EXTRA:

There are two interesting tours, one on May 25, 2019 and the other one on May 31-June 1.

They are:

(1) Invitation for Ambassadors and Spouses to the 6th Annual Declaration of World Peace Luncheon

Saturday May 25, 2019

And

(2) Invitation for Ambassadors and Spouses to a Tour of Ulsan and Gyeongju for Ambassadors and Madams

Friday May 31-June 1, 2019

Please scroll down to the bottom for details.

For further details, please call 010-5201-1740 or 02-2298-1740/2

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The Korean daily media headlines and humor

Tuesday, May 14, 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.

President Trump visits Seoul next month to deal with N. Korea, bolster ROK-U.S. ties

President Donald Trump of the United States will visit Seoul next month for a summit with President Moon Jae-in of Korea and is expected to discuss with Moon focusing on North Korea and the bilateral alliance. This was announced by Seoul and Washington on Wednesday. The U.S President’ss visit will be in conjunction with his travel to Japan to attend the G20 summit slated for June 28-29. The Presidential Office of Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul said that the two sides have agreed to discuss the detailed schedule through further consultations.

Unification ministry: N.K.'s food situation remains serious despite reports on rice prices

South Korea believes that food shortages in North Korea remain serious and the country needs outside assistance, despite media reports that rice prices are dropping there, the unification ministry said Wednesday. Some media reports have claimed that rice prices in North Korean markets have been on the decline recently, suggesting that the country might not face as serious food shortages as worried by U.N. food agencies.

S. Korea to be exempted from U.S. auto tariffs: report

South Korea will be exempted from potential U.S. tariffs on imported cars because the two sides have renegotiated their bilateral free trade agreement, Bloomberg reported Wednesday. U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive order later this week that gives the European Union and Japan 180 days to agree to limiting auto exports to the United States in exchange for delaying tariffs, Bloomberg said, citing a draft version it obtained.

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

Trump to Visit S. Korea in June for Summit with Moon

U.S. President Donald Trump will visit South Korea next month for a summit with President Moon Jae-in amid stalled talks between the U.S. and North Korea after their Hanoi summit in February. The White House said in a statement on Wednesday that Trump will meet with Moon in conjunction with his trip to Japan for the G-20 summit, which is set for June 28th and 29th in Osaka.

Top Prosecutor Promises Reform

South Korea's top prosecutor vowed reform regarding prosecution, including diminishing direct investigations by prosecutors and redistributing the rights to start investigations. Prosecutor-General Moon Moo-il said at a meeting with the media on Thursday that the prosecution will seek reform by overhauling its structure and function to meet the democratic principles of the judiciary system.

Former Vice Justice Minister Attends Arrest Warrant Hearing

South Korea's former vice justice minister attended a hearing for his arrest warrant over allegations of bribery and sexual assault. Former Vice Justice Minister Kim Hak-ui arrived at the Seoul Central District Court on Thursday morning, six years since the scandal first erupted in 2013. Prosecutors requested an arrest warrant for Kim on allegations that he received bribes worth more than 100 million won from construction contractor Yoon Jung-cheon, as well as sexual services in return for business favors.

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

Trump to visit S. Korea for talks on N. Korea, alliance

U.S. President Donald Trump will visit South Korea next month for talks with President Moon Jae-in on the denuclearization of North Korea and alliance issues, Moon's office announced Thursday amid growing concerns about the overall peace process. Trump plans to visit South Korea in late June as part of his regional trip. He will travel to Osaka, Japan, for the two-day G-20 summit to open on June 28.

Prosecution chief slams bills on probe power reform, vows efforts to overhaul agency

Prosecutor-General Moon Moo-il on Thursday reiterated his criticism about bills on a reform of investigative power, saying that they fly in the face of democratic principles. He also laid out measures to overhaul the elite law enforcement agency amid heightened tensions between the prosecution and the police over the adjustment of investigative power.

USFK suggests combined command relocation to Pyeongtaek base: source

The U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) has suggested to South Korea that the Combined Forces Command between the two countries relocate to Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, south of Seoul, despite an earlier plan to keep it in Seoul, a government source said Thursday. The CFC, currently headquartered at Seoul's Yongsan Garrison, has to move out of there as the sprawling base is slated to be returned to South Korea. Most U.S. troops stationed at the Yongsan base have already moved to Pyeongtaek.

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

We saw helicopters firing in Gwangju: US missionary

Gwangju streets at this time of the year are full of banners on events related to the May 1980 Democratic Uprising as the city remembers the brutal military crackdown on protesting citizens under former President Chun Doo-hwan, with exhibitions, forums, music contests and food sharing.The deadly military crackdown left an estimated 160 dead and some 5,000 injured in the course of 10 days from May 18, 1980.

Samsung makes its non-memory ambition global

After a joint announcement with the South Korean government to make the country the world’s top semiconductor powerhouse last month, Samsung Electronics is gearing up to globalize its efforts to become the No. 1 chipmaker both in the memory and non-memory markets by 2030.

Ministry downplays reports on North Korea’s food situation

Amid the Seoul government’s efforts to send humanitarian aid to the North, the Unification Ministry on Wednesday shrugged off reports that North Korea might not be facing a severe food crisis given that the price of rice in the country is on a downward trend. The price of rice in the North Korean market, known as jangmadang, had fallen to 4,000 won per kilogram as of April 30, from 5,000 won in November last year, according to a report by Daily NK, which regularly surveys the price.

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

For Koreans, cash wedding gifts are stressful but inescapable

A foreign resident of South Korea posted a tricky question on a website where users share information on local culture and life. Titled, "Most appropriate amount of congratulatory money," it was about a company colleague who was getting married. "We are close enough to say hi when we see each other. ... We have never met outside of work. What do you think is the most appropriate amount to pay?" it reads.

Renault Samsung, union sign tentative deal over wages

Renault Samsung Motors Corp. and its labor union said Thursday they have reached a tentative agreement over wages and working conditions, possibly ending their drawn-out labor dispute that was feared to undermine the automaker. The union said its members will vote on whether to accept the deal on Tuesday. The company and the union began negotiations in June last year to sign a wage and collective agreement deal.

More than 1 million Korean tourists visit Vietnam in Q1

The number of South Korean tourists to Vietnam soared more than 24 percent in the first half of this year to exceed the 1 million mark, industry data showed Thursday. A total of 1.11 million South Koreans made trips to the Southeast Asian country in the January-March period, up 24.4 percent from a year earlier, according to the data from the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO).

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

Another Record Summer Looms

This year's first heat advisory was issued for Gwangju on Wednesday, the earliest on record. The Korea Meteorological Administration issued the advisory at 3 p.m. as temperatures hit 33 degrees Celsius and were expected to remain above that level for the next two days. The highest temperature was measured at 33.1 degrees in Pungam-dong, Gwangju. Elsewhere temperatures climbed to 30 degrees.

Confucian Academies Recommended to World Heritage List

Nine historic Korean Confucian academies have been recommended for the UNESCO World Heritage List, according to the Cultural Heritage Administration on Tuesday. The International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), an advisory group to UNESCO, recommended that nine Seowon or Korean neo-Confucian academies, be inscribed on the list. Normally all monuments or sites recommended by ICOMOS, are added to the list. The final decision will be made at the 43rd UNESCO World Heritage Committee session in Baku, Azerbaijan on June 30.

Unemployment Hits Fresh Record in April

The number of employed people grew by just 170,000 last month, slowing from a deceptive increase of 250,000 over the previous two months. President Moon Jae-in said in a TV interview last week that he expects job growth to reach 200,000 a month this year, up from an earlier projection of 150,000. But it has fallen below the 200,000 mark less than a week after Moon made the comments.

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

A Japanese supporter of S. Korea’s forced labor victims

In May 2012, the South Korean Supreme Court ruled that Nippon Steel and Sumitomo Metal, a Japanese company implicated in war crimes during World War II, had to pay 100 million won (US$84,041) in compensation to each victim plaintiff of forced labor conscription during the Japanese occupation of Korea. “I believe that Nippon Steel will comply with the South Korean Supreme Court’s decision in some way or another,” Hideki Yano optimistically predicted in an interview with the Hankyoreh at the time of the ruling seven years ago. Yano, now 69, is secretary-general of the civic group Japan-Korea Joint Action for Legislation to Compensation Korean Victims of Forced Labor (Joint Action). At the time, Nippon Steel’s management had declared at a general shareholders’ meeting that “while the ruling is unfortunate, we will have no choice but to comply if it is finalized.” In other words, its only option was to comply with the ruling if it hoped to continue doing business in Asia.

S. Korea could send humanitarian aid to N. Korea if it really wanted to

Humanitarian concerns and politics must be kept separate: that’s the position elaborated by David Beasley, executive director of the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP), during a meeting with South Korean Unification Minister Kim Yeon-chul at the Central Government Complex in Seoul on May 13. Beasley’s remarks are a painful reminder for the South Korean government.

Unification minister discusses aid to N. Korea with private sector and religious groups

“If the government were to [provide humanitarian aid to North Korea] not only through UN bodies but also through domestic religious organizations and the KCRC [Korean Council for Reconciliation and Cooperation] and KNCCK, it would be able to reduce its political burden and also improve monitoring,” said Park Chang-il, the chair of the Korean NGO Council for Cooperation with North Korea’s (KNCCK) “Peace 3,000” Operating Committee. The KNCCK is a council that represents NGOs involved in humanitarian aid to the North.

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

U.S.-seized N. Korean ship is the nation’s 2nd largest cargo vessel

North Korea’s strong backlash to the first U.S. seizure of its vessels, communicated through its foreign ministry spokesperson, is presumably because Wise Honest (17,000-ton vessel), its second largest freight vessel, was used to trade raw materials for foreign income.

Hana Financial wins lawsuit against Lone Star over bank purchase deal

South Korea’s major banking group Hana Financial Group Inc. said Wednesday it has won a 1.4 billion-U.S.-dollar international arbitration suit against U.S. private equity fund, which filed the suit at the International Court of Arbitration under the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) in 2016 over Hana’s purchase of KEB Hana Bank, formerly known as Korea Exchange Bank.

Singer Rain performs in front of Chinese President Xi Jinping

South Korean singer Rain performed at an event attended by Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday. Expectations are high that Rain’s performance suggests lifting of the ban on Korean pop culture, which began in 2016 when South Korea deployed the terminal high altitude area defense (THAAD) missile defense system in the country.

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

Kim Jong-un's Missile Launch Goes Awry

North Korea hit President Moon Jae-in and U.S. President Donald Trump by launching missiles. On the outside, it looks like military provocation, but it was actually a political attack. The missile launch triggered criticism from the international community. Nonetheless, the "self-injuring" action was probably intended to put pressure on South Korea and the United States. The latest attempt, at least, looks successful. In both South Korea and the United States, voices are busy declaring the failure of policies on North Korea. The two presidents suffered political injury.

Police Acted as “Agent for Samsung” in the Case of Yeom Ho-seok

A recent investigation discovered that the police was wrongfully involved in the funeral of Yeom Ho-seok, a former employee at Samsung Electronics Service, to reflect the intentions of the company. Yeom took his own life at the age of 34 in 2014 while protesting Samsung Electronics Service's suppression of the labor union. It was also confirmed that a senior official from the Intelligence Bureau of the National Police Agency played an active role in changing Yeom's funeral from an official union ceremony, which was what Yeom had wanted, to a private family funeral.

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

Doosan Machine Tools put up for sale after IPO cancellation

South Korea’s Doosan Machine Tools Co., sold to Asia’s biggest private equity group MBK Partners in 2016, is back on the market after the fund abandoned its plan to take the company public. MBK Partners has tapped Bank of America Merrill Lynch to manage the sale that is expected to cost up to 3 trillion won ($2.52 billion), given its business soundness, according to investment banking sources on Wednesday.

Samsung Elec on track to reclaim No. 1 position in Indian smartphone market

Samsung Electronics Co. is on its way to recovering the peak in the Indian smartphone market as its spec-rich budget policy worked out in the world’s second most populated country. The Korean tech giant reportedly has sold more than 5 million units of Galaxy A smartphone series in just 70 days since its launch in India and raked in an estimated $1 billion in sales, according to local media reports. There are total six Galaxy A models, ranging from A10 to A80, sold in India, and local pricing ranges from $75.11 to $411.59.

LG Chem wins multi-billion-dollar EV battery supply deal from Volvo

South Korea’s top secondary battery maker LG Chem Ltd. has won a multi-billion-dollar deal to supply lithium-ion batteries to Volvo Cars, a Swedish luxury car brand that has vowed to go all electric starting this year, along with Chinese peer CATL.

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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.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
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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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