Urgent message from The Korea Post

Made reservation for the Holy Edenn Church Tour on Friday 4 October?

This is a rather very short notice, but the Tour may be very interesting to Your Excellency.

Chairman Lee Young-soo of the Holy Eden Church respectfully invites Your Excellency, Madam and your Family to the Tour of the World's Largest Culture Center as well as the Church estate built within the forest of Cheongpyeong on Friday October 4, 2019, and witness the remarkable establishments.

Each participating Excellency is provided with Korea's most prestigious mother-of-pearl lacquer ware Plaque of Citation as shown below:

Plaque of Citation (obverse side [left] and reverse side [right])

Here is our Invitation:

For a glimpse into the estate, please visit:

http://www.koreapost.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=9754

Here is the itinerary:

Invitation to the World's Largest Cultural, Religious Center in Gagpyeong

10:20 hours, Friday October 4, 2019: Meet at the Grand Hyatt Seoul at the Fountain Site.
10:30-12:00 hours: Move from Grand Hyatt to the Holy Eden Church by 28-seat Super-deluxe Limousine Buses.
12:00-13:30 hours: Attend a prestigious welcome Luncheon (Korean and international buffet).
13:30-14:00 hours: Visit and tour the Algok Seongjeon Palace and various other facilities of the Church.
14:00-15:00 hours: Visit and tour the world-famous Temple White Stone.
15:00-16:30 hours: Move from Hotel White Stone to Grand Hyatt Seoul by 28-seat Super-deluxe Limousine Buses.

Please advise us of Your convenience at 010-5201-1740 (Publisher Lee Kyung-sik), 010-4541-1974 (Ms. Shin Jin-sun) or 010-3388-1682 (Ms. Kim Jung-mi)

Special Note: If Your Excellency should find it difficult to make it, just for the country of Your Excellency, Madam (with or without Children) could beautifully represent Your Excellency and Country. The Country of Your Excellency is very important to Korea!

Very Respectfully Yours

/s/


Lee Kyung-sik
Publisher-Chairman

The Korea Post media

010-5201-1740

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Headlines:

Tuesday, October 1, 2019

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

Moon orders prosecution to draw up its own reform plan

President Moon Jae-in instructed South Korea's prosecution Monday to map out its internal reform measures at an early date, effectively sending another strong warning message to Prosecutor-General Yoon Seok-youl against a controversial probe into a criminal scandal involving Justice Minister Cho Kuk's family.

S. Korea logs first drop in inflation in September

South Korea's headline inflation dropped for the first time in September due to declines in prices of agricultural products and stabilizing petroleum prices, the statistics agency said Tuesday. South Korea's consumer prices fell 0.4 percent in September from a year earlier, marking the first on-year drop in inflation since Statistics Korea began compiling related data in 1965. The statistics agency said the record low consumer prices are blamed on a fall in prices of agricultural products, stabilizing prices of petroleum products and free education for high school students.

Kim vows to 'always stand by' China in message to Xi

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un vowed to "always stand by" China in a message sent to President Xi Jinping on the occasion of China's founding anniversary, Pyongyang's state media said Tuesday. "Our party, government and people fully support the Chinese party, government and people in their struggle to defend the stability and the core interests of the country and achieve sustained development, and will always stand by them on the path of defending and glorifying socialism," Kim was quoted as saying by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

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

N. Korean Ambassador Blames US for Lack of Progress in Nuclear Talks

North Korea's ambassador to the United Nations said on Monday that it is up to the U.S. to decide whether its negotiations with Pyongyang will become a "window of opportunity or an occasion that will hasten the crisis." Ambassador Kim Song made the remarks during an address to the UN General Assembly in New York, blaming the U.S. for stalled nuclear talks. Kim said that since the historic first summit between North Korea and the U.S. last year in Singapore, bilateral relations have made "little progress," and the situation on the Korean Peninsula has not come out of the "vicious cycle" of increased tension.

Bolton: N. Korea Will Never Give up Nukes Voluntarily

Former U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton said on Monday that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will never give up his nuclear weapons voluntarily under the current circumstances. Bolton, who was dismissed earlier this month by U.S. President Donald Trump due to disagreements with the administration over North Korea policy and other issues, made the remark at a forum at the Center for Strategic and International Studies(CSIS) in Washington.

Heavy Rains Forecast for Jeju, Southern Areas as Typhoon Mitag Approaches

Typhoon Mitag is expected to make landfall on South Korea's southwest coast on Thursday morning, bringing heavy rains to the southern regions and Jeju Island from Tuesday. The Korea Meteorological Administration said on Tuesday that Mitag, the 18th storm of the season, is currently moving northward after passing east of Taiwan. The typhoon is forecast to pass the east coast of China and then veer east toward the Korean Peninsula before reaching South Korea's southwest coast on Thursday.

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

Suspected ASF case south of Seoul tested negative

South Korea's agricultural ministry said Tuesday a new suspected case of African swine fever (ASF) reported from south of Seoul a day earlier was negative, easing concerns over a possible nationwide spread of the fatal animal disease. The suspected case was from Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, about 42 kilometers south of the capital, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. It would have been the first ASF case to occur south of Seoul, if it tested positive.

Financial holding firms see profit rise 21 pct in H1

South Korea's 10 financial holding firms saw their combined net profit climb 21.2 percent on-year in the first half, helped by solid gains in interest income, data showed Monday. The combined net profit of KB Financial, Shinhan Financial and eight other financial holding firms stood at 8.5 trillion won (US$7.07 billion) in the first six months of this year, according to the data from the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS). In comparison, the financial holding firms reported a combined net profit of 7.7 trillion won for the same period last year.

Dementia-related medical costs top 2 tln won amid rapid population aging

South Korea's dementia patient numbers and spending on the condition have soared in recent years amid the rapid aging of the country's population, data showed Monday. According to the data provided by the Ministry of Health and Welfare to Rep. Kim Kwang-soo, the number of people diagnosed with various forms of neurodegenerative disease rose from 416,309 in 2014 to 547,700 in 2016 and hit 712,386 last year.

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

South Korea strengthening taxation of YouTubers

The government is moving to strengthen taxation of high-income influencers and content creators on social networking services, including YouTubers, to prevent tax evasion, according to documents submitted to lawmakers on Monday. According to Rep. Kang Byung-won of the Democratic Party of Korea, the Finance Ministry has been collecting foreign exchange receipts exceeding $10,000 per person from the Bank of Korea, and using the data for tax reports and investigation of high-income influencers and YouTubers.

Government reviews allowing South Koreans to tour JSA in small groups

South Korean nationals will be able to tour the Joint Security Area in the Demilitarized Zone bordering North Korea in small groups, authorities said Monday. According to an official from the Ministry of Unification, the ministry and other concerned government bodies have begun reviewing a plan to allow small groups of South Korean tourists from the first half of next year.

How 5G connects Korea’s most isolated town to world

Tucked in the middle of the heavily fortified Demilitarized Zone dividing the two Koreas, Daeseong-dong is perhaps the most isolated town in South Korea since the end of the Korean War. There are no supermarkets, shops or hospitals for medical treatment. There are also no restaurants or hair salons. The village does not even show up on navigation systems. While Daeseong-dong residents are far removed from the rest of South Korea, 197 people living there have recently joined the drive of hyperspeed 5G wireless services.

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

Debate arises over Moon's 'socialist' policies

A debate is arising over the Moon Jae-in administration's economic policies, with some conservatives going as far as calling them "socialist." The leftist Moon administration's income-led growth policies have prioritized distribution over growth. They have been trying to create more jobs in the public sector with taxes and reducing income inequality among citizens. However, the business community has accused many of the policies, including the drastic minimum wage hike, as being anti-business.

Daughter of ex-Herald Corp. chief caught smuggling drugs

A daughter of Hong Jung-wook, a former chairman of Herald Corp. and an ex-lawmaker of the Grand National Party, the precursor of the Liberty Korea Party, has been caught smuggling various illegal drugs. According to the Incheon District Prosecutors' Office, Monday, the customs authority at Incheon International Airport apprehended the 19-year-old with marijuana, LSD and Adderall in her pockets and luggage, at around 5:40 p.m. last Friday. She was returning to Korea from Honolulu in Hawaii.

Production, investment, consumption grow in Aug.

The economy has shown signs of a mild recovery as indices for the nation's production, consumption and investment all improved in August. Experts, however, said that this monthly data should not be taken as signs of a sustainable rebound as the economy is facing both local and international unfavorable factors. They said that since the August pickup was supported by special demand ahead of the Chuseok holidays the economy is not likely to see a meaningful recovery in the coming months, citing sluggish exports.

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

More Older Koreans Die Unattended

More and more elderly Koreans die alone without family or friends to tend to their bodies, often because they are poor or are found dead on the street. According to data from the Ministry of Health and Welfare and National Health Insurance Service last week, 2,447 older people died alone last year and had no family or friends to take care of their funeral arrangements. That was a rise of 437 from 2017, the biggest rate of increase since the government began tallying such statistics in 2012, when the number was 1,021. It has since grown 2.4 times.

Radar on Hambak Island 'for Military Use'

A North Korean radar based on Hambak Island, which is nominally administered by South Korea, is thought to be a military tracking system rather than a civilian one, as the Defense Ministry here claims. Some evidence suggests that the radar has a range of 178 km. Liberty Korea Party lawmaker Baek Seung-joo on Sunday said he was told by military officers that the radar on Hambak Island "is capable of navigational support and coastal surveillance."

Thousands of Parents Put Blue-Chip Stocks in Kids' Names

Some 260,000 children nominally owned W1.73 trillion worth of shares in listed companies last year (US$1=W1,199). Bareunmirae Party lawmaker Yu Eui-dong on Sunday said the number of minors who owned stakes in listed Korean companies rose by 47,000 from the end of 2017, and the rate of increase doubled over that period.

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

The unexpected turnout of the candlelight rally for prosecutorial reform

“I’m looking over the entire process. I need to find out where I went wrong,” said a first-term lawmaker with the Democratic Party. The lawmaker was talking about the candlelight rally for prosecutorial reform that was held around Banpo Street in Seoul’s Seocho neighborhood near the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office on the evening of Sept. 28. “I’d noticed an unusual mood in my district since last week, but I had no idea so many people would attend the rally,” said the lawmaker, who’d opposed Cho Kuk’s appointment as Minister of Justice. “I’m curious to see how many people show up for next week’s rally.”

Moon sends overt warning messages to prosecutors to exercise “restraint” of authority

South Korean President Moon Jae-in sent an overt message of warning to prosecutors on the importance of the “restrained exercise of prosecutorial authority.” The direct reference by a South Korean President to an investigation by prosecutors is seen as highly unusual. According to analysts, it signals that prosecutors have crossed the line of acceptability with their investigation methods against Minister of Justice Cho Kuk and the public opinion campaign they are currently waging.

N. Korean foreign ministry advisor calls on Trump to make “bold decision”

On Sept. 27, three days after a South Korea-US summit in New York, a North Korean official said that “President Trump is different from his predecessors in political sense and decision” and voiced his hope for “President Trump's wise option and bold decision.” The statement by Kim Kye-gwan, advisor for the North Korean Foreign Ministry, expressed a blend of hope and pressure. “No practical follow-up was made to implement the issues agreed upon at the [North Korea-US] summit talks [in Singapore], casting a shadow over the possibility of future summit talks,” Kim said referring to the possibility of a third summit.

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

2019 KIAF showcases some 10,000 artworks in Seoul

The Korea International Art Fair (KIAF), the biggest local arts market in South Korea, has hosted the largest audience since inception this year. According to the Galleries Association of Korea, the number of visitors, at around 82,000, has surged 30 percent from last year. KIAF, which was kicked off Wednesday with a VIP preview at COEX in southern Seoul, showcased some 10,000 artworks in 157 galleries from 17 countries over five days before being closed on Sunday.

Tokyo leaves open possibility of fighter jet scramble over Dokdo skies

The Japanese government has again claimed its sovereignty over South Korea’s easternmost islets of Dokdo in its defense white paper for 2019. Tokyo has also left open the possibility of scrambling fighter jets of its Self-defense Air Force when conflict erupts over the skies of Dokdo. Tokyo held a Cabinet meeting on Friday and passed its "Japan’s Defense," the 2019 edition of its white paper. The white paper contains claim suggesting that “Takeshima (Japanese name for dokdo) is a sovereign territory of Japan.” Tokyo has contained such claims in the white paper for 15 consecutive years since 2005.

Ryu Hyun-jin becomes Asian major leaguer with lowest ERA

Legendary pitcher Water Johnson of the Washington Senators (currently Minnesota) ranked first in ERA at 1.49 in the Major League Baseball 100 years ago. Johnson died at the age of 59 in 1946, but his record has yet to be broken. Fans can check out detailed records from as early as the 1876 season on the Major League website. Ryu Hyun-jin of the Los Angeles Dodgers will likely be kept in Major League history forever as well.

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

Big Companies in Yeosu that Fabricated Air Pollutant Emissions Exceed the Limit Again

Factories of conglomerates in the Yeosu National Industrial Complex violated emission standards and were ordered to make changes again, immediately after they were caught for fabricating measurements of air pollutants. These factories had previously stirred controversy for discharging dust and sulfur oxides, the cause of fine-dust, while releasing false measurements of air pollutant emissions after scheming with contractors that oversaw the measurement.

Cho Kuk Was on the Phone with the Head of Investigators when They Searched His House

Minister of Justice Cho Kuk (54) disclosed on September 26 that he had spoken with the head of the prosecutors' investigation team when they conducted a search of his house on September 23. Kang Gi-jung, senior Cheong Wa Dae secretary for political affairs (pictured below) also said, "We asked the prosecutors for a quiet investigation," triggering controversy over outside pressure on the investigation.

"I Recall Chun Tae-il When Things Get Tough," Says Kim Yong-hui After 100 Days Atop a Camera Pole

Kim Yong-hui (60), a worker laid off by Samsung, has spent 100 days atop a CCTV camera pole, 25 meters above the Gangnam Station crossroad in Seoul as of September 17. He was fired by Samsung Techwin (currently Hanwha Techwin) 24 years ago for taking part in union operations, and he wants an apology and to be reinstated by the company. Kim watched the Supreme Court send the case of Lee Jae-yong (51), vice chairman of Samsung Electronics, back to the lower court on his cell phone atop the pole.

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

Samsung Elec Q3 OP projected to near $6 bn, sales above $50 bn, analysts

Samsung Electronics is projected to have done better in third-quarter top and bottom line amid improvements in memory prices and robust demand for its 10th anniversary smartphones, although still performing at its worst in three years. According to analysts’ estimates compiled by Seoul-based financial data provider FnGuide on Sunday, Samsung Electronics is estimated to have earned an operating profit of 6.998 trillion won ($5.83 billion) in the July-September period, gaining from 6.6 trillion won in the second quarter and 6.2 trillion won in the first. Against the best-ever numbers a year-ago, the figure is still off 60.2 percent.

S. Korea extends paid paternity leaves to bolster flagging birth rate

New fathers in South Korea will be entitled to take up to 10 days of paid time off from work when their baby is born starting this month, a measure aimed to bolster the country’s record-low birth rate, the government said Monday. The Ministry of Employment and Labor announced that it has revised the related law in August to extend the days for paid paternity leave starting October, from current three days to 10 days at the maximum. Along with it, the government will provide five days’ pay to male employees taking paid paternity leaves to help ease burden on small- and mid-size companies.

Hyundai Motor recruits NASA chief to head its ‘flying car’ project

Hyundai Motor Group has established a new division dedicated to the development of urban aviation mobility technology and related business and recruited one of NASA’s top managers as its vice president. The South Korea’s largest auto group said on Monday it has opened the Urban Air Mobility (UAM) Division committed to research and development of flying car technology and related transportation systems and hired Dr. Jaiwon Shin, associate administrator for NASA`s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate to head the division.

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