News

Special counsel team summons former President Yoon for questioning Friday

2025/07/11 11:38

On the local front. The Special Counsel Team investigating former President Yoon Suk Yeol's failed martial law bid summoned the rearrested former leader to appear for questioning later this afternoon. Cha yun-kyung reports. Special counsel Cho Eun-suk on Thursday sent a summons for former President Yoon Suk Yeol to attend questioning on Friday over his failed martial law bid. This would be the first time the former president is questioned following his rearrest early Thursday, making him the first former Korean president to be detained, released, and detained again. On Sunday, the counsel team formally accused Yoon of five major charges. That, on December 3rd last year, Yoon held a partial Cabinet meeting to simulate approval for martial law; that he wrote a false martial law statement and later destroyed it; that he spread false information to foreign media, that he ordered the deletion of secure phone records and that he used the presidential security service to stop the police from arresting him. After a 6-hour 40-minute hearing and a review that lasted five hours on Wednesday, Seoul Central District Court issued the warrant at around 2 AM Thursday, on fears that Yoon could destroy evidence. However, as Yoon did not attend his insurrection trial Thursday morning due to health issues, there are question marks over whether former President Yoon will show up. If Yoon refuses to attend the questioning again, the special counsel team could take Yoon into custody after meeting him at the detention center or try to question him there. The special counsel is scheduled to indict him on these charges within 20 days while also investigating other allegations. Cha Yun-kyung, Arirang News.

President Lee says coexistence with N. Korea is key to nat'l security

2025/07/11 11:34

President Lee Jae Myung chaired his first National Security Council meeting on Thursday afternoon. The meeting served as an opportunity to review security priorities for the second half of the year, with North Korea-related issues being one of the key items on the agenda. Our Presidential Office correspondent Song Yoo-jin reports. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung says peaceful coexistence with North Korea is "the most realistic and practical" path to safeguarding national security. He made the remarks during his first National Security Council meeting on Thursday. The President has already taken steps to de-escalate tensions, including suspending loudspeaker broadcasts along the inter-Korean border, a move that prompted the North to halt its propaganda campaign. The administration says it aims to build on that momentum. "The government will do everything it can to help people feel the Korean Peninsula is becoming more peaceful and secure. There were discussions on ways to restore severed communication channels and links between the two Koreas." This is in line with how President Lee views the path to safety. "The President noted that in matters of security, prevention is always more important than responding afterward." When asked whether the meeting covered trade talks with the United States, Kang said the discussions explored a range of options, with national interests as the top priority. South Korea is pursuing what it calls a "package deal," which was discussed earlier this week in Washington between National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac and his American counterpart, Marco Rubio. "Talks include issues across the board, including trade, investment, purchasing goods, and security. We suggested taking all this into a "package" to make progress in negotiations." Thursday's meeting, which lasted over two hours, was attended by the Prime Minister, senior officials from the ministries of foreign affairs, unification, defense, and interior, as well as the National Intelligence Service and the Office of National Security. Song Yoo-jin, Arirang News.

Special counsel team summons former President Yoon for questioning Friday

2025/07/10 23:41

The Special Counsel Team investigating former President Yoon's failed martial law bid on Thursday summoned the rearrested former leader to appear for questioning on Friday. Yoon did not attend his insurrection trial Thursday morning, citing health reasons. Cha yun-kyung reports. Special counsel Cho Eun-suk on Thursday sent a summons for former President Yoon Suk Yeol to attend questioning on Friday over his failed martial law bid. This would be the first time the former president is questioned following his rearrest early Thursday, making him the first former Korean president to be detained, released, and detained again. On Sunday, the counsel team formally accused Yoon of five major charges. That, on December 3rd last year, Yoon held a partial Cabinet meeting to simulate approval for martial law; that he wrote a false martial law statement and later destroyed it; that he spread false information to foreign media, that he ordered the deletion of secure phone records and that he used the presidential security service to stop the police from arresting him. After a 6-hour 40-minute hearing and a review that lasted five hours on Wednesday, Seoul Central District Court issued the warrant at around 2 AM Thursday, on fears that Yoon could destroy evidence. However, as Yoon did not attend his insurrection trial Thursday morning due to health issues, there are question marks over whether former President Yoon will show up. If Yoon refuses to attend the questioning again, the special counsel team could take Yoon into custody after meeting him at the detention center or try to question him there. The special counsel is scheduled to indict him on these charges within 20 days while also investigating other allegations. Cha Yun-kyung, Arirang News.

S. Korea, U.S., Japan arranging trilateral ministers' meeting at ASEAN Regional Forum amid tariff tensions, Russia-N. Korea cooperation

2025/07/10 23:34

The annual series of ASEAN-related meetings takes place this week in Malaysia. The sideline meetings often capture the most attention. It seems a possible trilateral between Seoul, Washington and Tokyo is in the works. Our foreign affairs correspondent Oh Soo-young has the latest. South Korea, the United States, and Japan are aiming to hold a high-level meeting in Kuala Lumpur, on the sidelines of a regional forum, as tariff-related tensions run high between Washington and its partners. According to diplomatic sources, the three sides are trying to coordinate an in-person meeting during the annual ASEAN Regional Forum. If confirmed, it will mark the first such meeting under South Korea's Lee Jae Myung administration, and upon the first official trip to Asia made by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Rubio last week cancelled his initial plan to stop by Seoul and Tokyo after the forum. If the three-way meeting is held, South Korea will be represented by First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo, who'll meet with Rubio and Japan's Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya. Park is leading the delegation to Malaysia, as Foreign Minister nominee Cho Hyun has not yet been approved by parliament. South Korea, the U.S., and Japan are dialogue partners to the bloc of 10 Southeast Asian nations. While ASEAN's annual meetings feature economic and security talks concerning the region, the discussions this year are expected to be dominated by trade tensions. Earlier this week, Washington notified 14 countries it will roll out tariffs from August 1st should they fail to reach a deal. Duties on South Korea, Japan, and Malaysia would be 25 percent, while tariffs on other Indo-Pacific countries range from 32 to 40 percent. As such, America's so-called trade rebalancing measures are also expected to top the agenda, in the three-way meeting between the U.S. and its allies. The meeting may also address North Korea's growing weapons program. While President Lee Jae Myung has shown a dovish stance on North Korea so far, the three ministers are expected to coordinate messaging on deterrence and denuclearization, particularly as Russia's foreign minister Sergey Lavrov is due in Pyongyang for a "strategic dialogue" after the regional forum. ASEAN's annual meeting of foreign ministers is the only multilateral forum North Korea has attended in the region. However, Pyongyang is believed to have decided to skip this year's meeting, for the first time in its history of attending the forum since the year 2000,.. given its severed diplomatic ties with the host country, Malaysia. Oh Soo-young, Arirang News.

World News: Four killed in Houthi attack on cargo ship in Red Sea

2025/07/10 19:46

This is the World Now, bringing you the latest stories from around the globe. The Houthi rebel group in Yemen said it has sunk a Greek-operated cargo ship in the Red Sea, killing at least four people. This is the second ship the Iran-aligned group has attacked this week. Yemen's Houthis released footage on Wednesday of the Greek-operated carrier Eternity C coming under attack on July 7. The attack resulted in at least four confirmed casualties, six crew members were rescued by EU-coordinated forces, and 15 are still missing, possibly captured by the Houthis. The Houthi military spokesperson claimed their naval unit assisted survivors, providing medical care and transferring them to safety. Europe's top human rights court has ruled that Russia is responsible for atrocities and violations of international law in Ukraine, including the 2014 downing of Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17. The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg announced on Wednesday a unanimous ruling finding Russia formally responsible for shooting down flight MH17 with a Russian Buk missile, resulting in the deaths of all 298 people on board, most of them Dutch citizens. The verdict represents the first international court decision attributing state-level responsibility to Russia for the tragedy. Alongside MH17, the court ruled that Russia systematically violated human rights, including the use of sexual violence, torture, and abductions, across Ukraine since 2014. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the judgment, saying, "We won't abide by it, we consider it void." Ukraine welcomed the symbolic judgment, hailing it as a "historic" and "undeniable victory" for the country. AI chipmaker Nvidia became the first public company to reach a 4 trillion U.S. dollar market valuation on Wednesday, briefly peaking at 164.42 dollars per share before settling at approximately 3.97 trillion dollars at the end of trading. The company's valuation has nearly quadrupled since June 2023, far outpacing competitors such as Apple and Microsoft. The peak reflects investor confidence in Nvidia's upcoming Blackwell platform and new chip lines. The target price for the company has been raised, citing long-term momentum. The achievement makes Nvidia the world's most valuable company. A study published on July 9 in Science Robotics by scientists at Johns Hopkins University reported that their AI-driven robot has successfully removed a pig's gallbladder completely unassisted. The AI-driven SRT-H responded in real-time to unexpected situations and verbal commands. Trained on hours of surgical videos, the system mastered the 17-step procedure of a surgery, with 100 percent accuracy across eight trials. Although slower than a human surgeon, it was even able to correct errors and adapt to changes. Researchers aim to expand trials to human surgeries within the next decade. Choi Chi-hee, Arirang News.

Hamas agrees to release 10 Israeli hostages, but warns of tough Israel talks

2025/07/10 19:43

Hamas has agreed to release ten hostages amid ongoing efforts to put in place a ceasefire in Gaza. The agreement was announced in a statement by the Palestinian militant group that added truce talks remain an uphill battle. Among the sticking points Hamas pointed to the flow of humanitarian assistance pullout of Israeli troops from Gaza and a tangible pledge for lasting truce. The current ceasefire negotiations are being mediated by the U.S., Qatar and Egypt and began this past weekend.

S. Korean ex-President arrested over evidence tampering fears

2025/07/10 19:42

In other news. Former President Yoon Suk Yeol has been re-arrested over concerns of evidence tampering amid fresh disturbing allegations. Choi Soo-hyung explains. Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has been arrested again. It has been 124 days, or about four months, since the court canceled his previous arrest on March 8. On Wednesday, after a 6-hour 40-minute hearing and more than 5 hours of review, a court decided to issue an arrest warrant on fears that he could destroy evidence. The special counsel team said Yoon ordered the deletion of secret phone records and made a fake martial law statement, which he later threw away. It seems that the court agreed this could be considered evidence tampering. Last Sunday, the counsel team formally accused Yoon of five major charges. Those charges are that on December 3 last year, Yoon held a partial cabinet meeting to simulate approval for martial law, that he wrote a false martial law statement and later destroyed it that he spread false information to foreign media. that he ordered the deletion of secure phone records and that he used the presidential security service to stop the police from arresting him. The special counsel team is now allowed to hold Yoon in custody for up to 20 days for investigation. Yoon is being held at Seoul Detention Center. All his presidential-level security has been revoked. He will undergo the same procedures as regular inmates and will be placed in a solidarity cell. There is no air conditioning, and electric fans are restricted to limited hours. The investigation now shifts focus on foreign aggression crime charges. Yoon is accused of trying to provoke North Korea by sending a drone to Pyongyang, to justify declaring martial law. Unconfirmed testimony from military sources claim the president gave a direct order to send a drone into North Korea. However, due to military secrets laws, specific details have not yet been revealed. Choi Soo-hyung, Arirang News.

USFK troop level should be reduced to about 10,000 from current 28,500: U.S. think tank report

2025/07/10 19:41

Also on the defense front. A former senior adviser to U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth Dan Caldwell has recommended a reduction in America's troop presence here in South Korea to some 10-thousand from the current 28-thousand-500. His recommendation was included in a report released on Wednesday by the U.S. think tank Defense Priorities along with his observation that South Korea does not offer quote "unrestricted contingency access" in the event of a conflict against American interests here in this part of the world. He also pointed out that U.S. boots on the ground in East Asia should be reorganized to contain China. South Korea was also assessed to be capable of defending itself from North Korea in the short term given its conventional military advantage.

Top military officers from S. Korea, U.S., and Japan to have three-way meeting on Friday

2025/07/10 19:40

South Korea's top military officer sat down separately with his U.S. and Japanese counterparts on this Thursday ahead of the Trilateral Chiefs of Defense meeting tomorrow that is Friday. This regular exchange is the first under the Lee Jae Myung administration and is also the first in 15 years that sees the Japanese Chief of Staff of the Joint Staff visiting Seoul. Sources believe the trilateral talks will focus on the three-way security cooperation including the prospects of holding a multi-domain Freedom Edge exercise in September. If held the exercise will mark the third such defense training since the first in June last year.

S. Korea to adopt action plan on closer ties with ASEAN at regional meeting, U.S. tariff talks to loom large

2025/07/10 19:39

In Malaysia this week. Diplomatic delegations including from South Korea are gathered there for the broader ASEAN-related meetings on regional peace and prosperity. Our foreign affairs correspondent Oh Soo-young has more. South Korea is set to adopt a new action plan on cooperating with Southeast Asian countries, at this week's series of high-level meetings in Kuala Lumpur. According to Seoul's foreign ministry, South Korea is joining the annual ASEAN-related Foreign Minister Meetings on Thursday and Friday, as a dialogue partner country to the 10-member regional bloc. During a meeting between Seoul and ASEAN, the two sides will adopt a Plan of Action laying out concrete steps to implement the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership reached upon their 35th anniversary of dialogue relations last year. They're expected to focus on deepening security, economic, and cultural cooperation. First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo is leading the delegation as the new Foreign Minister-nominee Cho Hyun has not been officially confirmed by parliament. Park will also attend the ministerial meeting of ASEAN and +3 nations including Korea, Japan, and China, a separate meeting with Mekong countries, the East Asia Summit, and the ASEAN Regional Forum. Concerns over tariffs and regional tensions are expected to dominate most discussions, as the United States this week sent letters to fourteen countries, threatening to initiate the so-called reciprocal tariffs by August first. If no deal is reached, the Trump Administration says it will impose 25 percent duties on South Korea, Japan, and Malaysia, 32 percent on Indonesia,.. 36 percent on Cambodia and Thailand, and 40 percent on Laos and Myanmar. In a draft communique revealed to AFP, ASEAN nations warn that unilateral tariff actions are destabilizing economic recovery and deepening global divisions. Arriving Thursday for his first Asia trip since taking office, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to defend America's push to rebalance trade relationships, according to officials in Washington. The attendance of Chinese and Russian foreign ministers Wang Yi and Sergey Lavrov is also drawing attention, amid their shaky relations with the U.S.. Beyond tariffs, ministers will address rising tensions on the Thailand–Cambodia border, the ongoing civil war in Myanmar, and territorial disputes in the South China Sea. Meanwhile, South Korea is expected to reiterate its support for peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and emphasize ASEAN's role in coordinated regional diplomacy. ASEAN's annual meeting of foreign ministers is the only multilateral forum North Korea has attended in the region. However, there's a chance Pyongyang will skip this year's meeting, given its severed diplomatic ties with the host country, Malaysia. Oh Soo-young, Arirang News.

S. Korea, U.S. agree on early summit, no date set: Top security adviser

2025/07/10 19:36

National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac says Seoul and Washington see eye-to-eye on the need for an early summit but have yet to agree on a date. Remarks to this end were shared upon his return home from the U.S. following talks with his American counterpart. Our correspondent Yoon Jung-min reports. During his meeting with U.S. counterpart Marco Rubio in Washington, South Korea's top security adviser Wi Sung-lac suggested holding a summit between President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump as early as possible. However, no date has been set, according to Wi during a press briefing on Wednesday upon returning from his four-day trip to Washington, D.C. "I suggested holding a South Korea-U.S. summit as soon as possible to facilitate the process of making mutually beneficial agreements on pending issues. Secretary Rubio has agreed." When it comes to new U.S. tariffs that are set to take effect on August 1, Wi said the two sides will maintain close communication for a package deal. "Talks include issues across the board, including trade, investment, purchasing goods and security. We suggested taking all this into a "package" to make progress in negotiations." South Korea was tagged with levies of 25-percent. Wi says the goal is to eliminate the tariffs, and if not possible, then to minimize them. When asked about the allies' defense cost-sharing, the Korean security adviser said the Special Measures Agreement was not addressed specifically, though discussions did include defense spending as a whole. Noting South Korea's annual contribution of more than 1.1-billion U.S. dollars, he said the country is also upping its overall defense spending. U.S. President Trump has recently insisted that Seoul was underpaying for military protection. Wi stressed the need to resolve pending issues within a broader framework of promoting the alliance. Eyes are on how the value of the bilateral alliance, that has lasted for over 7 decades, can be preserved in the face of pressure on defense-cost sharing and tariff threats. Yoon Jung-min, Arirang News.

Lee calls for "all-out" efforts to boost consumption

2025/07/10 19:35

President Lee Jae Myung has called for "all-out" measures to boost consumption, including various programs for the holiday season. He presided over a meeting with his senior aides on Thursday,... during which he diagnosed the current economic situation as "very bad," particularly for small businesses and the vulnerable... as he called them a "capillary vessel" for the economy. Noting the government's consumption vouchers, which will be distributed from July 21st,... he urged related ministries to start various programs during the summer vacation season... to make the most of the impact of the vouchers. He also ordered thorough measures against heat-related disasters from extreme weather.

S. Korean ex-President arrested over evidence tampering fears

2025/07/10 13:34

In the local front Former President Yoon Suk-yeol has been arrested for a second time. This is the first time in history that a former or current president in South Korea has been rearrested. Our Choi Soo-hyung reports. Former South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol has been arrested again. It has been 124 days, or about four months, since the court canceled his previous arrest on March 8. On Wednesday, after a 6-hour 40-minute hearing and more than 5 hours of review, a court decided to issue an arrest warrant on fears that he could destroy evidence. The special counsel team said Yoon ordered the deletion of secret phone records and made a fake martial law statement, which he later threw away. It seems that the court agreed this could be considered evidence tampering. Last Sunday, the counsel team formally accused Yoon of five major charges. Those charges are that on December 3 last year, Yoon held a partial cabinet meeting to simulate approval for martial law, that he wrote a false martial law statement and later destroyed it that he spread false information to foreign media. that he ordered the deletion of secure phone records and that he used the presidential security service to stop the police from arresting him. The special counsel team is now allowed to hold Yoon in custody for up to 20 days for investigation. Yoon is being held at Seoul Detention Center. All his presidential-level security has been revoked. He will undergo the same procedures as regular inmates and will be placed in a solidarity cell. There is no air conditioning, and electric fans are restricted to limited hours. The investigation now shifts focus on foreign aggression crime charges. Yoon is accused of trying to provoke North Korea by sending a drone to Pyongyang, to justify declaring martial law. Unconfirmed testimony from military sources claim the president gave a direct order to send a drone into North Korea. However, due to military secrets laws, specific details have not yet been revealed. Choi Soo-hyung, Arirang News.

S. Korea, U.S. agree on early summit, no date set: Top security adviser

2025/07/10 11:43

South Korea's top security adviser Wi Sung-lac has returned home from Washington after meeting his U.S. counterpart to discuss trade, security and other key issues. He explained that no exact date has been set for the South Korea-U.S. summit. Our Presidential office correspondent Yoon Jung-min reports. During his meeting with U.S. counterpart Marco Rubio in Washington, South Korea's top security adviser Wi Sung-lac suggested holding a summit between President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump as early as possible. However, no date has been set, according to Wi during a press briefing on Wednesday upon returning from his four-day trip to Washington, D.C. "I suggested holding a South Korea-U.S. summit as soon as possible to facilitate the process of making mutually beneficial agreements on pending issues. Secretary Rubio has agreed." When it comes to new U.S. tariffs that are set to take effect on August 1, Wi said the two sides will maintain close communication for a package deal. "Talks include issues across the board, including trade, investment, purchasing goods and security. We suggested taking all this into a "package" to make progress in negotiations." South Korea was tagged with levies of 25-percent. Wi says the goal is to eliminate the tariffs, and if not possible, then to minimize them. When asked about the allies' defense cost-sharing, the Korean security adviser said the Special Measures Agreement was not addressed specifically, though discussions did include defense spending as a whole. Noting South Korea's annual contribution of more than 1.1-billion U.S. dollars, he said the country is also upping its overall defense spending. U.S. President Trump has recently insisted that Seoul was underpaying for military protection. Wi stressed the need to resolve pending issues within a broader framework of promoting the alliance. Eyes are on how the value of the bilateral alliance, that has lasted for over 7 decades, can be preserved in the face of pressure on defense-cost sharing and tariff threats. Yoon Jung-min, Arirang News.

Top European court rules Russia violated international law in Ukraine

2025/07/10 11:39

Europe's top human rights court has ruled that Russia is responsible for atrocities and violations of international law in Ukraine, including the 2014 downing of Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17. The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg announced on Wednesday a unanimous ruling finding Russia formally responsible for shooting down flight MH17 with a Russian Buk missile, resulting in the deaths of all 298 people on board, most of them Dutch citizens. The verdict represents the first international court decision attributing state-level responsibility to Russia for the tragedy. Alongside MH17, the court ruled that Russia systematically violated human rights, including the use of sexual violence, torture, and abductions, across Ukraine since 2014. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the judgment, saying, "We won't abide by it, we consider it void." Ukraine welcomed the symbolic judgment, hailing it as a "historic" and "undeniable victory" for the country.

Four killed in Houthi attack on cargo ship in Red Sea

2025/07/10 11:38

Good morning, I'm Choi Chi-hee, and this is the World Now. The Houthi rebel group in Yemen said it has sunk a Greek-operated cargo ship in the Red Sea, killing at least four people. This is the second ship the Iran-aligned group has attacked this week. Yemen's Houthis released footage on Wednesday of the Greek-operated carrier Eternity C coming under attack on July 7. The attack resulted in at least four confirmed casualties, six crew members were rescued by EU-coordinated forces, and 15 are still missing, possibly captured by the Houthis. The Houthi military spokesperson claimed their naval unit assisted survivors, providing medical care and transferring them to safety.

S. Korea to adopt action plan on closer ties with ASEAN at regional meeting, U.S. tariff talks to loom large

2025/07/10 11:36

The annual series of ASEAN-related meetings takes place this week in Malaysia, gathering foreign ministers from the 10 Southeast Asian nations, and partner countries including South Korea. Our foreign affairs correspondent Oh Soo-young fills us in on what to expect. South Korea is set to adopt a new action plan on cooperating with Southeast Asian countries, at this week's series of high-level meetings in Kuala Lumpur. According to Seoul's foreign ministry, South Korea is joining the annual ASEAN-related Foreign Minister Meetings on Thursday and Friday, as a dialogue partner country to the 10-member regional bloc. During a meeting between Seoul and ASEAN, the two sides will adopt a Plan of Action laying out concrete steps to implement the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership reached upon their 35th anniversary of dialogue relations last year. They're expected to focus on deepening security, economic, and cultural cooperation. First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo is leading the delegation as the new Foreign Minister-nominee Cho Hyun has not been officially confirmed by parliament. Park will also attend the ministerial meeting of ASEAN and +3 nations including Korea, Japan, and China, a separate meeting with Mekong countries, the East Asia Summit, and the ASEAN Regional Forum. Concerns over tariffs and regional tensions are expected to dominate most discussions, as the United States this week sent letters to fourteen countries, threatening to initiate the so-called reciprocal tariffs by August first. If no deal is reached, the Trump Administration says it will impose 25 percent duties on South Korea, Japan, and Malaysia, 32 percent on Indonesia,.. 36 percent on Cambodia and Thailand, and 40 percent on Laos and Myanmar. In a draft communique revealed to AFP, ASEAN nations warn that unilateral tariff actions are destabilizing economic recovery and deepening global divisions. Arriving Thursday for his first Asia trip since taking office, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to defend America's push to (quote) rebalance trade relationships, according to officials in Washington. The attendance of Chinese and Russian foreign ministers Wang Yi and Sergey Lavrov is also drawing attention, amid their shaky relations with the U.S.. Beyond tariffs, ministers will address rising tensions on the Thailand–Cambodia border, the ongoing civil war in Myanmar, and territorial disputes in the South China Sea. Meanwhile, South Korea is expected to reiterate its support for peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and emphasize ASEAN's role in coordinated regional diplomacy. ASEAN's annual meeting of foreign ministers is the only multilateral forum North Korea has attended in the region. However, there's a chance Pyongyang will skip this year's meeting, given its severed diplomatic ties with the host country, Malaysia. Oh Soo-young, Arirang News.

Trump pushes on defense cost-sharing with S. Korea

2025/07/09 22:43

U.S. President Donald Trump has picked on South Korea yet again over its contributions to keep U.S. soldiers here in the country, saying Seoul should pay more, in what is seen as his strategic move to get an upper hand in both defense and tariff negotiations. Ahn Sung-jin leads us tonight. U.S. President Donald Trump is pushing for a "one-stop shopping" deal with South Korea on defense and trade. At the White House on Tuesday, Trump stated that its Asian ally was underpaying for military protection. He reiterated his hardline stance that Seoul should increase its contributions to U.S. defense costs, referring back to negotiations during his first term where he claimed he demanded that Seoul should pay 10 billion U.S. dollars a year in defense cost-sharing, a figure far above current levels. "You know, we have 45,000 soldiers in South Korea. And, you know, that's a huge economic development for them. That's tremendous amount. That's like having a city. It's tremendous money for them and it's a tremendous loss for us." Unlike Trump's assertion, there are currently around 28-thousand U.S. military troops in Korea. And regarding Trump's remarks, the South Korean government said that it will comply with the existing defense cost-sharing agreement between the two countries. The Foreign Ministry on Wednesday stated that the existing 12th Special Measures Agreement contributes to a joint defense position and added that it is inappropriate to react to every single remark made by a foreign leader. As Trump's remarks continue to stir debate on the alliance between the two countries, an expert says Korea should show flexibility and try to negotiate with the people in charge from various stakeholder ministries. "It's not really clear to me that Donald Trump appreciates the American alliance network. He attacks U.S. allies on a fairly regular basis so I would encourage South Korea to go slow and see if they can move the bay from the executive level." South Korea's defense cost-sharing issue and the need to preserve its security alliance with the U.S. adds to the complexity of the high-stakes negotiations. Ahn Sung-jin, Arirang News.

President Lee names vice ministers for the Office for Government Policy Coordination

2025/07/09 22:35

President Lee Jae Myung has promoted from within when choosing his vice ministers for the Office for Government Policy Coordination. Presidential Spokesperson Kang Yu-jung told reporters on Wednesday that Kim Young-su, currently heading the Planning and Coordination Office, has been appointed 1st Vice Minister. Kang described Kim as having strong expertise in policy planning, coordination, and evaluation. Kim Yong-soo, who leads the Economic Policy Coordination division, will serve as 2nd Vice Minister. He is expected to play a key role in supporting the government's growth strategy by promoting regulatory reform and development in AI, biotech, and semiconductors. The Office for Government Policy Coordination acts as a control tower for policies that involve several ministries.

Six N. Koreans safely repatriated after being rescued in S. Korean waters

2025/07/09 22:35

Six North Koreans, rescued earlier this year in South Korean waters, were safely repatriated today. South Korea's unification ministry confirmed their voluntary return to the North. Our correspondent Kim Jung-sil reports. These rare photos show six North Korean fishermen making their journey home. Despite their small size, these photos show the end of a months-long journey after the fishermen were rescued from South Korean waters. For their return, the group traveled together in a single wooden boat in the East Sea, and at 8:56 AM, they crossed the Northern Limit Line. By 9:24 AM, a North Korean vessel made contact with the boat, and both vessels began their journey back to the North. The six fishermen, in their 30s and 40s, were stranded in boats that drifted into the East and West Seas in March and May. Since direct communication between the two Koreas was severed in 2023, Seoul coordinated through the UNC to convey its message about the fishermen's return. While North Korea didn't confirm directly, its actions spoke louder. "At the handover, a North Korean patrol boat was stationed at the designated point, and the vessel returned under its own power, completing the repatriation smoothly and safely." The Ministry of Unification verified their voluntary wish to return, with consent confirmed. Experts say Wednesday's repatriation reflects North Korea's ongoing attention to South Korea. "North Korea's response shows they're watching South Korea's peace efforts, and if the new government remains sincere, a positive response from the North may not be far off." This isn't the first repatriation of its kind. Similar cases took place in 2017, when fishermen also expressed a strong desire to return to the North. Despite delays, officials emphasized that Wednesday's decision was driven by humanitarian concerns and respect for the individuals' wishes. A Ministry official expressed hope that better communication between the South and North could lead to smoother future repatriations. Kim Jung-sil, Arirang News.