Tesla is upset because this new policy to reward companies that make green cars leaves them out:

Attention is growing over a local policy incentivizing car manufacturers to produce more eco-friendly vehicles, as Tesla is known to be lobbying the government in an attempt to benefit from the program.

The policy requires local carmakers to increase the portion of eco-friendly vehicles they produce. The program fines companies that fail to meet the required percentage of green cars, but rewards those that do by providing incentives.

The U.S. tech company claims the policy is unfair because it only applies to car manufacturers that sold at least 4,500 vehicles here as of 2009. Tesla does not fall under this category.

The company is known to have stated the policy goes against the national (equitable) treatment principle under the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA). The principle requires governments to treat local and foreign businesses equally, given products of the foreign business have entered the local market.

Korea Times

You can read more at the link, but the Korean government’s perspective is that they don’t want to reward a company that already makes nothing, but green cars.

Congress has made it official now that Joe Biden will be the next U.S. President:

South Korea on Thursday congratulated U.S. President-elect Joe Biden after the Congress certified his election, expressing hopes for closer cooperation and a stronger alliance.

In a joint session of the House and Senate, U.S. lawmakers affirmed Biden as the winner of the Nov. 3 presidential election. Biden finished with 306 electoral college votes while outgoing President Donald Trump had 232. 

“Our government congratulates President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris on the confirmation of the presidential election victory through the U.S. Congress’ certification of electoral college results,” Choi Young-sam, spokesman of the foreign ministry, said in a commentary.

“The government is looking forward to close communication and cooperation with the incoming Biden administration on the continued development of the firm South Korea-U.S. alliance, denuclearization and the establishment of lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula and global pending issues including public health security and climate change,” he added.

Before the congressional certification, extreme Trump supporters stormed the Capitol, creating an unprecedented scene of chaos at the legislature at the core of America’s democracy. But Trump said that there will be an “orderly transition” until Biden takes over on Jan. 20.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

It is pretty horrible that someone would abuse a 16 month old child to death:

The horrific death of a 16-month-old allegedly abused by her adoptive parents has triggered an outpouring of grief nationwide and anger over many missed chances to save her.

The girl, named Jung-in, died at a hospital in western Seoul on Oct. 13, hours after she was taken to the hospital by her adoptive mother.

The National Forensic Service concluded that she died of severe abdominal injuries and internal bleeding that were caused by “strong external force applied on her back.” Signs of prolonged abuse, such as fractured bones and bruises, were also found on her once-healthy body.

Last month, prosecutors charged the adoptive mother, surnamed Jang, with child abuse resulting in death, emotional abuse and neglect. She has been in pretrial detention. The adoptive father was charged with child abuse and neglect.

Jung-in’s case has gained renewed national attention after SBS, a local broadcaster, aired an investigative report over the weekend to reveal the utter brutality of the abuse done to the toddler, and how child welfare agencies and police have squandered golden chances that could have saved her life.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link, but this was one of those classic cases of all the warning signs being there, but authorities were not willing to do anything about it.

As long as North Korea continues to put the vast majority of their resources into their military and nuclear weapons program they are never going to develop their economy. This apparently is okay with Kim Jong-un:

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said his five-year economic plan had failed to meet its goals “on almost every sector” as he kicked off a congress of the ruling Workers’ Party, state media KCNA reported on Wednesday.

The rare political gathering, which Kim last hosted in 2016, has drawn international attention as he is expected to unveil a new five-year economic plan and address inter-Korean ties and foreign policy. The congress, attended by 4,750 delegates and 2,000 spectators, comes just two weeks before U.S. President-elect Joe Biden takes office.

In his opening speech, Kim said the country had achieved a “miraculous victory” by bolstering its power and global prestige since the last meeting, referring to military advances that culminated in successful tests in 2017 of intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of striking the U.S. mainland and a series of meetings with U.S. President Donald Trump.

But the five-year economic strategy he set forth in 2016 had failed to deliver, he said, urging North Korea’s greater self-reliance.

“The strategy was due last year but it tremendously fell short of goals on almost every sector,” Kim said, according to KCNA.

In his 2016 plan, Kim called for accelerating economic growth and expanding domestic sources of energy, including nuclear power, to boost electricity supplies. He also underscored the “byungjin” policy of parallel development of nuclear weapons and the economy.

Reuters

You can read more at the link, but for the Kim regime to remain in power they have to maintain their threatening military capability. If North Korea did not have the military capability to destroy Seoul with their artillery and threaten the U.S. and its regional allies with nukes they would not be taken seriously.

This could be a sign that the cost sharing issue will likely get resolved when the new Biden administration takes over:

South Korea and the United States are negotiating a plan to share labor costs and avoid once more furloughing local employees of U.S. Forces Korea, a spokesman for the South Korean Ministry of National Defense said Monday.

“South Korea and U.S. defense authorities are currently holding discussions for employment stability of Koreans working for USFK,” said Boo Seung-chan at a Monday ministry briefing.

Seoul and Washington have been at odds over President Donald Trump’s demand that South Korea substantially increase the amount it pays to host a U.S. military presence, a contract called the Special Measures Agreement. The previous agreement expired in December 2018.

Stars & Stripes

You can read more at the link.

This is essentially a state sponsored hijacking and ransom by Iran:

South Korea and Iran agreed Tuesday to work toward a diplomatic solution for this week’s seizure of a Korean oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, a foreign ministry official said. 

Fresh tensions appeared to flare up between the two countries after the vessel, MT Hankuk Chemi, was seized Monday by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) reportedly due to allegations of chemical pollution. The operator of the ship denied the allegations.

The vessel with five South Koreans, 11 Myanmarese, two Indonesians and two Vietnamese on board was traveling from Saudi Arabia to the United Arab Emirates. Iranian officials said they remain safe. (………)

The seizure came amid tensions between Seoul and Tehran over Iranian financial assets frozen under U.S. sanctions.

A foreign ministry official confirmed that the two countries and the U.S. have been in talks about using the Iranian money frozen at South Korean banks due to U.S. sanctions to purchase COVID-19 vaccines from a global vaccine procurement program. (……..)

About US$7 billion worth of Iranian assets is locked in South Korean banks after Washington tightened sanctions against Tehran. In April last year, Seoul gained sanctions exemption from Washington for exports of humanitarian goods to Tehran.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link, but this is the same scam North Korea plays. Just like when the international community provides food aid or other humanitarian assistance to North Korea that frees up money for the Kim regime to use on other things besides their own people.

If the frozen Iranian money is allowed to purchase COVID vaccine shots that frees up money for the mullahs to use to fund their proxies and military capabilities.