News

Here's what each S. Korea's presidential candidates' economic visions look like

2025/06/03 08:00

And all eyes are on what the incoming president's first directive will be. Their visions for South Korea's diplomacy may differ sharply, but all of the three main runners appear to be on the same page when it comes to bouncing back the country's economy. Our Lee Soo-jin has more. With economic institutions both at home and abroad revising down their growth projections for South Korea, economic pledges are taking center stage in the presidential race. "The domestic economy shrank by 0.2% in the first quarter ---negative growth. How can our people make a living like this? Please elect Lee Jae-myung, 이재명, a capable, loyal, and well-prepared worker, as president." "It's true that Korea is now in a slump, with very low growth, among the worst globally, right? I will bring this economy back to life as a president of the economy, everyone!" Half of Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung's pledges focus on the economy, while seven out of ten of People Power Party candidate Kim Moon-soo's are economic pledges. And Lee's top economic pledge and Kim's second is artificial intelligence, signaling how both view it as central to Korea's economic growth. Both propose investing 100 trillion won, or around 71 billion U.S. dollars, into fostering the AI industry but their plans of how they'll use these funds differ. Lee Jae-myung's "AI for All" initiative aims to expand public access by offering free, advanced AI services, including a Korean version of ChatGPT, while also pledging to secure over 50 thousand high-performance GPUs. Kim, plans to set up a public-private fund to foster AI unicorns and vows to train 200-thousand young specialists through graduate programs and software-focused universities. But both agree that Korea's regulations are outdated ---with Lee calling for special exemptions, and Kim pushing to align regulations with global standards. Reform Party candidate Lee Jun-seok, currently third in the polls, has proposed market-driven AI innovation with minimal state intervention. And another issue that has garnered much attention is each candidate's bid to improve work-life balance. " he (Lee Jae-myung) also focused on a 4-point-5 day workweek that is aimed at reducing worker fatigue and improving their work-life balance, . If you look at Kim Moon-soo's proposal, he believes that with good negotiations between workers and employers, a more flexible situation can be achieved without dramatic changes." Lee has proposed reducing the standard workweek from 40 to 36 hours by cutting Friday afternoons , without reducing wages. Kim's plan, adds an extra hour per day from Monday to Thursday for a shorter Friday without reducing total hours, and includes exemptions to the 52-hour cap for the semiconductor sector. And Lee Jun-seok,.. instead of a 4-point-5-day workweek proposal, has pledged labor reforms that include giving local governments the authority to adjust the minimum wage to revitalize regional economies. Though each candidate's visions differ, their focus on the economy underscores its central role in this election. Lee Soo-jin, Arirang News.

The foreign policy stakes behind South Korea’s vote

2025/06/03 08:00

Regardless of who wins the election, the incoming administration needs to reset South Korea's foreign policy as one of the core national missions, especially after months of a hiatus in diplomacy. But how this is done will vary depending on who actually becomes the next president. Our Kim Jung-sil reports. Three front-runners. Three different visions for South Korea's role on the global stage. In their final televised debate, the candidates outlined foreign policy agendas that could reshape the country's position in a region facing rapid change. Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung called for balance between the U.S. alliance and stable ties with China and Russia. He warned of a diplomatic vacuum since the December 3rd martial law unrest and said South Korea's approach must evolve. "The U.S. alliance is the foundation of our foreign policy. It must be developed practically, inclusively, and with a long-term vision. But we must not neglect ties with China and Russia, they require careful, strategic management." On North Korea, Lee seems to be charting a different course from past progressive leaders, favoring step-by-step engagement over demands for immediate denuclearization. Conservative candidate Kim Moon-soo took a harder line, saying diplomacy must be backed by strength. "Kim Jong-un's dictatorship threatens our lives and property with nuclear weapons and missile provocations. I will build a transparent, principled inter-Korean relationship and strengthen our defenses by reinforcing nuclear deterrence through the U.S. alliance." At the same time, his team told Arirang News he's open to meeting North Korea's leader, while supporting economic and cultural engagement, as long as it's grounded in South Korea's constitutional principle of one unified nation. At 40, Lee Jun-seok is the youngest candidate in the race. Last week, he laid out his latest foreign policy vision, backed by sweeping institutional reform. "The president of South Korea must have international experience and a practical mindset. If elected, I will merge the unification and foreign ministries, and appoint a deputy prime minister for national security to oversee foreign affairs, unification and defense policies." Lee says South Korea should lead its alliance and not just rely on it. Three visions for South Korea's future on the world stage. By tonight, one of them will begin to shape it. Kim Jung-sil, Arirang News.

Voter turnout for S. Korea's 21st presidential election at 2.4% as of 7 AM

2025/06/03 08:00

It's just past 8 AM here in South Korea. How many South Korean voters have already cast their ballots in the past two hours since polls opened? We now connect with our Lee Eun-hee at the National Election Commission. Hello there, Eun-hee. Eun-hee, we're still in the early hours of the election day, but how's the turnout looking two hours into the voting? Well Dami, I'm at the National Election Commission in Gwacheon City, where officials are keeping track of the voter turnout. It's been about 2 hours since the polls opened this morning at 6 AM. Turnout at 7 AM was 2-point-4 percent, not including figures from early voting. This is around 0-point-3 percentage points higher than the previous presidential election in 2022 which led to a final turnout of 77-point-1 percent. The highest turnout rate so far is in Daegu with 3-point-2 percent. Jeollanam-do Province, which showed the highest early voter turnout rate is at 1-point-9 percent. The lowest turnout is in Gwangju, with 1-point-8 percent. The capital Seoul is seeing a turnout of 2-point-2 percent. Incheon is at 2-point-6 percent, Busan at 2 percent and Daejeon stands at 2-point-8 percent. Gyeonggi-do Province stands at 2-point-5 percent, while Jeollabuk-do Province is at 2 percent. In terms of other provinces, turnout in Chungcheongbuk-do is 2-point-6 percent, Chungcheongnam-do 2-point-7 percent, Gyeongsangbuk-do 3 percent, and Gyeongsangnam-do 2-point-7 percent. In this presidential election, early voting was held last week for two days recording a turnout of slightly over 34-percent, the second highest on record. Eun-hee, so the polls will close at 8 PM tonight. That's when voting counting officially begins. When will the results be known? Yes, Dami. Once the voting ends at 8 PM, the ballot boxes will be sealed and taken to counting centers under police escort. Counting begins soon after and the National Election Commission expects counting to be finished by around 6:00 AM Wednesday morning. The result should become clear by midnight, once 70 to 80 percent of votes are counted. However, final results of course may take longer depending on voter turnout and how close the race is. Once counting is done, the NEC will hold a full committee meeting in which the new president will be formally declared. This meeting is expected to happen between 7 and 9 AM on Wednesday, and the process should only take 5 to 10 minutes. The new president's term will immediately begin. On Monday, Noh Tae-ak, Chairman of the National Election Commission, urged active voter participation, emphasizing the importance of creating a united South Korea through voting. Noh assured the public that the NEC has prioritized transparency, highlighting measures such as 24-hour CCTV at early voting stations and a vote paper inspection system, both implemented in last year's general election. Authorities are focusing on safety management as well. The National Fire Agency has launched special emergency operations at over 15-thousand polling and counting stations nationwide, running until ballot counting ends. Also this morning at 6 AM, police declared the highest level of emergency alert, mobilizing all available personnel. This heightened readiness will continue until the new president's inauguration is complete and he arrives at his office on Wednesday. Around 60-thousand officers are assigned to polling station security, 45-thousand to ballot transport and 7-thousand to counting center protection. That's all I have at this hour, but I'll be back with more updates in our later newscast. Back to you, Dami. Please do Eun-hee. That was our Lee Eun-hee from the National Election Commission.

DP's Lee holds final rally at Seoul's Yeouido Park, highlighting 'Revolution of Light'

2025/06/02 20:00

Thank you for joining us. I'm Yoon Jung-min. With election day slated for tomorrow, presidential contenders are making their final pitches at this hour. Let's go over to our campaign correspondent Shin Ha-young standing by at a rally of liberal party contender Lee Jae-myung in Yeouido, Seoul. Ha-young, what would be his final message this evening? Jung-min, I’m here at Yeouido Park in western Seoul, where Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung will stage the finale to his official campaign in just a few minutes. Right now, as you can see behind me, a large crowd has gathered in front of the stage, filling the area with chants as they wait for Lee's arrival. (as they welcome Lee’s arrival.) Choosing Yeouido as the site of the end of his campaign is meant to highlight what this snap election is really about. Yeouido is home to the National Assembly, where a vote put an end to December's martial law saga. It's also where protesters spent a cold winter with light sticks, calling for the impeachment of former President Yoon Suk Yeol. Just like at the start of his campaign, Lee is expected to highlight his "Revolution of Light" message and emphasize his commitment to ending what he describes as an insurrection. Lee focused his last day of rallies on Seoul and the surrounding metropolitan area. Earlier today he visited Seongnam City in Gyeonggi-do Province, not only the city where he grew up, but also where he was first elected to public office as the city's mayor in 2010. Take a listen. "Your vote is the start of real change --turning despair into hope, division into unity, and stagnation into growth. Trust Lee Jae-myung, a loyal and capable public servant who has always delivered results through action. I’ll get the job done." After wrapping up his rally in Yeouido, he’ll turn to YouTube Live at 10 PM to make a final appeal to voters. The official campaign period comes to a close in a few hours. That being said do walk us through Lee Jae-myung's 22-day campaign. Well, Jung-min, I’ve been covering Lee Jae-myung’s campaign from the day he announced his candidacy, which took me all over the country. According to the Democratic Party, Lee held 66 rallies nationwide during the 22-day official campaign period. He traveled over 5-thousand kilometers and met more than 236-thousand people on the trail. Unlike past campaigns that focused mostly on the capital area, over half of his rallies were held outside Seoul. As he traveled across the country, he repeatedly emphasized two main goals: bringing the country together and putting an end to the insurrection. Another notable point is that Lee delivered his rally speeches from behind bulletproof glass. This follows growing concerns within the party and among supporters over his safety, especially considering he was stabbed in the neck during a visit to Busan in January last year. His camp has also restricted access near the stage and is limiting physical contact with supporters, including handshakes. That's all for this hour.

[Weather] Rain will stop tomorrow morning, heat eased off a bit

2025/06/02 20:00

The first Monday of June started with rain across the country. About 5 millimeters of rain is expected in the Seoul metropolitan area, 5 to 10 millimeters in Gangwon-do Province, the Chungcheong-do provinces, and Jeollabuk-do Province, 5 to 20 millimeters in Jeollanam-do Province and the Gyeongsang-do provinces, and 10 to 60 millimeters on Jeju Island until tomorrow morning. The rain is cooling things off a bit. The daytime temperature in Seoul rose up to 23 degrees Celsius, about 6 degrees lower than yesterday at the same time. Seoul will see highs of 25 degrees tomorrow with clear skies. Tomorrow morning, most areas will start off at around 15 to 17 degrees Celsius. Daily highs will move up to 26 degrees in Daejeon and Gyeongju, 23 degrees in Busan. The temperatures will stay lower than the average in the first half of this week. That's all for Korea. Here are the weather conditions around the world.

BTS to celebrate 12th anniversary at 2025 FESTA

2025/06/02 20:00

South Korean global sensation BTS will be celebrating their 12th anniversary with both an online and offline celebration. The group's agency, Big Hit Music, announced that the 2025 BTS FESTA, a celebration held annually to mark the group's debut, will run both online and offline for two weeks starting June 1. The in-person festivities will take place in the city of Goyang on June 13 and 14, featuring around 20 booths, including a BTS Locker showcasing the members' cherished items and a Spotify Playlist corner with songs they selected. A series of online content, including videos and photos, will also be released gradually through June 13.

S. Korea-Japan introduce exclusive immigration lanes throughout June

2025/06/02 20:00

In other news. Designated airports here in Korea and in neighboring Japan have opened priority lanes for passport holders from the two countries to facilitate entry procedures, as part of a way of celebrating the 60th anniversary of their official friendship. Park Hyo-been has more. To mark the 60th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations, South Korea and Japan have launched special fast-track immigration lanes at select airports for travelers between the two countries. On Sunday, June 1st, Japan opened dedicated lanes for Korean nationals at Haneda and Fukuoka airports, while South Korea has been offering similar lanes for Japanese travelers at Gimpo and Gimhae airports. Thanks to the new lanes, what used to take up to an hour can now be completed in just a few minutes. "It used to take more than an hour, so getting to where I'm staying took a long time. But today, I passed through immigration quickly—it's so much more convenient." "I'm thinking about working in Japan, so I'll probably be visiting more often. Being able to go through a Korean-only lane really helps save time." These exclusive lanes are part of a one-month pilot program, which operates daily from 9 AM to 4 PM throughout June. Travelers must have visited the partner country within the past year and completed immigration and customs declarations in advance via mobile. In the case of Gimpo and Haneda airports, the fast-track lanes are limited to passengers flying with Korean Air, Asiana Airlines, Japan Airlines, or All Nippon Airways. Meanwhile, the number of tourists traveling between South Korea and Japan has been steadily rising. Last year, a record of nearly 9 million Koreans visited Japan, while over 3 million Japanese nationals traveled to South Korea. Park Hyo-been, Arirang News.

Dozens killed at aid distribution site in Rafah

2025/06/02 20:00

In Gaza. An aid distribution site became a scene of shocking violence, with dozens reportedly shot and killed by Israeli soldiers. Israel denies such reports. Lee Seung-jae reports. Dozens of Palestinians were reportedly killed and over a hundred others injured on Sunday, with the Palestinian Civil Defense saying Israeli soldiers at a relief distribution center run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation fired at people seeking food and aid. The AFP says 31 people were killed and over 176 injured in Rafah, at a relief distribution site run by the United States and Israel. According to the spokesperson for the Civil Defense, Mahmoud Basal,.. Israel targeted thousands of civilians. Hamas also released a statement saying that Israel "committed a terrible massacre targeting thousands of civilians heading to a distribution center." The Associated Press, citing a witness, said that at around 3 AM, Israeli soldiers ordered the crowd to disperse and come back later, when a crowd began forming about one kilometer from the distribution site, they opened fire. Another witness said that at around 5 AM, drones and drones suddenly attacked the relief center, killing several people. However,.. the Israeli military dismissed the reports in a statement, saying that false reports have been circulating that raise serious suspicions that Israeli soldiers have fired on civilians near a humanitarian aid distribution site, calling it false. The Israeli military explained that no civilians were fired at inside or around the distribution center. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation also issued a press release saying that relief supplies were distributed safely, and that Hamas is actively spreading rumors about casualties, which they called untrue and fabricated. The GHF announced that it distributed more than 15-thousand boxes of relief supplies on Sunday, and that more than 67 thousand boxes, have been distributed since the site opened last week. Lee Seung-jae, Arirang News.

Ukraine drones destroy Russian planes deep inside Russia ahead of peace talks in Istanbul

2025/06/02 20:00

Ahead of second talks in Türkiye, Ukraine and Russia ramp up their military operations against each other, with Kyiv launching one of its "most ambitious" counteroffensives against the Kremlin. Lee Eun-jin has the latest. Ukraine and Russia are set to sit down for a second round of peace talks at around 1 PM local time in Istanbul on Monday. But just a day prior, on June 1st, a Ukrainian drone attack had destroyed more than 40 Russian planes deep in Russia's territory. In an evening address on Sunday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the operation had been planned for more than a year and a half, and used 117 drones to carry out the attacks. It's been reported that Zelenskyy personally supervised the operation, which he claims was headquartered out of an office next to the local Russian intelligence and security service. Codenamed "Spider's web," over the 18 months it took to prepare, sheds of drones were smuggled into Russia aboard special compartments of freight trucks, deployed to at least four separate locations in the perimeters of air bases, then the roof panels of the sheds were removed remotely to launch the attack. According to Ukraine's domestic security agency, the operation disabled 34 percent of Russia's strategic cruise missile bombers and caused approximately 7 billion U.S. dollars in damage. Meanwhile, Russia also launched a significant attack on Ukrainian territory overnight on the same day with some 472 drones and seven ballistic and cruise missiles, killing 12 Ukrainian soldiers and injuring over 60 others. It has been reported that the previous meeting of the two sides on May 16th resulted in the war's biggest prisoner swap but showed no signs of peace or even a ceasefire. It was also then that Ukraine and Russia agreed to exchange their conditions for a ceasefire for the second round of talks. Kyiv presented its terms last week, a roadmap for a long-term peace settlement, outlining an initial 30-day ceasefire as a first step, followed by the mutual return of prisoners and the repatriation of Ukrainian children taken to Russian-controlled territory. Russia said it would present its proposal at the meeting. Neither heads of state are expected to attend the peace talks. Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov is expected to lead the Ukrainian representation, while the Russian delegation will be led by Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky. Lee Eunjin, Arirang News.

Trump holds firm on tariffs amid tensions with China and courts

2025/06/02 20:00

U.S. President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping are expected to speak on the phone amid allegations of violations of a temporary bilateral trade deal agreed upon last month. Lee Eun-hee has more. U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are expected to speak soon on ongoing trade negotiations, according to White House Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. The anticipated phone talks come amid renewed tensions after Trump accused China of breaching a temporary agreement made last month in Geneva. That deal was aimed at easing trade tensions by mutually easing tariffs and trade restrictions. Bessent stressed that China is holding back its exports of rare earth minerals, which are critical for global industrial supply chains. Under the temporary truce, China reduced its tariffs on U.S. imports to 30%, down from the steep 145% level initially imposed in response to Trump's trade measures. Over the weekend, Trump took to his social media platform to say that if the courts somehow rule against the U.S. on tariffs, that would allow other countries to hold the U.S. hostage with their anti-American tariffs. His comments followed a Thursday decision by a federal appeals court to temporarily pause a lower-court ruling that had invalidated most of his tariffs. Trump added, "This would mean the economic ruination of the United States of America." While Trump administration officials say they have other options for imposing tariffs should they ultimately lose the case, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick made it clear there will be no extension to the 90-day pause. In a Sunday interview with FOX News, Lutnick stated, "Rest assured, tariffs are not going away." On Friday, Trump announced he would double tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from 25% to 50%. Lee Eun-hee, Arirang News.

D-1 to S. Korea's Presidential Election: Here's what you need to know

2025/06/02 20:00

Voters in the country will head to the polls tomorrow to elect a new president who will fill the vacancy at the top office. For more on what to expect on election day, our Moon Hye-ryeon joins us in the studio. Hye-ryeon, what should voters know about the schedule and timeline tomorrow? Over 14 thousand polling stations will be open nationwide from 6 AM to 8 PM. During a normal presidential election, polling stations are open until 6 PM, but this extended voting window reflects the special nature of this election that's being held to fill a presidential vacancy. Eligible voters will need to bring a government-issued photo ID to their designated polling station in order to cast their vote. At 8:10 PM, exit polls based on surveys of voters taken throughout the day will be released by major broadcasters. They're often a strong indicator of who might be in the lead, although official counting will begin immediately after polls close and will continue into the night. It's expected that a clear picture of the outcome will emerge at around midnight, but that could shift depending on how close the race is. During the 2017 Presidential Election, results were projected by 10 PM, whereas in the 2022 Presidential Election, results weren't clear until 2 AM the next day. And what's being done to ensure a smooth and safe election day? NEC Chairperson Roh Tae-ak issued a nationwide address this morning, urging the public to unite through participation. He emphasized the historic importance of this election, calling it a chance to move beyond division and toward hope. But he also acknowledged the challenges — the shortened campaign period has left limited time for voters to fully assess candidates and their policies. To strengthen transparency and public trust, the NEC is maintaining strict election integrity measures. That includes 24-hour CCTV surveillance of ballot storage sites, first introduced during last year's general election. Chairman Roh also highlighted that this is a nationwide effort, made possible with the support of local governments and public servants — many of whom are working overtime to make tomorrow's vote possible. Meanwhile, fire departments nationwide have entered a special emergency posture, inspecting polling stations and ballot counting centers for fire hazards and deploying over two thousand personnel and 460 fire trucks to counting centers. The police are also on the highest state of alert, which mobilizes 100 percent of available personnel. Officers are being deployed to polling stations, ballot transfer routes, and ballot counting centers. In total, over 168 thousand police staff will be involved in election-related operations. Security around the presidential candidates has also been ramped up, with 200 officers assigned to personal protection. Police will remain on high alert until after the presidential inauguration. With the race coming down to the wire, are there any last-minute developments voters should keep an eye on? A key issue this election has been the conservative bloc's ongoing struggle with candidacy mergers. In a campaign rally just yesterday, PPP candidate Kim Moon-soo openly expressed hope for a last-minute merger with Lee Jun-seok. Despite early voting — seeing as the final deadline for such talks — already being over, this shows that hopes for a deal persist. However, Lee Jun-seok has remained firm, dismissing the possibility of a merger this morning on social media. This election has also seen campaign trails engage in negative campaigning. Most prominently in recent days have been allegations surrounding Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung's son, who reportedly engaged in illegal online gambling. With the election now less than a day ahead, eyes are on how these developments could sway voters in these final, critical hours. Thank you for your report, Hye-ryeon. Thank you for having me.

Reform Party candidate to wrap up campaign focusing on young, conservative voters

2025/06/02 20:00

Also on this final day of the official campaign period, Reform Party candidate Lee Jun-seok sought to reach out to young voters in the capital area before heading to the conservative stronghold of Daegu. At lunchtime earlier today, he was at the Korea Polytechnic University in Gyeonggi-do Province for talks with students at the cafeteria there. Later, he made his way to Gyeongsan , Gyeongsangbuk-do Province to sit down with students at Yeungnam University. The final venue of his presidential rally this evening took place at Suseong Lake in Daegu City.

PPP's Kim on way to Seoul from Jeju for finale, pledges reforms never seen if elected

2025/06/02 20:00

We now head over to the conservative camp, whose contender Kim Moon-soo is poised to end his rally here in the capital as well. Our campaign correspondent Kim Do-yeon joins me now. Do-yeon , the candidate was criss-crossing the country throughout the day, and curtains are going down on his campaign in downtown Seoul? That's right, Jung-min.. The finale for Kim's campaign is well underway with Kim to step on the stage in about half an hour to join his biggest rally of the campaign. Kim is making his way from all the way down south where he started in Jeju and stopped at Busan, Daegu, and Daejeon so far. He also held a press conference while on this cross-country tour to end the campaign, sending out a plea for more votes and apologizing for the declaration of martial law. "If I am elected, I will pursue reforms and changes beyond what anyone can imagine. I will fundamentally transform the way the government operates in line with the people's demands and the calling of the times — and I will never let the people down." Now, here at the finale, the event kicked off at 6 PM. This is a popular finale spot, we saw Yoon do his here as well back in 2022. There will be other PPP primary contestants here on the stage to make the finale more impactful. As you know, the rally speakers and trucks are going to all shut down by 9 PM, and afterwards Kim will take it to the streets. He's set to walk around popular nightlife neighborhoods Hongdae and Gangnam to meet with younger voters. Note that in Korea, election days are public holidays, so a lot of young people could be enjoying the holiday eve. What have been some of the messages that Kim Moon-soo sought to share during his 22-day rally? Right, by the time Kim reaches here at 8 PM he'll have covered 7,300 kilometers over the past 22 days. There were 157 campaign activities for Kim, according to the party. And through this packed journey, Kim's main message was that Lee Jae-myung has legal risks and that he's acting like a dictator already. He cited Lee's guilty rulings that have been appealed, the DP's pressure on the Supreme Court, 그리고 the DP's legislative efforts to protect Lee from his legal risks. We all know Kim started this race on the back foot. His party's president was impeached over the declaration of martial law. The polls had him trailing the DP's Lee Jae-myung well beyond the margin of error. To close the gap, Kim had to court undecided voters, while the party sought to distance itself from former President Yoon Suk Yeol. In recent days, Kim also drew attention with daily T-shirt slogans, highlighting his love for family — as his wife and daughter actively campaigned alongside him. It was a contrast to his DP rival, who has kept his family largely out of the public eye. That's all for now.

S. Korea's Presidential Election D-1: Analysis of the race and voter sentiment outlook

2025/06/02 20:00

Welcome to Within The Frame, where we bring the most pressing issues across the globe into focus. I'm Kim Mok-yeon. South Korea's 21st presidential election officially begins in less than a day, with more than 14,000 polling stations set to open nationwide. Voters will cast their ballots from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., after which sealed ballot boxes will be transported under police escort to 254 counting centers. Over 70,000 election workers will begin tallying by 8:30, using both machine sorting and manual verification to ensure accuracy. This snap election, triggered by an unexpected vacancy, follows a strong early voting turnout of 37.4% — the second-highest on record. Yet the final result may hinge on voter participation in key regions such as Yeongnam, the capital area, and Chungcheong, where early turnout lagged behind. With polling blacked out since May 28th and candidates making a final push across battleground regions, the race enters its final stretch marked by uncertainty and urgency. So tonight, we take a closer look at where things stand — and where they might be headed. For a deeper discussion on this, we are joined in the by Soo Jin (Suzie) Kim, professor of Political Theory at Kyung Hee University. Welcome. Also joining us online is Lee Hee-eun, dean and professor of Law at Handong International Law School. Good to see you. 1. (Kim) Let's start with the tone of the campaign Prof.Kim. During the brief three-week campaign period, it looks like candidates have focused heavily on negative campaigning and issue-driven tactics. What do you see as the background behind this? And what impact might it have on voter sentiment? 2. (Lee) Zooming in on the candidates' final moves — Over the final weekend before the election, each candidate made last-minute efforts to win over voters. Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party campaigned in the capital region and Chungcheong; Kim Moon-soo of the People's Power Party in Gangwon and Gyeongbuk; and Lee Jun-seok of the Reform Party focused his final efforts in the capital region. Prof.Lee, What do you think is the significance of these campaign locations? Were these regions strategically chosen to consolidate votes at the last minute? 3. (Kim) Now turning to early voting which took place on May 28 and 29. The Democratic Party has historically encouraged early voting, believing that progressive voters tend to show higher participation in it. But Interestingly, this time, the People's Power Party also actively encouraged early voting. What was the reason behind this shift Prof.Kim? 4. (Lee) Building on that — This presidential election saw an early voting turnout of 34.74%. Although slightly lower than the last presidential election, it's still the second-highest on record. Prof.Lee, what voter psychology do you think this reflects? 5. (Kim) And the interpretations have been sharply divided. The Democratic Party interpreted it as "a reflection of the people's desperate desire to end civil strife," while the People's Power Party argued that it indicated "a growing movement to hold Lee Jae-myung accountable." What's your take Prof.Kim? 6. (Kim) That leads us to a bigger question — do early voting results typically affect the main election day voting or the overall race outcome? What has been the pattern in previous elections? 7. (Lee) But trust in the process remains a concern. Issues like poor management at polling stations during early voting have once again raised concerns about the Election Commission's credibility. What kind of impact could this have on election day Prof.Lee? 8. (Lee) Now, with polling data blacked out since May 28th — the most recent surveys showed a narrowing gap between Lee Jae-myung and Kim Moon-soo. What last-minute variables do you think could still shift the political landscape? 9. (Kim) And finally, when an election is held on a shortened timeline like this one, what potential issues or concerns arise from the standpoint of election quality or procedural democracy Prof.Kim?

PPP's Kim on way to Seoul from Jeju for finale, pledges reforms never seen if elected

2025/06/02 17:00

Up next we touch base with the latest at the conservative camp whose contender Kim Moon-soo is poised to end his rally here in Seoul as well. My colleague Kim Do-yeon joins me now. Do-yeon welcome back. So curtains are going down on Kim's campaign in downtown Seoul? That's right, Sun-hee. As you can see behind me, preparations are already in full swing for the grand finale — the biggest rally of Kim's campaign. He's expected to arrive here at around 8 PM. Kim is making his way here from Jeju today, with stops in Busan and Daegu so far, and one more in Daejeon before arriving here. Before setting off on this final push, Kim held a press conference — pleading for voter support and once again apologizing for the declaration of martial law. "If I am elected, I will pursue reforms and changes beyond what anyone can imagine. I will fundamentally transform the way the government operates in line with the people's demands and the calling of the times — and I will never let the people down." Now, here at the finale, the event will kick off at 6 PM. This is a popular finale spot, we saw Yoon do his here as well back in 2022. There will be other PPP primary contestants here on the stage to make the finale more impactful. As you know, the rally speakers and trucks are going to all shut down by 9 PM, and afterwards Kim will take it to the streets. He's set to walk around popular nightlife neighborhoods Hongdae and Gangnam to meet with younger voters. Note that in Korea, election days are public holidays, so a lot of young people could be enjoying the holiday eve. Also Do-yeon what have been some of the messages that Kim Moon-soo sought to share during his 22-day rally? Right. Sun-hee, by the time Kim reaches here at 8 PM he'll have covered 7,300 kilometers over the past 22 days. There were 157 campaign activities for Kim, according to the party. And through this packed journey, Kim's main message was that Lee Jae-myung has legal risks and that he's acting like a dictator already. He cited Lee's guilty rulings that have been appealed, the DP's pressure on the Supreme Court, and the DP's legislative efforts to protect Lee from his legal risks. We all know Kim started this race on the back foot. His party's president was impeached over the declaration of martial law. The polls had him trailing the DP's Lee Jae-myung well beyond the margin of error. To close the gap, Kim had to court undecided voters, while the party sought to distance itself from former President Yoon Suk Yeol. In recent days, Kim also drew attention with daily T-shirt slogans, highlighting his love for family — as his wife and daughter actively campaigned alongside him. It was a contrast to his DP rival, who has kept his family largely out of the public eye. That's all for now, back to you, Sun-hee. All right Do-yeon we'll let you get back to your coverage of the conservative camp. Thank you for that report.

Kulture Issue_What's behind the girl group dominance in the K-pop industry?

2025/06/02 14:00

The K-pop industry is dominated by girl groups these days, evident in music charts and concert ticket sales, in performance lineups at university festivals, and their global fan base. On the other hand, the boy group era seems to be in a stagnant phase. What can we make of this shift? To delve into this issue we connect to Bernie Cho, President of DFSB Kollective. Hello Bernie/ Mr. Cho! Q1. Let's start with this rising dominance of girl power in the K-pop market. Do you feel it happening around you and in what way? Q2. If I'm correct, boy groups used to have a bigger impact within the K-pop industry in the past. Why are we seeing this shift in popularity? Q3. K-pop's main consumers are female, and it's them in many cases who choose to purchase albums and merch of their favorite K-pop groups, including girl groups. What's behind this passion? Q4. Let's talk about the rookie girl groups that debuted this year. Is there any group you have particularly big expectations for? Q5. Do you think we'll see a boy group-dominant K-pop era again? What would be the prerequisite? Q6. Korea's presidential election is coming up tomorrow. Let's talk a bit about "K-pop campaigning". K-pop songs are often used as campaign songs during election season, which liven up the atmosphere. And again, in many cases it's girl group songs, right? Q7. What songs were used this year? Any trends that stood out? Thank you very much for your insights Bernie/Mr. Cho. It was great having you on the show. Keep in touch. Thank you Walter! We'll see you back on Wednesday.

[Short-form] Korea’s Presidential Election: D-1

2025/06/02 14:00

From dynamic campaign trails to captivating ballot counts, catch a glimpse of Korea’s vibrant election culture!

DP's Lee to hold final rally at Seoul's Yeouido Park, highlighting 'Revolution of Light'

2025/06/02 17:00

With election day slated for tomorrow today is the final day of campaigning for the presidential contenders. That being said our political correspondent Shin Ha-young is standing by at a rally of liberal party contender Lee Jae-myung who will speak to supporters at Yeouido Park here in Seoul. Ha-young it's good to have you on. Do start us off. Sunny. Indeed, today is the final day of the official campaign period. I’m here at Yeouido Park in western Seoul, where Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung will stage the finale to his official campaign. Right now, the area is getting ready for the rally, and I've already seen some people gathering in anticipation. Choosing Yeouido as the site of the end of his campaign is meant to highlight what this snap election is really about. Yeouido is home to the National Assembly, where a vote put an end to December's martial law saga. It's also where protesters spent a cold winter with light sticks, calling for the impeachment of former President Yoon Suk Yeol. Just like at the start of his campaign, Lee is expected to highlight his "Revolution of Light" message and emphasize his commitment to ending what he describes as an insurrection. The DP has been calling Yoon’s brief imposition of martial law an act of "insurrection" that undermined the constitutional order. The party's campaign will begin at 7:30 PM and Lee is expected to arrive here at 8 PM to deliver a speech. Meanwhile, Lee focused his last day of rallies on Seoul and the surrounding metropolitan area. Earlier today he visited Seongnam City in Gyeonggi-do Province, not only the city where he grew up, but also where he was first elected to public office as the city's mayor in 2010. Take a listen. "Your vote is the start of real change turning despair into hope, division into unity, and stagnation into growth. Trust Lee Jae-myung, a loyal and capable public servant who has always delivered results through action. I’ll get the job done." After wrapping up his rally in Yeouido, he’ll turn to YouTube Live at 10 PM to make a final appeal to voters. Ha-young the official campaign period comes to a close in a few hours. That being said do walk us through Lee Jae-myung's 22-day campaign. Well, Sunny, I’ve been covering Lee Jae-myung’s campaign from the day he announced his candidacy, which took me all over the country. According to the Democratic Party, Lee held 66 rallies nationwide during the 22-day official campaign period. He traveled over 5-thousand kilometers and met more than 236-thousand people on the trail. Unlike past campaigns that focused mostly on the capital area, over half of his rallies were held outside Seoul. As he traveled across the country, he repeatedly emphasized two main goals: bringing the country together and putting an end to insurrection. Another notable point is that Lee delivered his rally speeches from behind bulletproof glass. This follows growing concerns within the party and among supporters over his safety, especially considering he was stabbed in the neck during a visit to Busan in January last year. His camp has also restricted access near the stage and is limiting physical contact with supporters, including handshakes. That's all for this hour. Back to you Sunny. All right Ha-young thank you for now. That was our Shin Ha-young with the latest from the liberal camp.

[Weather] Rain until tomorrow, heat eased off a bit

2025/06/02 17:00

It rained everywhere on the first Monday of June. About 5 millimeters of rain is expected in the Seoul metropolitan area, 5 to 10 millimeters in Gangwon-do Province, the Chungcheong-do provinces, and Jeollabuk-do Province, 5 to 20 millimeters in Jeollanam-do Province and the Gyeongsang-do provinces, and 10 to 60 millimeters on Jeju Island until tomorrow morning. The rain is cooling things off a bit. The daytime temperature in Seoul rose up to 23 degrees Celsius, about 6 degrees lower than at the same time yesterday. Seoul will see highs of 25 degrees tomorrow with clear skies. Tomorrow morning, most areas will start off at around 15 to 17 degrees Celsius. Daily highs will move up to 26 degrees in Daejeon and Gyeongju, 27 degrees in Daegu. The temperatures will not reach normal levels in the first half of this week. That's all for Korea. Here are the weather conditions around the world.

World News: Seven killed after bridge collapses in Russia's Bryansk region bordering Ukraine

2025/06/02 17:00

This is the World Now, bringing you the latest stories from around the globe. In Russia, two bridges in regions bordering Ukraine collapsed over the weekend, killing at least seven people and injuring dozens. Russian state media reported that the incidents are being investigated as potential "acts of terrorism." On Saturday night, a bridge in Russia's Bryansk region collapsed onto a moving passenger train carrying over 300 people. Seven people were killed and more than 70 others were injured in the disaster. Hours later, early on Sunday, a second bridge collapsed in the neighboring Kursk region, derailing a cargo train and injuring the driver. Both the Bryansk and Kursk regions border Ukraine and have seen a surge in attacks on infrastructure since Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Moscow's Investigative Committee has classified the collapses as terrorist acts. And the state-run Moscow Railways reported that the Bryansk bridge had been blown up in an "illegal interference." However, Ukrainian officials have denied the involvement, accusing Russians of staging a "false flag" operation to "manipulate international opinion" ahead of the Istanbul negotiations. In Nigeria's Niger State, rescue operations continued over the weekend after at least 200 people died in flooding caused by torrential rain which hit on Thursday. Emergency services said 500 people were still missing and 3-thousand residents were displaced in the market town of Mokwa in what is being described as the worst disaster in the area in six decades. The National Emergency Management Agency announced on Sunday that it had begun providing relief packages to people affected, and authorities will focus on recovering bodies to prevent potential outbreaks of disease. In the United States, a 16-year-old transgender athlete has secured two golds and one silver medal at the California Interscholastic Federation State Track and Field Championships, stirring up a controversy over the participation of transgender athletes in a girls' competition. The championships that involved AB Hernandez saw protests, with demonstrators displaying signs opposing transgender inclusion in girls' sports. President Donald Trump criticized California's decision to permit Hernandez's participation, threatening to withdraw federal funding from the state. Choi Chi-hee, Arirang News.