News

TRUMP HOSTS ISHIBA AT WHITE HOUSE

2025/02/10 17:00

Hope this workweek is off to a good start for you. You're watching Press Perspective for Monday February 10th here in Seoul. I'm Min Sunhee. Today we touch upon what has been shared about the Trump administration's foreign policy thus far given the U.S. leader's most recent summit this time with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba at the White House last Friday. For more I have Anthony Kuhn with American public broadcaster NPR. Anthony it's been a while. Welcome back. I also have freelance journalist Jack Barton with us. Jack we haven't had the pleasure of your company for some time now. It's great to see you again. 1) Anthony, let's begin with details of the most recent summit hosted by U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House. 2) Anthony, the BBC claims the Japanese Prime Minister's "Trump study sessions" appeared to have "paid off". 3) Jack, for global leaders who have yet to engage with Mr. Trump and his threat of tariffs, what cues might they take from Mr. Ishiba's talks with the U.S. leader? 4) Jack, during the joint press conference following his talks with Prime Minister Ishiba, President Trump reiterated his intentions to engage with North Korea. 5) Anthony, North Korea, for its part, has reaffirmed its commitment to its nuclear weapons. 6) And Jack, against this backdrop of possible fresh interaction with North Korea, what role should South Korea seek to play especially amid concerns that it may be left on the sidelines given its current political uncertainty? 7) Anthony, with regard to South Korea's ties with the U.S., how does the return of the Trump administration look to challenge and at the same time, to consolidate the alliance between Seoul and Washington? 8) Jack, Mr. Trump is also scheduled to sit down with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi this week at the White House. 9) Anthony, China's counter tariffs against the U.S. are in effect as we speak , do you envision an all-out trade war between the two countries during Mr. Trump's second term in office? 10) Jack, China remains an important trade partner for both South Korea and Japan. All right.

Trump announces new tariffs on steel, aluminum amid U.S.-China trade war

2025/02/10 17:00

U.S. President Donald Trump is announcing on this Monday a blanket tariff of 25 percent on all steel and aluminium imports into the U.S. Park Kun-woo covers these intentions and more. The tariffs imposed by the U.S. are intensifying. On Sunday, U.S. President Donald Trump said he will announce plans for new 25 percent tariffs on all steel and aluminum shipments to the U.S. He also said reciprocal tariffs for countries that impose tariffs on the U.S. will be revealed in the coming days and will take effect almost immediately. "If they charge us, we charge them. If they are charging us 130%, and we're charging them nothing, it's not going to stand that way. Every country will be reciprocal." This comes as the ongoing trade war between the U.S. and China has intensified. The U.S. implemented an additional 10 percent tariff on all Chinese imports to the U.S. starting last Tuesday. In retaliation, China announced plans to impose tariffs of 10 to 15 percent on items, including coal, liquefied natural gas, and crude oil from the U.S., effective Monday. As China previously expressed its intention to negotiate with the U.S., there had been an expectation that an agreement would be reached before actual implementation. Last week, Trump also shared his intention to talk with China's President Xi Jinping but said he was in no hurry. "I will speak to him at the appropriate time. I'm in no rush. The deficit with China is about a trillion dollars. Think of it. A trillion dollars. They're using our money to build their military, and Biden let that happen." That's compared to when he delayed the implementation of additional tariffs on Canada and Mexico for a month after some discussions. But as both the U.S. and China have expressed their intention to hold talks, pundits believe there is still a chance of reaching a consensus. The two countries previously ended the trade war during the first Trump administration after 18 months, after China agreed to purchase more U.S. products, while the U.S. held off on imposing additional high tariffs on Chinese goods. Park Kun-woo, Arirang News.

[Weather] Temperatures will rise from tomorrow afternoon

2025/02/10 17:00

The second week of February also started in the freezing cold. There were places where snow has fallen along with this cold wave today. Currently, cold wave warnings and advisories are still in place in many parts of the country. This long cold wave will gradually ease off as the temperatures rise from tomorrow afternoon. In the meantime, dry weather warnings and advisories have been issued around the east coast. Gusty wind is also expected today in these coastal areas, so please take extra care not to cause any fires. Tomorrow morning will start off at below zero degrees in most parts of the country with Seoul at minus 5 degrees Celsius, and Gwangju at minus 4 degrees. Daily highs will move up to 6 degrees in Seoul, 9 degrees in Daejeon, Gwangju, Daegu and Busan. On Wednesday, the first full moon of the Lunar new year, it will rain or snow all over the country. That's all for Korea. Here are the weather conditions around the world.

Eco-friendly system purifies air through water without waste

2025/02/10 17:00

In other news. Researchers here have developed an eco-friendly mechanism of purifying the air by using water without producing waste. Cha Yun-kyung explains. Worsening fine dust due to the cold weather has increased the use of air purifiers, however, the need to change filters and waste issues have become a problem. To solve these, researchers have developed an eco-friendly air purifying system that imitates the body's circulatory system. Once polluted air enters the system, microbubbles form in a water container as they pass through an elastic microprocessing filter. The small, even-textured micro bubbles capture fine dust and carbon dioxide, sending carbon dioxide outside and oxygen inside through the circulation of water. "We have developed an air-purifying system by imitating the human body's circulatory and respiratory system. We can circulate the air inside and outside through the system to dispense VOC and carbon dioxide outdoors. It can solve the issue of micro dust and 미세먼지 and carbon dioxide at the same time." In tests using a closed space with a mouse inside, the system decreased the level of carbon dioxide by 30-percent, which saw the mouse's activity increase 53-percent. Current systems' performance deteriorates as filters age and can cause odors. The new system does not require filter cleaning or changing as long as the water is renewed. "The system's driving principles and structures are quite simple and suitable to enlarge in scale, and they can replace pricy and complicated former air purifying systems." The research team expects that the system will be able to purify air of other pollutants, such as acetone or ethanol. Cha Yun-kyung, Arirang News.

Squid Game 2 wins Best Foreign Language Series at 2025 Critics' Choice Awards

2025/02/10 17:00

Over in LA last Friday. "Squid Game" Season Two was awarded for Best Foreign Language Series at this year's Critics' Choice Awards. The show's first season claimed the honor at the 2022 edition of the awards becoming the first Korean TV drama to do so. Korean actor Lee Jung-jae also clinched Best Actor in a Drama Series in 2022. Other nominees in the same category this year included "Pachinko" Season Two. Meanwhile Season Three of Squid Game is set to be released on streaming platform Netflix in June.

Gov't, ruling party to invest over 3 tril. Korean won in defense technology by 2027

2025/02/10 17:00

Meanwhile government officials and ruling lawmakers have shared intentions to invest over three trillion Korean won or some 2-point-2 billion U.S. dollars on strategic defense technology by the year 2027. According to the agreement announced on this Monday support will be extended to ten related sectors including artificial intelligence space technology and advanced materials. Financial assistance worth up to five billion Korean won will also be granted to top small and mid-sized firms in relevant industries to sharpen their edge over the global competition.

DP leader suggests supplementary budget of 30 tril. KRW for economic recovery

2025/02/10 17:00

And against that backdrop main opposition Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung called for recovery and growth as national priorities amid the ongoing political uncertainty. Addressing the National Assembly today Lee suggested a supplementary budget of 30 trillion Korean won or around 20 billion U.S. dollars to be earmarked for economic recovery. Separately he also proposed the introduction of a four-day workweek system claiming that reducing working hours is key to becoming an advanced technological society.

KDI warns of growing risks for S. Korea’s economy for two consecutive months

2025/02/10 17:00

The Korean economy continues to face external risk factors especially in light of the Trump administration's tariff campaign and its implications on global trade. Our correspondent Moon Hye-ryeon reports. Concerns about rising risks to South Korea's economy are being raised in light of trade tensions between Washington and Beijing. On Monday, South Korea's state-run Korea Development Institute reiterated these concerns for the second consecutive month in its February Economic Trends report. The agency stated that the domestic economy remains in a moderate growth phase in terms of production, but deteriorating external conditions are increasing risks. The report emphasized the escalating trade disputes, particularly involving the United States, as well as persistent political instability in South Korea – both of which have heightened concerns over worsening trade conditions. The KDI had first raised alarm about growing downside risks in its January Economic Trends report — marking the first such warning since January 2023. The report highlights sluggish domestic demand, with private consumption and construction investment recovering at a slower pace than expected. At the same time, export growth – previously a key driver of the economy – is beginning to slow, particularly in sectors excluding semiconductors. The KDI noted that high interest rates and weakened consumer sentiment due to political instability have contributed to continued sluggish consumption. It added that retail sales have continued to decline across most categories, extending the downturn in goods consumption. Amid prolonged, weak domestic demand, the number of employed workers declined in December, signaling a slowdown in job growth. Investment trends were mixed. While facility investment, particularly in the semiconductor sector, showed resilience, construction investment continued its steep decline due to a significant drop in completed projects. Financial markets also remain volatile due to external risks, particularly uncertainties surrounding the new U.S. Trump administration. On inflation, the KDI noted that recent increases in the exchange rate and global oil prices have contributed to higher consumer price growth, but weak domestic demand is exerting downward pressure on inflation. In January, South Korea's consumer prices rose by 2-point-2 percent year-on-year. However, the KDI suggested that if private consumption remains sluggish, inflation is likely to slow in the coming months. As concerns over weak domestic demand, slowing exports, and external uncertainties grow, the KDI's continued warnings signal heightened risks for South Korea's economic outlook in the months ahead. Moon Hye-ryeon, Arirang News.

Court still silent on whether President Yoon's impeachment trial will be extended

2025/02/10 17:00

The Constitutional Court launches its final week of hearings for President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment trial starting tomorrow and it has yet to announce whether or not more sessions will be held before its verdict on the case. Our correspondent Oh Soo-young has the latest. The Constitutional Court has not yet announced whether it will extend President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment trial, which is scheduled to wrap up this week. A Court official told reporters Monday that the eight-member judicial bench has not yet conveyed whether additional hearings will be held beyond this coming Thursday. With time running out, and just two hearings left at the Constitutional Court this week, making an extension is likely. On Tuesday, the Court will hold Yoon's seventh trial hearing, with four witnesses summoned to testify. First up will be former interior minister Lee Sang-min, who is expected to be questioned extensively about the meeting of Cabinet members held before the martial law declaration on December third last year. The National Assembly's impeachment panel says the President had bypassed Cabinet procedures before imposing the decree. Also standing witness will be National Security Advisor Shin Won-sik who served as Defense Minister until September last year. Shin is likely to be grilled over whether there was prior planning before December third. As for former National Intelligence Service deputy director Baek Jong-wook, and National Election Commission Secretary-General Kim Yong-bin, questions are expected to focus on election fraud allegations raised by President Yoon as a pretext for declaring martial law. The eighth and final hearing is currently scheduled for Thursday. In order to conclude the hearings, the court must hear the closing arguments from both legal teams and President Yoon's final statement. It seems the Constitutional Court has not yet instructed either side to prepare their final arguments. Meanwhile, the Court on Monday concluded hearings on a dispute case regarding Acting President Choi Sang-mok's decision to withhold the appointment of Constitutional Court Justice nominee Ma Eun-hyuk, while appointing two others recommended alongside him. The case was filed by National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik, who claims Choi neglected to follow a parliamentary resolution to appoint three justices in December last year. Choi, however, had pledged to appoint a third Justice after bipartisan agreement on the candidate. The court initially planned to deliver its ruling last Monday, but accepted Choi's request for additional arguments to be made. Choi's side said Monday that Speaker Woo had unilaterally filed the case, bypassing a plenary session vote, thus the dispute should be made invalid. The Court says it will reach a verdict and notify the involved parties. The question of Ma's appointment has caused a strong political stand-off, as the left-leaning judge would become the ninth member of the judicial bench,.. as it rules on President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment case. Oh Soo-young, Arirang News.

S. Korea exemplifies democracy, U.S. military presence vital: Rep. Marilyn Strickland

2025/02/10 17:00

The 119th U.S. Congress includes Marilyn Strickland a Democrat representing Washington's 10th District that also houses the largest military installation in the American West. She is also a Korean American who believes firmly in the security alliance between the U.S. and South Korea. Our Choi Min-jung has more. Korean-American Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland, one of the first three Korean-American women elected to Congress and reelected to represent Washington's 10th District for a third term,. affirmed that the Seoul-Washington alliance will remain "ironclad," regardless of South Korea's current political landscape. In an exclusive interview with Arirang, Strickland addressed the implications of South Korea's domestic political turbulence regarding President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment, noting that while the situation is unfortunate, it exemplifies democracy in action. "It's why you have separate coequal branches of government to serve as checks and balances. So in many ways what happened is a prime example of how democracy is meant to work and supposed to work we want to make sure that we are staying strong with our partners and allies who value an uplift democracy." With former President Donald Trump returning to the White House for a second term,. concerns over the continuation of "America First" policies—including increased defense cost-sharing—are mounting. However, Strickland noted that despite media speculation, no formal discussions have taken place. "And so we want to make sure that it's being done fairly. We're doing it conscientiously but understanding that having military presence in Korea is important again, for a free, safe, and open Indo-Pacific." An area of concern for the Korean-American community is Trump's intensified immigration policies, including deportations. Some 150-thousand Koreans living in the U.S. are reportedly subject to deportation following a Trump administration order. 20-thousand of those are believed to be Korean adoptees who have not yet received U.S. citizenship. Strickland expressed concern,. saying immigrants play an essential role across all sectors in the U.S., and that the American economy will collapse, if they are deported simply for lacking documentation. "So as a Korean-American, as someone who values immigrant talent, I definitely want to make sure that we're able to stop Trump from doing the wrong thing but finding a way to do the right thing as well." This rise in Korean-American political representation, exemplified by Strickland, signals a growing influence that will not only strengthen ties between Seoul and Washington, but also shape the broader political landscape of the Korean-American community in the U.S. Choi Min-jung, Arirang News.

Seoul condemns N. Korea's labor exports to Russia as blatant UNSC violation

2025/02/10 17:00

The Unification Ministry has urged UN member nations to uphold Security Council resolutions against North Korea while raising issue with the regime's labor exports to Russia. The latest remarks follow recent intelligence reports here that assert North Korea had sent thousands of workers to Russian construction sites last year. The reports claim the soaring labor exports are driven by the quote "ever present" demand for young labor in Russia's Far East.

Trump to hold talks on ending Ukraine war: White House

2025/02/10 17:00

Also this week the Trump administration will actively seek talks with its European counterparts to end Russian aggression against Ukraine. Lee Seung-jae has details. U.S. President Donald Trump's national security advisor Mike Waltz said Sunday that Washington will hold talks with European officials this week on how to end the Ukraine war. Speaking to NBC's Meet the Press,.. Waltz said a delegation including the U.S. Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense, Vice President, and the U.S. Special Envoy to Europe will hold talks on ending the war. The national security advisor did not go into the details,.. but said that Trump is ready to bring the Ukraine issue to the table this week. This includes the issue of future American aid to Ukraine. However, Waltz stressed that the U.S. needs to recoup the costs, through a partnership with the Ukrainians over its rare earth, and natural resources, all of which are going to be discussed this week. While Waltz says Trump will end the war, the security guarantees will be up to the Europeans. The announcement of the high-level talks comes as the New York Post last Friday reported that President Trump has spoken to President Putin about ending the Ukraine war. In an interview aboard Air Force One, Trump said he spoke on the phone with Putin to try to negotiate an end to the Ukraine war, but would not say how many times the two leaders have spoken since his return to the Oval Office last month. While Trump did not go into specific details of their phone call, he said that Putin wants to "see people stop dying," adding that the three-year-old war "never would have happened" if he had been president in 2022. The Kremlin has neither confirmed nor denied that the two leaders have spoken on the phone to discuss ending the war. Lee Seung-jae, Arirang News.

World leaders, tech executives to discuss AI-related risks at AI Action Summit 2025

2025/02/10 17:00

Meanwhile over in Paris on this Monday. The two-day Summit for Action on Artificial Intelligence begins with world leaders industry heavyweights and related scholars poised to take part in the latest gathering. The event seeks to set up standards and solutions for more sustainable ethical AI advances for universal progress and broader public interest. It also follows the first such meeting at Bletchley Park back in November 2023 and here in Seoul earlier in May last year.

Korean webtoon-based content captivates global viewers

2025/02/10 14:00

If you’re a K-drama watcher, you may already have become a fan of the Netflix series “The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call”. But, have you also heard about “Trauma Center: Golden Hour”? That’s the title of the webtoon that “The Trauma Code” is based on. Today we want to explore the popularity of webtoon-based K-content that is captivating viewers around the world. For that, we are joined by culture critic Professor Chie Hye-won at Kyung Hee University’s Arts and Cultural Management Program. Welcome Professor Chie! Q1. Let’s begin with the success of the latest K-dramas that have been adapted from webtoons. Why don’t we start with the medical drama “The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call”? Q2. What other K-webtoon adaptations have been at the center of attention lately? Q3. The reason why we’re seeing all these webtoons being turned into dramas is they have proven to be successful for some time now. (“Itaewon Class”, “All of Us Are Dead”, “True Beauty”, etc.) What aspects of Korean webtoons appeal to drama makers? Q4. (And speaking of such elements) We cannot leave out webtoon artist Kang Full’s works that have been successfully transformed into mystery and superhero series like “Light Shop“ and “Moving“. (The originally Disney+ series Moving was aired on public broadcaster MBC where the final episode of season 1 just ended on Sunday) What’s the key to these shows' popularity? Q5. What are the strengths of webtoon-based dramas and what are the elements needed to translate the unique charm of webtoons into dramas? Q6. Are there any challenges or side effects in terms of producing such shows based on webtoons or web novels? Q7. Also, there has been an increase in the production of overseas dramas based on Korean webtoons. What are the chances of success on the global stage?

[K-enter] "Squid Game 2" wins Best Foreign Language Series at the Critics Choice Awards in the U.S.

2025/02/10 14:00

Time for our daily dose of K-enter news with Walter Lee. Starting off with news on Squid Game season 2. The Netflix series Squid Game 2 has won the "Best Foreign Language Series" at the 30th Critics Choice Awards held in Los Angeles last Friday, a major ceremony in the U.S. film and television industry. Squid Game first made history in 2022 by becoming the first Korean drama to win at the Critics Choice Awards with its first season. At the time, Squid Game won "Best Foreign Language Series", while lead actor Lee Jung-jae received the award for "Best Actor." The awards are organised by the Critics Choice Association, a group of over 600 film and television critics from the U.S. and Canada. Meanwhile, Squid Game 3 is set to be released on June 27 and it will be interesting to see if the series can make it a hat trick in the "Best Foreign Language Series" category. Congratulations to Squid Game and we all can't wait for that third season to come out. Now, moving onto some news on Rosé. I feel like we should call this segment, K-enter and Rosé as she has to be one of our favourite people to report on. But our Rosé has once again claimed the top spot with her collaboration track "APT". feat. Bruno Mars on the "Billboard Global 200 chart" released on Saturday. "APT" climbed one spot from No. 2 last week to reclaim the No. 1 position. Meanwhile, Rosé’s "APT" continues to dominate the ranks of the "UK Official Singles Chart" currently sitting at the No. 2 position. Fellow BLACKPINK member Jennie also made her entry into the UK chart, debuting at No. 64 with "Love Hangover", the pre-release track from her solo album. It's such a proud moment for Korea to see K-pop doing well in the Western charts. Staying with news on K-pop we move now to boy group Stray Kids. On Sunday evening, boy group Stray Kids' music video "God’s Menu" became the first by a 4th-generation K-pop boy group to surpass 500 million views with a single music video. "God’s Menu" is on their first full-length album "GO LIVE", released in June 2020. Just two days before "God’s Menu" hit 500 million views, the music video for "Thunderous" from their second full-length album "NOEASY" surpassed 400 million views on Friday. .Stray Kids is also breaking records with their concerts. Stray Kids' world tour "dominATE", is set to draw a record-breaking 2.2 million attendees, making it the most attended K-pop tour in history for a single tour. Kicking off back in August 2024, dominATE includes 55 concerts across 34 cities worldwide. This is Stray Kids’ largest tour to date, with additional shows added due to overwhelming demand, including their first solo concerts in Latin America and Europe. Stray Kids don't show any signs of slowing down anytime soon! Thanks for the K-enter news Walter, don't go anywhere. And now we turn to our AI anchor Ari for more culture news.

K-wave AI News

2025/02/10 14:00

Hello and welcome to your AI guide to the latest cultural updates from Korea. Here's our top story. Korea's Park Youn-jae has made history by winning the top prize at the 2025 Prix de Lausanne, becoming the first South Korean ballerino to claim the title in the prestigious competition. The 16-year-old secured the victory at the Beaulieu Theatre in Switzerland on Saturday, local time. Widely regarded as one of the most esteemed ballet competitions in the world, the Prix de Lausanne is open to dancers aged 15 to 18. Celebrated ballerina Kang Sue-jin was the first Korean to clinch a top spot at the competition in 1985. Seoul is expanding its traditional jang classes to celebrate the listing of Korea's jang-making culture on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list. The Seoul Agricultural Technology Center will open additional jang-making classes to include 'gochujang,' or red pepper paste, 'cheonggukjang,' or fermented soybean paste, and others to its existing courses. Open to Seoul residents, the program consists of seven sessions featuring hands-on demonstrations by master jang makers. Registration opens tomorrow via the Seoul Public Service Reservation website. The Jeonju International Film Festival Organizing Committee is recruiting volunteers to support festival operations. A total of 400 volunteers will be hired across 24 categories, including Korean film, international film and public relations. Adults aged 18 and older residing in Korea are eligible to apply through March 5. Foreign nationals proficient in Korean can apply under the "General Recruitment" category. The 26th Jeonju International Film Festival will take place from April 30 to May 9. That's all for now. Stay tuned for more cultural updates and insightful discussions ahead!

[Short-form] Winter’s Silent Bloom: Meet Korea’s Queens of Winter

2025/02/10 14:00

Discover Korea’s first blossoms of the new year— the winter queens that remind us that beauty and hope can flourish, even in the toughest of seasons.

M3.1 earthquake struck Chungju city early Friday morning; no damage reported

2025/02/07 20:00

Meanwhile, an earthquake measuring slightly above three on the Richter scale struck the central part of Korea in the wee hours of this Friday. Our Kim Jung-sil has more. Early Friday morning, around 2:35 AM, a magnitude 3.1 earthquake struck the central region of the country, waking people with the shake. The epicenter was located about 22 kilometers northwest of Chungju city, at a depth of 9 kilometers. The quake was felt in surrounding areas of Chungju, including Gangwon-do and parts of Gyeonggi-do Provinces. Initially, the Korea Meteorological Administration estimated the quake's magnitude at 4.2, but after further analysis, it was revised to 3.1. South Korea uses the Modified Mercalli Intensity scale to measure earthquake intensity, with 10 being the strongest. In this case, the highest tremor intensity reported in Chungju was level 5, or moderate intensity. "Level 5 means that nearly everyone in the area felt the shaking, with items like dishes and windows breaking, and unstable objects tipping over. Two aftershocks occurred by 8:30 AM, with smaller magnitudes." Experts also suggested further caution for those in the affected areas. "Although this earthquake is relatively small compared to those occurring in seismic hotspots, it may have caused strong shaking that could make some people feel uneasy. If you feel tremors, it is important to stay calm and prioritize protecting your head and body." The Ministry of the Interior and Safety has confirmed that there were no significant injuries or damages, with over 20 reports of 'shaking' as of Friday morning, the most coming from Gangwon-do with 15 reports. The Ministry has activated the emergency response system and issued an earthquake warning for the affected areas. It has also dispatched a field situation manager to Chungju to oversee the situation and ensure proper management. Kim Jung-sil, Arirang News.

[WEEKLY FOCUS] Here's how Trump's tariffs could affect S. Korea

2025/02/08 12:00

Economies around the world are bracing for a potential trade war triggered by recent tariff announcements by U.S. President Donald Trump. For this week's Weekly Focus, we take a closer look at this matter with our trade correspondent Lee Soo-jin. Welcome. Thank you for having me. 1. To start us off, can you tell us what has happened for the past couple of days? Sure, so it has been a rather tumultuous couple of days on the economic front as Trump's tariff threats sparked concerns of a global trade war. On Saturday local time Trump announced 25-percent tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico, while China was hit with a 10-percent tariff on various existing duty rates. Let's take a listen to what Trump said on tariffs. "And, I don't want to use countries, I don't want to use names, but tariffs are very powerful, both economically and in getting everything else you want." And what he wanted was for the three countries to address trade imbalances, national security concerns related to illegal immigration and the influx of fentanyl into the United States. And while the tariffs were to go into effect on Tuesday, Trump on Monday, decided to pause the implementation of the tariffs for Canada and Mexico, for at least 30 days. This comes as Canada agreed to implement a 1-point-3 billion U.S. dollar border plan which includes reinforcing the border with nearly 10-thousand front-line personnel as well as strengthening resources to respond to fentanyl and money laundering. And Mexico,.. agreed to place 10-thousand National Guard troops along the U.S. border to prevent the flow of drugs. 2. But a trade war between the U.S. and China looks like it's heating up again, setting the stage for another long and costly battle, much like during Trump's first term. Right, so while U.S. tariffs on Canada and Mexico have been delayed for 30 days, China, was given no such reprieve and Trump's 10-percent tariff on Chinese products took effect just after midnight Tuesday. Within minutes, China's Finance Ministry announced retaliatory tariffs of 15 percent on U.S. coal and LNG, as well as 10 percent on crude oil, farm equipment, and certain automobiles, to take effect on February 10th. And,.. according to this expert, China's choice of which items to impose tariffs on was deliberate. "The phenomenon here is that agricultural pick-up trucks will impact agricultural are that are very strong supporters of Donald Trump. Another targeted item was LNG, LNG companies that are also strong supporters of Trump." And China on Wednesday, just one day after Trump raised border taxes on Chinese goods, filed a complaint with the World Trade Organization, calling the tariffs "discriminatory and protectionist" and a violation of trade rules. 3. What do Trump's tariffs mean for South Korea? Sure, so South Korea may actually see both risks and opportunities, in regards to the tariffs on China. To start out with the positive, the tariffs imposed on China mean that Korean exporters may gain a competitive edge in supplying products that China previously dominated. This means that U.S. companies may shift their supply chains to South Korean firms. Let's take a listen. "In markets like the semiconductor industry, companies like SK hynix already have a strong presence, and if tariffs are imposed on China, South Korean products could gain an even greater competitive advantage." As semiconductors are South Korea's top export item, this would boost the country's trade surplus but also enhance the global competitiveness of Korean chipmakers like SK hynix. But the expected drop in exports of Chinese goods to the U.S. may reduce Chinese orders for South Korea's key intermediate goods such as chips, display panels, and batteries. Here's what the same expert said. "Our country's export structure depends on selling intermediate goods to China, for them to be assembled into the final product for export to other countries. So, if demand for China's goods declines, demand for these intermediate goods will also decline." More than 85 percent of Korea's exports to China were intermediate goods such as semiconductors, displays and wireless communication components, according to the Korea International Trade Association. It's also important to note that there are also growing concerns about the possibility of tariffs on the EU and South Korea as well as sector-specific tariffs on products such as semiconductors and steel. 4. How should the government and Korean companies respond to these ongoing tariff threats? Well, for one,.. staying proactive will be key in this turbulent trade environment. And the South Korean government is already doing so through measures announced on Wednesday that include establishing a "Strategic Advanced Industry Fund," worth over 34 trillion Korean won, or around 23 billion U.S. dollars to boost industrial competitiveness. Let's take a listen. "Ongoing global trade uncertainties, including additional tariffs on China, require close attention. We will establish the "Strategic Advanced Industry Fund" at the Industrial Bank of Korea to support high-tech sectors like batteries and biotech." The government also plans to carry out other industry-specific measures such as strengthening U.S. outreach for semiconductor and battery companies, diversifying markets for the automotive sector, and mobilizing task forces. As for the private sector,.. SK Group chairman Chey Tae-won will lead a delegation to Washington, D.C. on the 19th to discuss response strategies, with a meeting with Trump reportedly under discussion. Here's why this is important at this time. "While Trump has not targeted Korea directly, he's threatening tariffs on virtually everybody. he said he wanted to replace subsidies for semiconductor factories with high tariffs. " And moving forward here's what companies that have factories in the U.S. can do,.. according to the expert I spoke to. "Many South Korean companies have factories in Republican-leaning U.S. areas, and by working with local politicians, they can argue that these tariffs could hinder job creation and investment." Alright, thank you for your report today. Thank you for having me.

Trump announces new tariffs on steel, aluminum amid U.S.-China trade war

2025/02/10 10:00

The latest U.S.-China trade war appears to be flaring up, as China's tit-for-tat levies on the U.S. are now in effect. And Trump's next round of tariffs are to be announced on Monday, this time 25% tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports. Our Park Kun-woo reports. The tariffs imposed by the U.S. are intensifying. On Sunday, U.S. President Donald Trump said he will announce plans for new 25 percent tariffs on all steel and aluminum shipments to the U.S. He also said reciprocal tariffs for countries that impose tariffs on the U.S. will be revealed in the coming days and will take effect almost immediately. "If they charge us, we charge them. If they are charging us 130%, and we're charging them nothing, it's not going to stand that way. Every country will be reciprocal." This comes as the ongoing trade war between the U.S. and China has intensified. The U.S. implemented an additional 10 percent tariff on all Chinese imports to the U.S. starting last Tuesday. In retaliation, China announced plans to impose tariffs of 10 to 15 percent on items, including coal, liquefied natural gas, and crude oil from the U.S., effective Monday. As China previously expressed its intention to negotiate with the U.S., there had been an expectation that an agreement would be reached before actual implementation. Last week, Trump also shared his intention to talk with China's President Xi Jinping but said he was in no hurry. "I will speak to him at the appropriate time. I'm in no rush. The deficit with China is about a trillion dollars. Think of it. A trillion dollars. They're using our money to build their military, and Biden let that happen." That's compared to when he delayed the implementation of additional tariffs on Canada and Mexico for a month after some discussions. But as both the U.S. and China have expressed their intention to hold talks, pundits believe there is still a chance of reaching a consensus. The two countries previously ended the trade war during the first Trump administration after 18 months, after China agreed to purchase more U.S. products, while the U.S. held off on imposing additional high tariffs on Chinese goods. Park Kun-woo, Arirang News.