News

Paris opens up River Seine for public swimming

2025/07/08 13:38

Finally, Paris reopened three designated swimming sites along the Seine River for the first time in over a century on Saturday following a major cleanup tied to the 2024 Olympics. The three locations are near the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, and the National Library. Officials confirmed that the water is being tested daily to make sure it is safe. The river had been closed off since 1923, as it was too polluted to swim in safely. However, Paris invested 1.5 billion U.S. dollars into cleaning up the river to ensure it was Olympic-ready in 2024. 1,000 visitors will be allowed in each swimming site each day until the end of August.

Poland reinstates border controls with Germany, Lithuania to stem illegal migration

2025/07/08 13:38

Poland has temporarily reinstated border controls with Germany and Lithuania as of Monday, aiming to stop a reported surge in undocumented migration, particularly after violent incidents involving foreign nationals. However, the border controls have led to concerns of traffic jams at border crossings. 800 police officers, 200 border officials, and 500 soldiers have been deployed across 52 checkpoints on the German border and 13 checkpoints on the Lithuanian border. The move follows Germany's own strengthened border checks since 2023. Poland's Prime Minister says the controls are necessary to prevent Germany from returning migrants to Polish territory without oversight.

Former Russian minister found dead hours after being fired, investigators suspect suicide

2025/07/08 13:37

Former Russian transport minister, Roman Starovoit, was found dead near Moscow on Monday, following his dismissal earlier the same day. 53-year-old Starovoit was discovered with a gunshot wound in his car, just hours after President Putin fired him in a presidential decree, with suicide believed to be the cause of death. No explanations were given regarding the reasons behind the dismissal. Starovoit's removal came amid a corruption probe linked to allegations of embezzling approximately 246 million U.S. dollars that were allocated for border fortifications, as well as criticism following disruptive drone attacks that grounded flights. Investigators are conducting a criminal probe to determine the exact cause of his death.

More than 100 killed in Texas floods, with 11 still missing from Camp Mystic

2025/07/08 13:37

Good morning, I'm Choi Chi-hee, and this is The World Now. Starting with updates from the United States, where the death toll from Friday's catastrophic flash floods in central Texas has now exceeded 100. Torrential rains caused the Guadalupe River to rise by 792 centimeters in under an hour, overwhelming Kerr County and neighboring counties. At least 104 people, including 28 children, have been confirmed dead, and dozens are still missing. Camp Mystic, an all-girls summer camp on the riverbank, saw the death of 27 campers and counselors, with 10 girls and a counselor still unaccounted for. Search and rescue operations are into their fourth day, involving over 1,000 volunteers and professionals, working alongside local emergency services. Federal and state officials are facing criticism for delayed evacuation alerts, but local officials said heavy flood warnings were issued in advance. Senator Chuck Schumer has called for an investigation into whether staffing cuts at the National Weather Service have undermined essential warnings. President Trump has declared a disaster in Kerr County, promising federal aid and planning a site visit later this week. Meanwhile, more heavy rain is expected in the area.

Korea's Hanbok promotes K-culture globally

2025/07/08 13:37

Amid the growing popularity of Korean culture, the country's traditional clothing, hanbok, is gaining more global attention. A Hanbok Culture Creative Space in Jeollanam-do Province now aims to promote hanbok to Southeast Asian countries like Thailand. Cha Yun-kyung reports. The Hanbok Culture Creative Space in Boseong, Jeollanam-do Province, is the fifth Hanbok space to be created in Korea. The center displays various traditional costumes and provides experience programs and education to promote Hanbok. "The Hanbok is outstanding with its beautiful lines and colors. It is so attractive that Europeans, Americans, and even Southeast Asians acknowledge its beauty." Last October, with Hanbok made in Jeollanam-do Province, a fashion show was held in the state of New Jersey, which designated the first Korean Hanbok Day in the U.S. The creative space has signed a business agreement with a Thai cultural organization, planning to hold Hanbok events such as exhibitions and fashion shows. "Thai people love the beauty of Korea's traditional attire. They always want to try on a Hanbok. We hope to promote Hanbok culture in Thailand through this MOU." As the Hanbok is becoming a core content of K-culture, it is also under consideration by UNESCO for designation as a cultural heritage. Cha Yun-kyung, Arirang News.

S. Korea defeats China 3-0 in EAFF match on Mon.

2025/07/08 13:36

The South Korean national football team kicked off the East Asian Football Federation E-1 Championship on Monday with a three-nil victory over China. With the match taking place at Yongin Mireu Stadium, the hosts started off the tournament on a high note, with three different players, Lee Dong-gyeong, Joo Min-kyu and scoring a goal apiece. This year marks the 10th edition of the tournament, with the Taegeuk Warriors having won five titles. South Korea will play Hong Kong next at 8 PM on Friday, followed by Japan at 7:24 PM next Tuesday.

Gov't, retailers to offer up to 50% food discount during summer vacation season

2025/07/08 13:36

In collaboration with South Korea's agriculture ministry and food companies, prices on food such as ramyeon, 라면, bread and coffee are being discounted up to 50 percent to help curb inflation and support consumers during the summer vacation season. Park Jun-han has the details. The government and food industry announced that they will provide up to a 50 percent discount on staple food items to alleviate the burden of rising prices during the summer vacation season. The announcement was reported five days after the release of June's inflation data, which indicated a year-on-year increase of 4.6 percent for processed foods — the highest in 19 months since November 2023. In June, 62 out of 73 processed food items saw price hikes. To tackle the inflationary impact of this, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs held discussions with major food and retail companies last Friday to outline plans to stabilize food prices. The discounted items will include products with high consumer price sensitivity, such as ramyeon and bread, and products with slightly reduced raw material costs, such as ice cream and 아이스크림, and juice, which are often consumed during the summer. Participating companies include Nongshim , Otoki , SPC Group and CJ CheilJedang . The agriculture ministry noted that rising costs of key ingredients, labor, and energy have increased the financial burden on food companies. To ease high cost pressure, the ministry has already applied tariff quotas to 21 imported raw materials and extended value-added-tax exemptions for cocoa and coffee imports through 2025, as since 2023, the two have seen price increases of over 190 percent and 68 percent, respectively. The ministry pledged to expand funding support for raw material purchases to ease the industry burden and agreed to continue discussions on issues such as overseas expansion and food ingredient supply. It will monitor processed food prices over the next month and will continue to discuss discounts with industry representatives. Park Jun-han, Arirang News.

Samsung Electronics Q2 profit down 55.9% on weak chip sales, U.S. tariffs

2025/07/08 13:35

Samsung Electronics on Tuesday estimated its second-quarter operating profit at four-point-six trillion won, or around three-point-four billion U.S. dollars, citing sluggish chip sales and the fallout from U.S. tariffs. The figure is down nearly fifty-six percent from a year earlier and over thirty-one percent from the previous quarter. Q2 revenue stood at 53-point-8 billion dollars, down point-one percent on-year. The tech giant attributed the decline to one-off costs in its memory business, including inventory valuation losses. In the non-memory sector, sales were limited by export controls on advanced AI chips to China, leading to additional inventory provisions. The final earnings report will be released later this month.

Heat wave warning issued for Seoul for second straight day

2025/07/08 13:34

Daytime temperature in Seoul will reach up to 36 degrees today, and the capital city is under a heat wave warning for the second straight day. Data shows the number of people suffering from heat-related illnesses has jumped more than 80 percent from a year earlier, with seven people dying this year alone. Lee Seung-jae has this report. After South Korea's weather agency issued the season's first heat wave warning for all parts of Seoul on Monday, the capital is under a heat wave warning for the second straight day on Tuesday. Monday's heat wave warning was issued 18 days earlier than last year, when the country saw the worst heat wave on record. A heat wave warning is issued when the highest perceived temperature is expected to reach 35 degrees Celsius or higher for two or more straight days, or when major damage is expected from the heat. Also,.. with the intense heat wave nationwide, the number of people suffering from heat-related illnesses has jumped more than 83 percent compared to last year. According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency on Monday, 875 people were reported to have suffered from heat-related illnesses as of Sunday, up 83-point-2 percent from the same period last year. Data also showed that of the 875 patients, seven people died from heatstroke, up from three deaths in 2024. And for many Seoul residents, the summers seem to get hotter with each passing year. "Today is really hot. I feel like it wasn't this hot in the past." The daytime temperature on Tuesday will reach 36 degrees in Seoul and Daejeon, with most regions seeing higher mercury readings. There will be occasional showers across the country, but rather than cooling things down, it will only increase the humidity. Lee Seung-jae, Arirang News.

S. Korea urges Japan to keep UNESCO promise to appropriately handle fmr. forced labor sites

2025/07/08 13:34

South Korea has voiced "strong regret" after a UNESCO committee rejected its proposal to review Japan's handling of wartime forced labor sites, including Hashima Island, known as "Battleship Island." In 2015, Japan pledged to acknowledge the use of Korean forced labor when registering its Meiji-era industrial sites as World Heritage. But Seoul says Tokyo has failed to honor that commitment. At the 47th UNESCO session in Paris, South Korea pushed for a formal agenda to assess Japan's follow-through. But Japan submitted a revised motion deleting the item --which passed, with 7 votes in favor and 3 against. Despite the vote, many countries reportedly sympathized with South Korea, which stressed that reviewing the implementation of the UNESCO Committee's decision is not only a legitimate right for member countries, but also a matter of principle. Seoul will continue pressing Tokyo to keep its UNESCO commitments and promises, while aiming to pursue future-oriented cooperation based on mutual trust.

Top security adviser suggests holding S. Korea-U.S. summit at early date

2025/07/08 13:33

Against this backdrop, National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac met his U.S. counterpart Marco Rubio in Washington. During the meeting on Monday, local time, South Korea's delegation, including Wi, stressed the need for consultations directed at strengthening the alliance with the U.S. based on the "alliance spirit" when it comes to pending bilateral issues. Discussions also included holding the South Korea-U.S. summit at the earliest appropriate date. The U.S. officials reportedly expressed hopes for close communication between now and August 1st, when the new tariffs are set to take effect. The two sides have agreed to continue close coordination, with possible cooperation in shipbuilding.

[NEWs GEN] K-Classic Phenomenon: How has it captivated audiences both home and abroad?

2025/07/08 13:33

[NEWs GEN] K-Classic Phenomenon: How has it captivated audiences both home and abroad?

U.S. extends reciprocal tariff deadline to August 1

2025/07/08 11:34

The United States has delayed the imposition of reciprocal tariffs from this week until August 1st, allowing tariff negotiations to continue. Trump still threatened to impose 25 percent tariffs on South Korea while also leaving open the possibility of an adjustment to the tariff rate. Our Moon Ji-young starts us off. U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday, extending the effective date for reciprocal tariffs to August 1, pushing back the previous July 9 deadline. Trump outlined the rates in letters to the leaders of countries including South Korea and Japan via Truth Social earlier on Monday, with rates ranging from 25 percent to 40 percent. Trump originally unveiled the tariffs in April but granted a 90-day reprieve so that countries could strike trade agreements. "I have the signed letters that went out to both South Korea and Japan today, and there will be approximately 12 other countries that will receive notifications and letters directly from the President of the United States" In the letter, Trump threatened to impose 25 percent duties on South Korea, with higher duties for items deemed to have been transshipped through Korea from other countries. Trump stated that the relationship between Seoul and Washington has been quote "far from reciprocal." He warned that any retaliatory tariffs from Seoul would result in an additional surcharge on top of the 25 percent. However, Trump did leave open the possibility of an adjustment to the tariff rate for South Korea. The South Korean government views Trump's letter as an effective extension of the pause on new duties for Korean products. Seoul has been actively working to avoid or minimize the impact of these steep levies, as well as other tariffs on products such as automobiles, steel, and aluminum. According to Reuters, these reciprocal tariffs are separate from the sector-specific levies. In a press release, Seoul's Trade Ministry stated that South Korea will seek to address the trade deficit issue -a major concern of the U.S. -by improving domestic rules and regulations. It also affirmed its commitment to creating opportunities in core industries through the two countries' "partnership for manufacturing renaissance." Moon Ji-young, Arirang News.

Stock

2025/07/07 22:41

2025. 7. 7. KOREAN STOCK MARKET KOSPI : 3,059.47 ▲5.19 +0.17% KOSDAQ : 778.46 ▲2.66 +0.34% KOSPI200 : 413.02 ▲0.28 +0.07% ASIAN STOCK MARKET NIKKEI225 : 39,540.25 ▼270.63 -0.68% HANG SENG : 23,887.83 ▼28.23 -0.12% SHANGHAI : 3,473.13 ▲0.80 +0.02% WALL STREET (July 4) DOW JONES : CLOSED NASDAQ : CLOSED S&P500 : CLOSED EXCHANGE RATE USD : 1,367.80 (+5.50) JPY : 942.89 (-1.35) CNY : 190.69 (+0.49) EUR : 1,609.01 (+4.36)

Tariff letters to go out to other countries from Monday afternoon: Trump

2025/07/07 22:41

Letters with new tariff rates that U.S. President Donald Trump has warned of will be going out in just a matter of hours from now. South Korea's trade and security officials are in the U.S. for a full-court press ahead of the Trump administration's tariff deadline. Our Moon Ji-young reports. U.S. President Donald Trump has announced via Truth Social that the U.S. will start delivering tariff letters to other countries starting 12 noon, Eastern Time, on Monday. Currently, it is unknown which nations will be receiving the letter or have made deals. "We be sending letters out on Monday having to do with the trade deals. Could be 12, maybe 15 .they'll be going out on Monday and some will go out on Tuesday and Wednesday. And it'll and we've, we've made deals also. So we're going to have a combination of letters and some deals have been made." Trump added that either a letter will be sent or a deal will be done by July 9th. Following Trump's comments, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick indicated a three-week reprieve. "The tariffs go into effect August 1st. But the president is setting the rates and the deals right now." This comes after Trump's announcement of the tariffs in April, which included a 10 percent base rate for most countries and additional rates, which in some cases went up to around 50 percent, although he later delayed the effective date for all but the 10 percent tariffs until July 9. Meanwhile, National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac is in Washington, D.C. for three days to discuss pending issues. On his way to the U.S. on Sunday, he told reporters that Seoul and Washington have been discussing issues related to trade and security. "As the current negotiation phase is becoming quite critical, I'm stepping up my involvement, which is why I'm visiting the United States." He is expected to meet with his U.S. counterpart Marco Rubio. When asked about defense cost-sharing, he indicated that a range of issues were open for discussion, implying that cost-sharing could be on the agenda. The agenda is also expected to include coordination for a summit between President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump. Moon Ji-young, Arirang News.

[Weather] Heat wave warnings as temperatures get even hotter this week

2025/07/07 22:40

The first heat wave warning this year has been issued for Seoul today. It is 18 days earlier than last year. Heat wave warnings were also in place in western and southern parts of the country, and the rest of the country is under heat wave advisories. With heat waves everywhere, the daytime temperatures in Seoul will soar to 36 degrees Celsius tomorrow and Wednesday, and the feels-like temperatures will exceed 35 degrees across the country. In addition, it will feel as hot as 29 degrees in the Seoul metropolitan area tonight, which is almost considered a super-tropical night. Tomorrow morning will start off at 27 degrees in Seoul, 24 degrees in Gyeongju. Daily highs will move up to 35 degrees in Chuncheon and Gwangju, 32 degrees in Jeju. The heat wave is expected to strengthen this week, mainly in the western regions. That's all for Korea. Here are the weather conditions around the world.

[Sports Round-up] S. Korea's men's team get EAFF E-1 Championship underway vs. China

2025/07/07 22:40

Time now to take a look at what's been happening in the world of sports. Joining us in the studio is our sports editor Paul Neat. Hello, Paul. Hello. Let's begin with football. The EAFF E-1 Championships got underway today. In fact, the South Korean men's match with China kicked off at 8 PM. That's right, and the score is currently 1-0. Lee Dong-gyeong after 9 minutes. At Yongin Mireu Stadium, South Korea are getting their EAFF campaign up and running, as they look to regain the title they lost to Japan in 2022. Some team news from earlier today, as Jeon Jin-woo, the K League 1 top scorer, was forced to withdraw due to illness. He was complaining of feeling dizzy, and FC Seoul's Jeong Seung-won was brought in as a replacement. South Korea are the most successful team in the competition with five titles overall, and won it three times in a row from 2015 to 2019. But they lost 3-0 to Japan in the final group game in 2022 to surrender their crown, and will be looking to make amends this time around. Up next is Hong Kong on July 11th, then Japan on the 15th. Moving on to baseball now. In the KBO, the Hanwha Eagles are having their best season in decades. Yes, they are top of the standings at the halfway point for the first time in 33 years. This was confirmed thanks to a 10-1 win over the Kiwoom Heroes on Sunday, to make it 49 wins. The Eagles are now looking for 50 wins at this stage for the first time since 1992, when they last won the regular season. 71-point-4 percent of teams that earn 50 wins at the halfway point go on to win the regular season. Such a good showing has been helped by the team's pitchers with Cody Ponce and Ryan Weiss each earning 10 wins. The Eagles will face the in-form Kia Tigers in the last series before the summer break. During which, on July 12th in Daejeon, there'll be the All-Star game, but LG Twins first baseman Austin Dean and Kia Tigers pitcher Adam Oller will both miss out through injury. And now to MLB, mixed fortunes for two South Korean stars. Yes, Kim Hye-seong was back in the starting lineup for the LA Dodgers on Sunday. And by all accounts, he put on an impressive display both at the plate and in the field. He started as hitter number six and second baseman against the Houston Astros, going 1-for-4. His defensive plays in the first two innings earned him standing ovations, getting hold of a Christian Walker hit down the middle before firing it to first base to end the inning. A leaping throw resulted in a similar fate for Yainer Diaz in the second. But, despite this, the Dodgers lost the match 5-1. Meanwhile, Kim Ha-seong of the Tampa Bay Rays returned from injury but is out again. Kim made his first appearance for the Rays and first in MLB in 11 months on Friday, going 1-for-3 with a stolen base against the Minnesota Twins, marking his return from a shoulder injury. However, he missed the next two games with cramp in his right calf. The Rays haven't commented on when he'll be back. Alright, thanks for that, Paul. See you again next week. Thanks.

"KPop Demon Hunters" soundtrack climbs to No. 3 on Billboard chart

2025/07/07 22:38

The soundtrack for Netflix's animated film, "KPop Demon Hunters," has jumped five spots to No. 3 on the Billboard 200 chart. Billboard reported last Sunday that the album has become the top-charting soundtrack of the year, so far. It also marked the highest-charting animated film soundtrack since Encanto, which spent nine weeks at No. 1 in 2022. And just last Friday, the track "Your Idol" topped Spotify's U.S. Daily chart, adding even more momentum.

Israel, Hamas hold truce talks in Qatar, but ceasefire bid hits early snag

2025/07/07 22:38

The resumed ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas ended in deadlock, with the two sides failing to reach common ground. Meanwhile, violence on the ground continues to intensify despite the growing diplomatic push. Shin Se-byuck reports. The first round of ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas, which opened on Saturday in Doha, has ended without a breakthrough. According to reports from Reuters and AFP, the delegations from both sides engaged in indirect negotiations facilitated by mediators. A Palestinian official told AFP the talks focused on a ceasefire framework and a possible hostage-prisoner exchange. But no progress was made in the first meeting. Reuters also cited several Palestinian sources who said the initial round concluded early Sunday morning. They claimed the Israeli delegation lacked the authority to reach a deal. Meanwhile, ahead of his scheduled meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Monday, President Trump expressed optimism about a possible breakthrough between Israel and Hamas. "I think there's a good chance we have a deal with Hamas during the week, during the coming week." Netanyahu also voiced confidence that his talks with the U.S. leader would significantly contribute to progress in the negotiations. "I believe that the conversation with President Trump can definitely help advance this outcome." Ahead of the negotiations, Hamas had reportedly proposed a revised truce plan. It includes a 60-day ceasefire and the return of more than ten living Israeli hostages and the bodies of several others in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. Hamas also demanded Israeli troops pull back to pre-March positions when earlier talks collapsed. Other conditions include restarting UN-led humanitarian operations in Gaza and reopening the Rafah border with Egypt for medical evacuations. However, Israel rejected the proposal, calling it unacceptable. Despite diplomatic efforts, violence continued on the ground on Sunday. An Israeli airstrike targeting a residential area in Northern Gaza before dawn killed ten people. In total, Gaza's Civil Defense said 26 Palestinians were killed in Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip on Sunday alone. Shin Se-byuck, Arirang News.

Texas floods death toll rises to at least 82

2025/07/07 22:37

Deadly floods in Texas have left dozens dead, including children attending a summer camp. Efforts are still ongoing to clear debris and find survivors. Byeon Ye-young reports. Catastrophic floods rushed through central Texas on Friday and have left at least 82 dead. The death toll climbed over the Independence Day weekend as emergency crews carried out search and rescue efforts. Kerrville Country was hit the hardest, with 40 adults and 28 children confirmed dead. Among those affected are children from Camp Mystics, an all-girls summer camp, where 10 children still remain missing. "And it was nothing short of horrific to see what those young children went through. And we will remain 100% dedicated, searching for every single one of the children who were at Camp Mystics, as well anybody else at the entire riverbed." Efforts continue to recover bodies and find additional survivors. Volunteers have joined the mission and formed search parties, hoping to bring at least one more child home. "You know, I've got two babies at home. That's the least I could do. You know, they're home safe, and there's people out there that they're missing their children or their family members. I feel like it's the least I could do to help." Dozens remain missing. Texas Governor Greg Abbott warned that more rounds of heavy rain are expected to last through Tuesday, potentially triggering further life-threatening floods in already saturated areas. The U.S. National Weather Service has extended a flood watch across much of south-central Texas, forecasting several more inches of rainfall in the coming days. On Sunday, U.S. President Donald Trump stated that he had approved a "Major Disaster Declaration," granting first responders access to essential resources for ongoing search and recovery operations. He acknowledged the devastating toll on families, calling it an "unimaginable tragedy" with numerous lives lost, and pledged that his administration would closely coordinate with state and local officials. Byeon Ye-young, Arirang News.