News

Russian strike on Kyiv kills at least 12 in biggest attack on Ukrainian capital since last summer

2025/04/25 10:00

Starting in Ukraine, Kyiv has seen the most devastating attack in nine months, as Russian forces fired a barrage of missiles and drones at the capital city overnight. In the early hours of Thursday local time, Russia conducted a massive combined missile and drone attack on Kyiv, killing at least 12 people and injuring over 90. The strikes, which began around 1 AM, targeted multiple districts and caused significant damage to residential buildings and vehicles. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the assault one of Moscow's "most outrageous," while officials reported that it involved ballistic missiles. The attack comes amid heightened tension over negotiations to end the ongoing conflict. U.S. President Donald Trump urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to stop such attacks, while continuing to pressure Ukraine for concessions.

S. Korea, U.S. seek to reach deal on removing tariffs, before tariff pause ends in July

2025/04/25 10:00

Finance and trade officials from South Korea and the United States met in Washington for talks, as Seoul seeks a path to be exempted from tariffs, before the pause on tariffs ends in July. Bae Eun-ji has the key takeaways from the meeting. South Korea and the United States have agreed to produce a package of deals to remove new U.S. tariffs before the July 8 deadline, when the 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs is lifted. This was discussed by South Korea's Deputy Prime Minister Choi Sang-mok and trade minister Ahn Duk-geun, alongside U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer during a high-level meeting in Washington on Thursday local time. Seoul's trade ministry said in a statement that it requested exemptions from reciprocal tariffs and offered cooperation on shipbuilding and energy. Following the meeting, finance minister Choi said the two sides agreed to aim for a deal by early July and explained they will hold further discussions on four key areas of mutual interest: tariffs and non-tariff measures, economic security, investment cooperation, and currency policy. "We focused particularly on the automobile sector, which faces the greatest negative impact." Choi also said they asked for understanding from the U.S., as the negotiation process could be affected by Korea's political schedule and the upcoming presidential election. He added that the two sides agreed to discuss this in detail when Greer visits South Korea to take part in the APEC trade ministers' meeting, scheduled to take place for two days starting May 15th. Meanwhile,.. Bessent also told reporters that the two countries had a "very successful" meeting without disclosing further details on the talks. "We may be moving faster than I thought, and we will be talking technical terms as early as next week, as we reach an agreement on understanding as soon as next weekend. So South Koreans came early, they came with their A-game, and we will see if they follow through on that." South Korea, which faces 25% U.S. reciprocal tariffs is among the first countries the Trump administration has initiated trade talks with. Eyes are now on whether the two countries will be able to reach a fruitful deal that will exempt South Korea from higher levies. Bae Eun-ji, Arirang News.

[Weather] Staying below norms, hazy this morning in central areas

2025/04/25 10:00

We've had a significant temperature drop overnight. It's also cooler than what we typically expect for late April. The afternoon will also be cooler than yesterday. This weekend looks to be more of typical spring weather with large daily temperature swings. However, we do have some yellow dust drifting in, which could make the air quality a bit hazy in the central regions and the Gyeongsang-do Provinces, especially during the morning hours. Afternoon highs will be 1 to 9 degrees lower this afternoon at 19 degrees in the capital, Daegu and Gyeongju at 20 degrees, which is nearly 8 degrees lower than yesterday under bright sunshine. We'll also have to brave strong winds across the country today. On top of that, the air in the eastern regions is gradually becoming drier. Pleasant spring weather persists through the end of April, with rain in store on Jeju on Sunday. Just remember that big temperature difference between morning and afternoon and dress in layers to stay comfortable throughout the day.

Pope Francis' funeral to be 'standard' ritual, expert says

2025/04/25 10:00

Finally, in Rome, the Vatican is finalizing preparations for the funeral of Pope Francis, who died on Monday at the age of 88. The funeral, scheduled for Saturday, will reflect the Pope's wishes for a modest ceremony. The funeral Mass in St. Peter's Square will be attended by some 130 foreign delegations, including 50 heads of state. Following the service, Pope Francis will be buried at the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome, marking the first papal burial outside the Vatican since 1903. A nine-day mourning period will begin after the funeral, during which Masses will be held in memory of the late pontiff. The conclave to elect his successor is expected to commence after May 5.

EU to present roadmap in May to phase out all imports of Russian fossil fuels

2025/04/25 10:00

The European Union is set to present a comprehensive roadmap in May, specifying its strategy to eliminate all imports of Russian fossil fuels by 2027. The initiative, announced by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Thursday, is a response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and aims to bolster the EU's energy independence. The EU has made significant progress in reducing Russian gas imports from 45% in 2021 to the current 18% increasing LNG imports from the United States and gas supplies from Norway to compensate. The roadmap may include legal measures to allow EU companies to end existing contracts without penalties.

China successfully launches Shenzhou-20 crewed spaceship

2025/04/25 10:00

China has successfully launched its Shenzhou-20 crewed mission, sending three astronauts to the Tiangong space station. This marks the nation's 15th manned spaceflight. On Thursday at 5:17 PM local time, the Shenzhou-20 spacecraft lifted off on a Long March 2F rocket from a satellite launch center in northwest China. Approximately six and a half hours later, it docked with the Tiangong space station. Mission commander Chen Dong, on his third spaceflight, and first-time astronauts Chen Zhongrui and Wang Jie will spend six months on the space station, conducting spacewalks and field experiments. They will replace the Shenzhou-19 crew, who have been aboard Tiangong for 175 days and are scheduled to return to Earth on April 29.

China willing to invite S. Korean officials for inspection of West Sea structures, amid escalating concerns

2025/04/25 10:00

Amid concerns in Seoul over Chinese structures built in disputed waters of the West Sea, Beijing has reportedly said that South Korean officials can visit the area and see the structures for themselves. This was conveyed during a closed-door meeting in Seoul on Wednesday, between officials from the two countries, when China claimed the structure was built for fish-farming, and that it had nothing to do with territorial rights. From 2018 until last year, China built three structures in the "Provisional Maritime Zone," where the two countries' exclusive economic zones overlap, causing concern in South Korea that Beijing could possibly be seeking territorial rights in the area. The U.S. State Department also criticized China on the issue this week, saying Beijing's refusal to abide by international law causes instability in the region.

DP's candidates push for votes in southwest while PPP's one-on-one debates start

2025/04/25 10:00

Turning to the latest in the presidential primaries. The Democratic Party candidates visited the party's stronghold southwest region on Thursday, to boost their votes as the primary closes on Sunday. Meanwhile, the People Power Party's one-on-one debates started which will run until this weekend as well. Our Kim Do-yeon has more. With the voting for the Democratic Party of Korea members in what's known as the Honam region the traditional stronghold of the DP going on, the party's presidential primary contestants on Thursday all visited the region to push their candidacy. The Honam region consists of the Jeolla-do provinces and Gwangju City. Front-runner Lee Jae-myung visited Jeollabuk-do Province first where he shared his renewable energy plans and went on to visit Gwangju City located further south. There, he visited the May 18 Pro-Democratization Movement sites and emphasized the importance of democracy, with a new election stemming from a president being impeached for declaring martial law. The two trailing candidates Kim Kyung-soo and Kim Dong-yeon are also in the region, visiting key local points to meet as many people as possible. The voting in this region closes on Saturday. Meanwhile, the last set of regions for voting, the capital region, Gangwon-do Province, and Jeju, started on Thursday. This wraps up on Sunday when the final winner will be announced at the party's convention. Meanwhile, for the People Power Party, two one-on-one debates were held for the second round of its primary. With the PPP race having no clear front-runner, these second-round debates are expected to be crucial. Kim Moon-soo and Han Dong-hoon kicked them off. As Kim is known to have been against Yoon's impeachment and Han was pro-impeachment, Kim questioned Han about his fallen relationship with former President Yoon. One thing to keep an eye on in the PPP race is this aspect as some PPP electors still support Yoon and for the second round, the votes will be 50-percent PPP electors and 50-percent an open survey giving more weight to individual PPP electors. A similar debate took place between Ahn Cheol-soo and Kim Moon-soo. Ahn famously voted for Yoon's impeachment motion and Kim pointed out that Ahn even served as the Chair of the Presidential Transition Committee. For Friday's two debates, Han Dong-hoon and Hong Joon-pyo picked each other for their slots, making their debate a three-hour-long one. Kim Do-yeon, Arirang News.

Seoul sets strategy for upcoming U.S. trade talks with finance and trade chiefs

2025/04/24 20:00

Thank you for joining us. I'm Yoon Jung-min. Trade and finance chiefs will be sitting down with their U.S. counterparts in Washington in the coming hour. Their focus is expected to be on addressing tariffs announced by the Trump administration, including the so-called reciprocal tariffs. Our Moon Hye-ryeon has the details. As trade talks with the United States approach, the South Korean delegation has been making final preparations, holding a last-minute strategy session to review negotiation plans and assess potential scenarios. On Wednesday local time in Washington, Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok and Trade Minister Ahn Duk-geun convened a meeting with the delegation focused on reaffirming the objectives of the upcoming talks and mapping out tailored responses based on anticipated responses from Trump's trade negotiation team. The talks scheduled for Thursday will bring together South Korea's Finance Minister Choi, Trade Minister Ahn, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. This "2+2" format, which includes both finance and trade chiefs from each country, marks a significant expansion from the traditional bilateral finance ministerial meetings typically held. Upon arrival in the U.S., Choi said that he aims to further strengthen the alliance between the two countries. Ahn also spoke with reporters on Wednesday, outlining Seoul's primary objective: removing the reciprocal tariffs alongside separate levies on automobiles. "Not long ago, a company like Hyundai Motor announced a large-scale investment plan in the U.S., so we intend to actively engage in discussions on that front to find a smooth and mutually agreeable solution to the issue." When asked about whether the government's strategy has shifted in light of Washington's recent softening stance on tariffs, Ahn stated that the delegation plans to stick to what they have prepared. He also clarified that defense cost-sharing is not on the agenda, despite Bessent's recent comments stating that trade and defense cost issues cannot be viewed separately. As for what comes after the talks, Ahn explained that future discussions will be determined following Thursday's meeting. Moon Hye-ryeon, Arirang News.

[Weather] Seoul will drop to 8 degrees tomorrow morning, strong winds across the country

2025/04/24 20:00

Around the Gyeongsang-do provinces, early summer-like conditions continued today. Daegu rose up to 26 degrees, about 10 degrees higher than yesterday. However, the temperature in Seoul and the west stayed at around 20 degrees. As the cold air comes down from the northwest from tonight, it will get chillier tomorrow with Seoul dropping to single digits, only 8 degrees. Meanwhile, gusty winds are blowing strongly throughout the country again. Strong winds of around 15 meters per second are expected until tomorrow. The atmosphere in the eastern parts of the country will gradually get drier as well. Please take extra precautions not to cause any wildfires. Tomorrow, Chuncheon will start off at 4 degrees, Busan at 10 degrees. Daily highs will move up to 17 to 20 degrees all over the country. Morning will continue to be chilly until early next week. That's all for Korea. Here are the weather conditions around the world.

Rosé nominated for 'Collaboration of the Year' and 'Favorite K-Pop Artist' at the 2025 AMAs

2025/04/24 20:00

Blackpink member Rosé has secured two nominations at this year's American Music Awards. They include "Collaboration of the Year" for the hit song "APT." with Bruno Mars and "Favorite K-pop Artist." With regard to the latter nomination, she shares it with other K-pop artists such as Jimin and BTS's RM as well as Stray Kids. The 2025 American Music Awards will take place in Las Vegas next month.

Nobel Prize in Literature winner Han's new book tops online bestseller list

2025/04/24 20:00

On the cultural front. "Light and Thread," the new book from Han Kang, who won the Nobel Prize in Literature last year, topped the online bestseller list in one day. The new publication ranked first in sales at online stores of Kyobo Book Centre and Aladin, and third at Yes 24's online store on Thursday. The total number of copies sold has not been calculated yet, but its first-day sales were much higher compared to Han's previous works, such as "We Do Not Part," "The White Book" and "Human Acts." "Light and Thread," composed of twelve pieces of prose and poetry, is being sold offline at bookstores starting from today.

World IT Show 2025: S. Korean firms tap AI in everyday life, localization to stay ahead

2025/04/24 20:00

A tech trade show currently underway here in the capital is demonstrating the tangible presence of AI in modern homes and workplaces to promote comfort and convenience. Lee Soo-jin reports. An AI-generated human dances to a K-pop beat against a traditional hanok courtyard backdrop, inviting others to join in. South Korea has put AI in the spotlight at its biggest ICT show,.. as the country pushes to lead the global race in the technology. The 2025 World IT Show,.. which will be held for three days, kicked off on Thursday in Seoul under the slogan "Driving Digital Transformation with AI." "And the products from a record 400-plus companies from Korea and abroad show that AI is already embedded in nearly every part of daily life, from AI assistants to our cars." LG Electronics is offering visitors a chance to experience the company's upcoming AI-powered mobile home system that comes with an assistant that can identify visual information to pick out and summarize books. And when you draw pictures on a pad, it's able to create and narrate stories based on those pictures. And because AI is such an integral part of the future, LG Electronics, a consumer electronics giant, is now even expanding its reach into smart mobility through in-vehicle systems. "We believe that the future lies in developing AI so it's integrated into every part of our environment, including cars." SK Telecom is also showcasing how AI can enhance everyday life with tools designed to boost work efficiency. Its AI-powered assistant acts like a virtual participant in meetings, listening to conversations, using natural language processing to identify key points, and generating a concise summary that includes what was discussed and who attended. "Both foreign and domestic companies see AI investment as a necessity, not a choice. That's why we wanted to showcase how AI is transforming and will continue to transform our daily lives." But these AI breakthroughs, and those to come, are only possible through semiconductors. That's why companies like Telechips, a local semiconductor firm, are advancing AI technologies for automobiles to meet rising demand, while also focusing on localization to stay competitive amid growing trade pressures. "There are global risks in the 주요 세계 강국들 간의 무역 긴장으로 인해 공급망에 글로벌 위험이 존재하기 때문에 현지 생산이 중요하며, 이것이 현재 우리의 가장 큰 강점이라고 생각합니다." He added this has let the company supply major clients like Hyundai without trade disruptions, part of a growing shift toward self-reliance as firms avoid import-risk regions to stay competitive in the global AI race. Lee Soo-jin, Arirang News.

S. Korea to send delegation to Pope Francis' funeral led by culture minister

2025/04/24 20:00

Korea is sending a delegation to the funeral of Pope Francis, led by the country's culture minister. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that South Korea's ambassador to the Holy See and the president of the Catholic Lay Apostolate Council will join Minister Yu In-chon as part of the delegation attending the funeral. Earlier in the day, Acting President Han Duck-soo visited the memorial altar set up at Myeongdong Cathedral to pay his respects, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs visited the Apostolic Nunciature to Korea to express condolences over Pope Francis' passing.

Thousands of people queue in St. Peter's Square to say last goodbye to Pope Francis

2025/04/24 20:00

Thousands of mourners are lining up in the Vatican to bid farewell to Pope Francis whose body lies in state at St Peter's Basilica for public viewing. Choi Soo-hyung tells us more. Thousands of people queue in St. Peter's Square to say a last farewell to Pope Francis. After his body was brought to St. Peter's Basilica, tens of thousands are offering their final goodbye over the three days of public mourning. "Yeah, it was very, very moving experience to see him so vulnerable after so long being so unwell. A real pleasure and privilege to be there. The queueing was difficult, but it kind of worth it in the end, so a pleasure to, to be there." "We knew there were many people, so we approached this with calmness. It's an opportunity to be able to pray for our Pope " Pope Francis' body, dressed in red vestments and a white miter, was displayed lying at an angle on a simple wooden coffin. Unlike in the past, his coffin was placed lower, closer to the ground, reflecting his humility and his love for the poor and vulnerable. Italian media outlets reported that more than 100,000 people were waiting to enter, with lines so long that people had to wait at least four hours to pay their respects inside the basilica. The Vatican initially planned to accept mourners until midnight on the first day. On the second day, public mourning will be allowed from 7 AM to midnight local time, and on the final day from 7 AM to 7 PM. It also stated that the hours could be extended depending on the crowd size. Pope Francis's funeral mass will be held on April 26th at 10 AM local time, in St. Peter's Square. The conclave the secret meeting of cardinals is expected to take place between May 5th and 10th. According to the Associated Press, Cardinal Lazzaro Yoo Heung-sik, the only Korean to attend this conclave, predicted that the meeting would end earlier than expected. Cardinal Yoo added, "Let us watch and see the will of the Lord." When asked if the next pope could come from Asia, he answered, "The Lord does not distinguish between East and West." He is currently serving as the Vatican Prefect of the Dicastery for the Clergy and was recently listed among the 12 leading candidates for the next pope by Italy's largest daily newspaper, 'Corriere della Sera.' Choi Soo-hyung, Arirang News.

Acting Pres. Han addresses Assembly urging swift passage of supplementary budget plan

2025/04/24 20:00

Acting President Han Duck-soo was at the parliament today to seek support for the government's supplementary budget plan. The mood at the assembly hall quickly turned heated as lawmakers across the aisle showed different responses. Shin Ha-young explains. Acting President and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo urged the National Assembly to swiftly pass the supplementary 12-point-2 trillion Korean won, or about 8-point-5 billion U.S. dollars, budget proposal. In a speech to the Assembly on Thursday, Han said small business owners and vulnerable groups urgently needed support, as the global economy faces growing uncertainty due to U.S. tariff policies. "When responding to a crisis, timing is just as important as policy. The time for government financial support to reach those in urgent need is now." The government submitted its extra budget plan to the National Assembly on Tuesday. It includes 2-point-2 billion dollars to protect people's lives and property from large-scale natural disasters, such as the deadly wildfires that hit the southeastern regions last month. Another 3 billion dollars is set aside to ease trade risks and support high-tech industries, including AI. And an additional 2-point-9 billion dollars will go toward stabilizing people's livelihoods. Han's speech marks the first time since 1979 that an acting president has given a budget speech to the Assembly. Han's speech drew a mixed reaction from the rival parties. Before the speech, the Democratic Party criticized it as an attempt to raise Han's political profile, saying it shouldn't be used as a step toward a presidential run. Han has so far maintained an ambiguous stance on whether he will run for president. As he began speaking, DP lawmakers remained silent in protest, although there was some booing. Meanwhile, the People Power Party applauded Han after the speech and pledged to help quickly pass the budget. However, the rival parties clashed again when National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik openly criticized Han, bringing up his nominations for two Constitutional Court justices. "The acting president needs to handle his duties responsibly. I'm saying this as the speaker of the National Assembly, on behalf of the people." In response, PPP lawmakers strongly protested, while DP lawmakers applauded. Shin Ha-young, Arirang News.

DP's candidates push for votes in southwest while PPP's one-on-one debates start

2025/04/24 20:00

Turning to the latest in the presidential primaries. The Democratic Party candidates are at the party's stronghold Honam region, boosting their votes as the primary closes on Sunday. The People Power Party's one-on-one debates started today which will run until Saturday. Our Kim Do-yeon has more. With the voting for the Democratic Party of Korea members in what's known as the Honam region the traditional stronghold of the DP going on, the party's presidential primary contestants on Thursday all visited the region to push their candidacy. The Honam region consists of the Jeolla-do provinces and Gwangju City. Front-runner Lee Jae-myung visited Jeollabuk-do Province first where he shared his renewable energy plans and went on to visit Gwangju City located further south. There, he visited the May 18 Pro-Democratization Movement sites and emphasized the importance of democracy, with a new election stemming from a president being impeached for declaring martial law. The two trailing candidates Kim Kyung-soo and Kim Dong-yeon are also in the region, visiting key local points to meet as many people as possible. The voting in this region closes on Saturday. Meanwhile, the last set of regions for voting, the capital region, Gangwon-do Province, and Jeju, started on Thursday. This wraps up on Sunday when the final winner will be announced at the party's convention. Meanwhile, for the People Power Party, two one-on-one debates were held for the second round of its primary. With the PPP race having no clear front-runner, these second-round debates are expected to be crucial. Kim Moon-soo and Han Dong-hoon kicked them off. As Kim is known to have been against Yoon's impeachment and Han was pro-impeachment, Kim questioned Han about his fallen relationship with former President Yoon. One thing to keep an eye on in the PPP race is this aspect as some PPP electors still support Yoon and for the second round, the votes will be 50-percent PPP electors and 50-percent an open survey giving more weight to individual PPP electors. A similar debate took place between Ahn Cheol-soo and Kim Moon-soo. Ahn famously voted for Yoon's impeachment motion and Kim pointed out that Ahn even served as the Chair of the Presidential Transition Committee. For Friday's two debates, Han Dong-hoon and Hong Joon-pyo picked each other for their slots, making their debate a three-hour-long one. Kim Do-yeon, Arirang News.

South Korea expresses concern over Chinese structures in West Sea

2025/04/24 20:00

The government has expressed "deep concern" over a Chinese structure built in a disputed area in waters off the west coast of the Korean Peninsula. This was conveyed during a maritime dialogue held in Seoul on Wednesday, between officials from the two countries, where China claimed the structure was built for fish-farming, and that it had nothing to do with territorial rights. South Korea's foreign ministry said both sides decided to continue communication, and agreed that the issue should not hinder bilateral relations. From 2018 until last year, China built three structures in the "Provisional Maritime Zone," where the two countries' exclusive economic zones overlap, raising alarm bells in South Korea over concerns that Beijing could possibly be seeking territorial rights in this area.

S. Korean companies show strong sales for Q1

2025/04/24 20:00

Despite economic uncertainty largely stemming from the new U.S. tariffs, Korean companies have been performing strongly. First quarter sales for Hyundai Motors were at a record high for the quarter of 44-trillion won, or some 31-billion U.S. dollars. Operating profits also increased by some 2-percent compared to the same period last year. This was mostly driven by eco-friendly vehicles, including hybrid cars. LG Electronics also saw record-high sales for the quarter with an increase of nearly 8-percent from a year ago. The company attributed this to its B2B business as well as its heating, ventilation, and air conditioning solutions.

S. Korea's Q1 GDP Shrinks 0.2% amid political risk, U.S. trade tensions

2025/04/24 20:00

The Korean economy posted negative growth in the first quarter. In fact, quarterly growth has been very low for four straight quarters, meaning a warning sign to the local economy. Shin Se-byuck reports. According to the Bank of Korea on Thursday, South Korea's real gross domestic product, a key indicator of the economy, shrank by 0-point-2 percent on-quarter in Q1. This marks the steepest contraction since the fourth quarter of 2022, when the economy,.. hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, contracted by 0.5 percent. It's also the first negative growth in three quarters. What's more concerning is that quarterly growth has remained below point-1 percent for four consecutive quarters, something that hasn't happened since related statistics were first compiled in 1960. Breaking it down, private consumption and government spending fell by 0-point-1 percent, while construction investment plunged 3-point-2 and facility investment dropped 2-point-1 percent, dragging down the overall growth. Exports declined by 1-point-1 percent, while imports dropped 2 percent, mostly due to falling energy imports. In fact, the Bank of Korea had already hinted at a possible contraction last week. It cited several factors, including prolonged political uncertainty at home and dampened economic sentiment triggered by U.S. tariff policies. There's also the temporary halt to construction activity and a delay in demand for high-performance semiconductors like HBM chips. Given these setbacks, South Korea's full-year growth is now expected to fall short of the Bank of Korea's February forecast of 1-point-5 percent. An updated projection is expected next month, after factoring in the supplementary budget currently under review by the National Assembly and developments in global trade talks. However, one expert says that these measures alone are not enough to bring about a full economic rebound. "Korea's private consumption is worth around 5 quadrillion won in sales terms meaning it's so large that even a 15 to 30 trillion won supplementary budget would barely lift the growth rate by 0.5 percentage points. As for trade talks with the U.S., favorable terms for Seoul won't mean much if global demand remains sluggish." To raise the growth rate by more than one percentage point, he emphasized, Korea must revive domestic consumption,.. and a cut in value-added tax could be key to that effort. Shin Se-byuck, Arirang News.