News

Seoul completes talks over additional K2 tank exports to Poland on Wednesday

2025/07/03 19:37

South Korea and Poland have completed negotiations for the potential sale of a SECOND set of K2 tanks from Hyundai Rotem to Warsaw paving the path for a more permanent foothold for the South Korean arms maker over in Europe. Our defense correspondent Kim Bo-kyoung has details. South Korea's Hyundai Rotem has completed negotiations over a deal to export additional K2 tanks to Poland, according to the state arms procurement agency on Wednesday. Though the specific size of the contract is yet to be disclosed, it is widely expected to be a deal worth around 6-point-5-billion U.S. dollars --a little less than nine trillion Korean won. This, marks the first "large-scale" arms export deal completed under the new Lee Jae Myung administration, and also, it would be Seoul's largest single arms export contract if the figure above is confirmed. The Defense Acquisition Program Administration said Seoul and Warsaw are currently coordinating to arrange the signing ceremony. With Russia's invasion of Ukraine, there has been a defense spending push in Poland. After signing a framework contract in July 2022, Warsaw signed a series of deals with South Korean defense companies later that year to acquire K2 tanks, K9 self-propelled howitzers, FA-50 light attack aircraft, and the K239 Chunmoo multiple launch rocket system. Following the first-phase contract, second-phase deals were made for the K9 howitzers in 2023, and Chunmoo MLRS in 2024. Though the second-phase contract for the K2 tanks was expected to be signed around the same time as other weapon systems, negotiations took longer, only to be settled this year. Industry sources say, with production facilities to be established in Poland, 117 units out of 180 K2 tanks will be produced by Hyundai Rotem, while the rest will be locally made by Warsaw's state-owned Polish Armaments Group --PGZ. An expert says this deal could further build momentum for Korea's defense industry, especially as NATO members are now committed to raising defense spending to 5 percent of GDP. "They (European nation) had no defense industry over the seven decades so ground military and K-defense industry supported them to have their own self defense capability in the long term in the end, rather than US weapons system who push countries to buy only a weapon but not a copyright system or supporting system." While leveraging strong defense capabilities and cost-effective production, Korea aims to boost defense export momentum in Europe. Kim Bo-kyoung, Arirang News.

Pentagon reaffirms 'ironclad' S. Korea alliance amid troop reduction questions

2025/07/03 19:36

The U.S. Defense Department has reaffirmed its "ironclad" alliance with South Korea. When asked on Wednesday whether Washington may shrink the size of its soldiers stationed in South Korea Spokesperson Sean Parnell simply cited the Pentagon's policy against public discussion about U.S. military posture reviews. He did nonetheless emphasize Washington's security commitments to Seoul. Recent speculation about the fate of U.S. troops here follows an earlier Wall Street Journal report about a possible withdrawal of some 4-thousand-500 American service members from South Korea.

Vietnam becomes 2nd country to make trade deal with U.S. before July 9 deadline

2025/07/03 19:36

Vietnam has become the second country to seal a TARIFF deal with the U.S. ahead of next week's deadline. Our Kim Do-yeon reports. The U.S. has announced its second major tariff deal since U.S. President Donald Trump announced an increase on tariffs for imported goods on April 2nd. Trump took to Truth Social on Wednesday, where he called the agreement with Vietnam a "great deal." According to his post, Vietnam will pay a 20% tariff on all goods shipped to the U.S., and a 40% tariff on transshipped products, which are goods Vietnam imports from China and then re-exports to America to dodge existing tariffs. He also wrote that in return, Vietnam will grant the U.S. "TOTAL ACCESS" to its markets, eliminating tariffs on American goods. Trump noted that SUVs have a good chance of success in the Vietnamese market. Deputy Treasury Secretary Michael Faulkender on CNBC described the deal as a huge win, adding that more could be announced before the July 9th deadline. He noted that for many countries, the sticking points aren't tariff levels but non-tariff barriers, which often block American products. If those come down, he said, it "reshapes the calculus for U.S. trade." Faulkender also warned that there will be no extension beyond July 9th and that he anticipates an announcement on the tariffs imposed on countries that have not or do not strike a deal. This comes as South Korea has yet to strike an agreement. Despite Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo's trip to Washington last week, the Wall Street Journal reports a deal isn't close. Seoul is seeking relief on U.S. tariffs targeting autos, steel, and aluminum, while U.S. negotiators have concerns over Korea's regulations on digital giants like Google and Coupang. Kim Do-yeon, Arirang News.

First month of Lee Jae Myung's presidency: economic policy and initial achievements

2025/07/03 19:35

Up next we shed light on the Lee Jae Myung administration's economic initiatives over the past month and the plan ahead. Our Moon Ji-young has details. President Lee has made it clear that his administration's top priority is the urgent recovery of people's livelihoods. This pressing focus on livelihoods stems from a challenging economic forecast that, as one expert recently highlighted, explains the government's strong emphasis on the critical need for immediate action. "Well, the growth rate this year is only expected to be 0.8% by the Bank of Korea, and a lot of international investment banks are predicting that it'll actually be worse. Some are predicting that the growth rate will only be 0.3%. The two main pillars of the Korean economy are exports and domestic consumption, and both seem to be down very much this year." President Lee has emphasized efforts to alleviate economic hardship, noting the swift activation of an emergency task force and the rapid allocation of a 30-point-5 trillion won supplementary budget, urging parliamentary approval to stimulate the economy. Beyond immediate relief, a central theme of the President's address was an unwavering commitment to investing in future-oriented sectors. This includes advanced technology industries like AI and semiconductors, renewable energy initiatives, and the cultural sector. He articulated plans to prepare for a 'KOSPI 5,000 era' by advancing capital markets, aiming to channel capital into productive areas and enable citizens to invest in growing enterprises, thereby increasing national wealth. He also outlined a vision for balanced national development, seeking to overcome regional disparities and foster industrial collaboration between large corporations, SMEs, and startups. Regarding tariff talks with the U.S., President Lee said the government has made utmost efforts on tariff negotiations, but he can't say whether the talks could be concluded by July 8th, a deadline set by U.S. President Donald Trump. Moon Ji-young, Arirang News.

President Lee meets with leadership of five minor political parties

2025/07/03 19:34

President Lee Jae Myung has called for close cooperation between his administration and the country's five minor parties at the parliament. The comments were made over lunch at the presidential residence where the president sat down with the leaderships of the Rebuilding Korea Party Jinbo Party Reform Party Basic Income Party and the Social Democratic Party. The talks also covered the minor parties' thoughts regarding the tasks that they believe the new administration should seek to actively address such as improving working conditions reforming the prosecution as well as party systems and pardoning politicians and labor activists deemed unfairly targeted by the former administration. Speaking to reporters Senior Presidential Secretary for Political Affairs Woo Sang-ho added that the president intended to review the thoughts shared.

Nat'l Assembly passes motion to confirm Kim Min-seok as new PM amid PPP boycott

2025/07/03 19:34

The parliament has approved the president's nomination of Kim Min-seok for the post of Prime Minister. The approval was unilaterally pushed ahead by the ruling party amid a boycott by the main opposition party. Our political correspondent Shin Ha-young reports. Four-term lawmaker Kim Min-seok has finally been given the green light to take the post of prime minister, 29 days after being nominated by President Lee Jae Myung. This comes after the National Assembly approved his appointment, on Thursday, to the only Cabinet post in South Korea that requires parliamentary approval. Of the 179 votes cast, 173 lawmakers voted in favor, three voted against, and three ballots were invalid. The ruling Democratic Party, which holds a majority in the 22nd National Assembly, pushed the motion through unilaterally amid a boycott by the main opposition People Power Party. "Given the current crisis, it's a shame that the PPP continues to obstruct the process. If the confirmation of the Prime Minister, who is supposed to lead the Cabinet, is delayed any further, the public won't stand for it." Ahead of the plenary session, the PPP demanded Kim's withdrawal, calling him an unqualified nominee, citing his failure to submit key documents, particularly those related to his wealth. "There hasn't been a prime minister nominee with this many issues before. Once again, we urge President Lee Jae Myung it's not too late. Withdraw Kim Min-seok's nomination." The Presidential Office welcomed the approval, saying that it paves the way for Prime Minister Kim to work closely with President Lee and help him run state affairs smoothly. Meanwhile, despite the standoff over Kim's appointment, the parliament passed a revision of the Commercial Act during Thursday's plenary session, following an agreement reached the previous day. Among 272 lawmakers present, 220 voted in favor, 29 voted against, and 23 abstained. This was one of the contentious bills the two sides had been clashing over. The DP had pushed a revision to the Act back in March, but it was vetoed by the previous administration. The revision aims to add the word "shareholders" to the director's duties from just "company." It also introduces the so-called "Three Percent Rule," which caps the voting rights of the largest shareholder and related parties at 3 percent when appointing audit committee members at listed companies. The rule is intended to prevent undue influence and abuse of control by majority shareholders. This marks the first passage of a bill related to the people's livelihoods and the first time the rival parties have reached a bipartisan agreement on legislation since President Lee took office. Shin Ha-young, Arirang News.

30 DAYS IN OFFICE: PRESIDENT LEE'S FIRST PRESS CONFERENCE

2025/07/03 17:33

Hello and welcome to our special live coverage of President Lee Jae Myung's first formal press conference marking his first 30 days in office. In just a few moments, President Lee will give his speech and take questions from reporters on a wide range of issues --including the economy, politics, diplomacy, security, and culture. Today's press conference comes a month after President Lee's inauguration, after he won a snap election in early June. While former presidents typically held their first press conferences around the one-hundred-day mark, President Lee is meeting the press much earlier. Today's event will be held in the form of a 'town hall meeting,' with the presidential office hoping this will serve as an opportunity for the president to engage more effectively with journalists. Unlike the traditional format where the President stands at a podium, the event will be held as a town hall meeting, where members of the press corps will sit close to the president, ask questions directly, with no restrictions on topics. Since taking office, President Lee has been focusing on getting the country back on track, especially after the country was left without a leader for several months --following the declaration of martial law in December. We see President Lee Jae Myung entering the press conference room. It appears the press conference is about to start, we'll come back right afterwards.

Heat wave continues nationwide

2025/07/03 16:41

A brutal heatwave is gripping South Korea. The daytime temperature is expected to reach up to 37 degrees in some parts of the country today, with dozens of people heading to the emergency room on Wednesday due to heat-related illnesses. Meanwhile, amid the scorching temperatures in Europe,.. the European Commission is calling on the EU to target a 90 percent cut in emissions by 2040. Lee Seung-jae has more. Heat wave warnings will be in effect in most parts of South Korea on Thursday. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, the morning lows will range between 23 to 28 degrees Celsius, while the daytime mercury readings will reach 30 to 37 degrees. The highest perceived temperature will rise to above 33 degrees in most parts of the country, due to the high humidity. And with the country already feeling the effects of the heat, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency on Wednesday reported that 51 people visited emergency rooms nationwide, due to heat-related illnesses. Since the agency launched a heat-related illness monitoring system on May 15th, the total cumulative number of illnesses reported nationwide reached 524 as of Wednesday. Europe is also experiencing scorching temperatures, with the heat wave in France having claimed the lives of three people so far. With daytime highs exceeding 40 degrees in some parts of France, a homeless person in his 50s was found dead in eastern France, while a civil engineer worker collapsed and died in the same region. A 10-year-old American tourist also collapsed and died during her trip to the gardens of the Palace of Versailles, with local police saying high temperatures could have been the cause of the death. With the current heat wave in Europe, Pope Leo XIV has warned of the dangers of climate change. In a letter released on Wednesday, the pope said that the "extreme natural events caused by man-made climate change are increasing in intensity and frequency," adding that in various parts of the world, the planet "is in a state of decay." Meanwhile,.. the European Commission is proposing a change to its climate law, that calls on the European Union to slash its emissions by 90 percent by 2040. The announcement of the legally binding target had been delayed by months after pushback from member states, who argued that the 90-percent target is too ambitious. Lee Seung-jae, Arirang News.

Lawmakers to vote on appointment of prime minister nominee and revision to Commercial Act

2025/07/03 16:41

The National Assembly is scheduled to open a plenary session on Thursday afternoon to vote on appointing the new prime minister, alongside a revision to the Commercial Act. The ruling and opposition parties have been at odds over the confirmation vote for Prime Minister nominee Kim Min-seok, with the ruling Democratic Party pushing for the vote, while the opposition People Power Party has demanded the withdrawal of the nominee and refused to convene at the plenary session. As for the amendment to the Commercial Act, the two parties reached an agreement the previous day. Final negotiations are still ongoing for the new administration's first supplementary budget proposal, with the DP aiming to bring the bill to a vote by Friday at the latest.

Seoul completes talks over additional K2 tanks exports to Poland on Wednesday

2025/07/03 16:40

With negotiations completed on Wednesday, South Korea is set to export a second batch of K2 tanks to Poland, with the total value of the deal estimated to be more than 6-billion U.S. dollars. Our defense correspondent Kim Bo-kyoung tells us more. South Korea's Hyundai Rotem has completed negotiations over a deal to export additional K2 tanks to Poland, according to the state arms procurement agency on Wednesday. Though the specific size of the contract is yet to be disclosed, it is widely expected to be a deal worth around 6-point-5-billion U.S. dollars --a little less than nine trillion Korean won. This, marks the first "large-scale" arms export deal completed under the new Lee Jae Myung administration, and also, it would be Seoul's largest single arms export contract if the figure above is confirmed. The Defense Acquisition Program Administration said Seoul and Warsaw are currently coordinating to arrange the signing ceremony. With Russia's invasion of Ukraine, there has been a defense spending push in Poland. After signing a framework contract in July 2022, Warsaw signed a series of deals with South Korean defense companies later that year to acquire K2 tanks, K9 self-propelled howitzers, FA-50 light attack aircraft, and the K239 Chunmoo multiple launch rocket system. Following the first-phase contract, second-phase deals were made for the K9 howitzers in 2023, and Chunmoo MLRS in 2024. Though the second-phase contract for the K2 tanks was expected to be signed around the same time as other weapon systems, negotiations took longer, only to be settled this year. Industry sources say, with production facilities to be established in Poland, 117 units out of 180 K2 tanks will be produced by Hyundai Rotem, while the rest will be locally made by Warsaw's state-owned Polish Armaments Group --PGZ. An expert says this deal could further build momentum for Korea's defense industry, especially as NATO members are now committed to raising defense spending to 5 percent of GDP. "They (European nation) had no defense industry over the seven decades so ground military and K-defense industry supported them to have their own self defense capability in the long term in the end, rather than US weapons system who push countries to buy only a weapon but not a copyright system or supporting system." While leveraging strong defense capabilities and cost-effective production, Korea aims to boost defense export momentum in Europe. Kim Bo-kyoung, Arirang News.

Sean 'Diddy' Combs cleared of major charges, convicted on lesser offenses

2025/07/03 16:39

Good morning, I'm Choi Chi-hee, and this is the World Now. In the United States, in the trial of music mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs, the judge has upheld his convictions on lesser prostitution charges, while clearing him of charges on racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking --charges that could have put the hip-hop figure behind bars for life. A Manhattan federal court jury found Combs guilty on two counts under the Mann Act, transporting individuals for prostitution. This comes after a seven-week trial involving testimony from former partners Cassie Ventura, known as "Cassie," and "Jane," as well as other witnesses. However, Combs was acquitted on the three most serious charges, including racketeering conspiracy and two counts of sex trafficking, removing the threat of a potential life sentence. Combs bowed his head in the courtroom and said, "I'll be home soon," as supporters celebrated the partial verdict. However, he was denied bail ahead of sentencing, with the judge citing evidence of violence in personal relationships. Sentencing will take place later this year, but Combs likely faces several years behind bars.

[K-enter] "The King of Kings" premieres in Korea on July 16

2025/07/03 16:39

Right, it's "The King of Kings" that's waiting for its release in Korea, after its huge box office success in North America. You're going to give us a rundown of a press conference of the film? On Wednesday, "The King of Kings" held a press conference in Seoul, where the director and scriptwriter Jang Seong-ho talked about the overall making of the film. Jang planned to target the North American market, knowing it was the only way to recover the substantial budget needed for the high level of quality he envisioned. This film is actually Jang's debut film as a director. He explained that he chose life of Jesus Christ for his debut film because there had never been a major animated film dedicated to the story of Jesus. "The King of Kings" already set a new record in the U.S. as it became the highest-grossing Korean film, surpassing director Bong Joon-ho's Oscar-winning "Parasite," and is set to hit theaters in 90 nations by the end of this year. For people in Korea, you can catch it in theaters on July 16th. Very impressive to see his debut film do so well! We are going to talk about another film related to a K-pop group. Usually when K-pop artists release a film, we expect a concert film, but this time it's a bit different? DAY6 will make their screen debut with "6DAYS," a cinematic road movie that follows the band over six days in the United States. On Wednesday, DAY6 released a trailer for the film that begins with their hit song "Welcome to the Show." In the trailer, the members of DAY6 travel to the U.S., briefly experiencing joyful vacation vibes, before facing unpredictable events. The film reflects on youth, friendship and the group's 10-year journey. It will feature narrative storytelling with live performances, busking scenes and personal reflections. "6DAYS" is set to premiere in theaters in August. Please let us know when the exact premiere date comes out. Let's end off today's K-enter with a rookie boy group. K-pop boy group AHOF debuted and simultaneously topped the domestic music charts. Their debut song "Rendezvous," released on Tuesday, reached No.1 on the Bugs TOP 100 real-time chart, immediately after its release. On top of their debut song, all the other tracks in their first mini-album "WHO WE ARE" entered the chart as well. The nine-member group was formed through a reality competition show. AHOF, based on the Korean word for "nine," is an acronym for "All-time Hall of Famer," reflecting the group's ambition to reach the K-pop hall of fame. With a pleasant start, AHOF has officially launched their debut activities, including holding a commemorative pop-up store and performing on music programs. Excited to see them thrive in the future. Thank you Bella for today's stories. Now let's go over to our AI anchor Ari for other culture-related news. Ari!

K-wave AI News

2025/07/03 16:38

Hello and welcome to your AI guide to the latest cultural updates from Korea. Here's our top story. More than 2.7 million people visited the National Museum of Korea in the first half of this year, marking the highest turnout since it was relocated to Yongsan in 2005. The museum says the total number of visitors from January to June represents a whopping 64% increase compared to the same period last year. The number of foreign visitors also set a new record, reaching around 97,000, surpassing last year's figure and continuing an upward trend. In preparation for the APEC Summit set to be held in Gyeongju this October, Korea will expand its mobile QR payment system to 20,000 locations to enhance shopping convenience for foreign tourists. The rollout will be focused on key regional destinations, including Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, where the APEC Summit host city is located, and nearby southern cities of Daegu and Busan. The QR system, based on Korea's ZeroPay platform, is interoperable with 21 overseas mobile payment services, including Taiwan's PXPay and Malaysia's Touch 'n Go. Please note that a special promotion offering a 20% discount for users of Alipay, WeChat Pay, and UnionPay will run through December 31. The Korea Railroad Corporation has launched a new travel package combining discounted rail fares with rural tourism experiences to boost regional tourism. The program offers 50% off train tickets, along with a rural tour pass priced at 17,900 won, which gives travelers 24-hour access to major tourist attractions and various hands-on activities. The package is available through December and covers Gimje and Iksan in the Jeolla region, as well as Mungyeong, Yeongju, and Andong in the Gyeongsang region. Additional packages covering the Gangwon and Chungcheong regions will be rolled out next month. For more information, visit KORAIL's official website www.korail.com or the mobile app KORAIL Talk. That's all from me. Stay tuned to the Kulture Wave.

Storytelling of K-literature expanding further in the global market

2025/07/03 16:37

Korean literature has been adapted into films dating back to the 1960s and '70s. But after author Han Kang was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature last year, Korean literary works have garnered even greater attention in the global content market. Lee Eun-jin tells us more. Korean author Cheon Seon-ran's heartwarming science fiction novel 'A Thousand Blues.' Set in the near future where humanoid robots are commonplace, it tells the story of a robot jockey named Collie and a horse named Today, with the plot revolving around emotional connections. Hubble Publishing signed a six-figure film adaptation deal with major film production company Warner Bros. Pictures. Though the exact value of the rights deal was not disclosed, it's reportedly 440-thousand to 510-thousand U.S. dollars. Published in 2020, A Thousand Blues was adapted into both a play and an original musical just last year in Korea, and is now set to meet audiences on global screens. "Usually, film deals are signed once the casting of actors and directors is confirmed. But in this case, an exception contract was signed, solely based on the storyline of the original novel. This suggests they have high expectations for the power of the story." Another work with growing popularity is author Kang Ji-young's female-led action novel 'Mrs. Shim is a Killer.' The "cult" bestseller tells the story of a woman in her 50s whose skills as a butcher lead her to become a cold-hearted assassin. Its compelling plot attracted significant film and drama production interest, leading to rights deals worth over 750 thousand U.S. dollars, including publishing deals with Doubleday in the UK, Harper in the U.S., and translation rights sold to over 10 countries. "We're receiving ongoing inquiries from Asia and South America, so we expect exports to expand even further. The story itself is engaging and relatable, rooted in universal themes while carrying a distinctly Korean sensibility. That's the book's greatest strength." We've already seen a book-to-screen adaptation of author Baek Hee-na's 'Magic Candies.' First published in Korean in 2017, a Japanese animation studio turned the picture book into a short animated film, which was even shortlisted for an Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film. The film's success stemmed from its whimsical and heartwarming storytelling. "I really love fantasy, but not the kind that feels too far removed from reality. I prefer small, believable fantasies — the kind that make you think, 'This could actually happen.'" Other literary works making international strides include Jeong You-jeong's 'The Good Son,' which has sold film rights overseas, and Pyun Hye-young's 'The Hole,' which is already in Hollywood production and set for a North American release next year. Since the 2000s, as Hallyu took hold, the international expansion of K-literature into the film market has been accelerating, and has been fueled further by milestones like the success of director Bong Joon-ho's film 'Parasite' and Han Kang's Nobel Prize in Literature. Lee Eun-jin, Arirang News.

[Short-form] International Plastic Bag Free Day

2025/07/03 16:36

Short-form] International Plastic Bag Free Day Marking July 3, International Plastic Bag Free Day, we explore how Korea is embracing this global movement.

K-Sports highlights with Jason Lee

2025/07/03 16:36

Time for the latest in the world of K-sports, from a great achievement by Korean golfers, and updates on the KBO's upcoming all-star game, to football news. We are joined by our sportscaster Jason Lee in the studio who will bring us all the highlights. Hello Jason! Q1. Let's start with success for Korea at the LPGA. (we would have to go all the way back to the first week of May for the last time a Korean won on the LPGA, but that all changed last weekend when) Korea had not just one, but TWO winners at the Dow Championship what happened there? Yeah, last weekend's LPGA event was a team event where players played with a partner of their choice and in the end it was Lee Somi and Im Jin-Hee who came out victorious after beating Lexi Thompson and Megan Khang, both of the US, in a playoff. Both Lee Somi and Im Jin-Hee were rookies to the LPGA tour last year and this was the first victory for both of them so I'm sure it was very special for them compared to the other pairs in the tournament. Q2. How is the team event played? Is it just the best combined score from each pair? Actually, the way the tournament worked is it was alternate shot for the 1st and 3rd rounds so each pair basically plays with the same ball, but they alternate hitting the same ball. For the 2nd and 4th rounds, each player plays their own ball, but the score is the better of the 2 so if one play birdies the hole whereas the other player pars it, they would get a birdie for their score. Lee Somi and Im Jin-Hee both had birdie putts on the 18th hole which could've won them the tournament, but they both missed while Lexi Thompson birdied the final hole to force the playoff. But in that playoff, it went back to alternate shot and Im Jin-Hee sank her birdie putt set up by a nice tee shot by Lee Somi. Megan Khang actually missed a shorter put to hand the Korean pair the victory. They become the 17th and 18th champions on the season as the tour has not had a 2-time winner yet this season. Q3. Moving on to the Korean baseball league, on Wednesday, the KBO total attendance for the season surpassed 7 million fans, in the fastest time ever in KBO history, and we are still more than a week away from the All-Star break. That IS amazing speaking of the All-Star game next weekend we talked about the starting line up a bit last week, but I understand the rest of the team has now been finalized what can we look forward to? I mentioned last week that Samsung's Kim Seong-Yoon didn't get voted on despite leading the league with a.347 average I have to say I was very surprised to see he wasn't selected as a sub either with his own manager Park Jin-Man electing to go with a pair of KT outfielders instead in Ahn Hyun-Min and Bae Jung-Dae. Ahn is a front runner for Rookie of the Year with 15-home runs and a.337 average so I totally get it, but I was honestly pretty surprised Bae Jung-Dae made the team. Fans can get another look at LG outfielder Kim Hyun-Soo again as he's been selected to his record 16th All-Star appearance. That's 1 more than Samsung catcher Kang Min-Ho who will make his 15th appearance. Q4. Also kicking off next week are the East Asia E-1 Football Championships featuring both Korea's mens and womens national soccer teams with matches in Yongin, Suwon and Hwaseong, what are some updates you can give us on the tournament? The big story is that Hong Myung-Bo has elected not to call on his European players for the tournament. So most of the players he'll be using are from the K-League with a few also playing in the J-League in Japan. Jeon Jin-Woo of Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors played really well in his first 2 games with the Senior team and I think he'll be a guy the team will try to use a lot. Joo Min-Kyu is a bit older at 35 years old now, but he's been playing well in the K-League 1 and I could see Hong Myung-Bo counting on him for leadership with what's a bit of a less experienced team for the most part. Korea's first game will be Monday against China at 8pm at Yongin's Mireu Stadium should be worth your while to check out if you're in the area. Q5. Speaking of Mireu Stadium in Yongin, it could be host to a new professional soccer team as the K-League looks to expand what are the details on that? Yes, there are 3 teams that want to join the K-League 2, which is the league under the K-League 1 and one of the bids is coming from Yongin that would use Mireu Stadium as their home. The other bids are from the Paju Citizen, just north of Seoul and Gimhae FC, which is in the suburbs of Busan. The 2 latter teams play in the K-League 3, which is a semi-pro league, but it's a league that doesn't yet feed into the K-League 2 like the K-League 2 promotes into K-League 1. There are plans to add K-League 3 and K-League 4, which exist right now as independant leagues, to eventually have promotion to K-League 2, but that's a couple of years away. As for Paju, Gimhae and Yongin, one of them should get into K-League 2 next season which would make it a 14 team league. You've gotta think Paju and Gimhae have the upper hand since they both already have teams in K-League 3. Q6. Staying with the K-League, it was announced this week that the league will be inducting 6 more members into its Hall of Fame who's being honoured? Yes, the K-League created their Hall of Fame 2 years ago in 2023, which was the league's 40th anniversary. 6 members were selected for their innaugural induction and 6 more were chosen for the 2nd induction which will take place every 2 years. The 4 players selected this year were Yoo Sang-Chul, Kim Byung-Ji, Kim Ju-Seong and Dejan Damjanovic along with coach Kim Ho and builder Jung Mong-Jun. Yoo Sang-Chul was a big part of Korea's 2002 World Cup team that went to the semi-finals. Kim Byung-Ji was also a part of that team, but never saw the field as the team's back up keeper he also holds the K-League record for most appearances. Dejan Damjanovic is the first foreign inductee as the league's 2nd leading scorer only behind Lee Dong-Gook, who was inducted 2 years ago. Kim Joo-Seong was league MVP in 1997 and was a top player mostly in the 90s. Q7. And one more soccer question as you mentioned last week that Ki Sung-Yeung and FC Seoul were parting ways, but it seemed that the FC Seoul fans weren't ready to let him go Yeah there was quite the protest to his release and news of him joining the Pohang Steelers as expected. FC Seoul fans over the weekend were visibly and audibly disgruntled over having to see him play in a different K-League uniform. FC Seoul actually hosted Pohang on Sunday and won the game 4-1 but the fans didn't seem to care much they even blocked FC Seoul's team bus after the game for almost an hour in protest of Ki's release and Ki did not play in that game. Q8. And one more thing with baseball, there seems to be a lot of talk about the possibility of the NC Dinos leaving Changwon for another city how likely do you think that is? Yeah, this goes back to the opening week of the season in March when an NC Dinos fan died after being struck in the head by a large metal piece that fell from pretty high up into a crowded area. Obviously there was a lot of finger pointing after the incident and the Dinos aren't happy about how that was handled by the city of Changwon. That among other issues has led them to explore the possibility of moving to a new home. Now, I still think there's a good chance that the 2 sides will figure things out as I think it's a bad look for both sides if they were to move, but the team says they already have much better offers from prospective new homes. I don't know where they could move to, but if I had to guess, the places that make the most sense would be Gimhae, Yangsan or Ulsan as I'm sure they wouldn't want to go too far away from their original fan base. But again, I would think it would be best for all parties to figure out a way to stay in Changwon. Alright Jason, thank you for the updates, have a great rest of the week. Thank you Bella, see you tomorrow.

[On-point] Where South Korea's Pres. Lee stands on key issues

2025/07/03 15:36

That was President Lee Jae Myung taking questions at his first press conference, marking his first 30 days in office. For more on today's comments from the president and where President Lee stands on key issues, we're joined by Professor Choi Hyunsun, Professor at the Department of Public Administration at Myongji University. Professor Choi, thanks for joining us this morning. 1. We just heard the president speak at his first press conference since taking office. What are some of the key takeaways, and what's your overall assessment? 2. President Lee has been focusing on getting South Korea back on track, especially after the country was left without a leader following the martial law declaration. How would you assess his first term in office so far? 3. A key part of his economic policy during his first month in office was the supplementary budget. Will this help revive the country's economy? 4. The president also addressed other economic issues related to people's livelihoods, such as stabilizing the housing market, balanced regional growth, and the 4.5-day workweek. What are your thoughts on these policies? 5. President Lee also addressed diplomatic and security policies, and he does seem to be particularly focused on achieving peace on the Korean peninsula, right? 6. What would you say is the most important goal the Lee administration must achieve over the course of its five-year term? Alright. Thank you so much for your insight today. We appreciate it.

Vietnam becomes 2nd country to make trade deal with U.S. before July 9 deadline

2025/07/03 15:35

Vietnam has joined the UK as the only countries to have made a trade deal with the U.S. before the negotiation deadline for tariffs on July 9th. The U.S. says more deals are on the way with a little less than a week to go. Our Kim Do-yeon has more. The U.S. has announced its second major tariff deal since U.S. President Donald Trump announced an increase on tariffs for imported goods on April 2nd. Trump took to Truth Social on Wednesday, where he called the agreement with Vietnam a "great deal." According to his post, Vietnam will pay a 20% tariff on all goods shipped to the U.S., and a 40% tariff on transshipped products, which are goods Vietnam imports from China and then re-exports to America to dodge existing tariffs. He also wrote that in return, Vietnam will grant the U.S. "TOTAL ACCESS" to its markets, eliminating tariffs on American goods. Trump noted that SUVs have a good chance of success in the Vietnamese market. Deputy Treasury Secretary Michael Faulkender on CNBC described the deal as a huge win, adding that more could be announced before the July 9th deadline. He noted that for many countries, the sticking points aren't tariff levels but non-tariff barriers, which often block American products. If those come down, he said, it "reshapes the calculus for U.S. trade." Faulkender also warned that there will be no extension beyond July 9th and that he anticipates an announcement on the tariffs imposed on countries that have not or do not strike a deal. This comes as South Korea has yet to strike an agreement. Despite Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo's trip to Washington last week, the Wall Street Journal reports a deal isn't close. Seoul is seeking relief on U.S. tariffs targeting autos, steel, and aluminum, while U.S. negotiators have concerns over Korea's regulations on digital giants like Google and Coupang. Kim Do-yeon, Arirang News.

Most parts under heatwave alerts, strong UV rays today

2025/07/03 15:35

People in most parts of the country struggled to sleep through the night as the intense daytime heat refuses to dissipate. Heatwave alerts are in place pretty much everywhere. Following yesterday, Gangneung once again had a super tropical night, with the minimum temperature staying above 30 degrees Celsius, with an expected high of 37 degrees this afternoon. Meanwhile, Seoul has also had its fourth consecutive tropical night. Additionally, strong UV rays will be a concern throughout the day, so remember to take precautions. Seoul will reach 32 degrees Celsius, Gwangju at 34 degrees, and Daegu and Gyeongju a blistering 36 degrees Celsius. Upper parts of Korea will see scattered showers at times, which will only add humidity to the air. Then, next week, the heat is expected to get stronger, with daytime temperatures in Seoul climbing to 34 degrees Celsius.

In Arizona, Tohono O'odham members begin sacred saguaro harvest

2025/07/03 15:34

In the U.S. state of Arizona, members of the Tohono O'odham Nation have begun their annual sacred saguaro fruit harvest, known as "bahidaj," marking the start of the New Year. The ritual takes place over several weeks in late June to early July, when the ruby-red fruit ripens atop the towering saguaro cactus that can reach 12 meters tall. The fruits, once harvested, are boiled into syrup, and some are fermented into wine, which is used for a rain ceremony. These ceremonies affirm ancestral bonds, the relationship with natural resources, and the resilience of the Native Americans' identity.