News

Putin briefs N. Korean leader on upcoming summit with Trump: report

2025/08/13 13:34

Russian President Vladimir Putin has spoken with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, and briefed him on his upcoming meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump. According to Russia's TASS news agency on Tuesday, the two discussed the planned Trump-Putin talks in Alaska on Friday, which are aimed at efforts to end the war in Ukraine over the phone. Putin also shared his appreciation for Pyongyang's support of Russian operations in the western front-line Kursk region, praising what he called the "valor, heroism and selflessness" of North Korean troops. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday stressed his country will not give up the Donbas region as part of a ceasefire deal with Russia. The comments come as Moscow is demanding that Ukraine withdraw from the entire eastern Donbas region as a condition for a peace deal.

Kim Keon Hee arrested on corruption charges

2025/08/13 11:41

South Korea's ex-first lady, Kim Keon Hee, has been arrested on corruption charges. This is the first time in the nation's history that a former first lady has been put behind bars, and also the first time that a former presidential couple has been detained at the same time. Byeon Ye-young starts us off. Kim Keon Hee, the wife of impeached former President Yoon Suk Yeol, was arrested late on Tuesday on charges of stock manipulation, interference in party nominations, and political influence-peddling. Kim is accused of taking part as a "funding source" in the Deutsche Motors stock-rigging scheme from 2009 to 2012, meddling in People Power Party candidate selections in recent elections, and accepting an illicit lobbying request from a "broker" from the Unification Church in 2022. The Seoul Central District Court cited "concerns over destruction of evidence" as the main reason for issuing the arrest warrant. Kim was moved to the Seoul Southern Detention Center, where she waited in a holding room for detainees before she was transferred to a housing unit. Her arrest means all privileges as a former First Lady were revoked, and her security detail was fully withdrawn. However, like her husband, she will be assigned a dedicated correctional officer and kept separate from other inmates during exercise and bathing. She first appeared for questioning in front of a special counsel team last week, where she made a public apology. "I am truly sorry that a nobody like myself has caused concern for the people. I will faithfully undergo the questioning." Her husband, Yoon Suk Yeol, is behind bars on insurrection charges. While several other former South Korean presidents have previously served prison terms, this is the first time in the nation's history that both a former president and spouse have been jailed at the same time. Byeon Ye-young, Arirang News.

Egypt announces joint effort with Qatar and U.S. to broker 60-day Israel-Hamas ceasefire

2025/08/13 11:39

Egypt has announced that Cairo is actively engaging with Qatar and the United States as mediators to negotiate a 60-day ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. During a news conference on Tuesday, Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty stated that Egypt is "working very hard in full cooperation with the Qataris and Americans" to revive a previous ceasefire proposal. This plan includes a 60-day truce, conditional releases of hostages and Palestinian detainees, and unrestricted access for humanitarian aid into Gaza. Abdelatty emphasized that discussions are ongoing with both Hamas and Israeli authorities, based on a recent initiative from the U.S. and Qatar. Last month, negotiations in Doha failed to achieve a breakthrough for a ceasefire and the release of hostages, as Israel and the U.S. withdrew their delegations, citing unacceptable demands from Hamas.

[On-point] How immigration raids are affecting Koreans in U.S.

2025/08/13 11:38

As the Trump administration's crackdown on immigrants intensifies,.. a Purdue University student from Korea was recently released from federal detention, while a green card holder living in the United States for 35 years was also detained sending shockwaves through the Korean community in the United States. For more on this, we're joined by Steve Kang, Chairman of the Korean American Federation of Los Angeles. Mr. Kang, thanks for joining us today. 1. Immigration raids like these are unprecedented, right? How do cases like this reflect the Trump administration's immigration policy? 2. All this must have been shocking for Koreans living in the U.S. How is the Korean community in Los Angeles reacting to the recent immigration raids? 3. I understand ICE agents have been arresting hundreds of immigrants every day across the U.S. What do the raids look like in Los Angeles? How are they changing people's daily lives? 4. What kind of diplomatic efforts does the Korean government need to make to help resolve this issue? Alright, thank you so much for sharing your insight with us today. We appreciate it.

[THE INTERVIEW] Victor Cha on what’s at stake if Trump meets Kim

2025/08/13 11:37

In part two of our interview, the CSIS Korea chair weighs in on the prospects for a summit between Trump and North Korea's Kim Jong-un,.. and the issues that could define it. He also notes that Washington's pursuit of denuclearization of Pyongyang is a long-term goal. Our correspondent Kim Jung-sil reports. Victor Cha, Korea chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, says Washington's official stance remains unchanged: the end goal is still the denuclearization of North Korea. But he warns that's no short-term prospect. "Stated U.S. policy is that the end game is denuclearization, right? That's our stated U.S. policy. But that's really a long-term goal. I mean given how much North Korea's nuclear program has developed. So the question then becomes, in the interim, what would the United States be seeking?" In that interim, Dr. Cha says Washington could pursue other priorities and perhaps a diplomatic opening. He's suggested that if the U.S. President attends October's APEC meeting in Gyeongju, the trip might also take him to Panmunjom, and possibly to talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. "If that (the summit) happened, I just wanted to ask you the real end game for both sides this time?" "Certainly, I think some form of freeze on the program, some of the initial steps towards denuclearization, would be important. But at the same time, there are other things that I think the United States is concerned about when it comes to North Korea. And one of them, of course, is their deep military relationship with Russia." He says that relationship now factors directly into Trump's top foreign policy priority. "This is clearly a priority of the Trump administration to end the war in Europe, and North Korea now plays a role in that. So one wonders whether that will become a high priority issue if President Trump meets the leader of North Korea." But Pyongyang has set its own terms for any meeting. In a recent statement, Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of North Korea's leader, rejected any challenge to the regime's "nuclear weapons status". "She made very clear that any meeting between the two leaders will be as a de facto recognized nuclear weapons state. That's a condition they've laid out for meeting, and it's one theTrump administration has to determine whether they're willing to meet that condition or not." Dr. Cha says a Trump–Kim meeting could sideline denuclearization issues for others, such as Pyongyang's military ties with Moscow, or stopping North Korea from helping rebuild Iran's nuclear program. "But as we've seen with this president, like in the end he makes the decision, and as far as we know he won't make that decision till he walks into the room with Kim." For now, all eyes are on what Trump decides when, and if, he meets Kim. Kim Jung-sil, Arirang News.

U.S. State Department says human rights in N. Korea remain very serious

2025/08/13 11:36

The U.S. State Department, in its latest report on human rights, says the situation in North Korea remains very serious. The 2024 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices released on Tuesday local time, said the regime maintains its control through brutality and coercion including executions, physical abuse, enforced disappearances and collective punishment. It said that in the past year, there has been "no significant change" in the North's human rights. The report lists serious abuses in the North, including killings, disappearances, torture, forced medical practices, arbitrary detention, repression abroad, limits on speech, press, and religion, coerced abortions, human trafficking and forced labor, child labor and bans on independent unions.

What is expected to top agenda at Korea-U.S. summit?

2025/08/13 11:34

With a summit between the presidents of South Korea and the United States scheduled for August 25th,.. eyes are now on what issues will be on the table. For now,.. security and trade are expected to top the agenda. Park Kun-woo has more. As the Korea-U.S. summit approaches later this month, speculation is mounting over the possible agenda items. One is security, including "modernizing" the alliance, which could involve changes to the size and role of the U.S. Forces Korea, increasing defense spending, and greater strategic flexibility. This comes after remarks last week from USFK Commander Xavier Brunson, who cited evolving security threats, including from the North's nuclear program expansion. Asked about a potential troop reduction, he stressed capability over numbers. Observers are watching how much Seoul can concede, as fully rejecting U.S. requests may be difficult while maintaining stability on the peninsula. The Washington Post also reported that the U.S. initially sought to raise Korea's defense spending from 2-point-6 percent to 3-point-8 percent of GDP, along with boosting Seoul's annual cost-sharing payments for U.S. troops. Another expected key item is finalizing details of Korea's 350 billion U.S. dollar investment pledge made during tariff negotiations. About 150 billion is expected to go toward the MASGA project, possibly through acquiring and operating U.S. shipyards, and building and supplying naval and commercial vessels. The rest would possibly be invested more broadly in sectors such as chips and batteries. Specific investment sectors and timelines for implementation are expected to be discussed. Talks may also touch on non-tariff barriers, from the possible allowance of agriculture and beef imports to digital trade issues. With about two weeks remaining, the summit is expected to tackle these issues, with the hope of concluding the talks with constructive outcomes for both sides. Park Kun-woo, Arirang News.

Putin briefs N. Korean leader on upcoming summit with Trump: report

2025/08/13 11:33

Russian President Vladimir Putin has spoken with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, and briefed him on his upcoming meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump. According to Russia's TASS news agency on Tuesday, the two discussed the planned Trump-Putin talks in Alaska on Friday, which are aimed at efforts to end the war in Ukraine over the phone. Putin also shared his appreciation for Pyongyang's support of Russian operations in the western front-line Kursk region, praising what he called the "valor, heroism and selflessness" of North Korean troops. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday stressed his country will not give up the Donbas region as part of a ceasefire deal with Russia. The comments come as Moscow is demanding that Ukraine withdraw from the entire eastern Donbas region as a condition for a peace deal.

Lee-Trump summit date set on Aug. 25 for key discussions

2025/08/12 22:44

The Presidential Office has confirmed the first summit between the leaders of South Korea and the U.S. will take place in around two weeks from today. It'll be President Lee Jae Myung's first face-to-face with President Donald Trump since taking office two months ago. Our Presidential Office Correspondent Yoon Jung-min reports. The date has been made official for the first Lee-Trump summit: August 25th. President Lee Jae Myung will be in Washington from August 24th to 26th, upon invitation from U.S. President Donald Trump. According to the top office in Seoul, it'll be a working visit involving a luncheon. During the first summit in more than two months since Lee took office, the agenda will include key issues. "The two leaders will discuss ways to develop the South Korea-U.S. alliance into a future-oriented, comprehensive strategic alliance in response to the changing international security and economic environment." An economic partnership on chips, batteries and shipbuilding will top the agenda, as well as high-technology and critical minerals, as part of the allies' framework trade deal that was reached late last month before the Trump administration's August 1st deadline. Security issues that were not addressed at that time could be on the table. Eyes are also on whether the two leaders will discuss resuming dialogue with North Korea, reflecting peace efforts by the new government in Seoul. "The leaders will discuss measures to coordinate peace on the Korean Peninsula and denuclearization, while further strengthening the robust South Korea-U.S. combined defense posture." First lady Kim Hea Kyung will be accompanying the president. Business leaders could also join the trip, though the presidential office says it has yet to be decided. With much speculation that President Lee's trip to neighboring Japan will precede his U.S. trip, his office remains tight-lipped, adding it's sounding out various possibilities. Yoon Jung-min, Arirang News.

Hearing concludes on arrest request for former first lady Kim Keon Hee on corruption allegations

2025/08/12 22:41

A Seoul court held a hearing today on whether to allow the arrest of former first lady Kim Keon Hee, the wife of former President Yoon Suk Yeol. Kim faces allegations of stock manipulation, interference in party nominations, and influence-peddling, which she denies. Prosecutors argued there was a high risk she would destroy evidence. After the four-hour hearing at the Seoul Central District Court on Tuesday, Kim was moved to Seoul Southern Detention Center to await the court's decision. A decision could come as early as tonight, and if granted, it would mark the first time in the country's history that a former president and first lady are detained simultaneously.

Workplace safety once again tops President Lee's Cabinet meeting

2025/08/12 22:41

Workplace safety was once again at the center of Tuesday's Cabinet meeting, as President Lee Jae Myung discussed ways to end the recent string of fatal industrial accidents with his Cabinet. Our Presidential Office correspondent Song Yoo-jin reports. At a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, President Lee Jae Myung again emphasized the need to move away from what he called a "regressive republic of industrial accidents." "When preventable accidents are left unprevented, especially when cutting costs to save money takes someone's life, that, as I've said before, is the same as murder by willful negligence, a form of societal murder." The country has seen a string of fatal industrial accidents this year, with the most recent one happening last Friday, when a worker fell to his death while dismantling a safety net at an apartment construction site. The next day, President Lee ordered the Labor Ministry to report on the preventive and follow-up measures for industrial accidents at Tuesday's Cabinet meeting. "After hearing from the Labor Ministry, the President noted that not a single major construction company has been penalized under the Serious Accidents Punishment Act, and called for a penalty surcharge system to ensure companies secure adequate budget for safety measures." The Land Ministry reported its own plan to address major construction-related accidents. President Lee suggested harsher measures, such as permanently barring unsafe companies from public tenders and offering substantial rewards for whistleblowers who report poor safety management. He also touched on inter-Korean relations, noting the dismantling of loudspeakers by both sides. "In line with our actions, I hope the North will also remove unnecessary and costly loudspeakers. Through such reciprocal steps, I hope dialogue and communication between the two Koreas will gradually open." Following Seoul's complete removal of its loudspeakers used for anti-North Korea broadcasts, South Korea's military says it has detected signs of the North beginning to dismantle some of its own along the border. Song Yoo-jin, Arirang News.

S. Korea's first couple hosts Vietnam's top leader, spouse at Cheong Wa Dae

2025/08/12 22:40

And South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and First Lady Kim Hea Kyung invited the top political leader and his spouse Ngo Phuong Ly to the Sangchunjae reception hall at Cheong Wa Dae on Tuesday. Presidential Spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said the couples enjoyed musical performances featuring traditional instruments from each country. Over tea and a walk in the Nokjiwon garden, the two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to advancing bilateral cooperation. The Presidential Office says this was the first official event at Sangchunjae under the new administration and called it "the highest honor" in hosting a state guest.

S. Korea, Vietnam defense ministers agree to enhance defense cooperation

2025/08/12 22:40

South Korea's defense minister Ahn Gyu-back and his Vietnamese counterpart Phan Van Giang have agreed to boost ties in defense and industry. The two defense chiefs talked on Tuesday about specific ways to enhance defense cooperation in line with the "comprehensive strategic partnership" between the two nations. They additionally agreed to transfer a retired South Korean patrol vessel --the Jecheon , to Vietnam. This marks the third patrol vessel that Seoul has transferred to Hanoi, following similar moves in 2017 and 2018.

Gov't, biz officials from Seoul and Hanoi meet to enhance economic ties

2025/08/12 22:39

South Korea and Vietnam continue to explore ways to further strengthen their ties, in light of Vietnam's top political leader's visit to South Korea this week. Today, Seoul hosted a business forum aimed at further beefing up its economic ties with Hanoi. Our correspondent Moon Ji-young reports. To mark the first visit in 11 years by Vietnam's top party leader, the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry hosted a business forum on Tuesday, aiming to bolster economic cooperation between the two nations. The forum was attended by Vietnam's Party General Secretary To Lam, 5-hundred officials from both governments and the business community, and South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok. "Since establishing diplomatic ties in 1992, Korea and Vietnam have mutually become among each other's top-three trading partners. Korea is also Vietnam's largest investor, with nearly 10,000 companies operating there, making them essential economic partners across diverse sectors like textiles, electronics, chemicals, and shipbuilding." Prime Minister Kim further emphasized expanding cooperation beyond manufacturing into new industrial sectors such as high-tech, culture, and digital, and also underscored comprehensive supply chain collaboration, particularly in energy. Vietnam's finance minister highlighted mutually beneficial cooperation. "The Vietnamese government welcomes Korean businesses to jointly enter Vietnam and third markets, and we are prepared for mutually beneficial cooperation. We will particularly work closely with Korea in new energy, semiconductors, AI, and the e-digital economy, and we will spare no support for large-scale cooperation projects." The forum notably spurred significant collaboration, culminating in the signing of 52 Memoranda of Understanding across diverse sectors such as industrial cooperation, energy, and food and tourism. Specifically, 47 Korean companies and organizations, along with 37 Vietnamese counterparts, committed to strengthening cooperation in a wide array of fields, from energy, shipbuilding, and aviation to cutting-edge areas like AI, advanced materials, and drones. Moon Ji-young. Arirang News.

[THE INTERVIEW] Victor Cha on what’s at stake if Trump meets Kim

2025/08/12 22:38

In part two of our interview, the CSIS Korea chair weighs in on the prospects for a Trump–Kim summit and the issues that could define it. He also notes that Washington's pursuit of denuclearization of North Korea is a long-term goal. Our correspondent Kim Jung-sil reports. Victor Cha, Korea chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, says Washington's official stance remains unchanged: the end goal is still the denuclearization of North Korea. But he warns that's no short-term prospect. "Stated U.S. policy is that the end game is denuclearization, right? That's our stated U.S. policy. But that's really a long-term goal. I mean given how much North Korea's nuclear program has developed. So the question then becomes, in the interim, what would the United States be seeking?" In that interim, Dr. Cha says Washington could pursue other priorities and perhaps a diplomatic opening. He's suggested that if the U.S. President attends October's APEC meeting in Gyeongju, the trip might also take him to Panmunjom, and possibly to talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. "If that (the summit) happened, I just wanted to ask you the real end game for both sides this time?" "Certainly, I think some form of freeze on the program, some of the initial steps towards denuclearization, would be important. But at the same time, there are other things that I think the United States is concerned about when it comes to North Korea. And one of them, of course, is their deep military relationship with Russia." He says that relationship now factors directly into Trump's top foreign policy priority. "This is clearly a priority of the Trump administration to end the war in Europe, and North Korea now plays a role in that. So one wonders whether that will become a high priority issue if President Trump meets the leader of North Korea." But Pyongyang has set its own terms for any meeting. In a recent statement, Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of North Korea's leader, rejected any challenge to the regime's "nuclear weapons status". "She made very clear that any meeting between the two leaders will be as a de facto recognized nuclear weapons state. That's a condition they've laid out for meeting, and it's one theTrump administration has to determine whether they're willing to meet that condition or not." Dr. Cha says a Trump–Kim meeting could sideline denuclearization issues for others, such as Pyongyang's military ties with Moscow, or stopping North Korea from helping rebuild Iran's nuclear program. "But as we've seen with this president, like in the end he makes the decision, and as far as we know he won't make that decision till he walks into the room with Kim." For now, all eyes are on what Trump decides when, and if, he meets Kim. Kim Jung-sil, Arirang News.

S. Korea mulling over skipping annual report on N. Korean human rights

2025/08/12 22:37

South Korea is considering skipping its annual report on human rights violations in North Korea. If one is not released, it will be the first time since 2018. A Unification Ministry official said on Tuesday that it has been difficult to obtain new testimonies, as fewer than ten people defected directly from the North last year. Though difficulty in collecting firsthand testimonies is cited as a reason, the ongoing review appears to be part of the Lee Jae Myung administration's efforts to ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula. During his confirmation hearing last month, Unification Minister Chung Dong-young said it is not appropriate to use North Korean human rights as a means of criticizing the regime.

Trump says he'll pursue Russia-Ukraine summit ahead of Putin talks

2025/08/12 22:36

Over in the U.S., where President Donald Trump has said he'll hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin this week in Alaska. Trump also said that following the talks, he would pursue a trilateral summit with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Lee Seung-jae reports. U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed on Monday that he would be holding a face-to-face meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday in Alaska. Trump also raised the possibility of a trilateral summit involving Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after his one-on-one talks with Putin. However, he said while he would be available if needed, he'd prefer a bilateral meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy. While leaving open the possibility of a trilateral summit, President Trump stated that he would first hear Putin's thoughts and, potentially, share the details of the meeting with President Zelenskyy, the EU, and NATO leaders. "I'm gonna meet with President Putin and we're going to see what he has in mind. And if it's a fair deal, I'll reveal it to the European Union leaders and to the NATO leaders, and also to President Zelensky. I think out of respect, I will call him first and then I'll call them after." Meanwhile, during a press conference at the White House on Monday, Trump said he'll try to get some territory back for Ukraine during his meeting with Putin on Friday. Trump stressed that Russia has occupied a "big portion of Ukraine." The U.S. leader raised the possibility that both Russia and Ukraine would need to make some territorial concessions in order to work out a peace deal, saying that there could be "some swapping, changes in land." However, Zelenskyy on Saturday shot down any chance of Ukraine giving up territory captured by Russia in the ongoing war. In a video posted on X, Zelenskyy said that "Ukrainians will not gift their land to the occupier," adding that his country will not "reward Russia for what it has perpetrated." Lee Seung-jae, Arirang News.

What is expected to top agenda at Korea-U.S. summit?

2025/08/12 22:34

And attention is now on what specific items will be on the table. For now, security and trade are expected to top the agenda. Park Kun-woo has more. As the Korea-U.S. summit approaches later this month, speculation is mounting over the possible agenda items. One is security, including "modernizing" the alliance, which could involve changes to the size and role of the U.S. Forces Korea, increasing defense spending, and greater strategic flexibility. This comes after remarks last week from USFK Commander Xavier Brunson, who cited evolving security threats, including from the North's nuclear program expansion. Asked about a potential troop reduction, he stressed capability over numbers. Observers are watching how much Seoul can concede, as fully rejecting U.S. requests may be difficult while maintaining stability on the peninsula. The Washington Post also reported that the U.S. initially sought to raise Korea's defense spending from 2-point-6 percent to 3-point-8 percent of GDP, along with boosting Seoul's annual cost-sharing payments for U.S. troops. Another expected key item is finalizing details of Korea's 350 billion U.S. dollar investment pledge made during tariff negotiations. About 150 billion is expected to go toward the MASGA project, possibly through acquiring and operating U.S. shipyards, and building and supplying naval and commercial vessels. The rest would possibly be invested more broadly in sectors such as chips and batteries. Specific investment sectors and timelines for implementation are expected to be discussed. Talks may also touch on non-tariff barriers, from the possible allowance of agriculture and beef imports to digital trade issues. With about two weeks remaining, the summit is expected to tackle these issues, with the hope of concluding the talks with constructive outcomes for both sides. Park Kun-woo, Arirang News.

From military warnings to global maneuvers; is North Korea poised for a strategic shift?

2025/08/12 21:35

Welcome to Within The Frame, where we bring the most pressing issues across the globe into focus. I'm Kim Mok-yeon. Tensions are rising ahead of the Ulchi Freedom Shield drills starting August 18th. North Korea warns it will defend itself if "red lines" are crossed, while calling the exercises a "real nuclear war simulation." Yet in a rare gesture, Pyongyang has also taken down some of its border loudspeakers after the South removed theirs. Kim Jong-un's daughter, Kim Ju-ae, is appearing more often at military events, stirring succession talk. And as Washington and Seoul prepare for a key summit, the North is tightening military ties with Russia, pledging thousands more personnel by year's end. To help us break down what's driving these moves and where the Peninsula may be headed, we're joined by Go Myong-hyun, Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for National Security Strategy. Welcome. Also joining us from New York is Dr. Mark Barry, Associate Editor Emeritus at the International Journal on World Peace. Good to see you. (GO) 1. To start, in a couple of days, the Ulchi Freedom Shield drills will bring in U.S. Marines and UN Command troops. Pyongyang warns it will "exercise sovereign self-defense" if red lines are crossed. Dr. Go, why raise the statement's rank but keep the tone restrained? (BARRY) 2. Staying with the drills, the North's defense minister calls them a "real nuclear war simulation" that will make the Peninsula less safe. Dr. Barry, is this meant to deter the drills, rally the public, or sway foreign opinion? (GO) 3. At the same time, some field training exercises have been postponed to September, though the North didn't mention it. Dr. Go, could this change affect Pyongyang's military stance? (BARRY) 4. In a related move, after Seoul removed its anti-North loudspeakers, Pyongyang dismantled some of its 40-plus along the border. Dr. Barry, is this proportional de-escalation or just symbolic? (GO) 5. Turning to leadership signals, Kim Jong-un's daughter Kim Ju-ae has made 39 public appearances since late 2022, including 24 at military events, often beside her father. Dr. Go, is this a clear succession signal, and how might the world react to a female leader? (BARRY) 6. Adding to that, she's been visible at missile launches, military inspections, and space program briefings. Dr. Barry, what's the message behind her heavy military exposure? (GO) 7. Looking ahead, the August 25th Seoul-Washington summit will be the first between President Trump and President Lee Jae Myung, with North Korea high on the agenda. Dr. Go, how might Trump's interest in talks with Kim reshape inter-Korean diplomacy? (BARRY) 8. But on that point, there's concern about "Korea passing" if Trump and Kim restart direct talks without Seoul. Dr. Barry, how real is that risk, and how can Seoul avoid being sidelined? (GO) 9. Meanwhile, Russian visits to North Korea hit 2,772 in quarter two 2025, the highest since 2011, while Moscow stopped releasing inbound North Korean data amid troop deployment reports. Dr. Go, does this secrecy point to actual deployments, and what's the impact? (BARRY) 10. Finally, in June, Pyongyang reportedly agreed to send 6,000 more military personnel to Russia by year's end. Dr. Barry, when you combine this with other moves, what's the single biggest factor for the Peninsula's next six months?

Lee-Trump summit date set on Aug. 25 for key discussions

2025/08/12 19:44

The Presidential Office has confirmed that President Lee Jae Myung will meet with his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump at the White House on August 25th. Arirang's Yoon Jung-min files this report from the top office. The date has been made official for the first Lee-Trump summit: August 25th. President Lee Jae Myung will be in Washington from August 24th to 26th, upon invitation from U.S. President Donald Trump. According to the top office in Seoul, it'll be a working visit involving a luncheon. During the first summit in more than two months since Lee took office, the agenda will include key issues. "The two leaders will discuss ways to develop the South Korea-U.S. alliance into a future-oriented, comprehensive strategic alliance in response to the changing international security and economic environment." An economic partnership on chips, batteries and shipbuilding will top the agenda, as well as high-technology and critical minerals, as part of the allies' framework trade deal that was reached late last month before the Trump administration's August 1st deadline. Security issues that were not addressed at that time could be on the table. Eyes are also on whether the two leaders will discuss resuming dialogue with North Korea, reflecting peace efforts by the new government in Seoul. "The leaders will discuss measures to coordinate peace on the Korean Peninsula and denuclearization, while further strengthening the robust South Korea-U.S. combined defense posture." First lady Kim Hea Kyung will be accompanying the president. Business leaders could also join the trip, though the presidential office says it has yet to be decided. With much speculation that President Lee's trip to neighboring Japan will precede his U.S. trip, his office remains tight-lipped, adding it's sounding out various possibilities. Yoon Jung-min, Arirang News.