says summit will bring “revolutionary change to Northeast Asia”
China warmly welcomed the Panmunjom Declaration released by the leaders of South and North Korea on Apr. 27. During an interview with the Hankyoreh on Apr. 29, Zheng Jiyong, director of the Center for Korean Studies at Fudan University, gave the agreement high praise as “an event that will bring revolutionary change to dynamic relations in Northeast Asia.” He brushed aside “unnecessary concerns” about China being sidelined and predicted that China will play the role of giving confidence to North Korea.
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JoongAng Ilbo (http://koreajoongangdaily.joi
Kim invites outsiders to test site
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un promised President Moon Jae-in at their summit Friday he would shut down the Punggye-ri nuclear site next month and invite American and South Korean experts and journalists to inspect the demolition, according to the Blue House on Sunday. Kim’s pledges raised the stakes for the upcoming meeting between him and U.S. President Donald Trump. At last week’s summit, Moon and Kim avoided detailed discussions on how to dismantle the North’s nuclear arsenal, which means that will have to be worked out between Pyongyang and Washington, with Moon playing go-between.
Trump says summit diplomacy is winning
U.S. President Donald Trump lauded the inter-Korean summit in a phone call with South Korean President Moon Jae-in late on Saturday, according to the Blue House, and the two leaders agreed to come up with concrete measures to lead to the “complete denuclearization” of the Korean Peninsula. The two leaders spoke on the phone from 9:15 p.m. for 1 hour and 15 minutes to discuss the results of the historic summit between Moon and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un that took place on Friday, said Kim Eui-kyum, the Blue House spokesman, on Sunday, and agreed for the speedy holding of a North-U.S. summit to keep up the momentum.
Naver beefs up security protocols for user IDs
Naver introduced a two-step login function to prevent online identity theft in the wake of the controversial Druking scandals. But there are doubts that greater security would do anything to discourage manipulation of public opinions through comments on articles posted on the country’s largest internet platform. The new function is a two-step system: After a user logs onto the website, a push alarm will be sent to his or her smartphone asking for verification of the login attempt. It was added as a function for account security on April 18.
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The KyungHyang Shinmun (http://english.khan.co.kr/)
Chairman Kim Empties Glass of Munbaeju, While Ri Sol-ju and Kim Yo-jong Sing Along to a Performance of "Spring in My Hometown"
A North Korean magician performed a magic show. Singer Cho Yong-pil sang a duet with Hyon Song-wol, director of the North Korean Samjiyon Orchestra. Chairman of North Korea's State Affairs Commission Kim Jong-un emptied his glass of Munbaeju in a single gulp. First Lady Kim Jung-sook came up with the idea for the Hunminjeongeum folding screen in the House of Peace reception hall....On April 29, Cheong Wa Dae and those present at the inter-Korean summit dinner released the behind-the-scenes details of the April 27 inter-Korean summit.
Peace on Land and Sea: Will the Demilitarized Zone Be "Demilitarized"?
According to the agreement reached in the inter-Korean summit, military talks between North and South Korean generals (major generals) will be held in May. This is the first time in eleven years since the seventh general-level military talks was held in December 2007 during the Roh Moo-hyun government. The agenda of the general-level military talks will be specific measures to ease military tensions as stated in the Panmunjom Declaration. The generals are expected to discuss ways to completely cease all hostile activities, to turn the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) into a true peace area, to set a peace zone in the area surrounding the Northern Limit Line (NLL) in the Yellow Sea, and ways for the military to guarantee inter-Korean exchanges and cooperation and to carry out gradual disarmament.
THE ART OF THE SUMMIT DEAL
“North Korea just stated that it is in the final stages of developing a nuclear weapon capable of reaching parts of the United States,” President-elect Donald Trump tweeted a day after Kim Jong Un‘s New Year’s Day speech last year. “It won‘t happen.”Now, by stopping nuclear and missile testing just short of having a proven thermonuclear weapon and an ICBM to deliver it to all of the United States, Kim Jong Un has made it possible for President Trump to get his wishat the summit - but only if the U.S. is prepared to sustain negotiations and live up to its commitments.
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AJU Business Daily (http://eng.ajunews.com/korea)
China's dilemma after Panmunjom declaration
China has welcomed the Panmunjom Declaration but it seems to be in a new worry. What does it mean to China that inter-Korean reconciliation leads to peaceful stability on the Korean peninsula, the pursuit of common prosperity and national unification? China judges on a short-term and long-term basis.In the short term, inter-Korean reconciliation is advantageous for China because it can eliminate anxieties such as the North Korean nuclear issue, the recurrence of war on the Korean peninsula, the leakage of nuclear materials, and North Korean refugees. With the stability of the Korean peninsula, China can concentrate more on other regions and fields.
Hanjin founding family members to be grilled over smuggling allegation: customs chief: Yonhap
The chief of the country's customs office said Monday that founding family members of Korea Air Lines Co. are likely to be interrogated over their alleged smuggling.The office has been investigating allegations that family members of Hanjin Group Chairman Cho Yang-ho, also chairman of Korean Air, have smuggled luxury goods into the country without properly paying duties.Last week, the Korea Customs Service carried out a search of the airline's headquarters over the suspicion raised by some former and current employees that the chairman's children and even his wife circumvented the law using the company to bring in goods from overseas without proper declaration.
Some 2.5 million people watch inter-Korean summit live via Twitter
The scene of South Korean President Moon Jae-in shaking hands with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in their historic rendezvous at the truce village of Panmunjom for an inter-Korean summit last week was watched by millions of people via Twitter across the world.According to Twitter on Monday, about 2.5 million people watched the live broadcast of the summit through the social media platform on April 27. About 1.6 million tweets related to the summit were generated on that day, it said.
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Maeil Business News Korea ( http://www.pulsenews.co.kr/)
Samsung Elec, SK Hynix face antitrust class action over DRAM
The world’s dominant DRAM makers Samsung Electronics Co., SK Hynix Inc. and Micron Technology Inc. face a joint class action lawsuit for allegedly colluding to keep supplies tight and send memory chip prices high. U.S. law firm Hagens Berman has invited consumers to sign up for its class action case against the two Korean chipmakers plus one of their own by accusing them of collectively raising the price of DRAMs used to power mobile phones and computers that could help in reparations for set manufacturers and consumers.
Korea’s industrial output in March worst in 14 mos due to automobile slowdown
South Korea’s industrial activity deteriorated by the worst pace in 14 months in March, hit by sluggish sales of automobiles and softening in semiconductors that had been primary driver of Korean exports, government data showed. According to Statistics Korea on Monday, the seasonally adjusted mining and manufacturing output in March fell 2.5 percent on month, the biggest month-on-month loss since February last year. Against a year-ago period, factory output slipped 4.5 percent.
KEPCO sees biggest debt growth among Korean state entities in 2017
South Korea’s state-run utility company Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO), grappling with high raw material prices and lowered profitability from nuclear phase-out policy, raised over 4 trillion won ($3.78 billion) in debt last year, largest among state entities, government data showed. According to data released by All Public Information In-One on Monday, KEPCO’s debt stretched 4.04 trillion won to 108.82 trillion won in 2017. It posted an operating loss of 129.4 billion won for the final quarter ended December last year, and the loss is estimated to have widened in the first three months of this year.
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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@ganne
The New York Times www.nytimes.com inytletters@ny
Wall Street Journal www.wsj.com support@wsj.com,s
Financial Times www.ft.com ean@ft.com
The Times www.thetimes.co.uk help@timesp
The Sun www.thesun.co.uk talkback@the-
Chinese People's Daily www.people.com.cnkf@people.cn
China Daily www.chinadaily.com.cn circulat
GwangmyeongDaily www.gmw.cn webmaster@gmw.cn
Japan's Yomiuri www.yomiuri.co.jp japannews@yo
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 syndi
Sydney Morning Heraldwww.smh.com.au
Colombia Reports http://colombiareports.com
Bogota Free Planet http://bogotafreeplanet.combfp
El Universal http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/
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.comlith
El Pais http://elpais.com/elpais/ineng
Philippine Daily Inquirer https://www.inquirer.net
Daily News Hungary http://dailynewshungary.com
Budapest Times http://budapesttimes.hu
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Azerbaijan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Sri Lanka: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Morocco: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
And many other countries.
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