News

S. Korea's credit rating maintained at "AA" by S&P Global with stable outlook

2025/04/15 20:00

South Korea has had its credit ratings maintained at "AA" with a stable outlook by S&P Global, a leading financial services firm. S&P notes that Seoul's strong policies support its credit rating, adding that last December's short-lived martial law imposition hasn't significantly affected the country's credit rating. But it projects the country's GDP growth to slow to 1-point-2-percent this year due to weaker global trade, before rebounding to 2-percent next year.

Registration closes for presidential candidacy for major parties

2025/04/15 20:00

Turning to the latest on the presidential primaries. Candidate registration closed today for both the Democratic Party and the People Power Party. Our Kim Do-yeon has the details. The official registration for candidacy for the upcoming presidential election closed for both parties on Tuesday. The Democratic Party of Korea has three contestants, while the People Power Party has eleven. The DP's race is largely seen as predictable, with its former chair Lee Jae-myung set to take the party's ticket. However, Kim Kyung-soo, former Gyeongsangnam-do Province Governor and Kim Dong-yeon, current Gyeonggi-do Province Governor are, in their own right, heavyweight politicians. With just one day to go until the first regional voting opens for electors of the Chungcheong-do provinces, candidates continued to promote their bids. Lee released an interview with Roh Moo-hyun Foundation's YouTube channel. Kim Kyung-soo, after handing in the registration paper himself met with small business owners in Gyeonggi-do Province. Kim Dong-yeon held a meeting to follow up on his visit to the U.S. to deal with U.S. tariffs, focusing on the auto industry. Both of them are non-Lee Jae-myung faction politicians in the DP, with backers of their own. Meanwhile, with many more contestants for People Power Party, in a week, the list will be cut down to 4 in the first round cut-off. Among the registered, 8 notable contestants are Kim Moon-soo, the latest labor minister, four-term lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo, former PPP chair Han Dong-hoon, the latest Daegu mayor Hong Joon-pyo, five-term lawmaker Na Kyung-won, Incheon mayor Yoo Jeong-bok, Gyeongsanbuk-do Province governor Lee Cheol-woo, and former lawmaker Yang Hyang-ja. With the media day for the runners coming up on Wednesday candidates promoted their bids. Han Dong-hoon, Hong Joon-pyo, and Na Kyung-won shared detailed pledges and visions. Kim Moon-soo and Lee Cheol-woo went to visit former president Park Jung-hee's memorial. What they all had in common, however, was their messages against the DP's Lee Jae-myung as he leads the polls to become the next president. They unilaterally criticized Lee's ongoing legal battles and said that his pledges are too liberal. All in all, the final candidate will be chosen within a couple of weeks. For DP, the final candidate is likely to be decided by April 27th, with Lee expected to take more than 50-percent of the final vote. For the PPP, if a candidate takes more than 50-percent of votes in the second round, then it'll end on April 29th if not, there's a run-off on May 3rd. Kim Do-yeon, Arirang News.

S. Korea's finance ministry to increase support for semiconductor industry

2025/04/15 20:00

Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok also announced a plan to increase its support for the semiconductor industry from 26-trillion won to 33-trillion won, or over 22-billion U.S. dollars. The plan aims at strengthening the global competitiveness of key sectors amid rising uncertainty from U.S.-led trade tensions. As part of the plan, the government will introduce new investment subsidies for small and mid-sized firms in advanced materials, components, and equipment.

S. Korea stuck in the middle as U.S.-China trade war heightens

2025/04/15 20:00

Welcome to Within The Frame, where we bring the most pressing issues across the globe into focus. I'm Kim Mok-yeon. The U.S. has raised tariffs on Chinese goods to 145%, escalating an economic standoff that's already reshaping global trade. For South Korea, the ripple effects are immediate: over half of its semiconductor exports go to China, and a significant share of its intermediate goods are embedded in Chinese exports now facing steep U.S. barriers. At the same time, Beijing is courting ASEAN partners and reviving its vision of a "shared destiny" in Asia. For Seoul, that means a complex recalibration: economic alignment with the U.S., regional interdependence with China, and rising competition across Southeast Asia. In Within The Frame tonight, we'll examine how these shifts are challenging South Korea's economic resilience, diplomatic strategy, and industrial future. For this, we invite Dr. Youngshik Bong, research fellow at Yonsei University Institute for North Korean Studies, here in the studio with us. Welcome. Also joining us online is Jeff Moon, President of China Moon Strategies at LLC and former Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for China. Great to have you. (MOON) 1. Let's start with Mr. Moon. With U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods hitting 145%, how do you assess the economic implications for South Korea—especially as Korean intermediate goods flow heavily into Chinese export industries? (BONG) 2. In response to this pressure, President Xi Jinping is emphasizing a "community of shared destiny" with neighboring countries. Dr. Bong, what does this shift suggest about China's evolving diplomatic strategy—and how might it reshape Korea–China relations going forward? (BONG) 3. Xi Jinping's upcoming visits to Vietnam, Malaysia, and Cambodia are seen as a strategic countermove to U.S. containment efforts. What are the implications of China strengthening ASEAN ties—and how should Korea diplomatically position itself in response? (BONG) 5. As ASEAN becomes a contested space in the new Cold War landscape, how can Korea avoid marginalization while maintaining diplomatic and economic balance between the U.S. and China, Dr. Bong? (MOON) 6. With around 60% of Korea's semiconductor exports going to China—and tech dependence on the U.S.—how can this dual over-dependence be reduced in a sustainable way? (MOON) 7. U.S. export controls and China's countermeasures are disrupting high-tech supply chains. Mr. Moon, how should Korean leaders at firms like Samsung and SK hynix navigate this strategic split in the global tech ecosystem? (BONG) 8. Regarding the currency, the weakening yuan is dragging down the Korean won. Do you see this as just a currency ripple—or a deeper sign of strategic vulnerability in Korea's financial independence? (BONG) 9. Are Korea's current diplomatic and corporate strategies sufficient in the face of this global realignment? What gaps or blind spots urgently need attention?

Trump signals tariff relief for auto industry following exemptions on electronics

2025/04/15 17:00

U.S. President Donald Trump has hinted at potential relief from tariffs on cars and those planned for car parts but details regarding the time frame have yet to be disclosed. Our correspondent Moon Hye-ryeon reports. U.S. President Donald Trump has signaled another wave of temporary tariff suspensions — this time, for the auto industry. Speaking to reporters on Monday, he said that he was looking to help car companies with potential pushbacks on his 25 percent tariffs on complete vehicle and parts imports. "I'm looking at something to help some of the car companies where they're switching to parts that were made in Canada, Mexico, and other places, and they need a little bit of time because they're going to make them here, but they need a little bit of time." He did not specify when this pause would be implemented nor how long automakers would be granted relief. Levies on fully built vehicles took effect on April 3rd, and those on parts are due to be implemented in stages no later than May 3rd — prompting automakers to lobby for exclusions over the past few weeks. Shares of U.S. car companies, including General Motors and Ford Motor Company, peaked following his comments — reflecting investor optimism that the administration may be softening its stance, at least temporarily, to cushion the impact of trade tensions on vehicle manufacturers. Trump also mentioned that he had spoken to Tim Cook, the head of Apple, and "helped" him and "that whole business". On Friday, the Trump administration granted exemptions for popular consumer electronics from weighty tariffs on Chinese products and the baseline tariff on imports from other countries, stating that these products would instead be levied based on its national security investigation on semiconductors. Amid these shifts in trade policy, the U.S. stock market has seen fluctuations — and following these exemptions, Wall Street showed gains on Monday. The Dow Jones and S&P 500 both ended around point-eight percent higher than the previous session, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq rose more than point-six percent. Moon Hye-ryeon, Arirang News.

[Weather] Warm temperatures return from tomorrow afternoon with strong winds

2025/04/15 17:00

As the skies become clear, warm spring weather regained its place. With mild westerly winds blowing from this afternoon, the daytime temperature in Seoul rose to 14 degrees Celsius, about 4 degrees below the average. The return of the typical spring weather will be from tomorrow afternoon, when the temperatures move up to around 20 to 25 degrees all over the country. Even though rain clouds have receded, gusty winds are blowing across the country today. For the time being, there will be a moment when strong winds of more than 15 meters per second blow nationwide. Please take extra precautions. Tomorrow morning, Seoul and Daejeon will start off at 6 degrees, Chuncheon and Gyeongju at 4 degrees. Daily highs will move up to 24 degrees in Daejeon, Gwangju, and Jeju, 26 degrees in Daegu and Gyeongju. On Thursday, there is a rain forecast in Gyeonggi-do Province and the southern parts of Gangwon-do Province. That's all for Korea. Here are the weather conditions around the world.

World News: All-female crew on Blue Origin rocket successfully return to Earth

2025/04/15 17:00

This is the World Now, bringing you the latest stories from around the globe. Starting with the historic spaceflight in the United States, Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin New Shepard rocket, developed for space tourism, completed its first all-female crewed mission in over six decades. The launch vehicle successfully returned to Earth on Monday with an all-women crew of six, including pop star Katy Perry and five other accomplished women, after an approximately 10-minute flight to space. The crew took off from Blue Origin's launch site in West Texas at 9:31 AM on Monday. The six-person crew included pop star Katy Perry, journalist Gayle King, aerospace engineer Aisha Bowe, civil rights activist Amanda Nguyen, film producer Kerianne Flynn, and pilot Lauren Sanchez. The flight lasted about 10 minutes and 21 seconds, reaching the Karman line, the recognized boundary of space, where the crew experienced moments of weightlessness before safely returning to Earth. The mission marked the first all-female spaceflight since Valentina Tereshkova's solo journey into space in 1963. U.S. President Donald Trump hosted El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele, reinforcing their alliance on immigration enforcement amid controversy over deportations. In a meeting at the Oval Office on Monday local time, President Trump and President Bukele discussed their ongoing cooperation on immigration policies. The discussions came in the wake of a Maryland resident mistakenly being deported to El Salvador's Terrorism Confinement Center despite a U.S. court order preventing his removal. Both leaders have declined to facilitate his return, with Bukele stating he lacks the authority to "smuggle a terrorist" back into the United States, and Trump officials asserting that the responsibility lies with El Salvador. Also during the meeting, President Trump praised President Bukele's efforts in combating gang violence and suggested the possibility of expanding deportations to include U.S. citizens with criminal backgrounds. The United States and Iran are set to hold a second round of nuclear negotiations in Rome on Saturday to follow discussions in Oman, which both sides described as "positive" and "constructive." Italian Foreign Minister, Antonio Tajani, confirmed on Monday that Rome will host the upcoming negotiations, after requests from both parties and mediator Oman. The first round of talks in Muscat, with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi, marked the first direct discussions after years of indirect communication between the two states. A landmark antitrust trial against U.S. tech giant Meta Platforms kicked off on Monday in Washington, D.C. The Federal Trade Commission is seeking to force the tech giant to break Instagram and WhatsApp off from Meta. It alleges that the tech giant bought the platforms in a strategic move to eliminate competition and establish a monopoly in the social networking market. CEO Mark Zuckerberg defended the company's actions, saying the acquisitions enhanced consumer experience, citing competition from platforms like TikTok and YouTube. The trial is expected to span approximately eight weeks and could result in potential structural changes for Meta. Choi Chi-hee, Arirang News.

Beyond Division: Yang Han-jong's 1 billion KRW donation for N. Korean defectors brings new hope

2025/04/15 17:00

Up next we share with you the story of one elderly man who is seeking emotional closure via a generous donation to help defectors build a new home here in South Korea. Our Kim Jung-sil met up with him. 89-year-old Yang Han-jong's life reflects the deep pain and division that has shaped Korea for decades. His story, filled with personal tragedy, is one shared by many families torn apart by the invisible line that divides North and South Korea. In 1947, when Yang was only 11, his father, a respected intellectual, made the life-changing decision to defect to North Korea. This left Yang, his mother, and five siblings behind in the South. The family's world was shattered, and poverty took over. Yang's father's name became a source of shame. "I was just a child when my father went over to the North My mother, at 33, was left alone to raise six children. We lived in a small room, so poor it's hard to describe." Despite everything, Yang's resilience was stronger than the weight of his sorrow. In Seoul, during the 1970s and 1980s, he built a successful life running 'Sansugapsan,' a classical music nightclub that became a haven for the city's artistic community. But even in success, the memory of his father and the division within Korea never really faded. It wasn't until later in life that Yang found peace—by giving back. Earlier this month, Yang's donation was recognized at Hanawon, a South Korean center helping North Korean defectors. His contribution of one billion won, about 700,000 U.S. dollars, will be distributed as around 500 dollars per person, each month, until the fund is used up. For Yang, this is about more than just financial help—it's about giving North Korean defectors a fresh start. "I hope this small donation will help North Korean defectors build new lives here. The South is different from the North. Here, you can make something of yourself with your own efforts, and I want them to feel that possibility, that they can dream again." Yang's family is equally proud of his decision. Choi Han-chul, Yang's stepson, voiced his full support. "I'm very proud of my father. I think that the money will be a great help to the people who evacuated from North Korea." In his later years, Yang has found a way to bridge the gap—turning his painful past into something lasting and meaningful for others. Kim Jung-sil, Arirang News.

Registration closes for presidential candidacy for major parties

2025/04/15 17:00

Today is the final day for candidate registration for the partisan primary elections. Our correspondent Kim Do-yeon now tells us what lies ahead. The official registration for candidacy for the upcoming presidential election closed for both parties on Tuesday. The Democratic Party of Korea has three contestants, while the People Power Party has eleven. The DP's race is largely seen as predictable, with its former chair Lee Jae-myung set to take the party's ticket. However, Kim Kyung-soo, former Gyeongsangnam-do Province Governor and Kim Dong-yeon, current Gyeonggi-do Province Governor are, in their own right, heavyweight politicians. With just one day to go until the first regional voting opens for electors of the Chungcheong-do provinces, candidates continued to promote their bids. Lee released an interview with Roh Moo-hyun Foundation's YouTube channel. Kim Kyung-soo, after handing in the registration paper himself met with small business owners in Gyeonggi-do Province. Kim Dong-yeon held a meeting to follow up on his visit to the U.S. to deal with U.S. tariffs, focusing on the auto industry. Both of them are non-Lee Jae-myung faction politicians in the DP, with backers of their own. Meanwhile, with many more contestants for People Power Party, in a week, the list will be cut down to 4 in the first round cut-off. Among the registered, 8 notable contestants are Kim Moon-soo, the latest labor minister, four-term lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo, former PPP chair Han Dong-hoon, the latest Daegu mayor Hong Joon-pyo, five-term lawmaker Na Kyung-won, Incheon mayor Yoo Jeong-bok, Gyeongsanbuk-do Province governor Lee Cheol-woo, and former lawmaker Yang Hyang-ja. With the media day for the runners coming up on Wednesday candidates promoted their bids. Han Dong-hoon, Hong Joon-pyo, and Na Kyung-won shared detailed pledges and visions. Kim Moon-soo and Lee Cheol-woo went to visit former president Park Jung-hee's memorial. What they all had in common, however, was their messages against the DP's Lee Jae-myung as he leads the polls to become the next president. They unilaterally criticized Lee's ongoing legal battles and said that his pledges are too liberal. All in all, the final candidate will be chosen within a couple of weeks. For DP, the final candidate is likely to be decided by April 27th, with Lee expected to take more than 50-percent of the final vote. For the PPP, if a candidate takes more than 50-percent of votes in the second round, then it'll end on April 29th if not, there's a run-off on May 3rd. Kim Do-yeon, Arirang News.

Air chiefs of S. Korea and UAE hold talks on defense cooperation on Tuesday

2025/04/15 17:00

South Korea's Air Force Chief of Staff General Lee Young-su sat down with UAE's Deputy Commander of Air Force and Air Defense Rashed Mohammed Al Shamsi at the Air Force headquarters in Gyeryongdae . The meeting comes ahead of plans by the UAE to put into operation the Cheongung-II mid-range surface-to-air missile weapon system which is often referred to as the "Korean Patriot" system. General Lee shared full support for a successful operation and the two officials also agreed to hold talks every six months making the UAE the first Middle Eastern nation to do so with South Korea. Meanwhile the two air force commanders are slated to sit down again tomorrow that is Wednesday to ink a letter of intent for cooperation on KF-21 fighter jets.

S. Korea, U.S. hold joint air drills involving B-1B strategic bomber

2025/04/15 17:00

South Korea and the U.S. conducted an air drill over the peninsula today involving a U.S. B-1B strategic bomber. This is the second time that the Defense Ministry has made public a joint air drill involving the B-1B since the start of the second Trump administration. The exercise also mobilized South Korea's F-35A fighter jets and U.S. F-16s and sought to showcase their extended deterrence capabilities against North Korea's evolving nuclear and missile threats. Today's training also coincides with North Korea's so-called "Day of the Sun" the birthday of its late founder Kim Il-sung.

Trump says Putin, Biden, Zelenskyy are responsible for Ukraine war

2025/04/15 17:00

U.S. President Donald Trump says "everyone is to blame" for the war in Ukraine. He claimed that both former U.S. President Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy "could have stopped it" and that Russia's Vladimir Putin should not have "started it." The condemnation follows a Russian air assault this past weekend that led to dozens of casualties in the northeastern Ukrainian city of Sumy. Trump nonetheless claimed "some very good proposals" will soon be made regarding the war in Ukraine. All these remarks came on Tuesday at the White House during a media session amid his meeting with El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele .

U.S. designation of S. Korea as 'sensitive country' goes into effect, despite Seoul's efforts to resolve issue

2025/04/15 17:00

Working-level negotiations between government officials here and their American counterparts are underway to remove South Korea from the U.S. Energy Department's list of "sensitive" countries that went into effect today. Our foreign affairs correspondent Bae Eun-ji has details. The U.S. Energy Department's designation of South Korea as a "sensitive country" has taken effect, as of Tuesday midnight local time. The DOE reportedly put its Asian ally on the lowest tier of the "Sensitive and Other Designated Countries List" in January, shortly before then-President Joe Biden left office for it to take effect on April 15th. Korean researchers visiting laboratories in the U.S. will now be required to get approval by submitting relevant documents at least 45 days in advance. This led to fears that it could possibly hinder collaboration between Seoul and Washington in areas such as nuclear energy and artificial intelligence. In response, South Korea's Foreign Ministry reassured the public on Tuesday, saying that the government is actively in talks with the DOE to resolve the situation as soon as possible. But it added that it needs more time for South Korea to be removed from the list, as this matter is proceeding in accordance with the U.S. internal procedures. The ministry also clarified that Washington has said the designation will not significantly impact joint research projects. "During a recent working-level consultation between the two countries, the US Department of Energy reaffirmed that the designation of South Korea as a sensitive country will not affect on-going or future research and development cooperation between Seoul and Washington." The comments come after South Korea's Trade Minister Ahn Deok-geun met with U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright in Washington last month, where the two sides agreed to continue cooperation to swiftly resolve this issue. The Foreign Ministry also noted that South Korea has been on the list in the past and was removed through similar diplomatic efforts. According to a report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office in 1996, South Korea was previously on the DOE's sensitive country list from January 1993 to June 1996. But the report added that South Korea was a country no longer considered sensitive as of July 28th, 1994. The Foreign Ministry has repeatedly explained that it was told South Korea's inclusion is due to security-related issues rather than foreign policy concerns. But some experts in Seoul have suggested that it has to do with growing discussions on the need for South Korea to acquire its own nuclear weapons capability. Bae Eun-ji, Arirang News.

Xi Jinping begins state visit to Vietnam seeking joint response to U.S. tariffs

2025/04/15 17:00

Beyond borders. Chinese President Xi Jinping is on a SOUTHEAST Asia tour in a bid to rally the region against the Trump administration's tariff campaign. Lee Seung-jae covers his first agenda in Vietnam. Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived at Hanoi International Airport on Monday, to begin his two-day visit to Vietnam. The trip to the communist nation comes just days after U.S. President Donald Trump announced that he's pausing reciprocal tariffs on most countries for 90 days while focusing his trade war on China. During his visit, Xi called on Vietnam to join China in upholding multilateral trade and countering Washington's tariff policies. Xi also signed dozens of cooperation agreements with Vietnam after holding talks with To Lam, the general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee. While the contents of the agreement have not yet been released, Xi's visit also comes as Vietnam has been tightening controls on some trade with China, to make sure products exported to the U.S. with a "Made in Vietnam" label have sufficient added value, after pressure from Washington. In order to bypass U.S. tariffs against Chinese goods, Beijing would ship products to Vietnam before they are exported to the U.S. as "Made in Vietnam" products. The Chinese leader will also visit Malaysia and Cambodia from Tuesday to Friday. The two countries have seen increased trade and investment with China in recent years. However, it's also worth noting that Vietnam and Cambodia were among the highest hit by Trump's sweeping reciprocal tariffs, set at 46 percent and 49 percent, respectively. As the U.S and China exchange tariff after tariff, Southeast Asian nations are growing increasingly anxious about being caught in the mix. Lee Seung-jae, Arirang News.

Gov't proposes larger extra budget for disaster, trade response

2025/04/15 17:00

The Finance Ministry has proposed an extra budget of TWELVE TRILLION won or some EIGHT BILLION U.S. dollars. The proposal was made during a ministerial economic meeting earlier on this Tuesday during which Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok said the government will submit what he called the "necessary" supplementary budget to the National Assembly next week. The budget up 1-point-4 billion U.S. dollars from the initial proposal includes 2 billion dollars for disaster response 3 billion dollars for trade and AI and 3 billion dollars for small businesses and vulnerable groups.

S. Korea's auto exports to U.S. drop in first quarter, even before tariffs take effect

2025/04/15 17:00

Findings show Korea's overall auto exports rose on year during the first quarter of 2025 but shipments to the U.S. market declined over 11 percent despite the absence of U.S. tariffs prompting much concern about future trade performance in the presence of such import duties. Park Jun-han explains. South Korea's automobile exports in March were valued at 6.24 billion dollars — the second-highest figure for the month on record. Data released by the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy on Tuesday showed that the earnings from automobile shipments posted year-on-year growth in both February and March, marking two consecutive months of gains. Year-on-year auto exports to Asia and the Middle East in the first quarter saw significant increases of 37% ( 1) and 22.7% ( 2), respectively. However, preliminary data shows that shipments to the United States fell by 11.2% ( 3) over the same period compared to last year. The auto industry is concerned that the decline in exports to the U.S. will lead to a fall in South Korea's overall exports, as the 25% auto tariff could further reduce demand. "We expect that exports to the U.S. will likely continue to decline this year, as prices rise due to tariffs and demand in the U.S. market drops significantly. With demand from the U.S. weakening, South Korean car companies need to look for alternative markets to help make up for the shortfall." As South Korea's automobile industry is directly under the influence of the United States' tariff policies, the trade ministry laid out a policy support framework for Korean companies last Wednesday, after the tariffs went into effect. The ministry said that it plans to swiftly implement necessary support measures and respond flexibly by closely monitoring both the extent of the damage and the progress of negotiations with the United States. Park Jun-han, Arirang News.

Washington says trade talks with S. Korea scheduled for next week

2025/04/15 17:00

A fresh round of tariff talks between Seoul and Washington is likely to take place next week as officials from the two governments seek common ground on trade. Our Shin Se-byuck has more. Trade negotiations between South Korea and the U.S. could take place next week. That's according to U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, on Monday during an interview with Bloomberg TV. Bessent said that the U.S. held talks with Vietnam last week, with Japan scheduled for Wednesday, and South Korea penciled in for "next week," and added negotiations will proceed quickly. The Wall Street Journal reported on 월요일 that the Trump administration is prioritizing negotiations with five countries, namely South Korea, the United Kingdom, Australia, India and Japan. Meanwhile, Seoul's trade minister, Ahn Duk-geun, could visit the U.S. as early as next week for negotiations with Washington. Acting President Han Duck-soo on Monday announced plans to dispatch a delegation to the U.S., led by the Trade Minister, to launch negotiations with Washington. Minister Ahn previously visited the U.S. in February and March following the launch of the Trump administration to convey Seoul's stance on Washington's tariff plans. One expert says South Korea should consider increasing imports from the U.S. to help narrow its trade surplus, a move that could serve as a bargaining chip in the talks. "Seoul needs to increase its imports from the U.S. — such as energy, agricultural, and livestock products — to help narrow its trade surplus with Washington, so that, in turn, it can secure tariff reductions on crucial items like automobiles." He also added that Seoul could ease non-tariff barriers on relatively low-volume goods, such as meat and produce, in exchange for concessions in sectors that account for a larger share of South Korean exports. Shin Se-byuck, Arirang News.

SEOUL'S STRATEGY ON N. KOREA AMID ELECTION

2025/04/15 17:00

Welcome to Press Perspective. It's Tuesday April 15th here in Seoul. I'm Min Sun-hee. As South Korea prepares for an early presidential election it also faces as some media outlets point out "critical choices" about its future policy on North Korea. For more on this reality and on the current efforts to ease tensions on the peninsula I have Ruy Valdes a correspondent for Spanish news agency EFE Spain. Ruy welcome back. I also have Professor Ban Kil Joo at the Korea National Diplomatic Academy. Professor Ban it's a pleasure. 1) Ruy, before we explore the options to defuse tensions on the peninsula, let's start with North Korea's celebration of the birthday of its late founder today, that is April 15th. What are some of the related events to mark this day? 2) Professor Ban, Unification Minister Kim Young-ho was in Japan last week to reaffirm commitment to North Korea's denuclearization. What are your thoughts on the timing of this latest diplomatic call especially ahead of South Korea's early presidential election? 3) Professor Ban, also last week, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's sister Kim Yo-jong dismissed what she referred to as the "daydream" of denuclearization, declaring that Pyongyang's nuclear status is permanent. How do you interpret her words? 4) Ruy, against this backdrop, the fate of American soldiers stationed here has been rendered uncertain as Mr. Trump demands South Korea shoulder a heavier burden of related expenses. But U.S. military authorities have been quick to point out any change in the status quo of American troop presence in Korea will be "problematic". Do elaborate on this stance for us. 5) Professor Ban, the Trump administration is seeking to tie its tariff policy and defense cost-sharing with South Korea into one negotiation package. How do you respond to this reality? 6) Meanwhile Ruy, recent reports also claim South Korea and the U.S. under the Biden administration signed a new war plan to better respond to North Korea's nuclear advancements. Do tell us more about this plan. 7) Ruy, there is speculation about a trilateral meeting among the leaders of Russia, North Korea and China in Moscow next month amid the Kremlin's celebration of its Victory Day. What are the prospects of such a meeting? 8) Professor Ban, amid efforts to ensure a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia, some pundits have been questioning the impact of such a deal on Russia's ties with North Korea. What do you foresee happening to Moscow's ties with Pyongyang post war in Ukraine? 9) Ruy, South Korea recently established diplomatic relations with North Korea's long-time ally, Syria. What is the significance of this event, and what has been the international response? 10) Professor Ban, starting on this Tuesday, the U.S. Energy Department's inclusion of South Korea on its list of "sensitive" nations takes effect. How does this look to affect bilateral cooperation? All right.

K-wave AI News

2025/04/15 14:00

Hello and welcome to your AI guide to the latest cultural updates from Korea. Here's our top story. The opening ceremony for the "2025–2026 Korea-China-Japan Year of Cultural Exchange" has taken place in Tokyo, marking the start of an initiative aimed at deepening cultural cooperation between the three neighboring countries. Korea's First Vice Culture Minister Yong Ho-seong pledged to expand trilateral cultural exchanges and work toward establishing East Asia as a global cultural hub. His Japanese counterpart, Atsushi Nonaka, highlighted that the initiative is important not only for cultural collaboration but also for strengthening broader Korea-China-Japan relations. Korea will lead several key exchange programs, including joint musical performances, a friendly Go tournament, and a youth artist exchange exhibition. The Ulsan 'Taehwagang Maduhee Festival,' known as Korea's first major summer festival, has been rescheduled to June 13 to 15. That's to avoid overlapping with early voting for the snap presidential election, set for May 29 and 30. Held under the tagline "Escape the Ordinary, Dive into Taehwagang," the festival will take place in Ulsan's downtown and along the Taehwagang River. More than 40 programs are planned, including a large-scale tug-of-war, diverse river activities, a marketplace, and a reenactment of a traditional parade. This year's festival will offer expanded river-centered attractions, including hydro-flying water shows and other aerial aquatic performances. Jeju Island has unveiled its cruise industry promotion plan for this year. The plan aims to boost the island's cruise tourism sector by capitalizing on the increased number of cruise calls and a new semi-homeport operation set to be launched in May. Gangjeong Port in Jeju is set to become Korea's first semi-home port for cruise ships starting next month. The plan outlines detailed measures to induce longer stays and greater spending by cruise passengers as part of efforts to revamp the domestic economy. A total of 6.8 billion won, or around 4.8 million US dollars, will be invested across five key projects to support the initiative. Jeju Island's cruise market has shown steady growth, with more than 300 cruise calls and up to 800,000 visitors expected this year. That's all from me. Keep it tuned to the Kulture Wave.

[Short-form] Korean rice cakes making waves in Japan

2025/04/15 14:00

“K-tteok” is the new hit in Japan with competitive pricing, diverse varieties, and everyday convenience. Now, it’s setting its sights on the global stage!