News

N. Korea refusing to accept letter from Trump: media report

2025/06/12 17:00

The White House says its leader Donald Trump remains open to dialogue with North Korea's Kim Jung-un . Our correspondent Kim Jung-sil covers these latest comments as well as the broader CONTEXT behind them. A relationship once hailed as groundbreaking is back in the headlines. President Trump reportedly sent a letter to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, hoping to revive stalled dialogue. According to NK News, citing a high-level source, multiple in-person delivery attempts to North Korean diplomats at the United Nations were made but each time, they "bluntly refused to accept it." Asked about the matter, the White House did not deny the report. "The president remains receptive to correspondence with Kim Jong-un, and he'd like to see the progress that was made at that summit in Singapore, As for specific correspondence, I'll leave that to the president to answer." Analysts say North Korea's refusal may reflect deeper dissatisfaction with Washington's unchanged stance toward Pyongyang. "North Korea likely remains deeply skeptical of exchanging personal letters when there's been no real change in what it sees as a hostile U.S. policy. For Kim Jong-un, rejecting Trump's letter also signals that his distrust of Trump still runs deep." At the same time, Pyongyang appears to be doubling down on its ties with Moscow. "North Korea is gaining significantly from its cooperation with Russia and moving toward a deeper strategic relationship. Engaging in close talks with the U.S. now could send the wrong signal to Moscow, so for Pyongyang, there's little incentive to accept Trump's letter." Experts say Pyongyang likely hasn't forgotten that some past letter exchanges were made public during Trump's first term, something the North might have viewed as both risky and disrespectful. With Trump's limited time in office, analysts say North Korea is unlikely to engage with the U.S. unless Washington signals a clear policy shift, possibly including sanctions relief or other long-sought concessions. For now, the letter remains unopened, and the future of U.S.-North Korea dialogue is just as sealed. Kim Jung-sil, Arirang News.

Unification Ministry reaffirms commitment to abduction issue, urges halt to leaflet campaign

2025/06/12 17:00

The Unification Ministry has reaffirmed its commitment to addressing North Korea's abductions of South Koreans while calling on their families to refrain from activities that may escalate cross-border tensions. A senior official at the ministry highlighted the South Korean government's priority on protecting its people and acknowledged the pain of the families here. The remarks were made after a civic group including family members of those abducted and detained by North Korea pledged to continue floating anti-North Korea leaflets into the regime.

[K-enter] SEVENTEEN's SEUNGKWAN donates 20 mil. won to Jeju Island

2025/06/12 14:00

But actually Bella, K-enter also starts with a story on Jeju. What do we have? SEVENTEEN member SEUNGKWAN has shown his warm heart by making a donation to Jeju Island. On Wednesday, his agency, PLEDIS Entertainment announced that SEUNGKWAN donated 20 million won, that's about 15-thousand U.S. dollars, to the Korea Heritage Service and the National Trust for Cultural Heritage to help preserve and protect the cultural heritage of Jeju Island, especially for the preservation of the Jeju 4.3 archives. SEUNGKWAN is well-known for his exceptional love for his home island of Jeju. He was appointed as an ambassador for Jeju last November, and also contributed to the protection of the endangered Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins through the Jeju Provincial Office. Additionally, at the 13th UNESCO Youth Forum held back in 2023, SEUNGKWAN shared that Jeju is the first region in the world to be designated by UNESCO in three categories of natural environment simultaneously. I remember how we reported on his appointment as ambassador back then. Great to see his continuous gestures of love for Jeju. Our next story is on an exciting announcement for fans of a girl group. Fill us in. LE SSERAFIM will tour North America for the very first time since their debut. According to their agency, Source Music, the group will embark on a North American tour starting in September, as part of their "Easy Crazy Hot" world tour. LE SSERAFIM will start in Newark on September 3rd, followed by concerts in places such as Chicago, San Francisco, Las Vegas, and Mexico City. "Easy Crazy Hot" is the group's first world tour since their debut in May 2022. The tour kicked off in Korea in April, followed by concerts in Japan. After they wrap up the Japan leg of the tour this week, they will head over to Taipei, Hong Kong, Manila, Bangkok and Singapore in July. Let's end off today's K-enter with a story on the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival and a showcase on one of Korea's renowned actors. Actor Lee Byung-hun has been chosen as the focus of this year's Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival's special actor showcase, titled "The Master: Lee Byung-hun." The showcase will offer a variety of programs to share his acting journey, including screenings of his signature films, 그의 대표작 상영, 기자회견, 메가토크, 무대인사 등 다양한 프로그램을 통해 그의 연기 인생을 공유할 예정입니다. The showcase will offer a variety of programs to share his acting journey, including screenings of his signature films, press conferences, mega talks, and stage greetings. Anticipation is also high for Lee Byung-hun's appearance on the red carpet at the festival's opening ceremony on July 3rd. Since 2017, BIFAN has been selecting leading contemporary actors to feature in its special actor showcases, previously highlighting stars such as Jeon Do-yeon, Jung Woo-sung, and Kim Hye-soo. The 29th edition of the film festival, set to run from July 3rd to 13th, will screen 217 films from 41 countries. Lee Byung-hun has worked on so many amazing films.. I'm sure many fans are looking forward to his showcase. Thank you Bella for today's stories. Let's now go over to our AI anchor Ari, for other culture-related news. Ari, take it away!

K-Wave AI News

2025/06/12 14:00

Hello and welcome to your AI guide to the latest cultural updates from Korea. Here's our top story. A special Korea-Japan joint performance is set to be staged on Friday at the National Gugak Center in Seoul, marking the 60th anniversary of the two countries' diplomatic normalization. Co-organized by the Gugak Center and the Japan Arts Council, the event is part of an ongoing series of Korea-Japan cultural exchanges celebrating the special year. The Korean program will present the royal court music "Sujecheon" and "Hagyeonhwadaecheoyongmuhapseol," a composite performance that brings together prominent royal dances from the Joseon Dynasty. From Japan, performers from Okinawa will stage Ryukyu Dance and Kumi Odori, a traditional musical drama originally created to welcome Chinese imperial envoys. Kumi Odori is a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The National Theater of Korea's flagship summer music event, the 'Yeowoorak Festival,' will kick off on July 4. This year's festival is poised to capture audiences with a fresh take on the charm of traditional Korean folk songs. Featuring Korea's beloved singers In Sooni and Choi Baek-ho, as well as jazz vocalists and indie bands, the festival will reinterpret folk songs through various musical genres. Artistic director Lee Hee-moon invited audiences to come and explore a "whimsical land of folk music." Since its debut in 2010, Yeowoorak has presented innovative performances rooted in Korean music, attracting over 82,000 spectators to date. Have you ever seen Korea's east coast transformed into a vibrant sea of purple lavender? Donghae City is set to host its annual Lavender Festival at 'Mureung Byeolyucheonji,' a renowned tourist spot celebrated for its emerald-green lake and stunning natural scenery. From June 14 to 22, visitors can immerse themselves in breathtaking views as 12,000 lavender plants bloom across a sprawling 20,000-square-meter field. This year, the festival introduces nightscape lighting with extended visiting hours until 10 PM, creating a captivating and enchanting atmosphere after dark. Visitors can also enjoy a unique nighttime boating excursion on the lake, so don't miss it! That's all from me. Stay tuned to the Kulture Wave.

[K-wave] President Lee's pledge for US$ 211 bil. K-culture era by 2030

2025/06/12 14:00

It no longer comes as a surprise to hear that Korea's culture, including its cultural content industry has become one of the leading growth engines of the country. South Korea's new president Lee Jae-myung has pledged to expand the nation's cultural industries further, with strong support for arts and culture. Lee Eun-jin explains the strategy. Part of the new Lee Jae-myung administration's national vision is turning South Korea into a top cultural powerhouse -one of the top 5 global soft power leaders. "Korean culture is captivating the world. Culture is economy, and culture is international competitiveness. We must transform Korea's global cultural wave into industrial growth and quality jobs." President Lee sees culture and content not just as industries, but as central pillars of South Korea's growth strategy, being dubbed the "K-initiative." He pledged to significantly increase the national budget for culture, which currently accounts for just 1-point-3-3 percent of the total spending. He set a goal of approximately tripling the current size, with the goal to expand the size of the domestic arts and culture industry market to 300 trillion won, that's 211 billion U.S. dollars and boost cultural exports to 35-point-2 billion U.S. dollars, by 2030. The government's vision of a "Soft Power BIG 5" includes areas of food, beauty, K-pop, dramas and webtoons. "With strong support for the arts, we will become a cultural powerhouse setting global standards — one of the top five global soft power leaders." Pledges by the Lee administration also include systematic government support at various stages, from the beginning of content creation to distribution and overseas expansion. This includes increasing policy incentives in the K-content industry, such as expanding research and development, and providing financial assistance and tax benefits. For K-pop, which is already globally recognized, support will be strengthened for building cutting-edge virtual studios as well as large-scale multi-purpose arena-style performance venues. So far this year, in the Korean arts and culture scene, soprano Jo Sumi received the Order of Arts and Letters from the French Ministry of Culture, and conductor Chung Myung-Whun became the first Asian to be appointed music director of Milan's La Scala opera house. Director Hwang Dong-hyuk of Squid Game also received a special achievement award at a U.S. television awards ceremony. And most recently, President Lee Jae-myung congratulated the Korean musical 'Maybe Happy Ending' for winning the country's first Tony Awards. Lee Eunjin, Arirang News.

Kulture Issue_Traveling through the history of Jeju Island with "Jeju Dark Tour"

2025/06/12 14:00

This year has been designated as "Visit Jeju Heritage Year 2025", an initiative to promote tourism to the island with a focus on exploring its cultural heritage and history, including the Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes, the Jeju haenyeo culture and the Jeju April 3 incident. Recently, the "Jeju Dark Tour" program has been gaining popularity. This tour traces the painful periods of the island's history. We now connect to Phyu Sin Moe Htet, who's in the middle of this tour, as part of Jeju Free International City Development Center or JDC's "Global Friends" program. Hello! 1) First, could you please introduce yourself to "The Kulture Wave" viewers? 2) So, what's the "Global Friends" program about? Who's part of it, what do you do? 3) As a "Global Friends" member, you must have traveled to all corners of Jeju Island. Tell us about those places. Were there any places that really impressed you? 4) And where is it you are right now? 5) How was the experience in the tunnel? 6) The "Jeju Dark Tours" must be quite a different experience from other travel tours, as you get to explore the dark and painful past of the island, especially from the view of a foreigner. How do you feel about this tour? 7) Including the Dark Tours, Jeju Island is a location with an abundance of things to do, see, or eat. What would you recommend to your family and friends? 8) Finally, what are your plans after the tour? What else would you like to experience in connection with Jeju? Thank you for connecting with us today, and introducing us to the "Jeju Dark Tour", which seems to be a great opportunity to look back at and remember the suffering of the past while enjoying the peacefulness that we have today on the island. Enjoy the rest of the tour! Thank you Bella as always. We'll see you again soon.

[Short-form] Audio Content: The Trending Way to Unwind

2025/06/12 14:00

Give your eyes and mind the break they deserve, and escape with audio!

Death toll in flood-hit South African province rises to 49

2025/06/12 10:00

Devastating floods have swept through South Africa's Eastern Cape province, killing nearly 50 and leaving many missing. Officials warn the death toll may rise. On Wednesday, at least 49 people were confirmed dead as heavy rain and even rare snowfall struck the region early on Tuesday, overwhelming rivers and causing mudslides around Mthatha and Mthatha 주변 마을. Eastern Cape's provincial premier described the scene as catastrophic, saying, "As we speak here, other bodies are being discovered," and that "The numbers are just escalating hour after hour." A school bus was also washed away by floodwaters near Mthatha. Six high school students have been confirmed dead, three others rescued from trees, and four remain missing. The floods have damaged at least 58 schools and 20 hospitals. Hundreds of families have been left homeless and in temporary shelters. Weather officials warn that the extreme weather patterns could persist for several days, posing an ongoing risk.

More Palestinians killed near aid distribution point in Gaza

2025/06/12 10:00

Now, let's take a look at some stories from around the world with our Choi Chi Hee . Good morning, Chi Hee. Good morning, Eunji. Let's begin in Gaza, where it's been reported that more Palestinians were killed near aid sites. Do tell us more. On Wednesday, at least 41 Palestinians were killed near food aid distribution centers according to Gaza Health officials. Of these, 25 deaths occurred as people gathered near the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation site in the Netzarim corridor, where reports say Israeli forces opened fire on those approaching the distribution area. The Israeli military states shots were fired as "warning shots" at those deemed "suspects" entering active combat zones. Since mid-May, when the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation began operations, over 160 Palestinians have died and more than 1,000 have been injured around its aid zones. The United Nations has condemned the violence and declined to supply aid via the foundation, which uses private contractors with Israeli military backup.

2025 Global Green Hub Korea to foster overseas expansion of local green tech companies

2025/06/12 10:00

Representatives from multilateral development banks, local companies, and the Korean government gathered in Seoul for talks on ways to foster cooperation in the environmental and green technology industry. Moon Ji-young tells us more. "Strengthening cooperation between domestic companies and global partners, and promoting local companies' eco-friendly technologies" is what the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy aim to achieve at the 18th Global Green Hub Korea forum, currently being held in Seoul. "We hope that this year's forum serves as a platform to enable participants to see new business opportunities by sharing each country's policies and efforts for carbon reduction, as well as the success stories of international development banks." The forum, which opened on Wednesday, seeks to provide a robust platform for eco-friendly and energy industry businesses, in alignment with the global trend of carbon reduction, to support the overseas expansion of domestic companies and the securing of crucial growth engines. This key event provides networking opportunities, project briefings, and matchmaking for Korean and international businesses. "Korea's leadership in environmental technology is an example that we admire where leaders are eager for cooperation that benefits both our people." The scale of the projects presented by the overseas clients and buyers at this year's event amounts to a total of 8 billion dollars. Key projects include the Bangladesh Water Supply and Sewerage Authority Water Treatment Project. Over the course of three days, domestic companies will have the opportunity to actively promote the excellence of a variety of environmental and green technologies to potential overseas clients and buyers. Moon Ji-young, Arirang News.

Trump appreciates Musk apology: White House

2025/06/12 10:00

The recent conflict between U.S. President Donald Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk appears to be heading toward a truce. The Tesla CEO on Wednesday took to X to say that he "regrets" some of his posts about Trump, adding they "went too far." In response, the White House Press Secretary said Trump is aware of Must's post, and "appreciates it." Meanwhile, Trump, during a podcast interview with the New York Post on the same day, praised Musk's post --adding that while he doesn't blame him for some of his assessments, he was "disappointed." The White House added that the administration has made no efforts to review government contracts with Musk's companies.

How Trump's immigration policies and LA protests are affecting Korean Americans

2025/06/12 10:00

Protests in Los Angeles continue, as the city faces the sixth day of clashes between demonstrators and Trump's immigration agents. For the latest updates on what's happening there and how the situation has impacted the Korean American community, we connect live with Lee Sung-woo, an attorney at law in Los Angeles. Thank you so much for joining us. 1. How serious is the situation in Los Angeles? What have you been seeing over the past few days? (Is it safe to move around the city? How has it affected people's daily lives?) 2. As an immigration lawyer, how is the Trump administration's immigration policy affecting your clients? How do you assess the overall situation regarding immigration raids in LA? 3. Korean Americans in Los Angeles recently criticized Donald Trump Jr. after he posted a controversial meme mocking the unrest by referring to 'Rooftop Korean' from the 1992 riots. Tell us about how the Korean American community has been responding to the latest protests. 4. What are some of the biggest concerns for Korean Americans in Los Angeles and across the U.S.? How has the Korean community been affected in terms of doing business? Are people worried that they might have to leave the city they live in? 5. We're seeing the federal government and state officials clash over the deployment of troops to the LA protests with the California governor now asking the court to block Trump's decision. How do you think that will play out? As the protests spread to other cities, could this become an issue in other states as well? Alright. I'm afraid that's all the time we have for today. I hope you stay safe there and thank you so much for your time. We appreciate it.

U.S. Treasury Secretary signals that U.S. may extend tariff pause for certain nations

2025/06/12 10:00

The Trump administration signaled its willingness extend the pause on reciprocal tariffs for key trading partners that's set to expire on July 9th, but made it clear that it is not a necessity. Our Lee Soo-jin reports. The U.S. may extend tariff breaks for countries pursuing trade negotiations in "good faith." Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who is leading U.S. trade talks, said in a congressional hearing on Wednesday that the U.S. might extend the 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs for certain countries. He mentioned that there were 18 important trading partners that the Trump administration is working towards reaching an agreement with. But President Donald Trump also told reporters on Wednesday that while he was willing to extend the 90-day pause, he did not believe that it would be necessary. He also revealed that the U.S. will send trade offer letters to dozens of countries within two weeks that they could either accept or decline. The 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs that were announced on April 9th is set to expire on July 9th. This has led South Korea's newly elected administration to prioritize reaching a trade agreement with the U.S., with President Lee Jae-myung expressing a shared commitment to a deal during his first call with President Trump. There are also expectations that the two leaders will continue discussions at next week's G7 summit in Canada. Bessent's remarks come after the U.S. announced that it had reached a framework agreement with China during its second high-level trade talks held in London, though specific details have yet to be disclosed. "Dozens of countries have engaged the administration thus far with offers to improve their trade relations with the United States. This includes China. I have just returned in the middle of last night from successful negotiations in London with a Chinese delegation, " The Trump administration has so far announced a comprehensive agreement with the UK and a framework deal with China that serves as a stepping stone to eventually negotiate a full-fledged trade agreement. And as it remains a framework deal, Bessent acknowledged that negotiations with China are likely to be a lengthy process, signaling that while key issues like Beijing's export controls on rare earths critical to advanced tech and defense were addressed, broader trade disputes remain. But active negotiations, not just with China but other countries as well, are expected to continue, especially with the U.S. federal appeals court ruling on Tuesday that the tariffs can remain in effect until the court completes its full legal review. Lee Soo-jin, Arirang News.

S. Korean military halts loudspeaker broadcasts against the North

2025/06/12 10:00

The South Korean military has, starting Wednesday, halted loudspeaker broadcasts against the North in border areas, just one week after President Lee took office. This, following orders from the president, is aimed at easing military tensions between the two Koreas, and to pave the way for restored mutual trust. President Lee is said to have made the decision in light of the recent absence of any major provocations from North Korea, but clarified that there was no prior consultation with Pyongyang regarding this measure. In response, the North appears to have also turned off its own speakers last night. For the past five months, the regime has been blaring loud, eerie noises, including howling wolves --seemingly meant to harass those living in communities on the southern side of the border.

North Korea's Kim Jong-un sends letter to Putin to mark Russia Day

2025/06/12 10:00

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has sent a congratulatory letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin in honor of Russia Day. According to the North's state-run Korean Central News Agency on Thursday, in the letter, Kim called Russia a "brotherly" nation and said Pyongyang and Moscow share an "unbreakable comrade-in-arms" relationship. The letter was delivered by North Korean Ambassador to Russia, Shin Hong-chol , to Russia's Foreign Ministry to mark Russia Day on June 12th, a national holiday marking the formation of the Russian Federation. While North Korea's state media had traditionally released Kim's Russia Day letter without context, since last year, the KCNA has also reported on the delivery process before publishing the full text.

Trump "receptive" to correspondence with N. Korean leader: White House

2025/06/12 10:00

The White House says U.S. President Donald Trump is "receptive" to correspondence with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, and wants to see the same kind of progress made during the leaders' first summit in 2018. However, according to reports, North Korean diplomats in New York have refused to accept a letter from the U.S. leader. Lee Seung-jae starts us off. U.S. President Donald Trump may be seeking to resume talks with North Korea. According to the White House press secretary, Trump is "receptive" to correspondence with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, in a push to revive U.S.-North Korea talks. "The president remains receptive to correspondence with Kim Jong un, and he'd like to see the progress that was made at that summit in Singapore, which I know you covered in 2018 during his first term. As for specific correspondence, I'll leave that to the president to answer." The comments come as NK News reported that North Korean diplomats in New York have refused to accept a letter from Trump, in a bid to restart communication channels between Washington and Pyongyang. Citing an informed high-level source, the report said that the U.S. leader had drafted the letter to North Korean leader Kim, with a goal of restarting dialogue. However, the source said that despite multiple attempts to deliver the letter in person, the diplomats at the UN headquarters refused to accept it. Still, the reports indicate that Washington is looking to resume top-down diplomacy with the regime's leader. The two had three in-person meetings during Trump's first term in office, the first being in Singapore in 2018, the second in Hanoi in February 2019, and the third taking place at the inter-Korean truce village of Panmunjom in June of the same year. While the first summit in Singapore resulted in the two leaders agreeing on joint efforts to pursue the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, the second meeting in Vietnam failed to produce a deal. Lee Seung-jae, Arirang News.

Monsoon rain starts on Jeju, intense rain in south due to Typhoon Wutip in coming days

2025/06/12 10:00

Jeju Island will see its first monsoon rains of the summer a week earlier than average. Meanwhile, inland areas will continue to experience heat at around 30 degrees Celsius. Now, we do have to talk about Typhoon Wutip, the first typhoon of the season. It's not expected to directly impact the Korean Peninsula, but the increased moisture could lead to significant rainfall through the weekend. Until Saturday, Jeju can expect heavy downpours with over 200 millimeters of rain. As we can see, the southern provinces will be seeing heavier showers, with the south coast seeing up to 100 millimeters. But for today, upper regions stay sunny and hot with a high of 32 degrees in the capital, possibly being the hottest day of the season but staying rather cloudy in most of the southern regions. Jeju will start to see monsoon rain in the morning. Nationwide rain is expected over the weekend. Let's keep an eye on the developing rain system.

Brian Wilson, co-​creator of iconic 1960s band The Beach Boys, dies aged 82

2025/06/12 10:00

Brian Wilson, the co-founder and frontman of the rock band The Beach Boys, died on Wednesday at the age of 82. Widely renowned for his genius songwriting, Wilson was known for his landmark tracks, including "Good Vibrations" as well as the 1966 album Pet Sounds. Wilson had battled dementia since early 2024, following the death of his wife. Beginning in 1961, the Beach Boys released a series of upbeat songs that celebrated aspects of California's youth culture, including surfing and romance. Tributes have poured in from across the music world, with Bob Dylan and Ringo Starr among those praising Wilson's enduring impact on music and culture.

UK agrees post-Brexit deal over Gibraltar

2025/06/12 10:00

The United Kingdom and European Union, in collaboration with Spain, reached a political agreement on Wednesday, resolving Gibraltar's post-Brexit status. Under the deal, approximately 15,000 daily cross-border commuters will be able to enter Gibraltar using residence permits or national identity cards, eliminating routine passport stamp checks. At Gibraltar's airport and seaport, passengers' passports will be jointly checked by Gibraltar and Spanish authorities. UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy stated the agreement "protects British sovereignty" while boosting Gibraltar's economic stability. Spain and EU leaders welcomed the accord, calling it the removal of Europe's "last wall."

Benchmark KOSPI breaks 2,900, hits highest level in 41 months

2025/06/11 20:00

South Korean stocks extended their post-election honeymoon rally on Wednesday. In fact, the benchmark KOSPI soared to an over 3-year high on a foreign buying spree and eased tariff uncertainties. Our Park Jun-han leads our coverage tonight. South Korea's benchmark KOSPI surpassed 2,900 on Wednesday, for the first time in 3 years and 5 months. The KOSPI, which closed below 2,300 on April 9th, has sharply rebounded — gaining over 25 percent to close at just above 2,907. Among stocks showing strong momentum were those in the financial and semiconductor sectors. Globally, easing uncertainties — especially from the de-escalation of U.S.-China tariff tensions following high-level talks — boosted the rise of Korean semiconductor stocks. "Financial groups and such have risen relatively a bit. I think it's fair to say that the semiconductor industry is also taking part in the uptrend due to the improvement in external conditions." President Lee Jae-myung while he was running for the presidency said he was committed to achieving "KOSPI 5,000" by improving corporate governance and eradicating abuses of management control. Now that Lee has taken office, expectations for his administration's economic policies are fueling investor expectations, which is driving the market rally. "Although these policies have not yet been implemented, the administration is considering measures such as a large-scale supplementary budget to stimulate the domestic economy. Also, expectations that amendments to the Korean Commercial Act will strengthen shareholder protections have generally driven an inflow of foreign funds." On Wednesday, President Lee visited the Korea Exchange to discuss how to revitalize the stock market by observing operations. At the exchange, Lee said his administration was reviewing the introduction of systems to detect unfair transactions early. Lee also said he plans to introduce a zero-tolerance policy on stock price manipulation. Such a policy would include clawing back any ill-gotten gains. Park Jun-han, Arirang News.