News

N. Korean citizen's body to be cremated, with Pyongyang unresponsive to transfer offer

2025/08/05 22:38

The body of a North Korean man found on the shore of Incheon city's Seongmo-do Island in late June will be cremated here. This is according to Seoul's Unification Ministry and follows North Korea's failure to respond to South Korea's earlier proposal for the body transfer via the truce village of Panmunjom at 3 PM on this Tuesday. Pyongyang has remained silent.

President Lee issues message on 80 years since Hiroshima, Nagasaki bombings

2025/08/05 22:37

President Lee Jae Myung has pledged efforts to support the journey to healing from the atomic bombings on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki 80 years ago on this month. Taking to Facebook on this Tuesday he also conveyed his deepest condolences to the victims and their families. Tens of thousands of Koreans were among those killed or left with lasting health consequences. He also made reference to South Korea's Special Act on the Support for Korean Atomic Bomb Victims enacted in 2017 calling it a "practical foundation for assistance" but acknowledged that more needs to be done.

From heat waves to downpours and back: Why S. Korea is experiencing extreme summer

2025/08/05 22:37

South Korea is facing a summer of extremes, with scorching heat waves followed by intense downpours. Experts say there's a reason behind this. Park Hyo-been has the details. This July was one of the hottest months on record in South Korea. But it was also one of the most devastating in terms of rainfall. According to a Korea Meteorological Administration report on Tuesday, the country's average temperature last month was 27.1 degrees Celsius, the second highest since precise records began in 1973. There were 14.5 days categorized as "heat wave days" with temperatures exceeding 33 degrees, the third highest on record. The extreme heat triggered a surge in heat-related illnesses. The emergency authorities responded to over 2,400 emergency calls related to heatstroke and other conditions in July, up more than 140 percent from the same time last year. Heavy rain has also battered parts of the country. Mid-July saw rainfall double the seasonal average, with over 240 millimeters falling nationwide, the fourth heaviest on record for that period. This extreme mix of heat and rain forced the government to activate both its heat wave and heavy rain Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters for the second year in a row. Since the task force was established in 2019, this is only the second time both systems have run simultaneously. Experts say there's a reason behind these extreme weather patterns. "This summer, a strong North Pacific high brought in hot, humid air, while another high from Tibet expanded overhead, trapping heat over the Korean Peninsula. At the same time, cold air from the north clashed with this heat, creating intense rain clouds and heavy downpours lately." The impact is already being felt. Last Sunday, over 140 millimeters of rain fell in an hour in Muan-gun County, Jeollanam-do Province, leaving one person dead and causing widespread flooding. And on Tuesday, most of the country still remains under heat advisories or warnings. Experts recommend staying hydrated and limiting outdoor activity during peak daytime heat. "To stay safe during heat waves, drink plenty of water regularly and avoid going outside during the hottest hours. It's better to go out in the early morning or evening." With up to 120 millimeters of rain forecast for central regions on Wednesday, authorities are urging residents to stay alert and take precautions. Park Hyo-been, Arirang News.

S. Korea's inflation rises 2.1% on processed food, seafood in July

2025/08/05 22:36

Inflation in South Korea last month rose above 2 percent, for the second month in a row, on higher costs for processed food and seafood. Our correspondent Moon Ji-young has more. Korea's consumer prices saw an increase in the two-percent range in July for the second straight month. Data from Statistics Korea on Tuesday showed that the country's consumer price index, a key gauge of inflation, rose 2-point-1 percent in July year-on-year. Inflation had remained above the Bank of Korea's 2 percent target for four consecutive months through April, subsequently seeing a dip in May before edging up again in June. "While the rise in agricultural, livestock and fishery product prices expanded due to heat waves and heavy rain, the slowdown in the pace of increases for personal services excluding dining out alongside a shift to a decline in petroleum prices, led to a 0.1 percentage point decrease from the previous month." Prices of processed food products jumped over 4 percent due to factory price increases, adding point-3-5 percentage points to July's overall inflation. Agricultural product prices edged down point-1 percent, however, with a notable soaring of watermelon prices by over 20 percent. The agency noted that extreme heat and heavy rainfall resulted in unfavorable supply conditions, while demand rose sharply. Prices of seafood products rose over 7 percent, while mackerel prices climbed more than 12 percent. The agency points to a decline in catches caused by rising sea temperatures. Prices of livestock grew 3-point-5 percent, including a significant increase in domestic beef, which is highly sought after thanks to livelihood recovery consumption coupons distributed by the government. In contrast, oil prices fell 1 percent, reversing an increase in the previous month, amid falling international crude prices. During a review of price trends on the same day, the Bank of Korea noted that prices of farm produce are expected to rise rapidly due to unfavorable weather conditions. It pledged to closely monitor the inflation path in response to high uncertainties surrounding external conditions. The central bank also added that a significant slowdown in price growth could occur this month, affected by planned bill discounts and other services by major mobile carriers. Moon Ji-young. Arirang News.

Task force on growth strategy kicks off with gov't officials and major business leaders

2025/08/05 22:35

A new task force made up of top government officials and corporate leaders launched its first meeting today to chart a strategic map to tangible economic growth. Our economic correspondent Kim Do-yeon has more. Deputy Prime Minister for Economy and Finance Koo Yun-cheol says businesses are at the core of the Lee Jae Myung administration's growth vision which seeks "real growth." He was speaking Tuesday as the new Growth Strategy Task Force held its first meeting with Koo leading, joined by top officials and business leaders, including SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, who also heads the Korea Chamber of Commerce. "We now need to focus on more fundamental economic growth. I believe the next five years are Korea's last real opportunity to transition into a super-innovative economy." One key agenda item was easing legal risks for companies. The government plans to reduce criminal liability for CEOs including in breach of trust cases and shift toward fines and civil compensation. Minor violations without intent or gross negligence could be exempt from criminal charges altogether. But penalties for serious offenses, such as unfair trading or safety violations, will be strengthened. The task force also reviewed the outcome of the recent Korea-U.S. tariff deal. Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan said the agreement eased uncertainty for exporters especially in autos, semiconductors, and pharmaceuticals and helped preserve Korea's competitiveness in the U.S. market, which accounts for nearly 20 percent of Korean exports. Even if new tariffs are introduced, Korea will retain Most Favored Nation treatment ensuring it's not disadvantaged compared to Japan or the EU. Officials also again confirmed no new concessions were made on beef or rice, though future talks could address quarantine procedures such as for U.S. apples. Chairman Chey Tae-won welcomed the deal but urged the government to follow through on the details and ensure both sides maximize investment synergy. Kim Do-yeon, Arirang News.

S. Korea's prime minister calls tariff deal with U.S. "meaningful outcome"

2025/08/05 22:34

South Korea's Prime Minister Kim Min-seok has called last week's tariff deal with the United States a "meaningful outcome," despite some challenging conditions. Presiding over a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday in place of President Lee Jae Myung, who is currently on vacation, Kim thanked ministers for securing what he described as "key interests" for the country's agriculture and livestock industries. This appears to echo the Korean government's stance that it did not concede to further opening its rice and beef markets to U.S. imports. The prime minister also called on relevant ministries to swiftly implement emergency response measures in areas at risk of heavy rainfall.

South Korea "advancing ties with China based on strong Seoul-Washington alliance"

2025/08/05 22:33

The Presidential Office says it'll seek to advance ties with Beijing based on its firm alliance with Washington. The statement shared earlier on this Tuesday follows a comment by Foreign Minister Cho Hyun in an interview with The Washington Post during which he referred to China becoming quote "somewhat problematic with its neighbors". The top office claims Cho's remarks sought to reaffirm commitment to constructive ties with Beijing for regional peace and prosperity despite differences.

Seoul dismantles loudspeakers, U.S. delays drills; signs of a coordinated thaw?

2025/08/05 21:35

Welcome to Within The Frame, where we bring the most pressing issues across the globe into focus. I'm Kim Mok-yeon. South Korea has begun dismantling its border loudspeakers aimed at North Korea—just 54 days after halting the propaganda broadcasts that once echoed across the DMZ. These devices, used for psychological operations and sharp criticism of the North Korean regime, are being removed without prior consultation. It’s a clear, symbolic gesture from Seoul—part of a broader pattern of de-escalation efforts, even as Pyongyang remains unresponsive. Meanwhile, Washington and Seoul are reportedly delaying segments of their joint military drills, officially due to the heat. But the timing raises questions: are these moves part of a quietly coordinated effort to reopen diplomatic space with the North—or one-sided concessions with no return signal? For a closer look into the situation, we connect to Park Won-gon, Professor of North Korea studies at Ewha Womans University. Welcome. 1. South Korea began dismantling its border loudspeakers yesterday, The Defense Ministry framed it as a practical move to de-escalate tensions. Could this kind of preemptive action help open the door to restoring mutual trust between the two Koreas? 2. Staying with efforts to reduce friction, parts of the upcoming U.S.-ROK joint military exercises, set for mid-August, may be postponed to next month due to extreme heat. Mr. Jannuzi, would you interpret this delay as another conciliatory signal directed at North Korea? 3. And despite repeated gestures from Seoul, Pyongyang continues to respond with cynicism and indifference. Prof. Park, for this current strategy to work, what more needs to be done? Or does real progress depend on a policy shift within the North itself? 4. In the meantime, both sides are quietly coordinating an August summit following the recent trade deal. Notably, defense cost-sharing was left out of that agreement. Do you expect it to take center stage when the two presidents meet? 5. President Trump has in the past labeled South Korea a “money machine,” calling for 10 billion dollars in defense contributions. If that demand re-emerges during the summit, what should South Korea’s response be? 6. On the alliance front — recent talks between top diplomats and defense officials reaffirmed a shared commitment to modernize the S. Korea-U.S. alliance. With strategic focus now expanding beyond North Korea to include China, are we seeing a fundamental shift in the nature of the alliance? 7. On the North Korea front, Pyongyang has floated the idea of dialogue with Washington — but only if its status as a nuclear weapons state is acknowledged. Do you expect the upcoming summit to address prospects for U.S.-North Korea talks or denuclearization? 8. Meanwhile, there's movement on another key axis — signs of warming ties between China and North Korea, following a period of friction due to Pyongyang’s growing closeness with Moscow. Could Beijing now be re-engaging to regain influence over the North, perhaps in anticipation of renewed U.S.-North Korea diplomacy? 9. Lastly, as for the deepening Russia-North Korea partnership — Ukrainian intelligence claims up to 30,000 North Korean troops are now inside Russian territory. From your view, how realistic is the possibility of further deployments? Thank you for your time and for your insights tonight Prof Park we appreciate it.

DP ends filibuster on media reform bill, passes it through parliament on Tue.

2025/08/05 20:10

We start at the National Assembly today where lawmakers across the aisle remain at odds over media reform sought by the ruling party. Now in response the opposition party launched a filibuster starting Monday afternoon. For more on the situation there I have our political correspondent Moon Hye-ryeon standing by. Hye-ryeon welcome. So what's the latest? Good afternoon, Sunny. It's been around 25 hours since the filibuster began at around 4 PM on Monday, with the opposition People Power Party arguing against and the ruling Democratic Party speaking in support of the media reform bill presented at yesterday's plenary session. That filibuster has now come to an end, after a motion submitted by the ruling Democratic Party passed with the required supermajority. Under parliamentary rules, a filibuster can only be forcibly ended 24 hours after it begins, and only with the approval of at least three-fifths of sitting lawmakers which is 180 members. Today's vote was conducted by paper ballot, as is customary for motions to end debate — a process that takes longer than the standard electronic voting system used for most bills. Following the end of the filibuster, the DP immediately passed the media reform bill — of the 180 votes cast, 178 lawmakers voted for and 2 voted against. It appears that the PPP did not participate in the vote at all. What exactly is this media reform bill that the filibuster was launched for? The media reform bill introduced at yesterday's plenary session is an amendment of the country's Broadcasting Act, and is one of the highly contentious three media reform bills that the DP is backing. The media reform bills seek a major overhaul of the governance structure at South Korea's public broadcasters, such as expanding the number of board members and introducing a new system for selecting CEOs. The DP argues that the change would make broadcaster leadership more independent from political power, by including members recommended not only by the ruling and opposition parties, but also by civil society. But the PPP fiercely opposes the move — saying it would give the ruling party undue influence over media, and potentially infringe on press freedom. "To boost press freedom and independence, the bill makes CEO appointments more transparent and democratic." "The three broadcasting control bills can be seen as a prelude to the dictatorship of the Lee Jae Myung administration. Before long, they will take control of the general programming cable channels in the same way, even though those are not included for now" You mentioned that today is the last day of the July extraordinary session — so what happens to the other bills on the agenda? That's right, so other bills will carry over into the August session, with a plenary session likely to be scheduled towards the end of the month. The PPP has vowed to launch filibusters against every single one of the four contentious bills remaining on the agenda two other media reform bills, as well as the so-called "Yellow Envelope Bill" that limits employer action on striking union members, and a revision of the Commercial Act. The second media reform bill was introduced just a few minutes ago, and the PPP launched yet another filibuster. The DP, on the other hand, remains committed to these reforms, so we'll have to wait and see what happens. That's all for now, back to you, Sunny. All right, Hye-ryeon, thank you for now. Do keep us posted.

[Weather] Heavy rain will make a return tomorrow across the country

2025/08/05 20:08

Heat wave warnings have been issued for most parts of the country. The daytime temperature rose to 33 degrees Celsius in Seoul and 35 degrees in Daegu. Tomorrow, it will stop at 28 degrees in Seoul with rain during the day. Tomorrow, it will rain all over the country again. In particular, heavy rain of up to 100 millimeters will fall in the eastern parts of Gyeonggi-do, inland areas of Gangwon-do, and the Chungcheong-do provinces, and up to 80 millimeters of heavy rain will also fall in Seoul. Special care should be taken to keep safe and prevent any damage. The morning will start warm tomorrow at 27 degrees in Seoul and Busan, 28 degrees in Jeju. Daily highs will move up to 28 degrees in Seoul and Chuncheon, 34 degrees in Gyeongju. Strong rain will mostly stop on Thursday morning and tropical nights will finally cool down from Friday. That's all for Korea. Here are the weather conditions around the world.

World News: Poland extends temporary border checks with Germany to October

2025/08/05 20:06

This is the World Now, bringing you the stories from around the globe. Poland announced that checks at Poland's borders with Germany and Lithuania will be extended to block irregular migration and close transit routes from Russia and Belarus. Polish Interior Minister Marcin Kierwinski said Sunday that the regulation to prolong controls had been formally submitted to the European Commission, as required under EU rules. The checks, initially introduced on July 7 and originally due to expire on August 5, will now remain in force until October 4. Kierwinski explained that the strengthened barriers on Poland's eastern frontier with Belarus and Russia have largely blocked migrant paths, shifting the flow toward Lithuania and Latvia. The expanded checks aim to intercept cross-border transit before migrants reach the German border. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk framed the extension as a defensive response to Germany's tightening of asylum admissions. In the United States, around 3,200 workers from Boeing's defense unit went on strike for the first time in nearly three decades on Monday after rejecting a contract offer from the company. Members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers District 837 walked off the job across Boeing facilities in St. Louis and St. Charles, Missouri, and Mascoutah, Illinois, staging their first strike since 1996. They rejected Boeing's contract offer, which included a 20 percent general wage increase, a 5,000 U.S. dollar ratification bonus, additional vacation and sick leave. The workers cited unresolved issues with overtime eligibility and scheduling provisions. Dame Stella Rimington, the UK's first publicly named director-general of MI5 and the first known female leader of any national intelligence agency, died on Sunday aged 90. She joined MI5 in 1969 and worked her way up to become Director General in 1992. Paying tribute, the current MI5 Director General said, "Her leadership ushered in a new era of openness and transparency about the work MI5 does." After retiring, Rimington was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the Bath in 1996 and went on to write bestselling spy novels featuring fictional MI5 and CIA agents. Choi Chi-hee, Arirang News.

Gyeongju to start "K-Miso City" Campaign ahead of APEC 2025 Korea

2025/08/05 20:04

Back on the local front. The southern city of Gyeongju is seeking to ensure that language is not a barrier to travel for foreigners there during the APEC leaders' meeting later this autumn. Ahn Sung-jin has more. A taxi driver wearing a shirt, vest, and tie embroidered with the Gyeongju City symbol welcomes a foreign guest. Speaking through a smartphone app, the guest tells the driver his destination. "Please take me to the Bulguk Temple." It is translated automatically on the driver's cell phone. What the driver says to the customer is also translated immediately. This two-way, AI translator has been provided to around a thousand taxi drivers in the Gyeongju area ahead of APEC 2025 Korea. "Since we have the translation application ready, we can communicate with foreign guests and take them to destinations more easily." Gyeongsangbuk-do Province has started its "K-MISO CITY" project, which stands for "My Innovative Smart Open City," for foreign visitors ahead of the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in November. The province says it's a "civic movement" with the aim of encouraging people to revisit Korea. Key tasks aim to transform aspects of society to create a smart and open city. The project is also set to improve public transport services, lodging facilities, and traditional markets. With events like "APEC Plogging" and "APEC Clean Day," citizens will clean the streets to make sure the city is as clean as it can be. "We try to set our smiles, kindness, and cleanliness as our standard practice from the service industry to daily life. This will create a smart and safe city for everyone." Since the voluntary participation of citizens is essential for the successful hosting of the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting, the province plans to promote the campaign through civic education. Ahn Sung-jin, Arirang News.

Hamas demands 250 relief trucks per day

2025/08/05 20:03

In the Middle East. Hamas says it will return to the dialogue table IF the number of aid trucks into Gaza is substantially increased. Lee Seung-jae has the latest. Palestinian militant group Hamas is open to restarting peace talks with Israel. However, the precondition to returning to negotiations is the entry of at least 250 humanitarian aid trucks per day into the Gaza Strip. According to Al Jazeera, Gaza officials report that over 22-thousand aid trucks are currently waiting outside the enclave, while an average of just 84 trucks have been allowed in daily since Israel eased restrictions on July 27th. Humanitarian organizations have warned that at least 600 trucks per day are required to meet basic needs. Gaza's Health Ministry said Monday that six more people, including a child, had died from starvation in the previous 24 hours, bringing the total number of starvation-related deaths since the start of the conflict to 181, including 94 children. However,.. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that he would convene his security cabinet this week, in order to discuss how his military will proceed in Gaza, and meet all his war goals. "We must continue to stand together and fight together to achieve all our war objectives: the defeat of the enemy, the release of our hostages, and the assurance that Gaza will no longer pose a threat to Israel. Later this week, I will convene the cabinet to instruct the IDF on how to achieve these three objectives—all of them, without exception." Meanwhile, according to a report by Axios on Monday, more than a dozen House Democrats have signed a letter calling on the Trump administration to formally recognize a Palestinian state. The latest push signals a renewed effort among some U.S. lawmakers to support Palestinian statehood, with at least one Democrat planning to introduce a pro-statehood resolution in Congress. Lee Seung-jae, Arirang News.

Russia says it will no longer be bound under Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty

2025/08/05 20:01

Russia has announced intentions to step away from a missile treaty that the U.S. accuses it of violating for over a decade. Choi Soo-hyung explains. Russia says it will no longer be bound by a treaty on the deployment of intermediate-range missiles. On Monday local time, the Russian Foreign Ministry claimed the U.S. has been deploying intermediate-range missiles in Europe and Asia. Moscow said the move is a response to new threats. The INF Treaty, signed in 1987 between the U.S. and the Soviet Union, banned the production, testing, and deployment of ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles with ranges of 500 to 5-thousand-500 kilometers. In 2019, during U.S. President Donald Trump's first term, Washington pulled out of the agreement arguing Moscow had long been violating the treaty. Russia denied accusations of violations, continuing to hold back on developing missiles banned under the Treaty. Moscow's statement on Monday followed President Trump's order, issued three days before, to reposition two U.S. nuclear submarines in response to the deputy head of Russia's powerful Security Council Dmitri Medvedev's remarks about the risk of war between Washington and Moscow. Medvedev also warned on X to "expect further steps," tying the foreign ministry's announcement to what he called NATO countries' "anti-Russia policy." NATO is stepping up its support for Ukraine, starting with the Netherlands. The alliance plans to purchase U.S.-made weapons systems. Valued at around 579 million U.S. dollars, the aid package will include missiles for the Patriot air defense system. "The Dutch are just the first of many. You're going to see a series of announcements in the coming weeks. You know, when we announced this facility that allowed our NATO allies to buy U.S. equipment and provide that to Ukraine for their defense, you know, we had a lot of our allies raise their hand and line up." Ukraine has also continued its offensive, striking five Russian fighter jets in Russian-occupied Crimea. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claimed Ukrainian forces are also facing mercenaries from China, Pakistan, and Africa. Choi Soo-hyung, Arirang News.

Trump pressures India over Russian oil in bid to sway Moscow

2025/08/05 19:59

A war of words is taking place between U.S. President Donald Trump and India as he accuses the country of raking in profits from the resale of Russian oil despite the alarming death toll in Ukraine. Byeon Ye-young reports. U.S. President Donald Trump is turning up the pressure on India, just days before a 25% "reciprocal" tariff is set to take effect on August 7 and the U.S.-set ceasefire deadline between Russia and Ukraine of August 8. In a post on social media, Trump accused India of making huge profits from buying and reselling Russian oil while turning a blind eye to how many people are dying in Ukraine, saying he will be substantially raising the tariffs paid by India to the U.S. The move is widely viewed as part of a dual strategy, pressuring India while indirectly targeting Russia by going after one of its key oil customers. "So what he said very clearly is that it is not acceptable for India to continue financing this war by purchasing the oil from Russia." In an official statement, Indian spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the "targeting of India" was "unfair and unreasonable," explaining that India had turned to Russian oil only after traditional suppliers redirected shipments to Europe following the Ukraine conflict. He also pointed out that the U.S. still imports chemicals and minerals from Russia for its nuclear and EV industries, and that India will take all necessary steps to safeguard its national interest and economic security. Russia, for its part, dismissed the moves. In a statement, Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said no tariff wars or sanctions "can halt the natural course of history," adding that Russia will deepen ties with the global south and resist the "unlawful unilateral sanctions." Meanwhile, U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff is scheduled to visit Moscow on August 6th, possibly to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin, a move seen as an attempt to push for progress on a ceasefire. Byeon Ye-young, Arirang News.

President Lee issues message on 80 years since Hiroshima, Nagasaki bombings

2025/08/05 19:57

President Lee Jae Myung has pledged efforts to support the journey to healing from the atomic bombings on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki 80 years ago on this month. Taking to Facebook on this Tuesday he also conveyed his deepest condolences to the victims and their families. Tens of thousands of Koreans were among those killed or left with lasting health consequences. He also made reference to South Korea's Special Act on the Support for Korean Atomic Bomb Victims enacted in 2017 calling it a "practical foundation for assistance" but acknowledged that more needs to be done.

Task force on growth strategy kicks off with gov't officials and major business leaders

2025/08/05 19:57

A new task force made up of top government officials and corporate leaders launched its first meeting on this Tuesday. to chart a strategic map to tangible economic growth. Our economic correspondent Kim Do-yeon has more. Deputy Prime Minister for Economy and Finance Koo Yun-cheol says businesses are at the core of the Lee Jae Myung administration's growth vision which seeks "real growth." He was speaking Tuesday as the new Growth Strategy Task Force held its first meeting with Koo leading, joined by top officials and business leaders, including SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, who also heads the Korea Chamber of Commerce. "We now need to focus on more fundamental economic growth. I believe the next five years are Korea's last real opportunity to transition into a super-innovative economy." One key agenda item was easing legal risks for companies. The government plans to reduce criminal liability for CEOs including in breach of trust cases and shift toward fines and civil compensation. Minor violations without intent or gross negligence could be exempt from criminal charges altogether. But penalties for serious offenses, such as unfair trading or safety violations, will be strengthened. The task force also reviewed the outcome of the recent Korea-U.S. tariff deal. Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan said the agreement eased uncertainty for exporters especially in autos, semiconductors, and pharmaceuticals and helped preserve Korea's competitiveness in the U.S. market, which accounts for nearly 20 percent of Korean exports. Even if new tariffs are introduced, Korea will retain Most Favored Nation treatment ensuring it's not disadvantaged compared to Japan or the EU. Officials also again confirmed no new concessions were made on beef or rice, though future talks could address quarantine procedures such as for U.S. apples. Chairman Chey Tae-won welcomed the deal but urged the government to follow through on the details and ensure both sides maximize investment synergy. Kim Do-yeon, Arirang News.

S. Korea's inflation rises 2.1% on processed food, seafood in July

2025/08/05 19:46

Inflation was up 2-point-1 percent on year in July driven by processed food costs. Our correspondent Moon Ji-young covers the latest findings. Korea's consumer prices saw an increase in the two-percent range in July for the second straight month. Data from Statistics Korea on Tuesday showed that the country's consumer price index, a key gauge of inflation, rose 2-point-1 percent in July year-on-year. Inflation had remained above the Bank of Korea's 2 percent target for four consecutive months through April, subsequently seeing a dip in May before edging up again in June. "While the rise in agricultural, livestock and fishery product prices expanded due to heat waves and heavy rain, the slowdown in the pace of increases for personal services---excluding dining out---alongside a shift to a decline in petroleum prices, led to a 0.1 percentage point decrease from the previous month." Prices of processed food products jumped over 4 percent due to factory price increases, adding point-3-5 percentage points to July's overall inflation. Agricultural product prices edged down point-1 percent, however, with a notable soaring of watermelon prices by over 20 percent. The agency noted that extreme heat and heavy rainfall resulted in unfavorable supply conditions, while demand rose sharply. Prices of seafood products rose over 7 percent, while mackerel prices climbed more than 12 percent. The agency points to a decline in catches caused by rising sea temperatures. Prices of livestock grew 3-point-5 percent, including a significant increase in domestic beef, which is highly sought after thanks to livelihood recovery consumption coupons distributed by the government. In contrast, oil prices fell 1 percent, reversing an increase in the previous month, amid falling international crude prices. During a review of price trends on the same day, the Bank of Korea noted that prices of farm produce are expected to rise rapidly due to unfavorable weather conditions. It pledged to closely monitor the inflation path in response to high uncertainties surrounding external conditions. The central bank also added that a significant slowdown in price growth could occur this month, affected by planned bill discounts and other services by major mobile carriers. Moon Ji-young. Arirang News.

N. Korean citizen's body to be cremated, with Pyongyang unresponsive to transfer offer

2025/08/05 19:43

The body of a North Korean man found on the shore of Incheon city's Seongmo-do Island in late June will be cremated here. This is according to Seoul's Unification Ministry and follows North Korea's failure to respond to South Korea's earlier proposal for the body transfer via the truce village of Panmunjom at 3 p.m. on this Tuesday. Pyongyang has remained silent.

South Korea "advancing ties with China based on strong Seoul-Washington alliance"

2025/08/05 19:42

The Presidential Office here is seeking to advance ties with Beijing based on its firm alliance with Washington. The statement shared earlier on this Tuesday follows a comment by Foreign Minister Cho Hyun in an interview with The Washington Post during which he referred to China becoming quote "somewhat problematic with its neighbors". The top office claims Cho's remarks sought to reaffirm commitment to constructive ties with Beijing for regional peace and prosperity despite differences.