News

S. Korea-Japan introduce exclusive immigration lanes throughout June

2025/06/02 20:00

In other news. Designated airports here in Korea and in neighboring Japan have opened priority lanes for passport holders from the two countries to facilitate entry procedures, as part of a way of celebrating the 60th anniversary of their official friendship. Park Hyo-been has more. To mark the 60th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations, South Korea and Japan have launched special fast-track immigration lanes at select airports for travelers between the two countries. On Sunday, June 1st, Japan opened dedicated lanes for Korean nationals at Haneda and Fukuoka airports, while South Korea has been offering similar lanes for Japanese travelers at Gimpo and Gimhae airports. Thanks to the new lanes, what used to take up to an hour can now be completed in just a few minutes. "It used to take more than an hour, so getting to where I'm staying took a long time. But today, I passed through immigration quickly—it's so much more convenient." "I'm thinking about working in Japan, so I'll probably be visiting more often. Being able to go through a Korean-only lane really helps save time." These exclusive lanes are part of a one-month pilot program, which operates daily from 9 AM to 4 PM throughout June. Travelers must have visited the partner country within the past year and completed immigration and customs declarations in advance via mobile. In the case of Gimpo and Haneda airports, the fast-track lanes are limited to passengers flying with Korean Air, Asiana Airlines, Japan Airlines, or All Nippon Airways. Meanwhile, the number of tourists traveling between South Korea and Japan has been steadily rising. Last year, a record of nearly 9 million Koreans visited Japan, while over 3 million Japanese nationals traveled to South Korea. Park Hyo-been, Arirang News.

Dozens killed at aid distribution site in Rafah

2025/06/02 20:00

In Gaza. An aid distribution site became a scene of shocking violence, with dozens reportedly shot and killed by Israeli soldiers. Israel denies such reports. Lee Seung-jae reports. Dozens of Palestinians were reportedly killed and over a hundred others injured on Sunday, with the Palestinian Civil Defense saying Israeli soldiers at a relief distribution center run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation fired at people seeking food and aid. The AFP says 31 people were killed and over 176 injured in Rafah, at a relief distribution site run by the United States and Israel. According to the spokesperson for the Civil Defense, Mahmoud Basal,.. Israel targeted thousands of civilians. Hamas also released a statement saying that Israel "committed a terrible massacre targeting thousands of civilians heading to a distribution center." The Associated Press, citing a witness, said that at around 3 AM, Israeli soldiers ordered the crowd to disperse and come back later, when a crowd began forming about one kilometer from the distribution site, they opened fire. Another witness said that at around 5 AM, drones and drones suddenly attacked the relief center, killing several people. However,.. the Israeli military dismissed the reports in a statement, saying that false reports have been circulating that raise serious suspicions that Israeli soldiers have fired on civilians near a humanitarian aid distribution site, calling it false. The Israeli military explained that no civilians were fired at inside or around the distribution center. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation also issued a press release saying that relief supplies were distributed safely, and that Hamas is actively spreading rumors about casualties, which they called untrue and fabricated. The GHF announced that it distributed more than 15-thousand boxes of relief supplies on Sunday, and that more than 67 thousand boxes, have been distributed since the site opened last week. Lee Seung-jae, Arirang News.

Ukraine drones destroy Russian planes deep inside Russia ahead of peace talks in Istanbul

2025/06/02 20:00

Ahead of second talks in Türkiye, Ukraine and Russia ramp up their military operations against each other, with Kyiv launching one of its "most ambitious" counteroffensives against the Kremlin. Lee Eun-jin has the latest. Ukraine and Russia are set to sit down for a second round of peace talks at around 1 PM local time in Istanbul on Monday. But just a day prior, on June 1st, a Ukrainian drone attack had destroyed more than 40 Russian planes deep in Russia's territory. In an evening address on Sunday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the operation had been planned for more than a year and a half, and used 117 drones to carry out the attacks. It's been reported that Zelenskyy personally supervised the operation, which he claims was headquartered out of an office next to the local Russian intelligence and security service. Codenamed "Spider's web," over the 18 months it took to prepare, sheds of drones were smuggled into Russia aboard special compartments of freight trucks, deployed to at least four separate locations in the perimeters of air bases, then the roof panels of the sheds were removed remotely to launch the attack. According to Ukraine's domestic security agency, the operation disabled 34 percent of Russia's strategic cruise missile bombers and caused approximately 7 billion U.S. dollars in damage. Meanwhile, Russia also launched a significant attack on Ukrainian territory overnight on the same day with some 472 drones and seven ballistic and cruise missiles, killing 12 Ukrainian soldiers and injuring over 60 others. It has been reported that the previous meeting of the two sides on May 16th resulted in the war's biggest prisoner swap but showed no signs of peace or even a ceasefire. It was also then that Ukraine and Russia agreed to exchange their conditions for a ceasefire for the second round of talks. Kyiv presented its terms last week, a roadmap for a long-term peace settlement, outlining an initial 30-day ceasefire as a first step, followed by the mutual return of prisoners and the repatriation of Ukrainian children taken to Russian-controlled territory. Russia said it would present its proposal at the meeting. Neither heads of state are expected to attend the peace talks. Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov is expected to lead the Ukrainian representation, while the Russian delegation will be led by Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky. Lee Eunjin, Arirang News.

Trump holds firm on tariffs amid tensions with China and courts

2025/06/02 20:00

U.S. President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping are expected to speak on the phone amid allegations of violations of a temporary bilateral trade deal agreed upon last month. Lee Eun-hee has more. U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are expected to speak soon on ongoing trade negotiations, according to White House Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. The anticipated phone talks come amid renewed tensions after Trump accused China of breaching a temporary agreement made last month in Geneva. That deal was aimed at easing trade tensions by mutually easing tariffs and trade restrictions. Bessent stressed that China is holding back its exports of rare earth minerals, which are critical for global industrial supply chains. Under the temporary truce, China reduced its tariffs on U.S. imports to 30%, down from the steep 145% level initially imposed in response to Trump's trade measures. Over the weekend, Trump took to his social media platform to say that if the courts somehow rule against the U.S. on tariffs, that would allow other countries to hold the U.S. hostage with their anti-American tariffs. His comments followed a Thursday decision by a federal appeals court to temporarily pause a lower-court ruling that had invalidated most of his tariffs. Trump added, "This would mean the economic ruination of the United States of America." While Trump administration officials say they have other options for imposing tariffs should they ultimately lose the case, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick made it clear there will be no extension to the 90-day pause. In a Sunday interview with FOX News, Lutnick stated, "Rest assured, tariffs are not going away." On Friday, Trump announced he would double tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from 25% to 50%. Lee Eun-hee, Arirang News.

D-1 to S. Korea's Presidential Election: Here's what you need to know

2025/06/02 20:00

Voters in the country will head to the polls tomorrow to elect a new president who will fill the vacancy at the top office. For more on what to expect on election day, our Moon Hye-ryeon joins us in the studio. Hye-ryeon, what should voters know about the schedule and timeline tomorrow? Over 14 thousand polling stations will be open nationwide from 6 AM to 8 PM. During a normal presidential election, polling stations are open until 6 PM, but this extended voting window reflects the special nature of this election that's being held to fill a presidential vacancy. Eligible voters will need to bring a government-issued photo ID to their designated polling station in order to cast their vote. At 8:10 PM, exit polls based on surveys of voters taken throughout the day will be released by major broadcasters. They're often a strong indicator of who might be in the lead, although official counting will begin immediately after polls close and will continue into the night. It's expected that a clear picture of the outcome will emerge at around midnight, but that could shift depending on how close the race is. During the 2017 Presidential Election, results were projected by 10 PM, whereas in the 2022 Presidential Election, results weren't clear until 2 AM the next day. And what's being done to ensure a smooth and safe election day? NEC Chairperson Roh Tae-ak issued a nationwide address this morning, urging the public to unite through participation. He emphasized the historic importance of this election, calling it a chance to move beyond division and toward hope. But he also acknowledged the challenges — the shortened campaign period has left limited time for voters to fully assess candidates and their policies. To strengthen transparency and public trust, the NEC is maintaining strict election integrity measures. That includes 24-hour CCTV surveillance of ballot storage sites, first introduced during last year's general election. Chairman Roh also highlighted that this is a nationwide effort, made possible with the support of local governments and public servants — many of whom are working overtime to make tomorrow's vote possible. Meanwhile, fire departments nationwide have entered a special emergency posture, inspecting polling stations and ballot counting centers for fire hazards and deploying over two thousand personnel and 460 fire trucks to counting centers. The police are also on the highest state of alert, which mobilizes 100 percent of available personnel. Officers are being deployed to polling stations, ballot transfer routes, and ballot counting centers. In total, over 168 thousand police staff will be involved in election-related operations. Security around the presidential candidates has also been ramped up, with 200 officers assigned to personal protection. Police will remain on high alert until after the presidential inauguration. With the race coming down to the wire, are there any last-minute developments voters should keep an eye on? A key issue this election has been the conservative bloc's ongoing struggle with candidacy mergers. In a campaign rally just yesterday, PPP candidate Kim Moon-soo openly expressed hope for a last-minute merger with Lee Jun-seok. Despite early voting — seeing as the final deadline for such talks — already being over, this shows that hopes for a deal persist. However, Lee Jun-seok has remained firm, dismissing the possibility of a merger this morning on social media. This election has also seen campaign trails engage in negative campaigning. Most prominently in recent days have been allegations surrounding Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung's son, who reportedly engaged in illegal online gambling. With the election now less than a day ahead, eyes are on how these developments could sway voters in these final, critical hours. Thank you for your report, Hye-ryeon. Thank you for having me.

Reform Party candidate to wrap up campaign focusing on young, conservative voters

2025/06/02 20:00

Also on this final day of the official campaign period, Reform Party candidate Lee Jun-seok sought to reach out to young voters in the capital area before heading to the conservative stronghold of Daegu. At lunchtime earlier today, he was at the Korea Polytechnic University in Gyeonggi-do Province for talks with students at the cafeteria there. Later, he made his way to Gyeongsan , Gyeongsangbuk-do Province to sit down with students at Yeungnam University. The final venue of his presidential rally this evening took place at Suseong Lake in Daegu City.

PPP's Kim on way to Seoul from Jeju for finale, pledges reforms never seen if elected

2025/06/02 20:00

We now head over to the conservative camp, whose contender Kim Moon-soo is poised to end his rally here in the capital as well. Our campaign correspondent Kim Do-yeon joins me now. Do-yeon , the candidate was criss-crossing the country throughout the day, and curtains are going down on his campaign in downtown Seoul? That's right, Jung-min.. The finale for Kim's campaign is well underway with Kim to step on the stage in about half an hour to join his biggest rally of the campaign. Kim is making his way from all the way down south where he started in Jeju and stopped at Busan, Daegu, and Daejeon so far. He also held a press conference while on this cross-country tour to end the campaign, sending out a plea for more votes and apologizing for the declaration of martial law. "If I am elected, I will pursue reforms and changes beyond what anyone can imagine. I will fundamentally transform the way the government operates in line with the people's demands and the calling of the times — and I will never let the people down." Now, here at the finale, the event kicked off at 6 PM. This is a popular finale spot, we saw Yoon do his here as well back in 2022. There will be other PPP primary contestants here on the stage to make the finale more impactful. As you know, the rally speakers and trucks are going to all shut down by 9 PM, and afterwards Kim will take it to the streets. He's set to walk around popular nightlife neighborhoods Hongdae and Gangnam to meet with younger voters. Note that in Korea, election days are public holidays, so a lot of young people could be enjoying the holiday eve. What have been some of the messages that Kim Moon-soo sought to share during his 22-day rally? Right, by the time Kim reaches here at 8 PM he'll have covered 7,300 kilometers over the past 22 days. There were 157 campaign activities for Kim, according to the party. And through this packed journey, Kim's main message was that Lee Jae-myung has legal risks and that he's acting like a dictator already. He cited Lee's guilty rulings that have been appealed, the DP's pressure on the Supreme Court, 그리고 the DP's legislative efforts to protect Lee from his legal risks. We all know Kim started this race on the back foot. His party's president was impeached over the declaration of martial law. The polls had him trailing the DP's Lee Jae-myung well beyond the margin of error. To close the gap, Kim had to court undecided voters, while the party sought to distance itself from former President Yoon Suk Yeol. In recent days, Kim also drew attention with daily T-shirt slogans, highlighting his love for family — as his wife and daughter actively campaigned alongside him. It was a contrast to his DP rival, who has kept his family largely out of the public eye. That's all for now.

S. Korea's Presidential Election D-1: Analysis of the race and voter sentiment outlook

2025/06/02 20:00

Welcome to Within The Frame, where we bring the most pressing issues across the globe into focus. I'm Kim Mok-yeon. South Korea's 21st presidential election officially begins in less than a day, with more than 14,000 polling stations set to open nationwide. Voters will cast their ballots from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., after which sealed ballot boxes will be transported under police escort to 254 counting centers. Over 70,000 election workers will begin tallying by 8:30, using both machine sorting and manual verification to ensure accuracy. This snap election, triggered by an unexpected vacancy, follows a strong early voting turnout of 37.4% — the second-highest on record. Yet the final result may hinge on voter participation in key regions such as Yeongnam, the capital area, and Chungcheong, where early turnout lagged behind. With polling blacked out since May 28th and candidates making a final push across battleground regions, the race enters its final stretch marked by uncertainty and urgency. So tonight, we take a closer look at where things stand — and where they might be headed. For a deeper discussion on this, we are joined in the by Soo Jin (Suzie) Kim, professor of Political Theory at Kyung Hee University. Welcome. Also joining us online is Lee Hee-eun, dean and professor of Law at Handong International Law School. Good to see you. 1. (Kim) Let's start with the tone of the campaign Prof.Kim. During the brief three-week campaign period, it looks like candidates have focused heavily on negative campaigning and issue-driven tactics. What do you see as the background behind this? And what impact might it have on voter sentiment? 2. (Lee) Zooming in on the candidates' final moves — Over the final weekend before the election, each candidate made last-minute efforts to win over voters. Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party campaigned in the capital region and Chungcheong; Kim Moon-soo of the People's Power Party in Gangwon and Gyeongbuk; and Lee Jun-seok of the Reform Party focused his final efforts in the capital region. Prof.Lee, What do you think is the significance of these campaign locations? Were these regions strategically chosen to consolidate votes at the last minute? 3. (Kim) Now turning to early voting which took place on May 28 and 29. The Democratic Party has historically encouraged early voting, believing that progressive voters tend to show higher participation in it. But Interestingly, this time, the People's Power Party also actively encouraged early voting. What was the reason behind this shift Prof.Kim? 4. (Lee) Building on that — This presidential election saw an early voting turnout of 34.74%. Although slightly lower than the last presidential election, it's still the second-highest on record. Prof.Lee, what voter psychology do you think this reflects? 5. (Kim) And the interpretations have been sharply divided. The Democratic Party interpreted it as "a reflection of the people's desperate desire to end civil strife," while the People's Power Party argued that it indicated "a growing movement to hold Lee Jae-myung accountable." What's your take Prof.Kim? 6. (Kim) That leads us to a bigger question — do early voting results typically affect the main election day voting or the overall race outcome? What has been the pattern in previous elections? 7. (Lee) But trust in the process remains a concern. Issues like poor management at polling stations during early voting have once again raised concerns about the Election Commission's credibility. What kind of impact could this have on election day Prof.Lee? 8. (Lee) Now, with polling data blacked out since May 28th — the most recent surveys showed a narrowing gap between Lee Jae-myung and Kim Moon-soo. What last-minute variables do you think could still shift the political landscape? 9. (Kim) And finally, when an election is held on a shortened timeline like this one, what potential issues or concerns arise from the standpoint of election quality or procedural democracy Prof.Kim?

PPP's Kim on way to Seoul from Jeju for finale, pledges reforms never seen if elected

2025/06/02 17:00

Up next we touch base with the latest at the conservative camp whose contender Kim Moon-soo is poised to end his rally here in Seoul as well. My colleague Kim Do-yeon joins me now. Do-yeon welcome back. So curtains are going down on Kim's campaign in downtown Seoul? That's right, Sun-hee. As you can see behind me, preparations are already in full swing for the grand finale — the biggest rally of Kim's campaign. He's expected to arrive here at around 8 PM. Kim is making his way here from Jeju today, with stops in Busan and Daegu so far, and one more in Daejeon before arriving here. Before setting off on this final push, Kim held a press conference — pleading for voter support and once again apologizing for the declaration of martial law. "If I am elected, I will pursue reforms and changes beyond what anyone can imagine. I will fundamentally transform the way the government operates in line with the people's demands and the calling of the times — and I will never let the people down." Now, here at the finale, the event will kick off at 6 PM. This is a popular finale spot, we saw Yoon do his here as well back in 2022. There will be other PPP primary contestants here on the stage to make the finale more impactful. As you know, the rally speakers and trucks are going to all shut down by 9 PM, and afterwards Kim will take it to the streets. He's set to walk around popular nightlife neighborhoods Hongdae and Gangnam to meet with younger voters. Note that in Korea, election days are public holidays, so a lot of young people could be enjoying the holiday eve. Also Do-yeon what have been some of the messages that Kim Moon-soo sought to share during his 22-day rally? Right. Sun-hee, by the time Kim reaches here at 8 PM he'll have covered 7,300 kilometers over the past 22 days. There were 157 campaign activities for Kim, according to the party. And through this packed journey, Kim's main message was that Lee Jae-myung has legal risks and that he's acting like a dictator already. He cited Lee's guilty rulings that have been appealed, the DP's pressure on the Supreme Court, and the DP's legislative efforts to protect Lee from his legal risks. We all know Kim started this race on the back foot. His party's president was impeached over the declaration of martial law. The polls had him trailing the DP's Lee Jae-myung well beyond the margin of error. To close the gap, Kim had to court undecided voters, while the party sought to distance itself from former President Yoon Suk Yeol. In recent days, Kim also drew attention with daily T-shirt slogans, highlighting his love for family — as his wife and daughter actively campaigned alongside him. It was a contrast to his DP rival, who has kept his family largely out of the public eye. That's all for now, back to you, Sun-hee. All right Do-yeon we'll let you get back to your coverage of the conservative camp. Thank you for that report.

[Short-form] Korea’s Presidential Election: D-1

2025/06/02 14:00

From dynamic campaign trails to captivating ballot counts, catch a glimpse of Korea’s vibrant election culture!

DP's Lee to hold final rally at Seoul's Yeouido Park, highlighting 'Revolution of Light'

2025/06/02 17:00

With election day slated for tomorrow today is the final day of campaigning for the presidential contenders. That being said our political correspondent Shin Ha-young is standing by at a rally of liberal party contender Lee Jae-myung who will speak to supporters at Yeouido Park here in Seoul. Ha-young it's good to have you on. Do start us off. Sunny. Indeed, today is the final day of the official campaign period. I’m here at Yeouido Park in western Seoul, where Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung will stage the finale to his official campaign. Right now, the area is getting ready for the rally, and I've already seen some people gathering in anticipation. Choosing Yeouido as the site of the end of his campaign is meant to highlight what this snap election is really about. Yeouido is home to the National Assembly, where a vote put an end to December's martial law saga. It's also where protesters spent a cold winter with light sticks, calling for the impeachment of former President Yoon Suk Yeol. Just like at the start of his campaign, Lee is expected to highlight his "Revolution of Light" message and emphasize his commitment to ending what he describes as an insurrection. The DP has been calling Yoon’s brief imposition of martial law an act of "insurrection" that undermined the constitutional order. The party's campaign will begin at 7:30 PM and Lee is expected to arrive here at 8 PM to deliver a speech. Meanwhile, Lee focused his last day of rallies on Seoul and the surrounding metropolitan area. Earlier today he visited Seongnam City in Gyeonggi-do Province, not only the city where he grew up, but also where he was first elected to public office as the city's mayor in 2010. Take a listen. "Your vote is the start of real change turning despair into hope, division into unity, and stagnation into growth. Trust Lee Jae-myung, a loyal and capable public servant who has always delivered results through action. I’ll get the job done." After wrapping up his rally in Yeouido, he’ll turn to YouTube Live at 10 PM to make a final appeal to voters. Ha-young the official campaign period comes to a close in a few hours. That being said do walk us through Lee Jae-myung's 22-day campaign. Well, Sunny, I’ve been covering Lee Jae-myung’s campaign from the day he announced his candidacy, which took me all over the country. According to the Democratic Party, Lee held 66 rallies nationwide during the 22-day official campaign period. He traveled over 5-thousand kilometers and met more than 236-thousand people on the trail. Unlike past campaigns that focused mostly on the capital area, over half of his rallies were held outside Seoul. As he traveled across the country, he repeatedly emphasized two main goals: bringing the country together and putting an end to insurrection. Another notable point is that Lee delivered his rally speeches from behind bulletproof glass. This follows growing concerns within the party and among supporters over his safety, especially considering he was stabbed in the neck during a visit to Busan in January last year. His camp has also restricted access near the stage and is limiting physical contact with supporters, including handshakes. That's all for this hour. Back to you Sunny. All right Ha-young thank you for now. That was our Shin Ha-young with the latest from the liberal camp.

World News: Seven killed after bridge collapses in Russia's Bryansk region bordering Ukraine

2025/06/02 17:00

This is the World Now, bringing you the latest stories from around the globe. In Russia, two bridges in regions bordering Ukraine collapsed over the weekend, killing at least seven people and injuring dozens. Russian state media reported that the incidents are being investigated as potential "acts of terrorism." On Saturday night, a bridge in Russia's Bryansk region collapsed onto a moving passenger train carrying over 300 people. Seven people were killed and more than 70 others were injured in the disaster. Hours later, early on Sunday, a second bridge collapsed in the neighboring Kursk region, derailing a cargo train and injuring the driver. Both the Bryansk and Kursk regions border Ukraine and have seen a surge in attacks on infrastructure since Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Moscow's Investigative Committee has classified the collapses as terrorist acts. And the state-run Moscow Railways reported that the Bryansk bridge had been blown up in an "illegal interference." However, Ukrainian officials have denied the involvement, accusing Russians of staging a "false flag" operation to "manipulate international opinion" ahead of the Istanbul negotiations. In Nigeria's Niger State, rescue operations continued over the weekend after at least 200 people died in flooding caused by torrential rain which hit on Thursday. Emergency services said 500 people were still missing and 3-thousand residents were displaced in the market town of Mokwa in what is being described as the worst disaster in the area in six decades. The National Emergency Management Agency announced on Sunday that it had begun providing relief packages to people affected, and authorities will focus on recovering bodies to prevent potential outbreaks of disease. In the United States, a 16-year-old transgender athlete has secured two golds and one silver medal at the California Interscholastic Federation State Track and Field Championships, stirring up a controversy over the participation of transgender athletes in a girls' competition. The championships that involved AB Hernandez saw protests, with demonstrators displaying signs opposing transgender inclusion in girls' sports. President Donald Trump criticized California's decision to permit Hernandez's participation, threatening to withdraw federal funding from the state. Choi Chi-hee, Arirang News.

S. Korea-Japan introduce exclusive immigration lanes throughout June

2025/06/02 17:00

In other news. Designated airports here in Korea and in neighboring Japan have opened priority lanes for passport holders from the two countries to facilitate entry procedures. Park Hyo-been has more. To mark the 60th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations, South Korea and Japan have launched special fast-track immigration lanes at select airports for travelers between the two countries. On Sunday, June 1st, Japan opened dedicated lanes for Korean nationals at Haneda and Fukuoka airports, while South Korea has been offering similar lanes for Japanese travelers at Gimpo and Gimhae airports. Thanks to the new lanes, what used to take up to an hour can now be completed in just a few minutes. "It used to take more than an hour, so getting to where I'm staying took a long time. But today, I passed through immigration quickly—it's so much more convenient." "I'm thinking about working in Japan, so I'll probably be visiting more often. Being able to go through a Korean-only lane really helps save time." These exclusive lanes are part of a one-month pilot program, which operates daily from 9 AM to 4 PM throughout June. Travelers must have visited the partner country within the past year and completed immigration and customs declarations in advance via mobile. In the case of Gimpo and Haneda airports, the fast-track lanes are limited to passengers flying with Korean Air, Asiana Airlines, Japan Airlines, or All Nippon Airways. Meanwhile, the number of tourists traveling between South Korea and Japan has been steadily rising. Last year, a record of nearly 9 million Koreans visited Japan, while over 3 million Japanese nationals traveled to South Korea. Park Hyo-been, Arirang News.

Dozens killed at aid distribution site in Rafah

2025/06/02 17:00

In Gaza. A new aid distribution site became a scene of shocking violence this past Sunday with dozens killed and many more injured. Lee Seung-jae reports. Dozens of Palestinians were reportedly killed and over a hundred others injured on Sunday, with the Palestinian Civil Defense saying Israeli soldiers at a relief distribution center run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation fired at people seeking food and aid. The AFP says 31 people were killed and over 176 injured in Rafah, at a relief distribution site run by the United States and Israel. According to the spokesperson for the Civil Defense, Mahmoud Basal,.. Israel targeted thousands of civilians. Hamas also released a statement saying that Israel "committed a terrible massacre targeting thousands of civilians heading to a distribution center." The Associated Press, citing a witness, said that at around 3 AM, Israeli soldiers ordered the crowd to disperse and come back later, when a crowd began forming about one kilometer from the distribution site, they opened fire. Another witness said that at around 5 AM, drones and drones suddenly attacked the relief center, killing several people. However,.. the Israeli military dismissed the reports in a statement, saying that false reports have been circulating that raise serious suspicions that Israeli soldiers have fired on civilians near a humanitarian aid distribution site, calling it false. The Israeli military explained that no civilians were fired at inside or around the distribution center. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation also issued a press release saying that relief supplies were distributed safely, and that Hamas is actively spreading rumors about casualties, which they called untrue and fabricated. The GHF announced that it distributed more than 15-thousand boxes of relief supplies on Sunday, and that more than 67 thousand boxes, have been distributed since the site opened last week. Lee Seung-jae, Arirang News.

Ukraine drones destroy Russian planes deep inside Russia ahead of peace talks in Istanbul

2025/06/02 17:00

Ahead of potential talks in Türkiye on this Monday Ukraine and Russia ramped up their military operations against each other this past weekend with Kyiv launching one of its "most ambitious" counteroffensives against the Kremlin. Lee Eun-jin has the latest. Ukraine and Russia are set to sit down for a second round of peace talks at around 1 PM local time in Istanbul on Monday. But just a day prior, on June 1st, a Ukrainian drone attack had destroyed more than 40 Russian planes deep in Russia's territory. In an evening address on Sunday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the operation had been planned for more than a year and a half, and used 117 drones to carry out the attacks. It's been reported that Zelenskyy personally supervised the operation, which he claims was headquartered out of an office next to the local Russian intelligence and security service. Codenamed "Spider's web," over the 18 months it took to prepare, sheds of drones were smuggled into Russia aboard special compartments of freight trucks, deployed to at least four separate locations in the perimeters of air bases, then the roof panels of the sheds were removed remotely to launch the attack. According to Ukraine's domestic security agency, the operation disabled 34 percent of Russia's strategic cruise missile bombers and caused approximately 7 billion U.S. dollars in damage. Meanwhile, Russia also launched a significant attack on Ukrainian territory overnight on the same day with some 472 drones and seven ballistic and cruise missiles, killing 12 Ukrainian soldiers and injuring over 60 others. It has been reported that the previous meeting of the two sides on May 16th resulted in the war's biggest prisoner swap but showed no signs of peace or even a ceasefire. It was also then that Ukraine and Russia agreed to exchange their conditions for a ceasefire for the second round of talks. Kyiv presented its terms last week, a roadmap for a long-term peace settlement, outlining an initial 30-day ceasefire as a first step, followed by the mutual return of prisoners and the repatriation of Ukrainian children taken to Russian-controlled territory. Russia said it would present its proposal at the meeting. Neither heads of state are expected to attend the peace talks. Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov is expected to lead the Ukrainian representation, while the Russian delegation will be led by Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky. Lee Eunjin, Arirang News.

Trump holds firm on tariffs amid tensions with China and courts

2025/06/02 17:00

Meanwhile U.S. President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping are expected to speak on the phone amid allegations of violations of a temporary bilateral trade deal agreed upon last month in Geneva. Lee Eun-hee has more. U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are expected to speak soon on ongoing trade negotiations, according to White House Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. The anticipated phone talks come amid renewed tensions after Trump accused China of breaching a temporary agreement made last month in Geneva. That deal was aimed at easing trade tensions by mutually easing tariffs and trade restrictions. Bessent stressed that China is holding back its exports of rare earth minerals, which are critical for global industrial supply chains. Under the temporary truce, China reduced its tariffs on U.S. imports to 30%, down from the steep 145% level initially imposed in response to Trump's trade measures. Over the weekend, Trump took to his social media platform to say that if the courts somehow rule against the U.S. on tariffs, that would allow other countries to hold the U.S. hostage with their anti-American tariffs. His comments followed a Thursday decision by a federal appeals court to temporarily pause a lower-court ruling that had invalidated most of his tariffs. Trump added, "This would mean the economic ruination of the United States of America." While Trump administration officials say they have other options for imposing tariffs should they ultimately lose the case, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick made it clear there will be no extension to the 90-day pause. In a Sunday interview with FOX News, Lutnick stated, "Rest assured, tariffs are not going away." On Friday, Trump announced he would double tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from 25% to 50%. Lee Eun-hee, Arirang News.

S. Korea to engage in talks with U.S. over proposed 50% steel and aluminum tariffs

2025/06/02 17:00

The Trade Ministry held an emergency meeting with Korea's aluminium and steelmakers including POSCO and Hyundai Steel earlier on this Monday. On the agenda were U.S. intentions to DOUBLE the current 25-percent tariff on steel and aluminium imports into its market. Last Friday President Donald Trump announced plans to raise the import duty on steel and aluminium to 50 percent starting June 4th that is Wednesday this week. Industry heavyweights have urged the government to swiftly address the matter with the Trump administration and the Trade Ministry for its part has pledged to seek to minimize the fallout on local businesses.

South Korea gears up for presidential election with emphasis on safety and participation

2025/06/02 17:00

The National Election Commission has pledged an orderly transparent election tomorrow while calling on voters to exercise their civic duty. Byun Ye-young reports. With just one day remaining before South Korea elects its new president, National Election Commission chairperson Roh Tae-ak has strongly urged citizens to exercise their voting rights. On Monday, Roh called for unity and active participation, saying, "Let us build a Korea united through the power of the vote." He emphasized that this election is a crucial opportunity to move beyond conflict and division and encouraged voters to use the final day of the campaign period to carefully assess candidates and their policies. Roh also promised transparency and accuracy in the vote count. Meanwhile, the National Fire Agency announced on the same day that 242 fire departments nationwide have launched special emergency operations. Crews will inspect polling and counting stations for fire hazards and increase patrols to prevent accidents. Precautions include a 24-hour surveillance and response system and maintaining direct communication with election officials and police. Privately operated polling stations are also drawing attention. While polling stations are typically set up in government buildings, private venues may be used when public facilities are unavailable. According to Yonhap News, among some polling places this year are recreational facilities like gyms and taekwondo studios, as well as food and beverage facilities, such as cafés and even pizza shops. The main voting will take place on Tuesday from 6 AM to 8 PM, with all citizens over the age of 18 having the right to vote. Byeon Ye-young, Arirang News.

Reform Party candidate to wrap up campaign focusing on young, conservative voters

2025/06/02 17:00

Also on this final day of the official campaign period Reform Party candidate Lee Jun-seok sought to reach out to young voters in the capital area before heading to the conservative stronghold of Daegu . At lunchtime earlier today he was at the Korea Polytechnic University in Gyeonggi-do Province for talks with students at the cafeteria there. Later he made his way to Gyeongsan Gyeongsangbuk-do Province to sit down with students at Yeungnam University. The final venue of his presidential rally this evening is Suseong Lake in Daegu City.

D-1 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN S. KOREA

2025/06/02 17:00

Hello and welcome. You're watching Press Perspective for this Monday June second. I'm Min Sunhee. Election day is tomorrow and today we touch upon the latest on the campaign front and more. For this I have freelance journalist Raphael Rashid here in the studio with me. Rashid as always it's great to have you here. I also have Steven Borowiec with Japanese weekly news magazine Nikkei Asia with us. Steven thank you for making time to be here. 1) Raphael, South Korea saw its second highest turnout for early voting last week at almost 34.7% 2) Steven, do you see this reality affecting voter turnout on June third? 3) Raphael, some pundits are calling this particular presidential election "the grey election" as the number of voters in their 60s and 70s surpass that of voters in their 20s and 30s. 4) Steven, some media outlets point out the political polarization here in South Korea appears more pronounced between the two genders among young first-time voters. 5) Raphael, the political events here in Korea over the past few months have raised concerns about a growing breeding ground for strong leader syndrome. 6) Steven, local media outlets have pointed to North Korea's silence with regard to South Korea's snap election. 7) Raphael, tomorrow June 3rd is election day. 8) Steven, what appears to be the focus of the foreign media as South Korea looks to usher in a new administration on June 4th? 9) And Raphael, I extend the same question to you. All right.