News

K-Sports highlights with Jason Lee

2025/06/27 15:35

Time for the latest in the world of K-sports, from the FIFA Club World Cup, to team transfers to the latest in the KBO. We are joined by our sportscaster Jason Lee in the studio who will bring us all the highlights. Hello Jason! Q1. The FIFA Club World Cup is taking place right now in the United States but it's come to an end for Korea. represented by Ulsan HD how did the games go? Yes, unfortunately things did not go very well for Ulsan Hyundai FC as they lost all 3 games, most recently to Germany's Borussia Dortmund 1-0 yesterday morning. To be honest, Jo Hyeon-Woo, who's Korea's National team starting keeper was really the only reason the score wasn't more lop-sided as he really kept the team in it. Ulsan Hyundai FC already had no chance of advancing to the round of 16 after a 1-0 loss to Mamelodi Sundown FC of South Africa followed by a 4-2 loss to Brazil's Fluminense FC. It's obviously disappointing that Ulsan finished 0-and-3 for the tournament, but at the same time, these are some pretty good teams and in the end I thought they held their own for the most part but yeah, it would've been nice if they'll could've pulled out a win or even a draw. Q2. Speaking of the K-League, it seems that Ki Sung-Yueng and FC Seoul are parting ways why is that? Yes, Ki Sung-Yueng was once one of my favourite Korean players starting off with FC Seoul back in 2006 and also playing for: Celtic, Swansea City, Sunderland, Newcastle United and Mallorca before returning to FC Seoul in 2020. He's now 36 years old and at that age most normal players have already retired, but K Sung-Yeung feels that he still has some football left in him and wants to contribute to a team. Unfortunately the way FC Seoul is constructed and with the ambitions they have the 2-sides agreed it would be best for Ki to be moved to another team where he could gain more playing time. Nothing is final yet, but the Pohang Steelers have been reported to be the most likely destination for him to continue his K-League 1 career. And by the way if you're not a soccer fan and are unfamiliar with who Ki Sung-Yeung is, he's the husband of Han Hye-Jin, who of course is quite famous as an actress and TV host. Q3. Speaking of players switching teams, it's not very often that there are trades in the KBO mid-season, but I understand the Twins and Wiz have agreed to a deal ? Yeah, none of the names involved are household names for casual fans, but I think this is more of a deal about roster management and future outlook. The deal saw the LG Twins send 24 year old lefty Lim Jun-Hyeong to the KT Wiz for hitter Cheon Seong-Ho and catcher Kim Jun-Tae. Kim Jun-Tae is probably the most recognizable name in the deal, but I'd say he's probably more of a toss in as we know what he is at 30 years of age and he's more of a back up catcher at this point in his career. The younger guys in the deal are more speculative pieces with Cheon Seong-Ho being a part time player who's been up and down from the future's league he's kind of been GREAT in the Future's League, but then unimpressive in the KBO so my bet is that someone in the LG Twins organization thinks they can coach him to break out because he's certainly shown potential in the Future's League. As for what KT is getting, Lim Jun-Hyong has looked great in his 5 games this year all coming in June and I wonder if LG was trying to sell high on him. Lim had an ERA over 5 coming into this season but he's only allowed 1 run in 4-2/3 innings this year so great, but a very small sample size. My understanding is that LG reached out to KT to add a bat, but this looks like then moving Lim while he's hot but I could be wrong and maybe KT turns him into an Ace we'll have to wait and see. Q4. The Twins give up a reliever I guess it would've been perfect for them if they got former closer Go Woo-Suk back but it looks like he'll be staying in North America a bit longer Yeah this is sort of another reason I wonder if LG was trying to push out Lim Jun-Hyong if they did get Go Woo-Suk then it would've been a numbers game and the reason they dealt Lim, but that wasn't the case. Anyways, yeah let's talk about Go Woo-Suk he was the top reliever in the KBO in 2023 and then the LG Twins allowed him to pursue a Major League career as he signed with the San Diego Padres. Partly through last season, the Padres traded him the Marlins and then earlier this month the Marlins released him sparking speculation that he might return to the Twins in the KBO. However, Go Woo-Suk has signed on with another Major League team as he has signed on with the Detroit Tigers, who were actually the first team to 50 wins. Now Go has yet to play in the Major Leagues as he spent his entire time with both San Diego and Miami in the minors and for now that's the expectation with the Tigers is that he'll report to their AAA team, the Toledo Mud Hens. Most recently Go's ERA was 1.59 with Miami's AAA team the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp although that was a small sample size of just 5-2/3 innings. If he can stick with Detroit he'll be joining a really good team that actually does need some bullpen help so I think this was a great team for him to join if things were not to work out and he returned to Korea, I'm sure the LG Twins would be VERY Excited. Q5. Also the KBO's All-Star game is coming up on July 12th I heard the rosters are set and one player broke the record for most votes? Yes and it wasn't who I would've expected to be honest Kim Seo-Hyeon, the Hanhwa Eagles closer led all vote getters with 1.7-million votes from fans that broke the previous record of 1.4-million votes for Kia's Yang Hyun-Jong back in 2022. So why did Kim Seo-Hyeon get so many votes? He doesn't lead the league in Saves, but he's only 3 behind saves leader Park Yeong-Hyun and he's got the best ERA among the top closers. That along with the fact that he was the first overall pick in the 2023 draft and is having a bit of a breakout party this year and of course the big one is also that he plays for the Hanhwa Eagles who will be hosting the All-Star game this year so you know their fans have been passionately filling the ballot box as well. Q6. With All-Star teams, there are always players who deserve to be on the team but end up missing out are there any notable snubs this year? I think for the most part the most deserving players are in the starting line up, but if I were to highlight a few players deserving the first name that comes to mind would be Samsung's centerfielder Kim Seong-Yoon, who is leading the league with a.354 batting average and a.932 OPS, which is good for 4th I mean you could argue he's having a better season than his own teammate Koo Ja-wook who has been voted in, but obviously Koo has been an All-Star mainstay and is largely regarded as the best player on Samsung. LG's Moon Bo-Gyeong is also putting up All-Star numbers with a.299 average and 13 home runs, but the top 3rd base vote getter for the Nanum team was injured star Kim Do-Young. He's still out with a hamstring injury so it's probable that Moon will just be the starter in the All-Star game even if he wasn't the top vote getter for the position. Thank you Jason for all the sports updates, have a great weekend. Bella, thanks as always, see you next week.

S&P 500 nears all-time high on expectations of reciprocal tariff extension

2025/06/27 13:35

Wall Street on Thursday rallied thanks to expectations that the July deadline for reciprocal tariffs imposed by the Trump administration may be extended. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed up nearly one percent from the previous trading session, at 43-thousand-386-point-8-4. The S&P 500 also rose as high as 6-thousand-146-point-5-2, coming close to breaking its all-time intraday high set back in February 29th. The positive momentum comes amid geopolitical risks in the Middle East easing, and the White House raising the administration's prospects of extending the deadline for reciprocal tariffs.

White House believes no enriched uranium was removed prior to U.S. attacks on Iran

2025/06/27 13:35

Starting with updates on Iran, the United States says there is no evidence showing enriched uranium was moved from the sites it targeted. Tell us more. Sure. The White House has announced that it hasn't seen any indication that nuclear material was removed. On Thursday, local time, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that U.S. intelligence had monitored the sites in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan before Saturday's strikes, and found "no indication" that any enriched uranium had been moved before the attacks. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth echoed those assurances at a Pentagon briefing, saying he was "not aware of any intelligence" to suggest nuclear material was relocated. President Trump also took to Truth Social on Thursday morning, reaffirming that "Nothing was taken out of the facility." This stance confronts claims from satellite imagery and some experts suggesting heavy truck activity near the Fordow entrance, possibly indicating a removal of uranium ahead of the attacks. A senior Iranian official told Reuters that a significant portion of Iran's 60 percent enriched uranium may have been relocated to undisclosed sites in advance.

Lee makes nominations for Constitutional Court, and appoints four vice ministers

2025/06/27 13:35

President Lee Jae Myung has made another round of nominations, including a new chief of the Constitutional Court,.. and four vice ministers. Our Kim Bo-kyoung tells us more. President Lee Jae Myung made his latest nominations on Thursday. As the new chief of the Constitutional Court, former Supreme Court justice Kim Sang-hwan was nominated. The Presidential Office said Kim, also a former constitutional rapporteur judge, . was widely known for his deep expertise in constitutional and legal theory. For the remaining presidential judicial appointment to the Constitutional Court, the Presidential Office tapped Oh Young-joon, a presiding judge at the Seoul High Court. "This appointment marks the new government's first step toward restoring the Constitutional Court. It aims to put an end to the severe attempts to undermine the Court and to strengthen public trust in constitutional adjudication as well as the court's independence." A lawmaker from the ruling Democratic Party, Lim Kwang-hyun was nominated as commissioner of the National Tax Service. Selected last year to a proportional representation seat slot, he would be the first sitting lawmaker to lead the National Tax Service if appointed. All three nominees are subject to National Assembly confirmation hearings before a formal appointment by the president, but they do not need its approval to take their posts. The latest round of personnel appointments also included vice ministers of defense, health, the environment, and labor. Lee Doo-hee, the former commander of the Army Strategic Missile Command, has been appointed vice defense minister. "He's seen as the right person to respond to evolving battlefields, boost all-around deterrence under the ROK-U.S. alliance. He is also highly regarded for his potential to lead defense innovation through AI and advanced technology." Lee Seu-ran , director-general for social welfare policy at the health ministry, was promoted to first vice minister, while Kum Han-seung , president of the National Institute of Environmental Research, was named vice environment minister. And for the vice labor minister, Kwon Chang-jun , director-general for planning and coordination at the Ministry of Employment and Labor, was promoted. Kim Bo-kyoung, Arirang News.

S. Korea weighing response as U.S. moves to demand higher defense budget, extra costs towards alliance

2025/06/27 13:34

After NATO members agreed to boost their defense expenditures, South Korea seems to be gearing up for similar discussions with the United States, which in recent weeks has been pushing allies to spend more on their own defense. Our correspondent Oh Soo-young reports. U.S. President Donald Trump seems set to call on Asian allies to increase their defense budgets, after European countries bowed to his demand to hike their spending targets to five percent of Gross Domestic Product. In a briefing on Thursday, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said if America's "European allies in NATO can do it, then "allies and friends in the Indo-Pacific region can do it too." Leavitt added that specific matters would be addressed by President Trump. The previous day, the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, during its annual summit in the Netherlands, adopted a joint statement with all 32 member countries, agreeing to raise their respective defense expenditures to a total of five percent of GDP by 2035. Representing South Korea, National Security Advisor Wi Sung-lac attended the summit, after which he told the Korean media that NATO's budget increase "reflects a broader trend," and that "similar demands are being made of Seoul." Wi said such demands are being discussed by working-level officials, but clarified that they haven't yet established how the agenda would proceed. South Korea will have to decide how to respond, he said. U.S. officials have recently been pushing for alliance modernisation, which entails its security partners spending more on their defense, paying for the deployment of U.S. strategic assets, and reassessing the role of American forces stationed abroad. U.S. Acting Ambassador to Seoul, Joseph Yun said on Wednesday that the two allies should address "new areas," concerning costs, that are not covered in their bilateral defense cost-sharing agreement reached last year. Seoul appears to be maintaining caution amid sensitive discussions. The Foreign Ministry on Thursday released an official statement saying it will continue working closely with Washington to develop the alliance into a "future-oriented, comprehensive strategic alliance" that can respond to a changing security dynamic. A senior official told reporters that the two governments are engaging frequently at various levels. However, when asked whether their talks include defense spending or the costs of deploying strategic assets, the official said it is "difficult to share," and declined to comment on what a "future-oriented alliance" entails. Oh Soo-young, Arirang News.

[NEWs GEN] Fertility Crisis: The rising hidden struggle for parenthood

2025/06/27 13:33

[NEWs GEN] Fertility Crisis: The rising hidden struggle for parenthood [뉴젠] 신생아 10명 중 1명은 난임 치료로 태어나… 난임 이슈 현황

July deadline for reciprocal tariffs could be extended: White House

2025/06/27 12:37

The White House says the Trump administration may extend its July deadline for reciprocal tariffs. However, the U.S. Commerce Department has established a process to add more imported auto parts to the list of those subject to 25 percent tariffs, a move that could affect South Korea's automobile parts industry. Lee Seung-jae starts us off. Washington could extend its pause on reciprocal tariffs, which is set to expire next month. According to White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt on Thursday, the pause could be extended, but added that it's a decision "for the president to make." The comments come as the temporary suspension of reciprocal tariffs, including 25 percent duties on South Korea, is set to expire on July 8th. In April, U.S. President Donald Trump announced the reciprocal tariffs to match those of other countries on U.S. goods. While the tariffs took effect on April 9th, Trump pressed the brakes on his plans for 90 days, to allow for negotiations. Earlier this month, the U.S. President expressed his openness to extending the pause, but said that an extension might not be necessary. Meanwhile, Washington has begun a process to include more auto parts imported into the U.S., on the list of those subject to 25 percent tariffs. The U.S. Commerce Department's International Trade Administration on Thursday released its outlined process, where U.S. domestic producers may request additional auto parts to be included in the new tariff scheme. To receive the requests from the domestic producers, the ITA is forming two-week submission windows, four times a year, with the first window opening on July 1st. Following the two-week window, a non-confidential version of each valid request will be published, with the ITA making the final decision within 60 days of receiving the request. The move is expected to affect South Korea's auto parts industry. Earlier this year, Trump invoked Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act, which grants the president the power to adjust imports into the U.S. when determined they threaten to impair national security. Lee Seung-jae, Arirang News.

[Weather] Heatwave in the south, monsoon rain returns tomorrow

2025/06/27 12:36

Get ready for a warm and muggy day! Meanwhile, many areas in the southern regions will see much hotter daytime highs so there's a possibility of heatwave advisories being issued for the southern regions today. Temperatures will continue to climb, with Daegu forecast to hit 34 degrees this weekend, and tropical nights could appear in some areas starting tomorrow. Most parts will see daytime temperatures jumping 1 to 5 degrees higher than yesterday, Seoul stays under cloudy skies at a high of 27 degrees, brighter in southern areas with a high of 32 degrees in Gwangju and Gyeongju. Then monsoon rain makes a return tomorrow, starting from central areas, dropping heavier rain to southern regions with up to 60 millimeters in the forecast in a single day. In fact, the stationary front will be located over North Korea early next week, bringing rain to the capital area and west of Gangwon-do Province. Stay safe in the heat and prepare for the monsoon rain!

France to ban smoking at beaches, parks and outside schools

2025/06/27 12:36

France is introducing a ban on outdoor smoking, effective July 1, which prohibits nicotine use in public spaces frequented by children, including beaches, parks, and school entrances. The move aims to protect youths from secondhand smoke, with violators facing fines of up to 153 U.S. dollars. The French Health Minister stated, "Where there are children, tobacco must disappear," underscoring the government's commitment to creating a smoke-free generation. The legislation builds on the 2008 indoor smoking ban and follows pilot bans already adopted by over 1,500 municipalities and numerous beaches.

Astronaut becomes first Indian to set foot on ISS

2025/06/27 12:36

Shubhanshu Shukla, a 39-year-old group captain in the Indian Air Force, boarded the International Space Station on Thursday, becoming the first Indian to do so and becoming only the second Indian in space since Rakesh Sharma in 1984. He traveled to the ISS as part of the Axiom-4 Mission, operated privately by SpaceX, which lifted off on Wednesday. The mission places Shukla on a two-week science run, working alongside U.S. astronaut Commander Peggy Whitson and astronauts from Poland and Hungary. Shukla called the view from space beyond expectations.

UN chief warns 80-year-old founding charter 'not an a la carte menu'

2025/06/27 12:35

The UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, on Thursday warned that the UN's founding document is under unprecedented assault and its principles are "not optional." Speaking before the General Assembly during a ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of the signing of the organization's Charter, Guterres said global actors are selectively observing the document's rules "when it suits, and ignoring them when it does not." He described this as a danger to the foundations of international relations, stating the Charter "is not an a la carte menu" and its violation must not be "normalized." The Secretary General urged member states to recommit to core principles, including sovereignty, non-aggression, protection of civilians, and the rule of international law. U.S. diplomat McCoy Pitt acknowledged the UN's successes over eight decades but underscored its failure to contain current wars and urged a renewed dedication to the Charter as a "continuing call to action."

Squid dishes over Squid Game: Korea's loved seafood is coming back to East Sea

2025/06/27 12:35

Koreans love for squid is evident in that, one, there's a game named after it and two, there are loads of different dishes made with squid. Stir-fried, steamed, and even served raw it's one of Korea's most sought-after seafoods. But for the past few years, it's been hard to get a hold of. This year, there's been full tanks on a daily basis. Our Kim Do-yeon went to see the freshest catch. Many will know that Squid Game season 3 is coming this week, but what many might not know yet, is that squid has also made a comeback this year. And it's here at Jumunjin Port where it's the most evident. With the break of dawn arriving are boats that spent over night in the waters catching one of Korea's most beloved seafoods. And with their arrival begins not a Squid Game of survival but a real game of livelihood survival. "RING RING RING" It's the daily auction for live squid as retailers and restaurant owners compete for their supply. The process is simple: they write down their offers after hearing the catch volume. Each lot is sold in bundles of 20. And soon, the winners are called. "Number 15, 14 boxes for 59,000 each. Number 31, 13 boxes for 58,200" The system isn't new — but what is new this year is the squid. After five years of declining catch volumes, things have turned around — especially since June, when the permitted fishing season began. As of mid-June, Gangwon-do Province had caught 875 tons of squid — a 276 percent increase from the same period last year, and well above the three-year average. That translates to over 81.8 billion won in squid sold so far this year or about 60.5 million U.S. dollars compared to 74.3 billion last year, despite last year having only a third of this year's catch. One bidder explains the price shift: "I won my batch with around 60,000 won bid today. This is about a third of last year's price." The price they're sold daily at ports like this one will be reflected for regular consumers. "Once the auction wraps up, the live squid are distributed quickly for the winning bidders each placed into the fish tank for shipment across the country." Increased volume means much more than just to the ones in the squid business. "With squid coming in after years of scarcity, it's good for everyone — not just sellers, but also the people who sell ice, boxes everyone makes a living off this." Meanwhile, the city of Gangneung has a specialty as it's the core of squid fishing. Raw squid dishes, especially squid moolhwe a cold spicy soup dish is a specialty. "When we didn't have any squid, we had to give up on them and use flounder instead. But, with the increased supply, customers are now looking for squid moolhwe this year." While Squid Game comes back with an anticipation to top the streaming charts squid dishes are already back and topping tables. Kim Do-yeon, Arirang News, Gangneung.

[On-point] S. Korea's Lee unveils picks for key Cabinet posts --How will this shape his policy?

2025/06/27 12:34

President Lee Jae Myung this week unveiled his picks for key Cabinet posts. For more on how this will determine the country's policies, we're joined by Professor Song Se-ryun, Professor of Law at Kyung Hee University. Thanks for joining us this morning. 1. President Lee has now nominated Cabinet ministers, including foreign and defense ministers. What's notable was that he named the first civilian defense minister in decades how are these appointments expected to shape the country's policy? 2. We saw President Lee appoint the Constitutional Court chief and the commissioner of the National Tax Service yesterday. But we are still waiting for the president to appoint several key posts including the justice minister, the finance minister, and the education minister. Why is this taking so long, and when can we expect them to be named? 3. The final confirmation hearing for Prime Minister nominee Kim Min-seok ended Wednesday without resuming following clashes between rival parties. And the public also appears to be sharply divided over his nomination. What's your take on this? 4. Also unexpected was the appointment of former executives from the country's tech giants with the former Naver CEO tapped as the Minister of SMEs and Startups, and an AI strategist for the LG Group as the science minister. What are your thoughts on this? 5. As for the special probe into former President Yoon Suk Yeol, will we be able to see him appear in court tomorrow? Is the investigation picking up speed? Alright, Professor Song, thank you so much for your insight today. We appreciate it.

Pyongyang could send 2nd batch of troops to Russia in July or August: S. Korean intel

2025/06/27 12:33

South Korea's intelligence agency says North Korea may send more troops to Russia, as early as next month. In a closed-door briefing to the National Assembly, the National Intelligence Service reportedly said the North has already been recruiting to send a second batch of troops to Russia. It believes the troops could be deployed to Russia as early as July or August, based on the recent visit of Russian Security Council chief Sergei Shoigu to the North Korean capital this month, and recent indications of recruitment. The first deployment of troops took place a month after Shoigu visited Pyongyang last year.

Stock

2025/06/26 22:42

2025. 6. 26. KOREAN STOCK MARKET KOSPI : 3,079.56 ▼-28.69 -0.92% KOSDAQ : 787.95 ▼-10.26 -1.29% KOSPI200 : 415.66 ▼-3.85 -0.92% ASIAN STOCK MARKET NIKKEI225 : 39,584.58 ▲642.51 +1.65% HANG SENG : 24,325.40 ▼149.27 -0.61% SHANGHAI : 3,448.45 ▼7.52 -0.22% WALL STREET (June 25) DOW JONES : 42,982.43 ▼106.59 -0.25% NASDAQ : 19,973.55 ▲61.01 +0.31% S&P500 : 6,092.16 ▼0.02 -0.00% EXCHANGE RATE USD : 1,356.90 (-5.50) JPY : 938.28 (-0.30) CNY : 189.38 (-0.69) EUR : 1,584.25 (+1.07)

President Lee calls reviving people's livelihoods "most urgent" in extra budget speech

2025/06/26 22:42

Rebuilding the economy and reviving people's livelihoods were at the core of President Lee Jae Myung's first budget speech to the parliament since taking office. Our top office correspondent Yoon Jung-min starts us off. President Lee Jae Myung was back in the National Assembly on Thursday some three weeks after taking the oath of office, this time, to deliver his first speech on the new government's extra budget proposal. "Restoring the devastated economy and reviving the people's livelihoods are the most urgent tasks. We need to create new growth engines and open the door to "fair growth," to share opportunities and outcomes of the growth." For that, President Lee called for efforts to restore transparency in the capital market to open up the "5,000-point era" for the KOSPI, one of his campaign pledges, as he vowed to make major investments for future growth, such as with AI and chips. To boost consumption, 13-trillion won, roughly 9.6-billion U.S. dollars, have been earmarked to hand out vouchers to all people up to 380 dollars per person, depending on income levels. Also included are investments in construction, as well as AI and renewable energy. Debts that have been delinquent for over seven years will be written off for over 1-million small business owners. It also includes a revenue adjustment at 7.6 billion dollars for an expected shortfall in tax revenue. Another focus was on Lee's "pragmatic diplomacy" for the national interest to resolve trade and supply chain issues. He did not forget to reiterate that peace is directly tied to the economy, stressing the importance of stability on the Korean Peninsula. "There can't be a color distinction when it comes to diplomacy. Decisions should be made solely in the national interest, not upon ideology." As Lee urged not to make a distinction between the ruling and the opposition bloc when it comes to helping the people and reviving the economy, "I greatly appreciate the People Power Party lawmakers for joining. You may not feel comfortable." he shook hands with the main opposition PPP lawmakers on his way out, who mostly stayed silent during the speech. A moment was caught on camera where President Lee tapped lawmaker Kweon Seong-dong on his shoulder, as Kweon reportedly protested the president's pick for Prime Minister, Kim Min-seok. The government's extra budget plan is under review at the Assembly, during which a tussle and compromise are expected. Yoon Jung-min, Arirang News.

[Weather] The weather will get hotter around the country

2025/06/26 22:41

The monsoon rain had taken a step back today, and it's just cloudy. However, the summer heat came back. Seoul rose to 27 degrees Celsius during the day, but with high humidity levels, it felt even hotter at 29 degrees. Temperatures will start to rise from tomorrow all over the country. Strong UV rays are expected during the day tomorrow. The ultraviolet index will rise to high levels nationwide. They'll be at their peak in the afternoon, rising up to "very high" to "dangerous" levels across the southern parts of the country. Tomorrow morning will start warm at around 19 to 22 degrees all over the country. Daily highs will move up to 28 degrees in Seoul, Chuncheon, and Busan, 29 degrees in Gwangju. More rain is forecast from the central regions starting on Saturday morning. That's all for Korea. Here are the weather conditions around the world.

Squid dishes over Squid Game: Korea's loved seafood is coming back to East Sea

2025/06/26 22:40

Koreans love for squid is evident in that, one, there's a game named after it and two, there are loads of different dishes made with squid. Stir-fried, steamed, and even served raw it's one of Korea's most sought-after seafoods. But for the past few years, it's been hard to get a hold of. This year, there's been full tanks on a daily basis. Our Kim Do-yeon went to see the freshest catch. Many will know that Squid Game season 3 is coming this week, but what many might not know yet, is that squid has also made a comeback this year. And it's here at Jumunjin Port where it's the most evident. With the break of dawn arriving are boats that spent over night in the waters catching one of Korea's most beloved seafoods. And with their arrival begins not a Squid Game of survival but a real game of livelihood survival. "RING RING RING" It's the daily auction for live squid as retailers and restaurant owners compete for their supply. The process is simple: they write down their offers after hearing the catch volume. Each lot is sold in bundles of 20. And soon, the winners are called. "Number 15, 14 boxes for 59,000 each. Number 31, 13 boxes for 58,200" The system isn’t new — but what is new this year is the squid. After five years of declining catch volumes, things have turned around — especially since June, when the permitted fishing season began. As of mid-June, Gangwon-do Province had caught 875 tons of squid — a 276 percent increase from the same period last year, and well above the three-year average. That translates to over 81.8 billion won in squid sold so far this year or about 60.5 million U.S. dollars compared to 74.3 billion last year, despite last year having only a third of this year's catch. One bidder explains the price shift: "I won my batch with around 60,000 won bid today. This is about a third of last year's price." The price they're sold daily at ports like this one will be reflected for regular consumers. "Once the auction wraps up, the live squid are distributed quickly for the winning bidders each placed into the fish tank for shipment across the country." Increased volume means much more than just to the ones in the squid business. “With squid coming in after years of scarcity, it’s good for everyone — not just sellers, but also the people who sell ice, boxes everyone makes a living off this.” Meanwhile, the city of Gangneung has a specialty as it's the core of squid fishing. Raw squid dishes, especially squid moolhwe a cold spicy soup dish is a specialty. "When we didn't have any squid, we had to give up on them and use flounder instead. But, with the increased supply, customers are now looking for squid moolhwe this year." While Squid Game comes back with an anticipation to top the streaming charts squid dishes are already back and topping tables. Kim Do-yeon, Arirang News, Gangneung.

BLACKPINK preps for new world tour, releases trailer

2025/06/26 22:39

K-pop girl group BLACKPINK is gearing up for a new world tour as a full quartet, after engaging in various solo projects. On Thursday, YG Entertainment unveiled a trailer for their new world tour, "DEADLINE," featuring the four members hitting the road together on a cinematic journey. BLACKPINK is set to kick off the tour on July 5th in Goyang, where the group will debut their first new song in nearly three years. The girl group will go on to perform 31 shows across 16 cities worldwide.

[Econ & Biz] KOSPI back above 3,000 — what’s next?

2025/06/26 22:39

The past few weeks have been especially good for South Korea's stock market. The benchmark KOSPI crossed the 3-thousand mark threshold last Friday for the first time in 3 and a half years, and hopes are high that this could be just the beginning for South Korean shares. For more, we turn to our economic correspondent Park Jun-han. Welcome. Jun-han, it's been three weeks since the June 3rd presidential election. And it seems like the market is extending its post-election honeymoon rally? That's right, Dami. South Korea's benchmark KOSPI broke 3,100 on Tuesday for the first time in 3 years and 9 months. It's also notable that South Korea's stock market ranked first in returns for June among G20 countries. And this is by far the highest increase among all G20 countries, as no other country saw gains exceeding 5% in June. Now, among the various factors that led to the rally, experts point to eased uncertainties, and expectations surrounding the new Lee Jae Myung administration's economic policies as key reasons for the surge. Take a listen to what an economic analyst has to say about the momentum behind the rally. "The weakening of the dollar, coupled with a cycle of fiscal policy expansion and interest rate cuts in emerging economies outside the U.S., has created a favorable environment for investment. After a period of political uncertainty, the snap presidential election removed some of these and resulted in a strong inflow on policy expectations." 2. I see the reason why Korean stocks underperformed, but wasn't it just three months ago that the KOSPI recorded its yearly low? How did it go up over 30% in just a few months? Yes Dami. The first half of 2025 in South Korea was marked by both internal and external uncertainties, which the market is extremely sensitive to. As mentioned earlier, the political instability caused by the martial law declared last December by then-President Yoon Suk Yeol pressured investor sentiment and led to an outflow of foreign funds. Moreover, tariff threats from U.S. President Donald Trump also negatively impacted investor confidence. In early April, Trump announced plans to impose 25% "reciprocal" tariffs on Korea. The announcement heightened concerns about inflation and contributed to the weakening of the competitiveness of South Korean exports. However, Trump temporarily suspended reciprocal tariffs for 90 days just days after his initial announcement, leaving room for negotiation. Since then, stock markets around the world, which had plunged earlier, began to rebound. President Lee, who has long promised to usher in the "KOSPI 5,000 era," declared the start of this new chapter as, quote, a "new period with new hopes." Take a listen to what he said last week. "I hope that the Korean stock market, which is at 2,992.1 right now, will pass the 3,000 point mark and move into a new period, with new hopes." Lee also visited the Korea Exchange earlier this month and highlighted the importance of dividend payouts, and a zero-tolerance policy for stock price manipulation, pledging to lead the market through various reforms, including shareholder return policies and amendments to the Korean Commercial Act. 3. President Lee Jae Myung is more committed than ever to achieving KOSPI 5,000 during his term. Of course, it will be crucial for President Lee's policy pledges to be implemented swiftly. Take a listen to what a chief economist had to say about KOSPI's long-term growth outlook. "While the government is trying to stimulate domestic demand through a large-scale supplementary budget, measures such as expanding AI investment and improving systems related to commercial law amendments should be implemented swiftly. Moreover, the early settlement of tariff negotiations will help lay the foundation for achieving this goal within the next two to three years, if not immediately." 4. It could not be a smooth ride to see KOSPI reach 5-thousand. What are some of the obstacles that could hinder a further rally of South Korean stocks? Actually, there are some variables that could prevent further momentum. Tariff negotiations are approaching, with less than two weeks left until the deadline. Also, although there's a temporary ceasefire, the Middle Eastern conflict between Israel and Iran could heighten market uncertainties if both sides clash again. Take a listen to what capital market experts have to say about factors that might affect the local market. "In the case of wars, we'll have to wait and see how long they last and how predictable they are, as both factors will affect the economy going forward." "I think the overall U.S. economy and tariff policy, along with South Korean companies' second quarter results, will be key factors in determining how our stock prices move in the third quarter." Investing always comes with both opportunities and risks. In times of rapidly changing markets, I encourage viewers of our channel to manage their assets wisely. Thank you, Jun-han, for the report. Thank you, Dami, I hope to see you again soon.