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S. Korean Navy holds naval gunfire exercises this week marking 10th West Sea Defense Day

2025/03/28 10:00

Today marks the 10th West Sea Defense Day, a day remembering the heroes lost during military clashes near the de facto inter-Korean maritime border in the West Sea. South Korea's Navy held intensive drills this week to honor the day. Correspondent Kim Bo-kyoung was there. Amidst a thin sea fog covering the West Sea, a simulated North Korean vessel crosses the Northern Limit Line on the West Sea moving southward, South Korean navy ships and personnel are ordered to deploy in combat formation for training. "Total personnel in combat formation, training, two, three!" Six naval ships lined up one after another. with the 3-thousand-600-ton frigate, the ROKS Chungnam at the front, fired guns targeting their simulated maritime target before maneuvering away in different directions. "This naval maneuver training in the West Sea is to mark the 10th West Sea Defense Day a day to remember those who lost their lives in a series of unprovoked attacks by the North near the Northern Limit Line." The day, falling on the fourth Friday of March every year, pays tribute to the 55 fallen sailors and marines from the Second Battle of Yeonpyeong in 2002, the sinking of ROKS Cheonan and the shelling of Yeonpyeong-do Island in 2010. In memorial of the fallen, the Navy conducted intensive maneuvering exercises for three days until Thursday, simultaneously on the East, West, and South Seas with some of the exercises open to the press. "The Navy will engrave the spirit of victory shown by the 55 warriors who defended the West Sea in our hearts, and if the enemy provokes again, we will strike back forcefully and firmly protect our seas." Since the military clashes with North Korea while defending the western maritime border, the South Korean Navy strengthened the combat power of its naval fleets, replacing outdated warships with new frigates equipped with advanced hybrid propulsion and sonar systems. "The ROKS Daejeon was built with our domestic defense technology, and it is especially a core frigate of the fleet with outstanding anti-submarine capabilities." With the patriotic spirit of the fallen in mind, the Navy vows to firmly safeguard the waters, even today. Kim Bo-kyoung, Arirang News.

Tariff war heats up with Canada vowing retaliation over Trump's car tariffs

2025/03/28 10:00

Countries around the world are quickly mapping out their own plans to cope with Trump's 25% auto tariffs. Canada warns it'll respond with reciprocal tariffs. Lee Seung-jae has more. Earlier this week, President Donald Trump signed off on 25-percent tariffs on all cars and auto parts imported into the United States. In response, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney called it a "direct attack" on his country, and vowed to respond to Trump's latest tariff policy. "President Trump announced 25% tariffs against our auto industry. And this is a direct attack, to be clear, a direct attack on the very workers that I stood in front of, UNIFOR workers We've announced, of course, retaliatory tariffs. We have other options for those retaliatory tariffs. I have asked for a meeting, I will convene rather, a meeting of the Canada U.S. cabinet tomorrow to discuss our trade options." Carney said that Canada's long-time bilateral relationship with the U.S., involving the economy, security, and military cooperation, "is over." Instead,.. he vowed Canada would respond with retaliatory tariffs that will have "maximum impact" on the U.S. On the other side of the U.S. border, Mexico is negotiating for an exemption for its critical auto industry. Speaking from Washington after holding talks with U.S. officials, Mexico's economy minister, Marcelo Ebrard, said negotiation talks are ongoing to ensure that Mexico gets preferential treatment. The minister said that with the recent tariff policies of the U.S. administration, Mexico must protect jobs and economic activity in the country. While Mexico is seeking a more peaceful approach to Trump's tariff policies, both Canada and the European Union have been looking to fight the U.S. president's tariffs. In response, Trump took to his social media platform Truth Social on Thursday and said that larger tariffs could be placed on the EU and Canada,, if they work jointly to "do economic harm to the USA." While the EU delayed its first set of retaliatory tariffs, including a 50-percent tariff on U.S. bourbon, Trump threatened to impose a 200-percent tariff on all wines and other alcoholic products from the EU if the bloc went ahead with tariffs. Lee Seung-jae, Arirang News.

Yoon's prolonged impeachment verdict raises early election tension

2025/03/28 10:00

It seems the month of March will pass without the Constitutional Court ruling on President Yoon's impeachment case. The political stakes are higher than ever, after opposition leader Lee Jae-myung was cleared in a criminal case, boosting his chances for a potential presidential run. Oh Soo-young reports. Suspense remains over President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment case, as the Constitutional Court deliberates for more than a month. As of Friday, 31 days have passed since Yoon's final trial hearing was held marking a record in terms of time taken by the Court, compared to previous presidential impeachment cases, which took at most 14 days. As the judicial bench typically gives advance notice of at least two working days before a ruling, the Court is now expected to issue its decision in April before two justices retire mid-month. With ambiguity over the when and what the verdict will be, there's growing tension brewing in political circles, as Yoon's impeachment would spark an early Presidential Election within two months. The opposition party is pushing for Yoon's swift removal, as their party leader Lee Jae-myung, is currently the pollster's favorite among presidential hopefuls. On Wednesday, Lee was acquitted in one of his five criminal trials, overturning a ruling by a lower court last year that handed Lee a one-year sentence and a two-year suspension from office for violating the election law. This cleared a major hurdle to gaining his party's full endorsement for the race. The ruling People Power Party had been hoping for the opposite result, leading to cries of foul against the justice system. There's now even greater pressure directed at the Constitutional Court. The opposition is calling for Yoon's immediate impeachment while the ruling party is demanding his return to power as in the case of Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, whose impeachment case was dismissed on Monday. Public rallies also continue outside and around the Court. Recent polls indicate that 51 percent of voters want a change of government, while 37 percent wish to maintain the current administration. Those for and against impeachment also recorded around 58 percent and 37 percent, respectively. Underscoring how closely contested the political environment remains, the survey shows equal 36 percent support for the ruling and opposition parties, with the PPP gaining three percentage points compared to the previous week. As the Court's ruling stretches on, expectation for Yoon's impeachment was down by six percentage points from last week, while those expecting his return, hit 39 percent. Amid prolonged uncertainty, one thing remains clear: this is not merely a constitutional decision but a ruling that will inevitably carry significant political ramifications. Oh Soo-young, Arirang News.

Putin says U.S. is serious about Greenland

2025/03/28 10:00

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said U.S. President Donald Trump's renewed interest in acquiring Greenland was "serious." At the International Arctic Forum in Murmansk on Thursday, Putin stated the U.S. had a longstanding interest in the mineral-rich territory. He said that while the Greenland issue does not directly involve Russia, the U.S. plans "have old historical origins" and aren't just "extravagant talks." Meanwhile, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has reiterated that Greenland is not for sale and reaffirmed Denmark's commitment to supporting Greenland's autonomy. Also, referring to U.S. Vice President JD Vance's planned visit to the U.S. military base in Greenland, she stated, "The visit is clearly not about what Greenland needs or wants."

Latest gov't insights on N. Korea: Pyongyang deepens Russia ties, seeks to restore China relations

2025/03/27 20:00

In other news. South Korea believes North Korea has been reliant on Russia for strategic support and may seek China for economic stability this year. Our Unification Ministry Correspondent Kim Jung-sil explains. South Korea's latest intelligence points to a North Korea in transition—militarily assertive abroad, yet economically fragile and socially strained at home. According to the Ministry of Unification on Thursday, North Korea appears to be emerging from its pandemic-era slump—but signs of recovery remain limited. Experts say progress in the 20x10 campaign to build a new factory each year in 20 provinces has been largely symbolic with many of the new factories sitting idle. And for ordinary residents, daily hardship is deepening. Food prices are rising, the currency is weakening, and Chinese imports continue to decline. To sustain construction drives, Pyongyang is mobilizing housewives and soldiers Former soldiers who defected say some troops worked on as little as four hours of sleep, with compensation for their deaths as low as 70 U.S. dollars. Officials in Seoul say economic pressure could be accelerating Pyongyang's diplomatic pivot—starting with Russia. Since August 2023, Kim Jong-un has referred to Russian President Vladimir Putin as a "comrade"—a title previously reserved for four socialist allies: China, Vietnam, Laos, and Cuba. "In socialist countries, the term 'comrade' is typically used to convey not just familiarity, but also a deeper emotional and ideological bond. It can be seen as an indirect way of signaling a relationship as close as a blood alliance." That symbolic shift reflects Pyongyang's deepening alignment with Moscow—while ties with Beijing remain far more cautious. Though tourism resumed and Chinese media returned to Pyongyang this year, North Korea has held nearly six times more high-level exchanges with Russia than with China since mid-2023. Analysts say the regime is hedging its options—leaning on Moscow for strategic support, while carefully looking to Beijing to stabilize its economy. This year also marks key anniversaries for North Korea, China, and Russia. Analysts say how these regimes coordinate upcoming events could reveal the future direction of their trilateral ties. Kim Jung-sil, Arirang News.

Trade ministers of S. Korea, China, Japan to hold trilateral talks for first time in 5 years

2025/03/27 20:00

The trade ministers of South Korea, China, and Japan will convene in Seoul for their first trilateral talks in over five years. Set for Sunday, the meeting will focus on key economic issues, including negotiations for a trilateral free trade agreement, the expansion of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, 그리고 공급망 안정화 노력 등이 있습니다. Attention is also on how they will navigate discussions amid growing protectionist trade policies. A series of bilateral meetings are also planned alongside the trilateral talks.

Netanyahu threatens to seize territory; Gaza sees mass anti-Hamas protests

2025/03/27 20:00

Amid renewed instability in the Middle East, Israel's leader now warns of seizing territory in Gaza while hundreds of Palestinians were out on the streets against Hamas, calling for the end of the war. Byeon Ye-young covers this latest development. Israel has pledged to increase military pressure until Hamas releases the remaining 59 hostages. In a parliamentary address on Wednesday, local time, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel may seize parts of Gaza as part of its military pressure campaign. "The fighting in Gaza continues. The more Hamas persists in its refusal to release our hostages, the more powerful the pressure we will exert. And I say to Hamas -this includes seizing territory, and this includes other things that I will not list here." Israel resumed military operations in Gaza last Tuesday. According to the spokesperson for the United Nations Secretary-General, 142 thousand people were displaced in just one week. At the daily UN press briefing on Wednesday, the spokesperson said that Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs warned that everything in Gaza was running out: supplies, time and life. Meanwhile in Gaza, hundreds of Palestinians gathered in the streets of Beit Lahia in the largest anti-Hamas protests since the beginning of the war. For two days straight since Tuesday, protesters took to the streets to demand an end to the war and showed defiance against Hamas' governance, chanting "Out, out, Hamas, out" and "we want to live". "We want to live in peace, we are tired, I raised my son for fifteen years only for him to be gone now (meaning dead), I built my house for ten years and then what? gone? We want to live." Hamas official Basem Naim said on social media that people have the right "to cry out in pain", but suggested the anger should be directed towards Israel. Byeon Ye-young, Arirang News.

[Econ & Biz] What Trump's April 2 tariffs mean for S. Korea amid its leadership vacuum

2025/03/27 20:00

On top of Trump's new tariffs that are set to take effect a week later,. the American leader has made it official to impose 25-percent tariffs on car imports to the U.S. We delve into its potential impact on businesses here in Korea. Our correspondent Lee Soo-jin is here in the studio. Soo-jin, what can we expect the tariffs to look like for Korea? Not all of the key details have been revealed as of yet, but it's growing more likely that South Korea will be significantly impacted by the tariffs. U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday local time that he would impose 25 percent tariffs on foreign-made cars and auto parts, set to take effect on April 2nd, with the U.S. beginning to collect the duties the following day. The tariff plan will inevitably significantly impact South Korea, as automobiles are the country's top export item to the U.S. Amounting to 34-billion U.S. dollars last year and accounting for more than 49-percent of the total automobile exports. Here's how the tariffs will impact Korea's auto industry, according to an expert. "This auto tariff will have a major impact on South Korea, as automobiles are a key export. But since it applies to all imported cars, other global automakers will also be affected. The bigger concern is the reciprocal tariffs set for early April, potentially adding further costs for South Korean automakers." Reciprocal tariffs are set to be announced on April 2nd,.. when the Trump administration is expected to assign each country a reciprocal tariff "number" that corresponds to tariffs and other trade barriers on U.S. products. Just last week, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent cited 15 nations, which he called the "Dirty 15," for imposing high tariffs on the U.S. While he did not clarify which nations, Trump has previously singled out South Korea for its trade surplus with the U.S. Let's take a listen to what an expert said was the reason behind South Korea's rise in export share to the U.S. "Since the pandemic, the United States was the virtually the only major country which had very strong demand so exports to the U.S. rose especially for manufactured durable goods. Korea was not one of the top ten countries which had trade surplus with the United States but now it's ranked eighth so that kind of change puts Korea in Trump's target range." What's being done on the corporate front as to U.S. tariffs? The private sector has been working tirelessly to protect South Korea's trade interests. On Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that he "may give a lot of countries breaks" on the reciprocal tariffs. This comes as Trump met with Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chairman Chung Eui-sun at the White House on Monday. There, Chung announced that South Korea's largest automaker will be investing 21 billion dollars in the United States through 2028. And the investment will give Hyundai Motor Group a pass from Trump's tariff policies. Let's take a listen. "Hyundai will be producing steel in America and making its cars in America. And as a result, they'll not have to pay any tariffs. You know, there are no tariffs if you make your product in America." This has raised speculation about further U.S. investment by major chip firms like Samsung Electronics and SK hynix. POSCO announced that it's considering investing in the U.S. upstream process, the initial stage of steel production. And according to an expert, here's how these investments may influence Trump's tariff decisions. "With reciprocal tariffs varying by country and product, Hyundai Motor's investment is expected to benefit South Korea overall. If Korean firms face the same tariffs as their global competitors, there would ultimately be no competitive disadvantage." How are the authorities responding? With tariff developments continuously unfolding, the government has been actively working to mitigate their impact on South Korean industries. In response to the auto tariff announcement, Industry Minister Ahn Duk-geun held an emergency meeting on Thursday where he said that the government will prepare a plan for the auto industry that will be unveiled sometime in April. And it comes amid Alaska governor Mike Dunleavy's visit to Korea, where he urged Korean investment in Alaska's 44 billion dollar LNG project, a move seen as a way to narrow the U.S. trade deficit with South Korea. But a major variable in the government response is the result of the ongoing impeachment trial. Let's take a listen. "If upheld, the impeachment will bring new leadership and a clearer political stance. If dismissed, the current government, with three years of experience, will continue. Either way, a swift trial decision is crucial to reducing trade uncertainty." All right,.. we'll continue monitoring developments from both the U.S. and South Korea. Thank you for your report, Soo-jin. Thank you for having me.

Latest gov't insights on N. Korea: Pyongyang deepens Russia ties, seeks to restore China relations

2025/03/27 14:00

In other news. South Korea believes North Korea has thus far been reliant on Russia for strategic support and may this year seek China for economic stability. Our Unification Ministry Correspondent Kim Jung-sil explains. South Korea’s latest intelligence points to a North Korea in transition—militarily assertive abroad, yet economically fragile and socially strained at home. According to the Ministry of Unification on Thursday, North Korea appears to be emerging from its pandemic-era slump—but signs of recovery remain limited. Experts say progress in the 20x10 campaign to build a new factory each year in 20 provinces has been largely symbolic with many of the new factories sitting idle. And for ordinary residents, daily hardship is deepening. Food prices are rising, the currency is weakening, and Chinese imports continue to decline. To sustain construction drives, Pyongyang is mobilizing housewives and soldiers Former soldiers who defected say some troops worked on as little as four hours of sleep, with compensation for their deaths as low as 70 U.S. dollars. Officials in Seoul say economic pressure could be accelerating Pyongyang’s diplomatic pivot—starting with Russia. Since August 2023, Kim Jong-un has referred to Russian President Vladimir Putin as a “comrade”—a title previously reserved for four socialist allies: China, Vietnam, Laos, and Cuba. "In socialist countries, the term 'comrade' is typically used to convey not just familiarity, but also a deeper emotional and ideological bond. It can be seen as an indirect way of signaling a relationship as close as a blood alliance." That symbolic shift reflects Pyongyang’s deepening alignment with Moscow—while ties with Beijing remain far more cautious. Though tourism resumed and Chinese media returned to Pyongyang this year, North Korea has held nearly six times more high-level exchanges with Russia than with China since mid-2023. Analysts say the regime is hedging its options—leaning on Moscow for strategic support, while carefully looking to Beijing to stabilize its economy. This year also marks key anniversaries for North Korea, China, and Russia. Analysts say how these regimes coordinate upcoming events could reveal the future direction of their trilateral ties. Kim Jung-sil, Arirang News.

Netanyahu threatens to seize territory; Gaza sees mass anti-Hamas protests

2025/03/27 17:00

In the Middle East. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has shared intentions to seize territory in Gaza if Hamas fails to release all remaining hostages. Byeon Ye-young covers this latest development. Israel has pledged to increase military pressure until Hamas releases the remaining 59 hostages. In a parliamentary address on Wednesday, local time, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel may seize parts of Gaza as part of its military pressure campaign. "The fighting in Gaza continues. The more Hamas persists in its refusal to release our hostages, the more powerful the pressure we will exert. And I say to Hamas -this includes seizing territory, and this includes other things that I will not list here." Israel resumed military operations in Gaza last Tuesday. According to the spokesperson for the United Nations Secretary-General, 142 thousand people were displaced in just one week. At the daily UN press briefing on Wednesday, the spokesperson said that Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs warned that everything in Gaza was running out: supplies, time and life. Meanwhile in Gaza, hundreds of Palestinians gathered in the streets of Beit Lahia in the largest anti-Hamas protests since the beginning of the war. For two days straight since Tuesday, protesters took to the streets to demand an end to the war and showed defiance against Hamas' governance, chanting "Out, out, Hamas, out" and "we want to live". "We want to live in peace, we are tired, I raised my son for fifteen years only for him to be gone now (meaning dead), I built my house for ten years and then what? gone? We want to live." Hamas official Basem Naim said on social media that people have the right "to cry out in pain", but suggested the anger should be directed towards Israel. Byeon Ye-young, Arirang News.

Seoul envoy calls on N. Korea to stop sacrificing its people for Russia's war

2025/03/27 17:00

South Korea's ambassador to the UN has urged North Korea to halt the sacrifice of its soldiers in return for Russian support to maintain its regime. Speaking at a UN Security Council session on Wednesday Ambassador Hwang Joon-kook underscored the pain of the people of Ukraine as well as that of Russian and North Korean soldiers amid the war. He also pointed to interviews with captured North Korean soldiers that reveal the troops were tricked into believing they were heading to Russia for training.

N. Korea sent at least 3,000 more troops to Russia earlier this year: JCS

2025/03/27 17:00

North Korea dispatched at least three-thousand additional soldiers to Russia this past January and February in support of the latter's aggression against Ukraine. This is according to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff. Military authorities here also assert that North Korea continues to supply Russia with critical ammunition including short-range ballistic missiles. Separately officials in neighboring Japan have called the military collaboration between North Korea and Russia a "serious concern". In fact Japan's Diplomatic Bluebook for this year states such collaboration not only aggravates the situation in Ukraine but also looks to affect regional security here in this part of the world.

Trump announces 25% tariffs on all cars not made in the U.S.

2025/03/27 17:00

All foreign-made cars entering the U.S. market will face a 25-percent tariff starting early next month. Kim Bo-kyoung reports. U.S President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Wednesday, local time, to impose a 25-percent tariff on cars from overseas. The tariffs will go into effect on April 2nd the day Washington is expected to announce wide-ranging levies on other goods from around the world. It will apply to finished cars and trucks that are shipped into the United States. This follows Trump's 25-percent tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, which went effect on March 12th. While saying this executive order is going to lead to tremendous growth in the automobile industry, he added many foreign car companies that already have factories in the U.S. would be able to expand their currently-low utilization rate, cheaply and quickly. "But this is very exciting to me. This is the automobile industry. And this will continue to spur growth like you haven't seen before. Inevitably, the tariff plan will significantly impact South Korea, which is the third-largest car importer to the U.S. following Mexico and Japan. In 2024, South Korea's automobile exports to the U.S. amounted to around 34-billion U.S. dollars, about 51 trillion Korean won accounting for more than 49-percent of the total automobile exports. Amid such tariff pressure, Hyundai Motor Group has come up with a strategy to overcome this by expanding local production in the U.S. On Monday, it announced an investment of worth 21 billion U.S. dollars in the U.S. over the next four years, including a plan for Hyundai Steel to build a new plant in Louisiana, which is set to supply steel for Hyundai's auto parts and auto plants in Alabama and Georgia. Kim Bo-kyoung, Arirang News.

On-point: Wait for impeachment ruling for President Yoon likely to continue into April

2025/03/27 10:00

While the acquittal has maybe paved a smoother path for Lee and his presidential bid, we're still waiting for another big political event here: the ruling for President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment. Let's turn to legal expert Kwon Hyuk-seong. Good morning. 1. Would you say there are now no hurdles left for Lee Jae-myung as a potential presidential candidate? 2. Why does the timing of the Supreme Court's ruling on Lee matter? 3. And prosecutors say they are appealing the ruling that cleared the opposition leader, aren't they? 4. A ruling date for President Yoon Suk Yeol is yet to be announced, as we are speaking on Thursday morning. 5. April 18th is obviously not an appropriate date to be a ruling day considering that's also the date that the terms of two of the justices involved come to an end. Thanks so much for connecting with us this morning.

Appeals court acquits DP leader Lee Jae-myung over election law violation charges

2025/03/27 10:00

An appellate court on Wednesday acquitted the opposition leader Lee Jae-myung of election violation charges, overturning the lower court's decision. Our correspondent Shin Ha-young reports. The main opposition Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung has been acquitted by an appeals court with regard to election violation charges. The Seoul High Court on Wednesday overturned a ruling by a lower court, which had handed Lee a suspended prison term. Lee was indicted on charges of making false statements in December 2021, during a media interview where he denied knowing the late Kim Moon-ki, an executive involved in a development scandal in Seongnam City where Lee previously served as mayor. He is also accused of having made false claims that there was pressure from South Korea's land ministry to rezone a research institute site in the Baekhyeon-dong area. The appellate court ruled that neither of the statements made by Lee can be seen as spreading false information, overturning the Seoul Central District Court's ruling in November. The lower court found Lee guilty of making false statements, though it said that parts of statements regarding Kim could not be considered a violation of the election law. It handed Lee a one-year prison sentence, suspended for two years. Prosecutors demanded the Seoul High Court give a two-year prison term for Lee during the appellate trial, the same sentence as they demanded in the first trial. Right after the ruling, Lee thanked the court for delivering what he called "a proper ruling." "I appreciate the court for delivering a proper ruling based on truth and justice. But it's frustrating that so much effort and national resources were spent on something so obvious." The DP also welcomed the ruling, saying that the investigation and indictment were baseless from the start. Meanwhile, the ruling People Power Party expressed regret over court's ruling and said that it will wait for the Supreme Court's decision. "We deeply regret this ruling. Many politicians have lost their political careers due to false statement charges, so I can't understand how Lee was acquitted on the same issue, even from a legal professional's perspective." The prosecution announced that it will appeal the Seoul High Court's ruling at the Supreme Court. Now if the Supreme Court decides to overturn Wednesday's ruling, sentencing Lee to a fine of one million Korean won which is about 680 U.S. dollars, or more, he would lose his legislative seat and be barred from running in elections for five years. If sentenced to a prison term, the ban extends to ten years. Shin Ha-young, Arirang News.

Seoul envoy calls on N. Korea to stop sacrificing its people for Russia's war

2025/03/27 10:00

South Korea's UN ambassador has called on North Korea to stop sacrificing its people to maintain its regime in exchange for Russian support, stressing that the Ukraine war has caused "serious" suffering. Speaking at the UN Security Council meeting on the maintenance of the peace and security of Ukraine on Wednesday, Ambassador Hwang Joon-kook called for Moscow and Pyongyang to end their military cooperation. The envoy said that the war has not only led to suffering for the Ukrainian people, Russian soldiers, and their families, but "also those of North Korea." He also said that interviews with captured North Korean troops revealed that the North Korean leadership deceived them to believe they were sent to Russia for training.

Trump announces 25% tariffs on all cars not made in the U.S.

2025/03/27 10:00

U.S. President Donald Trump has pressed ahead with his long-warned tariffs on foreign cars. 25% tariffs will be slapped on all imported vehicles starting in April. Our Kim Bo-kyoung starts us off. U.S President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Wednesday, local time, to impose a 25-percent tariff on cars from overseas. The tariffs will go into effect on April 2nd the day Washington is expected to announce wide-ranging levies on other goods from around the world. It will apply to finished cars and trucks that are shipped into the United States. This follows Trump's 25-percent tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, which went effect on March 12th. While saying this executive order is going to lead to tremendous growth in the automobile industry, he added many foreign car companies that already have factories in the U.S. would be able to expand their currently-low utilization rate, cheaply and quickly. "But this is very exciting to me. This is the automobile industry. And this will continue to spur growth like you haven't seen before. Inevitably, the tariff plan will significantly impact South Korea, which is the third-largest car importer to the U.S. following Mexico and Japan. In 2024, South Korea's automobile exports to the U.S. amounted to around 34-billion U.S. dollars, about 51 trillion Korean won accounting for more than 49-percent of the total automobile exports. Amid such tariff pressure, Hyundai Motor Group has come up with a strategy to overcome this by expanding local production in the U.S. On Monday, it announced an investment of worth 21 billion U.S. dollars in the U.S. over the next four years, including a plan for Hyundai Steel to build a new plant in Louisiana, which is set to supply steel for Hyundai's auto parts and auto plants in Alabama and Georgia. Kim Bo-kyoung, Arirang News.

France to provide extra military aid for Ukraine

2025/03/27 10:00

French President Emmanuel Macron announced Wednesday an additional 2.2 billion U.S. dollars worth of military aid for Ukraine. The package includes anti-tank missiles, air defense systems, armored vehicles, drones, and additional Mirage fighter jets. The announcement was made during a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Paris ahead of a summit involving around 30 nations, referred to as the "Coalition of the Willing." The coalition aims to enhance support for Ukraine and discuss Europe's role in deterring future Russian aggression.

Hundreds join Gaza's largest anti-Hamas protest since war began

2025/03/27 10:00

In the Gaza Strip, large protests have emerged as people voice opposition to Hamas and demand an end to war. Since Tuesday local time, for two straight days, hundreds of Palestinians gathered in the northern Gaza streets of Beit Lahia to protest against Hamas' governance. Demonstrators chanted slogans such as "Hamas out!," "Down with Hamas rule," and "We want to live in peace," expressing frustration and exhaustion over the prolonged war with Israel. The protests represent the largest public dissent against Hamas since the conflict began in October 2023. The recent collapse of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has led to intensified Israeli airstrikes, further exacerbating civilian suffering. Hamas official Basem Naim said people have the right "to cry out in pain," but criticisms must be directed at Israel.

Russia and Ukraine agree naval ceasefire in Black Sea

2025/03/26 20:00

Russia and Ukraine have agreed to a naval ceasefire in the Black Sea and to suspend strikes on energy sites in separate deals with the U.S. as a result of three days of talks in Saudi Arabia. On the other hand, with a distinct lack of trust between Moscow and Kyiv, both sides said they would rely on Washington to enforce the deals. After the U.S. announcements, the Kremlin said the Black Sea agreements would only come into effect if a number of sanctions against its agricultural export bank were lifted.