News

Israel strikes on Syrian capital hit defense ministry and military headquarters

2025/07/17 13:36

Over in the Middle East. Israel attacked the Syrian capital, partially destroying military buildings, including the entrance of the defense ministry. This comes as Israel vowed to destroy Syrian government forces attacking Druze communities in southern Syria, demanding that they withdraw. Lee Seung-jae has this report. The Israel Defense Forces announced Wednesday that it had conducted airstrikes on Syria's military headquarters in Damascus. The strikes damaged both the entrance of the defense ministry building, as well as a military headquarters located near the presidential palace. The moment of the attack was captured during a live news broadcast on local network Syria TV, as the anchor reported on Israel's threats to continue attacks. According to Syria's Ministry of Health, at least one person was killed and 18 others injured in the airstrikes. Wednesday's attacks come as Israel vowed to destroy Syrian government forces attacking Druze communities in southern Syria, demanding that they withdraw. Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Wednesday that while the situation in Syria is "complicated," it's a "misunderstanding" and efforts towards de-escalation will be made soon. "So we've been engaged with them all morning long and all night long with both sides, and we think we're on our way towards a real de-escalation " The UN Security Council is set to hold an emergency session on Thursday following the Israeli airstrikes. The meeting was requested by the permanent mission of Syria at the UN, and was endorsed by Algeria. Lee Seung-jae, Arirang News.

Education minister nominee apologizes for alleged plagiarism, illegally sending daughter abroad to study

2025/07/17 13:35

At the National Assembly. Rival parties clashed, again,.. as confirmation hearings of Cabinet nominees continued for the third day. Our political correspondent Shin Ha-young reports. On the third day of National Assembly hearings for the president's first Cabinet, lawmakers on Wednesday questioned the nominees for education, justice, and labor ministers on their policy agendas and qualifications. Nominee for education minister Lee Jin-sook , whose role doubles as deputy prime minister, emphasized her commitment to nurturing future talent in step with the development of AI. "I will focus on enhancing digital literacy and AI fundamentals from elementary through high school, building a strong foundation to develop AI talent that will help South Korea become a global leader in AI." During the hearing, the focus was on allegations of Lee sending her daughter abroad for overseas study at an age deemed illegal under the law, and committing academic plagiarism. Lee apologized, saying she understood the allegations disappointed public expectations, but she denied all claims related to her academic papers. She also said she was unaware that sending a child, who had not graduated from middle school, abroad without a parent was illegal. The ruling and opposition parties clashed over the nominee's qualifications. "If the candidate had any conscience, I would have expected her to step down before the hearing, to avoid becoming a burden to the Lee Jae Myung administration." "Calling this candidate unqualified? Why are we holding this confirmation hearing? And why are the lawmakers sitting here as committee members?" Meanwhile, justice minister nominee Jung Sung-ho said it was time to resolve the issue of separating the prosecution's investigation and indictment powers, emphasizing his commitment to prosecutorial reform, one of the Lee Jae Myung administration's key campaign pledges. "Separating the prosecution's powers to investigate and indict is an inevitable policy direction to ensure its political neutrality, reduce the concentration of power, and to establish checks and balances among investigative agencies." Kim Young-hoon , the nominee for employment and labor minister, pledged to resolve discrimination against temporary workers and ensure equal pay for equal work as his top priorities. Shin Ha-young, Arirang News.

Lee offers apology to bereaved families of major disasters

2025/07/17 13:34

President Lee Jae Myung met with families of the victims of national tragedies that have occurred in recent years, including the Itaewon Halloween crowd crush and the Sewol ferry sinking. The president offered an apology on behalf of the government. Our top office correspondent, Yoon Jung-min reports. The day after the nation remembered the second anniversary of the disastrous underpass flooding in the city of Osong, a large-scale dialogue took place with people who had lost loved ones in major social disasters in recent years, many of whom's suffering is far from over. To these people, President Lee Jae Myung offered an official apology. "As the chief who's in charge of state affairs, I officially apologize on behalf of the government for not fulfilling its responsibility to protect the lives and safety of the people, which led to the loss of many lives." Invited to the Yeongbingwan Hall at the Blue House on Wednesday were some 200 of them for "consolation and healing." Among them were bereaved families of the Sewol ferry sinking that killed more than 300 people in 2014, many of whom were young people aboard for a school trip, the Itaewon crowd crush in 2022, and the Muan airport crash late last year. Some still called for getting to the bottom of what happened and holding those responsible to account, "We call for an investigation into the cause of the disaster, and for the interior ministry to immediately open an investigation to find out the cause of the flooding." others suffer from secondary victimization. "Since the disaster, we have never been apologized to for the state violence whereby victims have been subject to inspections, and efforts to uncover the truth have been hindered." As the message was clear about what should be done at a national level, the focus was on how the state should function to prevent such disasters from happening again. "The state's No. 1 responsibility is to protect the lives and safety of the people. The state was not there when the people were threatened, when they needed protection. There was a wrong tendency in this society where money comes before life and costs come before safety." Wednesday's meeting was part of President Lee's attempts to bolster direct communication with the people. Another town hall meeting is scheduled on Friday in the southeastern city of Busan. Yoon Jung-min, Arirang News.

[NEWs GEN] Stalking Unmasked: How young people are taking on stalking crimes

2025/07/17 13:33

[NEWs GEN] Stalking Unmasked: How young people are taking on stalking crimes [뉴젠] 스토킹피해자 주민번호 열람제한... 스토킹에 대한 MZ와 기성세대의 다른 시각

STOCK&FX

2025/07/16 22:44

2025. 7. 16. KOREAN STOCK MARKET KOSPI : 3,186.38 ▼28.90 -0.90% KOSDAQ : 812.23 ▼0.65 -0.08% KOSPI200 : 431.16 ▼3.62 -0.83% ASIAN STOCK MARKET NIKKEI225 : 39,663.40 ▼14.62 -0.04% HANG SENG : 24,517.76 ▼72.36 -0.29% SHANGHAI : 3,503.78 ▼1.22 -0.03% WALL STREET (July 15) DOW JONES : 44,023.29 ▼436.36 (-0.98%) NASDAQ : 20,677.80 ▲37.47 (+0.18%) S&P500 : 6,243.76 ▼24.80 (-0.40%) EXCHANGE RATE USD : 1,385.70 (+5.50) JPY : 931.59 (-2.97) CNY : 192.95 (+0.62) EUR : 1,610.46 (-1.96)

Education minister nominee apologizes for alleged plagiarism, illegally sending daughter abroad to study

2025/07/16 22:44

Confirmation hearings of Cabinet nominees continued for a third day today, with the education, justice, and labor minister candidates appearing before their respective National Assembly standing committees. And again, the rival parties clashed over the nominees' qualifications. Our political correspondent Shin Ha-young reports. On the third day of National Assembly hearings for the president's first Cabinet, lawmakers on Wednesday questioned the nominees for education, justice, and labor ministers on their policy agendas and qualifications. Nominee for education minister Lee Jin-sook , whose role doubles as deputy prime minister, emphasized her commitment to nurturing future talent in step with the development of AI. "I will focus on enhancing digital literacy and AI fundamentals from elementary through high school, building a strong foundation to develop AI talent that will help South Korea become a global leader in AI." During the hearing, the focus was on allegations of Lee sending her daughter abroad for overseas study at an age deemed illegal under the law, and committing academic plagiarism. Lee apologized, saying she understood the allegations disappointed public expectations, but she denied all claims related to her academic papers. She also said she was unaware that sending a child, who had not graduated from middle school, abroad without a parent was illegal. The ruling and opposition parties clashed over the nominee's qualifications. "If the candidate had any conscience, I would have expected her to step down before the hearing, to avoid becoming a burden to the Lee Jae Myung administration." "Calling this candidate unqualified? Why are we holding this confirmation hearing? And why are the lawmakers sitting here as committee members?" Meanwhile, justice minister nominee Jung Sung-ho said it was time to resolve the issue of separating the prosecution's investigation and indictment powers, emphasizing his commitment to prosecutorial reform, one of the Lee Jae Myung administration's key campaign pledges. "Separating the prosecution's powers to investigate and indict is an inevitable policy direction to ensure its political neutrality, reduce the concentration of power, and to establish checks and balances among investigative agencies." Kim Young-hoon , the nominee for employment and labor minister, pledged to resolve discrimination against temporary workers and ensure equal pay for equal work as his top priorities. Shin Ha-young, Arirang News.

[Weather] Heavy rain expected around the country

2025/07/16 22:42

You need to be careful of the heavy rain today. In particular, there is a lot of rain in the western parts of the country. Even strong water bombs of 50 millimeters per hour are expected. Currently, heavy rain advisories are in place around the Seoul metropolitan area and the Chungcheong-do provinces. Up to 200 millimeters of heavy rain is expected in southern Gyeonggi-do Province and Chungcheongnam-do Province by tomorrow, and 150 millimeters or more in central inland areas, southern Gangwon-do and western Jeollabuk-do Provinces. Other central areas and the Jeolla-do provinces will also receive up to 100 to 150 millimeters of heavy rain by tomorrow. Tomorrow, most areas will start off at around 24 to 25 degrees Celsius. Highs will move up to 29 degrees in Seoul and Daejeon, 32 degrees in Gyeongju and Jeju. This rain will continue across the country until Saturday. That's all for Korea. Here are the weather conditions around the world.

Number of people in jobs continues to rise, but struggles for young people remain

2025/07/16 22:42

The number of people in jobs in South Korea continues to grow, however, there were further struggles for those under the age of 30 and the construction and manufacturing industries. Our Kim Do-yeon has the details. The employment rate in South Korea continues to grow but concerns remain. The number of people in employment last month was 29.091 million, an increase of 183,000 compared to the same month last year. That's according to the latest data from Statistics Korea released on Wednesday. Employment has been on the rise for six consecutive months since January, but June's increase was smaller than the 245,000 seen the month before. "By industry, the rise was led by health and social welfare, professional and scientific services, and educational services. By employment status, the increase was seen among regular and temporary workers, and by age group, it was most notable among those aged 60 and over, as well as those in their 30s." However, the situation for young adults has been getting harder. Looking at the employment rate, it rose 0.1 percentage points year-on-year to 63.6% across all age groups , but for young people, it fell 1 percentage point to 45.6%, the lowest June figure in four years. For 14 straight months the number of employed people under 30 has been falling. Compared to June last year the loss was 173,000. "This is because companies increasingly prefer experienced candidates when hiring, and rolling recruitment has also been on the rise — factors that tend to disadvantage the youth." On top of this, struggling industries continued a downward trend. Employment in manufacturing shrank by 83-thousand, extending a year-long slide, while construction jobs dropped by 97-thousand, now down for 14 months in a row amid a sluggish real estate development market. Those industries have been hit hard recently but the government has recently allocated funds from its supplementary budget to give them a boost. Kim Do-yeon, Arirang News.

DP urges action on 'heatflation' and worker safety amid soaring temperatures

2025/07/16 22:41

Amid the height of summer here, the Democratic Party on Wednesday inspected food wholesale and logistics sites to determine heatwave and inflation countermeasures. Acting party leader Kim Byung-kee warned that soaring food prices caused by extreme temperatures — so-called "heatflation" — are becoming a reality, vowing to stabilize costs and reform distribution. Officials highlighted online wholesale markets as a way to cut supply chain layers and reduce consumer prices. Kim also called for better protection for delivery workers and urged companies to join a "No Delivery Day" in August to help prevent deaths from overwork.

Lee offers apology to bereaved families of major disasters

2025/07/16 22:40

A dialogue took place today to offer consolation to bereaved families of major social disasters in Korean society. On behalf of the government, President Lee Jae Myung offered an official apology. Presidential Office Correspondent Yoon Jung-min reports. The day after the nation remembered the second anniversary of the disastrous underpass flooding in the city of Osong, a large-scale dialogue took place with people who had lost loved ones in major social disasters in recent years, many of whom's suffering is far from over. To these people, President Lee Jae Myung offered an official apology. "As the chief who's in charge of state affairs, I officially apologize on behalf of the government for not fulfilling its responsibility to protect the lives and safety of the people, which led to the loss of many lives." Invited to the Yeongbingwan Hall at the Blue House on Wednesday were some 200 of them for "consolation and healing." Among them were bereaved families of the Sewol ferry sinking that killed more than 300 people in 2014, many of whom were young people aboard for a school trip, the Itaewon crowd crush in 2022, and the Muan airport crash late last year. Some still called for getting to the bottom of what happened and holding those responsible to account, "We call for an investigation into the cause of the disaster, and for the interior ministry to immediately open an investigation to find out the cause of the flooding." others suffer from secondary victimization. "Since the disaster, we have never been apologized to for the state violence whereby victims have been subject to inspections, and efforts to uncover the truth have been hindered." As the message was clear about what should be done at a national level, the focus was on how the state should function to prevent such disasters from happening again. "The state's No. 1 responsibility is to protect the lives and safety of the people. The state was not there when the people were threatened, when they needed protection. There was a wrong tendency in this society where money comes before life and costs come before safety." Wednesday's meeting was part of President Lee's attempts to bolster direct communication with the people. Another town hall meeting is scheduled on Friday in the southeastern city of Busan. Yoon Jung-min, Arirang News.

[Politics & Diplomacy] Seoul's pending foreign policy issues as FM nominee awaits confirmation, Lee-Trump Summit still not set

2025/07/16 22:39

South Korea's foreign policy is in the early stages of formation, a little over a month after the Lee Jae Myung administration took office. A new foreign minister awaits confirmation, top-level talks with the U.S. are in the works, and there are growing efforts to diversify Korea's diplomacy. To touch upon the latest developments, we're joined in the studio by our foreign affairs correspondent Oh Soo-young. Q1. Let's start with the confirmation hearing for Cho Hyun, the nominee for foreign minister, taking place on Thursday. What do we know about him and what will his priorities be? Cho Hyun is a seasoned career diplomat, having served as Vice Foreign Minister, and South Korea's Permanent Representative to the United Nations. Cho also happens to be a trade negotiation expert, who was behind economic cooperation and trade initiatives with the likes of Japan, India and Mexico. So it's likely he will play an instrumental role in handling tariff negotiations alongside the trade minister, and further strengthening the S. Korea-U.S. alliance, at a time when it is hard to engage with the Trump administration. Amid pressure from Washington officials to offer more financially, outside the existing agreement on sharing the cost of stationing U.S. troops on the Korean Peninsula, Seoul's foreign ministry has simply said it's communicating with the U.S. on ways to further develop the alliance. So once Cho is inaugurated, setting the course of negotiations with the U.S. will be a priority. In his comments over the past month, Cho has indicated he will aim to strengthen the South Korea-U.S. alliance, but at the same time, broaden Seoul's realm of foreign policy beyond its traditional partners. His time at the UN would prove valuable in expanding Korea's multilateral diplomacy. Cho is also expected to support the Lee administration's more dovish position towards engaging North Korea, supporting renewed dialogue between Washington and Pyongyang. He first has to have his nomination confirmed of course, so let's see how that goes tomorrow. Q2. It's clear leadership is needed to steer Korea's foreign policy -- not just by the minister but at the top level. Presidents Lee and Trump still have yet to meet. Is there any chance we'll see a bilateral meeting this month? At this point, a July summit is looking increasingly unlikely. After initially hinting that a summit could happen next week, the South Korean President's office now simply says it's closely communicating with Washington. This comes after plans for a high-level visit by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio were canceled earlier this month, reportedly due to other priorities in the Middle East. Rubio's visit was expected to lay the groundwork for a summit in the coming weeks, and now we're not hearing anything more concrete from either side. With President Trump's new deadline for tariff negotiations set for August 1st, there's growing pressure for Seoul to procure a meeting as soon as possible. However, with Trump's attention divided between Russia and the Middle East, observers say more realistic windows for the first Lee-Trump meeting would be September, around the time of the UN General Assembly or the APEC Summit in South Korea's Gyeongju in October. For now, the two presidents have only spoken on the phone in the days after Lee Jae Myung took office. Q3. Right. In the meantime though, it looks like there's been some progress on regional diplomacy. Yes, the Lee Administration has set out to strengthen regional partnerships in diverse areas beyond South Korea's traditional security-focused interests. This includes holding a stronger presence at multilateral forums, as we saw at the ASEAN regional forum last Thursday and Friday in Malaysia. South Korea and ASEAN adopted a new five-year Plan of Action, laying the groundwork for deeper political, security, economic and socio-cultural relations. "We expect Korea to be that standard setter and to help us in terms of building our frameworks regional frameworks, regional frameworks on digital economy, on cybersecurity on say renewable energy in the future and energy resiliency. Second is of course how Korea is a leader in technology for infrastructure and funding. That's something that's complimentary ASEAN. And last but not least, of course, Korea is also being seen as a reliable and dressing option that is politically safe early there is no chance that Korea will be seen as troublesome or geopolitically difficult to work with in like other countries at this moment" As Foreign Minister nominee Cho Hyun awaits parliamentary approval, first vice minister Park Yoon-joo led the delegation to Malaysia. But despite his deputy status, we saw him hold a high-level trilateral meeting with the U.S. and Japan's top diplomats, expressing their will to deter North Korea's nuclear threat, and he also raised the agenda in various discussions throughout ASEAN related forums. So it's been seen as a successful first start to Seoul's push for diplomatic diversification under the new government. Alright. It's still early days but hopefully there'll be continued progress on multilateral diplomacy, as South Korea chairs the APEC Summit in Gyeongju later this year. Thanks for coming in today Sooyoung.

U.S. House Committee passes fiscal year 2026 defense bill barring reduction of U.S. Forces Korea

2025/07/16 22:36

The U.S. House Committee passed a defense budget bill for the fiscal year 2026. It included maintaining the current level of U.S. Forces Korea, amid ongoing concerns that the Trump administration could reduce the number of troops. Our defense correspondent Kim Bo-kyoung tells us more. The U.S. defense spending bill for the 2026 fiscal year calls for maintaining the current size of the U.S. Forces Korea passed the first hurdle of the House of Representatives on Tuesday. The U.S. Defense Authorization Act's passing by the House Armed Services Committee comes amid concerns over the possibility of the Trump administration cutting the number of U.S. Forces Korea troops. The bill passed by a verbal vote, was Republican congressman Joe Wilson's amendment to the NDAA, where he stated that the defense secretary should continue efforts to strengthen alliances and partnerships in the Indo-Pacific region. Such efforts, would include maintaining the current size of U.S. forces in South Korea, enhancing mutual defense cooperation, and reaffirming the U.S. commitment to providing extended deterrence using all available defense capabilities. This text is the same, as the current 2025 NDAA which passed Congress in December last year. The previous draft of the 2026 NDAA, which the committee chairman, Republican Mike Rogers shared with the committee, did not include a part stipulating maintaining the status quo with regard to the size of U.S. troops in South Korea, until Wilson's amendment. The phrase in the NDAA is not legally binding, however, it has often been accepted as Congress' recommendation. The passage of the NDAA at the lower house committee comes after the Senate committee passed its own version of the fiscal year 2026 NDAA on Friday. The Senate's version contained a new part that prohibits any decrease in USFK personnel or transfer of wartime operational control to Korean forces unless the defense secretary certifies to Congress that such moves are in the national interest. It also called for the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Indo-Pacific Command commander and the USFK commander to conduct independent assessments on the risks associated with troop reductions or transfer of wartime operational control. With the U.S. administration expected to announce a plan for the global repositioning of U.S. troops and defense strategy as early as the end of August, eyes are on how the NDAA will eventually turn out. The defense spending bills are expected to undergo a consultation process between the House and Senate, be adjusted into a single proposal, and finalized with President Donald Trump's signature. Kim Bo-kyoung, Arirang News.

Trump plans pharma tariffs by end of July, chips on horizon

2025/07/16 22:35

The Trump administration's pharmaceutical tariffs might come as early as the end of the month, the U.S. President says, with similar timelines also set for semiconductors. Our Moon Ji-young has more. U.S. President Donald Trump has indicated that tariffs on pharmaceutical imports could be imposed as soon as the end of this month, with duties on semiconductors also on the horizon. "Pharmaceuticals will be tariffed, probably at the end of the month, and we're going to start off with a low tariff, and give the pharmaceutical companies a year or so to build, and then we're going to make it a very high tariff." Returning from a public event in Pittsburgh on Tuesday, Trump noted that the timeline for semiconductor levies was "similar" and "less complicated" to that for pharmaceuticals, though he offered no further details. These remarks suggest that these import taxes might coincide with broad "reciprocal" rates set for implementation on August 1st. The August 1st deadline gives targeted countries time to negotiate for lower tariff rates. Trump, in recent days, has sent letters to a number of trading partners unilaterally dictating the rates for tariffs on many imports, while maintaining he would continue to carry out negotiations. Trump predicted that he could strike "two or three" trade deals, stating: "We're working on probably five or six. Of the five or six, I'm not sure I really want to do them. You know, you want somebody that knows how to negotiate. But we'll probably have two or three." Meanwhile, the Trump administration also announced plans to impose tariffs on goods from smaller countries, including those in the Caribbean and Africa, which have not received tailored rates. "The Caribbean countries, African countries. You have a huge amount of countries that are small, and the president is just going to deal with them sort of the way he thinks is the right way to deal with them." Trump also mentioned that while some countries, such as South Korea, had shown a willingness to "open" trade following his threats, others, like Japan, had not. Moon Ji-young, Arirang News.

Busan to host S. Korea’s first UNESCO World Heritage Committee session

2025/07/16 22:34

South Korea has been selected to serve as the host country for next year's UNESCO World Heritage Committee. Thousands of representatives from around the world will put their heads together down in Busan City to review global cultural and natural heritage sites and their value. Park Hyo-been reports. UNESCO's World Heritage Committee meeting will take place in Busan, South Korea's second-largest city next summer. In a meeting in Paris on Tuesday, officials announced that South Korea will host the 48th session, scheduled for July 2026. While the event has previously been held in other Asian countries, this is the first time South Korea will serve as chair. In response to the announcement, the government welcomed the decision and called it a historic moment. "We're honored that South Korea has been chosen to host the 48th UNESCO World Heritage Committee session next July. This will mark the first time the meeting is held in our country, and it will be a historic moment to showcase South Korea's cultural leadership to the world." More than three thousand participants, including representatives from 196 signatories to the World Heritage Convention are expected to attend, to review global cultural and natural heritage from multiple angles. The Korea Heritage Service noted that the announcement is especially meaningful as it comes in the 30th anniversary year of Korea's first World Heritage listings, which include Bulguksa Temple and Seokguram Grotto in the city of Gyeongju. "Since joining the World Heritage Convention in 1988, South Korea is now serving its fourth term as a committee member. We aim to promote dialogue among cultures and strengthen international cooperation, in line with UNESCO's founding principles." Officials in Busan say the city was chosen for its proven ability to host large-scale events, with strong infrastructure, security, and accommodation. The city previously hosted major gatherings like the APEC summit, and officials expect the World Heritage session to further cement its reputation as a global conference hub. And with thousands of visitors expected, the event is also projected to boost the local economy through tourism and related spending. At the 47th session in Paris which opened on July 6, a set of prehistoric rock carvings in Ulsan City was added to UNESCO's World Heritage list. This marks South Korea's 17th inscription on the list and the 2026 session in Busan is expected to further elevate South Korea's standing in global heritage diplomacy. Park Hyo-been, Arirang News.

Deepening N.Korea–Russia ties raise stakes for Seoul, Beijing, and the west

2025/07/16 21:35

Welcome to Within The Frame, where we bring the most pressing issues across the globe into focus. I'm Kim Mok-yeon. North Korea and Russia are tightening their strategic partnership. Over the weekend, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov touched down in the North Korean port city of Wonsan for high-level talks with his counterpart, Choe Son-hui. At the heart of the meeting: a public show of unity following North Korea's military deployment to support Russian forces in Ukraine's Kursk region. Lavrov hailed the North's "heroic soldiers," while Choe called it a defining moment in their alliance. Beyond the battlefield, Moscow also pledged to boost Russian tourism to Wonsan, including the expansion of air routes. With ties deepening, pressure is mounting — and eyes are now on China, and South Korea's next steps, and what message this axis sends to the West. For a deeper discussion on this, we're joined in the studio by Go Myong-hyun, senior research fellow at the Institute for National Security Strategy. Welcome. And Ambassador Joseph DeTrani, former special envoy of the U.S. for the Six-Party Talks Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov visited North Korea for three days and two nights, but in a rare move, the meetings were held in Wonsan rather than the capital, Pyongyang. What do you make of this location? Could the invitation have been aimed at attracting Russian tourists? Something noteworthy is Lavrov's statement where he said there's "no reason to reject North Korea's sincere acts of solidarity." Would you interpret this as an indirect request for North Korea to send additional troops? How likely is it that Pyongyang will dispatch more forces? As for ties with the regime, Lavrov also reaffirmed that Russia would be a steadfast ally of North Korea. What could this signal? do you think Russia could become a major variable in President Lee Jae-myung's push for inter-Korean engagement? During the visit, Lavrov conveyed a personal message and letter from President Putin saying he hopes to "soon meet directly with Chairman Kim." However, North Korean media made no mention of any upcoming summit between Kim and Putin. Is there a subtle rift in tone between the two countries? Why might North Korea be staying silent on the matter? Following the visit, there's speculation that Lavrov's trip might have laid the groundwork for a Russia-North Korea summit. Lavrov himself said there's a chance the two leaders could meet. When do you think such a summit could realistically take place? Shifting gears, North Korea and China have reportedly agreed to resume passenger train service between their capitals after nearly five years. Both countries also held back-to-back banquets commemorating the signing of their friendship treaty. Do these gestures signal a thaw in relations following last year's tensions? Lavrov's next stop after North Korea was China, signaling an effort to close ranks among the North Korea-China-Russia triangle. Until now, Beijing has managed its ties with Pyongyang and Moscow carefully while avoiding a formal trilateral alignment. Could this indicate a strategic shift in China's approach? That brings us to South Korea's position, there's speculation that China might leverage the Lee Jae-myung administration's desire to improve South Korea–China relations. Could Beijing demand that Seoul not join U.S.-led containment efforts against China as a condition for better ties? What's your assessment? Finally, what message does this tightening of trilateral North Korea–China–Russia cooperation send to the Korean Peninsula and the West?

Education minister nominee apologizes for alleged plagiarism, illegally sending daughter abroad to study

2025/07/16 19:43

We begin at the parliament yet again as confirmation hearings enter a third day with the nominee for education among those who faced rebuke for a personal decision regarding her daughter's academic pursuits. Our political correspondent Shin Ha-young reports. On the third day of hearings for the president's first Cabinet, lawmakers on Wednesday questioned the nominees for education, justice, and labor ministers on their policy agendas and qualifications. Nominee for education minister Lee Jin-sook , whose role doubles as deputy prime minister, emphasized her commitment to nurturing future talent in step with the development of AI. "I will focus on enhancing digital literacy and AI fundamentals from elementary through high school, building a strong foundation to develop AI talent that will help South Korea become a global leader in AI." During the hearing, the focus was on allegations of Lee sending her daughter abroad for overseas study at an age deemed illegal under the law, and committing academic plagiarism. Lee apologized, saying she understood the allegations disappointed public expectations, but she denied all claims related to her academic papers. She also said she was unaware that sending a child, who had not graduated from middle school, abroad without a parent was illegal. The ruling and opposition parties clashed over the nominee's qualifications. "If the candidate had any conscience, I would have expected her to step down before the hearing, to avoid becoming a burden to the Lee Jae Myung administration." "Calling this candidate unqualified? Why are we holding this confirmation hearing? And why are the lawmakers sitting here as committee members?" Meanwhile, justice minister nominee Jung Sung-ho said it was time to resolve the issue of separating the prosecution's investigation and indictment powers, emphasizing his commitment to prosecutorial reform, one of the Lee Jae Myung administration's key campaign pledges. "Separating the prosecution's powers to investigate and indict is an inevitable policy direction to ensure its political neutrality, reduce the concentration of power, and to establish checks and balances among investigative agencies." Kim Young-hoon , the nominee for employment and labor minister, pledged to resolve discrimination against temporary workers and ensure equal pay for equal work as his top priorities. Shin Ha-young, Arirang News.

[Weather] Heavy rain until tomorrow across the country

2025/07/16 19:41

It has been raining all over the country today. In particular, this rain will be concentrated in the central areas and the Jeolla-do provinces. A heavy rain advisory has already been issued in the Seoul metropolitan area and the Chungcheong-do provinces. Heavy rain of up to 200 millimeters is expected in southern Gyeonggi-do Province and Chungcheongnam-do Province by tomorrow, and 150 millimeters or more in central inland areas, southern Gangwon-do and western Jeollabuk-do Provinces. Other central areas and the Jeolla-do provinces will also receive up to 100 to 150 millimeters of heavy rain by tomorrow. Tomorrow most areas will start off at around 24 to 25 degrees Celsius. Highs will move up to 29 degrees in Seoul and Daejeon, 30 degrees in Gwangju and Busan. This rain across the country will last until Saturday. That's all for Korea. Here are the weather conditions around the world.

World News: Israel bombs Syrian forces entering Druze city after sectarian clashes

2025/07/16 19:41

This is the World Now, bringing you the latest stories from around the globe. On Monday, Israel announced that it had targeted Syrian government troops near Sweida, as they moved into the largely Druze city to suppress severe sectarian conflicts that broke out on Sunday. Sweida has seen intense fighting for two days, when armed confrontations between Druze militias and Bedouin tribes took place, reportedly killing approximately 100 people as of Monday evening. Syrian security forces entered the city on Tuesday to enforce a ceasefire; however, their presence triggered armed resistance from local Druze fighters. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had ordered strikes on forces and weapons in the Sweida area to defend the Druze, citing deep cultural ties and a Syrian violation of the demilitarization of the area. In the United Kingdom, it was revealed on Tuesday that nearly 19-thousand Afghans who had applied to move to the UK after the Taliban seized power had their details leaked. According to reports, the UK Ministry of Defense data breach in February 2022 exposed details of some 18-thousand-700 Afghan individuals, some of whom aided British forces. Around 16-thousand Afghans had been relocated by May 2025, with an additional 4-thousand-500 in transit. The accidental leak was first reported in August 2023, resulting in a super-injunction that prohibited public disclosure. The breach included the names, contact information, and certain family details of individuals who might be in danger from the Taliban. The government also revealed a classified Afghanistan Response Route scheme, launched in April 2024, which was specifically designed to evacuate high-risk individuals. Defense Minister John Healey publicly apologized, acknowledging the breach as "one of the worst security risks" in recent UK history during a statement to Parliament. In the United States, severe storms led to record-breaking rain in the New York City metropolitan area on Monday, killing two people in New Jersey and prompting the declaration of a state of emergency. New Jersey saw more than 15 centimeters of rain in a matter of hours, and New York City saw its second-ever highest hourly rainfall in over 80 years. New York's aging sewer system was quickly overwhelmed, flooding subway stations across Manhattan and halting multiple train lines, while air travel experienced widespread delays. As of Tuesday morning, several major roads in New Jersey were closed due to flooding, and both New York City and New Jersey experienced subway delays. Finally, Italy unveiled the official medals for the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics and Paralympics on Tuesday, during a ceremony in Venice. For the first time in Olympic history, both host cities, Milan and Cortina, are engraved on the medals, each made from two interlocking discs to symbolize unity and duality between Olympic and Paralympic values. A total of 245 gold, 245 silver, and 245 bronze medals will be awarded during the Winter Games. A total of 137 sets will be awarded in the Paralympics for each of the three rankings. The medals are produced from recycled metals using renewable energy. The Games are scheduled to begin in February 2026. Choi Chi-hee, Arirang News.

Cooling off for less: the cup bingsu boom

2025/07/16 19:40

Meanwhile as many here in the country will agree a cup of Korean bingsoo is the hottest way to cool off this sweltering summer. Our Byeon Ye-young had a taste. This summer, a simple cup of shaved ice is emerging as the hottest item on café menus across South Korea. It's in high demand in cafés across the nation, especially during the hottest hours of the day, when lines form quickly and items sell out fast. "With the weather so hot and humid lately, I wanted something to cool down. I looked for some bingsu I could enjoy alone, but cup bingsu was so popular I had to search all over. I'm just really glad I finally found one." "As you can see, there are several flavors to choose from, from the classic red bean flavor to mango and chocolate. A cup of bingsu costs around 4,000 won, much cheaper than many other summer desserts. This kind of affordable indulgence is exactly what many are looking for in the middle of this scorching summer." Sold in individual portions and priced at around 4,000 to 6,000 won, "cup bingsu" has quickly become a seasonal sensation. In many stores, it sells out every day, causing customers to check several locations or share tips online about where to find it. What was once a dessert associated with sharing is now being tailored to solo consumption, reflecting a wider shift in Korean consumer habits. Behind the boom are three key factors: the rise of people living by themselves, the rising cost of living, and the extreme heat. All three have helped redefine what people look for in a summer treat. "Consumers today prefer cup bingsu from franchise cafés because it's cost-effective and perfectly portioned for one person. These factors together make it a highly attractive choice." The popularity of cup bingsu has also been amplified by social media. Viral posts from café workers joking about the overwhelming number of bingsu orders have turned into memes, driving even more public curiosity. Café staff say demand peaks between noon and mid-afternoon, especially on hotter days. "Our customers truly range across all age groups. Men and women, young and old. After lunchtime, we often get group orders of ten or more at once, and many people come looking for different flavors." As Korea continues to battle scorching temperatures, this single-serving frozen treat is proving that the smallest indulgences can leave the biggest mark. Byeon Ye-young, Arirang News.

Russian delegation in Pyongyang for emergency coordination talks

2025/07/16 19:39

A Russian Emergencies Ministry delegation is in North Korea for talks on disaster response and emergency coordination at the invitation of the regime. According to Russian news agency TASS on Tuesday the ministry's deputy head Roman Kurynin is leading the team and on the agenda are site inspections and discussions on joint training for rescue and firefighting personnel. Cooperation on this front reportedly follows a memorandum signed by Pyongyang and Moscow last year.