News

First Lady Kim attends opening of 4th Women Entrepreneurs Week

2025/07/01 22:35

First Lady Kim Hea Kyung on Tuesday attended the opening ceremony of the fourth edition of Women Entrepreneurs Week. There, she expressed hope that women in business, who've played a key role in supporting the domestic economy, will help lead the country through challenges. According to the Presidential Office, the First Lady met with female entrepreneurs to offer encouragement and presented government awards to exemplary businesswomen. The Ministry of SMEs and Startups hosts the event each year during the first week of July to recognize outstanding contributions by women-led businesses. This year's program runs through Friday.

President Lee speaks with UAE, New Zealand leaders on economic cooperation

2025/07/01 22:35

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung spoke over the phone with his UAE counterpart, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Tuesday, for the first time since taking office last month. President Lee expressed hopes to bolster the "special strategic partnership" between Korea and the UAE. The leaders agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation on AI, cutting-edge technology, the defense industry, and nuclear power. He also held a phone call with New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to discuss elevating their "comprehensive strategic partnership." Noting New Zealand's contribution during the Korean War, Lee hoped to bolster cooperation with that country in the economic, defense, and science sectors. Lee also discussed with the foreign leaders further cooperation in time for the upcoming APEC summit in Korea later this year.

President Lee urges Cabinet members to respect National Assembly

2025/07/01 22:34

President Lee Jae Myung presided over the weekly Cabinet meeting on Tuesday. There, he urged the Cabinet members to respect members of the National Assembly who've been elected by the people. Also addressed were a host of issues related to people's livelihoods. Top Office Correspondent Yoon Jung-min reports. "The National Assembly is an institution directly entrusted with power by the people, so I ask our Cabinet members to have a sense of respect for them when you go there. It's about the basic order of the state." President Lee Jae Myung began Tuesday's Cabinet meeting by noting that all power comes from the people, and officials elected by the people come before those who were appointed. He pointed out that there seems to be a "misunderstanding" with parliament, and urged the Cabinet to respect the Assembly. Present at the meeting were some of the Cabinet members from the former Yoon Suk Yeol administration. He went on to pay attention to the livelihoods of the people, particularly the vulnerable, with the nation in the middle of the summer rainy season. "During extreme heat, people living in small rooms, the elderly, and the vulnerable suffer crises. Please pay extra attention and take good care of them." Lee also turned to another matter affecting the lives of Koreans: real estate. He said the stock and financial markets have been recently "normalized," and began to serve as investment options other than the property market, pointing to a tendency in Korea where speculation in real estate often leads to housing market instability. Last week, the nation's financial watchdog announced strict measures to tighten household lending to curb soaring home prices in the capital. Discussions on Tuesday included how to use some of the land left fallow in the border area of Gyeonggi-do Province following the relocation of the U.S. military sites to Pyeongtaek. "President Lee instructed the Defense Ministry to proactively review and report measures to deal with the issues regarding the land returned by the U.S. Forces Korea in northern Gyeonggi-do Province." Among the items endorsed at the Cabinet meeting was an agreement to establish a free trade zone between South Korea and Ecuador, aimed at expanding bilateral trade and investment. Yoon Jung-min, Arirang News.

S. Korea braces for U.S. tariffs with automakers exposed the most

2025/07/01 22:34

The record-high export figures from June are a relief for now, but chip and car exports the backbone of South Korea's economy may soon be challenged following the end of the Trump administration's tariffs grace period. So, how to brace for the potential impact? Our Kim Do-yeon reports. The stakes couldn't be higher, as South Korea's heavy dependence on exports — especially to the United States — leaves its core industries vulnerable. With a July 8th deadline fast approaching, Seoul is racing to secure a deal that shields its automakers and semiconductor producers from hefty new tariffs. "I believe Korea needs to emphasize that its economic growth leads to more factories and jobs being created in the United States, and use that to steer negotiations in a direction that benefits both countries." Recent moves by Hyundai Motor Group underscore that point, with the company pledging over 21 billion dollars in investments across the U.S. over the next three years. The move perhaps testifies to experts' claims that autos are the most exposed. Under Section 232 of the U.S. Trade Expansion Act, Washington currently slaps a 25 percent tariff on imported vehicles and auto parts — a duty both Korea and Japan have been pushing to reduce. "Among all the tariffs Korea faces from the U.S. right now, the most critical issue is the auto sector. If this isn't resolved, we're likely to see significant damage — not just for finished cars, but also for parts, steel and aluminum, since all these tariffs are heavily concentrated on automobiles." Without a breakthrough, Korea's automakers and a web of suppliers could suffer severe losses. Some experts suggest that ramping up local manufacturing in the U.S. may be the most immediate way to cushion the blow. "By using production facilities over there, we can effectively offset tariffs on parts as well. So at this point, I think expanding and maximizing manufacturing operations in the U.S., rather than producing everything domestically, is actually the best alternative we have." But they caution this could mean fewer jobs and contracts for Korea's own factories and parts makers. That's why experts say tariffs will ultimately need to be tackled at the negotiating table. They point out that South Korea's shipbuilding capacity could serve as leverage — while even adjustments to defense cost-sharing might come into play. Kim Do-yeon, Arirang News.

President Lee’s first month: Lee governs through citizen-centered reforms

2025/07/01 21:34

Welcome to Within The Frame, where we bring the most pressing issues across the globe into focus. I'm Kim Mok-yeon. This Thursday marks President Lee Jae Myung's 30th day in office. One month in, he's setting a notably open tone for the presidency. From declaring himself the "president for all" to rolling out the People's Nomination System and launching the People's Mailbox, President Lee has placed citizen engagement at the heart of his early governance. With emergency economic measures also underway, his administration is signaling speed, visibility, and direct response. But as these symbolic moves begin to meet institutional reality, the question now is whether this participatory model can truly take root—and what it means for the future of Korean democracy. In our first installment marking one month of the Lee Jae Myung presidency, we take a closer look at Lee's style of governance—how it's unfolding, what it promises, and where it may be headed. For this, we're joined in the studio by Kim Jun-mo, Professor at the Department of Public Administration at Konkuk University. Welcome. Also joining us is Lee Hee-eun, Dean and Professor of Law at Handong International Law School. Welcome. (KIM) First, let's go back to President Lee's inaugural promise – he declared himself the "president for all" and vowed to break with divisive politics. Prof. Kim, how would you evaluate the administrative and symbolic weight of that statement? (KIM) Then came the "People's Nomination System" where citizens could recommend top officials, such as ministers. From a public administration view, how feasible and effective is this in real personnel vetting and selection? (LEE) From a legal standpoint, the system promised transparency and fairness. But under current laws governing presidential appointments, how binding are these public-sourced recommendations, and where do legal constraints begin? (KIM) Soon after, the President launched the "People's Mailbox," where citizens can directly submit questions online. The presidential office says all submissions are reported to President Lee, and he'll personally respond to significant ones. As a public participation tool, how would you assess its real potential to shape governance, beyond symbolism? (LEE) That platform replaced the previous public petition board. From a constitutional rights perspective, does this more filtered model still respect citizens' right to petition and the need for transparent dialogue? (KIM) Just days later, President Lee held a town hall meeting in Gwangju, personally listening to local concerns like the stalled military airport relocation. Could this be a model for localized, citizen-driven governance moving forward? (LEE) Staying with the Gwangju initiative – President Lee ordered a six-party government-local task force to mediate the airport dispute. Legally speaking, how clear is the framework for such ad-hoc coordination bodies, and could there be risks of jurisdictional overreach? (LEE) President Lee says this is a move toward "citizen-sovereignty" and away from ideology-based politics. Constitutionally speaking, is this kind of pragmatic presidency compatible with Korea's legal-political system? (KIM) Finally, looking back on this first month – President Lee has repeatedly framed his presidency as a turning point for "real democracy" and "citizen-centered governance." In practical terms, what does that look like? And what signs should we watch for in the months ahead?

S. Korea posts highest exports for June in history

2025/07/01 19:41

We start on the trade front as findings for the month of June show exports hitting an all-time high for the month driven by cars and chips. Our correspondent Park Jun-han reports. Exports in June reached an all-time high of 59-point-8 billion U.S. dollars, up 4-point-3 percent from a year earlier, according to data released on Tuesday by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. Imports rose 3-point-3 percent to 50-point-72 billion dollars, resulting in a trade surplus of 9-point-08 billion dollars. Among the country's 15 major export items, six showed growth. Notably, semiconductors fueled this, marking a historic 15 billion dollars in June — up 11-point-6 percent — and continuing a four-month upward trend. This helped overseas shipments of semiconductors reach 73-point-3 billion dollars for the first half of 2025, the highest-ever performance over that period. "Previously, market demand for semiconductors was driven by mobile devices, but it has now shifted to AI and data centers. Strong memory sales — particularly high-bandwidth memory — and a surge in AI data center investment are the fundamental drivers behind the recent growth in semiconductor exports." Automobile shipments also hit an all-time high for June at 6-point-3 billion dollars, marking a 2-point-3 percent increase from a year earlier. Robust deliveries were driven by high EU demand for electric vehicles, and a whopping 67-point-9 percent surge in used car exports to 670 million dollars. By region, June exports saw growth in seven of its nine major trading regions, excluding the United States and China. Although exports to the United States and China saw a slight decrease of point-5 percent and 2-point-7 percent , respectively, exports to regions such as the European Union and the Middle East saw a significant increase of over at least 14 percent. The economic expert stated that the drop in exports to the United States and China reflects a shift in the global trading order. "The drop in exports after Trump's tariff hikes is a major setback, especially since exports were expected to rise. South Korea exports intermediate goods to China, which China then ships as final products to the U.S., so tariffs on China hit us too. As existing markets shrink, we naturally look for new ones — leading to a shift in the trading order, with more exports heading outside the U.S. and China." In the meantime, Trade Minister Ahn Duk-geun said the government plans to respond proactively to the immediate challenges in the Korea-U.S. negotiations and will soon prepare export support measures — such as trade financing and the identification of alternative markets — to minimize the negative impact on industries. Park Jun-han, Arirang News.

Weather] Heat wave will continue across the country with high UV rays

2025/07/01 19:40

It's a hot day and night across the country. Seoul has had tropical nights for two straight days, and heat wave warnings are continuing. Under heat wave warnings and advisories, summer heat of over 35 degrees Celsius warmed up the whole country. The daytime temperature in Samcheok and Gyeongju rose as high as 36 degrees during the day today. With steaming conditions, strong UV rays are inevitable. High levels of ultraviolet rays will cover the skies around the country. Around the eastern and southern parts of the country, very high levels of UV rays will continue tomorrow afternoon. Tomorrow morning will be even hotter than today at around 24 to 26 degrees. Highs will move up to 31 degrees in Seoul, Chuncheon, Busan and Jeju. There is no rain forecast for the time being. Please take good care of your health. That's all for Korea. Here are the weather conditions around the world.

World News: Firefighters battle to contain wildfires in western Türkiye for second day

2025/07/01 19:40

This is the World Now, bringing you the latest stories from around the globe. Western Türkiye is battling massive wildfires driven by extreme heat and strong winds, forcing tens of thousands of people to evacuate from five regions across the country. Wildfires in Izmir province are entering their third day, fueled by scorching temperatures and winds reaching 40 to 50 kilometers per hour. The province's airport was briefly closed, and over 50-thousand residents from 41 settlements have been evacuated. More than 1,000 personnel are involved in firefighting efforts; however, dense smoke and strong winds are hampering aerial extinguishing efforts. Türkiye's Forestry Minister warned that the situation may worsen without a drop in temperature and wind speeds. Emergency services remain on alert, with resources being shifted to vulnerable coastal areas. The blazes form a part of a wider Western Europe heatwave, with temperatures across the region running 5 to 10 degrees Celsius above seasonal norms. Denmark's parliament has approved extending its compulsory conscription to women starting July 1, placing them on equal footing with men in the national draft lottery. Until now, only male citizens were subject to mandatory service, whereas women could join voluntarily. The reform brings forward plans originally set for 2027, due to security concerns amid Russian aggression and NATO defense commitments. Under the new policy, all women turning 18 after June 30 will enter the draft pool of the lottery system alongside men. Denmark plans to increase its annual number of conscripts from 4,700 to 6,500 by 2033. Service duration is also being extended from four to eleven months. In the U.S., the annual T-Rex World Championship races were held at Emerald Downs racecourse in Washington State on Sunday, where more than 300 people competed dressed as Tyrannosaurus Rex dinosaurs. The championship includes the men's, women's and children's races. Some participants also parachuted onto the tracks while dressed as dinos. The races will be shown in full on ESPN2 later this summer. The event began in 2017 as a team-building activity for a pest control company. Choi Chi-hee, Arirang News.

Seoul hit by season's first heat wave advisory

2025/07/01 19:39

Those of you here in the capital city endured the first tropical night of the season this past evening following the announcement of a heat wave advisory for Seoul back on Monday. Lee Seung-jae covers the heat here and elsewhere. Seoul saw the season's first heat wave advisory being issued on Monday, just a day after it experienced its first tropical night of the summer. A heat advisory is issued when the day's highest perceived temperature is expected to stay at 33 degrees Celsius or above for two or more days. However, the capital's heat wave advisory came 11 days later than last year. Still, the sweltering heat is expected to remain not just in Seoul, but nationwide. "As the hot and humid North Pacific high-pressure area covers our country, a large amount of hot and humid water vapor is flowing in along its edge." The Korea Meteorological Administration also issued heat wave warnings for around 20 regions nationwide, including Daegu, Gwangju, central Busan, and eastern Jeju Island. A heat wave warning is issued when the highest perceived temperature is expected to reach 35 degrees or higher for two or more straight days, or when major damage is expected from the heat. Southern regions like Uljin, Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, Haenam, Jeollanam-do Province, and Jeju Island, experienced the hottest June since the KMA began compiling records. The intense heat also led to the death of a woman in her 60s, who had been working in a field in Jinju, Gyeongsangnam-do Province. She was found unresponsive on Sunday afternoon, with police saying they believe she died of heatstroke. The KMA advises vulnerable groups, including the elderly and children, to take extra care to stay hydrated and limit outdoor activities. Lee Seung-jae, Arirang News.

Paradox of AI's energy consumption

2025/07/01 19:38

AI data centers are major energy consumers but these centers also stand to ultimately share solutions for sustainable energy consumption. Our Lee Eun-jin covers this paradox. A war between humans and AI Science-fiction movies address various approaches, but the massive amount of electricity AI consumes is a real issue. Humanity blocks the sun to cut off AI's power supply, then, in retaliation, AI starts using humans as their power source like batteries. A single question asked of Chat GPT-4 uses enough electricity to power a 10-watt LED bulb for 3 minutes. Currently, data centers for AI account for 1-point-5 percent of the world's total electricity consumption. On this path, data centers will match the annual electricity consumption of all of Japan by 2030. On top of the massive energy consumption, cooling the GPU chips of the data centers requires hundreds of thousands of tons of water, which also has negative impacts on the environment. "What I'm most worried about is that we're building an enormous infrastructure for artificial intelligence that is extremely energy and water-intensive, without looking at the very real downsides in terms of the climate impacts." The Davos Forum published a report in January of this year titled "Artificial Intelligence's Energy Paradox." It projected that AI's electricity consumption will increase by an average of 50 percent annually from 2023 to 2030. Google has pledged to nearly eliminate carbon emissions by 2030, but since 2019, its emissions have increased by 50%. Microsoft, too, is going in the opposite direction of its original reduction goals. "The carbon neutrality plans of global leaders in AI competition, like Microsoft and Google, have derailed due to the growing competition of generative AI." The paradox is that AI also has the potential to be a problem-solver for the climate crisis by analyzing energy usage patterns to improve efficiency or optimizing traffic flows to reduce carbon emissions. Ultimately, if AI can improve its cognitive capabilities to operate in an environmentally friendly way, it could become an opportunity for humanity. Lee Eunjin, Arirang News.

President Trump lifts most U.S. sanctions on Syria for first time in 21 years

2025/07/01 19:37

U.S. President Donald Trump has signed an executive order lifting sanctions against Syria that were imposed over time starting back in 2004. They included export controls on certain goods and restrictions on foreign assistance to Syria. However sanctions against former Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad and his associates remain in place. The order takes effect from today that is July first.

At least 74 killed in Gaza after Israeli forces strike

2025/07/01 19:37

In the Middle East. Dozens of lives were lost in Gaza following Israeli air assaults this past Monday. Byeon Ye-young reports. On Monday, as reported by AP News, Israeli forces left at least 74 people dead in Gaza. The deadliest attack was carried out by airstrikes on a beachfront café that was filled with women and children. It was one of the few places during the war where civilians could charge their phones and get Internet access. "An F-16 missile, a war missile, military aircraft, not a drone or a bomb or a shell from a boat. The F-16 shook the place, it struck this place as you can see, pools of blood, piles of martyrs. I mean, if you had seen the scene from the beginning, there were piles of martyrs." Fares Awad, a Gaza health ministry official, said at least 30 were killed and dozens injured in the café strike. Local medical officials reported 15 more deaths on a Gaza City street, six in a separate building strike, 11 civilians shot while searching for food, and 10 killed at a UN aid warehouse. While Israel maintains it only targets militants, Gaza's Health Ministry reports that more than 56-thousand Palestinians, many of them civilians, have been killed since the war began. Meanwhile, unnamed U.S. officials confirmed that U.S. President Donald Trump will host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House next Monday. The meeting comes as Trump intensifies efforts to broker a ceasefire in Gaza. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, during a briefing on Monday, reaffirmed the administration's commitment to ending the conflict. "I also know that this administration is in constant communication with Israeli leadership, and the president himself speaks frequently, as you know, to Prime Minister Netanyahu. But this has been a priority for the president since he took office, to end this brutal war in Gaza." Netanyahu's upcoming visit comes as the U.S., after striking Iranian nuclear sites and brokering a ceasefire between Israel and Iran, shifts focus to ending the Israel-Hamas conflict. Byeon Ye-young, Arirang News.

Trump may meet Kim Jong-un during October APEC visit to S. Korea: Victor Cha

2025/07/01 19:36

President Donald Trump may meet with North Korea's Kim Jong-un at Panmunjom this autumn. This is according to Victor Cha the Korea Chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies during an online seminar back in June on the impact of U.S. attacks against Iran's nuclear sites on North Korea. Cha a former member of the U.S. National Security Council suggested that Mr. Trump's travel to South Korea to attend the APEC summit scheduled from October 31st to November 1st might lead to a fourth meeting with the North Korean leader following their last encounter at the Korean border in 2019. Cha also warned that the recent U.S. strikes against Iran may have bolstered North Korea's belief that its nuclear weapons are the only deterrent against such assaults.

Kim Jong-un pays rare tribute to N. Korean troops killed in Russia

2025/07/01 19:36

North Korean state-run media has shared footage of its leader Kim Jong-un honoring the sacrifice of his soldiers who are believed to have been killed on the battlefield in Russia's war against Ukraine. Our correspondent Kim Jung-sil reports. In a rare public display, North Korean state media aired images of its troops deployed to Russia's Kursk region. Marking the first anniversary of a new military pact with Moscow, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un watched the performance in Pyongyang, sitting with his daughter, Kim Ju-ae, as Russia's culture minister, Olga Lyubimova, sat at the table next to him. Large screens showed photos of North Korean soldiers in combat, as well as images of Kim pausing before flag-draped coffins, scenes never before shown to the public. After a Russian ensemble performed, North Korean artists offered songs apparently dedicated to fallen soldiers, and Kim stood during the tribute song. State cameras captured audience members wiping away tears, as Kim was seen kneeling by the coffins, his hands resting on the flags covering them. State media also revealed, for the first time, Kim's handwritten order authorizing the Kursk offensive. Analysts say Pyongyang is using the ceremony to honor the fallen, rally public support, and reinforce its growing alliance with Moscow. Officials in Seoul believe the display may also be intended to sustain morale ahead of possible additional deployments, and to remind Russia that these sacrifices come with the expectation of compensation. Observers also noted the deliberate staging of Kim's daughter, who has appeared more frequently at Russia-related events since she visited the Russian Embassy in May, as part of efforts to present her as a potential successor. Kim Jung-sil, Arirang News.

President Lee urges Cabinet members to respect National Assembly

2025/07/01 19:35

President Lee Jae Myung has called for respect for the parliament from the cabinet pointing out that National Assembly members are elected representatives of the people while Cabinet members are appointed officials. Our top office correspondent Yoon Jung-min has more. "The National Assembly is an institution directly entrusted with power by the people, so I ask our Cabinet members to have a sense of respect for them when you go there. It's about the basic order of the state." President Lee Jae Myung began Tuesday's Cabinet meeting by noting that all power comes from the people, and officials elected by the people come before those who were appointed. He pointed out that there seems to be a "misunderstanding" with parliament, and urged the Cabinet to respect the Assembly. Present at the meeting were some of the Cabinet members from the former Yoon Suk Yeol administration. He went on to pay attention to the livelihoods of the people, particularly the vulnerable, with the nation in the middle of the summer rainy season. "During extreme heat, people living in small rooms, the elderly, and the vulnerable suffer crises. Please pay extra attention and take good care of them." Lee also turned to another matter affecting the lives of Koreans: real estate. He said the stock and financial markets have been recently "normalized," and began to serve as investment options other than the property market, pointing to a tendency in Korea where speculation in real estate often leads to housing market instability. Last week, the nation's financial watchdog announced strict measures to tighten household lending to curb soaring home prices in the capital. Discussions on Tuesday included how to use some of the land left fallow in the border area of Gyeonggi-do Province following the relocation of the U.S. military sites to Pyeongtaek. "President Lee instructed the Defense Ministry to proactively review and report measures to deal with the issues regarding the land returned by the U.S. Forces Korea in northern Gyeonggi-do Province." Among the items endorsed at the Cabinet meeting was an agreement to establish a free trade zone between South Korea and Ecuador, aimed at expanding bilateral trade and investment. Yoon Jung-min, Arirang News.

S&P 500, Nasdaq hit new all-time highs for 2nd straight day

2025/07/01 19:35

Wall Street rallied this past Monday bolstered by widespread belief that the Trump administration will reach tariff deals ahead of next week's deadline. The tech-heavy NASDAQ hit a new high after gaining over 96 points to close trade at 20-thousand-3-hundred-69-point-7. Similarly the S&P 500 reached a new record after rising over 31 points to end its session on Monday at above 6-thousand-2-hundred-4. The overall market optimism follows Canada's removal of a tax targeting American tech firms that had earlier prompted U.S. President Donald Trump to call off bilateral trade talks. Those talks are now set to resume.

S. Korea braces for U.S. tariffs with automakers exposed the most

2025/07/01 19:34

Now as mentioned earlier the deadline for country-specific U.S. tariffs is fast approaching. That being said my colleague Kim Do-yeon spoke to a number of scholars here for their thoughts on an effective South Korean trade strategy. Do take a listen. The stakes couldn't be higher, as South Korea's heavy dependence on exports — especially to the United States — leaves its core industries vulnerable. With a July 8th deadline fast approaching, Seoul is racing to secure a deal that shields its automakers and semiconductor producers from hefty new tariffs. "I believe Korea needs to emphasize that its economic growth leads to more factories and jobs being created in the United States, and use that to steer negotiations in a direction that benefits both countries." Recent moves by Hyundai Motor Group underscore that point, with the company pledging over 21 billion dollars in investments across the U.S. over the next three years. The move perhaps testifies to experts' claims that autos are the most exposed. Under Section 232 of the U.S. Trade Expansion Act, Washington currently slaps a 25 percent tariff on imported vehicles and auto parts — a duty both Korea and Japan have been pushing to reduce. "Among all the tariffs Korea faces from the U.S. right now, the most critical issue is the auto sector. If this isn't resolved, we're likely to see significant damage — not just for finished cars, but also for parts, steel and aluminum, since all these tariffs are heavily concentrated on automobiles." Without a breakthrough, Korea's automakers and a web of suppliers could suffer severe losses. Some experts suggest that ramping up local manufacturing in the U.S. may be the most immediate way to cushion the blow. "By using production facilities over there, we can effectively offset tariffs on parts as well. So at this point, I think expanding and maximizing manufacturing operations in the U.S., rather than producing everything domestically, is actually the best alternative we have." But they caution this could mean fewer jobs and contracts for Korea's own factories and parts makers. That's why experts say tariffs will ultimately need to be tackled at the negotiating table. They point out that South Korea's shipbuilding capacity could serve as leverage — while even adjustments to defense cost-sharing might come into play. Kim Do-yeon, Arirang News.

Trump to meet with trade team this week to set tariff rates: White House

2025/07/01 19:33

The Trump administration will sit down to set the tariff rates for countries that have yet to approach trade talks with the U.S. in quote "good faith". Our Kim Bo-kyoung has the latest. With the July 9th tariff pause deadline approaching, U.S. President Donald Trump is reportedly planning meetings with his trade team this week to set tariff rates for individual countries. This, according to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt during a briefing on Monday. "He is going to set the rates for many of these countries if they don't come to the table to negotiate in good faith. And he is meeting with his trade team this week to do that." This echoes Director of the National Economic Council, Kevin Hassett, who said in an interview that there will be a marathon meeting as soon as the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" passes before Independence Day on the Fourth of July. While saying Trump will review tariff plans one country at a time, he added that the number of deals in hand is in the double digits, with a framework for negotiations in place similar to what was used to strike a deal with the UK last month. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also warned countries to cooperate during an interview with Bloomberg TV. Though there are countries that are negotiating in good faith with the U.S., he said, they should be aware that the tariffs could spring back to April 2nd levels, if the deal does not get across the line. Warnings have also been directed at specific countries. Trump, in a post on Truth Social, said Washington would be sending Tokyo a letter, while threatening to impose higher tariffs on Japanese exports to the U.S. over Japan's unwillingness to buy American-grown rice despite a massive rice shortage. Specific details of what the letter might contain have not been disclosed. Kim Bo-kyoung, Arirang News.

PRES. LEE SEEKS PRAGMATIC DIPLOMACY

2025/07/01 18:34

Welcome to Press Perspective for this Tuesday JULY FIRST here in Seoul. I'm Min Sunhee. Today we touch upon the Lee Jae Myung administration's approach to diplomacy amid the current climate of geopolitics. For this I have Fabian Kretschmer with the German news agency dpa. Fabian welcome. I also have Professor Kim Young-jun at the Korea National Defense University. Professor Kim it's a pleasure. Fabian, let's start with the gist of President Lee Jae Myung's pragmatic diplomacy, and the shape that his foreign policy appears to be taking. Professor Kim, speaking as a scholar, how feasible is a pragmatic foreign policy taking into account the current geopolitical environment? Some say it may be tough? Professor Kim, President Lee Jae Myung did not attend the NATO summit in the Netherlands last week and instead sent his top security aide. What do you suppose led to this decision? Meanwhile Fabian, on the sidelines of the NATO summit, National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte agreed to bolster defense initiatives. Do tell us more about this agreement and its implications. Professor Kim, staying with security. The new South Korean administration has pledged to advance "peace through dialogue" over "peace through strength" with regard to its northern neighbor . How effective may this new approach to tensions on the peninsula be? Fabian, over in the U.S., last week, President Donald Trump reaffirmed his resolve to "solve the conflict with North Korea." Do give us the context behind these comments, and what are the prospects of such a scenario ? Professor Kim, some say the U.S.'s recent air strikes against three Iranian nuclear sites "will leave North Korea more determined to keep its nuclear weapons". Do you share this outlook? If so, how should we seek to ease security concerns here on the peninsula? Fabian, another concern for the international community is the military cooperation between Russia and North Korea. What's the latest on that front? Professor Kim, back here in South Korea, President Lee's pick for Defense Minister has been receiving quite a bit of attention. What do you believe are the implications of this nomination? All right.

[K-Enter] Reliving the excitement of the tour, BTS to release their first live album

2025/07/01 16:36

Starting off with some BTS news on an upcoming album but it's a first-of-its-kind album? BTS will release their first-ever live concert album, "PERMISSION TO DANCE ON STAGE – LIVE", on July 18. This album marks the group's first live album since their formation. It features 22 live tracks from their 2021–2022 "PERMISSION TO DANCE ON STAGE" tour, including fan favourites like "ON," "Fire," "Dope," and "IDOL." BTS's agency BigHit Music commented, "We hope this album brings back memories of the "BTS PERMISSION TO DANCE ON STAGE" concerts. May every moment shared with BTS continue to shine in your hearts." The 2021-2022 tour took place across 12 shows in three cities, Seoul, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas, reaching 4 million fans through online live streams, live viewings, and in-person events. During this tour, BTS also became the first Korean act to perform at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles and Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. I imagine this live album will get ARMY amped up to see them live once again. Moving onto a member of SEVENTEEN and e-sports? I feel this story is for our other beautiful co-host Bella as she is an e-sports fanatic but Dino , the youngest member of SEVENTEEN, has lent his voice to the official theme song for the 2025 Esports World Cup. According to the Esports World Cup Foundation in Saudi Arabia and his agency, PLEDIS Entertainment, Dino took part in recording the theme song titled "Til My Fingers Bleed", which was released on Monday. The track also features American hip-hop artist DUCKWRTH and metalcore band The Word Alive. Dino will debut the live performance of "Til My Fingers Bleed" at the EWC opening ceremony on July 10 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The EWC is the world's largest esports event, drawing 2.6 million attendees and over 500 million online viewers last year. This is the first time a K-pop artist has performed an official theme song for the competition. Lastly over to news on a K-movie, that received big praise abroad? Director Hur Jin-ho's "A Normal Family" has been selected by U.S. entertainment outlet Variety as one of the "10 Best Films of 2025" (So far). Variety curated the list from standout international films screened in North America during the first half of the year, with "A Normal Family" being the only Korean film to earn a spot. Adapted from Dutch author Herman Koch's bestselling novel "The Dinner", the film is a tense psychological thriller that follows two well-off couples, whose lives spiral out of control after discovering their children were involved in a murder. Variety praised the film as "a suspenseful and morally harrowing drama," adding that "it's sure to grip viewers from the opening scene." Thanks for that news Walter. Now it's time for our AI anchor Ari for more culture news. Ari!