Author: GIKorea

I like how investing in tech has some how become “green”:

He said it is important to protect jobs and the entire industrial ecosystem with a can-do spirit.

The president reaffirmed a swift push for the Korean version of the New Deal, which has a focus on the fields of digital and green projects.

He said the government is stepping up efforts to support skilled manpower in new industries, including artificial intelligence, big data, blockchain, drones, bio-health, smart ships and future vehicles.

The government will help them participate in joint research programs with global universities, research institutes and entrepreneurs, he added.

Korea Times

You can read more at the link, but there is nothing “green” about tech when considering how rare earth minerals are extracted.

Additionally, the branding of “Green New Deal” seems intended to get the international liberal media to back it than any concern about the environment. If the international media starts giving it glowing media coverage that will likely lead to positive domestic opinion as well.

It seems just about anything that is not ventilated and cleaned could end up being closed:

In its latest effort to contain the new coronavirus, the Seoul city government on Friday ordered all coin-operated karaoke rooms in the city to suspend business ahead of the weekend.

Under the administrative order which has taken effect, 569 “coin noraebang” will be banned from hosting guests until further notice.

The city government said businesses and visitors that breach the order may face fines of up to 3 million won (US$2,420). It also plans to file compensation suits against them for treatment and quarantine costs.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

Just in case anyone was wondering:

The official newspaper of North Korea has denied that the regime’s leaders can magically bend time and space, putting to bed a long tradition used to idolise the mystical powers of Kim Jong-un and former leader Kim Jong-il.

In the latest sign that the secretive regime is turning away from myth-making about its leaders, the Rodong Sinmun newspaper this week denied that the Kim family are masters of “chukjibeop”, a method of folding space and travelling great distances in a short period of time.

Chukjibeop is one of the myths that has been used by the North to deify its leaders.

The newspaper, the organ of the North’s ruling party, said: “In realistic terms, a person cannot suddenly disappear and reappear by folding space.”

On Thursday, an official at South Korea’s unification ministry said that the current regime’s trend of demystification is “noteworthy”.

“It appears to stress patriotism and love for the people rather than mystification of the leaders,” the official told Yonhap news agency.

The Telegraph

You can read more at the link.

Despite recent cluster infections South Korea’s schools have begun their phased reopening:

Schools finally reopened Wednesday after a monthslong closure due to the coronavirus pandemic, putting to the test the government ability to control outbreaks at schools.

In a phased reopening plan, high school seniors became the first group to attend in-person classes, 79 days after the original semester start day of March 2. The other students, including preschoolers, will return to school by June 8.

The government has postponed school reopening five times already, as parents and school officials worried about potential coronavirus outbreak. Small clusters of infections added to the anxiety amid prolonged social distancing.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link, but the preventive measures should be something closely watched by school administrators in the United States to implement best practices.

North Korea has renewed its claims that it did not hijack Korean Air flight YS-11 back in 1969:

After half a century, North Korea still insists it did not kidnap the South Korean passengers aboard Korean Air Lines flight YS-11 in 1969, according to a letter released by a United Nations human rights agency Monday.    
   
The incident in question refers to the hijacking of Korean Air Lines (KAL) flight YS-11, which was carrying four crew members and 46 passengers, on Dec. 11, 1969. The plane was destined for Gimpo International Airport, but after taking off from Gangneung, Gangwon, a North Korean spy aboard the plane forced the pilots to redirect the plane to land near Wonsan in North Korea that afternoon.    
   
Pyongyang claimed the pilots had voluntarily defected in protest of the military junta that ruled South Korea at the time.    
   
Thirty-nine passengers were repatriated back to the South two months later, but 11 never returned.   

Joong Ang Ilbo via a reader tip

You can read more at the link, but the North Koreans made this same claim immediately after the hijacking. The North Koreans even put the two pilots, Yu Byong-ha and Choe Sok-man on radio where they confirmed this claim.  However, these claims were dismissed by the ROK authorities because the two pilots were both decorated ROK Air Force veterans who the investigation determined had no reason to defect. 

In fact the ROK authorities investigated the backgrounds of all 46 passengers on board the plane and cleared everyone except for two men, Han Chang-gi and Paek In-yong.  The ROK authorities could not find any background information on these two men leading them to believe they were the hijackers. The pilots’ so called confession on the radio was likely due to the threats made against them by the North Koreans. 

This hijacking ended up causing a huge uproar within South Korean society because this provocation was directed solely at civilians unlike past provocations that were primarily directed at military and government targets. What is really sad about this, is that today in South Korea there is probably a good amount of people who actually believe North Korea’s claim.

You can read much more about this hijacking at the below link: