The Korean daily media headlines and humor

Wednesday, February 27, 2019

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

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

Trump, Kim to warm up for tough talks over dinner

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald Trump are set to kick off two days of meetings in Hanoi on Feb. 27, 2019, beginning with a warm-up dinner where they are expected to exchange pleasantries in a bid to demonstrate their budding chemistry. Both Kim and Trump arrived in Hanoi on Feb. 26, 2019 for their first meeting in eight months.

UAE crown prince visits Samsung chip plant

The de facto leader of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) visited Samsung Electronics Co.'s chipmaking plants just south of Seoul on Tuesday and met with Lee Jae-yong, vice chairman of the South Korean tech giant. Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan arrived here earlier in the day and is on a two-day official visit.

Moon to meet crown prince of Abu Dhabi on bilateral ties, economic cooperation

The leaders of South Korea and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) were set to hold a summit in Seoul on Feb. 27, 2019 to discuss ways to further improve the countries' bilateral relations and economic cooperation. President Moon Jae-in will host Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae through an official welcome ceremony and face-to-face talks. The summit follows a social dinner held between the leaders after the Crown Prince's arrival here Tuesday for a two-day official visit.

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

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

Trump Arrives in Hanoi for Second Summit with Kim

U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in Vietnam on Tuesday for his second summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Air Force One landed at around 9 p.m. local time at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi, where Trump was greeted by Vietnamese officials including Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh. Trump then traveled to his hotel the JW Marriott in a black limousine.

Trump-Kim Meeting to Begin at 8:30 pm Wednesday

The White House has released U.S. President Donald Trump's schedule for the first day of his two-day summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Trump and Kim are scheduled to meet at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday local time at the Sofitel Legend Metropole Hotel in Hanoi, which is 8:30 p.m. in Korea. The two leaders will begin with an official greeting for about ten minutes and hold a one-on-one meeting for 20 minutes.

N. Korean Media: Kim Received Report on Pre-summit Talks

North Korean state media reported on Wednesday that leader Kim Jong-un received a report from working-level negotiators after arriving in Vietnam to attend his second summit with U.S. President Donald Trump. The Korean Central News Agency(KCNA) reported that Kim on Tuesday received a report at the Melia Hotel in Hanoi where he is staying on pre-summit working-level talks held between officials of the U.S. and North Korea. The KCNA also reported that Kim will pay an "official goodwill visit" to Vietnam on Friday and Saturday after his two-day summit which starts on Wednesday.

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

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

Seniors in bottom 20 pct income group to get more basic pension from April

Senior citizens with 50,000 won (US$44.70) or less in monthly income will be eligible for increased basic pension from April, the welfare ministry said Wednesday. People aged 65 or older whose monthly earnings are in the lowest 20 percent range can receive 300,000 won in pension benefits per month, according to the ministry. The eligibility and the amount of the benefits are adjustments to the existing payouts of 250,000 won for those with monthly income in the lowest 70 percent, which began in September last year. Elderly couples whose total income is 80,000 won or under will also be eligible.

S. Korean manufacturers' biz sentiment soars in March: BOK

South Korean manufacturers' business outlook for next month soared at the sharpest clip in more than nine years on eased U.S.-China trade tensions and hopes that new smartphone launches will fuel consumption, central bank data showed Wednesday.The business survey index (BSI) of local manufacturers came to a five-month high of 76 for March, up 11 points from 68 logged in the previous month, according to the Bank of Korea (BOK).It is the largest on-month gain since September 2009 when the index added 11 points.

N.K. leader's strategy session shows he cares deeply about results of Trump summit

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has demonstrated he cares deeply about what his upcoming summit with U.S. President Donald Trump will produce, as he held a strategy session with his negotiators as one of the first things he did upon arrival in Hanoi. On Wednesday, the North's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) carried a photo of Kim holding the session with the negotiators on the ground, including his chief envoy Kim Hyok-chol and Kim Song-hye, head of the United Front Department's tactical office. Also in attendance were Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho and Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui.

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

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

Hanoi welcomes US, N. Korean leaders

Hosting the second summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, Hanoi bustled with both excitement and tension as it welcomed the two leaders Tuesday. From US and North Korean flags hung on the streets to shops selling T-shirts featuring the faces of Trump and Kim, the city has been busy preparing for the summit. As Kim got off from the train from Pyongyang at Dong Dang Station in Vietnam in the morning, security was tightened and roads were blocked in areas where Kim was to pass through. Hundreds of onlooker -- some waving US and Vietnamese flags, and many more holding up smartphones to capture the spectacle -- lined the streets as Kim’s motorcade drove into the city.

Kim Jong-un visits N. Korean embassyNorth Korean leader Kim Jong-un visited the country's embassy in Hanoi on Tuesday afternoon, hours after arriving here for a summit with U.S. President Donald Trump.Kim left his hotel by his bulletproof Mercedes-Benz limousine at around 5:03 p.m., escorted by a massive police motorcycle convoy, and arrived at the embassy just a few minutes later.

Kim Jong-un weighs visit to Samsung factory in Vietnam, sources say

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has expressed interest to Vietnamese authorities in visiting a Samsung Electronics factory ahead of a planned summit with US President Donald Trump, according to people who were briefed on his plans. Kim’s delegation has informed Vietnam’s government that he’s interested in visiting a Samsung factory in Bac Ninh province, about an hour’s drive from his hotel in downtown Hanoi, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the plans are private. Any decision may come at the last minute, and Vietnam has instructed officials to be prepared, they said.

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

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

Kim Jong-un's every move under spotlight

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un started his official visit to Vietnam's capital Hanoi, Tuesday, that will include a series of diplomatic engagements and visits to major manufacturing facilities here.Kim spent 65 hours on a heavily armored train traversing China before arriving at Dong Dang Railway Station on the Vietnam-China border at around 8:10 a.m.Upon exiting his bulletproof green train, Kim was greeted by a group of ranking Vietnamese officials and an honor guard. He then made his way to a black Mercedes sedan in front of the station.Kim smiled, looking relaxed despite the days-long travel from Pyongyang to Hanoi.

Vietnam making all-out efforts for summit

Vietnam is pulling out all stops to make the most of hosting the second summit between North Korea and the U.S. to be held today through Thursday.The communist state with a fast-growing economy is hoping that playing host for the major summit will promote the country's image globally as one engaging in multilateral diplomacy, capable of hosting large international events.Hanoi has adorned major streets with signs welcoming the summit and promoting the city as well as Vietnam.

Train trip to Vietnam no longer pipe dream for South Koreans

Facing a belligerent regime in the north for decades, South Koreans have become so used to the belief that ― like people living on an island ― traveling overseas almost always requires air tickets.So when North Korean leader Kim Jong-un announced earlier this month that he would take a train to Vietnam for his second summit with U.S. President Donald Trump in Hanoi on Feb. 27 and 28, they were pleasantly surprised.The news reminded South Koreans that Korea is part of the Asian continent and, if the North opens its railways to them, they too can go to Vietnam or even Britain by train.

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

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

Shadowy Anti-N.Korean Group Promises 'Big Announcement'

A group calling itself Cheollima Civil Defense, which is believed to have rescued the son of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's half-brother from his assassination squads, on Monday promised an "important" announcement this week. The group reportedly spirited Kim Han-sol to safety when North Korean agents assassinated his father Kim Jong-nam in Kuala Lumpur in February 2017.

Japan Snubs Korea for Fleet Review in October

Japan's Defense Ministry has snubbed Korea for a naval review in October, the Sankei Shimbun daily reported Monday. The ministry "sent invitations to Australia, China, India, Singapore and the U.S. to attend the naval review, but has not sent one to Korea," the daily said quoting government officials. The snub is another petty episode in a spat between Seoul and Tokyo that was triggered by a Japanese military surveillance plane buzzing a Korean warship on the East Sea. The officials told the paper that Tokyo could consider inviting Korea later if it gives a "positive response" in the spat.

Fangirls More Devoted Than Fanboys to Their Stars, Sales Trends Suggest

Boy groups enjoy higher CD sales than girl groups in Korea, while girls do much better on streaming services. The pattern reflects differences in fangirl and fanboy cultures, industry insiders say. Male fans tend to appreciate girl groups rather passively by listening to music and watching videos.On the other hand, boy bands' female fans tend to buy CDs and goods to boost their favorite bands' sales and chart rankings, like parents who are willing to do anything for their children.

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

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

Kim Jong-un goes straight to Hanoi without stopover in China

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un arrived at his accommodations, the Melia Hanoi hotel, on Feb. 26 around 11 am. After his personal, high-security train arrived at Dong Dang railway station in Vietnam’s Lang Song Province earlier that morning, Kim made the remaining 170km journey to Hanoi by car via Highway One. Observers had picked the Melia as the most probable candidate for Kim’s accommodations, as the hotel was being heavily guarded by Vietnamese police and the North Korean protocol and security team that had arrived there two days earlier.

Moon emphasizes Seoul’s role in new Korean Peninsula regime ahead of 2nd NK-US summit

On Feb. 25, just two days before the North Korea-US summit, South Korean President Moon Jae-in reiterated his intention for Seoul to play a leading role in Korean Peninsula affairs. Amid the possibility of North Korea and the US making an end-of-war declaration during the summit, Moon has expressed his determination to take ownership of affairs on the Korean Peninsula during the construction of a peace regime and full-fledged economic cooperation.

Blue House expects bilateral end-of-war declaration at 2nd NK-US summit

The Blue House predicted on Feb. 25 that a declaration ending the Korean War “could be agreed upon” between North Korea and the US at their second summit. The question is drawing attention as the prediction comes while the specifics of current talks under way in Hanoi to coordinate the two sides’ agenda remain heavily under wraps.“We have no way of know what form of end-of-war declaration it will be, but I think there is certainly a possibility that an end-of-war declaration could be agreed upon between North Korea and the US,” said Blue House Spokesperson Kim Eui-kyeom in a briefing that day.

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

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

UAE crown prince visits Samsung's Hwaseong plant

United Arab Emirates (UAE) Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan on Tuesday visited Samsung Electronics’ semiconductor plants in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province and met with Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong. Lee gave him a tour of the sites, including 5G equipment and chip fabrication plants. Earlier this month on Feb. 11, the two discussed collaboration on 5G network business in Abu Dhabi.

Washington criticizes Trump's hinting at dropping Huawei charges

U.S. President Donald Trump’s comment on Huawei during his meeting with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He on Friday is sending shock waves through the political circle. Although President Trump drew the line by saying they are not discussing the matter at the moment but voices of criticism that the trade deal and Huawei charges should not be dealt with together are being heard within the U.S.The U.S.-China trade deal is facing a rocky road ahead as the Democratic Party does not want to give President Trump credit for striking his trade deal with China and the Republican Party is pushing for more concessions from China.

Cheong Wa Dae: War-ending declaration expected at Hanoi summit

South Korea's presidential office Cheong Wa Dae has expressed their expectations that the second round of the U.S.-North summit scheduled on Wednesday will end up with a war-ending declaration. Amid such expectations, South Korean President Moon Jae-in said that he would make proactive preparations for the New Korean Peninsula System that pursues economic development and prosperity.

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

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

Kim, Trump set to kick off 2nd summit in Hanoi

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald Trump will reunite after eight months to kick off their high-stakes, two-day summit today in Hanoi after they both arrived in the Vietnamese capital yesterday. Kim’s armored train, which departed from Pyongyang on Saturday, traveled around 4,500 kilometers (2,796 miles) over 65 hours and arrived at Dong Dang Station in Vietnam’s northern Lang Son Province around 8:20 a.m. Tuesday. A red carpet was rolled out from the train to the station, and Kim was greeted by Vietnamese officials and an honor guard with North Korean and Vietnamese flags flying.

K-City to open for autonomous vehicle testing

K-City, a proving ground for autonomous cars located in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi, will be open for three months from March 4 and made available to SMEs and universities interested in testing their relevant technologies.According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, demand is growing for a place to test autonomous vehicles. In one case, a university research lab received government approval to drive its development vehicle on the road through existing toll booths, but the process was quite expensive and time consuming as the roads had to be blocked off and traffic diverted.

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

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

North Korea's Top Request Is the Easing of Security Council Sanctions: Will Inter-Korean Economic Cooperation Be on the Official Agenda for the NK-US Summit?

In the second North Korea-United States summit, the U.S. is concentrating on obtaining as many denuclearization measures from North Korea including the permanent dismantling of the Yongbyon nuclear facility. To get such results, the U.S. needs to present corresponding measures. North Korea wants the U.S. to ease sanctions, but the U.S. is obviously trying to avoid any measures concerning the easing of sanctions. This is why there is talk of an end-of-war declaration and the opening of a liaison office as the agenda in the upcoming summit.

Taegeukgi Sweeps over the Liberty Korea Party Election for Supreme Council Members

The election for the Liberty Korea Party's Supreme Council, the "second division" of the February 27 National Convention, is attracting the public's attention. We have witnessed a strange phenomenon: the candidates for the Supreme Council are making outrageous comments disrespecting the May 18 Democratic Uprising and engaging in rough talk, yet they are actually gaining popularity and receiving the support of the "Taegeukgi group." Some believe the success of these candidates could be an indicator on how far right the Liberty Korea Party supporters have veered toward. The party will elect a total of five members of the Supreme Council including one female member and one representing the younger generation.

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

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

Asiana Airlines Group wins both Incheon, Busan flight openings to Mongol

South Korea’s second largest full-service carrier Asiana Airlines Inc. will jointly run flights directly between Incheon and Ulaanbaatar with Korea Air Lines which had enjoyed exclusive right in the sky route with Mongol over the past 30 years. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport on Monday picked the full-service carrier for the extra opening in the Incheon-Ulaanbaatar line three times a week over budget bidders Jeju Air, T’way Air and Eastar Jet.

Korean blockchain firm and ICX coin developer ICONLOOP to attempt IPO

South Korea-based ICONLOOP, the founder of cryptocurrency technology ICON and crypto token ICX, is out to join the mainstream market by going public on Kosdaq market next year as the first Korean origin to attempt both ICO (initial coin offering) and IPO. According to an investment banking industry source on Monday, ICONLOOP has recently selected Mirae Asset Daewoo Co. as its initial public offering (IPO) lead manager. It aims to debut on the tech-oriented Kosdaq as early as next year by capitalizing on the fast-track procedure that exempts companies with promising technologies from typical market formalities and guidelines in capital and income.

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

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 http://www.smh.com.au
Colombia Reports http://colombiareports.com
Bogota Free Planet http://bogotafreeplanet.combfp@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.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What are you waiting for?

Use us!
The Korea Post media are more than eager to be used, and to serve you—with the following five news outlets, 34 years old this year!

Korean-language Internet edition: http://www.koreapost.co.kr
English-language Internet edition: http://www.koreapost.com
Korean-language print newspaper:
http://pdf.koreapost.co.kr/38/3801.pdf
http://pdf.koreapost.co.kr/38/3802.pdf
http://pdf.koreapost.co.kr/38/3803.pdf
http://www.koreapost.co.kr/pdf/list.php?category=&syear=2018&smonth=03&sday=26&hosu=40
English E-daily: http://www.koreapost.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=8535
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

저작권자 © The Korea Post 무단전재 및 재배포 금지