20.10.2019

KBS News

By Gim Suyeon

“Goodness! Remember 80 years ago?”

Uniqlo has ceased publishing an advert which deals with the so-called “comfort women” issue [when young women from Korea and other Asian countries were forced into acting as prostitutes for the Japanese military]. The company issued a statement today (the 20^th) saying: “the advert has no political or religious intentions, but we have decided to discontinue it immediately as it has given many people heavy feelings of inconvenience and concern.”

A Uniqlo official said, “From the 18^th, the day when the controversy arose, we decided to immediately stop advertising on most platforms, including digital, and some broadcasters will be suspended from tomorrow (21st), due to these circumstances.”

Uniqlo had previously disputed that the ad had “condemned the ‘comfort women,’” and said [that statement] was “not true at all.” The video showed a teenager asking a woman in her 90s what she wore when she was a teenager, and the older woman saying, “I don’t remember that long ago.” However, the Korean subtitles of the English-language advert, shown alongside the actual English conversation translated the grandmother’s answer as “Remember 80 years ago?” This led some [Korean] viewers to express concerns that Uniqlo had been ridiculing the issue of “comfort women” in Korea – ie, that a 90-year-old grandmother would not be able to remember the Japanese colonial rule in Korea, which ended some 80 years ago.

Analysis: Uniqlo is a Japanese clothing company, one of the most popular and visible brands in Korea, occupying a fast-fashion niche somewhat equivalent to a mix between Gap and Primark. It’s impossible to say whether there was any intention in the advert to slyly dig at the ongoing issue of forced sexual labour during the Japanese colonial era; one would hope that Uniqlo simply failed to consider how the advert could be interpreted. The Korean public’s reaction might seem over-sensitive, but has to be seen in the context of a continuing refusal by the Japanese government and media to fully confront the horrifying abuse suffered by the “comfort women” from Korea and other countries. It’s also the latest example in the seemingly never-ending stream of incidents where companies operating in Korea, Japan, China, Taiwan or elsewhere fail to appreciate the extremely complex historical context of the region.

17.10.2019

KBS News

By Ee Seulgi

“Is the subway polluting the environment with fine dust?”

Be careful when passing by the large air vents which are often found near subway stations. This is because different types of fine dust are pumped from the lower levels to ground level through the air vents – without any filtering.

[For example] the subway vent between Pyeongchon Station and Beomgye Station on Line 4. There are children playing around the vents. What kind of air is being emitted here from the underground subway system? This reporter entered the ventilation opening, 15 metres underground, and precisely measured the fine dust concentration alongside the Environment Department.

As a result of 19 hours of continuous measurement, the average fine dust concentration exceeded 290 ㎍ per ㎥. Levels of 150 and higher are said to be very damaging to health. A Korea Environmental Protection Agency official said: “[We used] a process test method approved by the government. [Levels here] are about twice as high as levels [which would trigger] a fine dust alert.”

Especially as the train passed, the concentration soared up to 984 µg. As the tracks and train wheels wear out, they create pollutants such as metal. I opened the ventilation fan, installed in 1992. The hole in the wire mesh is hidden enough to cover the accumulated dust. Contaminated air from the train tracks travels along this vent. The exhausted air is discharged to the ground as it is [without being filtered]. There is virtually no reduction equipment such as filters. A vent is [simply] a chimney that spews harmful substances from these underground spaces to the ground.

Yu Dohee, a resident of Nowon-gu in Seoul, said: “I’m very uncomfortable when I pass [by a vent]. Hot air and dust just comes out [so I try to] avoid it.”

As a result, when the average concentration of fine dust in the outside air is 49 µg, the reading in the subway system underground is 81 and the reading on the underground tracks exceeds 178 µg. The air quality of the Jamsil and Sadang stations of Line 2 was found to be particularly poor.

Bak Jaeho, National Assembly Commissioner with the National Democratic Party, said: “No matter what measures are taken to reduce fine dust, people on the streets continue to consume fine dust from the subway vents.”

There are about 600 subway vents in the metropolitan area alone – managing pollutants so that citizens do not inadvertently inhale them while travelling is an urgent issue.

13.10.2019

Yeonhap News

Handon, the pig farmers’ association, once again called for a halt to bulk disposal of pigs in some areas, including Yeoncheon, due to African swine fever. The association announced that it will start a one-person demonstration in front of the presidential Blue House residence tomorrow, to emphasise their “disapproval of the burying of [non-infected] pigs in Yeoncheon in Gyeonggido and [the importance of] prioritising wild boar management.”

The association also said, “Immediately stop buying and killing any and all pigs, including in Yeoncheon, which had no cases of disease reported; stop the reckless [compulsory government] purchase and burial [of non-infected pigs] immediately and guarantee the right to live for the farmers who have already participated.” The demonstration will be held in front of the Blue House, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food, and the Environment Department until the 18th.

In order to prevent the spread of swine fever in Africa, the government previously announced that it would buy and bury all pigs in Yeoncheon, following similar initiatives in Incheon, Ganghwa, Gyeonggi, Gimpo and Paju.

However, some farmers protested in Paju and Yeoncheon, Gyeonggi Province, and only 90 of the 148 farms targeted for the initiaitve have [so far] completed the process.

29.09.2019

Korean Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs

“Importing items illegally from abroad could lead to a fine of 10 million. Code of conduct for the African swin flu crisis.”

“One! Do not travel to the countries of origin:

Russia // Mongolia // China // Cambodia // Vietnam

Where are you thinking of going on holiday? China? Vietnam? Wait! Please don’t visit livestock in countries where African swine flu originated. Even after returning home, visiting livestock here in Korea could cause harm.”

“Two! Check if you’re a hidden carrier.

‘Students travelling overseas, be aware!’

Don’t bring back the following items: meat // ham and sauasage // dumplings // pizza // milk // cheese // butter // pets // pork // beef // chicken // tinned food.

Bringing prohibited items into the country, either by carrying them oneself or by posting them, is a serious matter!”

“Three! Let’s report any instances of importation of prohibited items.

Even if caught only one time, you could face a fine of 5 million.

*If you brought items back unavoidably, make sure to report it.”

“African swine flu could cause massive national damage. Please keep to this code of conduct!”

07.09.2019

KBS News

By Shin Bangshil

            Amongst record-breakingly high speed winds, three people have died and serious damage to facilities has occurred as building collapsed, fell over and flew away. Lingling is now passing through North Korea, although strong winds still persist in the central and capital regions. Caution is advised until the end [of the typhoon].

            Today the 7^th at 2 o’clock in the morning the typhoon passed through the sea, west of Jeju island. The gale peaked at a speed of 40 meters per second, followed by extensive damage. From 3am Lingling began to move northward, reaching speeds of over 50 meters per second as it hit Gageo and Heuksan islands. The storm did not weaken this afternoon as it passed through Chungnam province; the winds were so strong they violently shook our cameras. Two hours later, due to the rapid north wind, the Seoul metropolitan area was hit hardest, as the winds had grown even more in intensity. At 2:30 pm, Lingling reached Hwanghae in North Korea.

Gyu Uijin from the National Meteorological Agency: “We were able to see a strong wind in the northwest of our country, with extremely fast movement. It hit land 10 hours after entering the West Sea.” After passing through North Korea the typoon is set to dissipate in Russia. Even with the typhoon having passed through, very strong winds of about 30 meters per second will continue until early tomorrow, mainly in the central region. The “strong wind radius” of the typhoon is 300km – and cold air in the north of the peninsual has increased air instability. The typhoon was mainly driven by wind, but from tomorrow (the 8th) heavy rain is forecast for the entire country. Rain of up to 150mm is expected until the beginning of next week, mainly in the southern part of the country.

13.07.2019

KBS News

By Ee Minyeong

Japan reportedly expressed a negative opinion regarding the Korean government’s suggestion that an international organisation verify Japan’s proposed export control measures. Japanese media has responded by raising serious doubts about the export regulation.

When Japan stated that “the ultimate destination for Japan’s exported chemicals may be North Korea,” the Korean government suggested, with regret, that exports should be verified by an internationally-recognised organisation.

Gim Yugeun, NSC Secretary General said: “I propose to the UN Security Council panel, or appropriate international organisations, that they undertake a fair investigation of [any] violations of the four major export control systems in Korea and Japan.”

However, the Japanese government immediately responded negatively. A Japanese Foreign Ministry official said in an interview with the Sankei Shimbun newspaper that “I have never heard of international organisations judging the feasibility of a country’s trade administration.”

Meanwhile, the Japanese government began to roll back previous statements, saying that “inappropriate management” is not a matter of exporting goods to North Korea but a matter between [South] Korea and Japan. The Japanese media has continued publishing daily reports expressing anxiety around the export regulations.

Nihon Keizai, a leading economic magazine, pointed out that Japan’s [economic] presence could suffer because the export regulations are causing confusion in the semiconductor supply chain. The Sankei Shimbun, a right-wing newspaper, was concerned that Japanese companies’ stock prices are also showing signs of weakening due to “production disruptions as a result of export regulation.”

The Japanese media has also reported that China, Russia and other countries can benefit from this export regulation.

06.07.2019

KBS News

Yu Gwangseok

Another body has been found in the Danube river in Hungary during the search for passengers [who disappeared during the capsizing of the Hableány cruise ship in May 2019]. The joint [Korea-Hungary] rapid response team reported that a body had been recovered from the Merced area, about 66km from the crash site. The body has been identified as that of a Korean woman in her 60s. Hungarian police confirmed identity through records provided by the Korean side of the joint response team. The joint operation released a statement saying that is has searched throughout the Danube via land, air and water searches in adverse conditions including heatwaves and mosquitos. They will continue the search until the final missing person is found, they said. With today’s discovery, of the 33 passengers [who were on the Hableány] 25 bodies have been recovered, with one person still missing and seven having survived.

Analysis: As the Korean news cycle moves on from last week’s historic meeting between Donald Trump and Gim Jeongeun reports emerge of the continued search for missing people related to the Hableány boat accident. Koreans generally expect a high level of support from their government if they need assistance while travelling, and so it would be unthinkable for the joint task force to leave Hungary until all missing people are accounted for.

01.07.2019

KBS News

By Gim Minjeong

Chairman Gim’s invitation appears to be proposal in response to President Trump invitation to the White House. If talks were to be concluded in Pyeongyang and the White House, they are likely to be recorded as a singular instance case in the history of world diplomacy.

The entire world’s attention has been focused on Panmunjeom this weekend. When North Korea, the US and South Korea met in front of the “house of liberty” venue on the DMZ as a precursor to full-fledged summit talks, there was strident competition amongst the media who were competing to record the historical “surprise meeting” with cameras. And at the very moment when the three countries’ heads of state, their various security personnel, and world media were tangled together, Chairperson Gim made a surprise offer: President Trump was invited to Pyeongyang. Gim said: “When President Trump comes to Pyeongyang, it will be a huge event within world diplomacy.” As soon as Gim finished speaking, a North Korean translator relayed the invitation to Trump. Although Trump did not respond, he could be seen nodding. He then caused his own surprise by saying: “I’m inviting Chairman Gim to the White House right now.”

North Korea and South Korea’s heads of state [Gim and Mun Jaein] have both been offering significant concessions in theory; negotiations for denuclearisation are expected to resume in the future, but it is unclear whether the proposals of the two leaders will actually come to fruition. But as Gim says, if talks happen at the White House and in Pyeongyang, they will be a truly significant event in world politics.

30.06.2019

By Byeon Giseong

KBS News

            President Moon Jae-in, President Trump and Kim Jong-un met in Panmunjeom at 3:50 pm today (Sunday June the 30^th 2019). Just a year and two months ago the inaugural North-South summit was held in the same location. Additionally this is the first time that the US ([represented by Donald Trump]) has [directly] attended a North-South summit.

Analysis: Completely unprecedented scenes today at Panmunjeom on the Korean DMZ as Donald Trump chats casually with Mun Jaein of South Korea and North Korea’s Gim Jeongeun. The slightly chaotic, informal atmosphere of the press scrum seen in the video belies the massive significance of this meeting – surely the most striking visible symbol of progress between North Korea and the rest of the world in decades. Trump won’t receive any credit from his detractors, but Mun will surely welcome this distraction from the highly damaging real-estate graft allegations which are dogging the upper echelons of his party.

31.05.2019

KBS News

By Gi Hyeonjeong

Although the search for survivors of the capsized Hableany ship, which collided with another vessel on the Danube in Budapest on the 29th, has continued today, there is no news to report. A Korean government response team, including minister Gang Gyeonghwa, is on the scene of the accident. Family members are also arriving at the local area. There are still a number of unanswered questions regarding events at the time of the accident. KBS News has obtained an audio file containing communications between Hungarian rescue authorities and ships which were close to the site of the accident. One can imagine the urgency at the time.

On the night of the 29th, a ship passing near the Budapest Parliament House urgently called the rescue authorities. [On the recording,] an urgent voice says that they have rescued a passenger who was drowning in the water, after having responded urgently to the sinking Hableany. Rescuers then pass on the news that the passenger has been successfully revived.