News

Chinese tech firm Huawei unveils first tri-folding phone

2025/02/19 10:00

Chinese tech giant Huawei unveiled on Tuesday its tri-fold smartphone outside China The Mate XT Ultimate Design is the first phone in the world to feature a dual-hinge system, where the flexible OLED display can expand from a compact 6.4 inches to a tablet-like 10.2 inches when fully unfolded. It operates on Huawei's proprietary software instead of Google services. The Mate XT's starting price point is approximately 3,660 U.S. dollars, and is currently listed for sale in several countries, including Malaysia and Saudi Arabia. Pre-orders have reportedly surpassed 6.5 million units.

Pope Francis receiving treatment for respiratory infection

2025/02/19 10:00

The Vatican on Tuesday confirmed that Pope Francis has been diagnosed with bilateral pneumonia. The Pope, aged 88, has been hospitalized at Rome's Gemelli Hospital since February 14, initially diagnosed with bronchitis, which worsened after a week. While the Vatican reports that the Pope continues to receive treatment and is in good spirits, all public engagements have been canceled. Pope Francis has a history of lung infections and had part of his right lung removed when he was young.

U.S. will not lower troop numbers in eastern Europe: Poland's president

2025/02/19 10:00

Polish President Andrzej Duda announced Tuesday that the United States had assured Poland that there would be no reduction in American troop presence in Eastern Europe. Duda said U.S. officials, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg, confirmed the U.S. commitment to maintaining its current military presence in Eastern Europe. Currently, approximately 10,000 U.S. troops are stationed in Poland, which is an increase following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The U.S. established its first permanent military base in Poland in 2023. The assurance aligns with Poland's ongoing efforts to bolster its defense capabilities, and underscores the strategic partnership between the two countries. It comes against the backdrop of heightened security concerns in Eastern Europe, regarding potential threats from Russia.

Leaders of India and Qatar hold talks to boost bilateral ties

2025/02/19 10:00

Let's begin with the meeting between the leaders of India and Qatar. What are the latest developments? Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Qatar's Emir have elevated bilateral relations to a strategic partnership. During Qatar Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani's two-day official visit to New Delhi, both leaders signed an agreement establishing the partnership, reflecting their commitment to deepening cooperation across various sectors. While the current trade volume between the two nations stands at approximately 14 billion U.S. dollars, the new partnership aims to increase the figure to 28 billion dollars by 2030. Discussions also included the potential signing of a free trade agreement, to facilitate more active economic exchanges. Also, both countries signed a revised Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement, aimed at fostering a more conducive environment for business and investment.

S. Korea's 'Stephen Hawking' students pursue their studies despite rare muscular disease

2025/02/19 10:00

A special ceremony was held this week to celebrate students overcoming rare muscular and respiratory diseases. Just like Stephen Hawking, these individuals have defied the odds in the pursuit of knowledge. Our Kim Jung-sil went to the celebration. A ceremony honored young individuals with muscular dystrophy who continue to pursue education. This rare type of disease can affect movement, speech, and even breathing. However, with personalized care at Yonsei Gangnam Severance Hospital’s pulmonary rehab center, they’ve overcome numerous challenges. 20-year-old Ji-seong has been a patient at this hospital since he was a child. Still undergoing treatment, Ji-seong will start university as a freshman next month. "In the past, my breathing difficulties made daily life very uncomfortable. But now, I'm able to deliver a speech like this and take part in events and school activities, which is truly wonderful." The perseverance of these students has been made possible by the medical support of experts like Professor Kang Seong-woong, a leader in this field. "Watching these students overcome their struggles makes me realize what I’m going through is not a big deal. While I help my patients, I’ve received a lot of help myself." Professor Kang also shared his approach to treating his patients. "Just like how a weak leg requires a cane for support, these patients need specialized breathing support. My goal is to help them choose the right breathing method so they can continue their social activities and lead fulfilling lives." These students' achievements prove that with the right care and determination, anything is possible. "He has grown up healthily and has worked harder on his studies than we ever expected. We are proud and very grateful." The resilience of these students paves the way for a bright future and serves as an inspiration to never give up. Kim Jung-sil, Arirang News.

94.8% of S. Koreans have experience using subscription services

2025/02/19 10:00

Subscription services are showing strength in the consumer market, with a recent survey showing that 94.8 percent of respondents have experience using subscription services. According to the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Wednesday, a survey on consumer subscription service usage conducted with Macromill Embrain on one thousand adults nationwide, showed that video streaming services led the way with 60.8 percent, followed by shopping membership at over 52 percent. Nearly 40 percent of the respondents had subscribed to 3 to 4 different services. The survey also showed that the service that those in their twenties and thirties want to subscribe to the most is 'generative AI,' while those in their forties, fifties and sixties prefer subscriptions to health and home products.

S&P 500 sets record highs ahead of FOMC minutes release

2025/02/19 10:00

The S&P 500 closed at a record-high on Tuesday, as markets awaited the minutes of the Federal Reserve's January monetary policy meeting. The S&P 500 rose zero-point-two percent, to stand at 6-thousand-one hundred-29 points. This comes ahead of the Federal Open Market Committee minutes release set for Wednesday afternoon, which could contain clues about how long the Fed will keep rates unchanged. At the Fed's meeting last month, it decided to leave its benchmark lending rate unchanged following three straight cuts, saying inflation remained "somewhat elevated."

Parliamentary Finance Committee passes amendments to increase tax credit rate for chipmakers

2025/02/18 20:00

The National Assembly's Strategy and Finance Committee on Tuesday passed an amendment to the so-called "K-Chips Act" to give bigger tax breaks to support the nation's chip industries. Specifically, this would raise the integrated investment tax credit rate for semiconductor companies by 5 percentage points from the current level: 15 percent to 20 percent for large, and mid-sized companies and 25 to 30 percent for small businesses. This is expected to pass a plenary session at a later date. The Committee also discussed other tax breaks including extending the tax credit period on semiconductor R&D until 2031 while other national strategic industries to 2029.

S. Korean gov't to provide wide ranging support for companies hit by tariff threats

2025/02/18 20:00

Against this backdrop, a set of measures has been unveiled to help local exporters, bracing for the impact of the U.S.' tariff plans. Our Lee Soo-jin explains what these measures entail. The South Korean government on Tuesday announced plans to offer a broad range of support services to companies affected by U.S. President Trump's recent tariff threats and is also working to diversify its export markets. This comes amid growing concerns about the potential impact of tariffs on exports, especially given their critical role in driving Korea's economic growth. "Last year, exports supported our struggling economy. They grew by 8-point-1 percent annually to a record high, leading Korea to become the world's sixth-largest exporter. However, policy shifts from the new U.S. administration have made this year's outlook more uncertain than ever." The remarks were made during an export strategy meeting, where the Acting President announced that the government would provide "export vouchers" for small and medium-sized enterprises. With these vouchers, companies can receive consultations in various fields, including legal, taxation, marketing, and certifications. And 90 percent of the 240 billion won, or around 166 million U.S. dollar budget for the vouchers will be allocated in the first half of the year. The government also announced that it will offer tax benefits to companies relocating to Korea due to shifts in the global trade environment, even before they have fully scaled down their overseas operations. As part of further efforts to provide financial relief,.. the government will provide short-term liquidity for companies hit by tariff threats, by supplying around 254 billion dollars in trade financing this year, a record-high amount. The country's export market is also expected to become more diversified in the future, as the government is aiming to expand into countries such as Mexico, Mexico, South Africa, Vietnam, and India by setting up five new export centers overseas. Lee Soo-jin, Arirang News.

Deputy trade minister angles for 'mutually beneficial' path amid Trump's tariff pressure

2025/02/18 20:00

Moving on. Both a South Korean government delegation and a business delegation are seeking talks with relevant American officials in the U.S., as the Trump administration prepares a broader blanket of tariffs on its trading partners. Lee Seung-jae has more. South Korea's Deputy Minister for Trade Park Jong-won arrived in the United States on Monday, where he's set to meet with a number of officials at the U.S. Department of Commerce and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representatives. Upon arrival, Park stressed the importance of holding the talks, especially as U.S. President Donald Trump's trade policies affect all of America's trading partners. "I believe America's major trading partners around the world are all affected. So I think that our country also needs to be even more careful in negotiating with the United States." Park also said that he would seek "mutually beneficial" discussions during his talks in Washington by listening to what the U.S. has to say and explaining Seoul's positions. He also noted that talks on the tariff issue may continue following his visit, raising speculation that Industry Minister Ahn Duk-geun could also visit the U.S. for high-level talks. Amid growing concerns over the impact Trump's tariffs may have on South Korea's economy, a business delegation led by the chairman of SK Group and the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chey Tae-won will visit Washington for a two-day trip starting Wednesday. It will mark the first visit by a Korean business delegation since the Trump administration took office last month. The Korea International Trade Association also plans to send a ten-member delegation to a number of southern states next month, to promote South Korea's investments in the region. The Federation of Korean Industries is also looking to send a delegation to the U.S. Faced with Trump's aggressive trade policies, South Korean businesses are expected to seek strategies to mitigate the risk of operating in the U.S. Lee Seung-jae, Arirang News.

Impact of Trump's tariff implementation on global supply chain?

2025/02/18 20:00

Welcome to Within The Frame, where we bring the most pressing issues across the globe into focus, I'm Kim Mok-yeon. As President Trump intensifies his aggressive trade policies, the recent announcement of a 25% tariff on steel and aluminum imports marks a significant shift in U.S. economic strategy. The latest announcement has sparked concerns over potential repercussions for global trade. South Korea's Acting President Choi Sang-mok has vowed to roll out a record 360 trillion won in trade policy financing to assist exporters facing increasing challenges. In Within The Frame today, we explore the rationale behind the U.S. administration's decision to target steel and aluminum first, the potential for further reciprocal tariffs, and the wider impact on industries such as automobiles and semiconductors. To provide deeper insight into these pressing issues, we are joined by Jeff Moon, President of China Moon Strategies, LLC, and former Assistant US Trade Representative for China via Zoom. Welcome. Also joining us is Yang Jun-sok, Professor of Economics at the Catholic University of Korea. Great to have you. (MOON) 1. So let's start with Mr. Moon, On March 12, President Trump officially announced a 25% tariff on steel and aluminum products imported into the United States. Why were steel and aluminum selected as the first targets for "item-specific tariffs"? Is this aimed at China? (YANG) 2. If we go back to Trump's first term, when steel tariffs were also imposed, South Korea was granted an exemption for a certain quota. However, this time the abolition of the quota system has been included, which is expected to affect the domestic steel industry. Professor Yang, what measures can be taken to minimize the damage to Korean steel companies? (MOON) 3. Alongside steel and aluminum tariffs, President Trump announced that he would calculate and impose reciprocal tariffs based on the "tariff and non-tariff barriers of each country." Mr. Moon, what impact could the imposition of reciprocal tariffs have on the global trade order? (YANG) 4. The Trump administration plans to review the situation in each country by April 1 before determining and implementing country-specific tariff rates. Prof.Yang, What "non-tariff barriers" in South Korea do you think President Trump might target? (MOON) 5. Meanwhile, President Trump has also particularly pinpointed value-added tax (VAT) as a major focus in the trade war. What is the reason behind this Mr. Moon? (YANG) 6. The U.S. has stated that there will be no exceptions to tariff impositions, even for allies or countries with free trade agreements (FTA). Since the specific details of implementation have not yet been disclosed, and there is still time before the early April enforcement, do you see any room for negotiations Prof.Yang? What possible responses could be taken? (YANG) 7. And just one day after officially announcing reciprocal tariffs, President Trump announced new tariffs on automobiles too. Given that these are South Korea's top export to the U.S.,professor how significant do you expect the impact to be on Korean car exports? (MOON) 8. As for tariffs on semiconductors, there seem to have been no announcements yet. There is an opinion that imposing semiconductor tariffs would not be beneficial to the U.S. due to the high demand and potential cost increases in the American market. Mr.Moon, what is the likelihood of semiconductor tariffs being implemented? (MOON) 9. As the U.S. moves forward with its tariff policies, other countries around the world are also responding swiftly. Some analysts suggest that these tariffs are less about raising trade barriers and more about leverage in negotiations to gain a strategic advantage. Mr.Moon, What are your thoughts on this perspective? (YANG) 10. On the 17th, Park Jong-won, deputy minister for trade at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, will begin a visit to the U.S., followed by a South Korean economic delegation on the 19th. Prof.Yang, High-level meetings with the Trump administration are planned. Do you expect any meaningful outcomes in discussions regarding tariffs, investment, and trade cooperation? (Yang) 11. South Korea's Acting President Choi Sang-mok has vowed pan-governmental efforts to address the challenges, announcing a record 360 trillion won, or 250 dollars, finance support plan on trade, which is the largest ever. Prof.Yang, what strategies would you suggest for the government? Which areas must these funds be focused on?

STOCK

2025/02/18 20:00

2025. 2. 18. KOREAN STOCK MARKET KOSPI : 2,626.81 ▲16.39 +0.63% KOSDAQ : 773.65 ▲5.17 +0.67% KOSPI200 : 347.84 ▲2.73 +0.79% ASIAN STOCK MARKET NIKKEI225 : 39,270.40 ▲96.15 +0.25% HANG SENG : 22,976.81 ▲360.58 +1.59% SHANGHAI : 3,324.49 ▼31.34 -0.93% WALL STREET (February 17) DOW JONES : CLOSED NASDAQ : CLOSED S&P500 : CLOSED EXCHANGE RATE USD : 1,443.70 (+2.00) JPY : 949.83 (-0.50) CNY : 198.19 (-0.67) EUR : 1,509.82 (-2.67)

Court dismisses President Yoon's request to postpone impeachment hearing date

2025/02/18 20:00

Thank you for joining us. I'm Yoon Jung-min. We start at the Constitutional Court where the ninth hearing of President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment trial took place today. For details, we have our correspondent Oh Soo-young standing by. Q1. Soo-young, I understand today's hearing saw the two sides laying out their respective arguments with regard to the legality of the president's declaration of martial law. That's right. Today's hearing began at 2 PM but without President Yoon Suk Yeol. He was supposed to make an appearance -as he has for the past six hearings -but ended up sitting out the ninth hearing today. As the last few hearings focused on questioning witnesses, the session was intended for each side: the National Assembly's impeachment team and President Yoon's lawyers to summarize their cases for and against impeachment and to go over the evidence that the bench hasn't covered yet. To go over the main arguments made so far The National Assembly panel has claimed: that Yoon's declaration of martial law itself was illegal as he did not go through Cabinet procedures, as were his proclamation of martial law decrees. The panel says Yoon also tried to disrupt parliamentary activities by deploying troops to the National Assembly as well as the National Election Commission an independent constitutional body and tried to arrest judicial figures. The panel continued to claim Yoon intended to shut down the National Assembly,.. and cited how witnesses and other central figures have indicated that the martial law declaration was procedurally flawed. "This is a direct attack on the principles of the rule of law and the separation of powers. From the perspective of constitutional protection, it is an absolutely unacceptable act." Meanwhile, Yoon's side has continued to insist martial law was Constitutional as an executive right of the president, and that the opposition party had made it impossible for the government to function by constantly impeaching officials, introducing and dramatically cutting the budget. The team on Tuesday further built on suspicions of election fraud in the General Election last year, saying there appeared to have been false ballot papers and irregularities that need to be investigated. Q2. Moving forward then what can we expect on Thursday? The 10th hearing on Thursday will feature three witness examinations beginning with Prime Minister Han Duck-soo. Han previously said that the President had not held a proper Cabinet meeting before declaring martial law on December 3rd. Former Deputy Director of the National Intelligence Service Hong Jang-won was summoned last week by the National Assembly's side but will return to be questioned by Yoon's legal team. Hong claims there was a list of 14 to 16 figures the President wanted to arrest under martial law. National Police Agency Commissioner General Cho Ji-ho will also stand witness, after missing two sessions for health reasons. Both the National Assembly's panel and Yoon's legal team plan to question the Prime Minister and the police commissioner-general. Q3. I also hear the court rejected an earlier request by the President's defense team for a rescheduling of Thursday's session. That's right, despite Yoon's legal team asking for more preparation time, given that they have to also cover his criminal trial proceedings starting the same day, the Constitutional Court decided to push ahead with the tenth hearing on Thursday. When Yoon's team asked for a reconsideration, the bench merely pushed back the hearing by an hour so it will now begin at 3 PM, instead of 2 PM. Acting Chief Justice Moon Hyung-bae suggested as Yoon's pretrial for his criminal case is at 10 AM, the legal team should be able to make it in the afternoon, and added the Court is also juggling three other trial hearings this week. So Thursday looks to be the last witness examination at this point, as the Court rejected all other applications made by Yoon's lawyers, and has emphasized the need for a swift trial. Now, if there's one more session scheduled to wrap up the arguments and hear Yoon's closing statement, it's likely a verdict would be delivered in the first half of March. All right. That was our Oh Soo-young with the latest on the president's impeachment trial.

[Weather] Cold wave warnings extended, freezing conditions continue

2025/02/18 20:00

Spring seemed like it was coming around, but the seasons have gone backward to winter. The cold wave warnings, which were issued mainly in the mountainous areas of Gangwon-do and northeastern parts of Gyeongsangbuk-do Provinces, have been extended further today. The cold will be fierce tomorrow morning with the feels-like temperature plunging to minus 12 degrees Celsius in Seoul. For the rest of the week, the morning temperature in Seoul is expected to remain around minus 7 degrees. Please dress extra warm when you go out. Tomorrow will be a bit colder than today across the country with Gwangju and Busan at minus 4 degrees. Daily highs will stay in the single digits. Seoul will move up to only 1 degree, it'll reach 3 degrees in Chuncheon and Daejeon. There is a heavy snow advisory for Ulleungdo and Dokdo Islands. Up to 20 centimeters of heavy snow will fall by Thursday. That's all for Korea. Here are the weather conditions around the world.

[Politics & Diplomacy] U.S.-Russia talks begin in Riyadh with Ukraine, Europe sidelined

2025/02/18 20:00

Talks started in Saudi Arabia to discuss ending the war in Ukraine involving U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov. For more on this, we have our Kim Bo-kyoung in the studio. Bo-kyoung, first of all, what could be on Trump and Putin's minds? Well, Jung-min, it seems Trump and Putin have agreed on some things during their phone talks. Conceding some Ukrainian territory, and Kyiv not being part of NATO. The fact that Trump agreed to what U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said, that a return to Ukraine's old borders is an "illusory goal, " and how its NATO membership was unrealistic, shows this. Given that Russia is making grinding progress on the battlefield, Moscow could be calculating whether it is better to strike a peace deal, giving Trump a huge win, or to continue the fight. And, to raise the chances of the peace deal, Trump has already demanded Russia be readmitted to the Group of Eight industrialized nations. One expert says this could have been a big incentive for Putin, to come to the negotiating table. Let's take a look. "I'd love to have them back. I think it was a mistake to throw them out. I think Putin would love to be back." "The most important thing is that Donald Trump promised Vladimir Putin to get Russia back as a member of the international community, showing his desire to restore economic relations with Russia. This implies that most of the sanctions would be lifted in the near future. Guaranteeing economic activities again, I think that served as a significant incentive for Putin." Ukraine is not a party to this meeting in Riyadh. How is Ukraine reacting to this, and what could be the most concerning part for Ukraine? Despite U.S. officials suggesting that Ukraine and Europe would have a role in any peace talks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday dismissed Tuesday's negotiations taking place without him, and told reporters that he "did not know anything about them." And, in response to recent U.S. statements about ruling out Ukraine's NATO membership, Zelenskyy cautioned the West against repeating past mistakes, warning that it could lead to a scenario similar to Afghanistan in 2021 where the Western troops hastily withdrew from Afghanistan, leading to the Taliban quickly seizing Kabul and taking power. The expert says Ukraine knew it could be difficult to be a member of NATO, and to restore all territory taken by Moscow. What matters for Kyiv is strong security guarantees. "If Ukraine does not join NATO, the key question is what kind of security guarantees the international community can offer. The fact that such discussions are not taking place at the same time as the peace talks is what is making Zelenskyy uneasy. The most crucial issue for Ukraine is whether a strong security guarantee system can be established as an alternative to NATO." Europe too, has been sidelined from the peace talks. What's been the response from European leaders? Europe is trying to raise its voice, holding emergency talks in Paris on Monday. As it is quite clear that the U.S. is set on diminishing its footprint in Europe, the leaders' meeting reportedly focused on the potential deployment of European troops to Ukraine and the willingness of European allies to step up defense spending. The expert says European countries will eventually have to take more responsibility for the security of Ukraine for their own sake. Listen to this. "All Europeans have to step up when it comes to Ukraine, and at the same time step up when it comes to defense spending at home. Because Russia is threatening all of Europe now, unfortunately." "Trump does not consider NATO of high value, and believes that Europe should take responsibility for its own security. so it seems clear that NATO allies will have to take on a greater role." Alright, thank you Bo-kyoung for sharing this with us. We appreciate it. Thank you.

S. Korean data privacy regulator confirms user data leak from DeepSeek to ByteDance

2025/02/18 20:00

Authorities say Chinese AI application DeepSeek has indeed transferred user data to a third party amid data privacy concerns. Moon Hye-ryeon has details. South Korean data privacy regulators have confirmed that DeepSeek – the Chinese artificial intelligence startup facing controversy over data collection – has shared user data with TikTok's parent company, ByteDance. The Personal Information Protection Commission said on Tuesday that although they were able to confirm the transmission of user data, it has yet to determine the exact nature and amount of data transferred. The PIPC launched an independent investigation into DeepSeek's data collection and processing methods after requesting clarification on the matter from the firm last month, finding that DeepSeek's privacy policy fell short of the requirements listed for service providers in the country's Personal Information Protection Act. "Under South Korean law, transferring personal data overseas or moving it from one country to another requires a legal basis. In this case, while ByteDance does have a headquarters in the U.S., when the PIPC says that user data was sent to ByteDance, it means there was an international data transfer. So the concern is whether DeepSeek complied with South Korea's regulations on cross-border data transfers." The firm acknowledged that it had not fully considered South Korean data protection laws when launching its global service, and took the recommendation of the PIPC to temporarily suspend services in South Korea while necessary modifications are made. This means that no new users can download the app across any domestic app markets such as Apple's App Store and Google Play, but existing users can continue to use it for the time being as the PIPC considers further measures to protect existing users. During the suspension period, the PIPC plans to continue its thorough review of DeepSeek's handling practices. Legislative efforts are also underway to amend the Personal Information Protection Act to reflect AI innovation with this latest development – strengthening enforcement measures for foreign service providers. Experts say that it will be necessary to consider other AI services for legislative changes not just DeepSeek. "Clear discussions on what standards should apply to all the new AI systems that will come out in the future are needed. AI is only going to become more widespread, and for it to provide more personalized services, it's going to need access to more of our personal information." The PIPC also plans to seek stronger international cooperation on AI-related data privacy regulations at the Global Privacy Assembly in Seoul this September. Moon Hye-ryeon, Arirang News.

S. Korea's military deploys new bunker buster missile, capable of striking N. Korean underground targets

2025/02/18 20:00

South Korea's military has deployed a new locally-developed bunker buster missile to its frontline units, that can destroy North Korean targets buried deep underground. The Korean tactical surface-to-surface missile is capable of striking North Korean command facilities and long-range artillery systems that threaten South Korea's capital area. Also named Ure, or "thunder" in Korean, the missile has a range of 180 kilometers and is equipped with a warhead that can penetrate several meters underground. Development began back in November 2010.

S. Korea automobile exports saw sharp decline in January, impacted by Lunar New Year holiday

2025/02/18 20:00

Korea's auto exports lost substantial ground in January owing to fewer working days given the prolonged lunar new year holiday. Our Choi Soo-hyung covers the latest data. South Korea's automobile exports saw a sharp decline last month. Data from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy released on Tuesday shows that the declines were impacted by fewer working days due to the Lunar New Year holiday in the last week of January. The country's auto exports totaled 4-point-9-9 billion dollars in January – nearly 20 percent down from a year ago. While this figure fell short of last year's all-time high for the month, it still marks the second-largest January export value on record. By volume, exports dropped nearly 18 percent, with Hyundai Motor and Kia Motor both seeing double-digit declines. Hyundai shipped over 85 thousand units, down more than 15 percent, while Kia's exports fell nearly 18 percent to just under 77 thousand. Among the smaller auto firms, KG Mobility and Renault Korea recorded export growth, while GM Korea saw a decline of nearly 30 percent. Eco-friendly vehicle exports declined slightly, dropping more than four percent overall. While hybrid and plug-in hybrid exports surged, demand for electric vehicles weakened with EV shipments plunging by nearly 42 percent. As well as fewer working days in January, a high base effect from the record-breaking performance last January also played a role. Following U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement that tariffs could be imposed on automobiles starting in early April, a significant impact is expected. Although the exact plan has not been revealed yet, it is predicted that any decision will greatly affect South Korea, as more than half of its automobile exports go to the U.S. The domestic sales volume in January exceeded 105-thousand units, marking a 9-percent decrease compared to the same month last year. Choi Soo-hyung, Arirang News.

Gov't, PPP agree to invest more in AI through talent and infrastructure

2025/02/18 20:00

Meanwhile. The government and the ruling People Power Party announced on Tuesday their plan to enhance AI industry competitiveness. This includes actively expanding high-performance GPU and other infrastructure while also implementing measures to support talent development. They also agreed on the need to accelerate the expansion of national AI infrastructure and strengthen the foundation for growth across the AI R&D environment and the overall computing ecosystem. To achieve this, the government and private sector will collaborate to secure 10-thousand high-performance GPUs within this year and launch the National AI Computing Center services ahead of schedule.

Court dismisses President Yoon's request to postpone impeachment hearing date

2025/02/18 17:00

We start at the Constitutional Court here in Seoul where the ninth hearing took place at President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment trial. For details I have our correspondent Oh Soo-young standing by live. Soo-young it's good to have you on. Q1. I understand today's hearing saw the two sides laying out their respective arguments with regard to the legality of the president's declaration of martial law. That's right. Today's hearing began at 2 PM but without President Yoon Suk Yeol. He was supposed to make an appearance -as he has for the past six hearings -but ended up sitting out the ninth hearing today. As the last few hearings focused on questioning witnesses, the session was intended for each side: the National Assembly's impeachment team and President Yoon's lawyers to summarize their cases for and against impeachment and to go over the evidence that the bench hasn't covered yet. To go over the main arguments made so far The National Assembly panel has claimed: that Yoon's declaration of martial law itself was illegal as he did not go through Cabinet procedures, as were his proclamation of martial law decrees. The panel says Yoon also tried to disrupt parliamentary activities by deploying troops to the National Assembly as well as the National Election Commission an independent constitutional body and tried to arrest judicial figures. The panel continued to claim Yoon intended to shut down the National Assembly,.. and cited how witnesses and other central figures have indicated there wasn't a proper Cabinet meeting before the martial law declaration, and that the proclamation of martial law orders was not approved by the Cabinet either. "This is a direct attack on the principles of the rule of law and the separation of powers. From the perspective of constitutional protection, it is an absolutely unacceptable act." Meanwhile, Yoon's side insists martial law was Constitutional as an executive right of the president, and that the opposition party had made it impossible for the government to function by constantly impeaching officials, introducing and dramatically cutting the budget. He also cited suspicions of election fraud at the National Election Commission and calls to investigate its servers and ballot papers for irregularities. Q2. Moving forward then what can we expect on Thursday? The 10th hearing on Thursday will feature three witness examinations beginning with Prime Minister Han Duck-soo. Han previously said that the President had not held a proper Cabinet meeting before declaring martial law on December 3rd. Former Deputy Director of the National Intelligence Service Hong Jang-won was summoned last week by the National Assembly's side but will return to be questioned by Yoon's legal team. Hong claims there was a list of 14 to 16 figures the President wanted to arrest under martial law. National Police Agency Commissioner General Cho Ji-ho will also stand witness, after missing two sessions for health reasons. Both the National Assembly's panel and Yoon's legal team plan to question the Prime Minister and the police commissioner-general. Q3. I also hear the court rejected an earlier request by the president's defense team for a rescheduling of Thursday's session? That's right, despite Yoon's legal team asking for more preparation time, given that they have to also cover his criminal trial proceedings starting the same day, the Constitutional Court decided to push ahead with the tenth hearing on Thursday. When Yoon's team asked for a reconsideration, the bench merely pushed back the hearing by an hour so it will now begin at 3PM, instead of 2PM. Acting Chief Justice Moon Hyung-bae suggested as Yoon's pretrial for his criminal case is at 10am in the morning, the legal team should be able to make it in the afternoon, and added the Court is also juggling three other trial hearings this week. So Thursday looks to be the last witness examination at this point, as the Court rejected all other applications made by Yoon's lawyers, and has emphasized the need for a swift trial. Now, if there's one more session scheduled to wrap up the arguments and hear Yoon's closing statement, it's likely a verdict would be delivered in the first half of March. The National Human Rights Commission on Monday adopted a statement, calling for a lawful trial process that ensures the right to defend oneself in Court, and for a thorough witness examination process. All right Soo-young thank you for that coverage. That was our Oh Soo-young with the latest on the president's impeachment trial.