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Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung highlights recovery, growth as country's top priorities

2025/01/23 17:00

Also on the local political front. The head of the main opposition Democratic Party has placed national priority on recovery and growth. Speaking at a press conference earlier on this Thursday Lee Jae-myung called for a pragmatic approach to tackling challenges one that sets aside partisan politics. He also called for the creation of new growth engines by investing in AI robots. Separately he condemned acting President Choi Sang-mok for failing to approve a special probe bill aimed at President Yoon Suk Yeol .

Constitutional Court turns down impeachment for broadcast watchdog chief Lee Jin-suk

2025/01/23 17:00

The Constitutional Court on Thursday ruled against an impeachment motion targeting Lee Jin-suk, the head of nation's broadcast watchdog. Lee, who had been suspended from duty as the chair of the Korea Communications Commission returned to work after a hundred and seventy-four days. Last year the main opposition Democratic Party unilaterally passed an impeachment motion against her claiming that she had made important decisions with just one other member of the commission as the three remaining commission seats were vacant. Out of the eight justices at the Constitutional Court four ruled in her favor asserting that the number of incumbent members of the commission at the time does not render their decisions illegal. An impeachment requires six justices to support the case.

Live from Seoul Central District Prosecutor's Office: Pres. Yoon's case transferred from CIO to prosecution

2025/01/23 17:00

Staying with the president's political fate. The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials is transferring its investigation of the president to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office. For more I have Kim Jung-sil standing by live at the prosecutors' office here in the capital city. Jung-sil welcome. Let's begin with this latest development. Thanks, Sunny. The atmosphere here at the Seoul Central District Prosecutor's Office is relatively quiet this afternoon, with the investigation into President Yoon officially transferred here as of today. This morning, the Corruption Investigation Office (CIO) formally requested the prosecution to take over the investigation against President Yoon. This comes more than 50 days after the December 3rd martial law declaration. Take a listen to a comment from a CIO official earlier today: "The CIO has today decided to request the prosecution of the suspect in accordance with Article 26, Section 1 of the CIO Act, and has referred the case to the Seoul Central District Prosecutor's Office." The CIO deputy chief added that President Yoon's refusal to cooperate has stalled the investigation. During the first 10-hour questioning session, he remained silent and later declined further questioning, citing health and security concerns. The CIO also faced repeated interference from the Presidential Security Service in attempts to seize key evidence, including the president's secret phone. Deputy Chief Lee explained that while the CIO has investigative authority, it lacks the power to press charges on the president, so the case was handed over earlier than planned, initially set for January 28th. The Prosecutor's Office behind me has now taken over and will continue the investigation. And what are the prospects regarding the president's cooperation with the investigation now that it has been handed over to prosecutors? It remains uncertain, Sunny. There is a possibility that the president may also argue that the prosecution does not have the authority to investigate charges of insurrection, which under South Korean law is handled by the police. However, as no sitting president has ever been investigated by the police, the prosecution, which traditionally handles cases involving former presidents, has the authority to investigate related crimes such as 'abuse of power.' Take a listen to an expert on this. "Technically it's true that the power to investigate crimes of insurrection has been given to the police and the prosecution office but the prosecution office retains the power to investigate any crimes that are related to crimes that they are investigating. The President is charged not only with the crime of insurrection but also with abuse of office and several other crimes that are still within the power of the prosecution office to investigate." With both arrest and detention warrants issued by the court, legal experts argue that there is substantial evidence supporting his involvement. That's all I have for this hour, back to you Sunny. All right Jung-sil thank you for that coverage. That was our Kim Jung-sil reporting live from the prosecutors' office here in Seoul.

PRES. YOON ATTENDS IMPEACHMENT TRIAL AGAIN

2025/01/23 17:00

Welcome to yet another edition of Press Perspective. It's Thursday January 23rd.. here in Seoul. I'm Min Sunhee. While President Yoon Suk Yeol remains reluctant to cooperate in the investigation led by anti-corruption officials he appears quite dedicated to the impeachment case against him at the Constitutional Court. For more I have Thomas Maresca with the news agency UPI. Thomas welcome. I also have freelance journalist Raphael Rashid with us. Raphael it's good to have you here. 1) Thomas, you covered the president's attendance earlier on Tuesday of the third hearing into the impeachment case against him. What was the gist of your coverage? 2) Raphael, separately, anti-corruption investigators have had little success in questioning the president over his abuse of office. What has been the focus of the foreign media with regard to the ongoing investigation into insurrection charges? 3) Raphael, you covered the violence by rioters at the Seoul Western District Court last weekend following the court's order for a formal arrest of the president. What have you been hearing? 4) Thomas, parallels have been drawn between the 2021 storming of the U.S. Capitol on January 6th by pro-Trump supporters and last Sunday's storming of the Seoul Western District Court by pro-Yoon supporters. What are your takeaways? 5) And Thomas, what can you tell us about the legal consequences faced by the rioters in the U.S. before Mr. Trump's pardon earlier this week? 6) Also Raphael, foreign media continue to commend the people of Korea for protecting democracy. What are your takeaways as a journalist based here? 7) Thomas, the words of wisdom are "democracy is a work in progress." Do you suppose Korea is witnessing these words in action as we speak? 8) Raphael, some fear the latest political events may negatively reflect on Korea's credibility and reliability on the international stage. Is this a valid concern? 9) Thomas, does the political turmoil in Korea places its neighbors on shaky ground as well? 10) Raphael, how do you assess the coverage of Korea's political unrest by its East Asian neighbors? All right.

K-wave AI News

2025/01/23 14:00

Welcome to The Kulture Wave AI News. Here's our first story of the day. Passenger traffic at airports across Korea during the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday is expected to surpass 4.4 million. The daily average is projected to reach nearly 441,700 nationwide, up more than 5% compared to last year. Incheon International Airport, in particular, is forecasted to see a roughly 13% rise in airport users from a year ago, with the busiest day anticipated to be this Saturday. To manage the surge in traffic, airport authorities are implementing special measures, extending operating hours for immigration and customs areas, and expanding security screening facilities. 'Cheongwadae,' the former Presidential Office will host a variety of events celebrating the Lunar New Year holiday. The "Cheongsa Chorong" festival will take place from next Monday to Thursday, featuring traditional games, music performances, and diverse interactive activities. During the day, visitors can enjoy games such as kite flying, 'Jegichagi' and 'Yutnori' at the main garden while evening events will offer a chance to view the Blue House's nightscape, as well as a New Year's concert. Cheongwade was opened to the public in 2022. An exhibition dedicated to Cattleya orchids will be held from this Friday through February 9 at the Sejong National Arboretum. Titled "Queen of Orchids," the exhibition will showcase more than 100 varieties of these vibrant and elegant flowers. Various hands-on programs are in store for visitors next week marking the Lunar New Year holiday, including gardening workshops and a flea market. Native to tropical rainforests in countries such as Mexico and Brazil, Cattleya orchids are renowned for their large, showy blooms and long-lasting fragrance. That's all for now. Stay tuned for more cultural updates and insightful discussions ahead!

[K-enter] BLACKPINK Jennie Comes Back with First Full-Length Album

2025/01/23 14:00

Time for some K-entertainment news with Bella Kim. Bella, today we’ll start off with some exciting news related to one of the members of BLACKPINK. Who are we talking about? We are going to talk about BLACKPINK member, Jennie. Jennie will make a comeback on March 7th with her very first full-length album, “Ruby.” Jennie has been working on the new album with many big-name artists, such as Dua Lipa, Childish Gambino and French Kiwi Juice(FKJ). The album will feature 15 songs in total, including her latest single, “Mantra,” released last October. “Mantra” has topped iTunes’ Top Songs chart in 47 countries and also made history as the first song by a female K-pop solo artist to reach No.1 on iTunes’ Top Songs chart in the U.S.. The single also appeared on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for two consecutive weeks. It's also been announced that Jennie will perform at Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on April 13th and 20th. Next, we have latest on the NewJeans-ADOR legal dispute? NewJeans members shared a detailed update regarding their legal dispute with ADOR through a letter posted on their Instagram account on Wednesday. In the letter, the group revealed that ADOR had filed a lawsuit seeking confirmation of the validity of their exclusive contracts and had also applied for an injunction to prevent the members from signing advertising contracts. The group received the related legal documents and had appointed the law firm Sejong to represent them. NewJeans members continued to express disappointment in how ADOR and HYBE had failed to protect and support them during their activities and detailed the obstacles they faced with the two agencies. The group also said that HYBE and ADOR used “underhanded tactics” to divide the members. As a result, they strongly stated that they will fight for the truth and will never return to HYBE and ADOR as they had already lost faith in them. And for our last story, we’ll move onto a new Netflix series that’s soon to be released? Netflix has officially announced that “When Life Gives You Tangerines” will be released globally on March 7th. The series is created by renowned director Kim Won-suk, versatile screenwriter Lim Sang-choon, and will features a stellar cast, including IU, who also goes by her name Lee Ji-eun as an actress, Park Bo-gum, Park Hae-joon, and Moon So-ri. “When Life Gives You Tangerines” follows the adventures of Ae-sun, “the remarkable rebel,” and Gwan-sik, whose nickname means “unyielding iron.” As the background of the drama is set in Jeju Island, the series’ Korean title is in Jeju dialect, translating to “thank you for your hard work.” The trailer for the series was also revealed. It features lively, refreshing music and the scenic beauty of Jeju Island, complete with canola fields, persimmon trees, and the sea. “When Life Gives You Tangerines” promises to bring warmth to your spring days with its authentic, relatable stories that reflect the different stages of life throughout the seasons. Thank you Bella for today’s stories.

[K-wave] Ministry of Tourism announces "Top 100 Korean Tourism Attractions"

2025/01/23 14:00

So, as we just mentioned the upcoming Lunar New Year holidays has been extended to 6 days While some have already made plans to travel abroad, the government has made special efforts to enhance DOMESTIC tourism over this period. The 'top 100 tourist attractions of Korea' is not only a must-visit list for foreigners, but also a guide for locals. Lee Eun-jin has the details. During the Lunar New Year holiday, there will be various tourist events for people to enjoy while visiting their hometowns. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, in cooperation with the Korea Tourism Organization, will select the top 100 tourist attractions of Korea for 2025-to-2026. Marking its seventh edition, the biennial list has picked and publicized the nation's top tourist hotspots since 2012. The entries include 61 cultural tourism resources such as historical sites, architecture, interactive and leisure facilities and 39 natural and ecotourism resources such as forests, beaches and wetlands. The locations are spread out nationwide. By region, there are 22 in the greater Seoul metropolitan area, 11 in the Gangwon area, 15 in the Chungcheong area, 18 in the Jeolla area, 28 in the Gyeongsang area, and 6 on Jeju. The designated areas include experience-oriented locations that feature fun things enjoyed by Koreans in daily life, like eating noodles at the Hangang River, visiting the pop-up stores in Seongsu, and shopping at the Sokcho Tourist and Fisheries Market. There are also destinations that reflect the trend of travel for healing, including Gyodongdo Island in Incheon where "Squid Game" was filmed and the Jeongdongsimgok Badabuchae Trail, or the Jeongdongjin Marine Terrace Trail that features a unique topography resembling the "tip of a fan", where visitors can take in mesmerizing ocean scenery. On the list of 100 destinations, there are 14 places that have been selected for the 7th consecutive time since the start of this project in 2012. Deeply rooted in representing Korea, these locations include the Five Royal Palaces in Seoul, the Jeonju Hanok Village, Hallasan National Park, the trails of Jeju Olle-gil, and historical temples like Bulguksa Temple and Seokguram Grotto. With the government's recent decision to add Monday, January 27th, as a holiday, the Lunar New Year holiday will last 6 days. In line with the government's goal to increase domestic travel, a "traveler's passport" of stamp tours will be launched, where visitors can fill their stamp passports as they travel to the 100 destinations. At the end of the year, the Tourism Ministry plans to award a prize to those that have visited the most locations. Additionally, various events for the whole family will be available at various museums. The National Folk Museum of Korea will hold special cultural experiences and exhibitions, while the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art will offer free access to its special exhibitions, and various performances will be held at the National Gugak Center, the National Theater of Korea, and the Asia Culture Center. Lee Eunjin, Arirang News.

Xi holds video call with Putin after Trump's inauguration

2025/01/23 10:00

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian leader Vladimir Putin held a video meeting on Tuesday, to reaffirm their strategic partnership, following the inauguration of U.S. President Donald Trump. During the one-and-a-half hour discussion, the two leaders emphasized their commitment to a multipolar world order, and expressed mutual support for each nation's core interests. Putin referred to Xi as "a dear friend" and stated that the Kremlin and Beijing are strengthening their ties based on "friendship, mutual trust, and support" despite external pressures. Situations in the Middle East, South Korea, and Taiwan were also reportedly discussed. While President Trump was not directly mentioned, the timing suggests that Putin and Xi are preparing to build relations with the new U.S. administration. Trump earlier threatened tariffs on Beijing and warned of sanctions if Moscow does not end the war in Ukraine.

2 people killed in knife attack in Germany

2025/01/23 10:00

Beginning in Germany today, two people were killed in a stabbing attack. One of them is reportedly a toddler. Do tell us more. Right. Police arrested a 28-year-old Afghan man for stabbing a boy and a man to death in a park in the Bavarian city of Aschaffenburg, on Wednesday. The suspect, previously known for violent behavior and detained a few times, assaulted the group of children with a kitchen knife, killing a 2-year-old boy and a 41-year-old man who was trying to protect the children. Two others were seriously injured and moved to hospital for treatment. While authorities are investigating the motive for the attack, initial assessments suggest mental health issues. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz condemned the attack as an "unbelievable act of terror" and stressed the need for accountability regarding the suspect's residency status.

SK hynix sees record-high performance in 2024 driven by HBM demand

2025/01/23 10:00

SK hynix, the world's second-largest memory chipmaker has announced its highest-ever revenue and operating profit for 2024 driven by the strong demand for High Bandwidth Memory. The company said Thursday that its revenue surpassed 66 trillion Korean won or around 46 billion U.S. dollars, marking a 102-percent increase compared to the previous year. Operating profit turned positive, soaring to just over 16 billion U.S. dollars. Last year's fourth quarter also saw a record-high operating profit of over 6 billion dollars.

Live from Seoul Detention Center: CIO investigation into Pres. Yoon faces setbacks

2025/01/23 10:00

President Yoon's appearance at the hearing today will mark his third trip out of Seoul Detention Center where he is currently detained. We go live there with our Kim Jung-sil standing by. Jung-sil, all eyes are again on the detention center ahead of his travel to the Constitutional Court later today. How are things looking there this morning? Dami, the atmosphere here at Seoul Detention Center is rather quiet this morning, It's another day of back-and-forth as the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, or the CIO, tries to bring President Yoon in for questioning. As of yesterday, their third attempt failed. It's unclear whether they'll make another attempt this morning, as the President has so far declined to comply. This follows attempts to search the presidential residence and office for evidence, which were blocked by the Presidential Office. Despite their efforts, the CIO has had little success in securing President Yoon's cooperation. Take a listen to CIO chief Oh Dong-woon. "I believe the presidential office also needs to respect the decisions of the judiciary. The CIO will thoroughly investigate anyone involved in the emergency martial law incidents, regardless of their position or rank." With no success in their attempts to question Yoon or search the presidential office and residence, time is running out for the CIO. That sounds like another setback for the investigation, which can be a real headache for investigators who are running short of time to question Yoon? At this time, it's unclear whether they'll be able to make another attempt this morning, as the president has so far declined to comply. I will let you know in our later broadcast if there are any updates. By January 28th, the CIO must transfer the case to prosecutors, as they lack the power to press charges on insurrection. The prosecutors are under pressure to move quickly, and there are reports that President Yoon may still face investigation during the Seollal holidays. And walk us through the investigation into the recent unrest at the Seoul Western District Court. Dami, there's been a significant update on that front. Following the release of the arrest warrant for President Yoon at the weekend, protesters stormed into the Seoul Western District Court. Police arrested 56 people, including several who assaulted police officers and others who trespassed or who damaged property. There were also incidents of individuals attempting to breach court security, assaulting a journalist crew, and one person climbing the court walls to gain access. This wave of arrests adds to the tension surrounding the ongoing investigation. The authorities are taking swift action to prevent further disturbances. That's all I have for this hour, but I will bring you more updates in our next broadcast. Thanks for that update, Jung-sil. We'll check back in with you later as the story develops. Please stay safe out there.

On-point: Yoon, ex-defense chief Kim Yong-hyun to attend trial

2025/01/23 10:00

What's drawing attention to today's hearing is the ex-defense minister's attendance as a witness and his first face-to-face with President Yoon since the martial law declaration on December 3rd. Let's discuss more with Professor Paik Eunseok. Good morning. 1. We'll be seeing two key figures in the same room later today. 2. Kim Yong-hyun made a statement that he broke the laptop that wrote the decree No. 1 announced at the time of the emergency martial law order, adding that he broke it because he accomplished a mission. 3. We should also talk about the memo about allocating funds for establishing an emergency legislative body that President Yoon allegedly passed to the current acting President Choi Sang-mok. 4. President Yoon showed a rather modest and confident attitude at the third hearing of his impeachment trial. 5. The last and 8th hearing will take place on February 13. Thank you for sharing your insight with us this morning.

Trump threatens tariffs on Russia if Ukraine deal is not reached

2025/01/23 10:00

U.S. President Donald Trump said he will impose new tariffs against Russia if a deal to end its war in Ukraine is not made. Taking to his social media platform Truth Social on Wednesday, Trump said that he would have no choice but to put "high levels of Taxes, Tariffs, and Sanctions" against Russia, if Russian President Vladimir Putin refuses to negotiate to end the prolonged war. Trump added that such tariffs would be applied to "other participating countries," as well. However, the newly inaugurated U.S. leader did not elaborate on which countries he was referring to.

Live: President Yoon to attend impeachment trial again as key witness testimonies begin

2025/01/23 10:00

President Yoon Suk Yeol will be attending his impeachment trial hearing for the second time. The series of witness testimonies will begin as the Constitutional Court continues to hear and deliberate on whether Yoon's martial law order last month calls for his removal from office. For more, we have our Oh Soo-young standing by at the Constitutional Court. 1. From today, justices will begin hearing testimonies from key witnesses, beginning with former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun. Yes, from 2:30PM, the former defense minister will testify, the first of the eight witnesses approved by the Court so far. Both sides the National Assembly and President Yoon will have the opportunity to question him. Kim Yong-hyun is one of the key figures implicated in planning and executing the martial law. Considered Yoon's right-hand man, Kim initially said he'd take responsibility for the chaos that ensued. But lately, there have been discrepancies with Yoon's narrative, on key matters under review by the Court. So his testimony and interaction with Yoon may be interesting to watch. But President Yoon and Kim might not confront each other directly during the fourth hearing. At the previous hearing, the National Assembly requested measures such as installing a screen or temporarily excusing President Yoon from the courtroom to ensure that witnesses could testify without intimidation. 2. So what would be the biggest questions posed to Kim? The questions will likely focus on two aspects. First, the martial law proclamation released on December 3rd set out various decrees including a ban on political activities. That decree was one of the main grounds for Yoon's impeachment. President Yoon’s side has argued that the document was not produced by Yoon but "mistakenly copied by Kim.” Kim’s legal team says while the former minister drafted the initial version, it was "of course reviewed by the President.” Justices are also likely to focus on a note the Finance Minister received, instructing him to draft a budget for an emergency legislative body to presumably replace the elected parliament after shutting it down under martial law. Yoon on Tuesday claimed he did not write the note and said he thinks it was written by the Defense Minister. So the justices will take these accounts into their deliberation when deciding whether Yoon's martial law was unconstitutional. 3. While he's refusing to cooperate with investigators who arrested him for questioning, the President seems determined to attend the impeachment trial. Yes. Yoon's lawyers say he will if possible attend all future hearings which have been scheduled until February 13th. He's filed without success an appeal against his arrest, and major figures implicated in the suspected insurrection have also been arrested so he is looking cornered when it comes to the criminal investigation against him. By attending future hearings, President Yoon could emphasize his narrative and might even directly question witnesses if necessary. Also, he may be more determined to appear at the Constitutional Court as a means of further rallying his supporters, emboldened by the latest polls which show growing numbers back the ruling party, and his non-impeachment. Soo-young, thanks for the coverage. Do keep up updated throughout the day.

S. Korea's economy grows 2% y/y in 2024 amid political turmoil

2025/01/23 10:00

South Korea's economic growth in 2024 showed only modest growth. That's according to data from the Bank of Korea released on Thursday which showed that the country's GDP grew 2 percent on-year in 2024, lower than the central bank's November forecast of 2-point-2 percent. This comes as Korea's economy in the fourth quarter expanded only point-1 percent on-quarter, which the central bank attributed to weaker consumer sentiment and a more sluggish construction sector due to the brief imposition of martial law on December 3rd.

Galaxy Unpacked 2025: Samsung's Galaxy S25 series promises private, personalized user experiences with AI tools

2025/01/23 10:00

Samsung Electronic's latest venture into integrating AI into smartphones promises smarter, faster, and more personalized experiences for users. Our Moon Hye-ryeon has the details on its next-generation Galaxy S25 series. Imagine a phone that knows what you need before you do — that's what Samsung's latest smartphones promise to make a reality. At its Unpacked conference on Wednesday in San Jose, California, Samsung Electronics announced its latest flagship Galaxy smartphones — the Galaxy S25 series. The Galaxy S25, S25+, and S25 Ultra are all equipped with new AI tools unseen in their predecessors unveiled as the firm's first AI smartphones a year ago. The new models will hit the shelves on February 7th in the same price range as the S24. The new phones use Google's Gemini AI model alongside Samsung's in-house AI voice assistant Bixby, and Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite chips for on-device processing – meaning that you don't have to be connected to the internet to be able to use AI functions. And these AI functions provide a key element in the S25 user experience: personalization. "With the S25, users can enjoy a seamless experience where the AI agent and personalized AI features make life easier—just say what you need, and the phone will recommend and handle it for you." For example, "Now Brief" is a new service that provides a morning feed catering to your personal preferences based on user data – such as displaying your schedule for the day from your mobile calendar. "Now Bar" is something that leads on from the briefing, giving you timely updates throughout the day – such as giving you directions to your next meeting, or giving you a breakdown of the latest sports games you've missed based on what teams you follow. And this is another reason why on-device processing is so crucial – because personal data used to tailor these functions will only be stored and processed on the phone. While the new AI features are the main focal point of the new phones, the hardware also boasts some upgrades. The new Ultra line has a 50-megapixel sensor on its ultra-wide rear camera in contrast to the S24's 12-megapixel sensor for better quality images and videos and also features a new, hardier screen. The series overall has rounded corners with a reduced bezel for a bigger display, and there's an even thinner model to come – called the Galaxy S25 Edge. This model was briefly previewed at the end of the Unpacked event, setting up competition in the skinny smartphone market, with Apple's ultrathin model expected to come later this year. Moon Hye-ryeon, Arirang News.

Quad joint statement omits reference to Korean Peninsula denuclearization

2025/01/23 10:00

The first Quad foreign ministers' meeting since the launch of the new Donald Trump administration has taken place. But their joint statement left out any reference to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and included nothing about North Korea issues. Lee Seung-jae reports. The top diplomats of the United States, Australia, India, and Japan met in Washington for their first Quad foreign minister's meeting since the launch of the Donald Trump administration earlier this week. This meant that U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who was the first to be confirmed in Trump's new Cabinet, was taking part in the meeting for the first time. However,.. the joint statement issued by the foreign ministers of the Quad nations saw the removal of any reference to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. Instead,.. the top diplomats vowed to strengthen a "free and open" Indo-Pacific, while opposing "any unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo by force or coercion." It also did not mention China or North Korea by name. The latest joint statement is in stark contrast to the previous years, where the foreign ministers reaffirmed their commitment to the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. The difference in the joint statement also comes as Trump and his defense chief nominee Peter Hegseth used the term "nuclear power" to describe North Korea. And according to a prominent U.S. expert and former officer at the U.S. National Intelligence Council Sydney Seiler,.. the new U.S. administration believes Pyongyang's nuclear threat has evolved over the last four years,.. given the use of a term,.. that was largely avoided by U.S. officials in the past. Seiler says the Trump administration "faced the reality" that the regime "continues to grow its arsenal qualitatively and quantitatively," and the threat is greater than four years ago. He added that the remarks are a "realistic view" of the threat. While the term "nuclear power" is different from "nuclear-weapon state," a term used to describe countries like the U.S., Russia, and the UK, it raises concerns for South Korea,.. which seeks close policy coordination with Washington to achieve denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. Lee Seung-jae, Arirang News.

[Weather] Air quality should improve this afternoon, more unusual warmth

2025/01/23 10:00

After the season's worst dust storm, the air quality has improved a bit today. However, it will stay bad throughout this morning with a dust advisory remaining in place but more regions will see better air quality as the day goes on. Unfortunately, those of us in the capital area need to keep a face mask on, we will stay in the bad category all day today. Early spring-like warmth continues in most parts of Korea under sunny skies and it's forecast to be even warmer tomorrow with an expected high of 9 degrees in Seoul. Seoul gets up to 6 degrees, Daegu at 12 degrees. Mid-March-like temperatures in Busan at 14 degrees this afternoon. Those traveling on the road during the Seollal holiday need to keep the weather in mind, we have a wintry mix in the forecast early next week. Also Monday's mix will bring icy cold conditions to the country. That's Korea for you, here's a look at the international weather conditions.

STOCK

2025/01/22 20:00

2025. 1. 22. KOREAN STOCK MARKET KOSPI : 2,547.06 ▲29.03 +1.15% KOSDAQ : 732.31 ▲6.24 +0.86% KOSPI200 : 338.76 ▲4.32 +1.29% ASIAN STOCK MARKET NIKKEI225 : 39,646.25 ▲618.27 +1.58% HANG SENG : 19,778.77 ▼327.78 -1.63% SHANGHAI : 3,213.62 ▼29.00 -0.89% WALL STREET (JANUARY 21) DOW JONES : 44,025.81 ▲537.98 +1.24% NASDAQ : 19,756.78 ▲126.58 +0.64% S&P500 : 6,049.24 ▲52.58 +0.88% EXCHANGE RATE USD : 1,437.60 (-1.90) JPY : 922.28 (-3.89) CNY : 197.30 (-0.45) EUR : 1,496.69 (+2.49)

Live from Seoul Detention Center: Forced summons attempt, Presidential Office raid by CIO fail again

2025/01/22 20:00

Thank you for joining us, I'm Yoon Jung-min. We start at the Seoul Detention Center where President Yoon Suk Yeol continues to refuse to take part in questioning sessions led by anti-corruption investigators. We have our Lee Soo-jin standing by. Soo-jin, I understand a third attempt was made to take him in by investigators to no end. Sure,.. the CIO had moved forward with another forced summons today that was, like you mentioned, the third such attempt. But the CIO announced around earlier this evening that this attempt was also unsuccessful. A CIO vehicle was spotted passing through the main gate of the Seoul Detention Center at 10:20 AM today. The CIO had considered two options forcibly transferring Yoon to the CIO interrogation room at the Government Complex in Gwacheon, or carrying out on-site interviews in an investigation room at the detention center. But Yoon, refused to comply with either, as he continued to sit in consultations with his lawyers. The agency is continuously making these efforts as there isn't much time before the CIO has to hand Yoon's case over to prosecutors before the detention period expires on the 28th. Separately, I hear anti-corruption officials also launched a search and seize operation today. Right, the CIO began a search and seizure operation this morning, at the Presidential Office and Yoon's residence. But this operation, also ended unsuccessfully, at both locations. The agency had attempted to secure encrypted phone records, computers, as well as meeting minutes. Yoon is currently facing allegations of using an encrypted phone to order top police and military officials to command troops to remove lawmakers from the National Assembly during his brief imposition of martial law. But the search and seize operations once again faced challenges from the Presidential Security Service, which had blocked previous such attempts. The CIO announced that the Presidential Security Service decided to not approve the execution of the search warrants for the Presidential Office at around 3 PM. And the CIO suspended the execution of the warrant at the President's residence at around 4:50 PM. And what has been the response from the President's side? Yoon's lawyers have steadfastly maintained their stance of refusing to comply with the CIO investigation, saying that as they plan to attend all the impeachment hearings at the Constitution Court, including the one that is taking place tomorrow, they need time to prepare. His team also said that they have said all they needed to say at the hearings and called these attempts a "violation of human rights." Here's what an expert said on the refusal to comply with CIO investigations. "I believe President Yoon is avoiding CIO investigations for three reasons: to rally his supporters, to delay the investigation process, and to delay the impeachment trial." And that's all I have. Back to you, Jung-min.