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2025/07/21 22:43

2025. 7. 21. KOREAN STOCK MARKET KOSPI : 3,210.81 ▲22.74 +0.71% KOSDAQ : 821.69 ▲1.02 +0.12% KOSPI200 : 434.56 ▲3.46 +0.80% ASIAN STOCK MARKET NIKKEI225 : CLOSED HANG SENG : 24,994.14 ▲168.48 +0.68% SHANGHAI : 3,559.79 ▲25.30 +0.72% WALL STREET (July 18) DOW JONES : 44,342.19 ▼142.30 -0.32% NASDAQ : 20,895.66 ▲10.00 +0.05% S&P500 : 6,296.79 ▼0.57 -0.01% EXCHANGE RATE USD : 1,388.20 (-4.80) JPY : 937.94 (+1.56) CNY : 193.36 (-0.55) EUR : 1,615.31 (-2.66)

18 dead, 9 missing following torrential rain; government announces recovery plans

2025/07/21 22:42

At least 18 people are dead and 9 missing after days of torrential rain triggered landslides and flash flooding across South Korea. Recovery operations are in full swing, as the government rolls out emergency measures to support survivors and restore damaged infrastructure. Our Kim Jung-sil has our top story. The devastating rainstorm that began last week has caused widespread destruction across the country. According to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, 18 people have been confirmed dead, with 9 still missing. The worst-hit region was Sancheong in Gyeongsangnam-do Province, where 10 people died after a massive landslide. Other fatalities were reported across Gyeonggi-do and Chungcheongnam-do provinces, with one dead in Gwangju. The search for survivors continues, but dangerous, unstable terrain is making recovery efforts difficult. More than 14,000 people have been forced to evacuate, seeking shelter across 15 provinces. Over 4,000 instances of property damage have been reported, with submerged roads, collapsed embankments, and flooded farmland, along with significant destruction to private property. "I've been running this business for 10 years. What is this? My fridge, everything, my house too." In response, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced Monday a comprehensive financial relief package for affected areas. Local governments are providing immediate financial support, mobilizing disaster relief funds for shelters, supplies, and emergency recovery operations. The government is also offering tax exemptions for vehicles, homes, and agricultural equipment that were destroyed, as well as delayed tax payments and other relief measures for residents burdened by the damage. Newly appointed Minister of the Interior and Safety, Yun Ho-jung, visited one of the hardest-hit areas on Sunday, assuring the public that restoring normalcy is now a top priority. "We will mobilize all available resources from local governments and relevant agencies to ensure that recovery efforts are swift and effective." While recovery efforts are underway, the full extent of the damage remains uncertain. Kim Jung-sil, Arirang News.

[Weather] Heat wave returns with showers across the country

2025/07/21 22:41

The heat wave warnings have been expanding and strengthening. Heat wave advisories are in place in most areas except Gyeonggi-do, Gangwon-do, and the Gyeongsang-do provinces. Daytime temperatures will rise to around 33 degrees Celsius in most regions tomorrow. With high humidity, the temperatures will feel as high as 36 degrees in some places. There have been sudden showers due to severe atmospheric instability nationwide. The amount of rain expected in showers until tonight is around 5 to 60 millimeters. Especially in the south, there might be strong rain of around 30 to 50 millimeters per hour. Tomorrow morning will start warm at 23 to 26 degrees across the country. Daily highs will move up to 31 degrees in Seoul and Busan, 32 degrees in Jeju. Showers, along with the summer heat, will continue for the time being. That's all for Korea. Here are the weather conditions around the world.

[Sports Round-up] An Se-young clinches sixth title of year with BWF Japan Open

2025/07/21 22:41

Time now to look at what's been happening in the world of sports. For that, we have our sports editor Paul Neat joining us in the studio. Hello, Paul. Hello. Let's start with badminton. Yet another title for An Se-young. Yes, that's number six for the year for the world number one. An Se-young's most recent win was the Japan Open in Tokyo on Sunday. In the women's singles final, An swept world number two Wang Zhiyi of China in straight sets --21-12, 21-10 --and did so in just 42 minutes. An actually went behind in the earlier part of the first game, 5 to 7, but found her rhythm and never looked back. An has now won six of the seven Badminton World Federation competitions this year. Wasting no time at all, An will compete in the China Open from July 22nd to the 27th. Moving on to football now. The 2025 K League season is heading towards the business end now. Yes, the weekend saw the second round robin end. The third begins tomorrow with Round 23. Jeonbuk are the runaway league leaders, sitting 12 points clear of Daejeon in second. On Saturday, Jeonbuk came back from 2-0 down to beat Pohang Steelers away, while Daejeon having been 2-0 up, drew 2-2 with Gangwon. Jeonbuk are looking for their first K League 1 title since 2021 and are edging closer. The Green Warriors are now unbeaten in 18 matches in the league. Elsewhere over the weekend, FC Seoul moved up to fourth following a 1-0 win over Ulsan. It was their first win over the Horangi in eight years and was won via a wondergoal by ex-Premier League star Jesse Lingard. Afterwards, Lingard said the goal was in his personal top five. K League 1 goes through three round robins of 11 matches for each team, followed by Final A and B after Round 33, when the top six play each other once more, so too the bottom six. To baseball. Lee Jung-hoo put in a solid performance for the San Francisco Giants on Sunday. Yes, in what was his return to the leadoff spot as well. He recorded two hits, going 2-for-5 with an RBI on Sunday in what was an 8-6 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays. It was the first time since mid-June for Lee to be the leadoff, and he opened the game with a double -his 20th of the season, which is the most among all Giants players. His RBI came in inning number six. The Giants are third in the National League West. Lee is batting point-249 for the season but is at point-306 for July following his four multihit games. And, finally, in sports climbing. A gold medal for a South Korean. Yes, a first gold of the season for Lee Do-hyun. It came on Saturday local time at the 12th IFSC World Cup in Madrid. In the men's lead final, Lee outclimbed Spain's Alberto Ginés López and Japan's Satone Yoshida to claim the top spot. After barely making it through the semis, Lee surged ahead in the finals to secure his third podium this season, adding to earlier silver and bronze wins in bouldering. This gold is especially meaningful, as it's his first ever in the lead discipline, and is his fourth career World Cup gold overall. Alright, thank you for that wrap-up, Paul. We shall see you again next week. Yes, thank you.

Annual World Korean Educator Conference 2025 kicks off

2025/07/21 22:39

From K-pop to Korean content, as the country's culture spreads, learning Korean has also become a byproduct. As more people seek to learn the language, the efforts of countless Korean educators at home and abroad are becoming crucial. Ahn Sung-jin went to this year's World Korean Educator Conference to learn more about this. "Korean meets the world, and educators open the future." Under this theme, hundreds of Korean language educators gathered for the 17th World Korean Educator Conference. Hosted by the Ministry of Culture and organized by the King Sejong Institute, the conference brings together teachers working at the latter's institutes across the globe. This year's event welcomes around 160 Korean-teaching professionals from more than 100 such institutes in 49 countries. The recipient of this year's top teaching award was acknowledged for introducing a unique lesson plan integrating writing courses through social media, and a cultural and language exchange program with Korean students studying abroad. "Rather than exposing Korean just as a language, I hope to teach it as a bridge to communicate with the world." The conference offers a range of programs designed to share the latest teaching methods and strengthen the expertise of Korean instructors, including practical workshops and curriculum discussions, and showcase innovative classroom techniques. "The demand for Korean culture is only going to increase, so we plan on expanding content that can be used in Korean-teaching classes. We are also seeking to establish an online platform and network, to share ideas and communicate, to firmly ground Korean-learning education." The 4-day-long conference will continue through the end of the week with professional development sessions aimed at building global connections and advancing Korean language education worldwide. Ahn Sung-jin, Arirang News.

Japan's ruling coalition loses majority in upper house election

2025/07/21 22:38

Japan's ruling coalition has lost control of the upper house in a major political setback. For the first time in 70 years, the long-ruling Liberal Democratic Party has failed to hold its majority in both the lower and upper houses. Choi Soo-hyung reports. Japan's ruling coalition has failed to secure a majority in the upper house. In the election on Sunday, the ruling coalition comprised of the Liberal Democratic Party and its partner Komeito lost its majority gaining only 47 seats. To keep their majority, the ruling coalition parties needed to win at least 50 seats, adding to the 75 they already held. But the LDP won just 39, and Komeito got 8, falling short of that target. Currently, Japan's House of Councilors has 248 members, each serving a 6-year term. Every three years, half of the seats are up for election and this year, 125 seats were voted on, including one vacant seat in Tokyo. As a result, the ruling camp now holds 122 seats, while the opposition claimed 126 taking over the upper house. Following last year's major defeat in the House of Representatives election, the Liberal Democratic Party has lost ground again. This is the first time since the party was founded in 1955 that the LDP-led government has failed to hold a majority in both the lower and upper houses. Taking its place is the rising Democratic Party for the People, which advocates a moderate line and gained strong support, winning 17 seats. The party earned votes with appeals to ordinary people, such as raising take-home pay and lowering insurance costs for young people. The right-leaning Sanseito won 14 seats by promoting a "Japanese First" policy, including restrictions on foreign land ownership in Japan, despite criticism for discriminating against foreigners. Voter turnout was 58-point-52 percent, rising more than 6 percentage points compared to three years ago. Regardless of the election results, experts say bilateral cooperation between South Korea and Japan will remain positive, especially on external threats. "We need to deal with non-conventional new emerging threats as well, and of course challenges from China technologically, economically, and politically, which is not simple at all. So, having had all these conflicts and threats and challenges surrounding us, I think again, the bilateral relationship will remain pretty much cooperative." Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is now expected to come under pressure to resign after the consecutive defeats. However, right after exit polls, he stated that he would fulfill his responsibility as the leader of the largest party, showing his determination to remain in office. Choi Soo-hyung, Arirang News.

Livelihood recovery coupons see high level interest on day one

2025/07/21 22:37

Again, the purpose of the rollout of these cash handouts is to stimulate domestic consumption and provide citizens and small business owners a sense of relief from persistent inflation. Our Moon Ji-young went out to hear people's reactions on the first day of distribution. Immense public interest was evident on the first day of applications for the livelihood recovery consumption coupons. Older members of society were seen lining up in front of community centers to apply, while the widespread enthusiasm also led to some credit card website servers crashing. "I am here at a local market in southern Seoul. The coupons can be used at small businesses like these." Many have said that they'll be using the coupons to pay for daily necessities. "Once I get this cash handout, I can definitely cut down on what I spend on food. So, I think it'll really lighten the load, at least for a bit." "You see, I've got three kids. And honestly, their academy fees cost more than I thought they would. Since it isn't exactly cheap, I really want to put this towards my kids' education expenses." On the small business front, owners are holding onto the hope that the consumption coupons will give the economy at least a temporary lift. "I think it'll be easier for people who might've eaten less meat because it's pricey now. We expect this to create a virtuous cycle for the entire livestock industry. And if our sales increase significantly, allowing us to pay more in taxes, I believe that would be beneficial for everyone." "I guess with these livelihood coupons, consumer spending will pick up for a little while. But it won't last long, so the market will probably only be active for a bit. And once these coupons are all used up, I'm worried the economy might drop again." Experts expect the coupons to boost consumption. However, they also point out that they are a stimulus measure rather than an economic growth strategy. "When looking at different income levels, for high-income earners and upper-middle-income earners, the issuance of these consumption coupons is more likely to result in an increase in excess savings rather than driving additional consumption. Conversely, for lower-middle-income earners and below, we believe these consumption coupons will clearly and directly translate into consumption." Meanwhile, the government pledged to meticulously work with local governments to ensure that not a single citizen misses out on receiving them. Moon Ji-young, Arirang News.

S. Korea's livelihood recovery consumption coupon applications begin

2025/07/21 22:36

From today, people in South Korea started applying for their livelihood recovery consumption coupons that are designed to revitalize the local economy and people's livelihoods. Park Jun-han has the details. Registrations for the livelihood recovery consumption coupon, the first major economic stimulus under the Lee Jae Myung administration, started from 9 AM Monday. The Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced that the applications will be open for approximately eight weeks, until 6 PM on September 12. The coupon program provides 150-thousand Korean won, roughly 1-hundred-8 U.S. dollars, per recipient, with higher amounts for certain groups. 300-thousand won will be given to low-income households and single-parent families, and 400-thousand won for recipients of the Basic Livelihood Subsidy. Residents from areas outside of Seoul, Incheon, and Gyeonggi-do Province will receive an additional 30-thousand won, while those living in one of the 84 designated rural areas at risk of depopulation will get an extra 50-thousand won. People will receive coupons the day after application and the coupons are valid until November 30. The ministry says no coupons will be issued after the September 12 deadline, and those who don't apply will not receive any benefits. People can apply online through their bank or credit card sites or through local payment apps such as Seoul Pay Plus. They can also apply offline at their local government neighborhood office. Online registrations are available through either mobile devices or computers. To prevent system overload and congestion, the first week from Monday through Friday will follow a day-of-the-week system based on the last digit of the applicant's birth year: 1 or 6 on Monday, 2 or 7 on Tuesday and so on. Weekend applications are only available online. Applicants can choose to receive coupons as credit/debit cards, prepaid cards, or a community-based gift certificate which can only be used at registered merchants in the applicant's municipality. Coupons can only be used at small businesses with annual sales of 3 billion won or less. They are not valid at places such as large supermarkets, department stores, duty-free shops, and online malls. Foreign residents who fall under certain categories can also receive the coupons. The eligible groups are permanent residents, marriage migrants, recognized refugees those who are listed on a resident registration document that includes at least one Korean citizen. To be eligible, they must be enrolled in the national health insurance system, either as a subscriber, dependent or recipient. The government says the livelihood coupon should stimulate consumption and boost the local economy. Park Jun-han, Arirang News.

President Lee withdraws nomination for Lee Jin-sook as Education Minister

2025/07/21 22:35

President Lee Jae Myung's Cabinet is continuing to take shape, with several appointments confirmed and one notable nomination withdrawn over the weekend. Our Presidential Office correspondent Song Yoo-jin reports. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung is building his first Cabinet, but not without a few bumps along the way. On Sunday, President Lee withdrew his nomination of Lee Jin-sook, the former president of Chungnam National University, as Education Minister. "President Lee has been carefully weighing up his decision, listening to a wide range of opinions. On Saturday, he met with Kim Byung-kee, floor leader of the ruling Democratic Party, and Song Eon-seog, interim leader and floor leader of the main opposition People Power Party, to hear their views as well." The nominee had come under fire following allegations of plagiarism in her academic work and controversy over sending her daughter abroad alone to study while still a middle school student, which is illegal under Korean law. Woo added that the government will search for a new candidate to lead the Education Ministry. However, the President is standing by his pick for the Minister of Gender Equality and Family, Democratic Party lawmaker Kang Sun-woo, who's also facing backlash over allegedly mistreating her aides. "After thoroughly reviewing the issues raised, Kang's explanation, and opinions shared through various channels, the President has made his final decision." President Lee has filled seven of the 19 minister posts in his first Cabinet so far: six new faces and one holdover, retaining Agriculture Minister Song Mi-ryung. More appointments could follow this week, as confirmation hearings have been completed for all but the Culture and Land ministries. In South Korea, minister nominees must go through parliamentary confirmation hearings, though it's the President who makes the final decision. Song Yoo-jin, Arirang News.

President Lee visits downpour-devastated southern county

2025/07/21 22:34

President Lee toured a southern county in Gyeongsangnam-do Province today, which has been hit hard by recent downpours. He called for the need to speed up designating flood-hit areas as special disaster zones. Our presidential office correspondent Yoon Jung-min reports. Stepping on the ground where a trail of devastation was evident, President Lee Jae Myung met with residents, many of whose homes and farms had been turned into wreckage. He was in Sancheong-gun County in Gyeongsangnam-do Province on Monday, where at least 10 people were killed and four are missing. "Do you need anything?" "The entrance to our cattle shed has been completely blocked." "Do you need a machine to remove the debris?" The President also met rescue workers and was briefed about the situation by the county's deputy mayor. "Why has the town been hit particularly hard?" "We thought the clouds would dissipate, but they didn't and caused downpours." The President expressed his condolences and instructed officials to establish measures to prevent such disasters from happening again. He asked rescue workers to do their best searching for the missing, as he listened to the suffering of the people. "The president asked officials to provide recovery and relief support that people actually need, as he heard from the residents that they are in short supply of shoes and underwear because they had to evacuate abruptly." For that, Lee called for speedy aid, in line with the announcement the previous day to swiftly designate areas hit hard as special disaster zones to help facilitate financial and recovery support, while also mentioning providing special grants. Present at the site was the new interior minister Yun Ho-jung, who was instructed by the President to use all available measures to help support the residents affected. Yoon Jung-min, Arirang News.

Lee Jae Myung’s envoy diplomacy begins; shift in Korea’s foreign priorities?

2025/07/21 21:35

Welcome to Within The Frame, where we bring the most pressing issues across the globe into focus. I'm Kim Mok-yeon. It's been just over a month since President Lee Jae Myung officially took office, and already, diplomatic gears are turning. South Korea is signaling a full return to international engagement after a six-month vacuum following the impeachment of former President Yoon. Special envoy teams have been dispatched to key global players—including France, the UK, India, and the EU—marking a clear departure from the traditional focus on Washington, Beijing, Tokyo, and Moscow. At the same time, Foreign Minister Cho Hyun is reportedly preparing for his first trip to the U.S., aiming to break ground on stalled tariff negotiations. With summit diplomacy hanging in the balance and geopolitical tensions still active, many are asking—how is South Korea recalibrating its foreign policy? For more on this, we invite Hannah Kim, Associate Professor at Sogang University GSIS. Welcome. Also joining us is Robert Kelly, Professor of International Relations at Pusan National University. Good to see you. 1. (Kelly) Let's start with Prof.Kelly, the Lee Jae Myung's administration recently sent special envoys to three major countries—France, the UK, and India, as well as the EU—starting July 14th. This marks a shift from previous governments, which traditionally prioritized ties with the U.S., China, Japan, and Russia. How do you interpret the latest move? 2. (Kim) Building on that, South Korea went through a roughly six-month suspension of summit diplomacy following the impeachment of President Yoon. Could this latest round of envoy dispatches be read as a clear signal that Korea is reopening formal diplomatic channels? 3. (Kelly) Now turning to a broader scope, Seoul's presidential office has announced plans to send envoys to as many as 14 countries. How likely could this expanded outreach translate into tangible economic and security partnerships?(Some see this as a message of practical diplomacy, while others worry the impact may be diluted if too many countries are engaged at once. Where do you stand?) 4. (Kim) Let's narrow in on the U.S. angle, so just over a month into the new administration, a special envoy to the U.S. was formed, headed by former KCCI Chairman Park Yong-maan. Given that a business leader was chosen to represent the administration, should we interpret this as a signal that Korea intends to emphasize economic issues—especially trade—in its U.S. relations? 5. (Kelly) Looking eastward, envoys to China, Japan, and Russia haven't been finalized yet. These countries involve complex issues tied to history, security, and trade. Would you say the administration is taking a more cautious, calculated approach? 6. (Kim) Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, who officially took office today—reportedly is coordinating a visit to the U.S. During his confirmation hearing, he expressed optimism that the Korea-U.S. tariff negotiations could be concluded on time. Do you expect his trip to bring a potential breakthrough moment for those talks? 7. (Kelly) Taking all these factors into account, when do you think would be the most realistic timeframe for a Korea-U.S. summit to actually take place? 8. (Kim) In the absence of a confirmed Korea-U.S. summit date, there's speculation that a Korea-Japan summit might happen first. What's your outlook on that possibility? 9. (Kelly) Lastly, reports say President Lee has decided not to attend China's 80th Victory Day commemoration, after deliberation. While this may reflect consideration for Korea-U.S. ties, there's also talk of a Korea-China summit during the APEC meetings in Gyeongju later this year. What kind of impact do you think this might have on Seoul-Beijing relations? And more broadly—how should Korea navigate its diplomatic path with China?

JAPAN'S RULING COALITION LOSES MAJORITY IN UPPER HOUSE

2025/07/21 19:44

Welcome to Press Perspective. It's Monday July 21st here in South Korea. I'm Min Sunhee. Today we touch upon the results of a key parliamentary election in neighboring Japan and their broader implications. For this I have Celio Fioretti with French daily La Croix here in Seoul. Celio welcome back. I also have Walter Sim with Singaporean daily The Straits Times over in Tokyo. Walter it's great to have you on. Walter, let's begin with the result of Sunday's Upper House election and its political implications for the ruling coalition. Walter, what has been the public response to the election result? Celio, keeping in mind Sunday's election result, what potential policy changes in Japan are likely to be closely watched by South Korea? Celio, last week, Seoul condemned Tokyo's claim over Korea's Dokdo islets. Now the claim was carried in Japan's annual white paper, which also referred to South Korea as an important regional partner. Do you believe global geopolitics will help the two countries find a way to move beyond the past conflict and into a future of constructive collaboration? And why is such cooperation critical under the current climate of geopolitics? Walter, back in Japan, domestic concerns including inflation and immigration are believed to have strongly shaped voter sentiment. First, how severe is the inflation there? And Walter, do explain the anti-foreigner sentiment there in Japan. I hear some scholars have also shared concern over the growing xenophobia there? Celio, immigration has been proposed as one potential option to address South Korea's own population crisis, and UPI recently covered a dire reality for the country over the next one hundred years. Do tell us a bit about this petrifying population prediction, and the prospects of immigration as a tool to tackle it here in this country. Meanwhile, Walter, what's the latest with regard to Japan's tariff talks with the Trump administration? Celio, what has been the impact of Mr. Trump's trade protectionism on the concept of nationalism versus globalism here in this part of the world? And Walter, I extend the same question to you. How is the U.S. under the Trump administration shaping the regional debate over nationalism versus globalism? All right.

18 killed, 9 missing in heavy rains, landslides

2025/07/21 19:42

We start with the death toll from the torrential rain here in South Korea that triggered frightening flash floods and lethal landslides. Lee Seung-jae starts us off. 18 people have been killed and 9 others are missing after heavy rain across South Korea, beginning last week, and subsequent flooding and landslides. The latest figures were announced by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and the National Fire Agency on Monday, with the southern county of Sancheong seeing the largest number of victims with 10 dead and 4 missing. Firefighting officials say rescue operations are still underway there. Torrential downpours have slammed the country since Wednesday, with Sancheong receiving an accumulated 793-point-5 millimeters of rain as of 5 PM Sunday. The other deaths occurred in Osan and Gapyeong in Gyeonggi-do Province, Seosan and Dangjin, Chungcheongnam-do Province, and the southwestern city of Gwangju. Since last week, authorities have reported 1-thousand-999 cases of flooded roads, soil loss and destroyed public facilities, with 2-thousand-238 other cases of damage to private property. Over 14 thousand people have been taken to shelters across 15 major cities and provinces, while 62 flights were cancelled. In response to the nationwide damage,.. President Lee Jae Myung on Sunday, instructed the government to find ways to swiftly designate the areas that were hit hardest as special disaster zones. Areas designated as special disaster zones are entitled to government support for damage recovery and victim relief. Lee Seung-jae, Arirang News.

[Weather] Showers and summer heat across the country

2025/07/21 19:42

The heat wave came back immediately after the heavy rain. From now on, you need to prepare for the steaming heat again. With heat wave warnings and advisories in effect across the country, scorching heat of around 33 degrees Celsius will continue during the day tomorrow. With high humidity, the temperatures will feel as high as nearly 36 degrees. As the atmosphere is unstable, showers have been falling across the country. There will be up to 80 millimeters of rain from showers in the Jeolla-do provinces and western parts of Gyeongsangnam-do Province, and 5 to 60 millimeters in other areas by tonight. Tomorrow morning will start warm at 23 to 26 degrees all over the country. Daily highs will move up to 31 degrees in Seoul and Busan, 30 degrees in Chuncheon. There will be lots of showers along with the heat for the time being. That's all for Korea. Here are the weather conditions around the world.

World News: Vietnam's Halong Bay boat capsize death toll rises to 38

2025/07/21 19:41

This is the World Now, bringing you the latest stories from around the globe. In Vietnam a tourist boat capsized in Ha Long Bay on Saturday leading to at least 38 deaths. The Wonder Sea, carrying 53 people, mostly Vietnamese families from Hanoi, capsized around 2 PM local time after encountering sudden fierce winds, heavy rain, and lightning. Ten people were rescued, including a 14-year-old boy who was pulled out from the hull four hours after the capsize. Five people are still missing and search and rescue efforts are still underway. The storm came on so quickly that passengers had little time to react, even though life vests were available. In the United States, 30 people were injured, seven critically, when a vehicle drove into a crowd outside a music venue in East Hollywood, Los Angeles, in the early hours of Saturday. The driver, identified as 29-year-old Fernando Ramirez, was reportedly kicked out of the nightclub minutes before he drove his car into the crowd. Surveillance footage shows him mounting the sidewalk around 2 AM, first hitting a taco stand, then a valet podium, and finally the waiting crowd. Ramirez was dragged from the wrecked vehicle, assaulted, and shot before being hospitalized. Authorities found no evidence indicating that the incident was linked to terrorism or driven by any criminal intentions beyond the driver's intoxicated state. Police are also searching for the man who shot Ramirez and fled the scene. On Sunday, a 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck 144 kilometers east of Russia's Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky city. The tremors triggered tsunami alerts, which were later lifted. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center and U.S. National Tsunami Center issued coastal warnings for Kamchatka, Hawaii, Guam, and American Samoa. Roughly two hours later, all alerts were officially downgraded and lifted. There have been no reports of casualties or structural damage, and seismic activity has subsided. Authorities warn that the Kamchatka Peninsula remains a high-risk seismic zone. Tech company Astronomer Inc.'s CEO, Andy Byron, resigned on Saturday, after a video surfaced showing him embracing his Chief People Officer during a Coldplay concert. The incident took place on Wednesday, when Byron and Kristin Cabot appeared on the kiss cam, prompting reactions from Coldplay's Chris Martin, who joked, saying, "Either they're having an affair or they're just very shy." The footage went viral on social media platforms, drawing scrutiny for their conduct, particularly given that both are married. The company announced Byron's resignation from the CEO role, and Cabot was also reportedly suspended. Choi Chi-hee, Arirang News.

ArirangTV partners with LG Uplus to expand global reach

2025/07/21 19:40

ArirangTV South Korea's only English-language broadcasting channel is partnering with LG Uplus to expand its global platform. Arirang TV's content will be available in North America through LG Channels a free ad-supported streaming TV service operated by Korean mobile carrier LG Uplus. This particular service a first for Arirang in North America will start on Friday that is July 25. As LG Channels continues to expand Arirang hopes to make its content available in more countries. LG Uplus will use AI technology to add multilingual subtitles and dubbing to Arirang's content. The two entities will also work to expand satellite broadcasting across Latin America and Africa.

Mandarin oranges harvest in full swing from vinyl greenhouses on Jeju island

2025/07/21 19:40

Back on the local front. Jeju Island's greenhouse cultivation of citrus fruits including the mandarin is pledging another season of sweet-tasting oranges despite the sweltering heat. Cha Yun-kyung has details. The mandarin orange harvest is in full swing from vinyl greenhouses on Jeju Island. The oranges are yellow colored when daily temperature differences are large. That is why those from greenhouses mostly look green, especially in summer with lower temperature differences. Although the color is not a perfect yellow, the oranges' sugar content and quality are excellent. The abnormal weather the island has experienced this year has, however, delayed the harvesting season. Production is projected to be 26-thousand tons, which is 1-point-6 percent less than last year. However, the price is similar to last year, 25-thousand Korean won, around 18-point-4 U.S. dollars, for a 3 kilogram box. The farmers expect consumers to buy more of the produce. "Since we did our best to harvest the oranges, we hope that more consumers buy them." The sugar content of oranges from greenhouses this year is higher than usual at 10 to 12 Brix. Their high vitamin C content will help consumers overcome fatigue and maintain a healthy immune system. The National Agricultural Cooperative Federation stresses that it harvests fresh and high-quality oranges only. "We harvest fresh oranges only and ship them within two to three days, so our consumers should not worry about their quality at all." The NACF and farmers expect consumers will enjoy more oranges from Jeju Island this summer. Cha Yun-kyung, Arirang News.

At least 92 killed by Israeli fire while seeking aid in Gaza

2025/07/21 19:39

Dozens of Palestinians were shot dead in Gaza while seeking much-needed food aid. Park Hyo-been covers this tragic event. Last Sunday marked one of the deadliest days for Gazans seeking humanitarian aid as, according to Al Jazeera, at least 92 Palestinians were killed by Israeli gunfire across the Gaza Strip. It was one of the highest death tolls reported in a string of recent incidents where civilians were killed while trying to access food and aid. The shootings came as Israel's ongoing siege deepened Gaza's hunger crisis, with health officials reporting at least 19 deaths from starvation over the past day. "We were just going to get food for our children. We were not going to beg or fight, we just wanted to eat." "Now, Al-Shifa hospital is full of martyrs and the wounded. The situation is catastrophic. We can no longer handle the influx of injuries, so we have started directing patients to other field hospitals." The Israeli military acknowledged the incident, saying troops had fired "warning shots to remove an immediate threat posed to the forces," but did not provide specific evidence. Hamas expressed outrage over the incident, warning that the growing humanitarian catastrophe could derail the ongoing ceasefire talks in Qatar. Meanwhile, the Israeli military has expanded its ground operations in central and northern Gaza. Residents in Deir al-Balah said Israeli planes dropped leaflets ordering evacuations and later bombed three homes in the area. It marks the first time such an evacuation order has been issued for the area since the war began. The city was believed to be a potential location where hostages were being held, and Israel had avoided launching attacks due to concerns Hamas might execute them. But with ceasefire talks between the two groups in Doha once again stalled, Israel now appears to be ramping up military pressure on Hamas by expanding its ground operations. Park Hyo-been, Arirang News.

Japan's ruling coalition loses majority in upper house election

2025/07/21 19:38

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's ruling coalition lost its majority at the upper house in a parliamentary election this past Sunday. Our Choi Soo-hyung covers this result and its broader implications. Japan's ruling coalition has failed to secure a majority in the upper house. In the election on Sunday, the ruling coalition comprised of the Liberal Democratic Party and its partner Komeito lost its majority gaining only 47 seats. To keep their majority, the ruling coalition parties needed to win at least 50 seats, adding to the 75 they already held. But the LDP won just 39, and Komeito got 8, falling short of that target. Currently, Japan's House of Councilors has 248 members, each serving a 6-year term. Every three years, half of the seats are up for election and this year, 125 seats were voted on, including one vacant seat in Tokyo. As a result, the ruling camp now holds 122 seats, while the opposition claimed 126 taking over the upper house. Following last year's major defeat in the House of Representatives election, the Liberal Democratic Party has lost ground again. This is the first time since the party was founded in 1955 that the LDP-led government has failed to hold a majority in both the lower and upper houses. Taking its place is the rising Democratic Party for the People, which advocates a moderate line and gained strong support, winning 17 seats. The party earned votes with appeals to ordinary people, such as raising take-home pay and lowering insurance costs for young people. The right-leaning Sanseito won 14 seats by promoting a "Japanese First" policy, including restrictions on foreign land ownership in Japan, despite criticism for discriminating against foreigners. Voter turnout was 58-point-52 percent, rising more than 6 percentage points compared to three years ago. Regardless of the election results, experts say bilateral cooperation between South Korea and Japan will remain positive, especially on external threats. "We need to deal with non-conventional new emerging threats as well, and of course challenges from China technologically, economically, and politically, which is not simple at all. So, having had all these conflicts and threats and challenges surrounding us, I think again, the bilateral relationship will remain pretty much cooperative." Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is now expected to come under pressure to resign after the consecutive defeats. However, right after exit polls, he stated that he would fulfill his responsibility as the leader of the largest party, showing his determination to remain in office. Choi Soo-hyung, Arirang News.

New foreign minister Cho Hyun underlines pragmatic diplomacy; prioritizes establishing peace on Peninsula

2025/07/21 19:37

Newly-appointed Foreign Minister Cho Hyun has reaffirmed the importance of the Lee Jae Myung administration's pragmatic diplomacy centered on national interests especially in light of the rapid changes in geopolitics. Speaking at his inauguration ceremony earlier on this Monday the top diplomat also asserted that establishing peace on the Korean Peninsula is the top priority under the current climate of uncertainty and tension. And to this end he spoke of seeking dialogue with Pyongyang in close coordination with Washington. He also underscored the importance of seeking broader diplomatic relations with global partners amid the rivalry between the U.S. and China.