News

Samsung Electronics sees limited Q4 operating profit on weakened chip performance

2025/01/31 20:00

On the corporate front, Samsung Electronics posted a rather lackluster operating profit in the fourth quarter, due to a sluggish performance by its chip division. Eyes are now on the company's enhanced fifth-generation high-bandwidth memory chips, soon-to-be supplied. Our Lee Soo-jin reports. South Korean tech giant Samsung Electronics posted a solid performance for the year but its fourth-quarter results fell short of market expectations as its semiconductor division posted a sluggish performance. The chipmaker on Friday reported an annual operating profit of more than 32 trillion won, or around 22 billion U.S. dollars, up 3-hundred-98 percent compared to the previous year. And sales came to around 206 billion dollars, up around 16 percent on-year. This marks the second time that the company recorded annual sales in the 200 billion dollar range after it did so for the first time in 2022. But despite the company's solid performance for the year, its fourth-quarter operating profit failed to meet market expectations. While this was expected to log more than 5 billion dollars, it came in at 4-point-4 billion dollars. This comes as the operating profit from the device solution division responsible for semiconductor technology research and development fell slightly compared to the previous quarter, coming in at only around 2 billion dollars in the October to December period. This, according to the company was due to high research and development costs,.. as well as expenses spent on expanding its advanced process production capacity. The company spent a record 7 billion dollars on research and development in the fourth quarter. As for the first quarter this year, only a modest improvement is expected as global demand for chips remains weak. But a turnaround may be seen in future quarters as Bloomberg reported on Friday that Samsung Electronics was cleared to supply its fifth generation eight-layer HBM3E chips to NVIDIA. The South Korean chipmaker's 12-layer version of the chips is still undergoing NVIDIA's quality verification tests. Samsung Electronics during Friday's conference call also announced plans to supply improved fifth-generation HBM3E chips to major clients by the end of the first quarter this year. And it's aiming for mass production of sixth-generation HBM4 in the second half of the year, as it prepares to navigate the various risks and opportunities expected during the Trump administration's second term. Lee Soo-jin, Arirang News.

Will President Yoon's impeachment trial end quickly or drag on?

2025/01/31 20:00

President Yoon's impeachment trial is now halfway into the proceedings but it could stretch on for longer than scheduled. It resumes on Tuesday next week, with more key witnesses to speak on the president's martial law decree. Our Oh Soo-young reports. The Constitutional Court will resume President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment trial, after the Lunar New Year holiday, with more witnesses to testify. On Tuesday at 2 PM, the Court will hold the trial's fifth hearing, with a focus on questioning key witnesses requested by the National Assembly, which is arguing for Yoon's impeachment. Beginning at 2:30 PM, three witnesses will each undergo 90 minutes of questioning. Lee Jin-woo, former Commander of the Capital Defense Command, and Yeo In-hyung, former chief of Military Counterintelligence Command, have both been arrested as key figures implicated in the execution of martial law. Lee reportedly received calls from President Yoon to drag out legislators from parliament to stop them from voting to lift martial law, while Yeo was in charge of searching and seizing the National Election Commission. Former intelligence official Hong Jang-won will also testify. Hong has already said he received orders including from the President to "totally round up and clean up" political opponents. During the previous hearing, Yoon denied he gave such orders. Also, former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun testified that the President meant for military members to be pulled out of the Assembly, not the members of parliament. As justices cross-examine the witnesses and their conflicting testimonies, the panel can ask their own questions. Yoon is likely to attend every trial hearing, and also question witnesses himself as he did in the previous hearing. "For now, with four hearings left until February 13th, when a verdict will be reached remains unclear. Observers say by the end of February at the earliest, but there's a fair chance of delays due to legal and political factors at play." Press officer Cheon Jaehyun said Friday that the Court has selected additional witnesses which include interior minister Lee Sang-min, and National Election Commission Secretary General Kim Yong-bin requested by the National Assembly's side. On Yoon's side, the Court approved National Security Advisor Shin Won-shik, security expert Baek Jong-wook who was involved in the electoral operations, and Director of the National Intelligence Service Cho Tae-yong. The selection of witnesses indicates the Court will consider Yoon's argument that suspected election fraud in the General Election last year served as a pretext for declaring martial law. The Court is still considering further witness requests by the President's team. If it approves more, the trial could be extended. Justices could also postpone the hearings considering the pace of Yoon's criminal trial. Still, the judicial panel has been clear that it's focused on holding speedy trial proceedings. Meanwhile, another highly anticipated ruling will be delivered on Monday on the eve of Yoon's fifth trial hearing. The Court will rule on whether Acting President Choi Sang-mok violated the Constitution by appointing only two out of three justices recommended by the National Assembly. Choi had left out left-leaning candidate Ma Eun-hyuk, raising the need for bipartisan consensus to move forward. If the court finds the omission unconstitutional, Choi would be under significant pressure to appoint him. This would mean the Court will operate as a full panel of nine justices also increasing the chance of a two-thirds majority vote required to impeach the President. Oh Soo-young, Arirang News.

Acting President turns down special probe for Yoon's martial law as opposition warns of retaliation

2025/01/31 20:00

Acting President Choi Sang-mok today vetoed a second version of a bill, recently passed by the opposition, that would start a special investigation behind the declaration of martial law by President Yoon Suk Yeol. He cited the fact that the president and some of the key figures have already been arrested and indicted. Our Kim Do-yeon explains. For the second time Acting President and Deputy Prime Minister Choi Sang-mok vetoed a bill that would start a special probe into President Yoon Suk Yeol's declaration of martial law and the charges of insurrection from it. This came on Friday afternoon at a Cabinet meeting as Choi said it was "inevitable." "As the Acting President, I see vetoing this bill as inevitable, considering the constitutional order, protection of national interests, and urgency of responding to the crises, as well as the wishes of the public." As for the specifics he started off with the fact that there already is a criminal trial going on. He said the state prosecutors have already indicted the President and some of the case's key figures while having them under arrest. He says kicking off a new special probe is only necessary when it needs to complement an investigation that's finished. Therefore, the result of the ongoing trial must come first. As for the unconstitutional aspect he vetoed the first version saying that the bill could breach the three branches of government rule. For this one he says some aspects were resolved from the first version but some issues remain. In addition, the wide scope of the investigation laid out on the bill could compromise some of the nation's confidential information as well. Meanwhile, this new version cut down the allegations from 11 to 6 with the Supreme Court Chief Justice coming up with two options for the chief prosecutor for the Acting President to appoint from. These revisions were made to address the issues Choi brought up when vetoing the first version of the bill. As expected, the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea responded to the veto by saying it would hold Choi responsible possibly referring to another impeachment. The party's floor spokesperson released a written statement saying that it was not unilaterally passed as the ruling People Power Party refused to negotiate the details of the bill. In addition, while the investigation and trial are going on others who worked with President Yoon for this declaration not yet questioned need to be vetted as well. The ruling People Power Party had already suggested the Acting President veto the bill with the same reasoning as the acting president, but the PPP went further saying that the special probe bill was a political act by the opposition. Kim Do-yeon, Arirang News.

Trump era 2.0 : Key challenges and the future of the U.S.-S. Korea alliance

2025/01/31 20:00

1. As the second term of President Donald Trump begins, the global landscape is bracing for significant shifts in U.S. foreign policy, especially with respect to the Korea-US alliance and the evolving dynamics in Northeast Asia. 2. To discuss these critical developments, we are joined by experts to examine how the Trump administration's "America First" approach may impact key issues such as North Korea, China, and South Korea's role in maintaining a balanced foreign policy. 3. We will also explore the growing influence of Korean-American lawmakers in Congress and their potential to shape U.S.-Korea relations in the coming years. 4. Stay tuned as we delve into these pressing topics with insights from key leaders and analysts. 5. For more on this, we invite Min Jeong-hun, Professor at Korea National Diplomatic Academy in the studio with us. Welcome. 6. Also joining us is Robert Kelly, Professor of International Relations at Pusan National University. Thank you for your participation. 7. (Min) So Professor Min, as President Trump started his second term, he declared the era of "America First 2.0," signaling significant changes in the global security order. How do you expect foreign policy in the second Trump administration to differ from that of the first? 8. (Kelly) Within the framework of "America First," how will the Trump administration's stance and response toward the Korea-US alliance differ most significantly from the Biden administration? 9. (Min) Meanwhile, concerns are growing about a crisis in Seoul-Washington ties due to the political turmoil following Korea's December 3rd martial law declaration. Since the Korea-US alliance is based on values such as democracy and the rule of law, how do you think the domestic political situation will affect the alliance? 10. (Kelly) Meanwhile, President Trump has refrained from making any official comments on Korea's state of emergency. Professor Kelly, What do you think is the reason for this? 11. (Min) South Korea will need to engage in intense negotiations with the Trump administration. What is the most urgent issue at hand? (Perhaps the renegotiation of defense cost-sharing?) 12. (Kelly) President Trump had been preferring a "top-down" approach when it comes to diplomacy. In the context of leadership gaps caused by political turmoil, what kind of foreign policy should South Korea pursue? 13. (Min) Amidst this, on the 23rd, Seoul's Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul and newly appointed U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio had their first call after Trump's inauguration, agreeing to continue strengthening the strong alliance. It's been said that Secretary Rubio has invited Minister Cho over to Washington. What further efforts are needed to strengthen high-level communication? 14. (Kelly) On his first day in office, President Trump acknowledged North Korea's nuclear capabilities and expressed his intention to resume talks with the North. How will the second Trump administration's approach to the Pyongyang nuclear issue differ from previous administrations? Additionally, is there a possibility of Trump bypassing South Korea and negotiating directly with North Korea? 15. (Kelly) If talks between North Korea and the U.S. take place, there are discussions of a "small deal" progressing toward nuclear disarmament or freezing. However, a "small deal" directly contradicts South Korea's policy of denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. In this case, how should South Korea respond? 16. (Min) Contrary to expectations after his inauguration, President Trump showed some willingness to negotiate with China. How do you foresee the future of U.S.-China relations? Additionally, how should South Korea balance its diplomacy between the U.S. and China?

Live from Seoul Central District Court, where Pres. Yoon's criminal trial will take place

2025/01/31 17:00

With President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment trial ongoing, he is also facing criminal charges for insurrection. His legal team is currently making preparations to defend the president in court. For more we have our Park Kun-woo standing by live. Kun-woo, what's the latest? Good evening, Min-jung. I'm outside Seoul Central District Court where Yoon's criminal trial on charges of insurrection, following his indictment by the prosecution, is set to take place, possibly in March. We just learned that the panel of judges for the case was decided less than an hour ago. Yoon has been assigned to Criminal Division 25, the same panel handling the insurrection conspiracy allegations that are being faced by military and police leadership, including former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun and current Head of National Police Agency Cho Ji-ho. Then, after pretrial preparations in February, the trial will begin possibly in March. Usually, such preparations for a criminal trial take two to three months, but given that this is an unprecedented trial of a sitting president, there are expectations that it will proceed faster than usual. Accordingly, Yoon's defense is facing two different trials -the Constitutional Court's impeachment trial and the criminal trial. This could result in the president undergoing at least three hearings a week, as those for the impeachment will resume their twice-weekly schedule from next week. 2. Now, how has Yoon been preparing for these trials? President Yoon continued meeting with his defense team even during the Lunar New Year holiday, to discuss trial preparations, though details remain undisclosed. That came after over a hundred pieces of evidence were submitted to the Constitutional Court on January 26th, which some pundits believe may be a strategy to delay the impeachment trial. One possible scenario for Yoon and his defense team is to request bail to participate in the trials without detention. The court could deny the bail request due to concerns about evidence tampering, but could also accept the request with certain conditions such as prohibiting contact with related parties. Another possibility is requesting the suspension of the impeachment trial. That's based on a Constitutional Court Act that allows the suspension of such a trial when a criminal trial is also ongoing over the same matter. 3. And I hear that Yoon's senior advisors met the President after regular visits to the Detention Center have been allowed today. Yes, with visits to the Seoul Detention Center now allowed as of today, five high-ranking officials from the Presidential Office, including the Chief of Staff Chung Jin-suk and Director of National Security Shin Won-sik, visited Yoon this morning. Yoon reportedly said he is doing well in the detention center, noting that it's still a place "where people live." And he urged the officials not to be discouraged and to do their best in their respective roles. He also asked them whether the medical system had been functioning properly during the holidays. As these visits can take place once a day with only a few people allowed, members of the People Power Party are expected to visit Yoon later on. First lady Kim Keon Hee is reportedly not planning to visit at the moment. That's all I have for you now. Back to you, Min-jung. All right Kun-woo, thank you. That was our Park Kun-woo reporting live, from the Seoul Central District Court.

All 67 believed dead after collision between helicopter and American Airlines plane

2025/01/31 17:00

We begin with the deadly plane crash in the U.S. The collision between a military helicopter, and a passenger plane carrying 64 people in Washington, D.C., killed all 67 people on board both aircraft. Among the victims are three people of Korean descent, including teenage figure skating athletes. Our Shin Ha-young has more. Rescue efforts went on through the night, but no survivors were found from the deadly collision of an American Airlines aircraft and the Army helicopter. Early on Thursday morning, U.S. authorities announced that 28 bodies had been recovered and believe all 67 people on board died. "Despite all these efforts, we are now at a point where we are switching from a rescue operation to a recovery operation. At this point, we don't believe there are any survivors from this accident." CBS News reported that at least 40 bodies had been recovered by 5:30 PM Thursday, Eastern Time. A U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter on a training flight collided with American Airlines Flight 5342 on Wednesday night, local time, while approaching Ronald Reagan National Airport near Washington, D.C., sending the two aircraft plummeting into the Potomac River the deadliest U.S. air crash since 2001. The jet had departed from Wichita, Kansas with 60 passengers and four crew members, while the helicopter had three military personnel on board. According to AP, less than 30 seconds before the crash, an air traffic controller asked the helicopter if it had the arriving plane in sight. According to CBS News, figure skating athletes and their coaches were on board the plane. Among them, teenage figure skater Jinna Han and her mother are believed to be of Korean descent. Spencer Lane, another teenage athlete who was adopted from Korea, was also on the plane with his American mother. They were returning home from the National Development Camp, which was held in connection with the recent U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita. "For Spencer Lane, he's one of my best friends. I mean, every single day I would walk into that locker room here and greet him and he would tell me about his day and everything. And Jinna, she would sit and put her skates on in the hallway. But when I would walk down the hallway, I would greet her every morning. And she was so kind to me." U.S. President Donald Trump shared his condolences and paid tribute to the victims and families ahead of a press conference. But he then criticized the previous administration, indicating that its diversity, equity and inclusion program for air traffic controllers at the Federal Aviation Administration were partially to blame for the crash. "And then when I left office and Biden took over, he changed them back to lower than ever before. I put safety first. Obama, Biden and the Democrats put policy first." Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters there appeared to have been an elevation issue with the helicopter, and said Army investigators were on the ground looking into the matter. Meanwhile, South Korea's Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul expressed deep sorrow over the plane crash. The South Korean government is working to obtain a passenger list, though it is still unclear if any Korean nationals were on board. Shin Ha-young, Arirang News.

Snow in central regions through this evening, warmer weekend

2025/01/31 17:00

On and off flurries and sleet were pounding down on this last day of January, making travel on the roads tougher. There will be rain in the southwest tonight, gradually spreading to the rest of the central and southern parts of Korea on Saturday. Meanwhile, Jeju and Gyeongsang-do provinces could see rain until Sunday with heavier rain in the forecast on Jeju with up to 70 millimeters. Parts of Jeolla-do and Gyeongsang-do provinces could see snow as well. Seoul will be free from precipitation this weekend and warmth returns with highs going way above seasonal norms. But icy weather is ahead of us next week. Checking on tomorrow's temperatures first, Seoul starts the day at minus 2 degrees Celsius, Daegu and Gwangju at 3 degrees. Then Seoul gets up to 7 degrees, Jeju makes it to 14 degrees. The seasonal calendar may say next Monday is Ipchun, the start of spring, but it will feel more like mid-winter with freezing temperatures. That's Korea for you, here's a look at the international weather conditions.

Israel, Hamas conduct third round of prisoner-hostage exchange

2025/01/31 17:00

Moving on to the situation in the Middle East,. Israel and Hamas on Thursday conducted their third prisoner-hostage exchange. The latest exchange saw three Israelis being released in exchange for 1-hundred-10 Palestinians. However, the exchange did not go smoothly, leading to criticism from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Our Lee Seung-jae has more. Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas conducted their third prisoner-hostage exchange on Thursday. The exchange saw 8 hostages being released, comprising five Thai nationals and three Israelis. In exchange, Israel released 110 Palestinian prisoners. The first hostage released on Thursday was a 20-year-old female Israeli soldier Agam Berger, who was among the seven female soldiers taken hostage from her unit on October 7th, 2023. The two other Israeli hostages released on the day were 29-year-old Arbel Yehoud and 80-year-old Gadi Moses. Meanwhile,.. among the 110 Palestinian prisoners who were released in exchange for the hostages, was a high-ranking militant officer who had been sentenced to life in prison. Another prisoner was given 13 life sentences for killing 12 Israeli citizens. However, the exchange saw a bit of a delay, when one of the hostages, Yehoud, was surrounded by a large crowd of Gazans. Hamas had to build a wall around her to get her to the bus, that would eventually take her back to her family. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called this a violation of their agreement, and described the scene as "shocking." The prisoners were released following the confirmation that the three Israeli nationals were safe. The latest round was among the agreed-upon 33 hostages and 19-hundred Palestinian prisoners to be exchanged during a six-week ceasefire. Seven Israeli hostages and 290 Palestinian prisoners were released in the two previous rounds. Lee Seung-jae, Arirang News.

Global reaction to how Chinese start-up 'DeepSeek' is shaping the AI market landscape

2025/01/31 17:00

A Chinese AI startup, DeepSeek, is challenging industry giants with its cost-effective AI model, sending shockwaves through the tech industry and raising questions about AI development. Our Moon Hye-ryeon has the details. "I don't feel threatened by DeepSeek or any other AI model. In fact, competition and innovation in AI development push all models (including me) to improve and offer better responses." This is the response that OpenAI's ChatGPT gives when asked about its new up-and-coming Chinese "competition" – DeepSeek. And while ChatGPT may not feel threatened, the Chinese startup is attracting a wealth of attention in the AI market for users and investors alike as it claimed its new V3 model could be trained at a fraction of the cost required for the computing power from Nvidia's chips. With its assertion that the model is not only cheap but rivals OpenAI and Meta's most advanced counterparts, the need to invest billions of dollars in AI technology from the United States is being put under question. Its newest AI assistant has overtaken ChatGPT as the most downloaded free application in Apple's App Store in the U.S. Global firms, leaders and investors are showing mixed reactions. "The release of DeepSeek A. from a Chinese company should be a wake-up call for our industries that we need to be laser-focused on competing to win." U.S. President Donald Trump's comments came as traders dumped big tech stocks – including a record one-day loss for Nvidia – resulting in American tech companies losing roughly a trillion dollars in market value. His nominee to lead the Commerce Department, however, accused DeepSeek of leveraging "stolen" U.S. technology. DeepSeek used parts of Meta's technology that was given away by the U.S. firm to be freely available online, but OpenAI said in a statement that they are currently reviewing indications that DeepSeek may have used the American tech giant's models to train its own. Outside of the U.S., European countries showed concern over data security. Italy's data protection authority has banned DeepSeek in a move to protect Italian user data, stating that the firm gave "insufficient" information on personal data usage, while France's privacy regulator is analyzing the tool to assess privacy risks. As for South Korea, the focus is on how its semiconductor firms could be affected by potential changes in the AI landscape. SK hynix is currently supplying memory chips to Nvidia, and now, Samsung Electronics has been reportedly approved to do so too – meaning that Nvidia's standing in the AI market will affect domestic chip firms in turn. Samsung Electronics issued a statement on Friday saying that they are currently monitoring the market, but it is too early to judge with the limited information currently available. There are also mounting concerns that tensions between Washington and Beijing will intensify with this competition in advanced technology, prompting Trump to strengthen regulations on China in the high-tech industry. Moon Hye-ryeon, Arirang News.

Samsung Electronics sees limited Q4 operating profit on weakened chip performance

2025/01/31 17:00

On the corporate front, Samsung Electronics posted a rather lackluster operating profit in the fourth quarter, due to a sluggish performance by its chip division. Our Lee Soo-jin reports. South Korean tech giant Samsung Electronics posted a solid performance for the year but its fourth-quarter results fell short of market expectations as its semiconductor division posted a sluggish performance. The chipmaker reported on Friday an annual operating profit of more than 32 trillion won, or around 22 billion U.S. dollars, up 3-hundred-98 percent compared to the previous year. And sales came to around 206 billion dollars, up around 16 percent on-year. This marks the second time that the company recorded annual sales in the 200 billion dollar range after it did so for the first time in 2022. But despite the company's solid performance for the year, its fourth-quarter operating profit failed to meet market expectations. While this was expected to log more than 5 billion dollars, it came in at 4-point-4 billion dollars. This comes as the operating profit from the device solution division responsible for semiconductor technology research and development fell slightly compared to the previous quarter, coming in at only around 2 billion dollars in the October to December period. This, according to the company was due to high research and development costs,.. as well as expenses spent on expanding its advanced process production capacity. The company spent a record 7 billion dollars on research and development in the fourth quarter. As for the first quarter this year, only a modest improvement is expected as global demand for chips remains weak. But a turnaround may be seen in future quarters as Bloomberg reported on Friday that Samsung Electronics was cleared to supply its fifth generation eight-layer HBM3E chips to NVIDIA. The South Korean chipmaker's 12-layer version of the chips is still undergoing NVIDIA's quality verification tests. Lee Soo-jin, Arirang News.

Acting Defense Minister Kim has phone call with newly appointed U.S. Defense Secretary Hegseth on Fri.

2025/01/31 17:00

Acting Defense Minister Kim Seon-ho, spoke with newly appointed U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Friday. Minister Kim congratulated Secretary Hegseth, and expressed confidence in his leadership amid global security challenges. Secretary Hegseth reaffirmed the strong U.S. commitment to South Korea's defense, promising to further strengthen the alliance. The two agreed on deepening cooperation, especially in response to North Korea's nuclear and missile threats, and expressed concerns over growing Russia-North Korea military ties.

Will President Yoon's impeachment trial end quickly or drag on?

2025/01/31 17:00

President Yoon's impeachment trial is now halfway into the proceedings but it looks like it could stretch on for longer than scheduled. It resumes on Tuesday next week, with three key witnesses to speak on Yoon's martial law decree. Our Oh Soo-young reports. The Constitutional Court will resume President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment trial, after the Lunar New Year holiday, with more witnesses to testify. On Tuesday at 2 PM, the Court will hold the trial's fifth hearing, with a focus on questioning key witnesses requested by the National Assembly, which is arguing for Yoon's impeachment. Beginning at 2:30 PM, three witnesses will each undergo 90 minutes of questioning. Lee Jin-woo, former Commander of the Capital Defense Command, and Yeo In-hyung, former chief of Military Counterintelligence Command, have both been arrested as key figures implicated in the execution of martial law. Lee reportedly received calls from President Yoon to drag out legislators from parliament to stop them from voting to lift martial law, while Yeo was in charge of searching and seizing the National Election Commission. Former intelligence official Hong Jang-won will also testify. Hong has already said he received orders including from the President to "totally round up and clean up" political opponents. During the previous hearing, Yoon denied he gave such orders. Also, former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun testified that the President meant for military members to be pulled out of the Assembly, not the members of parliament. As justices cross-examine the witnesses and their conflicting testimonies, the panel can ask their own questions. Yoon is likely to attend every trial hearing, and also question witnesses himself as he did in the previous hearing. "For now, with four hearings left until February 13th, when a verdict will be reached remains unclear. Observers say by the end of February at the earliest, but there's a fair chance of delays due to legal and political factors at play." Press officer Cheon Jaehyun said Friday that the Court has selected additional witnesses which include interior minister Lee Sang-min, and National Election Commission Secretary General Kim Yong-bin requested by the National Assembly's side. On Yoon's side, the Court approved National Security Advisor Shin Won-shik, security expert Baek Jong-wook who was involved in the electoral operations, and Director of the National Intelligence Service Cho Tae-yong. The selection of witnesses indicates the Court will consider Yoon's argument that suspected election fraud in the General Election last year served as a pretext for declaring martial law. The Court is still considering further witness requests by the President's team. If it approves more, the trial could be extended. Justices could also postpone the hearings considering the pace of Yoon's criminal trial. Still, the judicial panel has been clear that it's focused on holding speedy trial proceedings. Meanwhile, another highly anticipated ruling will be delivered on Monday on the eve of Yoon's fifth trial hearing. The Court will rule on whether Acting President Choi Sang-mok violated the Constitution by appointing only two out of three justices recommended by the National Assembly. Choi had left out left-leaning candidate Ma Eun-hyuk, raising the need for bipartisan consensus to move forward. If the court finds the omission unconstitutional, Choi would be under significant pressure to appoint him. This would mean the Court will operate as a full panel of nine justices also increasing the chance of a two-thirds majority vote required to impeach the President. Oh Soo-young, Arirang News.

Acting President turns down special probe for Yoon's martial law as opposition warns of retaliation

2025/01/31 17:00

Acting President and Deputy Prime Minister Choi Sang-mok has today vetoed a bill, that would kick off a special probe behind the declaration of martial law last December by President Yoon Suk Yeol and his charges of insurrection from this. The bill was a second, revised version of the first one which was turned down by Choi at the end of last month as well. We have our Kim Do-yeon on the line with us to explain further. Do-yeon, what does this mean? That's right Min-jung, as you said for the second time Acting President Choi has sent back a bill to start a special investigation into President Yoon and those who were involved in the situation. This came at a Cabinet Meeting earlier this afternoon and the move was widely expected so suggested by the ruling People Power Party. First, take a listen to what he had to say. As the Acting President, I see vetoing this bill as inevitable, considering the constitutional order, protection of national interests, and urgency of responding to the crises, as well as the wishes of the public. Choi cited a number of reasons behind this move. That a criminal trial is already underway after an investigation; that the bill still seems to have an unconstitutional aspect with possibilities of exposing national secrets and lastly, the fact that the bill was again passed unilaterally. He emphasized the trial part saying that the state prosecutors have already indicted the President and some of the case's key figures while having them under arrest. He says kicking off a new special probe is only necessary when it needs to complement an investigation that's finished. Therefore, the result of the ongoing trial must come first. As for the unconstitutional aspect he vetoed the first version saying that the bill could breach the three branches of government rule. For this one he says some aspects were resolved from the first version but some issues remain. In addition, the wide scope of the investigation laid out on the bill could compromise some of the nation's confidential information as well. Meanwhile, this new version cut down the allegations from 11 to 6 with different ways to appoint the special prosecutor in charge to address the reasons behind the first veto. Now, how are lawmakers from both sides responding to this decision? As expected, the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea responded by saying it would hold Choi responsible possibly referring to another impeachment. The party's floor spokesperson released a written statement saying that it was not unilaterally passed as the ruling People Power Party refused to negotiate the details of the bill. In addition, while the investigation and trial are going on others who worked with President Yoon for this declaration not yet questioned need to be vetted as well The ruling People Power Party had already suggested the Acting President veto the bill with the same reasoning as the acting president, but, the PPP went further saying that the special probe bill was a political act by the opposition. That's all for now, back to you Min-jung.

S. Korean and French authorities to conduct joint investigation into Air Busan aircraft fire

2025/01/31 17:00

South Korean and French authorities will conduct a joint onsite investigation into Tuesday night's Air Busan aircraft fire, at Gimhae International Airport. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced on Friday that the investigation will start next Monday. Its Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board will conduct the investigation in collaboration with the French Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety. This follows a joint safety assessment of the aircraft conducted earlier today. France is joining the investigation in accordance with International Civil Aviation Organization rules, as the aircraft was manufactured in France.

Uganda confirms death of a nurse due to Ebola

2025/01/31 10:00

Moving over to Uganda, a 32-year-old nurse has died of Ebola virus. His death on Wednesday, local time at a hospital in the capital, Kampala, marks the first fatality from the viral disease in two years. The nurse received prompt medical intervention after showing symptoms, including high fever, chest pain, difficulty breathing, and bleeding, but died shortly after testing positive for Ebola. Health authorities are tracing 40 contacts who had contact with him to prevent further transmission. The health ministry has urged the public to remain vigilant, stick to preventive measures, and immediately report any suspected cases. This marks Uganda's ninth outbreak of Ebola, with the first coming in 2000.

Russian drone strikes apartment block in Ukraine, killing nine

2025/01/31 10:00

Starting in Ukraine, a Russian drone strike, on Thursday local time, hit an apartment building in the northeastern Sumy region, killing at least 9 people and injuring 13 others. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called the attack a "horrific tragedy" and a "terrible crime." The strike occurred just after 1 A.M. local time when an Iranian-made Shahed drone crashed into a multi-story residential building, destroying five apartments and damaging over 20 vehicles. Among the injured are several children. Ukraine's air force stated that Russia launched 81 drones overnight, targeting homes and businesses across the country. While 37 drones were shot down and 39 others jammed, five made direct impact. Drone strikes in southern Odesa and central Poltava also caused significant damage, though no casualties have been reported there.

'Squid Game' Season 3 to be released on June 27

2025/01/31 10:00

Netflix announced on Thursday, that it will release the third season of 'Squid Game' on June 27th. Calling it the "final season," Netflix released teasers. The third season was filmed consecutively with season 2, which consisted of just seven episodes. The final one will be released just six months after the release of the second, while the second season was screened over three years after the first. Netflix said earlier this month that season 2 will be one of the most-watched original series seasons, with the number of views in the fourth quarter of last year standing at 1-hundred-65-point-7 million.

U.S. Commerce Department nominee vows to pressure allies into manufacturing in the U.S.

2025/01/31 10:00

Comments from U.S. President Donald Trump's pick for Commerce Secretary, is causing concern for U.S. allies and the global trade market. The nominee backed plans to impose levies on foreign goods, while possibly backing out of subsidies signed under the Biden administration. Our Moon Hye-ryeon has the details. President Trump's nominee to lead the Commerce Department, Howard Lutnick, backed Trump's plans to impose tariffs and stated that American allies – including South Korea – have exploited the United States in trade. During his Senate confirmation hearing on Wednesday, Lutnick claimed that Washington will need to work closely with allies such as Tokyo and Seoul in order to push foreign companies toward U.S.-based manufacturing. These remarks came in response to a question that asked about his plans to promote joint investments with allies to stimulate growth in the U.S. Lutnick made clear that tariffs would serve as a tool to encourage domestic manufacturing, and emphasized that while tariffs on China should be the highest, allies should not expect any exceptions. "We need to be treated better. We need to be treated with respect. And we can use tariffs to create reciprocity, fairness and respect." He also addressed Trump's recent announcement of a 25-percent tariff on Mexico and Canada scheduled to take effect at the start of next month, clarifying that these tariffs are separate from general trade tariffs. He explained that these specific tariffs aim to curb illegal immigration and fentanyl trafficking, and would not be implemented if both countries cooperate on these issues. As for general trade tariffs, he revealed his preference for across-the-board tariffs by country, suggesting that he favors tariffs applied across all goods rather than specific goods categories. Lutnick expressed skepticism about subsidies provided under the Biden administration through the CHIPS and Science Act and the Inflation Reduction Act, raising concerns about how South Korean firms investing in the U.S. might be negatively affected. Tech giants Samsung Electronics and SK hynix have made significant investments in the U.S. based on these incentives, but Lutnick stated that even if contracts under the CHIPS Act were finalized under the Biden administration, they would need to be reviewed. He ALSO opposed the tax credit for leased electric vehicles – a provision under the IRA that has benefited South Korean auto companies such as Hyundai Motor. The hearing also addressed growing concerns over China's advances in artificial intelligence – including the recent breakthroughs by DeepSeek, a Chinese AI company. Lutnick advocated for stringent export controls and tariffs to curb China's technological rise, and accused DeepSeek of stealing intellectual property from the U.S. Moon Hye-ryeon, Arirang News.

Israel, Hamas conduct third prisoner-hostage exchange

2025/01/31 10:00

The third phase of the prisoner-hostage release between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas, took place on Thursday. Eight hostages, comprising three Israelis and five Thai nationals were released by Hamas. Among the three Israeli hostages, one was a female soldier in her 20s, as well as a man in his 80s. The other being a female in her 20s. In exchange, Israel released 1-hundred-10 Palestinian prisoners. So far, seven Israeli hostages and 2-hundred-90 Palestinian prisoners, have been released in two previous exchanges.

Yoon's impeachment trial to review conflicting testimonies after Lunar New Year holiday

2025/01/31 10:00

President Yoon's impeachment trial is now halfway into the proceedings. It resumes next Tuesday, and that trial hearing will include testimonies from three key witnesses, to Yoon's martial law decree. Our Oh Soo-young has more. The Constitutional Court will resume President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment trial, following a break for the Lunar New Year holidays. According to legal sources, the Constitutional Court will hold Yoon's fifth hearing on Tuesday at 2 PM. This will mark the fifth hearing in the case, with a focus on questioning key witnesses requested by the National Assembly, which is arguing for Yoon's impeachment. Beginning at 2:30 PM, three witnesses will each undergo 90 minutes of questioning. Lee Jin-woo, former Commander of the Capital Defense Command, and Yeo In-hyung, former chief of Military Counterintelligence Command, have both been arrested as key figures implicated in the execution of martial law. Lee reportedly received calls from President Yoon to drag out legislators from parliament to stop them from voting to lift martial law, while Yeo was in charge of searching and seizing the National Election Commission. Former intelligence official Hong Jang-won will also testify. Hong has already said he received orders including from the President to "totally round up and clean up" political opponents. During the previous hearing, Yoon denied he gave such orders. Also, former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun testified that the President meant for military members to be pulled out of the Assembly, not the members of parliament. As justices cross-examine the witnesses and their conflicting testimonies, the panel can ask their own questions during the session. Yoon is likely to attend every trial hearing, and also question witnesses himself as he did in the previous hearing. With four hearings left until February 13th for now, the timing of the verdict is still unclear. Observers say the earliest verdict could come by the end of February, but could be delayed if justices approve more witnesses requested by Yoon's side. They could also postpone the hearings considering the pace of Yoon's criminal trial. Justices have been emphasizing they will hold swift trial proceedings, given the magnitude of the President's impeachment case and its impact on the country. Most believe a decision will be made before two justices step down from the panel in April when their tenures expire. Oh Soo-young, Arirang News.