The Korean daily media headlines and humor

The Korean daily media headlines and humor

Monday, January 29, 2018

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

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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.

Trump not likely to provoke N. Korea in State of the Union speech

U.S. President Donald Trump is likely to refrain from using provocative language to address North Korea's nuclear and missile threats in his first State of the Union address this week, according to a senior U.S. government official. Trump can be expected to talk about North Korea, but Tuesday's speech will mainly focus on domestic issues and broader national security, the official told reporters on background Friday.

Tennis sensation Chung Hyeon returns home to hero's welcome

South Korean tennis sensation Chung Hyeon returned home to a hero's welcome Sunday after his historic run at the Australian Open. Chung was greeted by hundreds of cheering fans at Incheon International Airport. The 21-year-old said he was surprised to see massive crowds."I didn't know this many people would come," he said with a smile. "It looks like I really did something great." Chung, currently 58th in the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) rankings, defeated top-class tennis players to reach the semifinals of the Australian Open, becoming the first South Korean ever to reach the last four in a Grand Slam event.

After eligibility row, speed skater decides to compete in PyeongChang Olympics

South Korean speed skater Noh Seon-yeong decided on Sunday to compete at the PyeongChang Winter Olympics after all, following a roller coaster ride last week that saw her lose and then regain eligibility in a span of days.Noh learned last Tuesday that she wouldn't be eligible for the team pursuit because she hadn't earned a spot in an individual race at the Olympics.

Overall agricultural imports from China shrink after FTA deal

South Korea imported fewer agricultural products overall from China last year, but shipments in fruits, vegetables and meats increased, data from the Korea Rural Economic Institute (KREI) showed Monday.According to KREI's analysis of figures from the Korea Trade Statistics Promotion Institute, South Korea imported US$3.62 million worth of agricultural, forestry and livestock products from China in the January-October period last year, 1.8 percent less than the average prior to the two countries' free trade agreement taking effect.

LG Electronics strengthens V30 phone lineup to increase sales

LG Electronics Co., South Korea's second-biggest electronics company by sales, added a new color to its V30 smartphone lineup Sunday to help boost sales of handsets.In a promotion ahead of Valentine's Day next month, LG Electronics has launched its V30 phone in "raspberry rose" and will select 30 customers to receive another V30 phone on top of the one they bought, the company said in a statement.

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

Death Toll from Miryang Hospital Fire Climbs to 39

The death toll from a deadly fire at a hospital in Miryang, South Gyeongsang Province has risen to 39. According to police on Monday, a patient surnamed Kim died at 11:50 p.m. Sunday, while receiving treatment for injuries from Friday's fire at Sejong Hospital in Miryang. The 86-year-old patient was reportedly suffering from dementia and asthma. Kim's death raised the death toll from the fire to 39, while the number of injured people now stands at 151, including a nurse who was admitted to hospital on Sunday.

Prosecution Likely to Summon Ex-Pres. Lee after Olympics

Former President Lee Myung-bak is expected to be summoned and questioned by prosecutors after the closing of the PyeongChang Winter Olympics over allegations surrounding him and his government.The prosecution is currently investigating auto parts maker DAS, a firm linked to Lee, over allegations that it managed a large slush fund for the former president. It is also looking into claims that Lee's presidential office accepted bribes from the National Intelligence Service and engaged in illegal surveillance of civilians.

S. Korea Agonizing over Sending Refined Oil to N. Korea for Joint Cultural Event

South Korea is reportedly agonizing over whether to send refined oil products to North Korea for a joint cultural event in the North's Mount Geumgang early next month.A Seoul official said on Sunday that South Korea asked the North to supply power for the cultural event, but Pyongyang replied that it cannot ensure a stable power supply for the facilities built by South Korea. The official said that South Korea needs to solve the electricity issue, but tough sanctions imposed by the United Nations and the United States are making it difficult for Seoul to send refined oil to the North.

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

Overall agricultural imports from China shrink after FTA deal

Prosecutors to make sentencing recommendation for ex-Park aide in influence-peddling scandal

Prosecutors were set to submit their sentencing demand on Monday for a former presidential aide involved in a corruption scandal that led to the removal of former President Park Geun-hye from office last year. The Seoul Central District Court will hear the sentencing request later in the day on Woo Byung-woo, who served as the senior presidential secretary for civil affairs from 2015-2016.

Woo, 50, was indicted in April last year, along with the disgraced president, on charges of dereliction of duty, abuse of power and perjury. He is accused of neglecting his duty to carry out necessary inspection on the suspected irregular government approval on the establishment of two foundations allegedly controlled by Choi Soon-sil, Park's longtime friend and confidante. Choi has also been charged with corruption and is standing trial.

Credit card spending rose last year due to long holidays: CREFIA

South Korea's credit card spending surged dramatically in 2017 from a year earlier due to the extended Chuseok holiday and the "golden holiday" in May, industry data showed Monday.Credit card spending soared 10.8 percent to 605 trillion won (US$568 billion) last year from the previous year, the Credit Finance Association (CREFIA) said. The rising consumption is attributed to the April 29-May 9 golden holiday and the 10-day-long Chuseok holiday that began Sept. 30.

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

Undocumented foreign workers more vulnerable to accidents, abuses

For Rina, an advertisement about jobs in South Korea on social media was a chance to change her life. She imagined that she could lead a life similar to what she saw on Korean dramas and build a better future for her and her family.The advertisement on Facebook posted by a Malaysian agency said that she could make a lot of money quickly and eventually obtain a legitimate work permit if she worked hard. Rina knew it was illegal, but it was a risk worth taking. Her decision cost dearly: She lost four fingers on her right hand.

Mattis wants to keep pressure on N. Korea

The United States and South Korea are going to keep tightening the screws on Pyongyang so that the hermit state gives up its nuclear program, Pentagon chief Jim Mattis said Friday."As two peace-loving nations, the Republic of Korea and America welcome the Olympic Games talks between the ROK and DPRK while at the same time remaining steadfast with the international economic pressure campaign to denuclearize the Korean peninsula," Mattis said in Honolulu.

Market remains puzzled ahead of real-name crypto coin trading

Investors, cryptocurrency exchanges and banks in South Korea appeared to be confused Sunday over the government’s push to launch a real-name trade system of digital currencies as part of efforts to tighten its grip on the fast-growing and unfettered market.Starting Tuesday, cryptocurrency purchases using local currency will be allowed only for individual accounts registered under real names. Bank accounts of digital coin buyers using local currency and of cryptocurrency exchanges must be registered under the same bank. Minors and foreigners are to be banned from creating an account to buy coins in the Korean won.

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

Football brings Korea and Vietnam closer

Vietnam went wild Saturday night despite the country's 1-2 defeat to Uzbekistan in the final of the Asian Football Confederation U23 Championship.Fans poured into the streets in all big cities to celebrate their team's historic achievement under the leadership of Korean manager Park Hang-seo."Many Vietnamese and Koreans went out to watch the game together. We lost, but we feel a great pride," Dinh Xuan Hoa, 27, who lives in Hanoi, told The Korea Times. Dinh, who works at a subcontractor for Samsung Electronics near the capital, said he left work early to join the huge football crowd.

Trump not likely to provoke N. Korea in State of the Union speech

Guests to face deep-freeze conditions at 'roofless' PyeongChang opening

Winter Olympics are supposed to be cold. But the frozen feeling melts away, if only for a short time, when fired-up athletes turn up the body heat as they race toward victory or disappointment. But things are different in real life, away from the competition. The PyeongChang Olympics opening ceremony at the "roofless" PyeongChang Olympic Plaza in freezing weather is expected to challenge athletes and envoys from around the world."PyeongChang's night temperature drops to -13 degree Celsius and I am worried that guests at the opening ceremony might all be very cold," said an official at presidential office Cheong Wa Dae.

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

Seoul to Ship Diesel to Mt. Kumgang for Olympics-Eve Event

South Korea will ship about 10,000 liters of diesel to North Korea’s Mt. Kumgang resort for a celebration on the eve of the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, a government official here said Sunday.But supplying refined oil products like diesel to the North could violate UN Security Council sanctions.

"North Korean officials said that it's hard for them to ensure a stable power supply to the Mt. Kumgang Culture Hall, the venue for a joint cultural event, because it's a facility built by South Korea,'" the government official said. "I think we should ship diesel there."

Most Young S.Koreans Don't Believe in Reunification

Only four out of 10 South Koreans believe reunification is necessary, a poll by Seoul National University finds. The poll reveals that people in their 20s and 30s are the most opposed to reunification of any age group.Among those in their 20s, 41.4 percent are in favor, and among 30-somethings 39.6 percent. That contrasts with 57.8 percent in their 40s, 62 percent in their 50s and 67 percent of the over-60s. When it comes to providing aid to North Korea, South Koreans in their 20s and 30s are in fact more opposed than other generations.

Koreans Binge on Late-Night Takeaways

The vast majority of takeaway food in Korea is heavy and ordered late at night as busy workers binge and drinkers try to soak up the evening's alcohol, a survey finds.Woowa Brothers, the start-up that operates the country's most popular food-delivery mobile service, analyzed 84 million orders between May and November of last year and found that 20 percent were placed between 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. The rate went up even further to 25 percent at weekends. Fried chicken was by far the most popular snack with 46.7 percent, followed by baked goods like pizza, and tripe and chicken feet at 10.2 percent. All are high in calories and fat as drinkers try to soak up the night's alcohol.

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

Saemaeul Movement Theme Park celebrates former president Park Chung-hee

“Park Chung-hee Road.” “Saemaeul Movement Theme Park.” It was around noon on Jan. 23, and signs were posted along the six-lane road in front of former President Park Chung-hee’s birth home in Sangmo, a neighborhood in Gumi, North Gyeongsang Province. “Park Chung-hee Road” is the name given to this road by the city of Gumi. Inside the Saemaeul Movement Theme Park, large buildings loomed to the right. Bearing the names “Exhibition Hall” and “Global Hall,” they flanked the marble-built Saemaeul Plaza. North of the plaza were a training center and an “eco/tree house.” A road led uphill to the west, where a 1970s-era neighborhood was recreated as the “Saemaeul Theme Village.”

Exhibition hall claiming that Dokdo is Japanese territory opens in Tokyo

“Are you familiar with Takeshima [Dokdo]? In the 17th century, the Tokugawa Shogunate established sovereignty by giving [Japanese fishermen] permission to catch sea lions.” When I entered the Territory and Sovereignty Exhibition Hall that opened on Jan. 25 at the Shisei Kaikan building at the entrance to Hibiya Park in downtown Tokyo, a video playing on a loop claimed that that Dokdo is Japanese territory. This is the first time the Japanese government has opened a permanent exhibition hall making that claim.

Henry Kissinger suggests a return to the Six Party Talks

Former US Secretary of State and veteran diplomat Henry Kissinger said on Jan. 25 that the best road to denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula was through a return of the existing Six-Party Talks forum. Kissinger added that if that approach fails, an agreement should be sought by the US and China. His remarks came during a Senate Armed Services Forum hearing on national security strategy, where he was joined by fellow former Secretary of State George Shultz and Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage.

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

Defense chiefs confer at meeting in Honolulu

A top U.S. defense official warned Friday that talks between the two Koreas on the Olympic Games must not disrupt the international campaign to pressure the North to give up its nuclear arms.U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis made the remark during a meeting with South Korean Defense Minister Song Young-moo at U.S. Pacific Command headquarters.The meeting took place amid growing concerns that the South may abandon the global coalition to put pressure on the North as it focuses on inter-Korean dialogue over the North’s participation in the PyeongChang Winter Olympics.

Mourners try to make sense of fire at hospital

The blaze at Sejong Hospital in the South Gyeongsang city of Miryang continues to haunt relatives of the 38 dead, two days after it took the lives of their loved ones.“She was 22 when we got married,” said the husband of victim Lee Hee-jeong, 35, who was the youngest person killed in the fire Friday. Lee had been hospitalized since December, when she injured her left leg in a car accident. Her widower, a 47-year-old surnamed Moon, showed a reporter from the JoongAng Sunday a photo on his phone of him and his wife smiling widely together, cheeks touching.

Bird flu breaks out weeks before Olympics

Bird flu was detected on farms near Seoul over the weekend, which forced the government to scramble to stem an outbreak before the Olympics. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said it confirmed that a highly pathogenic strain of H5N6 avian influenza was found on a chicken farm in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi, about 40 kilometers (24.8 miles) south of Seoul, on Saturday. The ministry also said Sunday that a chicken farm in Pyeongtaek, another city in Gyeonggi about 70 kilometers south of Seoul, reported a highly pathogenic strain of the virus as well.

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

North and South Korean Players Shake Hands, "We Are One"

Applause broke out when the North Korean women ice hockey players who will join the South in a single Team Korea for the PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games arrived at the athlete's village in Jincheon on January 25. The North Korean players, who had remained silent amidst the attention from the public slightly bowed as they shook hands with the South Korean players, who handed them wreaths and said, "Welcome. You must have had a hard time coming all the way here in this cold." The athletes, quite frozen in this bitter cold, smiled as they greeted the other athletes. The North and South Korean players gathered for a commemorative photo and shouted the slogan, "We are one," three times. This was the first event for Team Korea, which is expected to turn the PyeongChang Olympics into a "peace Olympics."

Manipulation of Online Public Opinion and the Battle of Naver's Real-Time Search Words

A series of incidents that recently occurred in a web portal revealed the current status of online democracy in South Korea, which is under threat. Web portals have become the scene of manipulation and distortion, a mess ridden with slander and profanity. On January 24, President Moon Jae-in's supporters and his opponents engaged in a "battle of the real-time search word." The president's supporters decided to get "peace Olympics" to top the real-time search word chart on major web portals to celebrate the birthday of President Moon Jae-in, but his opponents decided to block this. "Peace Olympics" is a term that reflects the direction of the Moon Jae-in government, which seeks to establish peace on the Korean Peninsula through inter-Korean dialogue.

Special Activity Expenses, DAS, and Online Comments: Investigation Narrows in on MB from Three Sides

As the prosecutors' investigation aiming at former President Lee Myung-bak (77) accelerates, the prosecutors' questioning of the former president is set to become reality.Currently, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office is conducting the investigation in three major areas: the illegal bribery linked to the special activity expenses of the National Intelligence Service (NIS); the ownership of DAS, a company allegedly owned by former President Lee; and the online comments posted by the military's Cyber Command. In the case of the intelligence agency's special expenses account and DAS, key aides have begun opening their mouths on one or two of the allegations, and facts concealed or reduced in the previous investigation are newly emerging in connection to the online comments posted by the military's Cyber Command.

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

Society without people who can stop fight

Since Kim Jung-un announced his intention to participate in the Olympic Games, we have been fighting for a month. The controversy over a unified team in women's ice hockey shows signs of aggravating into intergenerational conflict. Still, no one is trying to stop the fight. It will not happen if it is a normal country or society. Someone, either government or civil society, would stand up to stop conflicts by coordinating the positions of both sides. What's really worried about is the absence of this social mechanism. We are living in a society where there is only a person who encourages fighting.

Speed skater Noh Seon-yeong set to join Olympic training camp

South Korean speed skater Noh Seon-yeong is set to return to an Olympic training camp Monday after she agreed to compete in the women's 1,500-meter team pursuit at next month's Winter Olympics after a turbulent week over her eligibility.In her Instagram post on Sunday, Noh, 28, said, "After agonizing a lot, I decided to compete at the Olympics. I will do my best and finish my national team career without regret." Her decision came after Korea Skating Union (KSU) President Kim Sang-hang apologized for a mix-up in communication with the International Skating Union (ISU).

Hyundai auto group reports worst earnings in eight years

South Korea's Hyundai auto group reported its worst corporate earnings in eight years due to a strong won, slowing demand in major markets and a diplomatic row with China over the deployment of a U.S. missile shield.

Hyundai Motor said its full-year net profit in 2017 fell 21 percent on-year to 4.54 trillion won (4.29 billion US dollars). Operating profit was down 12 percent to 4.57 trillion won last year while sales rose 2.9 percent to 96.37 trillion won. The company said its profitability was undermined by the won's strength against the dollar and competition with rivals in China and other major markets as well as increased marketing costs. In China, Hyundai's auto sales fall 31 percent on-year to 785,006 units last year.

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

Posco Daewoo seeks fresh growth through focus on 3 new sectors

South Korean trading firm Posco Daewoo Corp. plans to focus on three new areas of growth in a bid to expand its business portfolio and broaden its global presence. Chief Executive Kim Young-sang said on Friday the company needs to radically transform itself in line with external changes and announced three new engines - agricultural crops, car parts and private finance initiatives - to help drive sustained growth. Posco Daewoo plans to bolster its capabilities in agricultural trade by acquiring a crop export terminal in Ukraine this year to start operations in the first half of 2019. It currently runs a palm oil farm in Indonesia and is constructing a rice processing complex in Myanmar.

Samsung, LG go head-to-head in Australia over TV ads

The bitter rivalry between South Korean tech giants Samsung Electronics Co. and LG Electronics Inc. once again fired up in Australia, with both companies accusing one another for running misleading ads in marketing their televisions. Australia’s Advertising Claims Board (ACB) recently settled the dispute with its ruling on whether certain claims in advertisements for Samsung’s QLED TV and LG’s OLED TV were deemed misleading. The dispute was sparked in July last year when LG first filed a complaint against Samsung for misleading and deceptive conduct in advertising its television, with Samsung issuing a counterclaim on similar charges a few months later.

Hyundai E&C’s Q4 OP down 31% on year on weak overseas demand

Hyundai Engineering & Construction Co. (Hyundai E&C), South Korea’s second-largest builder by sales, on Friday reported its fourth-quarter operating profit fell 31 percent on year amid a slowdown in the global construction market hit by low oil prices. Hyundai E&C said in a regulatory filing that it posted 220.4 billion won ($26.6 million) in operating income on a consolidated basis for the fourth quarter ended December, down 30.8 percent from the same period a year ago and 21.6 percent from the previous quarter. Sales reached 4.26 trillion won, declining 19.7 percent on year but edging up 0.5 percent on quarter.

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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@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

Japan's Yomiuri www.yomiuri.co.jp japannews@yomiuri.com

Asahi www.asahi.com customer-support@asahi.com

Mainichi www.mainichi.jp

Le Monde www.ilemonde.com

Italy LaRepubblica www.quotidiano.repubblica.it vittorio.zucconi@gmail.com

Germany Frankfurter AllgemeineZeitung www.faz.net anzeigen.ausland@faz.de

SüddeutscheZeitung www.sueddeutsche.de forum@sueddeutsche.de

Australia Brisbane Times www.brisbanetimes.com.au syndication@fairfaxmedia.com.au

Sydney Morning Heraldwww.smh.com.au

Colombia Reports http://colombiareports.com

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

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

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

Ecuador Times http://www.ecuadortimes.net

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

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

The Baltic Times http://www.baltictimes.comlithuania@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

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The Korea Post is running video clips from the different embassies.

Azerbaijan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OR8CBpcQ4WM

Sri Lanka: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hByX92Y2aGY&t=22s

Morocco: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfFmp2sVvSE

And many other countries.

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For quick response, call Chairman Lee directly at 010-5201-1740 or reporters at 010-3388-1682 or 010-7584-5873.

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Lee Kyung-sik edt@koeapost.com