News
DP pressures courts to postpone Lee's trials while PPP Kim halts campaign amid merger disagreements
2025/05/06 18:00
With less than a month to go until the presidential election, the Democratic Party is battling on legal and campaign fronts, while the conservative bloc faces growing tensions over its potential merger with a former prime minister. Our Kim Do-yeon reports. The Democratic Party of Korea appears to be fighting on two fronts in the presidential election. First, its candidate Lee Jae-myung continued his campaign in the Chungcheong-do region on Tuesday. He also rolled out pledges targeting young voters—vowing to require all public institutions to require military service toward salary grades, and to introduce spot ETFs for cryptocurrencies. But perhaps more headlines came from the second front, as party leaders kept up pressure on the Supreme Court to delay all trials involving presidential candidates until after the June 3rd election. Following the Court's decision to overturn an appeals ruling in Lee's election law case, he's now set to appear for a retrial hearing on May 15. The DP accuses Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae of political bias—speeding up the process and effectively convicting Lee despite the earlier acquittal. "He was effectively the planner and executor of political interference, election meddling, and a targeted trial. This amounts to grounds for impeachment." Meanwhile, the People Power Party candidate Kim Moon-soo halted all campaign activities and wrapped up his visit to Gyeongsangbuk-do Province early to go back to Seoul. This as he remains at odds with party leadership over a potential merger with independent candidate and former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo. While he was vocal about the merger during the primary he now says he wants to take time, but the Party says with the official candidate registration coming up there is no time to waste. Kim claimed that the Party is trying to remove him as the Party's presidential candidate. "If this was the plan all along, I don't understand why we held three rounds of primaries. So as of now, I'm suspending all my activities as the party's candidate. I'll be heading back to Seoul to seriously address the pressing issues that remain." This comes as the PPP held its second all-floor meeting in as many days, where the party's interim leader Kwon Young-se called for a survey among PPP registered supporters on whether they support a merger. All this without notifying Kim. As for ex-PM Han he said he's not once thought about the merger falling through. He said that would be a betrayal of the citizens as he faced the media earlier on Tuesday. In the afternoon he met with another former prime minister and presidential candidate Lee Nak-yon. Lee despite being from DP is in the anti-Lee Jae-myung camp and could lock arms with Han in this election on the premise of amending the constitution. Kim Do-yeon, Arirang News.
More overseas consumers directly purchase K-beauty goods
2025/05/06 18:00
Purchases of Korean beauty products through overseas shopping reached nearly 1 billion U.S. dollars last year. According to Korea Customs Service on Tuesday, foreign consumers, outside of Korea that have directly purchased from Korean e-commerce platforms, have bought 9-hundred-73 million U.S. dollars worth of K-beauty goods, including cosmetics or perfume. The figure has more than doubled compared to the year before, showing the increased popularity of Korean beauty products worldwide. Out of the 10 major categories of direct purchase items, including clothing, batteries and others, K-beauty products take up the largest portion.
South Korean officials to attend official contract signing of Dukovany power plant deal
2025/05/06 18:00
A joint representative team of the South Korean government, including the trade and transport ministers, and members of the National Assembly are headed to the Czech Republic. South Korea's Trade Ministry announced on Tuesday that these officials will be attending the contract signing ceremony on May 7th, which will make official that a consortium led by Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power is the contractor for construction of the Czech Republic's new nuclear power units. The ceremony will have representatives from KHNP as well as others related to the nuclear power industry. The two governments will also discuss economic cooperation in other areas including energy, infrastructure and science technology.
S. Korean gov't sends official opinion paper to U.S. over pharma tariff measures
2025/05/06 18:00
And amid Trump's tariff threats on the pharmaceutical industry, the South Korean government is attempting to boost its cooperation with the U.S. The Health Ministry announced on Tuesday that it had sent an official opinion paper to the U.S. on Sunday which stated that the import of Korean pharmaceuticals contributes to the stability of U.S. supply chains and improved patient accessibility to drugs. It especially sought to highlight that the tariff measures are unnecessary as Korean pharmaceuticals do not pose a threat to U.S. national security.
Trump to announce pharmaceutical tariffs within the next two weeks
2025/05/06 18:00
In the U.S., President Trump has said he will soon announce tariffs on pharmaceutical imports. This follows his recent announcement of tariffs on overseas movies as the U.S. leader expands the scope of his tariffs push. Ahn Sung-jin has more. U.S. President Donald Trump is to announce pharmaceutical-specific tariffs within the next two weeks. While speaking with reporters at the White House on Monday, Trump said that his country is being "unfairly ripped off" compared to other nations around the world. Speculation on pharmaceutical tariffs had been raised before when the Trump administration directed the Commerce Department to investigate the effect of drug imports on national security. On the same day, Trump signed an executive order to incentivize drug manufacturing in the U.S. so pharmaceutical companies could build new production sites. This order pushes the Food and Drug Administration to reduce the approval time for manufacturing plants by eliminating unnecessary requirements, and directs the Environmental Protection Agency to assist the process of accelerating the construction of facilities. Other federal agencies issuing permits should also designate a single point-of-contact to coordinate applications. The announcement of potential levies has brought a stream of investment from drug makers, but some pharmaceutical companies have pushed back. Pfizer's CEO had said that the tariff threat will inherently deter the company from making further U.S. investments. U.S. manufacturing in the pharmaceutical industry has shrunk significantly in recent decades with most of the production of ingredients being outsourced to other countries like China for lower labor costs. Earlier this week, Trump had made a social post saying that he will levy a 100 percent tariff on all movies coming into the U.S. that are produced from outside. "Our film industry has been decimated by other countries taking them out. And I'm not looking to hurt the industry, I want to help the industry, but they're given financing by other countries." The White House said on Monday that it was figuring out how to comply with the president's wishes as its Deputy Press Secretary said that though no final decision on foreign film tariffs had been made, "the Administration is exploring all options to deliver on President Trump's directive." Implementation of these latest tariffs is unclear, but Trump's expansion of his tariff threats to the cultural sector is getting attention from stakeholders in and outside of the country. Ahn Sung-jin, Arirang News.
Trump to announce pharmaceutical tariffs within the next two weeks
2025/05/06 12:00
In the U.S., President Trump has said he will soon announce tariffs on pharmaceutical imports. This follows his recent announcement of tariffs on overseas movies as the U.S. leader expands the scope of his tariffs push. Ahn Sung-jin has more. U.S. President Donald Trump is to announce pharmaceutical-specific tariffs within the next two weeks. While speaking with reporters at the White House on Monday, Trump said that his country is being "unfairly ripped off" compared to other nations around the world. Speculation on pharmaceutical tariffs had been raised before when the Trump administration directed the Commerce Department to investigate the effect of drug imports on national security. On the same day, Trump signed an executive order to incentivize drug manufacturing in the U.S. so pharmaceutical companies could build new production sites. This order pushes the Food and Drug Administration to reduce the approval time for manufacturing plants by eliminating unnecessary requirements, and directs the Environmental Protection Agency to assist the process of accelerating the construction of facilities. Other federal agencies issuing permits should also designate a single point-of-contact to coordinate applications. The announcement of potential levies has brought a stream of investment from drug makers, but some pharmaceutical companies have pushed back. Pfizer's CEO had said that the tariff threat will inherently deter the company from making further U.S. investments. U.S. manufacturing in the pharmaceutical industry has shrunk significantly in recent decades with most of the production of ingredients being outsourced to other countries like China for lower labor costs. Earlier this week, Trump had made a social post saying that he will levy a 100 percent tariff on all movies coming into the U.S. that are produced from outside. "Our film industry has been decimated by other countries taking them out. And I'm not looking to hurt the industry, I want to help the industry, but they're given financing by other countries." The White House said on Monday that it was figuring out how to comply with the president's wishes as its Deputy Press Secretary said that though no final decision on foreign film tariffs had been made, "the Administration is exploring all options to deliver on President Trump's directive." Implementation of these latest tariffs is unclear, but Trump's expansion of his tariff threats to the cultural sector is getting attention from stakeholders in and outside of the country. Ahn Sung-jin, Arirang News.
Technique to maintain strawberries' freshness raises export competitiveness
2025/05/06 12:00
Growers of fruits such as strawberries used to face problems in selling them overseas since they tended to spoil and decay easily. The Rural Development Administration, however, introduced a technique in 2019 that maintained their freshness. Cha Yun-kyung reports. Since 2021, the Rural Development Administration has used the "controlled atmosphere technique" to maintain strawberries freshness for export markets. The technique does this --and delays spoiling and decay --by removing oxygen while increasing levels of other "preservative" gases. Introducing the CA technique, allowed growers to increase their shipments and also use container ships for exports as opposed to just air transport. This saved distribution costs of up to 16 billion Korean won. The simultaneous complex management technique, removes air from containers and introduces carbon and chlorine dioxides. The former gives strawberries a firmer texture, while the latter prevents mold infestation. This decreases decay of the strawberries by up to 20 percent. "We can deliver high-quality products, and we can send as much as we can since the technique can maintain the freshness of the fruit." The RDA spread the related technology to sixteen export centers for strawberries, as overseas shipments increased massively due to the introduction of the technology. The amount rose 5-fold from 2007's 9-hundred-and-86 tons to 5-thousand-and-12 tons in 2024. "We received a great response from importers and consumers, with strawberries being sold out within four days at markets they are shipped to." The RDA is continuing to integrate management models to systematize the exports of strawberries. Cha Yun-kyung, Arirang News.
More overseas consumers directly purchase K-beauty goods
2025/05/06 12:00
Purchases of Korean beauty products through overseas shopping reached nearly 1 billion U.S. dollars last year. According to Korea Customs Service on Tuesday, foreign consumers, outside of Korea that have directly purchased from Korean e-commerce platforms, have bought 9-hundred-73 million U.S. dollars worth of K-beauty goods, including cosmetics or perfume. The figure has more than doubled compared to the year before, showing the increased popularity of Korean beauty products worldwide. Out of the 10 major categories of direct purchase items, including clothing, batteries and others, K-beauty products take up the largest portion.
Conclave to elect new pope readied in Sistine Chapel, Rome
2025/05/06 12:00
The conclave to choose the next pope begins over in Rome on Tuesday local time. The coming conclave is expected to be the largest in the history of the Catholic Church, with 133 cardinals from 70 countries set to gather in the Sistine Chapel. Smoke from the chimney at the end of the day shows whether there has been a decision, with black smoke if no candidate has secured a two-thirds majority or white smoke if a new pope is selected. If a pope is not chosen after three days of voting, cardinals take a break from voting for up to one day for prayer. It took two days to elect Pope Francis back in 2013.
Israel security cabinet approves plan to 'capture' Gaza
2025/05/06 12:00
The Gaza war could be about to see even more intense fighting as Israel's security cabinet on Monday approved a plan to expand its military operations in the Gaza Strip. Under the new Gaza war plan unanimously approved by the cabinet on Sunday, there will be stronger strikes against Hamas to rescue the remaining hostages. To do that, Gaza's 2.1 million population will reportedly be relocated to Gaza's south. According to an Israeli official, the new plan won't begin until after U.S. President Donald Trump concludes his visit to the Middle East this month, which leaves a possibility that Israel might agree to a ceasefire in the meantime.
Presidential election update: DP's Lee in Chungcheong-do, PPP's Kim in Gyeongsangbuk-do, Han meets former PM
2025/05/06 12:00
The presidential race continues to heat up as the nation enjoys the last day of the long weekend. The Democratic Party's presidential front-runner Lee Jae-myung is in the Chungcheong-do region, continuing his "listening tour." He's also set to roll out pledges aimed at the younger generation later today. People Power Party candidate Kim Moon-soo is visiting Gyeongju this afternoon to tour the upcoming APEC summit site, with a stop in Daegu as well. Independent candidate and former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo held a media roundtable this morning to lay out his campaign vision, and will meet fellow independent Lee Nak-yeon another former prime minister now in the race. Meanwhile, talks of a conservative merger are heating up. Kim met with PPP leadership late last night, but the two sides have yet to agree on how and when to move forward.
S. Korea celebrates Buddha's Birthday and Children's Day on May 5th, 2025
2025/05/05 18:00
It's Buddha's Birthday here in South Korea. Temples nationwide held ceremonies, with the country's largest Buddhist sect, the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, having held its main ceremony at Jogyesa Temple in Seoul. Over 10-thousand people attended the ceremony, which was based on this year's theme of emphasizing peace in society and compassion in people's hearts. This year's Buddha's Birthday also falls on the same day as Children's Day, with events for kids taking place across the country. On Nodeul Island in Seoul, a circus-themed festival for children runs until 8 PM tonight. Meanwhile, at Seoul Children's Grand Park, interactive programs in kid-friendly themed gardens are available daily until 10 PM for 2 weeks.
Joseon Tongsinsa: Peacebuilding ship sets sail for Osaka
2025/05/05 18:00
A while back we covered an elaborate reenactment of a centuries-old diplomatic mission that begins in Korea and ends in Japan. That mission is now re-enacting its trip to the neighboring country having set sail from Busan last week. Our culture correspondent Song Yoo-jin has more. The final stop on Korean soil for the Joseon Tongsinsa, Korea's diplomatic missions to Japan during the 17th to 19th centuries, was the port city of Busan. After arriving from Seoul, hundreds of envoys boarded ships bound for Japan. Every year, this historic moment is revived through the Joseon Tongsinsa Festival. Dressed in traditional Korean attire, hundreds of participants march through Busan, retracing the footsteps of the original envoys. "It's my first time participating, but it really made me reflect more deeply on Korea's relationship with Japan, such as the colonial era." "When I filled the form for this event, I did look it up, and it was like, it was a good historical piece that I got to know." And completing the recreation, the Tongsinsa ship has also been meticulously brought back to life. "This vessel, modeled after the original Tongsinsa ships, will set sail for Japan. By mid-May, the vessel is set to arrive in Osaka." This marks the first time in 261 years that the route to Osaka is being taken. The man behind this reconstruction is Hong Sun-jae, who has spent a decade bringing the historic vessel back to life. Since 2015, he's collected historical documents, studied ancient ship models, and traveled across the country to find the right timber. The ship launched in 2018, made its first voyage to Japan in 2023, and this year, it's heading farther than ever before. "This year marks 60 years since South Korea and Japan normalized diplomatic ties. Our ship will hold an arrival ceremony in Osaka on May 13th, Korea Day at the Osaka World Expo. Through this journey, we hope to promote peace and remind people that our two countries share a long history of connection, not just conflict." Having departed from Busan on April 28th, the ship will visit multiple ports in Japan, hosting exhibitions and performances, just as the Joseon Tongsinsa envoys did centuries ago to share Korean culture. Song Yoo-jin, Arirang News, Busan.
U.S. President Trump says he'll hit foreign-made films with 100% tariff
2025/05/05 18:00
U.S. President Donald Trump has announced a 100-percent tariff on all foreign-made films, claiming America's movie industry is "dying a very fast death." In a social media post on Sunday, Trump accused other countries of luring filmmakers away with incentives in what he called a "concerted effort" to undermine the movie industry, labeling it a "national security threat." Speaking to reporters the same day, Trump said the U.S. is in trade talks with many countries, including China. While discussions with Chinese officials on a range of issues continue, he noted he has no plans to speak directly with Chinese President Xi Jinping this week. Trump said that China was eager to make a deal, but stressed that it must be fair and that the outcome remains uncertain.
S. Korea's 2024 child population lowest among 37 countries with over 40 mil. people
2025/05/05 18:00
South Korea has the lowest percentage of children out of any of the 37 countries with populations of more than 40-million. According to data released on Monday by Japan, based on a UN report, only 10.6-percent of South Korea's population in 2024 were aged zero to 14. This is lower than Japan's 11-point-4-percent. Since 2020, South Korea has had a lower percentage of children than Japan, even though Japan faced low birth rates and an aging population earlier. Italy had the third lowest figures with nearly 12-percent of its population aged 14 or younger.
DP candidate Lee vows to increase age bracket for childcare subsidies; Fmr. PM Han suggests meeting with PPP candidate Kim
2025/05/05 18:00
With less than a month to go until the presidential election, Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung is spending the long weekend meeting voters across the country. Meanwhile, former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo proposed a meeting with the People Power Party candidate Kim Moon-soo amid expectations of unifying their candidacies. Our correspondent Shin Ha-young reports. The presidential race between the Democratic Party and the People Power Party is starting to take shape. Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung began his Monday schedule by attending the Buddha's Birthday ceremony. Lee wrote on social media that Buddhist culture is a key part of Korean tradition and pledged to reduce the financial burden of restoring traditional temples. For Children's Day, Lee promised to gradually expand the age limit for childcare subsidies from the current cap of under eight to under 18. Lee continued his tour across the country to hear from voters, visiting parts of Gyeonggi-do and Chungcheongbuk-do provinces on Monday. Following the Supreme Court's decision on Lee's election law violation case, the DP urged Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae to postpone all court hearings involving presidential candidates until after the June 3 presidential election. The party, which decided on Sunday to delay a decision on whether to try to impeach Cho, warned it may take strong action if the request is ignored. The DP also called on the high court to cancel or postpone the first hearing of Lee's retrial, scheduled for May 15. Meanwhile, talks are gearing up between the People Power Party's Kim Moon-soo and former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo about a possible coalition in the presidential race. Kim and Han met for the first time on Monday, since Kim was nominated as the PPP's presidential candidate, during a visit to Jogyesa temple to mark Buddha's Birthday. Han suggested they meet later in the day. Kim's side confirmed their encounter but said they only discussed meeting "soon" without going into any details. On Sunday, the PPP decided to establish a body under its election committee to explore merging its campaign with Han's. An official from Han's camp confirmed that Han, who announced his candidacy last Friday, is willing to leave all coalition logistics --including rules and procedures --to the PPP. All eyes are on whether the two will merge their campaigns before the candidate registration deadline this Sunday. Shin Ha-young, Arirang News.
S. Korea celebrates Buddha's Birthday and Children's Day on May 5th, 2025
2025/05/05 12:00
It's Buddha's Birthday here in South Korea. Temples nationwide held ceremonies at 10 AM this morning with the country's largest Buddhist sect, the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, having held its main ceremony at Jogyesa Temple in Seoul. Over 10-thousand people attended the ceremony, which was based on this year's theme of emphasizing peace in society and compassion in people's hearts. This year's Buddha's Birthday also coincides with Children's Day, with events for kids taking place across the country. At Seoul Children's Grand Park, interactive programs are being offered in kid-friendly themed gardens, while on Nodeul Island in Seoul, children can enjoy a circus-themed festival.
Seoul Spring Festa 2025: Seoul turns into a place full of joy and excitement
2025/05/05 12:00
For those of you here in Seoul with no plans yet for the long weekend, there are still a plenty of things to do here in the city because the good old Seoul Festa is back for its spring edition. Our Choi Soo-hyung went to check it out. As K-pop music begins to play, visitors start dancing passionately to the rhythm. Seoul Plaza in front of the Seoul City Hall has been filled with people dancing happily to K-pop songs. At this year's Seoul Spring Festa, the "K-pop Random Play Dance" event has drawn many foreign visitors who are eager to experience it in person. "We're here mainly for the play dance where you like dance do a lot of We've seen it a lot online, and we were really excited to come, and I seen one that's actually happening in person since we got here." "I'm also very excited for the random play dance. I've watched so many on YouTube " Aside from the random play event, there's also the "Haechi Zone" set up in one corner of the plaza to mark the first anniversary of Haechi becoming Seoul's official mascot. Families enjoyed taking photos and playing in a variety of fun booths. "I had fun making a cute hat with my grandma. It feels like we made a really sweet memory together." "I'm really thankful. It's been such a special day with my granddaughter, in a beautiful place and perfect weather." In the center of the plaza, the picnic zone was packed with people enjoying a relaxing spring day. There were also sweet music performances under the warm, clear spring sky with nice weather. Visitors laid out mats and watched. This year's Seoul Spring Festa kicked off last Wednesday, offering everyone in Seoul the chance to experience and enjoy a new kind of K-culture. "It's hard to define Seoul with just one word because the city has so many different charms. In fact, I believe its diversity and constant change are what make Seoul truly special. Our festival reflects those qualities, providing different programs every day across various locations. For tourists, it's a great way to experience the essence of Seoul in a concentrated and vivid way." "During the festival, new events and shows are taking place across different parts of the capital, including here at Seoul Plaza, Gwanghwamun Square and Deoksugung Palace." This year's Seoul Spring Festa, full of trendy and exciting fun in the capital city, Seoul, will run until Tuesday, May 6th. Choi Soo-hyung, Arirang News.
Trump says China wants a deal, but it must be fair
2025/05/05 12:00
U.S. President Donald Trump has said that he was talking with many countries on trade deals, including China. Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Trump noted that while U.S. officials were in discussions with their Chinese counterparts on a range of issues, he has no plans to speak directly with Chinese President Xi Jinping this week. Trump said that China was eager to make a deal, but stressed that it must be fair and noted that the outcome remains uncertain. Also on Sunday, Trump posted on social media that he would impose a 100-percent tariff on all foreign-made films. Citing concerns that America's movie industry was "dying," he claimed there was a "concerted effort" by other countries to undermine it, calling the situation a "national security threat."
Lee Jae-myung vows to expand local vouchers; PPP decides to establish body for potential merger with fmr. PM Han
2025/05/05 12:00
With less than a month to go until the presidential election, Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung is spending the long weekend traveling to regions traditionally considered tough ground for the party. Meanwhile, talks are set to pick up between People Power Party candidate Kim Moon-soo and former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo about a possible coalition. Our correspondent Shin Ha-young reports. The presidential race between the Democratic Party and the People Power Party is starting to take shape. Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung on Sunday traveled to Daegu and Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, a region known as a conservative stronghold. Lee blamed his low support in his home province of Gyeongsangbuk-do on distorted information and asked voters there for support. "I've faced all sorts of false accusations, but if I had really done something wrong, would I have come this far? We need to eradicate fake news and misinformation." Lee also promised to help small retailers by expanding the issuance of local government vouchers and Onnuri gift certificates. Regarding the Supreme Court's decision on Lee's election law violation case, the DP decided on Sunday to delay a decision on whether to seek the impeachment of Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae. Instead, it will call on the high court to cancel or postpone the first hearing of Lee’s retrial, scheduled for May 15. Meanwhile, the People Power Party wrapped up its presidential primary on Saturday with a victory for former Labor Minister Kim Moon-soo. According to the PPP, Kim secured over 61 percent of party members’ votes, and over 51 percent in a public poll, ultimately winning 56-point-5-3 percent of the total vote against his rival Han Dong-hoon. In his acceptance speech, Kim criticized the DP, accusing it of undermining the separation of power by overusing impeachment. He vowed to win the presidential election. "I will form a strong alliance with any force to stop Lee Jae-myung and the DP from taking power." Talks are gearing up between Kim and former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo about a possible coalition in the presidential race. Kim and Han met for the first time on Monday, since Kim was nominated as the PPP’s presidential candidate, during a visit to Jogyesa temple to mark Buddha's Birthday. Han suggested they meet later in the day, and Kim agreed. On Sunday, the PPP decided to establish a body under its election committee to explore merging its campaign with Han's. An official from Han's camp confirmed that Han, who announced his candidacy last Friday, is willing to leave all coalition logistics including rules and procedures to the PPP. All eyes are on whether the two will merge their campaigns before the candidate registration deadline this Sunday. Shin Ha-young, Arirang News.