News

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.

[K-Enter] The annual "BTS Festa" is back to celebrate 12 years

2025/06/02 14:00

So, for our top story for K-enter news today, a big festivity coming up for all BTS fans out there! BTS's label BigHit Music started its annual "BTS Festa" on Sunday, which will run for two weeks. The annual festival celebrates BTS's debut back on June 13, 2013. The online part of the "BTS Festa" is currently underway and will feature gradual releases of photos, videos, and other content over the two weeks. This year's offline event will be held on June 13 and 14 at KINTEX in Goyang, with around 20 booths offering fans special experiences like a "Voice Zone" featuring voice messages from the members, a "BTS Locker" showcasing treasured items, and a "Spotify Playlist" with songs personally selected by the group. Sounds great for the ARMY! Let's move on to something else that's being highly anticipated around the world. Squid Game season 3! But before, we still have news on the second series, so let's talk about that first. Squid Game Season 2 emerged as the most-watched TV series in the U.S. during the early months of 2025. Last Thursday local time, Hollywood media outlet Variety reported that "Squid Game 2" claimed the top spot by a significant margin on Nielsen's list of the "Top 100 Most-Watched TV Series of the 2024–2025 Season." The report states that Squid Game 2 garnered 27.1 million views over the 35-day period, far outpacing the extremely popular "Adolescence", another Netflix series that came in second with 19 million views. Netflix had previously announced that Squid Game 2 reached a total of 165.7 million global views as of the fourth quarter of last year. Well it's not too long before we get the final instalment of the series. And NOW let's talk about Season 3, as the main trailer has dropped recently right? Yes, that's right. The trailer introduces brand-new games including the infamous Young-hee doll operating a long jump rope and a tight, maze-like alley, hinting at fresh and intense challenges ahead. The ongoing tension between Seong Gi-hun , who holds faith in humanity, and the Front Man , who harbours deep mistrust toward people, is set to escalate even further. During Netflix's fan event "TUDUM 2025", held in Los Angeles on May 31 local time, Lee Byung-hun asked, "Are you ready to play the FINAL game together?" while Lee Jung-jae remarked, "Every game must come to an end," an obvious suggestion to the end of the series. Well all good things must come to an end just like K-enter FOR TODAY! Thanks for the news Walter! And let's move onto our AI anchor Ari for more culture news. Ari what do you have for us today?

K-Wave AI News

2025/06/02 14:00

Hello and welcome to your AI guide to the latest cultural updates from Korea. Here's our top story. Korean violinist Park Sue-ye won first prize at the XIII International Jean Sibelius Violin Competition in Helsinki, becoming only the second Korean to do so. The 25-year-old clinched the top spot in last week's final, performing Oliver Knussen's Violin Concerto with the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra and Sibelius' Violin Concerto with the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra. Emerging as one of Korea's leading young violinists, she released her debut album, a complete recording of the Paganini Caprices, at age 16. Her 2021 album, Journey Through a Century, was named Recording of the Month and Recording of the Year by British classical music magazine Gramophone. The Culture Ministry has launched the international content competition, "Talk Talk Korea 2025," and is accepting entries until August 5. Launched in 2014, Talk Talk Korea is a prominent K-content contest where participants from diverse cultural backgrounds showcase the appeal of Korean culture through videos, photos, and other creative formats. After five rounds of evaluation, a total of 300 entries will be selected and given awards. Prizes for first-place winners across different categories include a ticket to a nine-day cultural experience in Korea and digital goods valued at over 2,000 U.S. dollars. Entries can be submitted via the official website at www.talktalkorea.or.kr. Korea's major music industry group has urged the government to build a dedicated "K-pop Arena," citing a persistent shortage of large-scale performance venues in Seoul. The Korea Entertainment Producers' Association made the request in a statement that highlighted the growing economic benefits of K-pop through international sales and live events. While venues like the Seoul Olympic Stadium and the World Cup Stadium are currently used for major concerts, the group pointed to ongoing challenges, including turf damage, remodeling work, and complicated booking procedures. They proposed building a world-class K-pop arena on the current National Assembly site if the legislature relocates to Sejong, or alternatively, constructing a 30,000-seat venue near Olympic Park. That's all from me. Stay tuned to the Kulture Wave.

[Art & Culture] How a 140-year friendship lives on at a museum in Salem, Massachusetts

2025/06/02 14:00

Let's move on to the K-art scene. In this next report we show you how friendship transcends national boundaries and stands the test of time to allow for rich cultural exchanges as witnessed at a museum in Massachusetts. Our culture correspondent Song Yoo-jin shares this story. Founded in 1799, the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts, is the oldest continuously operating museum in the United States. It's also the first American museum to purposefully collect Korean art. This month, the museum reopened its newly expanded and more diverse Korea gallery, named after Yu Kil-chun, a pioneering Korean scholar and politician. "Our relationship with Korea is really based on this diplomatic kind of relationship as well as cultural exchange. We do believe that Yu Kil-chun was the first international student to be in the United States." Yu arrived in America in 1883 as part of Korea's very first diplomatic delegation to the U.S. During his stay in Salem, he developed a close friendship with Edward Sylvester Morse, then director of the Peabody Academy of Science, PEM's predecessor. Yu later donated his personal belongings, and Morse would go on to acquire over 2-hundred Korean items, laying the foundation for what is now PEM's Korea gallery. The gallery focuses on Korean art from the early 19th to the 20th centuries. The development was led by Dr. Jiyeon Kim, who spent two years researching, curating, and designing the gallery. "This is the period that Korea first opened its door to a wider world. It is not just the story of Yu Kil-chun and the elite, also our gallery and our collection contain the lives of so many people who lived that very pivotal period." Nearly one hundred Korean art and everyday objects are on display. Among the highlights are an eight-panel folding screen from the early 1800s depicting a grand royal banquet during the Joseon Dynasty, meticulously conserved in Korea. This is a newly unveiled family picture of Yi Beom-jin, a Korean diplomat in Washington, D.C., who befriended Edwin Vernon Morgan, one of the first American diplomats posted to Korea. These traditional instruments, saenghwang and janggo, were played at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. "What we aim to do at the museum is to create an environment and an experience in which people can become more curious about the larger world, their place in it , seeing what we, what we do share, and really what makes something individual and distinctive." At the same time, the gallery offers visitors a deeper window into Korea. "Give this very valuable opportunity to people who know Korea only through K-pop and popular culture, and give them more insight about the history, where this culture, where this originated from." Some friendships grow stronger over time. The bond between Yu Kil-chun and Edward Sylvester Morse has endured for well over a century, evolving into this one-of-a-kind cultural exchange between their countries. Song Yoo-jin, Arirang News.

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.

What happens to S. Korea after a potential U.S. troop drawdown?

2025/06/02 10:00

At a time when the world is facing myriad challenges, an international peace forum brought together pundits from around the world to Korea's Jeju island. Among the issues addressed was a possible U.S. troop drawdown from South Korea. Our foreign affairs correspondent Bae Eun-ji reports. A potential troop reduction will not have a negative impact on the U.S.'s ability to meet treaty obligations to help South Korea defend itself against an attack from North Korea. That's according to retired U.S. Navy Admiral Harry Harris --a former U.S. ambassador to South Korea and a former head of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command. Speaking to reporters on Friday at an annual peace forum held on Jeju Island, he stressed that threats in the region from the likes of North Korea, China, or Russia are not isolated from each other. "Again, we have to look at them holistically. And I believe that if there were, 'if' is the key word here. If there was a restructuring of some forces in Korea, ultimately it would serve to defend Korea better than it would not." His comments come after the U.S. is reportedly considering withdrawing around 4,500 troops deployed to South Korea, and as the Trump administration will likely seek to renegotiate a deal on sharing costs for maintaining forces in Korea. Scott Snyder, the head of the Korea Economic Institute of America, who was also at the Jeju Forum, noted that there needs to be a broader discussion on this issue, including in areas such as technology and defense industrial production. "Honestly, I don't think that President Trump could get what he wanted from it last time, in the first administration, and it basically fails to be used as a lever. But we have so many other ways that we're cooperating on defense issues in the world, and so there's a lot to be considered." During his first term, Trump called for a whopping fivefold increase in Seoul's contribution to maintaining U.S. troops. He will likely seek to renegotiate a deal on this once South Korea has a new president next week. With the Trump administration demanding that Seoul increase its share of defense costs, this issue remains a crucial challenge for the next Korean government to overcome. Bae Eun-ji, Arirang News, Jeju.

Dozens killed at aid distribution site in Rafah

2025/06/02 10:00

Dozens were killed and over 100 others injured on Sunday when Israeli soldiers reportedly fired at Palestinians at a relief distribution site run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. However, both the Israeli military and the foundation strongly deny the allegation. Lee Seung-jae has more. 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.

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

2025/06/02 10:00

Reform Party candidate Lee Jun-seok will spend his last day of campaigning with young voters in the capital region, and return to the conservative stronghold of Daegu. Lee on Monday is scheduled to visit Korea Polytechnic University in Gyeonggi-do Province, where he will join students for a meal at the school cafeteria -- his final lunchtime outreach. Afterwards, he will travel down to Gyeongsan, Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, to meet students at Yeungnam University. His final rally will take place at Suseong Lake in Daegu City.

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

2025/06/02 10:00

In less than 24 hours from now, the people of South Korea head to polling stations to elect their 21st president. The liberal camp's candidate Lee Jae-myung will wrap up his 22-day official campaign period at Seoul's Yeouido Park, where he is expected to focus on the message of ending insurrection. Our correspondent Shin Ha-young reports. Ahead of Tuesday's election, Lee has embarked on a final day of campaigning. After holding rallies in Seoul and the surrounding metropolitan area on Monday, he will hold his last major rally this evening at Yeouido Park in western Seoul. 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 calling for the impeachment of former President Yoon Seok Youl. 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 insurrection. Meanwhile, Lee wrapped up his final weekend of campaigning with visits to the conservative-leaning south-eastern region of the country, including Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, Daegu, Ulsan, and Busan. During his speech in Ulsan on Sunday, Lee emphasized the need for balanced regional growth. "South Korea must shift to balanced growth to keep developing. Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongsangnam-do are hard to navigate without a car. Better infrastructure like transportation and targeted policies are needed to connect them." Lee reiterated the significance of the upcoming election, emphasizing the need to end insurrection and hold those responsible accountable. "It's important to think about why this election is happening. It was triggered by an insurrection and is part of the effort to overcome it. On June 3rd, it will be decided whether the forces behind the insurrection return to power or are defeated." He also urged voters to cast their ballots to exercise their sovereignty, saying that votes are more powerful than bullets. Shin Ha-young, Arirang News.

Global institutions continue to forecast S. Korea's growth at under 1%

2025/06/02 10:00

The outlook for the Korean economy from major domestic and international institutions is becoming increasingly bleak. More than 20 institutions are forecasting a growth rate under one percent this year, while the average growth rate forecast has fallen to zero-point-nine percent in just four weeks. France's Société Générale even forecast zero-point-three percent growth, less than half of the Bank of Korea's forecast of zero-point-eight percent. According to the Bank of Korea on Monday, as of May 30th, the growth rate forecast for Korea this year from 41 domestic and international institutions ranges from zero-point-three percent to 2-point-2 percent.

Trump holds firm on tariffs amid tensions with China and courts

2025/06/02 10:00

U.S. President Donald Trump is doubling down on tariffs as trade tensions with China escalate and court battles continue. A call with Chinese President Xi is expected soon, according to While House officials. Lee Eun-hee has the latest. 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.

Rain across Korea on the first commute of June with cooler highs

2025/06/02 10:00

It's the first commute of June, and rain is in the forecast! Wet clouds over the West Sea are moving inland. Starting from Jeju Island, rain will expand to the central-western regions and Jeolla-do provinces, then reach Gyeongsang-do this afternoon. Jeju could see up to 60 millimeters into Tuesday, most of the southern regions will see 5 to 20 millimeters, and it will be spotty rain for the capital area, mostly in the morning hours. With the cloudy skies and rain, temperatures won't be climbing much, dropping by 2 to as much as 8 degrees in some parts. We can look forward to some relief from yesterday's early summer heat. Seoul will be getting up to 23 degrees, Daegu at 24 degrees, from yesterday's 31 degrees heat. The rain in the Seoul metropolitan area will clear by this afternoon, but for other regions, it will continue until tomorrow morning, which is the Presidential Election Day.

World News 4: California track-and-field championships draw limited protest over trans student's participation

2025/06/02 10:00

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.

World News 3: Death toll in Nigeria floods hits more than 200, officials say

2025/06/02 10:00

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.

World News 2: Seven killed after bridge collapses in Russia's Bryansk region bordering Ukraine

2025/06/02 10:00

Also, in Russia, two bridges in regions bordering Ukraine collapsed over the weekend, killing at least seven people and injuring dozens. 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.

World News 1: Ukraine drones destroy Russian bombers ahead of second round of talks

2025/06/02 10:00

Good morning, I'm Choi Chi-hee, and this is the World Now. Ukraine says it has completed its biggest drone operation within Russian territory, reportedly destroying over 40 military aircraft. On Sunday, June 1, Ukraine's Security Service announced the successful execution of operation "Spider's Web," targeting multiple Russian airbases. The operation, which took around 18 months to plan, involved 117 drones. According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, it damaged 34% of Russia's strategic cruise missile bombers. The attack caused approximately 7 billion U.S. dollars in damage. Meanwhile, Russia also launched a significant drone and missile attack on Ukrainian territory overnight on the same day, killing 12 Ukrainian soldiers and injuring over 60 others. All this comes just before the planned second round of peace talks in Istanbul on Monday.

[WEEKLY FOCUS] The foreign policy visions shaping S. Korea’s presidential election

2025/05/31 12:00

With just days to go before South Koreans vote for their next president, foreign policy may not be dominating the headlines at home, but globally, there's growing interest in how the next president will navigate the complex dynamics on the Korean Peninsula. For that, I have our correspondent Kim Jung-sil joining me in the studio. Welcome back, Jung-sil, it's been a busy week for you? Thank you for having me back, Dami. Yes, with the election just around the corner, tensions are rising fast. And at this point, every word from the candidates is making headlines, especially after that final televised debate. You've been closely following their foreign policy platforms. Let's start with Lee Jae-myung. What is his vision for this country on the world stage? Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party laid out a vision that emphasizes balance, practicality, and peace through strength. He opened by referencing the aftermath of the December 3rd unrest, saying the country is facing a serious diplomatic vacuum. He warned that South Korea is under growing external pressure, from U.S. protectionism to increased military moves by China and Russia, and Moscow's deepening ties with Pyongyang, and said diplomacy needs to catch up. "The U.S. alliance is the foundation of our foreign policy. It must be developed practically, inclusively, and with a long-term vision. But we must not neglect ties with China and Russia, they require careful, strategic management." In his written foreign policy platform released earlier this week, Lee signaled a shift from the North Korea policies of past progressive administrations. Rather than demanding full denuclearization up front, he called for step-by-step progress and practical engagement, likely shaped by uncertainty over U.S. policy under President Trump. Let's turn to Kim Moon-soo from the conservative side. How did he frame his approach to North Korea and regional security? The People Power Party candidate drew a hard line, especially on security, in sharp contrast to Lee Jae-myung. He argued that diplomacy begins with strength and warned that the North Korean regime continues to pose an existential threat. "Kim Jong-un's dictatorship threatens our lives and property with nuclear weapons and missile provocations. I will build a transparent, principled inter-Korean relationship and strengthen our defenses by reinforcing nuclear deterrence through the U.S. alliance." We got this directly from his campaign. Kim is calling for a "principled approach" to North Korea, grounded in South Korea's constitutional claim to a single Korean state. He criticized past administrations for inconsistent responses to provocations and says it's time for a clear, rule-based policy, which isn't far from the Yoon Suk-yeol administration's approach. Kim proposed economic and mutually beneficial projects such as cultural, sports, and humanitarian exchanges, to create shared values, and said he's open to meeting with the North Korean leader. And lastly, what did we hear from Lee Jun-seok? He hasn't exactly been a foreign policy heavyweight until now. This was one of the first times he clearly outlined his foreign policy, and he leaned into his international background and non-ideological approach. "The president of South Korea must have international experience and a practical mindset. If elected, I will merge the unification and foreign ministries, and appoint a deputy prime minister for national security to oversee foreign affairs, unification and defense policies." He promised to scrap the current structure entirely and re-center South Korea as a strategic architect, and not just dependent on the alliance. Three candidates, three foreign policy visions, and with the clock ticking, the next president will set the course for South Korea's role on the global stage. Fascinating and high-stakes. Jung-sil, thanks as always. My pleasure.

What happens to S. Korea after a potential U.S. troop drawdown?

2025/05/30 20:00

At a time when the world is facing myriad challenges, an international peace forum brought together pundits from around the world to Korea's Jeju island. Among the issues addressed was a possible U.S. troop drawdown from South Korea. Our foreign affairs correspondent Bae Eun-ji takes a look. A potential troop reduction will not have a negative impact on the U.S.'s ability to meet treaty obligations to help South Korea defend itself against an attack from North Korea. That's according to retired U.S. Navy Admiral Harry Harris --a former U.S. ambassador to South Korea and a former head of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command. Speaking to reporters on Friday at an annual peace forum held on Jeju Island, he stressed that threats in the region from the likes of North Korea, China, or Russia are not isolated from each other. "Again, we have to look at them holistically. And I believe that if there were, 'if' is the key word here. If there was a restructuring of some forces in Korea, ultimately it would serve to defend Korea better than it would not." His comments come after the U.S. is reportedly considering withdrawing around 4,500 troops deployed to South Korea, and as the Trump administration will likely seek to renegotiate a deal on sharing costs for maintaining forces in Korea. Scott Snyder, the head of the Korea Economic Institute of America, who was also at the Jeju Forum, noted that there needs to be a broader discussion on this issue, including in areas such as technology and defense industrial production. "Honestly, I don't think that President Trump could get what he wanted from it last time, in the first administration, and it basically fails to be used as a lever. But we have so many other ways that we're cooperating on defense issues in the world, and so there's a lot to be considered." During his first term, Trump called for a whopping fivefold increase in Seoul's contribution to maintaining U.S. troops. He will likely seek to renegotiate a deal on this once South Korea has a new president next week. With the Trump administration demanding that Seoul increase its share of defense costs, this issue remains a crucial challenge for the next Korean government to overcome. Bae Eun-ji, Arirang News, Jeju.

MSMT's first report highlighting illegal arms transfers between Pyongyang and Moscow released

2025/05/30 20:00

More than a year ago, the UN Panel of Experts on North Korea which monitors sanctions against the regime was disbanded after Russia's veto. An alternative multi-national team is now filling the gap, which released its first report. It reveals details on arms trade between North Korea and Russia, including the latter's reward to the regime. Kim Bo-kyoung has more. North Korea has provided enough heavy artillery to Russia for three brigades, while Russia offered air defense systems to the North in return. This, from the very first report by the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team, released on Thursday. The team serves as an alternative framework to the UN Panel of Experts on North Korean sanctions monitoring after it was disbanded in March 2024 due to Russia's veto. The inaugural report by 11 participating states focused on the illegal military cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow. The North has supplied Russia with over 20-thousand containers worth of artillery shells and related materials since September 2023. Around nine million artillery and rocket shells were transferred to Russia over 49 cargo shipments last year. and so were more than a hundred ballistic missiles, over two-hundred heavy artillery pieces, as well as anti-tank missiles and rockets. Furthermore, eight-thousand North Korean laborers were dispatched to Russia last year, and several thousand more are planned to be sent in the first half of this year. Russia, meanwhile, has transferred at least one Pantsir-class combat vehicle, along with electronic warfare jamming devices since last November. Through the joint statement, the team urged the North to engage in meaningful diplomacy, and said it will continue to monitor the implementation of UN Security Council resolutions on the North. Kim Bo-kyoung, Arirang News.