News

[Politics & Diplomacy] Key agenda for S. Korea's February Assembly

2025/02/12 20:00

This week, we take a look at developments in the National Assembly. It's back in action after starting its February extraordinary session last week. Our political correspondent Lee Shi-hoo joins us here in the studio. Shi-hoo, let's begin with the government interpellation session that began this afternoon. What were key takeaways from today's Q&A? Right, it was indeed the first day of the interpellation today, and lawmakers from both sides questioned the ministers of foreign affairs, justice and national defense, to name a few, one by one. Now, the topics for today were politics, diplomacy, North Korea, and national defense and security. As had been forecast, we saw many lawmakers focus their questions around the briefly imposed martial law by President Yoon Suk Yeol back in December and its aftermath. We're seeing some strong attacks on government officials by members of the main opposition Democratic Party and minor opposition Rebuilding Korea Party, while ruling People Power Party lawmakers maintained a relatively moderate tone in their questions, although some of Yoon's close allies actively defended the conservative president and his actions. Let's shift our focus to the Assembly's plans and outlook this month. The rival parties are also undergoing a standoff on another major agenda. What is that? Yes, one of the main goals of the Assembly this month, and this week actually, was to possibly speed up joint talks between bipartisan lawmakers and the government on state affairs. They planned on launching "the joint consultative body" within this month, as a way to restore stability in South Korea's politics after the turmoil in December but the process is being delayed with the PPP and DP clashing on the details, mainly of two key items for discussion: They are 1. the potential special act to boost the domestic semiconductor industry; and 2. the supplementary budget for this year. The PPP wants to introduce a special act that will provide chip companies an exception to the current labor law so that employees in the sector can work for more than 52 hours per week, which is the limit laid out under the law. Right now, it's the ruling party's goal to get the bill approved within this month. While on the other hand, the DP wants to exclude this special labor law exemption and instead lay out other means to support the industry. And what are their stances on the supplementary budget? Yes, the PPP has been adamant that the DP needs to apologize first for cutting this year's budget in the first place, before it can start discussing the appropriate amount for the supplementary budget. They're urging the DP to restore and supplement this year's budget "they've unilaterally cut." They're especially pushing for budgets that will help the domestic economy recover. Meanwhile, the DP has insisted on a fast review and approval of the extra financing. They're suggesting a supplementary budget of at least 30 trillion won also to help the people's livelihood and the economy recover. Despite key differences, there is still a mutual bipartisan agreement to allocate an extra budget to boost the AI and chip sectors. The DP said it will announce its own version of the budget proposal tomorrow. As for the PPP, as we just heard, said they won't object to extra funds for areas that will not instigate political dispute. So, we expect to see some progress in the coming weeks as they scramble to find common ground. Thank you Shi-hoo. Do keep us updated on future developments.

Trump calls on Jordan to take in refugees from Gaza during meeting with King Abdullah II

2025/02/12 20:00

Meanwhile, Trump has maintained his claim over Gaza while calling on regional neighbors to open their doors wider to Palestinians as he met Jordan's King Abdullah at the Oval Office. Lee Seung-jae covers his most recent remarks. U.S. President Donald Trump held talks with King Abdullah II of Jordan at the White House on Tuesday, where Trump reiterated his plan to take over and develop the Gaza Strip. As the two leaders discussed ending the Israel-Hamas war, Trump also pressured Jordan to take in Palestinian refugees. This comes as Trump suggested Monday, that he would withhold U.S. funding from Jordan and Egypt to persuade the Middle Eastern countries to accept Palestinians from Gaza. While King Abdullah II did not say Jordan would be accepting the Palestinian refugees, he offered to take in two thousand sick Palestinian children. "I think one of the things that we can do right away is take 2,000 children that are either cancer children or in very ill state to Jordan as quickly as possible and then wait for, I think, the Egyptians to present their plan on how we can work with the president to work on Gaza challenges." Trump showed appreciation for what he called "a beautiful gesture," adding that Jordan, along with Egypt will see "great progress" moving forward. "What you just said 2,000 children with cancer or other problems. And that's really a beautiful gesture. That's really good. And we appreciate it. And we'll be working on the rest. With and with Egypt, I think you're going to see some great progress. I think with Jordan, you're going to see some great progress, three of us, and we'll have some others helping and we're going to have some others at a very high level helping and the whole thing will come." While the Jordanian king did not agree to take in the displaced Gazans during their talks, Trump said both Jordan and Egypt would ultimately agree to house the refugees. Lee Seung-jae, Arirang News.

"Ceasefire deal will end if Hamas does not return our hostages by Saturday": Netanyahu

2025/02/12 20:00

Over in the Middle East. Israel and Hamas continue to trade tough rhetoric about the fate of the truce in the Gaza Strip amid uncertainty over the release of additional Israeli hostages. Choi Soo-hyung has the latest. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned the Palestinian militant group Hamas on Tuesday, local time, that the ceasefire deal could come to an end. "The decision I passed unanimously in the Cabinet is this: if Hamas does not return our hostages by Saturday noon, the ceasefire will end, and the IDF will return to intense fighting until Hamas is finally defeated." This comes after a Hamas announcement on Monday that it would indefinitely postpone the release of three hostages scheduled for Saturday. Hamas said Israel violated the ceasefire agreement by firing on civilians and blocking the delivery of aid supplies. Recently, Israeli forces opened fire in northern Gaza City and southern Khan Yunis, killing four civilians. Following Netanyahu's statement, the Israeli military announced it would deploy additional reserve forces near the Gaza Strip. Amid the growing tensions, experts said it was necessary to wait calmly to see if better negotiations could take place. "So you know, I think as far as what will actually happen, it's probably best not to get ahead of ourselves. It's not inevitable, but certainly if the hostages aren't returned by noon, I think it's very likely that a resumption and an escalation of fighting will ensue." Meanwhile, the Iranian-backed Yemeni Houthis warned that they would also attack Israel if it resumes the war. The Houthis, who support Hamas, have been threatening foreign ships passing through the Red Sea since the Gaza conflict began. After a six-week Gaza ceasefire deal was agreed to, the Houthis also stopped their attacks. Choi Soo-hyung, Arirang News.

How Trump's potential tariffs on cars, semiconductors may affect South Korea

2025/02/12 20:00

Concerns also grow as cars and semiconductor chips could be next on Trump's tariff list. Here's our Bae Eun-ji on how this may affect local companies. Starting March 12th, the United States will be imposing 25 percent tariffs on steel and aluminum imports and this is set to affect many countries, including South Korea. Announcing this, U.S. President Donald Trump said that he's also looking at tariffs on cars and semiconductor chips to create jobs. "But we'll be talking about other subjects like cars. We'll be talking about drugs and pharmaceuticals. We'll be discussing chips. And we're going to be doing some other things in addition to that, all of which will bring in a lot of jobs into our country. Cars is going to be a very big one and a very important one." Trump's comments have raised more concerns in South Korea, as cars and semiconductors take up more than 30 percent of the country's total exports to the United States. S&P Global Ratings said in a report released in November, that a potential 20-percent tariff on imports from South Korea could cut Hyundai and Kia's earnings by up to 19 percent. As for chips, experts say that the potential tariff hikes on chips are not likely to have a significant impact on Korean companies for the time being. "As for memory chips, there's not really a product in the market that can replace South Korean chips. So considering the time until the tariffs start to have an impact for example, the time needed for South Korea to build a semiconductor factory in the U.S. I don't think it will have that much of an impact in the semiconductor industry for now." But pundits warn the message that Trump is trying to say is clear: to pressure foreign companies. "Using tariffs, they're trying to pressure South Korean companies to make it more beneficial to the United States, when those companies invest in the U.S." To avoid tariff risks, industry watchers say that it's now more important than ever for Korean semiconductor manufacturers such as Samsung and SK hynix to secure deals with big tech companies in the U.S. Bae Eun-ji, Arirang News.

Lawmakers kick off three-day gov't interpellation, quiz Cabinet members on politics, diplomacy

2025/02/12 17:00

The National Assembly has kicked off its regular government interpellation session. This latest session will span over three days and today the questions are centered on politics, diplomacy and national security. About a dozen lawmakers are taking turns to grill key Cabinet members including the ministers of justice, foreign affairs and national defense. Tomorrow the questions will be focused on the economy and on Friday education, society and culture.

Witnesses claim martial law was legal but ill-advised at Yoon's 7th impeachment hearing

2025/02/12 17:00

The Constitutional Court has opened what looks to be its final week of hearings into the impeachment trial against the president. Tuesday's session started in the morning and lasted past sunset. Our correspondent Oh Soo-hyung recaps that hearing. President Yoon Seok Yeol's martial law was ill-advised but lawfully proclaimed, according to his officials who were present at his office on the night of December third. This came at Yoon's seventh impeachment trial hearing, as more witnesses were summoned on Tuesday, amid claims by some senior Cabinet ministers that Yoon had bypassed the Cabinet procedures required by the Constitution before declaring the decree. Former interior minister Lee Sang-min said otherwise. While admitting a Cabinet meeting hadn't been called in advance, he said the seven or so members who initially gathered at the President's Office waited for the 11-member quorum to be filled,.. after which Yoon spoke briefly before proclaiming Martial Law on live TV. Lee said he believes "those present considered themselves at a Cabinet meeting." National Security Advisor Shin Won-sik also said he was told by the President's Chief-of-Staff that a Cabinet meeting was ongoing when he later arrived at the scene. Both Lee and Shin said while they, along with other ministers and secretaries, tried to dissuade the President from declaring Martial Law, they understood the political context of the decision. On this, Yoon took the chance to speak, reiterating his claim that the opposition Democratic Party had sabotaged the administration with a series of impeachments, and, a major budget cut. The hearing also addressed the election fraud allegations raised by Yoon as a pretext for declaring martial law. Former intelligence official Baek Jong-wook said the National Election Commission's servers upon inspection seemed highly vulnerable to external attack and could potentially trigger a social crisis. But he wouldn't comment on election fraud, saying the servers hadn't been examined for such irregularities. Secretary-General of the Election Commission Kim Yong-bin said he hadn't been made aware of the false voting ballots mentioned by Yoon's legal team, and insisted regular inspections were conducted. Given the conflicting narratives and discrepancies with previous statements, experts say it's likely the Court will have to summon more witnesses,.. inevitably extending the trial date. While the Court has focused on delivering a speedy verdict, the President's side has continued raising objections to the trial proceedings. Yoon himself opposed the Court's decision to accept investigation records as evidence, arguing it is crucial to hear out witness statements in person. However, the opposition has called for a quick end to the trial,.. saying the evidence is out there. "Our patience is wearing thin. How much longer must we put up with baseless conspiracy theories about election fraud? There's already been enough consideration given to the respondent through this week's witness examination. We hope for a swift conclusion to the proceedings." The Court on Tuesday rejected Yoon's request to summon Prime Minister Han Duck-soo as a witness, deeming it unnecessary. The next and final hearing for now is scheduled for Thursday with three witnesses to testify. Oh Soo-young, Arirang News.

"Ceasefire deal will end if Hamas does not return our hostages by Saturday": Netanyahu

2025/02/12 17:00

And over in the Middle East. Israeli authorities and regional militants continue to trade tough rhetoric about the fate of the truce in the Gaza Strip amid uncertainty over the release of additional Israeli hostages by Hamas this coming Saturday. Choi Soo-hyung has the latest. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned the Palestinian militant group Hamas on Tuesday, local time, that the ceasefire deal could come to an end. "The decision I passed unanimously in the Cabinet is this: if Hamas does not return our hostages by Saturday noon, the ceasefire will end, and the IDF will return to intense fighting until Hamas is finally defeated." This comes after a Hamas announcement on Monday that it would indefinitely postpone the release of three hostages scheduled for Saturday. Hamas said Israel violated the ceasefire agreement by firing on civilians and blocking the delivery of aid supplies. Recently, Israeli forces opened fire in northern Gaza City and southern Khan Yunis, killing four civilians. Following Netanyahu's statement, the Israeli military announced it would deploy additional reserve forces near the Gaza Strip. Amid the growing tensions, experts said it was necessary to wait calmly to see if better negotiations could take place. "So you know, I think as far as what will actually happen, it's probably best not to get ahead of ourselves. It's not inevitable, but certainly if the hostages aren't returned by noon, I think it's very likely that a resumption and an escalation of fighting will ensue." Meanwhile, the Iranian-backed Yemeni Houthis warned that they would also attack Israel if it resumes the war. The Houthis, who support Hamas, have been threatening foreign ships passing through the Red Sea since the Gaza conflict began. On January 19th, after a six-week Gaza ceasefire deal was agreed to, the Houthis also stopped their attacks. Choi Soo-hyung, Arirang News.

Trump calls on Jordan to take in refugees from Gaza during meeting with King Abdullah II

2025/02/12 17:00

Meanwhile Mr. Trump has maintained his claim over the Gaza Strip while calling on regional neighbors to open their doors wider to Palestinians. Lee Seung-jae covers his most recent remarks. U.S. President Donald Trump held talks with King Abdullah II of Jordan at the White House on Tuesday, where Trump reiterated his plan to take over and develop the Gaza Strip. As the two leaders discussed ending the Israel-Hamas war, Trump also pressured Jordan to take in Palestinian refugees. This comes as Trump suggested Monday, that he would withhold U.S. funding from Jordan and Egypt to persuade the Middle Eastern countries to accept Palestinians from Gaza. While King Abdullah II did not say Jordan would be accepting the Palestinian refugees, he offered to take in two thousand sick Palestinian children. "I think one of the things that we can do right away is take 2,000 children that are either cancer children or in very ill state to Jordan as quickly as possible and then wait for, I think, the Egyptians to present their plan on how we can work with the president to work on Gaza challenges." Trump showed appreciation for what he called "a beautiful gesture," adding that Jordan, along with Egypt will see "great progress" moving forward. "What you just said 2,000 children with cancer or other problems. And that's really a beautiful gesture. That's really good. And we appreciate it. And we'll be working on the rest. With and with Egypt, I think you're going to see some great progress. I think with Jordan, you're going to see some great progress, three of us, and we'll have some others helping and we're going to have some others at a very high level helping and the whole thing will come." While the Jordanian king did not agree to take in the displaced Gazans during their talks, Trump said both Jordan and Egypt would ultimately agree to house the refugees. Lee Seung-jae, Arirang News.

S. Korea to hold export strategy meeting next week amid U.S. aluminum, steel tariffs

2025/02/12 17:00

In response government officials here are scheduled to hold an export strategy meeting next week amid the mounting uncertainty over global trade. According to acting President Choi Sang-mok on this Wednesday the meeting will thoroughly review the potential impact of U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminium imports for South Korean companies and seek an effective response mechanism. Korea will also seek to diversify its export markets and products with renewed focus on the bio-industry as the world aims to bolster its biomedical supply chain.

U.S. likely to impose reciprocal tariffs as early as Tuesday

2025/02/12 17:00

Following his 25-percent blanket tariffs on all steel and aluminium imports into the U.S. market U.S. President Donald Trump is now poised to announce reciprocal tariffs on American trade partners. CHOI Min-jung has our top story. The U.S. is anticipated to announce plans to impose reciprocal tariffs on other countries, as early as Tuesday, or by Wednesday at the latest. "I'll be announcing probably Tuesday or Wednesday at a news conference reciprocal tariffs. And very simply, it's if they charge us, we charge them." Trump claims that introducing reciprocal tariffs will create a fairer trading environment for the U.S. In theory, the U.S. would apply identical levies on imports from a specific country that the country imposes on American exports. Pundits say one of the most significant countries impacted by reciprocal tariffs would be India. In 2022, India imposed an average tariff of 9-point-5 percent on American products, significantly higher than the 3-percent rate the U.S. imposed on Indian goods. Europe will also likely face reciprocal tariffs. The U.S. imposes a 2-point-5 percent tariff on cars from BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Volkswagen, while the EU charges 10 percent on American auto imports. On top of that, there's the question of how Trump will handle value-added tax in the EU, which averages at over 20 percent. "The European Union charges as 20% plus, plus, plus of VAT tax, called a VAT tax, very similar, and it cost us an absolute fortune. We are treated so badly." If Trump takes a country-level approach, countries with which the U.S. has free trade agreements, including South Korea, are likely to remain unaffected, as most products are tariff-free. "Most of the goods that Korea sells to the United States as well as most of the goods that U.S. sells to Korea are covered by the KOR-U.S. FTA, which means that they have zero tariffs So the reciprocal tariffs will probably not affect Korea that much unless Trump specifically targets Korea." Given that South Korea posted a record trade surplus with the U.S. last year, there's a possibility that President Trump could target this issue. Nonetheless, the White House has indicated that reciprocal tariffs may not be implemented immediately this week, as Trump focuses on reviewing existing tariffs. Choi Min-jung, Arirang News.

U.S. likely to impose reciprocal tariffs as early as Tuesday

2025/02/12 10:00

On top of the 25% steel and aluminum tariffs, the U.S. is set to issue reciprocal tariffs with its leader claiming it's an effort to create fairer trade conditions. Choi Min-jung has more. The U.S. is anticipated to announce plans to impose reciprocal tariffs on other countries, as early as Tuesday, or by Wednesday at the latest. "I'll be announcing probably Tuesday or Wednesday at a news conference reciprocal tariffs. And very simply, it's if they charge us, we charge them." Trump claims that introducing reciprocal tariffs will create a fairer trading environment for the U.S. In theory, the U.S. would apply identical levies on imports from a specific country that the country imposes on American exports. Pundits say one of the most significant countries impacted by reciprocal tariffs would be India. In 2022, India imposed an average tariff of 9-point-5 percent on American products, significantly higher than the 3-percent rate the U.S. imposed on Indian goods. Europe will also likely face reciprocal tariffs. The U.S. imposes a 2-point-5 percent tariff on cars from BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Volkswagen, while the EU charges 10 percent on American auto imports. On top of that, there's the question of how Trump will handle value-added tax in the EU, which averages at over 20 percent. "The European Union charges as 20% plus, plus, plus of VAT tax, called a VAT tax, very similar, and it cost us an absolute fortune. We are treated so badly." If Trump takes a country-level approach, countries with which the U.S. has free trade agreements, including South Korea, are likely to remain unaffected, as most products are tariff-free. However, given that South Korea posted a record trade surplus with the U.S. last year, there's a possibility that President Trump could target this issue. Nonetheless, the White House has indicated that reciprocal tariffs may not be implemented immediately this week, as Trump focuses on reviewing existing tariffs. Choi Min-jung, Arirang News.

Trump calls on Jordan to take in refugees from Gaza during meeting with King Abdullah II

2025/02/12 10:00

U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated his plan to take over the Gaza Strip this time to King Abdullah the second. As Trump pressured Jordan to accept refugees from Gaza, the Jordanian king offered to take in 2-thousand sick Palestinian children. Lee Seung-jae reports. U.S. President Donald Trump held talks with King Abdullah II of Jordan at the White House on Tuesday, where Trump reiterated his plan to take over and develop the Gaza Strip. As the two leaders discussed ending the Israel-Hamas war, Trump also pressured Jordan to take in Palestinian refugees. This comes as Trump suggested Monday, that he would withhold U.S. funding from Jordan and Egypt to persuade the Middle Eastern countries to accept Palestinians from Gaza. While King Abdullah II did not say Jordan would be accepting the Palestinian refugees, he offered to take in two thousand sick Palestinian children. "I think one of the things that we can do right away is take 2,000 children that are either cancer children or in very ill state to Jordan as quickly as possible and then wait for, I think, the Egyptians to present their plan on how we can work with the president to work on Gaza challenges." Trump showed appreciation for what he called "a beautiful gesture," adding that Jordan, along with Egypt will see "great progress" moving forward. "What you just said 2,000 children with cancer or other problems. And that's really a beautiful gesture. That's really good. And we appreciate it. And we'll be working on the rest. With and with Egypt, I think you're going to see some great progress. I think with Jordan, you're going to see some great progress, three of us, and we'll have some others helping and we're going to have some others at a very high level helping and the whole thing will come." While the Jordanian king did not agree to take in the displaced Gazans during their talks, Trump said both Jordan and Egypt would ultimately agree to house the refugees. Lee Seung-jae, Arirang News.

Iraqi artifacts returned from Switzerland and Japan

2025/02/12 10:00

Finally to Iraq, where the country's foreign minister on Tuesday announced the successful recovery of Iraqi artifacts from Japan and Switzerland. Speaking at the Iraqi National Museum the minister said the historic items, including a statue of the sun god, rare murals, and some textured paintings, date back to ancient Mesopotamia and the Assyrian civilization. He said that some of the recovered artifacts had been loaned to Japan in the 1970s, adding that the returned items are not just objects but integral parts of Iraq's national identity. Iraq's government has been using diplomatic channels to recover items stolen during years of conflict in the country.

Gov't to push for last-minute talks with U.S. following tariff announcement

2025/02/12 10:00

In the meantime, there's just a month left before Trump's 25% tariffs come into force. And South Korea is looking to make a breakthrough by pushing for last minute talks with the U.S. Our Kim Jung-sil reports. The South Korean government is on high alert as the U.S. moves forward with a 25-percent tariff on imported steel and aluminum—a move that could hit key industries hard. Following the U.S. announcement, top officials in Seoul met on Tuesday to discuss response measures. "While we are concerned about the decline in profitability for our industry, we also see opportunities in a fair competitive environment. We will work closely with the industry to strengthen its competitiveness." The government said it will also push for last-minute negotiations. "With some time left until March 12th, we will actively engage in negotiations with the U.S. to ensure our interests are fully reflected." South Korea had previously faced export limits instead of tariffs, but with the new policy, those restrictions will also be lifted on March 12th. "From calculations done in a report by an analyst at Citi Bank, this could reduce Korea's GDP by 0.1 to 0.2 percent. But because the quota has been removed the damage from tariffs should be less than 0.2 percent of the GDP." With Trump hinting at tariffs on autos and semiconductors, experts warn negotiations must be strategic. "Because Trump has threatened many other tariffs on other goods such as automobiles and pharmaceuticals. For a full negotiation, we should wait until we know exactly what range of goods that the U.S. will put tariffs on." Officials say they will closely monitor U.S. trade moves and coordinate responses with Japan and the EU. With time running out, South Korea faces tough choices to protect its export-driven economy. Kim Jung-sil, Arirang News.

On-point: Netanyahu threatens to resume Israel’s war on Gaza if captives not released

2025/02/12 10:00

The Gaza ceasefire deal has been called into question with Hamas accusing Israel of violating their truce. And Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is now threatening to resume the war. Let's turn to Professor Robert Lawrence for more. Good morning. 1. Hamas has suspended the release of captives, pointing to Israel for its violation of key provisions of the agreement. But doesn't Israel have its own suspicions about the rationale behind Hamas' delay? 2. And isn't Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu now threatening to end the deal unless Hamas releases the captives held there by this weekend? 3. U.S. President Donald Trump also said Israel should "cancel" the ceasefire and that "all hell is going to break out." He didn't elaborate on what that would mean. What do you think he meant by that? 4. Some analysts point out U.S. President Donald Trump's call for 'ethnic cleansing' in Gaza is front and center in the ceasefire agreement breakdown. Do you also believe so? 5. Would you say Hamas may be wondering if it's worth engaging in phase 2 of the ceasefire talks? Thanks so much for joining us this morning. We appreciate it.

Witnesses claim martial law was legal but ill-advised at Yoon's 7th impeachment hearing

2025/02/12 10:00

Was the martial law on December third last year legally proclaimed? That was the key question at President Yoon's seventh impeachment trial hearing on Tuesday. Our Oh Soo-young starts us off. President Yoon Seok Yeol's martial law was ill-advised but lawfully proclaimed, according to his officials who were present at his office on the night of December third. This came at Yoon's seventh impeachment trial hearing, as more witnesses were summoned on Tuesday, amid claims by some senior Cabinet ministers that Yoon had bypassed the Cabinet procedures required by the Constitution before declaring the decree. Former interior minister Lee Sang-min said otherwise. While admitting a Cabinet meeting hadn't been called in advance, he said the seven or so members who initially gathered at the President's Office waited for the 11-member quorum to be filled,.. after which Yoon spoke briefly before proclaiming Martial Law on live TV. Lee said he believes "those present considered themselves at a Cabinet meeting." National Security Advisor Shin Won-sik also said he was told by the President's Chief-of-Staff that a Cabinet meeting was ongoing when he later arrived at the scene. Both Lee and Shin said while they, along with other ministers and secretaries, tried to dissuade the President from declaring Martial Law, they understood the political context of the decision. On this, Yoon took the chance to speak, reiterating his claim that the opposition Democratic Party had sabotaged the administration with a series of impeachments, and, a major budget cut. The hearing also addressed the election fraud allegations raised by Yoon as a pretext for declaring martial law. Former intelligence official Baek Jong-wook said the National Election Commission's servers upon inspection seemed highly vulnerable to external attack and could potentially trigger a social crisis. But he wouldn't comment on election fraud, saying the servers hadn't been examined for such irregularities. Secretary-General of the Election Commission Kim Yong-bin said he hadn't been made aware of the false voting ballots mentioned by Yoon's legal team, and insisted regular inspections were conducted. Given the conflicting narratives and discrepancies with previous statements, experts say it's likely the Court will have to summon more witnesses,.. inevitably extending the trial date. While the Court has focused on delivering a speedy verdict, the President's side has continued raising objections to the trial proceedings. Yoon himself opposed the Court's decision to accept investigation records as evidence, arguing it is crucial to hear out witness statements in person. However, the opposition has called for a quick end to the trial,.. saying the evidence is out there. "Our patience is wearing thin. How much longer must we put up with baseless conspiracy theories about election fraud? There's already been enough consideration given to the respondent through this week's witness examination. We hope for a swift conclusion to the proceedings." The Court on Tuesday rejected Yoon's request to summon Prime Minister Han Duck-soo as a witness, deeming it unnecessary. The next and final hearing for now is scheduled for Thursday with three witnesses to testify. Oh Soo-young, Arirang News.

Live: President Yoon claims opposition was trying to "destroy administration," officials back legality of martial law

2025/02/11 20:00

Thank you for joining us. I'm Yoon Jung-min. President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment trial resumed on Tuesday, with more witnesses testifying at the Constitutional Court. It's the second-to-last hearing, but the fiery debates are showing no signs of ending soon. We have our Oh Soo-young live to bring us the latest. So the hearing today began with questions over whether President Yoon declared martial law after correct procedures. Let's start with the first witness, former Interior Minister Lee Sang-min. Sure. Former minister Lee Sang-min appeared to back the President's claims that his martial law was legal, against assertions that Yoon had bypassed Cabinet procedures required before declaring the decree. Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok has claimed a formal Cabinet meeting was not held beforehand, and he had not seen Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun recommend the decree to the Prime Minister, as per the Constitutional requirement for martial law. Lee said while it wasn't scheduled as a Cabinet meeting, around seven members initially gathered, and waited for the 11-member quorum to be filled. He said, "Those present would have considered themselves to be in a Cabinet meeting." Also, in direct contradiction with prosecutors' records, Lee denied he'd asked the National Fire Agency to cut water and power to news organizations, and said he did not receive such orders from Yoon. While the former minister said he tried to dissuade the President from declaring martial law, he understood where the decision came from. Yoon himself took to reiterate his claim that the opposition Democratic Party had sabotaged the administration by constantly impeaching officials, and, crucially, cutting the government budget. Yoon added he believed the martial law proclamation could be signed off on afterwards, given the highly sensitive nature of the decree. National Security Advisor Shin Won-sik also indicated that a Cabinet meeting had been held, saying he'd been told it was ongoing by Yoon's Chief of Staff Chung Jin-seok. Questions for the third and fourth witnesses focused on election fraud allegations raised by Yoon as a pretext for declaring martial law. Former Third Deputy Director of the National Intelligence Service Baek Jong-wook said the National Election Commission's servers seemed vulnerable to external attack, to the point of a social crisis, but said he wouldn't comment on election fraud as the servers hadn't been examined for related irregularities. Secretary-General of the National Election Commission Kim Yong-bin also stood witness. He said he had not been made aware of any false voting ballots, and said various inspections had been conducted ahead of the General Election last year, and it would be virtually impossible to replicate ballots. Meanwhile,.. the Constitutional Court has yet to decide on additional hearings beyond the final and eighth hearing this coming Thursday. That's right. In order to conclude the hearings, the bench must hear the closing arguments from both legal teams and President Yoon's final statement. This would take around two to three hours, and given that four witness testimonies are planned for Thursday, it is unlikely that justices will conclude the hearings then. Experts say more witnesses are likely to be summoned as some of the main testimonies we've heard so far have caused more confusion due to discrepancies with previous statements made in prosecutorial records or conflicting narratives between witnesses. While the Court has emphasized its commitment to a speedy trial, there's been concern that back-to-back witness questioning, twice a week doesn't allow much time for a thorough review of the testimonies or evidence. Still, the opposition has called for a quick end to the trial,.. saying the evidence is out there. "Our patience is wearing thin. How much longer must we put up with baseless conspiracy theories about election fraud? There's already been enough consideration given to the respondent through this week's witness examination. We hope for a swift conclusion to the proceedings." Thank you for the latest on the president's impeachment trial.

Hamas suspends release of Israeli hostages over Israel's 'violation' of ceasefire deal

2025/02/11 20:00

Elsewhere. The Gaza ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas looks to have become even more fragile as Hamas intends to postpone the release of Israeli hostages who were expected to return home on Saturday. Cha Yun-kyung has the latest. The military spokesman for Hamas' Al-Qassam Brigades, Abu Obeida, announced on Monday that the release of the Israeli hostages, this coming Saturday, will be postponed until further notice, accusing Israel of violating the terms of Gaza ceasefire agreement. Obeida said Israel has been delaying the return of the displaced to the northern Gaza Strip, targeting Gaza with shelling and gunfire, and not allowing relief supplies of all kinds to enter as agreed upon. Israel has refuted the claims, and instead, according to the Times of Israel, blames the militant group for violating the ceasefire agreement. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz also announced on Monday that he had instructed his military to "prepare at the highest level of alert for any possible scenario in Gaza." In response, the Hostage and Missing Families Forum said it "stands with the Israeli government and encourages maintaining the conditions that will ensure the safe return of seventy-six brothers and sisters." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also moved up a political-security cabinet meeting, originally scheduled for Tuesday evening, after the Hamas announcement. Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday, local time, urged Israel to cancel its ceasefire deal with Hamas and "let all hell break out" if Hamas does not return hostages held in Gaza by noon on Saturday. In a wide-ranging session with reporters in the Oval Office, Trump said he wanted the hostages released at once, instead of a few at a time. The three-phase ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas has been in place in Gaza since last month, however, tensions are escalating as both sides are accusing each other of the violation of agreement. Cha Yun-kyung, Arirang News.

Will leaders of China, Russia, N. Korea meet in Moscow in May?

2025/02/11 20:00

Chinese President Xi Jinping has reportedly accepted a Russian invitation to its Victory Day celebrations that are poised to take place in May. North Korea's Kim Jong-un has been also invited to this event. Our foreign affairs correspondent Bae Eun-ji has more. Leaders of Russia and China vowed to further develop their partnership throughout this year, in a video call last month, with Putin addressing Xi as his "dear friend." "It is safe to say that foreign policy ties and joint work between Russia and China objectively play an important and stabilizing role in international affairs." "In the new year, I'm willing to work with you to continue guiding China-Russia relations to a new height in 2025, to respond to external uncertainties with the stability and resilience of China-Russia ties, " Citing Russian Ambassador to China Igor Morgulov, Russia's Tass news agency reported Monday, local time, that Chinese President Xi Jinping has accepted Russia's invitation to attend a "Victory Day" ceremony, marking the 80th anniversary of the Soviet contribution to victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two. The ambassador also reportedly said that Xi in return, has invited Putin to China for its own commemoration of the end of World War Two scheduled for September. Although China has yet to officially confirm Xi's visit to Russia, if he does decide to attend, it would be the first time in ten years for a Chinese leader to take part in the event. The Kremlin told Tass that preparations are already underway for Xi's visit to Moscow, and Putin's trip to Beijing. Earlier in December, the Kremlin said it had invited leaders of many countries to attend the 80th anniversary of the end of the war, and that includes North Korea. This means there is a possibility that the leaders of Beijing, Moscow and Pyongyang may hold talks to seek ways to push back against U.S. President Donald Trump. So, eyes are now on whether the three countries will further strengthen their relations and work together to pressure the United States. Bae Eun-ji, Arirang News.

Gov't to push for last-minute talks with U.S. following tariff announcement

2025/02/11 20:00

As South Korea braces for the impact of U.S. tariffs, top officials gathered today to assess possible damage and discuss the next steps, including negotiations with Washington. Our Kim Jung-sil reports. The South Korean government is on high alert as the U.S. moves forward with a 25-percent tariff on imported steel and aluminum—a move that could hit key industries hard. Following the U.S. announcement, top officials in Seoul met on Tuesday to discuss response measures. "While we are concerned about the decline in profitability for our industry, we also see opportunities in a fair competitive environment. We will work closely with the industry to strengthen its competitiveness." The government said it will also push for last-minute negotiations. "With some time left until March 12th, we will actively engage in negotiations with the U.S. to ensure our interests are fully reflected." South Korea had previously faced export limits instead of tariffs, but with the new policy, those restrictions will also be lifted on March 12th. "From calculations done in a report by an analyst at Citi Bank, this could reduce Korea's GDP by 0.1 to 0.2 percent. But because the quota has been removed the damage from tariffs should be less than 0.2 percent of the GDP." With Trump hinting at tariffs on autos and semiconductors, experts warn negotiations must be strategic. "Because Trump has threatened many other tariffs on other goods such as automobiles and pharmaceuticals. For a full negotiation, we should wait until we know exactly what range of goods that the U.S. will put tariffs on." Officials say they will closely monitor U.S. trade moves and coordinate responses with Japan and the EU. With time running out, South Korea faces tough choices to protect its export-driven economy. Kim Jung-sil, Arirang News.