| |
By Kim Rahn A group of fans of Seo Tai-ji has designated a patch of land to be named after the musician in a rainforest in Brazil through fundraising in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the pop culture icon’s debut on March 23. Seotaiji Mania said Thursday about 5 hectares of land in Guapi Assu, a tropical rainforest region in the South American country, has been named ‘Seotaiji Forest’ and they are promoting tree planting there.  Fans have raised about 40 million won for the project, exceeding the target of 20 million won, with the forest likely to be larger than initially envisioned. The project started at the end of 2009 when MBC’s documentary “Tears of the Amazon” was aired. “We got interested in environmental issues, and one member suggested on the bulletin board that we create a forest. That was the beginning, and about 60 fans gathered to realize it,” a staffer of the project said. They decided to take up part of a forest in Brazil where only 7 percent of the original trees remain. There are many endangered species inhabiting the land there. They signed an MOU with a British environment group World Land Trust (WLT) that helps environment protection work in the region. “The conditions were: We name the forest Seotaiji Forest; there should not be any potential disputes on ownership of the land; the forest is not created for personal purposes; and the WLT manages the forest and reports feedback to us,” she said. The group hoped the project — planned and promoted independently and voluntarily by the fans — will act as leverage to draw greater public attention to rainforest depletion. |
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Fans name 'Seotaiji Forest' in Brazil
Chinese state television targets McDonald's, Carrefour
BEIJING (AP) _ Chinese state television has accused McDonald's and French retrailer Carrefour of selling expired chicken products in separate incidents amid public anxiety in China over food safety.
McDonald's Corp. and Carrefour Inc. issued public apologies Friday and said they were investigating the report by China Central Television.
 |
| A chicken snack wrap combo meal is seen at a McDonald's restaurant (Bloomberg) |
The report Thursday said a McDonald's restaurant in Beijing sold chicken wings 90 minutes after they were cooked while the company's rules set a 30-minute limit. It said employees at a Carrefour store in the central city of Zhengzhou changed expiration dates on some chicken and sold regular chickens as more expensive free-range birds.
Food safety is a sensitive issue in China, which has been rocked by scandals ranging from deadly infant formula to chemical-laced pork and recycled restaurant oil.
``McDonald's China attaches great importance to this. We will immediately investigate this isolated incident, resolutely deal with it earnestly and take concrete actions to apologize to consumers,'' said a statement by the U.S.-based restaurant chain on its website.
Employees who answered the phone at McDonald's China headquarters in Shanghai said a spokeswoman was not available and declined to give any other details.
Carrefour, based in Paris, said it was setting up a team to investigate and would cooperate with Chinese authorities.
``We will further enhance the training and take measures to ensure to earnestly implement the relevant provisions to safeguard the interests of consumers,'' said a statement on the website of Carrefour's China unit.
Last year, U.S. retailer Walmart Stores Inc. was fined by authorities in the southwestern city and 13 stores were ordered to close for two weeks on charges of passing off regular pork as higher-priced organic meat.
Magic goes digital
IT devices, multimedia fuel already growing
popularity of magic
Jin Hyo-beom, a professional magician based in Gwangju, was tired of doing the same old magic tricks on stage.
But the 30-year-old illusionist had an idea ― magic tricks for digital devices such as smartphones and tablet PCs.
The iPhone and iPad have become the main tools for Jin’s acts on stage. With the gadgets, he can conjure up pretty much everything from a cup of coffee to a bunch of roses. People love the idea of turning the same IT products in their hands into magic instruments, Jin said.
“People were surprised to see that their IT devices can do magic and wanted to learn the tricks behind it,” Jin, one of the leading figures in media magic, told The Korea Herald.
Jin doesn’t just want to share his world of media magic with people on stage. He has developed smartphone apps for people wanting to do simple magic tricks with their friends.
“People can do small but surprising tricks by using iPhone’s innovative functions such as the microphone, touch screen and gravity sensor,” he said.
Last year, Jin even launched an app-developing company to increase interest in magic.
The magician developed six apps including popular “Into the Phones” and “Magic School.” Magic School, which provides a series of video lessons, was a hit. The paid app now has around 30,000 subscribers in Korea.
The methods behind magic are no longer always a secret thanks to multimedia and a growing internet market.
There are hundreds of apps and websites that offer video-lessons, helping people learn tricks by themselves.
“I hope people become more familiar with magic and learn more magic skills without having to go to magic classes. I also hope people to have the courage do something special in front of their friends simply with IT devices,” Jin said.
The country’s IT giants and telecom companies are also using magic’s “wow factor” to sell their products. Early this year, Samsung Electronics employed David Copperfield to advertize its Smart TV series.
“The new Smart TV now has state-of-the-art technology like gesture recognition software that lets people reduce volume or change channels without using the remote control. The TV also recognizes the human voice so that people can turn off the TV by simply saying the word, just like magic,” a PR official at Samsung Electronics said.
LG Telecom named its 3G service “Oz,” an obvious reference to “The Wizard of Oz,” and SK Telecom carried out a nationwide campaign to boost its corporate image with “Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo” from the film “Cinderella.”
Observers say that companies are using magic because it is an easy way to convey complicated technological development.
“Many people would never understand the principles behind these technological developments appearing almost every day. Companies just label it as ‘magic,’” Kang Hyeong-dong, professor of the magic department at Donga Injae University in Yeongam, South Jeolla Province. The university is the first in the world to establish a magic department to nurture professional magicians.
Magic also saw renewed popularity here when Choi Hyun-woo, one of Korea’s top magicians, appeared on a number of programs produced by a new cable channel. Choi currently hosts “Magic Hole” featuring celebrities and magicians from all over the world.
“This is the first regular TV program about magic in Korea. For the audience, the program will give the impression that magic is no longer entertainment only for holidays or special days; that it can be a part of your lives,” Choi said in a telephone interview.
K-pop stars have latched onto magic as well. Girls’ Generation had a hit with “Tell Me Your Wish” in 2009 while Brown Eyed Girls released “Abracadabra.”
“Magic itself makes the impossible possible. I think that many people, particularly in this difficult economic situation, are mesmerized with magic, believing that things will get better like magic,” Kang said.
Fantasy films like “Harry Potter” and “Lord of the Rings” have also played their part in attracting people to magic.
“Korean magicians began to get the spotlight from international events with their distinctive manipulation skills or incomparably fast hand-tricks,” professor Kang said.
But magic acts based on human skill and physics have long been an art form in Europe. And magicians in Korea are putting efforts into developing their performances into art.
“If not, Korean artists would be replaced by hard-working magicians in Thailand and China,” Kang said.
What makes Korean magic unique is that it has collaborated with education programs.
Teachers and medical doctors started to learn magic for teaching students and treating patients from 2006, Kang said. EBS, the country’s educational broadcaster, also airs a show called “Magic English,” featuring native speakers teaching English with magic tricks.
Some teachers established a club so that they could learn magic together. The National Association of Magic Learning Teachers currently has about 2,400 members across the country. The club, recognized by the Education Ministry, offers a series of online magic classes for teachers trying to keep the attention of students during classes, according to reports.
Magicians admit that there is nothing supernatural about what they do. But the “magic” is about giving people a taste of having their dreams come true.
“Koreans, in particular, are trying to discover the secrets behind magic tricks,” star magician Choi said.
“Maybe everyone knows that magic is just an illusion, but I want to give people a moment to seek dreams and fantasy and get out of reality during the show”
By Cho Chung-un (christory@heraldm.com)
Jin Hyo-beom, a professional magician based in Gwangju, was tired of doing the same old magic tricks on stage.
But the 30-year-old illusionist had an idea ― magic tricks for digital devices such as smartphones and tablet PCs.
The iPhone and iPad have become the main tools for Jin’s acts on stage. With the gadgets, he can conjure up pretty much everything from a cup of coffee to a bunch of roses. People love the idea of turning the same IT products in their hands into magic instruments, Jin said.
“People were surprised to see that their IT devices can do magic and wanted to learn the tricks behind it,” Jin, one of the leading figures in media magic, told The Korea Herald.
 |
| Korean magician Jin Hyo-beom showcases one of his media magic tricks at a studio in Gwangju. (Yonhap News) |
Jin doesn’t just want to share his world of media magic with people on stage. He has developed smartphone apps for people wanting to do simple magic tricks with their friends.
“People can do small but surprising tricks by using iPhone’s innovative functions such as the microphone, touch screen and gravity sensor,” he said.
Last year, Jin even launched an app-developing company to increase interest in magic.
The magician developed six apps including popular “Into the Phones” and “Magic School.” Magic School, which provides a series of video lessons, was a hit. The paid app now has around 30,000 subscribers in Korea.
The methods behind magic are no longer always a secret thanks to multimedia and a growing internet market.
There are hundreds of apps and websites that offer video-lessons, helping people learn tricks by themselves.
“I hope people become more familiar with magic and learn more magic skills without having to go to magic classes. I also hope people to have the courage do something special in front of their friends simply with IT devices,” Jin said.
The country’s IT giants and telecom companies are also using magic’s “wow factor” to sell their products. Early this year, Samsung Electronics employed David Copperfield to advertize its Smart TV series.
“The new Smart TV now has state-of-the-art technology like gesture recognition software that lets people reduce volume or change channels without using the remote control. The TV also recognizes the human voice so that people can turn off the TV by simply saying the word, just like magic,” a PR official at Samsung Electronics said.
LG Telecom named its 3G service “Oz,” an obvious reference to “The Wizard of Oz,” and SK Telecom carried out a nationwide campaign to boost its corporate image with “Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo” from the film “Cinderella.”
Observers say that companies are using magic because it is an easy way to convey complicated technological development.
“Many people would never understand the principles behind these technological developments appearing almost every day. Companies just label it as ‘magic,’” Kang Hyeong-dong, professor of the magic department at Donga Injae University in Yeongam, South Jeolla Province. The university is the first in the world to establish a magic department to nurture professional magicians.
Magic also saw renewed popularity here when Choi Hyun-woo, one of Korea’s top magicians, appeared on a number of programs produced by a new cable channel. Choi currently hosts “Magic Hole” featuring celebrities and magicians from all over the world.
“This is the first regular TV program about magic in Korea. For the audience, the program will give the impression that magic is no longer entertainment only for holidays or special days; that it can be a part of your lives,” Choi said in a telephone interview.
K-pop stars have latched onto magic as well. Girls’ Generation had a hit with “Tell Me Your Wish” in 2009 while Brown Eyed Girls released “Abracadabra.”
“Magic itself makes the impossible possible. I think that many people, particularly in this difficult economic situation, are mesmerized with magic, believing that things will get better like magic,” Kang said.
Fantasy films like “Harry Potter” and “Lord of the Rings” have also played their part in attracting people to magic.
“Korean magicians began to get the spotlight from international events with their distinctive manipulation skills or incomparably fast hand-tricks,” professor Kang said.
But magic acts based on human skill and physics have long been an art form in Europe. And magicians in Korea are putting efforts into developing their performances into art.
“If not, Korean artists would be replaced by hard-working magicians in Thailand and China,” Kang said.
What makes Korean magic unique is that it has collaborated with education programs.
Teachers and medical doctors started to learn magic for teaching students and treating patients from 2006, Kang said. EBS, the country’s educational broadcaster, also airs a show called “Magic English,” featuring native speakers teaching English with magic tricks.
Some teachers established a club so that they could learn magic together. The National Association of Magic Learning Teachers currently has about 2,400 members across the country. The club, recognized by the Education Ministry, offers a series of online magic classes for teachers trying to keep the attention of students during classes, according to reports.
Magicians admit that there is nothing supernatural about what they do. But the “magic” is about giving people a taste of having their dreams come true.
“Koreans, in particular, are trying to discover the secrets behind magic tricks,” star magician Choi said.
“Maybe everyone knows that magic is just an illusion, but I want to give people a moment to seek dreams and fantasy and get out of reality during the show”
By Cho Chung-un (christory@heraldm.com)
Handset makers, telecom carriers slapped for deceptive pricing
SKT fined the largest amount of 20.25 billion won
The nation’s antitrust watchdog said Thursday that it imposed fines totaling 45.33 billion won ($39 million)on local handset makers and telecom carriers for inflating cell phone prices via a deceptive pricing policy.
According to the Fair Trade Commission, almost all the major players in the telecom market have colluded to inflate the supply prices of cell phones for years while advertising they were offering cheaper deals through subsidy plans.
SK Telecom was fined with the largest amount of 20.25 billion won, followed by Samsung with 14.28 billion won, KT with 5.14 billion won, LG Uplus with 2.98 billion won, LG with 2.18 billion won and Pantech with 500 million won.
Between 2008 and 2010, the nation’s three telecom carriers had set the selling prices of 44 handset models at an average 225,000 won higher than their factory prices.
Giving a subsidy worth far less than the price difference, they advertised that they were offering discount deals for high-end cell phones.
Handset makers also agreed to inflate their factory prices and share the subsidy with an aim to add a premium image to their products.
And their shady deals directly affected local consumers as they consider the amount of a subsidy one of the most important factors when purchasing a cell phone.
For example, a hit phone’s factory price in Korea was 313,000 won higher than the price for overseas markets due to the prevalent subsidy practice in Korea.
When it comes to Apple’s iPhone, however, the FTC said it found no attempts of offering a subsidy or inflating factory prices for sales in Korea.
“Under the current sales structure, in which handsets and telecom services have been combined, it is very difficult for consumers to understand the pricing policy,” a FTC official said.
“This is an ‘illusion marketing’ that abuses consumer’s trust.”
Meanwhile, companies complained about FTC’s investigation result, saying that a subsidy campaign is widely adopted as part of marketing tools across industries.
“They did not consider that a subsidy accelerates competition in the market and benefits consumers,” said a SKT spokesperson.
“According to the FTC’s logic, it would be considered normal if handset manufacturers seek margins from high supply prices, while it’s abnormal if they spend some of the profits as a subsidy for consumers.”
The nation’s No. 1 telecom carrier also raised the problem of double regulations with the FTC’s probe, claiming that network operators have already been regulated by the Korea Communications Commission.
By Lee Ji-yoon
Saenuri Party likely to cancel candidacy of ‘sexist’ member
An emergency council of the ruling Saenuri Party requested its nomination panel
Friday retract the candidacy of Suk Ho-ick for the Goryeong, Seongju and Chilgok
constituency in North Gyeongsang Province for sexist remarks.
Lee Sang-don, a member of the emergency committee headed by party leader Rep. Park Geun-hye, said that Suk should not represent the party for the election.
“His comments went beyond the limit and we will not let it go,” he said on a radio show.
Suk, former vice chairman of KT, was reproached for his statement at a business meeting in 2007 that “women are more evolved than men. They have an additional hole in their body.”
Though Suk explained that the comment was to highlight the “superiority of women,” the committee members, who have previously influenced the nomination panel to retract two other candidacies, have decided to ask for the retraction, party insiders said.
Rep. Kang Yong-suk in 2010 was criticized for implying TV news anchorwomen should sleep their way into the profession and was expelled from the party. Lee Young-jo, who was nominated in Gangnam, also saw his candidacy canceled for his descriptions of the Gwangju Pro-democracy uprising and Jeju Uprising. The party leaders are also reportedly considering taking back its selection of Sohn Dong-jin, another candidate for Gyeongju of North Gyeongsang Province, for bribing local journalists.
“It would have been better had the nomination panel screened the flaws in the first place. The party needs a good reputation,” a party insider said.
The Saenuri leadership is reportedly considering picking Kim Jong-hoon, former Minister of Trade, as Lee’s replacement.
Kim’s abundant experience in officialdom and his achievements in concluding the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement could woo conservative Gangnam voters, observers said.
“It is up to the party to choose its own man. I have nothing to say about it,” Kim said Friday at a radio show.
On the same day, Park Geun-hye headed to Chungcheong to win hearts of residents that are relatively lukewarm to her party. After the party confirmed the candidacy of Shin Jin, a Chungnam National University professor, for Sejong City, the new administrative city to host government complexes from later this year, Park canceled all other schedules and hurried to the spot. Sejong is a newly established constituency for the April general election.
“No matter who takes the government helm, Sejong City will be built as originally planned,” she stressed at the construction site of the government complex in the afternoon. President Lee Myung-bak previously tried to cancel the city development as planned under the liberal Roh Moo-hyun administration. But Park defended the project, in an apparent bid to attract Chungcheong voters.
“Park’s race will not be easy in Sejong City since Sim Dae-pyung, leader of the Liberty Forward Party, which has a strong political base in the area, has announced that he would run in Sejong City. That’s maybe why Park is so keen to win in the area,” a political pundit said to a vernacular daily.
Meanwhile, the largest opposition Democratic United Party is also mired in a dispute over its candidate selection. Rep. Jeon Hae-sook of Gwangjin district in Seoul protested the party leaders’ decision to deny her candidacy and instead select Kim Han-gill, a party senior. Jeon is suspected of bribing influential men in her constituency.
“I cannot accept the leadership’s decision because I have never offered a kickback to anyone. There was no police or prosecutors’ investigation into the scandal but the leadership simply ditched me,” she said at the National Assembly on Friday, where she started a sit-in.
“In order to support one man, they are trying to take away my political career,” she said.
Lee Sang-don, a member of the emergency committee headed by party leader Rep. Park Geun-hye, said that Suk should not represent the party for the election.
“His comments went beyond the limit and we will not let it go,” he said on a radio show.
Suk, former vice chairman of KT, was reproached for his statement at a business meeting in 2007 that “women are more evolved than men. They have an additional hole in their body.”
Though Suk explained that the comment was to highlight the “superiority of women,” the committee members, who have previously influenced the nomination panel to retract two other candidacies, have decided to ask for the retraction, party insiders said.
Rep. Kang Yong-suk in 2010 was criticized for implying TV news anchorwomen should sleep their way into the profession and was expelled from the party. Lee Young-jo, who was nominated in Gangnam, also saw his candidacy canceled for his descriptions of the Gwangju Pro-democracy uprising and Jeju Uprising. The party leaders are also reportedly considering taking back its selection of Sohn Dong-jin, another candidate for Gyeongju of North Gyeongsang Province, for bribing local journalists.
“It would have been better had the nomination panel screened the flaws in the first place. The party needs a good reputation,” a party insider said.
The Saenuri leadership is reportedly considering picking Kim Jong-hoon, former Minister of Trade, as Lee’s replacement.
Kim’s abundant experience in officialdom and his achievements in concluding the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement could woo conservative Gangnam voters, observers said.
“It is up to the party to choose its own man. I have nothing to say about it,” Kim said Friday at a radio show.
On the same day, Park Geun-hye headed to Chungcheong to win hearts of residents that are relatively lukewarm to her party. After the party confirmed the candidacy of Shin Jin, a Chungnam National University professor, for Sejong City, the new administrative city to host government complexes from later this year, Park canceled all other schedules and hurried to the spot. Sejong is a newly established constituency for the April general election.
“No matter who takes the government helm, Sejong City will be built as originally planned,” she stressed at the construction site of the government complex in the afternoon. President Lee Myung-bak previously tried to cancel the city development as planned under the liberal Roh Moo-hyun administration. But Park defended the project, in an apparent bid to attract Chungcheong voters.
“Park’s race will not be easy in Sejong City since Sim Dae-pyung, leader of the Liberty Forward Party, which has a strong political base in the area, has announced that he would run in Sejong City. That’s maybe why Park is so keen to win in the area,” a political pundit said to a vernacular daily.
Meanwhile, the largest opposition Democratic United Party is also mired in a dispute over its candidate selection. Rep. Jeon Hae-sook of Gwangjin district in Seoul protested the party leaders’ decision to deny her candidacy and instead select Kim Han-gill, a party senior. Jeon is suspected of bribing influential men in her constituency.
“I cannot accept the leadership’s decision because I have never offered a kickback to anyone. There was no police or prosecutors’ investigation into the scandal but the leadership simply ditched me,” she said at the National Assembly on Friday, where she started a sit-in.
“In order to support one man, they are trying to take away my political career,” she said.
Opposition party vows ‘all-out renegotiation’ of FTA with U.S.
The main opposition Democratic United Party vowed Friday to
seek an “all-out renegotiation” of South Korea‘s free trade agreement with the
United States, after the party gains a parliamentary majority through next
month’s general elections.
The trade pact went into effect Thursday, nearly five years after it was first signed in 2007.
The landmark deal has been one of the most contentious political issues in South Korea, with the government saying it will boost exports, create jobs and further strengthen the traditional alliance with Washington, and the opposition claiming it favors the U.S.
“The DUP opposes the Korea-U.S. FTA that runs against the livelihoods of ordinary people and national interests,” DUP leader Han Myeong-sook said during a meeting of party leaders. “We will lead the party to a victory in the general elections and push for an all-out renegotiation.”
Han claimed the pact was “born out of humiliating negotiations” and railroaded through parliament, accusing the administration of President Lee Myung-bak of throwing “a party for the 1 percent rich while ignoring demands from the people.”
“Behind the smiles of President Obama are applauses and cheers from the people, but behind the smiles of President Lee are deplorations of the people, moanings of farmers and fishermen, and sighs of small and medium-sized firms and petty merchants,” Han said. (Yonhap News)
The trade pact went into effect Thursday, nearly five years after it was first signed in 2007.
The landmark deal has been one of the most contentious political issues in South Korea, with the government saying it will boost exports, create jobs and further strengthen the traditional alliance with Washington, and the opposition claiming it favors the U.S.
“The DUP opposes the Korea-U.S. FTA that runs against the livelihoods of ordinary people and national interests,” DUP leader Han Myeong-sook said during a meeting of party leaders. “We will lead the party to a victory in the general elections and push for an all-out renegotiation.”
Han claimed the pact was “born out of humiliating negotiations” and railroaded through parliament, accusing the administration of President Lee Myung-bak of throwing “a party for the 1 percent rich while ignoring demands from the people.”
“Behind the smiles of President Obama are applauses and cheers from the people, but behind the smiles of President Lee are deplorations of the people, moanings of farmers and fishermen, and sighs of small and medium-sized firms and petty merchants,” Han said. (Yonhap News)
U.S. FTA to benefit small companies
AMCHAM chief says free trade will broaden alliance
to economy
This is the fourth of a series of interviews with top officials and trade-related association chiefs on FTAs in light of the Korea-U.S. FTA taking effect. ― Ed.
The chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea hailed the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement that went into effect this week as an opportunity to expand their alliance to the economy.
“It will also add a third economic pillar to the already strong political and military relationship (between the two countries),” AMCHAM chairman Pat Gaines told The Korea Herald this week.
He expected the trade pact to create new export opportunities and jobs in both countries through the elimination of tariffs and other trade barriers. Under the KORUS FTA, 95 percent of tariffs will be eliminated within five years, with most remaining tariffs to follow within 10 years.
The Korea Institute for International Economic Policy predicted in 2011 that the agreement would see Korea’s real GDP increase 5.7 percent as well as create 350,000 new jobs in Korea over 10 years.
The U.S. International Trade Commission estimated that the FTA would increase U.S. exports to Korea by $10 billion-11 billion annually and increase U.S. GDP by at least $10 billion.
“The KORUS FTA will help mature Korea’s services industry and spur greater productivity and innovation through competition and partnerships with foreign firms. Korean policymakers have emphasized that this will help address Korea’s increased economic polarization by creating new jobs in the service sector, among others,” said Gaines.
“SMEs of both nations are also expected to strongly benefit,” he added.
The U.S. chamber chief also said the FTA would spur new, win-win partnerships between Korean and U.S. firms.
Two examples Gaines listed were LG Chem, which supplies batteries for GM’s Chevrolet Volt, and Boeing which partners with Korea Aerospace Industries and Korean Air Aerospace Division. Gaines is also the president of Boeing Korea.
“Improvement in the business environment will improve the Korean economy’s transparency, consistency and predictability, thus improving the business environment and giving both domestic and foreign firms greater security in planning their business strategies and pursuing new investments. This will induce more foreign direct investment into Korea including from the U.S.,” he said.
He emphasized that AMCHAM members are finding Korea an increasingly attractive place to invest and do business in and a growing number of foreign companies are entering, expanding, and thriving in the Korean market.
“Costco, for example, is doing very well in Korea. Its Yangjae store has the highest sales per square meter of any Costco in the world,” he said.
“Recent improvements in the protection of intellectual property rights, for example, are helping to bolster Korea’s reputation as a good destination for foreign investment,” he said. “This is natural, as Korean companies now have more and more IPR to protect in both home and overseas markets and this has led to a change in the attitude on the importance of IPR.”
But there are challenges ahead.
“One area where more work needs to be done relates to regulatory transparency,” he noted.
“Too often, new rules that affect companies’ ability to do business are enacted in Korea without sufficient notice to or involvement of stakeholders, including the foreign business community.
“It is essential that the government make greater efforts to ensure that new policies and changes to existing policies are developed and implemented in a way that allows all stakeholders, both domestic and foreign, a chance to provide meaningful input into the process,” he said.
Concerning opposition to the free trade pact among some Koreans, Gaines said the fact that Korea has an FTA with the U.S. before other U.S. allies such as Japan is very “meaningful and is a tribute to the strong friendship and alliance the United States and Korea have enjoyed for many, many decades.”
Since 2007, when the KORUS FTA was signed, AMCHAM has advocated for the early ratification of the agreement to U.S. and Korean leaders.
Over the past five years, AMCHAM delegations have visited Washington D.C. several times a year ― the so-called AMCHAM “Doorknocks” ― to meet with senior U.S. private and public sector leaders, including many members of Congress, to educate them about the importance of the free trade pact.
“We knew that this FTA would significantly benefit both countries,” he said.
“We were very pleased to see that our work, and the work of our many friends and allies in both countries, finally paid off,” he said. “Now, with the FTA taking effect on March 15, the governments and business communities of both countries are preparing for the exciting opportunities that this agreement will create.”
To make sure companies in both countries understand the benefits of the deal, AMCHAM with Korea’s Finance Ministry plans to hold the “KORUS FTA Utilization Seminar” on May 3.
“The seminar will help both Korean and U.S. companies, large and small, better understand the provisions in the FTA and how they can best utilize them. We are expecting a significant turnout, as attendees will be able to hear directly from the KORUS FTA negotiators.”
In addition, AMCHAM will host business and government delegations from more than 22 U.S. states this year who are interested in forming partnerships and doing business in Korea.
By Yoav Cerralbo (yoav@heraldm.com)
This is the fourth of a series of interviews with top officials and trade-related association chiefs on FTAs in light of the Korea-U.S. FTA taking effect. ― Ed.
The chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea hailed the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement that went into effect this week as an opportunity to expand their alliance to the economy.
“It will also add a third economic pillar to the already strong political and military relationship (between the two countries),” AMCHAM chairman Pat Gaines told The Korea Herald this week.
He expected the trade pact to create new export opportunities and jobs in both countries through the elimination of tariffs and other trade barriers. Under the KORUS FTA, 95 percent of tariffs will be eliminated within five years, with most remaining tariffs to follow within 10 years.
The Korea Institute for International Economic Policy predicted in 2011 that the agreement would see Korea’s real GDP increase 5.7 percent as well as create 350,000 new jobs in Korea over 10 years.
The U.S. International Trade Commission estimated that the FTA would increase U.S. exports to Korea by $10 billion-11 billion annually and increase U.S. GDP by at least $10 billion.
“The KORUS FTA will help mature Korea’s services industry and spur greater productivity and innovation through competition and partnerships with foreign firms. Korean policymakers have emphasized that this will help address Korea’s increased economic polarization by creating new jobs in the service sector, among others,” said Gaines.
“SMEs of both nations are also expected to strongly benefit,” he added.
The U.S. chamber chief also said the FTA would spur new, win-win partnerships between Korean and U.S. firms.
Two examples Gaines listed were LG Chem, which supplies batteries for GM’s Chevrolet Volt, and Boeing which partners with Korea Aerospace Industries and Korean Air Aerospace Division. Gaines is also the president of Boeing Korea.
 |
| Pat Gaines (Boeing Korea) |
“Improvement in the business environment will improve the Korean economy’s transparency, consistency and predictability, thus improving the business environment and giving both domestic and foreign firms greater security in planning their business strategies and pursuing new investments. This will induce more foreign direct investment into Korea including from the U.S.,” he said.
He emphasized that AMCHAM members are finding Korea an increasingly attractive place to invest and do business in and a growing number of foreign companies are entering, expanding, and thriving in the Korean market.
“Costco, for example, is doing very well in Korea. Its Yangjae store has the highest sales per square meter of any Costco in the world,” he said.
“Recent improvements in the protection of intellectual property rights, for example, are helping to bolster Korea’s reputation as a good destination for foreign investment,” he said. “This is natural, as Korean companies now have more and more IPR to protect in both home and overseas markets and this has led to a change in the attitude on the importance of IPR.”
But there are challenges ahead.
“One area where more work needs to be done relates to regulatory transparency,” he noted.
“Too often, new rules that affect companies’ ability to do business are enacted in Korea without sufficient notice to or involvement of stakeholders, including the foreign business community.
“It is essential that the government make greater efforts to ensure that new policies and changes to existing policies are developed and implemented in a way that allows all stakeholders, both domestic and foreign, a chance to provide meaningful input into the process,” he said.
Concerning opposition to the free trade pact among some Koreans, Gaines said the fact that Korea has an FTA with the U.S. before other U.S. allies such as Japan is very “meaningful and is a tribute to the strong friendship and alliance the United States and Korea have enjoyed for many, many decades.”
Since 2007, when the KORUS FTA was signed, AMCHAM has advocated for the early ratification of the agreement to U.S. and Korean leaders.
Over the past five years, AMCHAM delegations have visited Washington D.C. several times a year ― the so-called AMCHAM “Doorknocks” ― to meet with senior U.S. private and public sector leaders, including many members of Congress, to educate them about the importance of the free trade pact.
“We knew that this FTA would significantly benefit both countries,” he said.
“We were very pleased to see that our work, and the work of our many friends and allies in both countries, finally paid off,” he said. “Now, with the FTA taking effect on March 15, the governments and business communities of both countries are preparing for the exciting opportunities that this agreement will create.”
To make sure companies in both countries understand the benefits of the deal, AMCHAM with Korea’s Finance Ministry plans to hold the “KORUS FTA Utilization Seminar” on May 3.
“The seminar will help both Korean and U.S. companies, large and small, better understand the provisions in the FTA and how they can best utilize them. We are expecting a significant turnout, as attendees will be able to hear directly from the KORUS FTA negotiators.”
In addition, AMCHAM will host business and government delegations from more than 22 U.S. states this year who are interested in forming partnerships and doing business in Korea.
By Yoav Cerralbo (yoav@heraldm.com)
Visitors learn to make their own Korean dishes
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Prosecution to reinvestigate illegal surveillance scandal
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By Kim
Rahn
The prosecution said Friday it will reinvestigate the administration’s alleged illegal surveillance of citizens, following an allegation that Cheong Wa Dae was involved and attempted to cover it up. A special team of four prosecutors was formed at the Seoul Central Prosecutors’ Office Friday, and will summon Chang Jin-soo, a former ethics official at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), who made the allegation Tuesday. The reinvestigation comes as suspicions circulate following Chang’s accusation that the presidential office orchestrated the surveillance and the cover-up of evidence. In its initial probe in 2010, the prosecution didn’t find any link between the PMO workers and Cheong Wa Dae. “We concluded Chang’s testimony could be evidence of a link if his claims are true, so we’ll question him,” a prosecutor at the Seoul office said in a briefing. “After questioning him, we’ll decide whether to summon other related figures, including former Cheong Wa Dae staffer Choi Jong-seok who allegedly ordered Chang to destroy evidence.” The prosecution team will focus on whether the presidential office attempted to cover up the surveillance scandal, but the probe may be widened to review the entire illegal surveillance case. The reinvestigation could be a politically sensitive issue ahead of the parliamentary elections on April 11; but the prosecution said it will proceed with the probe as the case is drawing keen public attention. “We’ll try to verify the truth as soon as possible,” the prosecutor said. The surveillance scandal dates back to 2010 when businessman Kim Jong-ik claimed the PMO monitored him, raided his office and examined his bank accounts in 2008 after he posted video clips critical of President Lee Myung-bak. Several ruling party lawmakers also claimed they and their family members were monitored, too. At that time, the prosecution ended its probe, only indicting seven lower-ranking officials including Chang, who was sentenced to eight months in prison with the term suspended for two years. But Chang recently revealed the presidential office’s alleged involvement — two days before July 7 in 2010 when the prosecution raided his office, Choi ordered him to destroy computers of PMO staffers who were in charge of the surveillance. “Choi said he wouldn’t mind if I smashed the computers with a hammer or dumped them in the Han River, adding the presidential office and the prosecution had already agreed on how to fix things,” he claimed. |
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Experts optimistic about KORUS FTA
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Survey shows benefits outnumber disadvantages By Kim Tae-gyu Opposition parties have claimed that Korea’s free trade agreement with the United States (KORUS FTA) will hurt the former since the bilateral deal was renegotiated to benefit the latter compared to the original pact. Yet a majority of experts here pointed out Wednesday that the contract will eventually do more good for Asia’s No. 4 economy despite the compromises thanks to the win-win features of cross-border transactions. With the KORUS FTA going into effect Thursday, six out of 10 famed economists and market analysts surveyed agreed with the idea that Korea has to proactively embrace the deal. Three came up with neutral responses while one said that the deal will do more harm to Korea. The consensus of the six was the agreement creates fresh benefits, which were not available under the previous trade barriers so they will outweigh some interests foregone due to the renegotiations. “Let’s assume that the initial KORUS FTA would provide us with an additional advantage of 100 and the renegotiation cut down the amount to 80. Still, we can have 80,” said professor Yun Chang-hyun of the University of Seoul. “If we are opposed to the agreement, we will end up empty-handed. Plus, the deal with the United States has invisible profits because it has strategic significance in consideration of the relationship of the two allies.” Yoo Jang-hee, professor emeritus at Ewha Womans University, concurred. “Critics of the KORUS FTA tend to take issue with the renegotiations, which they argue overly favored the U.S. side at the expense of Korean industry in such areas as automobiles,” Yoo said. “If they are right, local carmakers are supposed to be against the FTA but the reality is that they welcome it. This story tells a lot regarding the future of Korea, which has to depend on exports for continued growth.” The KORUS FTA was initially signed in early 2007 but both parties went through another round of talks at the request of the United States before the final version was signed in December 2010. Despite Seoul’s repeated arguments that it managed to keep a “balance of interests,” the consensus seems to be that the nation conceded too much. In particular, critics take issue with the investor-state dispute (ISD) settlement provision, which they contend would enable American multinationals to bring a set of lawsuits against Korea. Asked about the ISD issue, the 10 experts surveyed were split into two camps on whether it is a toxic clause. There were some voices worried about the potential downsides. “The FTA with the United States is not about scrapping trade barriers since shipments of products account for just a small fraction of the agreement,” professor Lee Hae-young at Hanshin University said. “It is mostly about U.S. attempts to oblige Korea to accept systems under which its companies can easily access the Korean market. The deal is obviously against the national interest.” Lee added that the government’s official projection is simply overblown that the FTA will generate hundreds of thousands of jobs and substantially boost national output. State-run think tanks previously presented studies where they projected the deal would increase Korea’s gross domestic product by a maximum of 5.66 percent over the next decade and create up to 350,000 jobs. Trade Minister Bark Tae-ho echoed the rosy projection at a press conference Wednesday. |
Korea to be battlefield of US-China trade war
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World hegemony war repeats in free trade deal By Kim Tae-gyu The war for hegemony between the United States and China continues with regard to which side will dominate the world economy in the future. The two-way standoff is also seen in their free trade agreements (FTA) with Korea as experts of Asia’s fourth-largest economy put almost the same weight on the significance of the two nations. Asked which side is more important to Korea in terms of an FTA, experts here failed to say conclusively in a survey by The Korea Times, Wednesday, a day before the nation’s trade pact with the United States comes into effect. Out of 10 market observers, five picked the United States while the remaining five opted for China with which Korea is poised to start FTA talks in the months to come. The two economic juggernauts, sometimes dubbed the Group of Two or G2, are expected to compete head-to-head to top the podium not only in the global economic hierarchy but also in the importance of their FTAs with Korea. Pro-America Traditionally, the United States was the biggest trade partner for Korea, which depended heavily on the former’s purchasing power to chalk up fast economic growth since the 1960s. Over the first decade of the new millennium, however, China replaced the United States to set up a crucial relationship with Korea but still a host of observers think that America’s influence is predominant. ``The FTA with the United States is crucial not just in economic terms but also in strategic terms in consideration of the strategic relationship between the two allies,’’ said professor Yun Chang-hyun at the University of Seoul. ``The agreement will benefit numerous local companies thanks to its positive political and security aspects, features that an FTA with China would be hard to bring about.’’ Yoo Jang-hee, professor emeritus at Ewha Womans University, agreed with Yun. ``The FTA with the United States is very comprehensive as it involves almost all areas. In comparison, the one with China is expected to be at a much lower-level as Seoul bureaucrats have iterated,’’ Yoo said. ``Have a look at the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement signed by China and Taiwan in 2010. It excluded many sensitive items and so would the deal between Korea and China.’’ Trade Minister Bark Tae-ho has noted several times that an FTA between Seoul and Beijing would not be a very high-level one. His idea is to exclude items including a large amount of agricultural produce, which would cause great problems if cheap Chinese alternatives flooded into the country without the barrier of tariffs. In a recent interview with The Korea Times, Bark said that rice and other key items such as garlic and sesame would be included in the list of the ``hands-off’’ products. In return, China would ask Korea for products to be exempt from the trade accord. ``We have agreed with China that items in the ultra-sensitive FTA basket will not be included in the negotiations,’’ he said. Pro-China Half of the experts surveyed strongly contended that the FTA with China will overwhelm that with the United States even though the former would be of a lower level. Their reasoning was simple: China is the biggest trade partner of Korea and the reliance will further strengthen in the future when the economic interconnection between Korea and the United States becomes relatively weak. Professor Lee Phil-sang at Korea University argued that the gap in the two agreements’ would be as large as the difference between a tsunami and a tidal wave. ``China has superior price competitiveness to us while our technological clout has been much erased. In this climate, the FTA between the two will weigh on our economy,’’ Lee said. ``Our industrial infrastructure can be negatively affected. In addition, farm and livestock industries might suffer great hits although the government will try hard to protect them.’’ Due to the geographical proximity of the two countries, Chinese farm products are predicted to wreak havoc on Korea’s agricultural sector since fresh items, not frozen ones, can easily be imported. Hyundai Research Institute research head Yu Byoung-gyu agrees. ``Between Korea and the United States, the free trade relationship has already been pretty much set up while Korea has yet to establish a similar one with China,’’ Yu said. ``Accordingly, the trade accord with China would have by far the biggest effect on the Korean economy than that with the United States.’’ | |
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Iranian oil exports to slump, oil demand outlook steady: IEA
Iranian oil exports are likely to fall by nearly half within
six months, the IEA said Wednesday while holding its estimate of global oil
demand steady for the first time in six months.
The report underscored two forces in the oil market, where prices have risen sharply, pushing up energy costs in many sectors. These are the effect of EU sanctions against Iran and other disruptions to supply together with tighter market conditions.
For a long period the underlying tone of IEA monthly reports has been dominated by the outlook for slower economic growth, which weakened prospects for growth of oil demand.
The IEA said Wednesday that it expected Iranian exports to fall to about one million barrels per day (mb/d) after the middle of this year.
The International Energy Agency cited industry experts who were “expecting exports of Iranian crude to ultimately be curtailed by around 800 kb/d (thousand barrels per day) to 1.0 mb/d from mid-year onwards.”
But the agency added in its monthly report that subdued economic activity and high prices would restrain upward pressure on consumption.
Overall, therefore, the IEA kept its 2012 forecast for growth in oil demand unchanged at 800 kb/d, the first time for six months that it has not reduced its estimation.
In absolute terms, global demand for oil this year was forecast at 89.9 mb/d, the agency said in its first report since Greece secured a rescue deal from public and private creditors, brightening prospects for the eurozone economy.
However, the IEA underscored “a heady brew of both real and anticipated supply-side risks, alongside a very evident tightening in actual market fundamentals that has been underway since mid 2010.”
While noting that “market attention has been focused on the potential disruption in Iranian crude flows in coming months as the EU‘s 1 July embargo nears,” it highlighted other factors that were influencing global demand.
“More prosaic ongoing tightening the the supply/demand balance” had helped to raise prices by 20 percent since December,“ the report said.
Factors that curbed oil supplies included unexpected cuts in the North Sea and Canada, along with ”geopolitical disputes in Africa and the Middle East.“
But the agency said that ”it seems appropriate to stand back and acknowledge a big picture that, arguably, explains more of the price strength seen in recent months than does ’speculation‘ about real and perceived geopolitical risks.“
The IEA said that supply from OPEC countries rose by 315 kb/d in February, ”led by a three-decade peak in Saudi output and a sharp recovery in Libyan production.“
Global refining levels were ”largely unchanged,“ it added, with higher US output taking up slack seen elsewhere.
Industrial stocks held by OECD members grew by 13.6 million barrels to 2.614 billion.
The report was released days after eurozone finance ministers signed off on more aid for Greece, its second bail-out following a rescue package worth 110 billion euros ($144 billion) in May 2010.
In Asia, oil prices were mixed in afternoon trading as upbeat economic data and Middle East tensions supported markets while investors took profits from recent gains, analysts said.
New York’s main contract, light sweet crude for delivery in April was up a cent to $106.72 while Brent North Sea crude for April delivery shed nine cents to $126.13.
”The market still remains quite bullish overall, supported by optimism about the world economy,“ said Justin Harper, market strategist at IG Markets Singapore.
In January, The International Monetary Fund forecast global economic growth of 3.3 percent this year, down from 3.8 percent in 2011 and 5.2 percent in 2010. (AFP)
The report underscored two forces in the oil market, where prices have risen sharply, pushing up energy costs in many sectors. These are the effect of EU sanctions against Iran and other disruptions to supply together with tighter market conditions.
For a long period the underlying tone of IEA monthly reports has been dominated by the outlook for slower economic growth, which weakened prospects for growth of oil demand.
The IEA said Wednesday that it expected Iranian exports to fall to about one million barrels per day (mb/d) after the middle of this year.
The International Energy Agency cited industry experts who were “expecting exports of Iranian crude to ultimately be curtailed by around 800 kb/d (thousand barrels per day) to 1.0 mb/d from mid-year onwards.”
But the agency added in its monthly report that subdued economic activity and high prices would restrain upward pressure on consumption.
Overall, therefore, the IEA kept its 2012 forecast for growth in oil demand unchanged at 800 kb/d, the first time for six months that it has not reduced its estimation.
In absolute terms, global demand for oil this year was forecast at 89.9 mb/d, the agency said in its first report since Greece secured a rescue deal from public and private creditors, brightening prospects for the eurozone economy.
However, the IEA underscored “a heady brew of both real and anticipated supply-side risks, alongside a very evident tightening in actual market fundamentals that has been underway since mid 2010.”
While noting that “market attention has been focused on the potential disruption in Iranian crude flows in coming months as the EU‘s 1 July embargo nears,” it highlighted other factors that were influencing global demand.
“More prosaic ongoing tightening the the supply/demand balance” had helped to raise prices by 20 percent since December,“ the report said.
Factors that curbed oil supplies included unexpected cuts in the North Sea and Canada, along with ”geopolitical disputes in Africa and the Middle East.“
But the agency said that ”it seems appropriate to stand back and acknowledge a big picture that, arguably, explains more of the price strength seen in recent months than does ’speculation‘ about real and perceived geopolitical risks.“
The IEA said that supply from OPEC countries rose by 315 kb/d in February, ”led by a three-decade peak in Saudi output and a sharp recovery in Libyan production.“
Global refining levels were ”largely unchanged,“ it added, with higher US output taking up slack seen elsewhere.
Industrial stocks held by OECD members grew by 13.6 million barrels to 2.614 billion.
The report was released days after eurozone finance ministers signed off on more aid for Greece, its second bail-out following a rescue package worth 110 billion euros ($144 billion) in May 2010.
In Asia, oil prices were mixed in afternoon trading as upbeat economic data and Middle East tensions supported markets while investors took profits from recent gains, analysts said.
New York’s main contract, light sweet crude for delivery in April was up a cent to $106.72 while Brent North Sea crude for April delivery shed nine cents to $126.13.
”The market still remains quite bullish overall, supported by optimism about the world economy,“ said Justin Harper, market strategist at IG Markets Singapore.
In January, The International Monetary Fund forecast global economic growth of 3.3 percent this year, down from 3.8 percent in 2011 and 5.2 percent in 2010. (AFP)
Apple may climb above $700 as iPad sales begin: analysts
Apple Inc., getting a boost from anticipation of the new iPad,
rose to a record Wednesday and may climb 19 percent to $700, according to
analysts who raised their price targets for the stock.
At least four analysts, including Katy Huberty at Morgan Stanley in New York, have increased price targets to $700 or higher in the past two weeks. Apple, based in Cupertino, California, rose 3.8 percent to $589.58 at the close in New York and has gained 46 percent this year.
More are likely to boost targets as they quantify the market share of the new iPad, said Michael Walkley, an analyst at Canaccord Genuity, who raised his target to $710. The average price target of 43 analysts surveyed by Bloomberg is $605, which could mean updates are lagging behind, he said.
“As they do their checks in the quarter and stronger numbers come through, it leads to better earnings power than we were seeing even six weeks ago,” Walkley said in an interview. “Some analysts are behind the curve on estimates.”
Shares of some Apple competitors have languished as the company takes market share. Hewlett-Packard Co., which has tried competing with Apple through smartphones, tablets and personal computers, has tumbled 41 percent in the past 12 months. Nokia Oyj has fallen 40 percent. Research In Motion Ltd., the maker of BlackBerry smartphones, has dropped 79 percent.
As of Wednesday, Apple gave investors a 555 percent return in the past five years and has outperformed the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index by 543 percent. Since 2007, investors paid an average 43 percent premium for Apple’s earnings compared with the S&P 500’s earnings.
The new iPad, set to go on sale March 16, has been upgraded with a sharper screen and faster chip as Apple Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook seeks to widen the company’s lead in tablets over Amazon.com Inc., Microsoft Corp. and Google Inc. Slashing the price of the older iPad by $100 also helps cut into competition, said Huberty, who raised her price target to $720 Tuesday.
Huberty also cited the company’s expansion in emerging markets such as China and Brazil and a new TV product as reasons to lift her price target.
“Apple’s earnings power is potentially far greater than investors believe and our prior bull case model suggested,” Huberty said in a note to investors. (Bloomberg)
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Attendees and
members of the media view Apple Inc.’s new version of the iPad tablet computer
after its unveiling at an Apple event in San Francisco, California.
(Bloomberg)
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At least four analysts, including Katy Huberty at Morgan Stanley in New York, have increased price targets to $700 or higher in the past two weeks. Apple, based in Cupertino, California, rose 3.8 percent to $589.58 at the close in New York and has gained 46 percent this year.
More are likely to boost targets as they quantify the market share of the new iPad, said Michael Walkley, an analyst at Canaccord Genuity, who raised his target to $710. The average price target of 43 analysts surveyed by Bloomberg is $605, which could mean updates are lagging behind, he said.
“As they do their checks in the quarter and stronger numbers come through, it leads to better earnings power than we were seeing even six weeks ago,” Walkley said in an interview. “Some analysts are behind the curve on estimates.”
Shares of some Apple competitors have languished as the company takes market share. Hewlett-Packard Co., which has tried competing with Apple through smartphones, tablets and personal computers, has tumbled 41 percent in the past 12 months. Nokia Oyj has fallen 40 percent. Research In Motion Ltd., the maker of BlackBerry smartphones, has dropped 79 percent.
As of Wednesday, Apple gave investors a 555 percent return in the past five years and has outperformed the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index by 543 percent. Since 2007, investors paid an average 43 percent premium for Apple’s earnings compared with the S&P 500’s earnings.
The new iPad, set to go on sale March 16, has been upgraded with a sharper screen and faster chip as Apple Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook seeks to widen the company’s lead in tablets over Amazon.com Inc., Microsoft Corp. and Google Inc. Slashing the price of the older iPad by $100 also helps cut into competition, said Huberty, who raised her price target to $720 Tuesday.
Huberty also cited the company’s expansion in emerging markets such as China and Brazil and a new TV product as reasons to lift her price target.
“Apple’s earnings power is potentially far greater than investors believe and our prior bull case model suggested,” Huberty said in a note to investors. (Bloomberg)
‘FTA will create momentum for economy’
KITA chairman forecasts herald interview 7-8
percent growth for Korea’s trade volume
This is the second of a series of interviews of top officials on FTAs in light of the Korea-U.S. FTA taking effect. ― Ed.
Despite persistent signs of fragility clouding the world economy, free trade pacts will lend a fresh impetus to Korea and its counterparts, said Han Duck-soo, chairman of the Korea International Trade Association.
With the Korea-U.S. FTA taking effect Thursday, Han predicts that trade volume for Asia’s fourth-largest economy will expand as much as 8 percent on-year in 2012 with the trade surplus totaling $30 billion.
“We need an engine to power an upswing in the economy,” Han told The Korea Herald on Tuesday.
“For Korea, trade is the answer to kick-start growth momentum, given that domestic demand tends to rise gradually.”
Upon his return to Seoul after three years as ambassador to Washington, Han was astonished by the high prices of food and everyday items.
Statistics Korea said Monday the Engels coefficient, which gauges the proportion of low-income households’ spending on food and non-alcoholic drinks, touched a six-year high of 20.7 percent last year. This reflects a drop in living standards for the poor in the wake of shriveling incomes and high inflation.
This is one of the areas to benefit from the long-awaited deal, he said.
“Regardless of the U.S.’s trade deficit, foodstuffs and other staples are a lot more affordable there,” the former prime minister said.
“Korea has no other recipe but trade in order to help stabilize prices and notch up living conditions for the populace.”
Han, 63, is among the masterminds of Korea’s historic free trade deals.
In 1998, Han kicked off negotiations with Chile as trade minister. When talks with the U.S. were under way in 2006, he served as finance and economy minister, and then chaired a FTA-related presidential commission. He also spent three years talking U.S. senators into the pact in his ambassadorial job before taking the helm at KITA last month.
“The FTA brought relations between the two nations to their best level,” Han said. “The two are now working together not just within the Korean Peninsular but across the region and the world.”
Signed in 2007, the Korea-U.S. FTA had long been pending in legislatures of both countries amid a partisan deadlock and vehement opposition from civic groups and potential victims.
The deal is the biggest for the U.S. since the North American FTA with Canada and Mexico went into effect in 1994. Korea has seven free trade partners with the European Union being the largest.
Under the agreement, the two countries have eliminated tariffs on more than 80 percent of imported items immediately. Duties on the remainder, including American beef, pork and cars, are to be removed over time.
According to the Korea Institute for International Economic Policy, the FTA will boost Korea’s gross domestic product by up to 5.66 percent and create 350,000 new jobs over 10 years. Korea’s trade surplus with the world’s largest economy will also grow by $138 million on annual average for the next 15 years.
The FTAs with Korea, Colombia and Panama will benefit the U.S. economically and strategically, according to the Brookings Institution.
“Carefully developed accords will boost U.S. exports significantly, especially in the key automotive, agricultural and commercial services sectors,” the Washington-based think tank said in a paper, adding to other benefits such as a perk-up in diplomatic ties and investment inflows.
Still, the U.S. recovery remains feeble. Opposition lawmakers claim a dispute settlement mechanism between Seoul and foreign investors undermines Korea’s legal independence. Farmers are calling for more protective measures for the agriculture sector.
“The ongoing claims against the FTA are more of anger than of reason,” Han said. “We must protect investors’ rights if we want to court more investment ― it’s an essential component in any intergovernmental pact.”
As for the agricultural sector, Han said the government will have to prop up farmers with tax revenue surplus resulting from the FTA, which he estimates at 10 trillion won ($8.9 billion) annually.
“We should modernize the area and shift to high value-added products. Safeguarding agriculture for the sake of protection will eventually deal a blow both to farmers and consumers,” he added.
At the state-run trade body, Han said he plans to focus on three goals ― widening Korea’s economic sphere, expanding a labor pool for businesses, and facilitating access for small- and mid-sized firms to the global marketplace.
“My top priority is supplying talented a workforce and tackling job and skill mismatches in the labor market,” Han told reporters prior to the interview. “A multitude of vocational schools and educational institutions have been making efforts but we face a long way to bear fruit.”
By Shin Hyon-hee (heeshin@heraldm.com)
This is the second of a series of interviews of top officials on FTAs in light of the Korea-U.S. FTA taking effect. ― Ed.
Despite persistent signs of fragility clouding the world economy, free trade pacts will lend a fresh impetus to Korea and its counterparts, said Han Duck-soo, chairman of the Korea International Trade Association.
With the Korea-U.S. FTA taking effect Thursday, Han predicts that trade volume for Asia’s fourth-largest economy will expand as much as 8 percent on-year in 2012 with the trade surplus totaling $30 billion.
“We need an engine to power an upswing in the economy,” Han told The Korea Herald on Tuesday.
“For Korea, trade is the answer to kick-start growth momentum, given that domestic demand tends to rise gradually.”
Upon his return to Seoul after three years as ambassador to Washington, Han was astonished by the high prices of food and everyday items.
Statistics Korea said Monday the Engels coefficient, which gauges the proportion of low-income households’ spending on food and non-alcoholic drinks, touched a six-year high of 20.7 percent last year. This reflects a drop in living standards for the poor in the wake of shriveling incomes and high inflation.
This is one of the areas to benefit from the long-awaited deal, he said.
“Regardless of the U.S.’s trade deficit, foodstuffs and other staples are a lot more affordable there,” the former prime minister said.
“Korea has no other recipe but trade in order to help stabilize prices and notch up living conditions for the populace.”
 |
| Han Duck-soo |
Han, 63, is among the masterminds of Korea’s historic free trade deals.
In 1998, Han kicked off negotiations with Chile as trade minister. When talks with the U.S. were under way in 2006, he served as finance and economy minister, and then chaired a FTA-related presidential commission. He also spent three years talking U.S. senators into the pact in his ambassadorial job before taking the helm at KITA last month.
“The FTA brought relations between the two nations to their best level,” Han said. “The two are now working together not just within the Korean Peninsular but across the region and the world.”
Signed in 2007, the Korea-U.S. FTA had long been pending in legislatures of both countries amid a partisan deadlock and vehement opposition from civic groups and potential victims.
The deal is the biggest for the U.S. since the North American FTA with Canada and Mexico went into effect in 1994. Korea has seven free trade partners with the European Union being the largest.
Under the agreement, the two countries have eliminated tariffs on more than 80 percent of imported items immediately. Duties on the remainder, including American beef, pork and cars, are to be removed over time.
According to the Korea Institute for International Economic Policy, the FTA will boost Korea’s gross domestic product by up to 5.66 percent and create 350,000 new jobs over 10 years. Korea’s trade surplus with the world’s largest economy will also grow by $138 million on annual average for the next 15 years.
The FTAs with Korea, Colombia and Panama will benefit the U.S. economically and strategically, according to the Brookings Institution.
“Carefully developed accords will boost U.S. exports significantly, especially in the key automotive, agricultural and commercial services sectors,” the Washington-based think tank said in a paper, adding to other benefits such as a perk-up in diplomatic ties and investment inflows.
Still, the U.S. recovery remains feeble. Opposition lawmakers claim a dispute settlement mechanism between Seoul and foreign investors undermines Korea’s legal independence. Farmers are calling for more protective measures for the agriculture sector.
“The ongoing claims against the FTA are more of anger than of reason,” Han said. “We must protect investors’ rights if we want to court more investment ― it’s an essential component in any intergovernmental pact.”
As for the agricultural sector, Han said the government will have to prop up farmers with tax revenue surplus resulting from the FTA, which he estimates at 10 trillion won ($8.9 billion) annually.
“We should modernize the area and shift to high value-added products. Safeguarding agriculture for the sake of protection will eventually deal a blow both to farmers and consumers,” he added.
At the state-run trade body, Han said he plans to focus on three goals ― widening Korea’s economic sphere, expanding a labor pool for businesses, and facilitating access for small- and mid-sized firms to the global marketplace.
“My top priority is supplying talented a workforce and tackling job and skill mismatches in the labor market,” Han told reporters prior to the interview. “A multitude of vocational schools and educational institutions have been making efforts but we face a long way to bear fruit.”
By Shin Hyon-hee (heeshin@heraldm.com)
China approves new law to limit secret detentions
China‘s legislature approved revisions Wednesday to a key
criminal law that at least on paper will restrict police powers to secretly
detain people, a tactic increasingly used against activists and government
critics.
The changes to the criminal procedure law were the most high-profile ones passed on the last day of the annual National People’s Congress. The Communist Party-controlled body also approved a budget for this year that calls for a boost in domestic consumption to keep the economy expanding while overseas markets remain weak.
While legal reformers have mostly applauded the revisions to detention rules, saying they will offer better protection of suspects and reflect increasing awareness in China of the need for stronger detainee rights, legal enforcement in China is another matter.
Police and prosecutors routinely ignore current legal provisions protecting suspects‘ rights and have frequently used charges of endangering national security against dissidents.
The revision is seen as an incremental move and is not seen as leading to major changes in China’s authoritarian one-party system, despite occasional calls for political reform.
At his annual news conference Wednesday following the session‘s close, Premier Wen Jiabao repeated vague reform calls, saying they were needed to solidify the achievements of three decades of economic growth and prevent a repeat of the chaos that rocked China during the violent 1966-1976 Cultural Revolution.
"I know very well that the reform will not be an easy one. The reform will not be able to succeed without the consciousness, the support, the enthusiasm and creativity of our people," Wen said.
As before, Wen offered no specific proposals, saying reform had to adhere to China’s particular national circumstances and proceed in a "step-by-step manner.‘’ Chinese leaders often define political reform in terms of boosting administrative efficiency, but even those paltry efforts at streamlining have gained little traction against an entrenched bureaucracy and struggle for influence ahead of this fall‘s generational leadership transition.
The approval of the revised law by a vote of 2,639 to 160 ends months of speculation and debate about whether the government would give police the legal authority to do something they have long done extralegally: disappear people for months at a time without telling their families.
Police have increasingly used the tactic over the past year to detain activist lawyers, democracy campaigners, and even internationally acclaimed artist Ai Weiwei, amid government worries about whether the popular uprisings of the Arab Spring might spread to China.
There are two relevant articles in the new law that deal with notifying families, one in regular criminal cases and the other involving a type of detention known as residential surveillance. Both have been revised to better protect detainees, though they don’t do away completely with secret detentions, analysts said.
In the case of residential surveillance, a sort of house arrest that can happen in a fixed location that is chosen by police, a detainee‘s family must be notified within 24 hours unless they can’t be reached. Dissidents detained under this kind of residential surveillance are often put in suburban hotels or apartments, and many have reported being tortured by police.
The congress also approved a budget for this year that calls for a boost in domestic consumption to keep the economy expanding while overseas markets remain weak. The budget also pledges greater support for social security, employment and public housing to help those left behind by the nation‘s economic boom.
The government plans growth of 7.5 percent this year _ a target below previous goals as it seeks a slightly slower pace of expansion while trying to rebalance the world’s second-largest economy.
China has produced three decades of rapid growth primarily through exports, but the sluggish world economy and rising wages within China raise questions about how long that can continue. The World Bank said recently that the economic strategy is unsustainable. The bank issued a report with a Chinese Cabinet think tank that called for more free-market reforms.
This year‘s 10-day congress was held not only amid economic concerns but also amid jockeying for power ahead of this fall’s Communist Party congress at which President Hu Jintao and the most senior party leaders begin stepping aside after a decade in power to make way for a younger generation. (AP)
The changes to the criminal procedure law were the most high-profile ones passed on the last day of the annual National People’s Congress. The Communist Party-controlled body also approved a budget for this year that calls for a boost in domestic consumption to keep the economy expanding while overseas markets remain weak.
While legal reformers have mostly applauded the revisions to detention rules, saying they will offer better protection of suspects and reflect increasing awareness in China of the need for stronger detainee rights, legal enforcement in China is another matter.
Police and prosecutors routinely ignore current legal provisions protecting suspects‘ rights and have frequently used charges of endangering national security against dissidents.
The revision is seen as an incremental move and is not seen as leading to major changes in China’s authoritarian one-party system, despite occasional calls for political reform.
At his annual news conference Wednesday following the session‘s close, Premier Wen Jiabao repeated vague reform calls, saying they were needed to solidify the achievements of three decades of economic growth and prevent a repeat of the chaos that rocked China during the violent 1966-1976 Cultural Revolution.
"I know very well that the reform will not be an easy one. The reform will not be able to succeed without the consciousness, the support, the enthusiasm and creativity of our people," Wen said.
As before, Wen offered no specific proposals, saying reform had to adhere to China’s particular national circumstances and proceed in a "step-by-step manner.‘’ Chinese leaders often define political reform in terms of boosting administrative efficiency, but even those paltry efforts at streamlining have gained little traction against an entrenched bureaucracy and struggle for influence ahead of this fall‘s generational leadership transition.
The approval of the revised law by a vote of 2,639 to 160 ends months of speculation and debate about whether the government would give police the legal authority to do something they have long done extralegally: disappear people for months at a time without telling their families.
Police have increasingly used the tactic over the past year to detain activist lawyers, democracy campaigners, and even internationally acclaimed artist Ai Weiwei, amid government worries about whether the popular uprisings of the Arab Spring might spread to China.
There are two relevant articles in the new law that deal with notifying families, one in regular criminal cases and the other involving a type of detention known as residential surveillance. Both have been revised to better protect detainees, though they don’t do away completely with secret detentions, analysts said.
In the case of residential surveillance, a sort of house arrest that can happen in a fixed location that is chosen by police, a detainee‘s family must be notified within 24 hours unless they can’t be reached. Dissidents detained under this kind of residential surveillance are often put in suburban hotels or apartments, and many have reported being tortured by police.
The congress also approved a budget for this year that calls for a boost in domestic consumption to keep the economy expanding while overseas markets remain weak. The budget also pledges greater support for social security, employment and public housing to help those left behind by the nation‘s economic boom.
The government plans growth of 7.5 percent this year _ a target below previous goals as it seeks a slightly slower pace of expansion while trying to rebalance the world’s second-largest economy.
China has produced three decades of rapid growth primarily through exports, but the sluggish world economy and rising wages within China raise questions about how long that can continue. The World Bank said recently that the economic strategy is unsustainable. The bank issued a report with a Chinese Cabinet think tank that called for more free-market reforms.
This year‘s 10-day congress was held not only amid economic concerns but also amid jockeying for power ahead of this fall’s Communist Party congress at which President Hu Jintao and the most senior party leaders begin stepping aside after a decade in power to make way for a younger generation. (AP)
Voice phishing victims retrieve stolen money
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Korea's financial regulator said Wednesday it has
returned 10.2 billion won ($9.1 million) worth of stolen money to voice phishing
victims after a special law was passed last year.
A total of 6,348 people who suffered damage from phone fraud cases, also known as voice phishing, retrieved their stolen money over the last five months, according to the Financial Supervisory Service. Voice phishing damage has been on the rise, with the amount totaling 101.9 billion won in 2011, nearly double the 55.4 billion won a year earlier. As part of efforts to curb voice phishing, a special law was passed in September to help victims retrieve their stolen money within three months. Earlier this year, the financial regulator also announced measures to clamp down on phone fraud cases, such as delaying withdrawals of large-sum financial transactions and reinforcing credit authentication |
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
All England title raises gold hopes for Korean pair
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By Kang Seung-woo  Korean shuttlers
Lee Yong-dae and Jung Jae-sung reclaimed All England Open men’s doubles title
Monday (KST) four years after winning it, showing the world they could be the
pair to beat at the London Olympics.In the final, Lee and Jung rallied after a close first set to defeat world No. 1 Cai Yun and Fu Haifeng of China 21-23, 21-9, 21-14 in Birmingham, England. Since its establishment in 1899, the prestigious 113-year-old tournament had been referred to as the unofficial world championships until the International Badminton Federation (IBF) introduced an official version in 1977. Four months ahead of the Summer Games, the competition featured top-echelon players trying to take advantage of it as an Olympic tune-up. Lee and Jung, ranked second in the world, lived up to expectations to face the top-seeded Cai and Fu. In lifting the trophy, the Koreans have taken a big step to becoming gold-medal favorites for London, with an 11-10 record against their Chinese rivals. Jung, who had been out with a shoulder injury for two months, showed no signs of rust, quickly gelling with Lee. It was also revenge for losses the Korean pair suffered in November in Hong Kong and in Seoul two months ago. “It is a great achievement to top the tournament featuring high-profile players ahead of the London Olympics,” Korean head coach Sung Han-kook said. “Given that Lee and Jung lost to Cai and Fu in the last two meetings, this victory will help them rebuild confidence (for the Olympics).” However, Sung said that Lee and Jung need to keep dominating opponents, taking advantage of their physical superiority. In the opening set in the championship match, despite a big lead at 9-3, the Korean duo allowed their opponents to rally to beat them. “They struggled against Cai and Fu in net play between the first and third exchanges. As Lee and Jung have a physical advantage over them, they are required to make the most of it (at the Olympics),” said the head coach. Lee and Jung will participate in a local event in Dangjin, South Chungcheong Province, starting on March 22. | |
New7Wonders phone number causes stir
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By Lee
Hyo-sik
Koreans and non-Koreans here and overseas made hundreds of millions of phone calls over the past few years to vote for the country’s southern resort island of Jeju to help it win the designation as one of the New7Wonders of Nature in a worldwide poll. They spent tens of billions of won, thinking that they were making international calls as they had to dial 001 before 1588-7715. To place an international call via KT, Korea’s largest landline phone operator, a person has to first dial 001. But it has been discovered that international calls made by those who wanted Jeju to become a New7Wonders of Nature did not go abroad. KT said Tuesday that the phone calls made by dialing 001-1588-7715 remained in its internal network, meaning that no one outside the country received such calls. It said it set up a server in another country to handle and tally 001-1588-7715 calls. Normally, international calls are transmitted via a telephone firm and connected to the intended numbers overseas. But the calls for the New7Wonders had no foreign recipient, but instead were stored and tallied in KT’s server. KT signed an agreement with the New7Wonders Foundation to ensure phone voting was only possible through its lines. In return, the company promised to pay the Swiss-based organization a certain portion of its revenue in commission. “When the phone voting began on Dec. 29, 2010, the calls were forwarded to a certain number in England. But after April 1, 2011, we were asked by the New7Wonders Foundation to set up our own server overseas to receive the calls,” a KT official said. To set up a server overseas and have a line to direct calls to it, KT increased the charge to 180 won from 144 won. It also cost more to send a text message at 150 won, up from the previous 100 won. The worldwide poll ended on Nov. 11, 2011 and two months later, Jeju was designated one of the New7Wonders of Nature. KT said it changed the way 001-1588-7715 calls were handled at the request of the New7Wonders Foundation. “The foundation told us that its serve was overloaded with too many incoming calls and text messages. It asked us to set up our own server, count the number of calls and provide figures,” the KT official said. The company then said it could have changed the phone number from international to domestic but the National Committee for Jeju New7Wonders of Nature did not want the number to be changed. The committee has become defunct after Jeju’s selection. The Jeju Tourism Organization (JTO), which has taken over the task of promoting the island from the committee, said it had no knowledge of how KT handled phone calls. “All we know was Jeju supporters made international phone calls. The committee was not aware of how KT managed the calls. Neither were we,” a JTO spokesman said. Jeju Special Self-Governing Province also denied any involvement in KT’s handling of phone calls made to vote for Jeju. “It is not our business to know how KT managed 1588-7715 calls. All I can say that they were international calls, not domestic ones,” an official said. |
DUP opposes plan to build nuke reactors
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By Kang Hyun-kyung The main opposition Democratic United Party (DUP) decided to oppose the additional construction of nuclear reactors Tuesday in a move to counter the government’s energy policy. In its seven-point vision for science and technology, the DUP’s policy committee clarified its opposition to the plan to build new reactors or renovate existing ones to provide electricity. Instead, the liberal party said it would push for alternative renewable energy to replace fossil fuel and nuclear energy. It went on to say it would rewrite the roadmap for the nation’s energy strategy, if it takes power in the December presidential election. It also plans to revive the now defunct ministry of science and technology. With the announcement, the liberal party is attempting to tackle the Lee Myung-bak administration’s nuclear push. The government plans to build 14 more nuclear reactors by 2024 so nuclear energy will account for 58 percent of electricity production by 2030. Currently, 21 reactors provide nearly 40 percent of electricity nationwide. Since Korea won a bid to build four nuclear reactors in Abu Dhabi in 2009, President Lee has pushed for exporting the nation’s nuclear energy technology. The so-called nuclear renaissance, referring to the global push for nuclear energy created a favorable environment for the nation’s drive to export its technology at that time. An increasing number of nations have opted for nuclear reactors to meet rising domestic demand for electricity as it is cheap and clean and emits no carbon dioxide. But the nuclear push showed signs of losing steam, after Japan’s northeastern province was battered by a magnitude 9.0 earthquake and ensuing tsunami last March. This also created a prolonged radiation fear after a meltdown of the Fukushima nuclear reactors that were damaged in the natural disaster. A backlash against nuclear power plants followed in the neighboring country and this has had some effect here. Environmentalists and some civic group activists joined the campaign to boycott the nation’s plan to build more nuclear reactors. By announcing its anti-nuclear reactor pledge, the DUP seeks to curry favor with voters. The President has shown no signs of backing off from his stalwart support for nuclear energy. During a news conference in February, Lee said each household would need to pay an extra $785 in utility costs every year if the nation drops the plan to build nuclear reactors. He urged the main opposition party to stop politicizing the plan closely linked to the national interest. Meanwhile, DUP Chairwoman Han Myeong-sook said Tuesday the main opposition party will push for the adoption of regulatory measures for oil refiners, such as floating oil taxes. In a radio address aired by KBS, Han said if the measure is adopted, lower-income families will benefit. She alleged the ruling Saenuri Party is for the top 1 percent of privileged citizens, whereas the DUP is for the remaining 99 percent. Han said the 99 percent of citizens live with what she called “five fears.” They are increasing food prices, oil costs, housing woes, tuition fees and household debt. The democracy fighter-turned-party leader said the DUP is there for those who are suffering, vowing her party will tackle these policy challenges if it wins the April 11 National Assembly elections. Han described mobile phone rates as one of the burdens that working-class families shoulder. The average household pays nearly 110,000 won ($100) every month in mobile phone bills. | |
2AM returns with new album on painful but endless love
Idol group takes motif from American classic ‘The
Great Gatsby’
Idol group 2AM returned to its fans on Tuesday with a new mini album, breaking its one-and-a-half-year absence from the country’s entertainment scene.
With the new album titled “F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Way of Love,” the group attempts to turn its image from young and fragile into one that is more mature and manly.
Taking motifs from “The Great Gatsby” written by F. Scott Fitzgerald in the early 20th century, the group said they wanted to show timeless and mature love toward their fans.
“We used to sing songs full of straightforward expressions so far. We wanted show (a man’s) endless love, taking the motif from characters in the novel ‘The Great Gatsby,’” said Jo Kwon, the leader of the group, at a press conference held in Cheongdam-dong, southern Seoul.
“Through this album, we have become more mature both in style and music,” he added.
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| Pop group 2AM sings its title song “I Wonder If You Hurt Like Me” at a press conference held in Seoul on Tuesday. (Park Hae-mook/The Korea Herald) |
At the press conference, the four members, dressed in slim suits and ties, showcased their first single “I Wonder If You Hurt Like Me.” With the song written and produced by renowned musician Kim Do-hoon, 2AM showed how both its sound and style have grown up and become more understated.
The top artists participated in the album, including singer-songwriter Yoon Jong-shin and Park Sun-zoo, a legendary female singer known as one of the most famous vocal trainers in Korea. Yoon wrote “How to Part Well,” while Park produced another ballad named “Allow Me a Second.”
“It took longer than we thought because we wanted to produce an album with high-quality songs,” said Seulong.
Executive producer Bang Shi-hyeck, a.k.a “Hitman,” did not create any songs for the group this time as he wanted them to find new color in collaboration with other artists.
Not only music, but also a change in style was obvious.
The album was produced in collaboration with big-name Korean branding and design companies, in an effort to enhance the group’s image.
Total Impact, a local branding company famous for its work with SK Telecom and Hyundai Card, designed the official logo of the group.
Creative director for local fashion house MVIO Han Sang-hyeck also joined the project by designing new stage costumes.
When asked about a recent rumor involving Sohee, a member of girl group Wonder Girls, Seulong denied that they are in a romantic relationship.
“We have known each other for a long time and have a brother-and-sister relationship,” he said. “We promised each other that we should be careful when hanging out, of course, as friends.”
By Cho Chung-un (christory@heraldm.com)
Big shots gear up for battles in Busan
The leading parties’ presidential hopefuls set out to campaign
in electoral races in Busan just a month ahead of the general elections. Rep.
Park Geun-hye, chairwoman of the ruling Saenuri Party, visited the city on
Tuesday.
Eyes were especially drawn to her initial meeting with Sohn Su-jo, a 27-year-old political debutante who recently won the party’s candidacy for the high-profile Sasang constituency.
Sohn is to vie with left-wing heavyweight Moon Jae-in, the main opposition Democratic United Party supreme councilor and Roh Moo-hyun Foundation chairman.
The Saenuri Party leader’s visit was seen as an attempt to ease the backlash of local voters against the party’s nomination of the novice in the highly competitive race.
Park also explicitly lent her political weight to the area, foreshadowing a potential showdown with Moon, who could be her main rival in the December presidential race.
During her previous visit last month, she refrained from visiting crucial constituencies including Sasang, in an effort to prevent competition from overheating before the candidate nomination.
The nation’s second largest city has long been regarded as a conservative stronghold but has recently turned in favor of the left-wing camp. Against this backdrop, the leading parties are determined to either safeguard or reclaim the districts there in next month’s elections.
Sohn, however, has so far been playing a hard game against the former Roh aide, which led observers to compare the matchup to David and Goliath.
According to a public opinion poll conducted by the vernacular daily Hankook Ilbo on Monday, Moon won 40.7 percent of respondents’ support, whereas Sohn only won 21.9 percent.
The Saenuri leader also attended a televised open forum, prior to her meeting with Sohn.
Meanwhile, Moon also stepped up the pace.
He visited a neighboring constituency together with fellow supreme councilor Moon Sung-keun, to encourage the party candidate and to interact with the local community, officials said.
By Bae Hyun-jung (tellme@heraldm.com)
Eyes were especially drawn to her initial meeting with Sohn Su-jo, a 27-year-old political debutante who recently won the party’s candidacy for the high-profile Sasang constituency.
Sohn is to vie with left-wing heavyweight Moon Jae-in, the main opposition Democratic United Party supreme councilor and Roh Moo-hyun Foundation chairman.
The Saenuri Party leader’s visit was seen as an attempt to ease the backlash of local voters against the party’s nomination of the novice in the highly competitive race.
Park also explicitly lent her political weight to the area, foreshadowing a potential showdown with Moon, who could be her main rival in the December presidential race.
During her previous visit last month, she refrained from visiting crucial constituencies including Sasang, in an effort to prevent competition from overheating before the candidate nomination.
The nation’s second largest city has long been regarded as a conservative stronghold but has recently turned in favor of the left-wing camp. Against this backdrop, the leading parties are determined to either safeguard or reclaim the districts there in next month’s elections.
Sohn, however, has so far been playing a hard game against the former Roh aide, which led observers to compare the matchup to David and Goliath.
According to a public opinion poll conducted by the vernacular daily Hankook Ilbo on Monday, Moon won 40.7 percent of respondents’ support, whereas Sohn only won 21.9 percent.
The Saenuri leader also attended a televised open forum, prior to her meeting with Sohn.
Meanwhile, Moon also stepped up the pace.
He visited a neighboring constituency together with fellow supreme councilor Moon Sung-keun, to encourage the party candidate and to interact with the local community, officials said.
By Bae Hyun-jung (tellme@heraldm.com)
Monday, March 12, 2012
Han throws barbs at Park in mobile vote controversy
Democratic United Party chairwoman Han Myeong-sook on Monday
fired back at Park Geun-hye, the chief of the ruling party who called the
opposition group’s mobile phone voting system for its primaries corrupt.
“Rep. Park used the phrase ‘an epitome of political corruption’ to describe our mobile voting system. I think that she is the ‘epitome of ignorance’ to say something like that as the leader of the ruling party in this era of 20 million mobile phone users,” Han said in a debate session at the Kwanhun Club on Monday.
Corruption and other irregularities have prevailed in past elections and they have been seen in this election, too. Yet, it is not because the votes are cast through mobile phones, Han stressed.
“It is a major mistake that Rep. Park opposed the revision of election rules to introduce mobile balloting,” she added.
The largest opposition party adopted a mobile balloting system to select its candidates for the April 11 parliamentary election.
Suspicions arose that its members attempted to collect smart phone users inappropriately to win more votes in the mobile ballot. Last month, a voluntary campaigner for one of its lawmakers jumped to their death in Gwangju, while undergoing the election watchdog’s investigation into illicit campaigning.
Exactly a week ago at the same place, Park had assailed the DUP for what she called a turnaround on the legacy of former liberal President Roh Moo-hyun.
By legacy, she meant the planned construction of a naval base on the southern resort island of Jeju and the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement. The DUP opposes the ongoing construction of the naval base and wants to revise large parts of the trade deal, set to take effect on Thursday.
President Lee Myung-bak also called the liberal opposition party “irresponsible,” saying it is flip-flopping on major national projects.
“If you’re just a middle manager, you don’t have the authority and responsibility to change a plan, even if it’s critically flawed. But a leader should be different,” Han said, in a thinly veiled attack on Lee.
She said the government should listen to the people when pushing for a plan, and Jeju residents are so strongly against it.
“We’re not denying the need for a new naval base for security reasons. But the current plan has so many procedural problems,” she added.
On the Korea-U.S. FTA, Han said that the Roh administration rushed for a deal and failed to see its problems.
The DUP, claiming that the current FTA is biased against Korea, vows to remove some “toxic” clauses in the pact through renegotiations.
By Lee Sun-young (milaya@heraldm.com)
“Rep. Park used the phrase ‘an epitome of political corruption’ to describe our mobile voting system. I think that she is the ‘epitome of ignorance’ to say something like that as the leader of the ruling party in this era of 20 million mobile phone users,” Han said in a debate session at the Kwanhun Club on Monday.
Corruption and other irregularities have prevailed in past elections and they have been seen in this election, too. Yet, it is not because the votes are cast through mobile phones, Han stressed.
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| Han Myeong-sook, leader of the main opposition Democratic United Party, speaks in a debate organized by senior journalists in Seoul on Monday. (Park Hyun-koo/The Korea Herald) |
“It is a major mistake that Rep. Park opposed the revision of election rules to introduce mobile balloting,” she added.
The largest opposition party adopted a mobile balloting system to select its candidates for the April 11 parliamentary election.
Suspicions arose that its members attempted to collect smart phone users inappropriately to win more votes in the mobile ballot. Last month, a voluntary campaigner for one of its lawmakers jumped to their death in Gwangju, while undergoing the election watchdog’s investigation into illicit campaigning.
Exactly a week ago at the same place, Park had assailed the DUP for what she called a turnaround on the legacy of former liberal President Roh Moo-hyun.
By legacy, she meant the planned construction of a naval base on the southern resort island of Jeju and the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement. The DUP opposes the ongoing construction of the naval base and wants to revise large parts of the trade deal, set to take effect on Thursday.
President Lee Myung-bak also called the liberal opposition party “irresponsible,” saying it is flip-flopping on major national projects.
“If you’re just a middle manager, you don’t have the authority and responsibility to change a plan, even if it’s critically flawed. But a leader should be different,” Han said, in a thinly veiled attack on Lee.
She said the government should listen to the people when pushing for a plan, and Jeju residents are so strongly against it.
“We’re not denying the need for a new naval base for security reasons. But the current plan has so many procedural problems,” she added.
On the Korea-U.S. FTA, Han said that the Roh administration rushed for a deal and failed to see its problems.
The DUP, claiming that the current FTA is biased against Korea, vows to remove some “toxic” clauses in the pact through renegotiations.
By Lee Sun-young (milaya@heraldm.com)
Kim Yu-na to perform in ice show in May
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Korean figure skating star Kim Yu-na will perform in front of home fans for the first time in nine months this spring. Her management agency All That Sports announced Monday that the 23-year-old and other internationally renowned figure skaters are expected to feature in an ice show “E1 All That Skates Spring 2012,” scheduled from May 4 to 6 at Seoul Olympic Stadium. Kim has not skated in front of spectators since last August in an ice show, also hosted by her agency. The event in May is the premiere of Kim’s new gala program. Especially for the occasion, All That Sports is planning to build a special rink that can house up to 10,000 spectators inside Seoul Olympic Stadium. “We are preparing a fantastic show for the fans to repay the support they have shown us in previous ice shows,” All That Sports said in a statement. “The new event is to bring the athletes and spectators together through figure skating.” The sports agency has previously hosted four ice shows in which both domestic and international figure skaters participated. Details of the specific program and the names of the invited skaters will be released soon. | |
BBK's Kim points finger at Park Geun-hye's aide
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Kim Kyung-joon, a central figure behind a high-profile stock-rigging scandal involving President Lee Myung-bak, reversed the general belief that the current opposition party orchestrated his visit to Korea in 2007 against then-presidential candidate Lee. The Korean-American instead claimed in a recorded interview on a political podcast Sunday that aides to Park Geun-hye, head of the ruling Saenuri Party’s interim leadership committee, engineered his visit during the lead-up to the presidential election back then. Kim’s comments on the “Naneun Ggomsuda” Internet radio show comes at a sensitive time when the nation is bracing for the April 11 parliamentary elections. The stock-rigging scandal involving the now-defunct BBK investment firm previously run by Kim could emerge as a significant variable affecting the outcome of the elections. Kim, who is currently serving an eight-year jail term for stock price manipulation, insisted President Lee was also involved in the crime. His sudden visit to Korea a month before the presidential vote in December 2007 was regarded as a potential blow to then-leading candidate Lee. The visit had been deemed politically motivated by the opposing presidential camp until Kim’s statement was released Sunday. Kim said he told the prosecutors that Lee Hye-hoon, a Saenuri Party member, had contacted him to come to Korea. Lee, however, denied the claim, saying “I’ve never met him nor talked to him in my life.” You Won-il, a former lawmaker close to the Korean-American attended the show to back up Kim’s claim. He cited a letter from Kim, who stated the accused told the prosecution about how he came to Korea. According to You, investigators ignored Kim and instead demanded Kim name figures from the opposing party members. The former lawmaker added that Kim’s mother told him that the opposing party members never contacted her or Kim’s family. You cited Kim as saying in January that Park Geun-hye’s aides came to the United States to see him while the presidential campaign was ongoing in Korea five years ago. | |
Men suffer job discrimination for military duty
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By Lee Tae-hoon A father of a 27-year-old high school graduate has been fighting one of the country’s largest automobile manufacturers for the past six years over alleged employment discrimination experienced by his son and son’s coworkers because they performed their obligatory military service. The Constitution stipulates that no citizen shall be treated unfavorably on account of the fulfillment of his obligation for military service, but apparently that is not the case for Kia Motors’ workers. “My son left his job in 2004 to join the Army with high expectations of returning to Kia since its union and management had agreed to rehire those who had to perform their compulsory duty,” said Baek Jae-young. “Except for those who took a leave of absence to serve in the military, all of his fellow workers who joined the company at the same time on a contract basis have become regular employees.” Three other former workers and the junior Baek, who received manufacturing jobs at the auto company in 2003 after 10 months of internship, filed a lawsuit against Kia Motors for discrimination after they were not rehired following completion of their service. However, the High Court ruled in favor of the company in 2009. The senior Baek filed a petition with Cheong Wa Dae, the National Human Rights Commission, the Ministry of National Defense (MND) and the Ministry of Employment and Labor, but all refused to look into the case. In the petition, he noted that his son had no choice but to go to a vocational high school as his family could not afford college tuition and that if the junior Baek had wanted, he could have been exempted from military duty due to a serious ear infection. “I regret allowing him to undergo an operation to treat the illness and sending him to the military,” the petition read. “He should have deserved favorable treatment rather than discrimination for his service. I’m certain that if he dodged the draft, he would be working at the Gwangju plant of Kia Motors now.” The junior Baek applied for a position once again in February this year, but the company turned down his application. Kia Motors denied allegations that it did not respect its agreement with the union that it would give priority to rehiring those who had to leave the company for military duty. “We have nothing particular to say about the case since recruitment decisions were legitimately made in accordance with the hiring regulations of the company,” a KIA spokesman said.  Is deferral a cure-all? The government recently revised the Enforcement Decree of the Military Service to allow all male high school graduates to defer their duty until the age of 24 in hopes of allowing someone like Baek to work for about four years before joining the armed forces. Experts, however, point out that most male high school graduates will continue to face job discrimination as most of the large corporations do not even bother to receive applications from those subject to military duty. According to the Military Manpower Administration, of some 150,000 vocational high school graduates in 2010 and 2011 who were allowed to postpone their duty until 24, only 91 opted to enjoy the benefit. Park Sang-hyun, a researcher at the Korea Information Employment Service, said that the majority of male high school graduates will go on to end up in low pay, temporary jobs at a small company unless stronger and more practical measures are taken. “The majority of male high school graduates end up in small- and medium-sized companies that often violate the law mandating the rehiring of regular workers after military service,” he said. Lack of equal opportunities A survey of 5,281 vocational high school graduates that Park carried out in 2011 reveals that the employment rate for male respondents was only 70.2 percent, compared to 82 percent for female respondents. It also clearly showed that male graduates work more but receive less wages and that they encounter great difficulties in landing a job in large corporations. According to the poll, their chance to enter a company with 300 or more employees was 15.6 percent, whereas that of female respondents stood at 44.5 percent. On average, male respondents worked 52.7 hours per week, 42 minutes more than the maximum permissible legal limit, while receiving only 1.238 million won per month ($1,103), which is less than half of what college graduates earn. Female graduates worked 48.8 hours per week, but received a thicker paycheck of 1.391 million won on average. “The most critical factor that makes male high school graduates lag far behind females is the obligation for military service,” Park said. Lim Tae-hoon, head of the Center for Military Rights in Korea, urged civic groups to boycott products manufactured from companies, including KIA Motors, which practice unfair discrimination against men who perform their military service. Rep. Seo Jong-pyo of the main opposition Democratic United Party, said his party will consider revising the law to make the MND reject the procurement of goods from defense manufacturers found to have discriminated against servicemen. | |
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