New JPN PM puts S Korea on hold, N Korea: Squid Game proves Capitalism sux, & more extreme N Korean martial arts
K-NEWS BITES
Friday 2021-10-15 (KST)
SNU professors list their children as co-authors of research papers (2 min read)
“Nearly half of all under-age co-authors listed in research papers from Seoul National University (SNU) were children of SNU professors, a ruling party lawmaker said, Thursday, calling for harsher disciplinary action against misconduct involving research by professors abusing their status.”
[Newsmaker] Is fluent Korean a must for at-home COVID-19 care? Not necessarily (2 min read)
“If another member of the household, who must self-isolate along with the patient over the duration of care, which is 10 days, speaks Korean, it’s permitted.” Also if municipality staff “can speak the language spoken by the patient, then proceeding with home care should not be a problem.”
Gov't: Delta Variant Could be Contained if 85% of Public is Fully Vaccinated (1 min read)
“Kwon Joon-wook, deputy director of the Central Quarantine Countermeasures Headquarter... said reaching such a percentage would serve as the theoretical basis that the delta variant could be kept in check without mask rules, gathering bans and operational restrictions on multipurpose facilities. “
New cases near 2,000 amid rising vaccination rate (2 min read)
“The country added 1,940 more COVID-19 cases, including 1,924 local infections, raising the total caseload to 337,679… The country added 13 more deaths from COVID-19, raising the death toll to 2,618. The fatality rate was 0.78 percent.”
General COVID Information for residents in Korea:
Ministry of Health and Welfare, South Korea
Coronavirus Statistics for South Korea
Kishida includes Quad, China in first calls; South Korea on hold - Nikkei Asia (3 min read)
“Relations between Japan and South Korea are at their worst in the postwar era, with no sign of a thaw as Seoul has offered no plan to resolve compensation cases involving Japanese companies over wartime Korean labor.”
North Koreans 'at risk of starvation' due to rigid COVID-19 rules, UN says (1 min read)
“North Korea's most vulnerable are "at risk of starvation" with the economy worsening due to a self-imposed COVID-19 blockade, and UN sanctions imposed over the country's nuclear programmes should be eased, a UN human rights expert said Wednesday.”
N. Korea slams Japan‘s arms buildup as preparations for aggression (1 min read)
“A commentary carried by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) noted Japan is planning to import over 20 U.S.-made reconnaissance drones, and pushing to possess aircraft carriers and introduce the latest stealth fighters.”
Apple to open developer academy in South Korea to avoid KFTC fine (1 min read)
“The new academy and manufacturing R&D support centre is part of a deal the iPhone maker made with the Korea Fair Trade Commission (KFTC) to avoid being fined for unfairly forcing local telcos to cover advertisement fees and warranty expenses.”
Hyundai Motor to launch tech testbed for autonomous cars (1 min read)
“With the ongoing research and development being conducted rapidly, the market may expect Level 5 self-driving models to soon launch in South Korea.”
Squid Game proves capitalism doesn't work, says North Korea (2 min read)
North Korean propaganda describes the ‘Squid Game’ as showing “... South Korean society where the number of losers in fierce competitions, such as employment, real estate and stocks, increases dramatically… living in a world where people are judged only by money."
North Korean soldiers perform 'extreme martial arts' show [video] (2m 45s long)
This same topic was included in yesterday’s edition, but I couldn’t resist and found a longer version of the video, courtesy of Sky News, who added the pre-amble “A warning, these stunts are extreme from the start - and might bring tears to your eyes.” Dare I say, even the hardened N Korean leader’s sister (Kim Yo Jong), seems to flinch (at 2m 30s)!
Gyeongnam Goseong Dinosaur World Expo (1 min read)
Gyeongnam Goseong Dinosaur World Expo takes place in the area of Danghangpo Tourist Resort, on the Southern Coast of Korea, about an hour's drive West of Busan. “The festival operates various exhibitions and hands-on program facilities including Dinosaur Hill, Character Hall, Dinosaurs Footprint Fossil Hall, AR/VR Hall and more.”
Suwon Theatre Festival (1 min read)
“The annual Suwon Theatre Festival offers various entertaining performances in fall. Visitors can enjoy street performances in a beautiful autumn setting, along with additional events and food trucks for a day of fun.” Suwon is located about an hour's drive south from downtown Seoul (City Hall).
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