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[Weekly Focus] Trump 2.0: Here's what to expect on North Korea policy

2025/01/18 12:00

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's return to the White House is expected to greatly influence world affairs.. including relations with Seoul and Pyongyang. For this week's Weekly Focus, we take a closer look at the incoming Trump administration's approach toward North Korea, with our foreign affairs correspondent Bae Eun-ji. Welcome. Thanks for having me. 1. Before we go into details, let's go over comments made by Trump's picks to lead foreign policy and national security issues on North Korea this week. The Trump administration's defense chief nominee, Pete Hegseth recently called the North a "nuclear power." Right.. his remarks sparked quite a lot of concerns here in South Korea. In a written response to advanced policy questions submitted to a Senate panel ahead of his confirmation hearing, Hegseth said North Korea's status as a "nuclear power" poses threats to the Korean Peninsula and other parts of the world. This has led to some watchers expressing concern that Hegseth's comments hint that the United States could recognize North Korea as a "nuclear weapon state." His use of "nuclear power" differs from the term "nuclear weapon state" under international law, as it includes countries with nuclear weapons, that are not officially recognized as such. "Nuclear weapon state" is a status that's officially granted to only five countries in the world, under an international treaty barring nuclear weapons development: that includes the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, and China. South Korea and other countries that comply with the deal, known as the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty --receive international support to pursue peaceful uses of nuclear technology. But North Korea pulled out of the pact in 2003, to continue to advance nuclear weapons. Seoul's foreign ministry immediately responded to Hegseth's comments saying that North Korea can "never be recognized as a nuclear weapon state," under the Non-Proliferation Treaty. 2. We also heard Secretary of State nominee Marco Rubio say that the United States needs to take a broader approach to North Korean issues. That's right. Let's take a listen to what Rubio had to say during his Senate confirmation hearing this week,.. where he called the North Korean leader a "dictator." "In Moscow and Tehran and Pyongyang, dictators, rogue states now sow chaos and instability and aligned with and they fund radical terror groups and then they hide behind their veto power at the United Nations Security Council or the threats of nuclear war." When asked about how he will re-shape America's 'broken' North Korea policy, which has only led to Pyongyang doubling down on its nuclear and missile programs rather than slowing them down, he said there has to be an appetite for a serious look at broader North Korean policies. He called for efforts to prevent a war between North Korea and allies such as South Korea and Japan, and said they're seeking ways to prevent a crisis without encouraging other nation-states to pursue their own nuclear weapons programs leading to speculation that this could mean Washington is now shifting away from its focus on "denuclearizing" North Korea and rather, focus on more realistic options to manage risks. At the hearing, Rubio also backed Trump's efforts to actively engage with the regime. He admitted he was initially skeptical about engagement with the North and acknowledged that Trump's meeting with Kim did not produce any lasting agreement, but said it calmed the situation "quite a bit." 3. South Korea's intelligence agency suggested earlier this week.. that Trump might pursue dialogue with Kim Jong-un. Will we be able to see Trump and Kim meet again? Well, we can't be too sure about that for now but it does seem likely. Trump named a close aide, Richard Grenell, as his presidential envoy for special missions and Alex Wong, who handled negotiations with North Korea during Trump's first term in office, as deputy national security adviser. As you just mentioned, the NIS said Trump's recent appointments of top aides on North Korea issues further indicate a willingness to explore diplomatic talks, possibly "smaller-scale agreements" such as a nuclear freeze or an arms reduction. This assessment was shared during the agency's briefing to the National Assembly Intelligence Committee on Monday. Take a listen. "If the Trump administration comes to a conclusion that complete denuclearization of North Korea is impossible in the near future, it could seek to take actions in the form of a 'small deal' such as nuclear disarmament or arms reduction." During Trump's first term, he held three summits with Kim Jong-un, but failed to persuade Kim to give up his nuclear weapons. They first met in Singapore, then in Hanoi and finally in the demilitarized zone between the two Koreas but the talks ended without any breakthroughs. 4. But there are concerns that the United States might bypass South Korea when trying to engage in dialogue with the North. How should the South Korean government work to prevent that from happening? South Korea's foreign ministry says it is closely cooperating with the United States and plans to communicate with the incoming U.S. administration to work on denuclearizing North Korea. An expert that I've spoken to said that it's important for the South Korean government to focus on having some kind of network with key officials in the new administration that will be responsible for North Korea relations --such as Alex Wong and Richard Grenell. "The most serious thing from the South Korean perspective is North Korea's nuclear threats. And Trump had mentioned several times he will you know possibly resume some kind of a summit that we have experienced back in 2018 and 19 so in those processes, South Korea should get into it and then deliver our own message and our opinion and our own policy." Alright Eun-ji. We'll have to keep a close eye on how Trump's team decides to handle issues on the Korean Peninsula. Thank you for the wrap-up. We appreciate it. Thank you.

CIO sends detention warrant application for President Yoon to Seoul Western District Court

2025/01/17 20:00

Thank you for joining us. I'm Yoon Jung-min. We start with the latest on the investigation by the anti-corruption officials, who have applied for an official detention warrant against President Yoon Suk Yeol. For more, Arirang's Kim Bo-kyoung joins us live from the Gwacheon Government Complex where the anti-graft agency is located. Bo-kyoung , so the CIO has now applied for that detention warrant. It's another unprecedented event for a sitting president. Hello, Jung-min. Yes, the CIO requested the detention warrant against President Yoon just before 6 PM, around three hours before the deadline. filing the request with the Seoul Western District Court. This marks the first instance in South Korea's history where a sitting president faces formal arrest. If the detention warrant is issued, Yoon can be held for a total of 20 days, including the initial 48-hour detention period. The CIO will likely hold and question Yoon for eight more days, before transferring the case to the prosecution, which has the authority to indict a suspect. Both parties have already agreed to spend ten days each questioning Yoon. With the detention warrant requested, the court is going to conduct a review tomorrow at 2 PM. Eyes are now on whether President Yoon will attend the review. and if he does so, it will be his first appearance outside after being detained. Meanwhile, Yoon shared a message from the detention center via his lawyer around half an hour after the CIO requested the warrant, saying he is doing well although it's quite uncomfortable, and that he has been looking back on state affairs through speeches he made. He expressed gratitude for those who have been out on the streets supporting him. And this filing for a detention warrant comes after President Yoon again refused to appear for questioning today. That's right, Jung-min. He was supposed to be here at 10 AM for questioning, but again refused to appear. His refusal comes after failing to appear the previous day, too citing health issues. One CIO official said that there has been no notification from Yoon's side over his non-attendance this time around. The CIO did not re-summon Yoon as the 48-hour deadline to detain him was approaching, which is at around 9 PM Friday. Yoon not appearing is not a surprise as his legal team had already expressed regret over the Seoul Central District Court's decision on Thursday to dismiss the request to challenge his detention. Yoon had filed a petition to the Seoul Central District Court seeking a review of the legality of his detention arguing the detention warrant against him issued by the Seoul Western District Court was invalid, and that the CIO lacked jurisdiction over insurrection. This, however, was only to be rejected and Yoon's lawyers have said it is unfortunate how illegal and unlawful actions are tolerated, and that they will not comply with the CIO's investigations. Meanwhile Bo-kyoung I hear public rallies remain intense at a number of different locations. That's right. Behind me were around three hundred Yoon supporters protesting against the CIO. Around a thousand supporters have also been rallying in front of Seoul Detention Center where Yoon is currently, chanting things like "Release the President." Just 10 meters away from the pro-Yoon protests were also those in favor of Yoon's impeachment, having a banner criticizing the declaration of martial law. Pro-Yoon protests are taking place in front of the Seoul Western District Court as well, where the detention warrant was requested. That is all I have for now. Back to you, Jung-min. That was our Kim Bo-kyoung reporting live from the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials.

Israeli airstrikes in Gaza kill more than 80 despite announcement of ceasefire

2025/01/17 20:00

In the Middle East. Despite the sealing of a ceasefire deal, that was supposed to start on Sunday local time, Israeli assaults against Hamas in Gaza continue to raise the Palestinian death toll. Ahn Sung-jin has more. Many rejoiced at the news of a six-week ceasefire deal agreed between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas. But just days before the deal is implemented on Sunday, Israel conducted more airstrikes in Gaza, killing at least three more Gazans, and raising the death toll to 86 since the news of the ceasefire agreement. According to Gaza's Civil Defense Service, the death toll includes 23 children and 27 women. During the same period, more than 250 Palestinians have been injured in the airstrikes. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened a Security Cabinet meeting on Friday to discuss and ratify the ceasefire, which was successfully agreed on. According to local media, in a statement from Netanyahu's office, the prime minister has been informed of the release of hostages and has signed the deal. This comes after the vote was initially postponed with Netanyahu blaming a last-minute disagreement with Hamas for the delay. A full Cabinet meeting to give final approval to the ceasefire deal is expected to take place on Saturday, and considering the legal procedures, the first hostages could be released as early as the 20th. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the deal will start on time despite what he called a last-minute "loose end." "On the ceasefire, yes, I am confident, and I fully expect that implementation would begin, as we said, on Sunday. Look, it's not exactly surprising that in a process, in a negotiation, that has been this challenging and this fraught, you may get a loose end. We are tying up that loose end as we speak." Following the ceasefire agreement, the European Union on Thursday pledged 120 million euros, or over 123 million U.S. dollars in aid for Palestine. According to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in a post on X, the "ceasefire and hostage release agreement offers hope the region desperately needed," but added that Gaza's "humanitarian situation remains grim." The aid will provide assistance to address acute food insecurity and malnutrition, healthcare assistance, water, sanitation, and hygiene support, shelter and protection assistance. The latest humanitarian assistance to Gaza from the bloc brings the total value to over 460 million US dollars since 2023. Ahn Sung-jin, Arirang News.

S. Korea's Jan. green book points to "greater downside risks" to economy

2025/01/17 20:00

Korea's political instability appears to be casting a darker cloud of uncertainty over its economy. Lee Soo-jin explains. South Korea is seeing greater downside risks to its economy, as uncertainties grow both at home and abroad. The somber assessment is from the latest economic green book,. a monthly economic assessment report, released by the Finance Ministry on Friday. "The term "concerns about increased downside risks" was previously used, but has now been replaced with "greater downside pressure." This change reflects the negative trends observed across industries during both October and November." It presents a bleaker outlook compared to last month's report when the government omitted the phrase "economic recovery" for the first time in over a year, as January's report also includes concerns about employment, an area where the government had previously been largely optimistic. In December, South Korea saw its first year-on-year decrease in employment figures in more than three years, as a downturn in industrial activity has begun to spill over into the labor market. This was mainly attributed to a larger drop in employment in the manufacturing sector last month, which continued to see a decline for the sixth straight month, and the construction sector for eight consecutive months. This comes as industrial output in November dropped point-four percent compared to the previous month, as the services and construction sectors remained weak, marking a fall for the third straight month. Services output declined by point-2 percent, driven by decreases in the finance and insurance sectors. The construction sector also experienced a drop in production for the seventh consecutive month as building activity slowed, setting a new record for the longest continuous downturn since 1997. But retail sales, an indicator of consumer spending, rebounded by point-four percent compared to the previous month after seeing declines in both September and October. The finance ministry official said the month's report also placed less emphasis on concerns about inflation, as figures for December showed that consumer prices rose 1-point-9 percent year-on-year, marking the fourth consecutive month of inflation under the two percent mark. But with continued political unrest in the country as well as mounting concerns about potential changes in the trade environment during President-elect Donald Trump's second term, the government pledged to collaborate with relevant agencies and swiftly implement economic policy plans for 2025 to ensure economic stability. Lee Soo-jin, Arirang News.

Rival parties in talks on special counsel bill to probe Yoon's insurrection charges

2025/01/17 20:00

The ruling and opposition parties are locking horns over the disputed bill to appoint a special counsel to investigate President Yoon's martial law declaration. This is raising questions about whether a last-minute agreement can be reached before midnight, the deadline set by the opposition. Our political correspondent Shin Ha-young is on the line with the latest. Ha-young, how are the talks unfolding? Jung-min, the rival political parties have yet to reach a final agreement. An official from the National Assembly speaker's office told reporters that agreements had been reached on some issues, but the talks are still ongoing due to major differences. The official declined to elaborate on these. Floor leaders of the two parties sat down at the negotiating table Friday afternoon, with the National Assembly speaker presiding, to discuss a bill to launch a special counsel investigation into President Yoon's short-lived imposition of martial law. This comes after the ruling People Power Party proposed its own version of the bill, while the opposition pushed its already-prepared bill. On Friday morning, PPP Floor Leader Kweon Seong-dong said there was no need for the bill since most key figures, including President Yoon, have already been arrested or indicted. He explained that the party proposed its own version of the special counsel bill as it was compelled to choose the worse option over the worst one. Take a listen. "This special counsel is pointless and serves no purpose. I urge the DP to withdraw the special counsel bill." Democratic Party Floor Leader Park Chan-dae said the bill was needed to hold people accountable for a serious crime against democracy and the constitutional order. The DP has set the deadline for negotiations of midnight, Friday. If no agreement is reached, it plans to hold a vote on its prepared special prosecutor bill. Take a listen "I urge the PPP not to betray the people and to engage in negotiations sincerely." Then Ha-young, how are the bills from each side different? The primary focus of the opposition's bill, proposed earlier this month, is to uncover whether President Yoon unlawfully instigated an insurrection, and violated the Constitution in the process. The PPP's version, however, removes the allegations of "insurrection" and also that of "the inducement of foreign aggression." It aims to look into five specific allegations overall, in comparison to the 11 presented by the opposition. The PPP's bill also shortens the investigation period to a maximum of 110 days, compared to the DP's 150. As for the size of the investigation team, the PPP is pushing for a team of 58, while the DP is aiming for 155. Meanwhile, ahead of the talks, Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik urged both parties to complete the negotiations by Friday and do their best to pass the agreed bill. "If we can't reach an agreement easily, we'll do our best, even if it takes working until midnight." While all eyes are on whether they can reach an agreement by the deadline, the DP is expected to pass its own bill if the talks fail. That's all I have for now, Jung-min. All right Ha-young thank you for the latest.

CIO files for Pres.Yoon's arrest Friday, as temporary detention deadline looms

2025/01/17 20:00

Welcome to Within The Frame, where we bring you today's most pressing issues from across the globe, I'm Kim Mok-yeon. President Yoon Suk-yeol became the first sitting South Korean President to ever be served with an arrest warrant. Just hours before, the CIO sought a warrant to formally arrest Yoon hours before its initial 48-hour detainment deadline expires tonight. After being temporarily detained Tuesday, Yoon faced an intense grilling at the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, but for the next two days, he refused to take part in any questioning over insurrection charges. The president's legal team filed a petition to the Seoul Central District Court to review the legality of his detention, but the court dismissed the challenge Thursday night, keeping him in custody. For what's next for President Yoon? will the court give the greenlight for Yoon to be arrested? for more on this, we invite Cho Hee-kyung, professor of law at Hongik University. Welcome Also joining us is Joung W. Hwang, chief executive officer at LawQuant LLC. Great to have you. 1. (HWANG) So for the sake of our viewers who may not be following the situation, let's circle back to Tuesday's temporary detention. So Yoon's arrest early Tuesday was broadcast live through major media outlets across the globe. Professor Hwang, how did you see this? And could you remind us of the requirements for a temporary detention arrest? 2. (HWANG) On his first day, President Yoon exercised his right to remain silent, providing no answers, and reportedly declined to participate in questioning on Wednesday and Thursday. How should this situation be interpreted? 3. (CHO) Yoon's lawyers filed for a review of the legality of the warrant on Wednesday which the court turned down. For starters what is this review? I hear it's not a common request 4. (HWANG) The court decided to dismiss the challenge. What was the reason behind the decision? What could this mean? Do you think Yoon's side would have expected such a result? 5. (HWANG) And just today, the CIO has sought an arrest warrant for Yoon. What are the legal requirements for filing an arrest warrant in Korea? How is it different from the current temporary warrant imposed on Yoon? 6. (CHO) So the ball is now handed over to the Seoul Western District Court. How do you forecast the arrest plans to proceed? we hear if the court gives the greenlight, he will be detained for questioning for 20 days 7. (CHO) What are the key issues in the court's review of the arrest warrant? 8. (CHO) The CIO is known to have filed for a warrant to formally arrest Yoon with the Seoul Western District Court, the same court that it filed for a temporary warrant. Meanwhile, President Yoon's legal team has maintained that such a process should be conducted through the Seoul Central District Court. Could you clarify the reasons behind the two parties' preference for different courts? Is there any specific legal framework or rule that governs the choice of court in such matters? 9. (HWANG) Meanwhile onto his impeachment trial, Thursday was the second formal hearing of the trial, and the Constitutional Court rejected Yoon's request for a postponement. The trial proceeded without Yoon's presence. The court further designated the dates for future hearings too. Could you walk us through the developments at the trial? 10. (CHO) So as it designated the upcoming hearing dates already, it seems like the court is eager to proceed with the hearings. How long do you think it will take to come up with a conclusion?

Rival parties continue negotiations on special counsel bill to investigate Yoon

2025/01/17 17:00

Moving on to the National Assembly now. Ruling and opposition lawmakers have yet to find common ground on drafting a bill that paves the path to a special probe into the president's short-lived martial law. Our correspondent Lee Shi-hoo is on the line with the latest. Shi-hoo, let's begin with today's bipartisan meeting for the probe bill. Yes Sunny, the floor leaders of the rival parties, the PPP's Kweon Seong-dong and the DP's Park Chan-dae met for closed-door talks beginning at 1:30 this afternoon. The presider over the meeting, National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-sik has urged both to "make concessions" so that an agreement can be reached today. He's gone so far as to even suspend this afternoon's plenary session to wait for a potential consensus, but it's unclear whether the parties will be able to reach an agreement today. The talks were originally scheduled to start at 11 this morning, but were delayed by over two hours as the PPP took longer than expected to fine-tune the details of its proposal. Prior to the meeting, just this morning, PPP Floor Leader Kweon urged the DP to abandon their bill that he said was "unconstitutional." Listen in. "There is no need for a special counsel. But the DP is using the power of a major party to pass an "unconstitutional, illegal" bill full of "toxic clauses," so we are compelled to choose a worse option over the worst one. This is why we are developing our version of the special counsel bill." Kweon added additional investigations were unnecessary, as ongoing probes by several authorities are already taking place. He said the DP is using the bill for political gain. This came while DP Floor Leader Park urged the ruling party to cooperate with the DP's efforts and to come to the negotiating table. "If we don't remove the deep-seated fine roots of the insurrection, they will sprout again. To prevent the recurrence of unfortunate incidents, a special prosecution should be conducted to find out the truth in a transparent manner and to strictly punish those who were involved." DP spokesperson Park Sung-joon also told reporters that if the PPP comes up with an "insincere" bill today to defend Yoon, the DP will proceed with its version, without further negotiations. The deadline for talks presented by the DP is midnight tonight. If an agreement isn't reached by then, they will put up their bill for an Assembly-wide vote. Meanwhile, Acting President Choi Sang-mok previously urged the rival parties to reach an agreement, and has hinted that if a compromise isn't reached, it's likely he may veto a unilateral bill from the opposition. Park called out this remark by Choi, urging that he should "respect any decision by the National Assembly and accept the special counsel bill." So what exactly are the sticking points between the rival parties? Yes, the biggest differences are in the scope, depth and period of investigation. The primary focus of the opposition's bill, proposed earlier this month, is to uncover whether President Yoon unlawfully instigated an insurrection, and violated the Constitution in the process. The PPP's version, however, removes these allegations of "insurrection" and also that of "the inducement of foreign aggression." It aims to look into five specific allegations overall, in comparison to the 11 presented by the opposition. The PPP's bill also shortens the investigation period to a maximum of 110 days, compared to the DP's 150. As for the size of the investigation team, the PPP is pushing for a team of 58, while the DP is aiming for 155. Now, overall this is the second attempt by the opposition to push a bill of this kind. The initial version of the bill was vetoed by Acting President Choi two weeks ago. The opposition's goal, this time, is to have the special counsel officially go into effect before the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday. Sunny. All right Shi-hoo, thank you for that report from the parliament.

CIO investigators seek detention warrant for Yoon before Friday night deadline

2025/01/17 17:00

We start with the latest on the investigation by the anti-corruption officials as the president refuses to attend today's questioning session as well. For more Arirang's Kim Bo-kyoung joins me live from the Gwacheon Government Complex where the anti-graft agency is located. Bo-kyoung it's good to have you on. So how are investigators responding to the president's refusal to answer questions? Hello, Sunny. As you have already said, impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol again refused to appear for questioning over his December 3rd martial law declaration. He was supposed to be here at 10 AM. His refusal comes after failing to appear the previous day, too citing health issues. One CIO official said that there has been no notification from Yoon's side over his non-attendance this time around. Given that the 48-hour deadline to detain Yoon will end at around 9 PM Friday, the CIO says re-summoning Yoon would be realistically unlikely. Yoon's not appearing is not a surprise. One of his lawyers, Seok Dong-hyeon , has already said that Yoon had thoroughly stated his basic position during questioning on the first day, and does not see any reason or need to respond to a question-and-answer type of interrogation. Now the CIO is widely expected to request a detention warrant sometime before Friday's deadline of 9 PM which would allow them to detain him for up to 20 days. The CIO announced that it is highly likely that they will request the detention warrant from the Seoul Western District Court. as it is typical to ask it from the court that issued the arrest warrant. Though the exact time of the request has not yet been decided, the CIO official said it is almost finalized. Regarding whether Yoon will be present at the warrant review himself, his lawyer said it is difficult to make a prediction as the warrant has not been filed yet, but his legal team will strongly argue the necessity of it. Meanwhile, police executed an arrest warrant for Kim Seong-hoon, the deputy chief of the Presidential Security Service for allegedly leading efforts to prevent Yoon's arrest from happening. I see. Meanwhile Bo-kyoung I hear public rallies in support of the president remain intense at a number of different locations? That's right. Behind me are some of Yoon's supporters, protesting against the CIO. His supporters have also been rallying in front of Seoul Detention Center --where Yoon is currently, chanting things like "Release the President." Pro-Yoon protests are taking place in front of the Seoul Western District Court as well, where the detention warrant is expected to be requested. Protests were held last night as well, with people forming a human chain, to block officials from the CIO in case they come to deliver the detention warrant documents. This even led to clashes with police, with one man taken into custody at around 10:50 PM on Thursday for the obstruction of the performance of official duties after he attempted to close the gate. That is all I have for now, but I will bring you more updates in a later newscast. Back to you, Sunny. All right Bo-kyoung thank you for that coverage. That was our Kim Bo-kyoung reporting live from the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials.

World News: UK pledges for 100-year partnership with Ukraine

2025/01/17 17:00

This is the World Now, bringing you the latest stories from around the globe. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer visited Kyiv on January 16th to sign a 100-year partnership agreement with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The agreement aims to strengthen security ties, defense cooperation and economic collaboration, including supporting Ukraine's post-war reconstruction. During the visit, Starmer said the UK's "commitment to Ukraine's sovereignty and security is steadfast and enduring." This visit is part of a broader initiative by European leaders, to reaffirm their support for Ukraine ahead of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration. Leaders from Germany and France have also recently visited Kyiv to show their solidarity with Ukraine. Iraq is finalizing a deal with U.S. oil firm Halliburton to develop the Nahr Bin O mar oilfield. It aims to boost the oilfield's production from approximately 50-thousand barrels per day to 300-thousand barrels per day. The deal also includes plans to produce gas from the same field. It's part of Iraq's broader strategy to increase its oil and gas production. Iraq also plans to increase its output from the West Qurna 1 field, operated by PetroChina, to 750,000 barrels per day by the end of the year. It is also working with the China Petroleum Engineering and Construction Corporation, on a 1.7 billion U.S. dollar gas project. In Slovakia, an 18-year-old high school student has been detained after allegedly stabbed two people to death. The stabbings happened on Thursday, local time in the small town of Spisska Stara Ves in the north of the country near the Polish border. A deputy principal and a student were killed. The suspect fled the scene but was immediately detained by the police. While stabbings are rare in Slovakia, similar incidents occurred in 2020 and 2022, where the suspects were also young students. The Slovakian ministers of interior and education visited the town and committed to implementing measures to prevent future attacks and improve safety for students and teachers. American filmmaker David Lynch has died at the age of 78. The director died due to complications from emphysema, a chronic lung condition, according to his family. His celebrated creations include Blue Velvet, The Elephant Man, and Mulholland Drive, all of which received best director Oscar nominations, and the TV series Twin Peaks. Lynch's career began with the 1977 classic Eraserhead, and he received an Honorary Academy Award in 2019 for his contributions to cinema. While Lynch fought health challenges in recent years, he kept working on creative endeavors until his passing. Choi Chi-hee, Arirang News.

Israeli airstrikes in Gaza kill more than 80 despite announcement of ceasefire

2025/01/17 17:00

In the Middle East. Despite the sealing of a ceasefire deal that is slated to start on Sunday local time Israeli assaults against Hamas in Gaza continue to raise the Palestinian death toll. Ahn Sung-jin has more. Many rejoiced at the news of a six-week ceasefire deal agreed between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas. But just days before the deal is implemented on Sunday, Israel conducted more airstrikes in Gaza, killing at least three more Gazans, and raising the death toll to 86 since the news of the ceasefire agreement. According to Gaza's Civil Defense Service, the death toll includes 23 children and 27 women. During the same period, more than 250 Palestinians have been injured in the airstrikes. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened a Security Cabinet meeting on Friday to discuss and ratify the ceasefire, which was successfully agreed on. According to local media, in a statement from Netanyahu's office, the prime minister has been informed of the release of hostages and has signed the deal. This comes after the vote was initially postponed with Netanyahu blaming a last-minute disagreement with Hamas for the delay. A full Cabinet meeting to give final approval to the ceasefire deal is expected to take place on Saturday, and considering the legal procedures, the first hostages could be released as early as the 20th. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the deal will start on time despite what he called a last-minute "loose end." "On the ceasefire, yes, I am confident, and I fully expect that implementation would begin, as we said, on Sunday. Look, it's not exactly surprising that in a process, in a negotiation, that has been this challenging and this fraught, you may get a loose end. We are tying up that loose end as we speak." Following the ceasefire agreement, the European Union on Thursday pledged 120 million euros,.. or over 123 million U.S. dollars in aid for Palestine. According to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in a post on X, the "ceasefire and hostage release agreement offers hope the region desperately needed," but added that Gaza's "humanitarian situation remains grim." The aid will provide assistance to address acute food insecurity and malnutrition, healthcare assistance, water, sanitation, and hygiene support,. shelter and protection assistance. The latest humanitarian assistance to Gaza from the bloc brings the total value to over 460 million US dollars since 2023. Ahn Sung-jin, Arirang News.

Acting President Choi Sang-mok pledges to closely monitor financial market amid uncertainties

2025/01/17 17:00

The government has reaffirmed its commitment to stabilizing the financial and foreign exchange markets amid much uncertainty at home and abroad. During a macroeconomic meeting with top related officials on this Friday acting President Choi Sang-mok pledged to closely monitor domestic as well as international financial markets as the U.S. ushers in a second Trump administration next Monday one that has vowed tougher tariffs. He also emphasized the importance of informing the international community about the "strong fundamentals" of the local economy to maintain overall confidence.

S. Korea's Jan. green book points to "greater downside risks" to economy

2025/01/17 17:00

Korea's political instability appears to be casting a darker cloud of uncertainty over its economy amid the presence of quote "greater downside pressure". Our correspondent Lee Soo-jin explains. South Korea is seeing greater downside risks to its economy, as uncertainties grow both at home and abroad. The somber assessment is from the latest economic green book,. a monthly economic assessment report, released by the Finance Ministry on Friday. "The term "concerns about increased downside risks" was previously used, but has now been replaced with "greater downside pressure." This change reflects the negative trends observed across industries during both October and November." It presents a bleaker outlook compared to last month's report when the government omitted the phrase "economic recovery" for the first time in over a year, as January's report also includes concerns about employment, an area where the government had previously been largely optimistic. In December, South Korea saw its first year-on-year decrease in employment figures in more than three years, as a downturn in industrial activity has begun to spill over into the labor market. This was mainly attributed to a larger drop in employment in the manufacturing sector last month, which continued to see a decline for the sixth straight month, and the construction sector for eight consecutive months. This comes as industrial output in November dropped point-four percent compared to the previous month, as the services and construction sectors remained weak, marking a fall for the third straight month. Services output declined by point-two percent, driven by decreases in the finance and insurance sectors. The construction sector also experienced a drop in production for the seventh consecutive month as building activity slowed, setting a new record for the longest continuous downturn since 1997. But retail sales, an indicator of consumer spending, rebounded by point-four percent compared to the previous month after seeing declines in both September and October. The finance ministry official said the month's report also placed less emphasis on concerns about inflation, as figures for December showed that consumer prices rose 1-point-9 percent year-on-year, marking the fourth consecutive month of inflation under the two percent mark. But with continued political unrest in the country as well as mounting concerns about potential changes in the trade environment during President-elect Donald Trump's second term, the government pledged to collaborate with relevant agencies and swiftly implement economic policy plans for 2025 to ensure economic stability. Lee Soo-jin, Arirang News.

Constitutional Court agrees to speed up impeachment trial testimony from fmr. Defence Minister

2025/01/17 17:00

The Constitutional Court has agreed to expedite the testimony of former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun as earlier requested by President Yoon Suk Yeol's defense team. Earlier on this Friday the Court's press officer Cheon Jaehyun announced that Kim would testify first on January 23rd that is next Thursday two weeks earlier than initially scheduled. The Court has also approved requests by the presidential legal team for documents related to the National Election Commission amid their allegations of election fraud which they add was the basis for the president's brief imposition of martial law on December 3rd.

President Yoon continues to refuse to testify, claims investigation is illegal

2025/01/17 17:00

Now as mentioned the president has refused to re-visit the anti-graft headquarters for questioning choosing instead to remain at the Seoul Detention Center. Our Kim Jung-sil reports. President Yoon Suk Yeol continues to refuse investigative procedures. The Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials (CIO) had asked Yoon to show up for questioning on Friday morning, but he didn't turn up. Since his arrest on Wednesday, Yoon has remained silent. During his initial 10-hour interrogation, he declined to answer questions, verify his testimony, or sign documents. On Thursday, President Yoon postponed the morning questioning due to health concerns and skipped the rescheduled afternoon session. The President has consistently argued that the investigation by the CIO is illegal, but legal experts disagree. "It's true that CIO does not have specific jurisdiction over insurrection. But what they do have is the jurisdiction to look at any related crime and here they are investigating Yoon's abuse of office. So, it's entirely within their jurisdiction and there's absolutely no problem." Professor Cho added that despite Yoon's silence, the CIO would still be able to indict him. Yoon is currently being held in a pretrial detention cell, separate from other detainees. The facility provides basic amenities such as a bed, table, and toilet. He is being given the same food as provided to other detainees, costing around 1,700 KRW or about U.S. $1.20 per serving to make. The Justice Ministry has assigned a special team to monitor Yoon's safety around the clock. Meanwhile, Yoon's legal team has filed complaints against the investigation, challenging his arrest. Due to his continued silence and refusal to cooperate, authorities are considering alternatives, such as on-site questioning or possibly forcibly escorting him for questioning, though this remains unlikely. Pundits suggest a detention warrant could be requested based on existing evidence and testimonies. Kim Jung-sil, Arirang News.

PRES. YOON REMAINS DETAINED, MAINTAINS SILENCE

2025/01/17 17:00

Hello and welcome. You're watching Press Perspective for this Friday January 17th here in Seoul. Today we continue our talk on President Yoon Suk Yeol's arrest and its broader implications. For more I have Kelly Kasulis Cho with The Washington Post returning for a second time this week to share her own coverage of the political turmoil here. Kelly thank you for making time again. I also have our own foreign pundit Colin Marshall with his take on the political situation in Korea. Colin as always it's a pleasure. 1) Kelly, let's start with the updates regarding the president's arrest. 2) Colin, based on your reading of the foreign media coverage of the president's arrest and his trial, what appears to be the general assessment of the political situation here in Korea? 3) Kelly, you wrote a piece for The Washington Post about leaders here in Korea whose political careers were tainted by scandals. How does President Yoon Suk Yeol's story look to go down in history? 4) Colin, The Economist claims "the presidency of South Korea can be a treacherous job." Would you say this is a fair assessment? 5) Kelly, what has the response from South Korea's allies to its latest political predicament? 6) Colin, quite a number of foreign media outlets have also shed light on the deep political divide among Korea's youth amid its political turmoil. What are your observations here? 7) Kelly, foreign media coverage also laments that the reality that Korea's political polarization will not simply end with the arrest of its president. What have been some of the grim forecasts ahead? 8) Colin, some pundits here believe if the president is reinstated, it will set a disturbing precedent for future leaders. Does this belief merit some concern? 9) And Kelly, "hard-liners on both sides of the recent rallies have vowed civil war should the Constitutional Court not rule in their favor." Based on your coverage on the ground, what are the prospects of such a reality? All right.

K-wave AI News

2025/01/17 14:00

Welcome to The Kulture Wave AI News. Here's our first story of the day. Culture Minister Yu In-chon will attend the ASEAN Tourism Forum 2025 and the ASEAN+3 Tourism Ministers Meeting set for this weekend in Johor Bahru, Malaysia. Korea is co-chair of this year's tourism ministers meeting, alongside Malaysia. Minister Yu is slated to hold a series of bilateral meetings with his ASEAN counterparts to bolster tourism cooperation with the region. He will also underscore the Korean government's unwavering efforts to ensure a safe and convenient travel environment for international visitors. The World Art Expo 2025, a global art fair showcasing diverse artistic genres, is underway at COEX in Seoul. Featuring over 130 booths from domestic and international exhibitors, the event spotlights emerging talents and introduces distinctive galleries poised to shape the future of contemporary art. A variety of programs, including webtoon exhibitions, special invitational showcases, and the OlympiArt, provide a platform to share Korea's vibrant artistic spirit with the world. The expo runs through this Sunday. The Leeungno Museum has opened an exhibition highlighting female Korean artists who shaped modern and contemporary Korean art. Titled "Glittering Water: Korean Modern and Contemporary Female Artists," the exhibition features 11 artists who shared artistic influences with Lee, including prominent painter Keum Dong-won and Kim Yun-shin, one of the few post-war female painters and sculptors. The exhibition aims to highlight the contributions of these women, whose work was often overlooked in the male-dominated art world, and reexamine their impact on the evolution of 20th-century Korean art. Lee Ung-no was a pioneering figure in the development of Korean abstract art. It will be open until April 6. That's all for now. Stay tuned for more cultural updates and insightful discussions ahead!

Seoul Central District Court dismisses Yoon's petition challenging legality of detention

2025/01/17 10:00

With a court rejecting a petition challenging President Yoon's detention, investigators can and will continue to try to question him, while also filing for a warrant on Friday to officially arrest him. Let's connect with our Kim Bo-kyoung at the investigators' office in Gwacheon City. So, Bo-kyoung, let's start with the court's dismissal of the petition. Good morning Dami. As you have already said, the Seoul Central District Court dismissed impeached President Yoon's request to challenge his detention, after hours of deliberation on Thursday. Yoon was taken into custody on Wednesday and detained by the CIO for questioning over his December 3rd martial law declaration, and has been refusing to speak or attend interrogations. Yoon's legal team tried to turn things around,.. by filing a petition to the Seoul Central District Court seeking a review of the legality of his detention. They argued the detention warrant against him, issued by the Seoul Western District Court was invalid, and that the CIO lacked jurisdiction over insurrection. The court convened a hearing at 5 PM to review Yoon's request, but as it rejected claims from Yoon's side, the president remains in custody as the investigation continues. Yoon's legal team expressed regret over the court's decision, saying it is unfortunate how illegal and unlawful actions are tolerated, while the rule of law is being undermined. Yoon's side added they will not comply with the CIO's investigations saying they cannot accept illegal procedures. Now, the next step for the investigators is seeking a formal arrest warrant for President Yoon. We should expect that to happen today, right? Yes, Dami. The CIO originally had to decide whether to seek a formal arrest warrant by 10:33 AM Friday, but the 48-hour deadline for holding the president was extended to around 9 PM as the court review was in progress. Since around 2 PM on Thursday, when investigators submitted documents, including evidence, to the court the detention period remained on hold, until the court returned the documents to the CIO investigators early this morning at 12:35 AM. Now with the court's decision, the CIO is expected to seek a formal arrest warrant late Friday night to keep him in detention for a longer period. If the formal warrant is issued, Yoon can be held for a total of 20 days, including the initial 48-hour detention period. The CIO will likely hold and question Yoon for eight more days, before transferring the case to the prosecution, which has the authority to indict a suspect. Both parties have already agreed to spend ten days each questioning Yoon. And I'm sure pro-Yoon protesters remain distressed and upset? After the court rejected Yoon's request, supporters gathered in front of the Seoul Central District Court and expressed their anger at the decision. They then reportedly moved to the Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang City, to show their support for Yoon. The police unofficially estimated that around three hundred people were gathered in front of the court last night. A conservative group rally with an estimated three thousand participants is scheduled to take place in front of Seoul Detention Center at 1 PM today. That is all I have for now, but I will bring you more updates in a later newscast. Back to you, Dami. Thank you Bo-kyoung for the coverage. That was our Kim Bo-kyoung reporting live from the investigators' office.

UK pledges 100-year partnership with Ukraine

2025/01/17 10:00

Let's begin today with the meeting between the Ukrainian president and the British prime minister. A historic partnership agreement was signed between the two states. That's right. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer visited Kyiv on January 16th to sign a 100-year partnership agreement with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The agreement aims to strengthen security ties, defense cooperation and economic collaboration, including supporting Ukraine's post-war reconstruction. During the visit, Starmer said the UK's "commitment to Ukraine's sovereignty and security is steadfast and enduring." This visit is part of a broader initiative by European leaders, to reaffirm their support for Ukraine ahead of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration. Leaders from Germany and France have also recently visited Kyiv to show their solidarity with Ukraine.

Israeli airstrikes in Gaza kill more than 80 after announcement of ceasefire

2025/01/17 10:00

Despite an Israeli-Hamas ceasefire which is set to begin on Sunday, Israel conducted another airstrike on Thursday, killing a total of 86 Palestinians. Lee Seung-jae has more. Many rejoiced at the news of a six-week ceasefire deal agreed between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas. But just days before the deal is implemented on Sunday, Israel conducted more airstrikes in Gaza, killing at least three more Gazans, and raising the death toll to 86 since the news of the ceasefire agreement. According to Gaza's Civil Defense Service, the death toll includes 23 children and 27 women. During the same period, more than 250 Palestinians have also been injured in airstrikes across Gaza. Israel's Cabinet was set to vote on the ceasefire deal on Thursday, but the vote did not take place with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blaming a last-minute disagreement with Hamas for the delay. The prime minister's office said the militant group is reneging on parts of the agreement in order to gain further concessions. It accused Hamas of "backing out of the understandings and creating a last-minute crisis that prevents a settlement." U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the deal will start on time despite what he called a last-minute "loose end." "On the ceasefire, yes, I am confident, and I fully expect that implementation would begin, as we said, on Sunday. Look, it's not exactly surprising that in a process, in a negotiation, that has been this challenging and this fraught, you may get a loose end. We are tying up that loose end as we speak." Following the ceasefire agreement, the European Union on Thursday pledged 120 million euros,.. or over 123 million U.S. dollars in aid for Palestine. According to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in a post on X, the "ceasefire and hostage release agreement offers hope the region desperately needed," but added that Gaza's "humanitarian situation remains grim." The aid will provide assistance to address acute food insecurity and malnutrition, healthcare assistance, water, sanitation, and hygiene support,. shelter and protection assistance. The latest humanitarian assistance to Gaza from the bloc brings the total to over 460 million US dollars since 2023. Lee Seung-jae, Arirang News.

On-point: Why Trump may prefer smaller-scale deals with Kim Jong-un

2025/01/17 10:00

According to South Korea's intel agency, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump might pursue smaller-scale agreements with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Why not big deals, something that Trump pursued and chased 6, 7 years ago? We're joined by Dr. Bruce Bennett. Welcome back. 1. Let's start with what these small-scale agreements could be. What could be included in these small deals? 2. Then why smaller-scale agreements? Why not big deals? 3. What would be the best idea for Trump to make Kim Jong-un come to the negotiating table? What kind of deals do you think have the highest chance of satisfying both Trump and Kim? 4. What should South Korea do so that it doesn't get left out of Washington-Pyongyang talks? Especially when things are rocky because of the political instability here in South Korea. 5. North Korea fired a hypersonic missile two weeks ahead of the launch of the Trump administration and another short-range ballistic missile one week ahead of the big day in the U.S. Should we expect another missile launch on inauguration day? What makes you think so? Are these provocations strategically planned moves by the North? Thanks so much for your time and your insight as always, Dr. Bennett.