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Seoul envoy vows to maintain joint goal of N. Korea's denuclearization with Trump administration

2025/01/24 10:00

U.S. President Donald Trump earlier this week described North Korea as a "nuclear power," sparking concerns of a change in Washington's North Korea policy. Seoul's top envoy to the U.S. tamed the worries by vowing to ensure that Seoul and Washington will maintain the goal of North Korea's denuclearization. Lee Seung-jae reports. South Korea's Ambassador to the United States Cho Hyun-dong said Thursday that Seoul and Washington will maintain the goal of North Korea's denuclearization in the new Donald Trump administration. In a monthly press meeting, Seoul's top envoy to Washington emphasized South Korea's focus on reinforcing policy coordination with the Trump administration. In order to remain on the same page on North Korea nuclear policy, Cho said the South Korean government will strengthen its coordination with the U.S., especially given the North's participation in the war in Ukraine. The ambassador also stressed Seoul's priority of strengthening the credibility of the U.S.' extended deterrence commitment. This includes the mobilization of the full range of its military capabilities, including nuclear weapons,.. in order to defend South Korea. Cho added that, Seoul will continue to ensure the combined South Korea-U.S. defense posture, while maintaining the Seoul-Washington-Tokyo trilateral cooperation. His comments come amid growing concerns that the U.S. may be changing its policy on North Korea's nuclear program. On the day of his inauguration on Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump described North Korea as a "nuclear power." Also,.. Trump's defense chief nominee Pete Hegseth used the same term to describe the regime. U.S. officials have long refrained from using such terms, as it could be seen as Washington's recognition of North Korea's nuclear weapons program. However, the term is different from "the nuclear-weapon states,". often used to describe countries like the U.S., UK, France, Russia, and China. They're officially recognized as countries that possess nuclear weapons in the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. Lee Seung-jae, Arirang News.

Trump pushes "America First" agenda at Davos: Invest or face tariffs

2025/01/24 10:00

Speaking at his first major global address, U.S. President Donald Trump renewed his economic agenda urging global companies to manufacture in the U.S. Our Moon Hye-ryeon has the details. “Come make your product in America and we will give you among the lowest taxes of any nation on earth.” U.S. President Donald Trump emphasized his stance on tariffs once again in front of the global elite at the annual World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, as he followed up his push to bring manufacturing into the U.S. with a threat to impose levies for foreign goods. “But if you don't make your product in America, which is your prerogative, then very simply you will have to pay a tariff.” Speaking in a video call on Thursday at his first major appearance since his inauguration earlier this week, Trump went on to describe how these tariffs will add up to “trillions of dollars” to strengthen the U.S. economy. This follows an earlier announcement that he plans to impose tariffs of 25 percent on Mexico and Canada starting February – alongside a 10 percent tariff for China. During the rest of his 45-minute speech, he went on to lay out more of his vision for the U.S. economy, which includes lowering the corporate tax to 15 percent from the current 21 percent, lowering energy costs by pressuring OPEC and lowering interest rates in turn. And in a panel discussion following his speech, he addressed the European Union for its substantial trade imbalance with the United States and condemned their regulatory actions against American tech giants such as Apple, Google, and Facebook. His comments spurred a chain of reactions – oil prices fell, the greenback showed fluctuations, and U.S. stocks rose. It also inspired commentary from attendees, who called for a measured response to Trump’s tariff policies – cautioning against hasty retaliatory actions. The Director-General of the World Trade Organization called for careful analysis to examine the economic impact to gauge whether they are excessive and warned that retaliatory tariffs can have disastrous effects on the global economy. The European Union’s economic commissioner echoed this sentiment, while some attendees showed a more nuanced understanding of Trump’s approach to tariffs by viewing it as a bargaining tool. Trump also advocated for a reduction in nuclear arms and urged for global cooperation at the forum, stating that he had discussed the matter with Russian President Vladimir Putin prior to the 2020 U.S. presidential election. He revealed that Putin had been receptive to the idea of nuclear disarmament and that China would have joined the initiative – warning that Beijing is rapidly expanding its nuclear arsenal and could catch up with the U.S. in a few years. Moon Hye-ryeon, Arirang News.

Prosecution preparing for full-scale investigation of Pres. Yoon

2025/01/24 10:00

Investigation into President Yoon's martial law order is still ongoing, except the case will now be under the prosecutors, not the investigators. We have our Choi Min-jung out at the prosecution's office in central Seoul. Min-jung, the prosecutors will now handle the investigation. Are you spotting anything at the site? Dami, it's a little past 10 AM here at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office And unlike what we've been seeing at the Seoul Detention Center or the CIO, it's still rather quiet,.. with not many 사람 around at the moment. Now regarding the investigation, the prosecution does not have much time with a detention deadline approaching which could be as early as the 26th of January. So the investigation team may request to extend President Yoon's detention as early as today. And if approved, that would mean he could be held until the 4th, 5th, or 6th of February, giving more time for the prosecutors to investigate. Under such a plan, the prosecution is expected to make every effort to interrogate President Yoon as much as possible. They have also set a plan to continue the investigation throughout the weekend, possibly at the Seoul Detention Center where Yoon is currently being held, and even during the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday. And the point of this whole case transfer is so that President Yoon complies with the investigation. How is Yoon's side taking this handover? Right, the question is whether Yoon will respond to the prosecution's investigation. President Yoon's legal team said nothing has been decided yet, but did urge the prosecution to comply with proper legal procedures, unlike what they call the "illegal" actions of the CIO. Just to give you a brief background, the prosecution's special investigation team took back the case yesterday, after the anti-corruption agency formally requested that the prosecution take over the investigation. The case was handed over earlier than planned due to President Yoon's refusal to cooperate with the CIO. The CIO had faced backlash as the investigation continued to hit a stalemate. Other than on the day of his arrest, when he remained silent in front of investigators, Yoon refused to appear for further questioning, citing health and security concerns. The CIO also faced repeated interference from the Presidential Security Service in its attempts to seize evidence. One of the men arrested for the attack against Seoul Western District Court last weekend turned out to be a missionary. And he's been arrested as of Thursday? That's right, Dami. A man in his 40s, identified as Mr. Lee, was arrested after being accused of storming into the court last Sunday, shortly after an arrest warrant was issued for President Yoon. As of today, a total of 59 people, including Lee,. have been arrested in connection with the riot. Earlier, the court issued arrest warrants for 58 individuals—44 for storming the court and causing property damage, and 10 for blocking a vehicle carrying prosecutors and investigators from the CIO. That's all I have for now. But I'll be back with more on our later newscast. Back to you, Dami. Thank you Min-jung, for your report.

China FM says no abnormalities detected in Fukushima seawater sample

2025/01/24 10:00

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning announced on Thursday that recent tests of seawater samples collected near Japan's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant revealed no abnormalities. The first independent test of samples since October 2024, was conducted as part of an agreement between China and Japan, allowing stakeholders to perform independent sampling and monitoring, under the framework of the International Atomic Energy Agency. China's foreign ministry spokesperson noted the limits of the significance of a single test result, and China has not yet hinted at lifting its ban on Japanese seafood imports, which was imposed in August 2023.

Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family pay settlement over OyContin crisis

2025/01/24 10:00

Also, in the U.S., Purdue Pharma and its owners, the Sackler family, on Thursday, agreed to a 7.4 billion U.S. dollar settlement, to resolve numerous lawsuits alleging their role in the U.S. opioid crisis through the marketing of their product, OxyContin. Under the settlement terms, the Sacklers will pay 6.5 billion U.S. dollars over 15 years, and give up their ownership of Purdue Pharma. An additional 900 million U.S. dollars will come from Purdue itself. The agreement follows the U.S. Supreme Court's rejection of a 6 billion dollar settlement that would have granted the Sacklers immunity from future civil lawsuits. The new settlement does not provide such immunity. The OxyContin crisis led to hundreds of thousands of deaths and addictions in the U.S. since the drug's release in 1996. The Sackler family continues to deny any wrongdoing.

Federal court blocks Trump's executive order on birthright citizenship

2025/01/24 10:00

Starting in the U.S., on Thursday, District Judge John Coughenour in Seattle put a two-week temporary halt, on President Donald Trump's executive order, aimed at ending birthright citizenship, calling it "blatantly unconstitutional." Trump's order sought to deny citizenship to children born in the U.S. to non-citizen parents. The order challenges the 14th Amendment, which grants citizenship to anyone born in America, with a few minor exceptions. 22 states and several immigrant rights groups are challenging Trump's executive order, arguing that it would strip many individuals of their right to citizenship. The Justice Department plans to appeal Judge Coughenour's decision, asserting that the order correctly interprets the Constitution. The case, which represents an early setback for the Trump administration's immigration agenda, could potentially end up at the Supreme Court for a final decision.

Trump's Second Term Begins: What’s the path forward for South Korea's economy?

2025/01/23 20:00

Welcome to Within The Frame, where we bring you today's most pressing issues from across the globe, I'm Kim Mok-yeon. U.S. President Donald Trump is moving forward with his tariff agenda. He announced plans to impose a 10% tariff on Chinese goods starting February 1, citing China's role in fentanyl trafficking to Mexico and Canada. This follows his earlier decision to impose a 25% tariff on imports from Mexico and Canada, also effective February 1, as part of his broader efforts to combat drug flows and illegal border crossings. While Trump has delayed announcing broader universal tariffs, economies around the world are keeping close tabs as the measure is expected to have wide-ranging impacts on global trade, including potential effects on domestic businesses. For more on the impact of Trump's economic policies, we invite Hwagyun Kim, Professor of Banking and Finance at Texas A&M University, Mays Business School. Welcome. Also joining us is Oh Joon-seok, Dean of the College of Economics and Business at Sookmyung Women's University. Great to have you with us again, Professor. (KIM) 1. So let's start with Professor Kim, although President Trump stated he would sign an executive order on universal tariffs on his first day in office, there was no mention of specifics in his inauguration speech. What do you think is the reason for this? (OH) 2. Following the news, the Korean won-dollar exchange rate has fallen to around 1,430 won in just one month. Some analysts suggest this may be due to expectations that Trump will adopt a more relaxed tariff policy. Professor Oh, Do you think the strong dollar trend will ease? (OH) 3. Trump has postponed the universal tariff policy for now, stating it's not yet ready, but if he proceeds with it, when do you think it will happen? What impact would this have on South Korean companies Professor Oh? (KIM) 4. While Trump has postponed the universal tariff, he has started to specify tariff pressures on Mexico, Canada, and China. On February 1st, the U.S. will impose a 25% tariff on Canada and Mexico. Professor Kim, What is the background behind this? Is this a card for renegotiating the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement? (OH) 5. Many South Korean companies have entered Mexico and Canada as key gateways to the North American market. If the U.S. imposes the 25% tariff as planned, what impact will it have on South Korean companies Professor Oh? (KIM) 6. President Trump has stated that he is considering a 10% tariff on China starting February 1. During the election campaign, he promised to impose tariffs of up to 60% on Chinese products. Professor Kim, How do you foresee the future of the U.S.-China tariff war? (OH) 7. In response to Trump's tariff threats, what measures should the South Korean government take to minimize the damage? What are the ways to strengthen export capabilities Professor Oh? (KIM) 8. Many analysts suggest that the policies of the Trump 2.0 administration may worsen U.S. inflation. Given the current trends in prices Professor Kim, how do you assess Trump's immigration expulsion policies and the declaration of a national energy emergency as mentioned in his inauguration speech? (OH) 9. There is speculation that the Federal Reserve may keep the key interest rate unchanged until the end of the year due to Trump's inauguration. Professor Oh, What do you expect the outcome to be in the upcoming FOMC meeting next week? (KIM) 10. Meanwhile, there is no significant mention of cryptocurrency-related policies in Trump's inauguration speech or executive orders, and Bitcoin, which had fallen below $101,000 on inauguration day, is now showing signs of recovery. Professor Kim, What is your outlook for Bitcoin under the Trump 2.0 administration?

Top diplomats of S. Korea and U.S. discuss bilateral alliance, N. Korea issues among others

2025/01/23 20:00

Moving on. The top diplomats of South Korea and the U.S. held their first phone call on Thursday, during which Washington stressed the alliance between the two countries. Also addressed was North Korea's nuclear issue. Our Kim Bo-kyoung gives us the details. South Korea and the U.S.'s top diplomats held their first phone talks on Thursday, and agreed to maintain close cooperation based on their countries' steadfast alliance. The talk between Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul, and new U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio came after President Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th president on Monday. Items discussed between the two included bilateral relations, the North Korea nuclear issue, and trilateral cooperation between Seoul, Washington, and Tokyo. Welcoming Rubio's inauguration, Cho said he hopes the Seoul-Washington alliance that has continued for over 70 years will further develop under the new Trump administration. While saying the fact he is holding phone talks with Cho within 24 hours of taking office, Rubio emphasized that the two countries' alliance is the main pillar, the linchpin of peace and security on not only the Korean peninsula, but also the region. A statement released by the U.S. State Department said they also talked about trilateral cooperation between Seoul, Washington, and Tokyo, emphasizing its critical importance. It noted how the two discussed ways to advance bilateral cooperation to address shared challenges in the Indo-Pacific region. "The trilateral security cooperation mechanism was said to have been created to address shared threats and crises in the Indo-Pacific, so the word "shared challenges" is not new. However, it is highly likely that this mechanism could be explicitly made to serve as a way to counter China." The North Korea nuclear issue was also included in their talks, and the two ministers agreed to maintain close coordination on this. The expert said Rubio a Trump loyalist, could compromise his thoughts despite being a traditionalist. "He holds the traditional Republican view on foreign affairs and security, putting importance on alliances and taking a principled approach to the North Korea issue. But as Rubio has become 'Trumpified,' there is a chance he might compromise his own views." Meanwhile, after Cho stressed the importance of close communication between Seoul and Washington, Rubio agreed, and invited him to the States to further discuss specific cooperative measures. Kim Bo-kyoung, Arirang News.

Live from Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office: Pres. Yoon's case transferred from CIO to prosecution

2025/01/23 20:00

Today, the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials officially transferred its investigation of President Yoon Suk Yeol to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office. For more, we have our Kim Jung-sil standing by live at the prosecution's office here in the capital city. Jung-sil, Welcome. Let's begin with this latest development. Thank you, Jung-min. The atmosphere here at the Seoul Central District Prosecutor's Office is rather quiet this evening, with the investigation into President Yoon officially transferred here today. This morning, the Corruption Investigation Office (CIO) formally requested the prosecution to take over the investigation into President Yoon, more than 50 days after his December 3rd martial law declaration. Take a listen to a comment from a CIO official earlier today. "The CIO has today decided to request the prosecution of the suspect in accordance with Article 26, Section 1 of the CIO Act, and has referred the case to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office." Why has the case been transferred earlier than expected, and what led to this decision? Jungmin, the case was handed over earlier than planned due to President Yoon's refusal to cooperate with the CIO. Despite their best efforts, including securing warrants that led to the president's arrest and detention, the CIO faces a backlash as the investigation continues to hit a stalemate. The only session he attended was for 10 hours on the first day of his arrest, where he remained silent. Yoon refused to appear for further questioning, citing health and security concerns. The CIO also faced repeated interference from the Presidential Security Service in its attempts to seize evidence, including the president's secret phone. Given these challenges, the CIO decided it would be more effective for the prosecution to take over, which it was initially expected to do on January 28th. Now, all eyes will be on the prosecutors in the office behind me as they carry out this unprecedented investigation. Now, what's the expected about the prosecution's investigation? The prosecution will continue investigating the allegations of insurrection and abuse of power flagged by the CIO, reviewing as many as 30,000 pages of records handed over by the CIO. While insurrection charges are typically handled by the police, no sitting president has ever been investigated by them; past investigations of former presidents were conducted by the prosecution. Legal experts note that while President Yoon's argument is technically valid, it does not prevent the prosecution or CIO from pursuing the case. "Technically, it's true that the power to investigate crimes of insurrection has been given to the police but the prosecution office retains the power to investigate any further crimes that are related to crimes they are already investigating." Now the question is , will the president cooperate this time? It remains uncertain, Jung-min. President Yoon, having served as prosecutor general, knows the process well, so his actions will be strategic. We will just have to keep a close eye on this. That's all from me, back to you. All right Jung-sil thank you for that coverage. That was our Kim Jung-sil reporting live from the prosecutors' office.

Fmr. Defense Minister testifies as first witness at President Yoon's impeachment trial

2025/01/23 17:00

We start at the Constitutional Court where the fourth hearing into the impeachment case against President Yoon Suk Yeol kicked off earlier this afternoon again in his presence. For more Arirang's Oh Soo-young joins us live from the court. Soo-young so what are the latest developments there? Yes. The President appeared in front of justices for the second time as he attended his fourth trial hearing, where the former defense minister was called in as the first of eight witnesses. Kim Yong-hyun is one of the key figures implicated in planning and executing the martial law decree. Considered Yoon's right-hand man, Kim initially said he'd take responsibility for the chaos that ensued. It seemed his loyalty to the President would remain firm as he initially refused to answer questions by the National Assembly's impeachment panel, saying his words were highly likely to be distorted. He changed his mind after a short break. As the session proceeded, the focus of the questions was on the legality of the martial law decree, with Kim insisting Yoon had held a proper Cabinet meeting beforehand, saying that a copy of the martial law declaration was distributed to Cabinet members and that someone had kept the minutes. Also, when asked if he had written the controversial note the finance minister received, instructing him to draft a budget for emergency legislation, Kim said he had, and handed it to an administrative staff member. This came after President Yoon initially said he could not remember whether he wrote the note or not, before recently denying that he had. There was also much focus on the martial law proclamation which included a ban on political activities one of the Assembly's grounds for impeaching Yoon. Kim said he had personally typed up the proclamation, but couldn't seem to recall which software he used when asked by the Assembly. Furthermore, on whether there was an order for military troops to storm the National Assembly on December third, "drag out Assembly members," Kim said he'd meant troop members inside the Assembly to avoid potential clashes. With his testimony, Kim more or less established the stance that martial law was declared to uphold the Constitutional order, out of deep frustration with the opposition-led parliament's efforts to impeach incumbent officials,.. thwart effective governance, and cut down budgets vital to public safety and livelihoods. The National Assembly's side, meanwhile, has continued to argue that Yoon's martial law declaration and the related decrees were unconstitutional and violated procedures, citing how Cabinet members said they didn't agree with the martial law nor documented their approval. Going forward I hear the president will now be attending all of the remaining four sessions? Yes. Yoon's lawyers say he will if possible attend all future hearings which have been scheduled until February 13th. He's filed without success an appeal against his arrest, and major figures implicated in the suspected insurrection have also been arrested so he is looking cornered when it comes to the criminal investigation against him. By attending future hearings, President Yoon could emphasize his narrative and might even directly question witnesses if necessary, as he did today. Also, he may be more determined to appear at the Constitutional Court as a means of further rallying his supporters, emboldened by the latest polls which show growing numbers back the ruling party, and his non-impeachment. On Thursday, the police deployed 54 riot police units, consisting of 3,500 officers, around the court to prepare for potential incidents. Approximately 160 police buses were stationed, forming walls around the Constitutional Court. Around 200 people were gathered nearby, waving Korean and American flags and chanting for the President's release and for the Court to drop the impeachment. On the opposite side of the street, though, people were calling for his impeachment and for him to be punished. The police formed tight lines to prevent clashes between the opposing groups. All right Soo-young thank you for the latest on the impeachment trial at the Constitutional Court.

Foreign Minister Cho holds phone talks with newly appointed U.S. State Secretary Rubio

2025/01/23 17:00

Meanwhile Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul held talks on the phone with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio earlier this morning during which the two top diplomats agreed to maintain close coordination in response to North Korea's nuclear weapons ambitions. According to the Foreign Ministry here Minister Cho also shared hopes for greater advancements in the bilateral alliance under the new U.S. administration. Rubio for his part reportedly invited his Korean counterpart to the U.S. for more talks on cooperation. Both officials also highlighted the importance of the trilateral security partnership including Japan.

Quad joint statement omits reference to Korean Peninsula denuclearization

2025/01/23 17:00

In Washington earlier this week. Newly appointed U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio hosted his counterparts of the Quad framework for talks which ended with a joint statement that visibly omitted any mention of North Korea and its nuclear weapons ambitions. Lee Seung-jae has details. The top diplomats of the United States, Australia, India, and Japan met in Washington for their first Quad foreign minister's meeting since the launch of the Donald Trump administration earlier this week. This meant that U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who was the first to be confirmed in Trump's new Cabinet, was taking part in the meeting for the first time. However,.. the joint statement issued by the foreign ministers of the Quad nations saw the removal of any reference to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. Instead,.. the top diplomats vowed to strengthen a "free and open" Indo-Pacific, while opposing "any unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo by force or coercion." It also did not mention China or North Korea by name. The latest joint statement is in stark contrast to the previous years, where the foreign ministers reaffirmed their commitment to the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. The difference in the joint statement also comes as Trump and his defense chief nominee Peter Hegseth used the term "nuclear power" to describe North Korea. And according to a prominent U.S. expert and former officer at the U.S. National Intelligence Council Sydney Seiler,.. the new U.S. administration believes Pyongyang's nuclear threat has evolved over the last four years,.. given the use of a term,.. that was largely avoided by U.S. officials in the past. Seiler says the Trump administration "faced the reality" that the regime "continues to grow its arsenal qualitatively and quantitatively," and the threat is greater than four years ago. He added that the remarks are a "realistic view" of the threat. While the term "nuclear power" is different from "nuclear-weapon state," a term used to describe countries like the U.S., Russia, and the UK, it raises concerns for South Korea,.. which seeks close policy coordination with Washington to achieve denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. Lee Seung-jae, Arirang News.

Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung highlights recovery, growth as country's top priorities

2025/01/23 17:00

Also on the local political front. The head of the main opposition Democratic Party has placed national priority on recovery and growth. Speaking at a press conference earlier on this Thursday Lee Jae-myung called for a pragmatic approach to tackling challenges one that sets aside partisan politics. He also called for the creation of new growth engines by investing in AI robots. Separately he condemned acting President Choi Sang-mok for failing to approve a special probe bill aimed at President Yoon Suk Yeol .

Constitutional Court turns down impeachment for broadcast watchdog chief Lee Jin-suk

2025/01/23 17:00

The Constitutional Court on Thursday ruled against an impeachment motion targeting Lee Jin-suk, the head of nation's broadcast watchdog. Lee, who had been suspended from duty as the chair of the Korea Communications Commission returned to work after a hundred and seventy-four days. Last year the main opposition Democratic Party unilaterally passed an impeachment motion against her claiming that she had made important decisions with just one other member of the commission as the three remaining commission seats were vacant. Out of the eight justices at the Constitutional Court four ruled in her favor asserting that the number of incumbent members of the commission at the time does not render their decisions illegal. An impeachment requires six justices to support the case.

Live from Seoul Central District Prosecutor's Office: Pres. Yoon's case transferred from CIO to prosecution

2025/01/23 17:00

Staying with the president's political fate. The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials is transferring its investigation of the president to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office. For more I have Kim Jung-sil standing by live at the prosecutors' office here in the capital city. Jung-sil welcome. Let's begin with this latest development. Thanks, Sunny. The atmosphere here at the Seoul Central District Prosecutor's Office is relatively quiet this afternoon, with the investigation into President Yoon officially transferred here as of today. This morning, the Corruption Investigation Office (CIO) formally requested the prosecution to take over the investigation against President Yoon. This comes more than 50 days after the December 3rd martial law declaration. Take a listen to a comment from a CIO official earlier today: "The CIO has today decided to request the prosecution of the suspect in accordance with Article 26, Section 1 of the CIO Act, and has referred the case to the Seoul Central District Prosecutor's Office." The CIO deputy chief added that President Yoon's refusal to cooperate has stalled the investigation. During the first 10-hour questioning session, he remained silent and later declined further questioning, citing health and security concerns. The CIO also faced repeated interference from the Presidential Security Service in attempts to seize key evidence, including the president's secret phone. Deputy Chief Lee explained that while the CIO has investigative authority, it lacks the power to press charges on the president, so the case was handed over earlier than planned, initially set for January 28th. The Prosecutor's Office behind me has now taken over and will continue the investigation. And what are the prospects regarding the president's cooperation with the investigation now that it has been handed over to prosecutors? It remains uncertain, Sunny. There is a possibility that the president may also argue that the prosecution does not have the authority to investigate charges of insurrection, which under South Korean law is handled by the police. However, as no sitting president has ever been investigated by the police, the prosecution, which traditionally handles cases involving former presidents, has the authority to investigate related crimes such as 'abuse of power.' Take a listen to an expert on this. "Technically it's true that the power to investigate crimes of insurrection has been given to the police and the prosecution office but the prosecution office retains the power to investigate any crimes that are related to crimes that they are investigating. The President is charged not only with the crime of insurrection but also with abuse of office and several other crimes that are still within the power of the prosecution office to investigate." With both arrest and detention warrants issued by the court, legal experts argue that there is substantial evidence supporting his involvement. That's all I have for this hour, back to you Sunny. All right Jung-sil thank you for that coverage. That was our Kim Jung-sil reporting live from the prosecutors' office here in Seoul.

PRES. YOON ATTENDS IMPEACHMENT TRIAL AGAIN

2025/01/23 17:00

Welcome to yet another edition of Press Perspective. It's Thursday January 23rd.. here in Seoul. I'm Min Sunhee. While President Yoon Suk Yeol remains reluctant to cooperate in the investigation led by anti-corruption officials he appears quite dedicated to the impeachment case against him at the Constitutional Court. For more I have Thomas Maresca with the news agency UPI. Thomas welcome. I also have freelance journalist Raphael Rashid with us. Raphael it's good to have you here. 1) Thomas, you covered the president's attendance earlier on Tuesday of the third hearing into the impeachment case against him. What was the gist of your coverage? 2) Raphael, separately, anti-corruption investigators have had little success in questioning the president over his abuse of office. What has been the focus of the foreign media with regard to the ongoing investigation into insurrection charges? 3) Raphael, you covered the violence by rioters at the Seoul Western District Court last weekend following the court's order for a formal arrest of the president. What have you been hearing? 4) Thomas, parallels have been drawn between the 2021 storming of the U.S. Capitol on January 6th by pro-Trump supporters and last Sunday's storming of the Seoul Western District Court by pro-Yoon supporters. What are your takeaways? 5) And Thomas, what can you tell us about the legal consequences faced by the rioters in the U.S. before Mr. Trump's pardon earlier this week? 6) Also Raphael, foreign media continue to commend the people of Korea for protecting democracy. What are your takeaways as a journalist based here? 7) Thomas, the words of wisdom are "democracy is a work in progress." Do you suppose Korea is witnessing these words in action as we speak? 8) Raphael, some fear the latest political events may negatively reflect on Korea's credibility and reliability on the international stage. Is this a valid concern? 9) Thomas, does the political turmoil in Korea places its neighbors on shaky ground as well? 10) Raphael, how do you assess the coverage of Korea's political unrest by its East Asian neighbors? All right.

Xi holds video call with Putin after Trump's inauguration

2025/01/23 10:00

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian leader Vladimir Putin held a video meeting on Tuesday, to reaffirm their strategic partnership, following the inauguration of U.S. President Donald Trump. During the one-and-a-half hour discussion, the two leaders emphasized their commitment to a multipolar world order, and expressed mutual support for each nation's core interests. Putin referred to Xi as "a dear friend" and stated that the Kremlin and Beijing are strengthening their ties based on "friendship, mutual trust, and support" despite external pressures. Situations in the Middle East, South Korea, and Taiwan were also reportedly discussed. While President Trump was not directly mentioned, the timing suggests that Putin and Xi are preparing to build relations with the new U.S. administration. Trump earlier threatened tariffs on Beijing and warned of sanctions if Moscow does not end the war in Ukraine.

Live from Seoul Detention Center: CIO investigation into Pres. Yoon faces setbacks

2025/01/23 10:00

President Yoon's appearance at the hearing today will mark his third trip out of Seoul Detention Center where he is currently detained. We go live there with our Kim Jung-sil standing by. Jung-sil, all eyes are again on the detention center ahead of his travel to the Constitutional Court later today. How are things looking there this morning? Dami, the atmosphere here at Seoul Detention Center is rather quiet this morning, It's another day of back-and-forth as the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, or the CIO, tries to bring President Yoon in for questioning. As of yesterday, their third attempt failed. It's unclear whether they'll make another attempt this morning, as the President has so far declined to comply. This follows attempts to search the presidential residence and office for evidence, which were blocked by the Presidential Office. Despite their efforts, the CIO has had little success in securing President Yoon's cooperation. Take a listen to CIO chief Oh Dong-woon. "I believe the presidential office also needs to respect the decisions of the judiciary. The CIO will thoroughly investigate anyone involved in the emergency martial law incidents, regardless of their position or rank." With no success in their attempts to question Yoon or search the presidential office and residence, time is running out for the CIO. That sounds like another setback for the investigation, which can be a real headache for investigators who are running short of time to question Yoon? At this time, it's unclear whether they'll be able to make another attempt this morning, as the president has so far declined to comply. I will let you know in our later broadcast if there are any updates. By January 28th, the CIO must transfer the case to prosecutors, as they lack the power to press charges on insurrection. The prosecutors are under pressure to move quickly, and there are reports that President Yoon may still face investigation during the Seollal holidays. And walk us through the investigation into the recent unrest at the Seoul Western District Court. Dami, there's been a significant update on that front. Following the release of the arrest warrant for President Yoon at the weekend, protesters stormed into the Seoul Western District Court. Police arrested 56 people, including several who assaulted police officers and others who trespassed or who damaged property. There were also incidents of individuals attempting to breach court security, assaulting a journalist crew, and one person climbing the court walls to gain access. This wave of arrests adds to the tension surrounding the ongoing investigation. The authorities are taking swift action to prevent further disturbances. That's all I have for this hour, but I will bring you more updates in our next broadcast. Thanks for that update, Jung-sil. We'll check back in with you later as the story develops. Please stay safe out there.

On-point: Yoon, ex-defense chief Kim Yong-hyun to attend trial

2025/01/23 10:00

What's drawing attention to today's hearing is the ex-defense minister's attendance as a witness and his first face-to-face with President Yoon since the martial law declaration on December 3rd. Let's discuss more with Professor Paik Eunseok. Good morning. 1. We'll be seeing two key figures in the same room later today. 2. Kim Yong-hyun made a statement that he broke the laptop that wrote the decree No. 1 announced at the time of the emergency martial law order, adding that he broke it because he accomplished a mission. 3. We should also talk about the memo about allocating funds for establishing an emergency legislative body that President Yoon allegedly passed to the current acting President Choi Sang-mok. 4. President Yoon showed a rather modest and confident attitude at the third hearing of his impeachment trial. 5. The last and 8th hearing will take place on February 13. Thank you for sharing your insight with us this morning.

Trump threatens tariffs on Russia if Ukraine deal is not reached

2025/01/23 10:00

U.S. President Donald Trump said he will impose new tariffs against Russia if a deal to end its war in Ukraine is not made. Taking to his social media platform Truth Social on Wednesday, Trump said that he would have no choice but to put "high levels of Taxes, Tariffs, and Sanctions" against Russia, if Russian President Vladimir Putin refuses to negotiate to end the prolonged war. Trump added that such tariffs would be applied to "other participating countries," as well. However, the newly inaugurated U.S. leader did not elaborate on which countries he was referring to.