News

S. Korea successfully launches fourth reconnaissance satellite from space base in U.S.

2025/04/22 17:00

South Korea successfully sent its fourth spy satellite into space earlier on this Tuesday morning Korea Time. Our defense correspondent Kim Bo-kyoung covers this latest launch. "Three, two, one. Ignition, engines full power, and lift off. Go Falcon, go Bandwagon-3." South Korea's fourth military reconnaissance satellite aboard the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket was launched from a U.S. space base Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, at 8:48 PM Monday local time, 9:48 AM Tuesday Korea time. 15 minutes after liftoff, the reconnaissance satellite was placed into orbit and it successfully communicated with the ground station at 12:27 PM Korea time, indicating the satellite's normal operation. "The fourth spy satellite, launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, successfully separated from the launch vehicle, entered its orbit, and successfully communicated with a domestic ground station, confirming that the satellite is in good working order." The satellite launched this time was the third synthetic aperture radar satellite, part of South Korea's plan to deploy five reconnaissance satellites by the end of this year under the "425 Project." Aiming to enhance surveillance of North Korean military activities, South Korea launched its first reconnaissance satellite in December 2023, equipped with electro-optical and infrared sensors capable of capturing detailed images. Two satellites with SAR sensors, which enable the collection of data regardless of weather conditions, were launched last year, in April and December. South Korean military is aiming to send the last one within this year, and once completed, Seoul will be able to monitor North Korea at two-hour intervals. The country is to deploy dozens of ultra-small satellites by the early 2030s, which is expected to further reduce that interval. "Our surveillance over North Korea would be much strengthened, and after launching ultra-small satellites as well, this will mark a very important step toward self-reliant national defense, as it will significantly reduce our dependence on the U.S. for intelligence capabilities." While bolstering the core assets that form the foundation of Korea's three-axis defense system, South Korea is aiming to pave the way to emerge as a strong space power in national defense. Kim Bo-kyoung, Arirang News.

Lee Jae-myung shares vision for medical system and environment; PPP's first round cut-off to come soon

2025/04/22 17:00

On the political front here. Partisan primaries remain heated and for details I have my colleague Kim Do-yeon live on the line. Do-yeon it's good to have you on. Let's begin with the Democratic Party that appears to have a clear front-runner. Sun-hee, the front-runner, Lee Jae-myung was forced into a quiet day on the campaign trail as he appeared in court for one of his ongoing criminal trials. Still, he took to social media earlier in the day to highlight his pledges—ranging from cutting carbon emissions and reducing plastic use, to pushing forward with changes in the medical system. Tomorrow marks the start of the second half of the regional primaries—starting with the southwest, covering the Jeolla-do Provinces and Gwangju City. A liberal stronghold, this region accounts for 27 percent of the Democratic Party's total electors—more than the 18 percent combined from the previous two voting regions, the Chungcheong-do and Gyeongsang-do provinces. Lee Jae-myung, who has so far secured 90 percent of the vote, is expected to travel to the region on Thursday. The candidate in second place, Kim Dong-yeon, laid out his development plans for the region today, while third-place Kim Kyung-soo—looking to turn things around—was the first to arrive there. I see. Let's now turn to the People Power Party with its full house of presidential contenders. What's the latest there? Right, Sun-hee. The first round cut-off among the eight contestants will be coming out at around six thirty today. The results of this 100-percent open survey of the PPP and undecided voters will leave four contestants to head into the next round. The polling closed at 3 PM today, according to the PPP. Until now, according to various polls Kim Moon-soo, Han Dong-hoon, and Hong Joon-pyo seem to have made the cut with Ahn Cheol-soo and Na Kyung-won fighting for the fourth and the last spot. Now, the 100-percent open survey of the PPP and undecided voters aimed to give a boost to candidates who appeal to undecided voters so we'll have to see how that decides the fate of the candidates. However, starting with the second round cut-off, the voting will be comprised of 50-percent eligible PPP electors and 50-percent an open survey. Right away, the second round of the primary will begin with a media day on Wednesday and a debate on Thursday. All right Do-yeon thank you for the latest on the partisan primaries ahead of Korea's presidential election on June 3rd.

S. Korean gov't extends fuel tax cuts with partial rollback amid falling oil prices

2025/04/22 17:00

The government is planning a partial rollback of its tax cuts on fuel in light of falling global oil prices. The current rates are set to expire at the end of this month and the new rates will be in place until the end of June. Accordingly come May the tax break for gasoline will be eased to 10 percent from 15 percent while for diesel the cut will be adjusted to 15 percent from the current 23 percent. Such relief measures have been in place since late 2021.

S. Korea-U.S. tariff talks to move towards "win-win solution": Acting Pres. Han

2025/04/22 17:00

Acting President Han Duck-soo believes the planned TWO-PLUS-TWO trade talks between Seoul and Washington will lead to a "win-win solution." Speaking at a Cabinet meeting on this Tuesday Han pointed out that the talks were proposed by Washington and will take place this coming Thursday in Washington D.C. Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok and Trade Minister Ahn Duk-geun will meet with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and the U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. On the agenda are tariff consultations and prospects of partnership in shipbuilding and energy. Minister Choi departed for the U.S. earlier today to also attend the G20 meeting of finance ministers and central bank governors. The meeting will be held in conjunction with the IMF and World Bank Spring Meetings.

How does Conclave elect new pope?

2025/04/22 17:00

The passing of Pope Francis also looks to initiate the procedure of electing a new leader of the Catholic Church. Our Choi Soo-hyung walks us through that protocol. "With key." That's the literal meaning of Conclave, which comes from the Latin "cum clave." In the Catholic Church, the Conclave is the secret meeting of cardinals, under the age of 80, held to elect a new pope. The meeting takes place 15 to 20 days after the pope's death, leaving enough time for a nine-day mourning period and funeral, with cardinals from around the world arriving in Rome. The current Conclave traces its roots back to the 13th century. Traditionally, the pope is buried four to six days after his death. The process of electing the 267th pope begins after the mourning period. For this Conclave, 138 cardinals are eligible to elect and to be elected as the new pontiff out of the 252 members of the College of Cardinals. During the Conclave, the cardinals are locked inside the Sistine Chapel until the new pontiff is chosen. They cast four ballots each day, with a two-thirds majority required to choose the pope. The cardinals are not allowed contact with the outside world, no phones, no television, and no newspapers. After each vote, the ballots are burned, and the smoke coming from the chapel's chimney is the only signal to the outside world. Black smoke means an inconclusive vote, while white smoke marks the election of a new pope. Once elected, the bells of the Sistine Chapel ring, and after the chosen candidate accepts the office, an official announcement is made, revealing the new pope's papal name. Pope Francis, elected on March 13th, 2013, was chosen after five rounds of voting, just two days into the Conclave. The senior cardinal deacon introduces the newly elected pontiff with the traditional declaration, "Habemus Papam," meaning "We have a pope." Following Pope Francis, the first Latin-American pontiff, all eyes are now on whether the next pope, for the first time, could come from Asia or Africa. Choi Soo-hyung, Arirang News.

K-Wave AI News

2025/04/22 14:00

Hello and welcome to your AI guide to the latest cultural updates from Korea. Here's our top story. The Catholic Archdiocese of Seoul will open a memorial altar for the late Pope Francis at Myeongdong Cathedral. Cardinal Andrew Yeom Soo-jung, Archbishop Peter Chung Soon-taek, and other bishops will pay their respects first, with public access starting at 3 PM today. The duration of the memorial will be determined based on the Vatican's funeral schedule. Pope Francis shared a deep bond with Korea, making it his first Asian destination after his inauguration and selecting Seoul as the 2027 World Youth Day host city. He also appointed half of Korea's cardinals and consistently offered words of comfort during the nation's times of hardship. Pianist Cho Seong-jin will hold a nationwide recital tour in Korea this summer to mark the release of his new album featuring the complete solo piano works of Ravel. The tour kicks off on June 12 at Arts Center Incheon, followed by stops at Seoul Arts Center on June 14 and Seongnam Arts Center on June 15. Cho's highly anticipated performances will continue in Daegu, Gimhae, Daejeon, and Cheonan through July. He will present two programs: one featuring the complete solo piano works of Ravel, and another inspired by nature, including sonatas by Beethoven and Brahms. The cities of Icheon, Yeoju, and Gwangju in Gyeonggi-do Province, renowned as Korea's ceramic hub, will host their signature pottery festivals from late April to early May. Coinciding with the upcoming six-day golden holiday, the festivals will offer a range of immersive activities for all ages. The Icheon Ceramics Festival, starting this Friday, will feature live pottery-making demonstrations and hands-on experiences where visitors can create their own ceramics. The Gwangju Royal Ceramics Festival, also opening this Friday, will showcase an exhibition of both traditional and contemporary ceramics at the Royal Ceramics Master Hall. Beginning May 1, the Yeoju Ceramic Festival will offer high-quality ceramics at affordable prices, alongside special performances, including live shows by popular trot singers. That's all from me. Keep it tuned to the Kulture Wave.

[Hallyu People] First K-pop group with hearing disabilities 'Big Ocean' celebrates first anniversary with comeback

2025/04/22 14:00

Korea observed the Day of People with Disabilities on April 20th. It’s a day that serves as a means to raise awareness and promote rehabilitation of those with disabilities. April 20th also marks one year since the debut of Korea’s first K-pop group with hearing disabilities: Parastar Entertainment's 'Big Ocean'! Today, we are delighted to have PJ, a member of Big Ocean, with us in the studio. 1) Welcome PJ! Please say hi to our viewers! 2) PJ, congratulations to Big Ocean’s first anniversary! (Chanyeon , Jiseok , congratulations to you as well!) Along with this first birthday of your group, you are reborn too as ‘PJ’ rather than ‘Hyun-jin’ . Why did you change your stage name? 3) So, Big Ocean debuted on April 20th 2024. You must have had so many memories in the past year. Are there any special episodes you want to share with us? 4) What does it mean to you and your members to have the title "first K-pop group with hearing disabilities?" 5) You worked tirelessly to debut and your process of singing and dancing is a bit different from other groups. Could you tell us more? 6) Let’s now talk about your comeback. You just dropped a new mini album on your one-year anniversary called “Underwater.” Introduce us to the album please. 7) There is more to congratulate you on! Big Ocean’s first European tour! How did you get ready for that and how do you feel about it? 8) Can’t believe it’s already time to let you go but last but not least, how do you see yourself and Big Ocean ten years from now? Thank you PJ for joining us today, despite being very busy with your comeback. Say hi to the other members from us and we wish you the best with "UNDERWATER." Thank you very much PJ.

Korean animation "The King of Kings" debuts at #2 in U.S. box office

2025/04/22 14:00

The animated biblical film "The King of Kings" stormed box offices in North America on its opening weekend, debuting at number 2. The film broke a decades-old box office record for an animated faith-based movie, earning an estimated 19 million dollars in its first week. What might surprise you is that this is a Korean animated film. Lee Eun-jin tells us more in this report. The animated film "The King of Kings," created and produced by Korean studios and filmmakers, debuted at number 2 in the North American box office. With its Korean title translating to "The Life of Jesus," this marks a milestone for a Korean animation on the global stage. According to the U.S. tracking site Box Office Mojo, "The King of Kings" raked in 7-point-0-1 million U.S. dollars across 3,200 theaters in North America on its opening day on April 12th. The film's opening weekend earnings surpassed 19-point-4 million dollars globally, making it the largest debut for an animated biblical movie since 1998's "The Prince of Egypt" and continued its success over the Easter weekend, bringing in 17-point-2 million dollars. "From the outset, we targeted the North American market as our main target audience. The United States is a country founded by Puritans, and although it is not the same as it used to be, it is still a country with a strong Christian cultural tradition, so we were confident that this theme would resonate with audiences. That said, the success has been far greater than we anticipated, leaving us feeling a bit overwhelmed." The story of the life of Jesus is well known, but it had never been made into a feature-length animated film for the theater. Written and directed by Mofac Studio's CEO Jang Seong-ho, who was inspired by Charles Dickens' book, The Life of Our Lord, and tells the story of a father taking his youngest son on a journey through time, to restore their relationship. To this fresh approach, Jang added extraordinary computer graphics and visual effects. Director Jang endured a decade of rejections for investments to bring this film to theaters. But it is now set to make its way around the world with anticipation high for its release in South American theaters before it comes to Korea at the end of July. Lee Eunjin, Arirang News. Very timely release around Easter. I can't wait to watch the movie myself. I wish it would be prereleased here in Korea, after this bigger than expected success in North America. That's pretty amazing. Soa, we recently talked about how Exorcism Chronicles surpassed 500,000 viewers, domestically and THAT is deemed a big number But with "made in Korea" animations growing successfully abroad, we might see those numbers regularly hit millions, just like blockbusters like Parasite. Can't wait for that to materialize. "The King of Kings" meanwhile is set to be released in around 120 countries by the end of this year, we'll probably talk more about it later on.

[K-enter] Exo's Kai makes a return to music!

2025/04/22 14:00

So, let's kick off with our daily dose of K-enter news. Starting off with some news from an EXO member. Who are we talking about? On Monday afternoon, a showcase was held at Yes24 Live Hall in Seoul, to celebrate the release of EXO member Kai’s fourth mini-album "Wait On Me" with fellow EXO member Suho serving as the MC. In February, Kai completed his military service and returned to music with this album being Kai's first musical release since his third mini-album "Rover". The new album features seven tracks, including the title track "Wait On Me", the pre-release track "Adult Swim" which is getting a lot of attention, as well as "Walls Don’t Talk", "Pressure, Ridin’", "Off and Away", and "Flight to Paris". Kai shared, “I believe this album will show that I’ve spent my time meaningfully. I know many of my fans have been waiting for me, and I, too, have been waiting for this moment." Kai will kick off his solo tour with the "2025 KAI Solo Concert Tour KAION" starting on May 17 at Seoul Olympic Park’s Handball Gymnasium. Next up we are talking about another return to music, this time from a boy group. Boy group TWS have made a return after taking a short five month break. On Monday afternoon, TOURS held a media showcase in Seoul to celebrate the release of their third mini-album "TRY WITH US." The third mini-album "TRY WITH US" captures the bold energy of diving into new experiences at the age of twenty. Having previously released songs inspired by school life, TWS now portray the joy of youth stepping into adulthood beyond the classroom. The album includes six tracks, such as the title track “Isn’t It Cool to Follow Your Heart?”, “Random Play,” which expresses the thrill of spontaneously traveling with friends, and “GO BACK,” which conveys the fluttering emotions of falling in love. I'm so happy my playlist is full of these new songs! Lastly let's take a break from K-pop and move on to K-movies. K-movie "The Match" starring Lee Byung-hun surpassed 2 million cumulative viewers on its 27th day since release. Among all 2025 releases, "The Match" ranks third at the box office, following "Mickey 17"과 "Hitman 2". Despite being in its fourth week of release, the film has consistently remained at the top of the box office, not only surpassing its break-even point of 1.8 million viewers but also smashing the 2-million-mark. "The Match" tells the story of Cho Hun-hyun , a legendary master of Go or Baduk who, after a series of losses to his protégé Lee Chang-ho , makes a comeback to challenge the top once more.

On-point: Finance minister Choi Sang-mok off to U.S. for trade talks with Trump administration

2025/04/22 10:00

South Korea's finance minister Choi Sang-mok is off to the U.S. today to attend his first round of high-level trade negotiations with the Trump administration with a lot on his shoulders to draw out a breakthrough for his country. We turn to Professor Shin Se-don for more. Good morning. 1. Should we not be surprised to see Trump attend the discussions? 2. What do you think the U.S. side will seek to get out of the meeting this time? 3. How should South Korea respond to Washington's possible attempt to deal with trade and defense issues in a single package? 4. What would be the best outcome for the South Korean side to bring home from this week's meeting? 5. The meeting later this week will mark the first such round of tariff talks between Seoul and Washington, and it could take multiple rounds of talks over the course of next weeks or even months. Thanks so much for joining us this morning.

Wall Street stumbles as Trump bashes Fed chair Powell again

2025/04/22 10:00

Wall Street saw a rough start to the week, with U.S. stocks sliding for a fourth consecutive session on Monday. The major losses come as U.S. President Donald Trump picked on Fed Chair Jerome Powell yet again for not lowering interest rates. Lee Seung-jae reports. Wall Street stumbled to a close on the week's first trading session on Monday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 971-point-8-2 points, or 2-point-4-8 percent, to close at 38-thousand-170-point-4-1. The S&P 500 shed 2-point-3-6 percent, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq fell 2-point-5-5 percent to settle at 15-thousand-870-point-9-0. The so-called 'Magnificent Seven' tech giants all dragged the major indexes lower, with Tesla losing 5-point-8 percent, while Nvidia shed more than 4 percent. Wall Street saw U.S. stocks tumble and bonds sold off as U.S. President Donald Trump threw fresh criticism towards U.S. Fed Chair Jerome Powell on Monday,.. pressuring him to cut interest rates. Taking to social media, Trump said the economy would slow unless Powell, who he called "Mr. Too Late, a major loser," lowers interest rates immediately. Trump had previously called for the U.S. Fed to lower rates, even hinting at Powell's possible "termination." The lack of progress on global trade after Trump announced his reciprocal tariffs earlier this month has also dented investor confidence. Since Trump's announcement on April 2nd, the S&P 500 is down 9 percent, and both the Nasdaq and Dow Jones fell nearly 10 percent. Lee Seung-jae, Arirang News.

How Trump's tariffs will impact S. Korea's exports after 90-day pause ends

2025/04/22 10:00

In the meantime, Trump's merciless tariffs are already being reflected in South Korea's exports to the U.S. Outbound shipments in the first 20 days of April dropped over 14 percent. Our Lee Soo-jin tells us more. South Korea's exports declined during the first 20 days of April, reflecting an early impact of the U.S. administration's tariffs on global trade. According to the Korea Customs Service on Monday, outbound shipments stood at 33-point-9 billion U.S. dollars during this period, down 5-point-2 percent from the previous year. This, despite the number of working days during the period being the same as last year. The drop in exports comes as shipments to the U.S. showed a notable drop of 14-point-3 percent year-on-year, which the agency attributed to the tariffs. The U.S. set a 25 percent "reciprocal tariff" rate on South Korea, but President Donald Trump announced a 90-day pause on its implementation earlier this month for most nations. This means that as of now for Korea, a base tariff rate of 10 percent is in place, along with 25 percent tariffs on specific items, namely automobiles, steel and aluminum. But with these tariffs already contributing to a more than 5 percent year-on-year decline in exports during the first 20 days of April, concern is growing over a sharper downturn once the 90-day pause expires. "During the 90-day pause, there's uncertainty on two fronts, how the U.S. will proceed, and what kind of negotiations with South Korea will take place. But with base tariffs of 10 percent already in effect since April 6th, export figures aren't expected to improve anytime soon." Shipments of nine of the country's top ten export items, including automobiles and oil products, all saw declines, while only chip exports rose. But it's unclear whether shipments of semiconductors will remain strong with Trump expected to announce chip tariffs sometime this week. "But the tariffs will be in place in the not distant future because, as you know, like we did with steel, like we did with the automobiles, like we did with aluminum, we'll be doing that with semiconductors, with chips, " The same expert said that because uncertainty is a key factor, in the upcoming trade talks with the U.S., South Korea should not rush to conclude negotiations, but instead focus on understanding Washington's intentions and demands. Lee Soo-jin, Arirang News.

Putin announces resumption of fighting as Easter ceasefire ends

2025/04/22 10:00

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on Monday that fighting has resumed after the Ukraine conflict's Easter ceasefire came to an end. According to Russia's state-run TASS, Putin met with local reporters to give the update, but added he would consider Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's proposal to halt drone and missile strikes on civilian facilities for 30 days. Putin added that during the Easter ceasefire, Ukrainian forces committed nearly 5-thousand ceasefire violations, but noted that "overall, enemy combat activity decreased," something he said he welcomed.

Pope Francis dies on Mon., to be buried in a 'simple' tomb

2025/04/22 10:00

Pope Francis died on Easter Monday at the age of 88 from a stroke and heart failure. Cathedral bells rang out 88 times in honour of the beloved pope, with people around the world making their way to the Vatican to remember him. Ahn Sung-jin has more. Bells tolled in St. Peter's Square, mourning the death of Pope Francis. The Vatican said that at 7:35AM on Monday, local time, the Pope died at 88 years old from a stroke and heart failure. Though he had been hospitalized for 38 days battling pneumonia in the winter, he had delivered an Easter blessing on Sunday morning, the day before his death. "It is just a very sad day. It is honestly, I think, impressive that he made it to Easter, I think that is almost like a miracle for Italy." "He has been doing a great pastoral work, reaching out to his sheep and, well, now the Lord is calling him to rest, to rest in peace after the great work he has done. We are left to pray for him." In his will, he asked to be buried in a simple tomb in the ground at Rome's Basilica of Saint Mary Major with a one-word inscription Franciscus, his name in Latin. That will make him the first pope in more than a century to be buried outside the Vatican. Pope Francis is history's first Latin American pope and the first Jesuit Pope. He was also the first to allow Catholic priests to bless same-sex couples. As an advocate of peace, he strived for a peaceful outcome in the Ukraine war and called for a Gaza ceasefire. Pope Francis had also visited South Korea in 2014 to pray for the war-divided Peninsula and the families of those who died in the Sewol ferry disaster. World leaders have also spoken about the death of the pontiff. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres called Pope Francis "a messenger of hope, humility and humanity" who "leaves behind a legacy of faith, service and compassion." U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order to put all flags of the country at half-mast, while Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his condolences. A new pontiff will be elected after Catholics begin the nine days of funeral rites. The centuries' old ritual of the conclave procedures begin as cardinals come to Rome to participate in the funeral mass. Following closed meetings, the cardinals will vote to choose the next pontiff. Some say that the Vatican may see their first African or Asian Pope, though it is hard to predict the highly secretive papal conclave. Ahn Sung-jin, Arirang News.

[Weather] Rainy and windy nationwide, summer-level soaking in south coast and Jeju

2025/04/22 10:00

Unlike the clear skies we saw yesterday, today is shaping up to be quite wet and windy nationwide. The rain that was mainly concentrated over the western parts of the country have spread to all regions this morning. This rain will be heavy for the southern coast and Jeju with intense downpours of 10 to 30 millimeters per hour. Jeju could see over 120 millimeters, and the south coast could get up to 80 millimeters. The central regions, including Seoul, are looking at 10 to 50 millimeters. We're also expecting strong winds across the country. Jeju, in particular, is under a strong wind AND heavy rain advisory. Afternoon highs will go down 3 to 8 degrees lower today, topping out at 21 degrees in the capital, Daegu and Gwangju both seeing highs of 20 degrees. This widespread rain should ease off by tonight, with only the eastern coastal areas seeing some lingering showers into tomorrow morning. Stay safe and dry out there.

Simone Biles and Mondo Duplantis win Laureus World Sports Awards

2025/04/22 10:00

At the 2025 Laureus World Sports Awards held in Madrid on Monday local time, gymnast Simone Biles and pole vaulter Mondo Duplantis were honored as Sportswoman and Sportsman of the year. Biles won her fourth Laureus title, matching Tennis star Serena Williams' record, following her outstanding performance at the Paris Olympics, where the American earned three gold medals and one silver. Duplantis, who competes for Sweden, received his first Laureus award after winning his second Olympic gold and breaking his own pole vault record twice in 2024.

Easter period drownings could be 'the worst' on record says Australian lifesavers

2025/04/22 10:00

In Australia, seven people drowned in New South Wales over the Easter long weekend, marking the country's deadliest holiday period on record. The victims include a nine-year-old boy, who became trapped between rocks at a beach on Sunday afternoon. Surf Life Saving NSW described the weekend as "absolutely horrific," attributing the incidents to a combination of warm weather, dangerous swells, and risky behavior. The group said it performed more than 150 rescues during the holiday period. Authorities urged the public to swim only at patrolled beaches and to adhere to safety warnings.

Chinese FM, defense minister hold talks with Indonesian counterparts

2025/04/22 10:00

China and Indonesia's foreign and defense ministers have met in Beijing to discuss improving mutual ties and economic collaboration. On Monday local time, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Defense Minister Dong Jun met with Indonesia's Foreign Minister Sugiono and Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin. Key outcomes included agreements to boost maritime security cooperation in the South China Sea, conduct joint counter-terrorism exercises, and collaborate on cyber threats and transnational crimes. China also expressed a willingness to increase imports of Indonesian products. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to free trade and promoting regional peace and stability.

Modi and Vance hold talks in New Delhi

2025/04/22 10:00

U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who is on a four-day visit to India, met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Monday to discuss bilateral ties and trade issues amid the Trump administration's new tariff policies. During the meeting, Vance and Modi discussed progress in areas such as trade and defense as well as plans for strengthened bilateral ties, as outlined in February when Modi met President Donald Trump at the White House. They also reviewed a bilateral trade agreement aimed at increasing trade between the two countries to 500 billion U.S. dollars by 2030. The United States is India's largest trading partner, and their bilateral trade reached 129 billion dollars in 2024. India seeks relief from proposed U.S. tariffs, while the U.S. encourages India to lower duties on American imports and boost purchases of U.S. defense equipment.

Seoul condemns Japan's Yasukuni tribute, urges Japan to confront its history

2025/04/22 10:00

Seoul's Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned Japan's continued tributes at the controversial Yasukuni Shrine, following Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's offering on Monday. In a statement released Tuesday, the ministry expressed deep disappointment and urged Japan's leaders to confront their history with sincerity. The statement also followed a visit to the shrine by a group of Japanese lawmakers on Tuesday morning. The ministry emphasized that such actions undermine trust and hinder efforts to build a future-oriented relationship. The shrine in Tokyo commemorates those who died in Japan's past wars, including 14 convicted Class A war criminals.