K-NEWS BITES

Mon 2022-01-03 (KST)

Pardoned ex-president expresses resentment over impeachment (2 min read)

“Former President Park Geun-hye, who was released Friday under a presidential pardon, claimed that she never gave privileges to anyone with an axe to grind, in a book published a day ahead of her pardon. Park, who was sentenced to 22 years in prison for corruption and influence-peddling scandal after being ousted in March 2017, released a book compiling letters she exchanged with her supporters while behind bars from 2017 to 2021, Thursday.”

Koreans pin high hopes on watershed presidential election (7 min read)

“The level of attention is particularly high because foreign and economic policies will take different directions depending on which bloc takes the helm. The two candidates are taking contrasting stances on how to distribute wealth and promote economic growth, as well as how to build relations with key allies, including the United States and China.” The article contains a table which summarises the key policy differences between the two main candidates.

Ahn Cheol-soo rises to chip away at main opposition party's support rate (3 min read)

“In a number of recent surveys, No. 3 candidate Ahn is showing meaningful growth public support, tempting the two major candidates ― Yoon and ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) candidate Lee Jae-myung ― to potentially ask the center-right candidate to unify behind their respective candidacies. With the election coming in less than 70 days, Ahn's choice of whether he will maintain his candidacy or form a coalition with another candidate is expected to determine how the presidential race will unfold in the remaining period.” The article contains a graph comparing the current support rates of the presidential candidates.

Yoon’s ‘Am I an idiot?’ remark turns into a viral meme (1 min read)

“‘The Democratic Party candidate wants us to debate. Am I an idiot?’ Yoon [the main opposition party’s presidential candidate] said to a cheering crowd. His remark made its way onto Blind on Thursday, an anonymous mobile message board for workers, in the form of a poll that returned his question to the platform’s users. Among the 538 participants, 97.8 percent of respondents said ‘Yes,’ while 2.2 percent said ‘No.’ On Twitter, posts mocking the candidate’s remark have been uploaded… His remark has now become a viral meme in online communities.”

Gov't Extends Tightened Social Distancing Rules by 2 Weeks (1 min read)

“The government has decided to extend current social distancing regulations by two more weeks. Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum announced the decision during a government meeting on the COVID-19 response in Seoul on Friday. Under current protocols, which were due to expire on Sunday, up to four people can gather nationwide, and restaurants and coffee shops should close up at 9:00 p.m.“

COVID-19 vaccine pass will be applied with 6-month validity period this week (1 min read)

“Proof of vaccination required for access to multiuse facilities will be valid only for six months after the primary series or booster doses starting Monday… The so-called vaccine pass is required for people to enter restaurants, cafes, theaters, cram schools and other indoor multipurpose facilities. The measure will be applied to department stores and large discount store chains Jan. 10. Unvaccinated people should present negative COVID-19 test results that were issued within 48 hours in a bid to use such facilities. The government plans to adopt the pass system for youths in March after a one-month grace period.”

Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine to Be Used for Primary Vaccinations (1 min read)

“The government intends to use the COVID-19 vaccine developed by American pharmaceutical company Novavax for primary vaccinations. Kim Ki-nam of the state vaccine task force said Thursday that once the Novavax vaccine receives approval, which could happen as early as January, it will be used only for first-time vaccinations. The European Medicines Agency(EMA) and World Health Organization(WHO) have already given emergency approval for the vaccine, and Seoul is now reviewing its safety for adults aged 18 and older. Kim said further study is needed on the vaccine's efficacy when used for booster shots.”

New virus cases dip below 4,000, fast spread of omicron variant in focus (1 min read)

“The country added 3,833 new COVID-19 infections… raising the total caseload to 639,083… The daily figure marked a decline from 4,875 reported Friday and 4,416 on Saturday. The fall was largely attributable to less testing over the weekend. South Korea reported 69 more COVID-19 deaths, raising the total death toll to 5,694. The number of critically ill COVID-19 patients came to 1,024. Critical cases have stayed above 1,000 for the 13th consecutive day, with their all-time high hitting 1,151 on Wednesday… The country reported 93 new omicron variant cases, bringing the total to 1,207.”

General COVID Information for residents in Korea:

Ministry of Health and Welfare, South Korea

Coronavirus Public Advice (incl. social distancing information)

Latest guidance (16th Dec 2021 press release, updated 23rd Dec)

COVID FAQ

Coronavirus Statistics for South Korea

What is RCEP, the world’s largest free trade deal that is under way? (4 min read)

“The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is a free-trade agreement between the 10 Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) members plus Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea. The deal took effect in Australia, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Japan, Laos, New Zealand, Thailand, Singapore and Vietnam on January 1. South Korea will follow on February 1, but Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar and the Philippines have yet to ratify the deal… The 15-member RCEP – the world’s largest free-trade agreement despite the absence of the United States – is Japan’s first trade agreement involving both China and South Korea… [and it] covers nearly a third of the global population and about 30 per cent of its global gross domestic product, but this is expected to rise to 50 per cent by 2030, according to HSBC.”

What’s the difference between RCEP and CPTPP? Check out the article below in the Miscellaneous section.

A South Korean has crossed the border into the North in a rare defection (1 min read)

“A South Korean has crossed the heavily fortified border with North Korea in a rare defection, according to South Korea's military. The Joint Chiefs of Staff said it carried out a search operation after detecting the person around 9:20 pm on Saturday on the eastern side of the Demilitarised Zone separating the two Koreas... The JCS said it could not confirm whether the person was alive, but sent a notice to the North via a military hotline asking for protection. Years of repression and poverty in North Korea have led more than 30,000 people to flee to the South in the decades since the Korean War, but crossings in the other direction are extremely rare.”

North Korea's Kim Jong Un talks food not nukes as he marks 10 years in power (2 min read)

“North Korea's main goals for 2022 will be jump starting economic development and improving people's lives as it faces a ‘great life-and-death struggle,’ Kim said in a speech on Friday at the end of the 4th Plenary Meeting of the 8th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), which began on Monday.The meetings coincided with the 10-year anniversary of Kim effectively assuming leadership of the country after the death of his father in 2011… But summaries of his speech published in North Korean state media made no specific mention of the United States, with only a passing reference to unspecified discussions of inter-Korean relations and ‘external affairs.’”

Intel has officially sold its SSD business to SK Hynix (2 min read)

“SK Hynix, South Korean memory semiconductor supplier of DRAM chips and flash memory chips, has completed stage one of its acquisition of Intel’s SSD and NAND businesses. This follows recent official Chinese approval of the deal, which will see Intel being paid over $7 billion. To handle its new SSD business, SK hynix formed a new subsidiary, called Solidigm... Intel is continuing down the path of detaching low-profit, capital-intensive operations, in favor of higher-earning projects…”

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra set for 1TB storage option as more case photos leak (2 min read)

“A new report is claiming that the new Samsung Galaxy S22 high-end model - the S22 Ultra - will get a huge 1TB storage option. The news comes from reliable fan site SamMobile, which says it has ‘learned’ that one variant of the Galaxy S22 Ultra will offer the huge storage option. With the launch of Samsung’s new S22 range imminent - likely happening in February - we’re expecting to see more of these leaks in the coming weeks, as Samsung seeks to maintain its lead as the world’s biggest smartphone brand… Alongside this leak from SamMobile, Twitter user @hypark22 has been showing off a phone that they claim is a dummy version of the Galaxy S22 Ultra.” The article contains a photo and a link to the Twitter post.

Year of Tiger: Vigorous, fearless year full of adventure unfolding (3 min read)

“... Koreans have perceived the tiger as a sacred creature that wards off evil spirits, and thus Koreans of old believed they bring good luck. ‘All in all, Koreans feel that tigers are part of their culture and that the animal is still alive in their hearts’... The tiger is the third of twelve animals in the Chinese zodiac. This year is the Year of the Black Tiger. According to experts, black tigers are known for being energetic, vigorous, brave and adventurous. Because of these traits, experts predict that 2022 will be a year full of positive energy and adventure.”

Explained: the difference between the RCEP and the CPTPP (5 min read)

“The CPTPP began life as the US-backed TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership), but it was reincarnated as the CPTPP after President Donald Trump pulled the plug on American participation in 2017. In its latest guise, the CPTPP includes Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam plus Australia, Canada, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand and Peru [as at July 2019]. It aims for stricter common standards on labour issues, environmental protection and dispute resolution than those proposed in the RCEP.” According to the US-ASEAN Business Council, members of the CPTPP cover a combined 13.5% of the global economy..

“The RCEP was first proposed in 2011 and, backed by China, was seen initially as a competing and more inclusive agreement than the US-backed TPP…. while the RCEP did not quite meet the high standards of the CPTPP, it would go a long way to lowering trade barriers in Asia – especially among those nations that might struggle to meet the CPTPP’s ideals.” As mentioned above in the International Relations section, the 15-member RCEP is the world’s largest free-trade agreement despite the absence of the United States, and covers about 30% of global GDP.

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