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GM Korea stops taking orders for 2014 Malibu diesel

Dale Sullivan  Lee Il-supBy Park Jin-haiGM Korea Co., the South Korean unit of U.S. automaker General Motors Co., said Thursday that it stopped taking new orders for its popular Malibu diesel midsize sedan due to supply problems.The 2014 model year car powered by a 2.0-liter motor mated to a six-speed automatic transmission has a combined fuel economy of 13.3 kilometers on a liter of fuel. So far, the carmaker has received some 3,000 orders, which exceeds its ability to make the cars and sell them to customers in a timely manner.The vehicle comes in two trims, both of which are priced under 30 million won ($29,280), making it relatively "affordable" for a diesel passenger car.It has been well received by South Korean consumers who have become more favorable towards diesel passenger cars in recent years, thanks mainly to their excellent mileage compared to gasoline vehicles. The engine comes from Opel, GM's Germany subsidiary, while Japan's Aisin supplies the transmission.Since sales started in mid March, the company reported sales hitting 216 units in the first month, with

May 8, 2014
GM Korea stops taking orders for 2014 Malibu diesel

KBS reporters “We shied away from angry Sewol victims”

Some 40 reporters and cameramen from state-run broadcaster KBS voluntarily submitted a repentence note admitting their lack of professionalism in covering the Sewol ferry disaster.  By Ko Dong-hwanTens of KBS reporters submitted on their intranet server a collective self-critique reflecting on how they unprofessionally covered the Sewol fiasco.Those with remorse were 40 reporters and cameramen employed by the state-run broadcaster in 2012 and 2013. Among them, 10 representing the group penned the afterthought.   One reporter confessed they made up reports without visiting the disaster site in Jindo. They feared families of victims might beat them out of angst, since headlong journalists eager to make their reports exclusive were once blamed by the public.Another said they intentionally didn’t cover the pandemonium that erupted when President Park Geun-hye visited a Jindo indoor gymnasium to condole the families.In replacing audio records from the president, they said they used computer graphics as fillers.Another wrote he realized the 10kg equipment they carry on

May 8, 2014By Ko Dong-hwan
KBS reporters “We shied away from angry Sewol victims”

Singles pressured to tie knots retort “need more time”

By Ko Dong-hwan  A survey conducted by a leading matchmaking agency Noblese Soohyun found majority of single men and women say they need more time as an excuse for putting off their marriage.Edaily News revealed Thursday results of the survey ―  “How do you deal with marriage pressure?” ― based on responses by 477 males and 481 females submitted from April 22 to May 2.Most selected answers from male and female respondents were, respectively, “I need more time to prepare for marriage” (37.3 percent) and “I don’t want to get married yet” (43.1 percent).Respondents also answered they mildly scare away those causing pressure, saying they will leave home and live on their own. Others answered they say they are dating someone (which could be true or a lie).Men and women wait for their marriage with different psychological reasoning. While men in general prioritize work security and earning sufficient funds for future wedlock, women pitch for career importance with intentions to break glass ceilings.      

May 8, 2014By Ko Dong-hwan
Singles pressured to tie knots retort “need more time”

Potato soju to be up for sale

By Ko Dong-hwanNew type of potato-brewed soju will hit the liquor market as early as late May. The government is seeking to join hands with the nation’s liquor brewers to release a vegetable-brewed soju ― using 10,000 tons of potatoes ― according to Kyunghyang Shinmun Wednesday.This unprecedented liquor project was proposed amid concerns about the recent surge in cultivated potato crops; with the abundance in supplies will follow a plunge in potato prices, which will damage families and businesses of interests.The government came up with the idea of turning the crops into ethanol, a liquor ingredient more commonly known as alcohol.The report said residual potatoes will be distributed to nine brewers, including Jinro Distillers and Chang-Hae, each with about 1,000 to 2,000 tons.The Korea Alcohol Liquor Industry Association said the new soju will be brewed only for temporary periods using the limited crops. It will be available in the market starting late May, the report added.Potatoes have been shunned by brewers because of their high moisture composition. The liquors have

May 8, 2014By Ko Dong-hwan
Potato soju to be up for sale

Reports on highway load drop to be rewarded

Starting June, people who first report vehicles dropping loads on expressways with submission of video or photo evidences will be rewarded 50,000 won. / Courtesy of daum By Ko Dong-hwan The government announced a plan to reward citizens reporting highway load drops with submission of hard evidences, Chosun Ilbo said Thursday.The Korea Express Corporation rolled out the new measure in order to raise awareness on dangers of dropping loads on expressways by running vehicles. The corporation will promote the measure throughout May and will put it into effect starting June.The measure states that the first person to capture the scene along with plate numbers of vehicles dropping loads in either black box video or photo is eligible for reward worth 50,000 won. For reporting, they can reach the corporation by calling 1588-2504.The corporation, upon receiving the report, will promptly clean up the mess and compensate those who report to police about their damages due to the incident.   

May 8, 2014By Ko Dong-hwan
Reports on highway load drop to be rewarded

Gov't to revoke license for operator of sunken ferry

The government said Thursday it will seek to permanently remove the operator of the sunken ferry Sewol from the related industry.The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries said it will revoke the operation license of Chonghaejin Marine Co. for its Incheon-Jeju Island route following the deadly sinking of a ferry en route to the southern resort island on April 16. The ministry said it will also press the company to voluntarily give up its operation license for two other routes -- between Incheon and western Baengnyeong Island and the other service between Yeosu and Geomun Island.An investigation of the accident, still ongoing, has found numerous regulation violations by Chonghaejin Marine, including cargo overload and skipped or shoddy safety inspections. Nearly 270 passengers, most of them high school students who were on a field trip, have died while 35 remained missing as of Thursday."The ministry has repeatedly made clear of its plan to revoke the operation license of Chonghaejin Marine Co.," it said in a press release.It earlier planned to take the administrative measure after the pros

May 8, 2014

Opposition party leaders visit families of missing in ferry disaster

The main opposition party's two co-leaders visited the families of those missing in the Sewol ferry disaster on Thursday, saying they wished to ease the pain of parents fearing the loss of their children in the sinking three weeks ago.Reps. Kim Han-gil and Ahn Cheol-soo, the co-leaders of the New Politics Alliance for Democracy, arrived at the gymnasium where families of those missing are camped, but few people were awake as it was still early.Their visit coincided with Parents' Day in South Korea, when young children typically express their gratitude and love for their parents with carnations and cards."We came quietly on Parents' Day to hold the hands of the families and comfort them," Kim said.Of the 476 people aboard the Sewol on April 16, 325 passengers were students of Danwon High School in Ansan, just south of Seoul, who were on a field trip to the southern resort island of Jeju.As of Thursday, 269 people were confirmed dead in the disaster, while more than 30 remained missing."Many families are worried that the ship will be raised before all the bodies have been recovered," K

May 8, 2014

Sewol operator logged most accidents over 5 years

The operator of the ill-fated ferry Sewol registered the largest number of accidents among the country's passenger ship companies over the past five years, government data showed Wednesday.Despite the poor record, Chonghaejin Marine Co. was spared punitive measures, and rather was cited as one of the best ferry operators in the country last year.Chonghaejin owns the 6,825-ton ferry that sank off the southwestern coast last month, leaving 302 people dead or missing at the last count Wednesday.According to the data compiled by the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, four passenger boats run by Chonghaejin were involved in a total of six accidents between 2009 and 2013, or about 10 percent of the 59 accidents reported during the period.The data was made public by Rep. Kim Choon-jin of the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy.Chonghaejin officials as well as its owner family have been under investigation over the deadly sinking of the ferry Sewol. Of the 476 people on board, 269 have been confirmed dead, with 33 remaining unaccounted for.Three weeks before the Sewo

May 8, 2014
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