News

[Kulture-Issue] Hallyu keywords that are making trends around the world

2025/03/18 14:00

Kimchi, soju, buldak, mukbang. Words that anyone interested in Korean culture has probably heard of before. These are also some of the Korean terms that made an increased appearance on global media platforms last year. This, according to data recently released by Korea's culture ministry in its annual "Global Hallyu Trends Analysis". Let's delve deeper into the findings of the trending K-keywords, with David Tizzard, Professor of Korean Studies at Seoul Women's University and Hanyang University, who is joining us online. Hello Professor Tizzard! 1) Let's talk about this "Global Hallyu Trends Analysis", which for its latest report looked at 680,000 pieces of data from October 2023 to September 2024 based on foreign news articles, social media discussions and more. What were the top hallyu keywords? (And how were they different by continent/country?) 2) What do you think is the biggest force behind Korean words (or cultural aspects) becoming so widely used abroad now? 3) I can explain kimchi, mukbang, oppa, and hanbok to foreigners. But some words really can only be fully understood in Korean and are difficult to translate. What are some of those? 4) Have you encountered any K-pop fandom slang or newly created Korean words that surprised you by how they are spreading globally? Thank you very much Professor Tizzard for your insights today. Thank you Walter as always.

[Features-reporter] Two Korean artifacts restored using Korean technology

2025/03/18 14:00

Korean technology was used to newly restore two pieces of Korean cultural heritage artifacts an eight-panel screen, and the bridal garment of royalty, both from the Joseon Dynasty. The Leeum Museum of Art and Dankook University participated in the restoration works, but these Korean artifacts actually belong to an American museum, which means, now that the restoration work is completed, they will be returned after their display in Korea. Lee Eun-jin tells us the story. The Leeum Museum of Art will be displaying two Korean artifacts from the 19th century following their restoration. The eight-panel screen titled "Welcoming Banquet of the Governor of Pyeongan" illustrates the boat ride crossing the Taedong River and the banquet welcoming the newly appointed governor of Pyeongan Province in 1826, during the Joseon Dynasty. Since 1927, this artifact has been housed in the Peabody Essex Museum in Massachusetts in the United States. There had been severe wear from leaving its homeland, and over the passage of time, and the eight panels were stored separately, making it difficult to even determine their exact sequence. It took over 16 months for its restoration. "There were parts of the painting missing -from small details to the entire bottom chunks. So we focused on how we could blend those parts without adding new brushstrokes." Accompanying the folding screen is the "hwarot," a traditional wedding robe worn by women during the Joseon era as early as the year 1392. With only about 50 versions of this garment surviving today, the "hwarot" was once reserved for royalty and aristocrats before becoming common among ordinary brides. It took experts in Dankook University roughly 13 months to restore the "hwarot", including research on the fabric and dye of its material, and embroidery techniques. "We stuck to a few rules: don't harm the original form, remove the cause of the damages as much as possible, and contribute to adding to the beauty of the hwarot." The two artifacts that have been restored with Korean technology belong to The Peabody Essex Museum in the United States, which has been buying Korean artifacts since the beginning of diplomatic relations between the two countries in the late 18-hundreds. And in 2003, as a part of the museum's expansion project, its new wing included a gallery devoted entirely to Korean arts. "We are accepting support from various organizations around the world for our conservation program. We had decided that the support needed for the preservation work of the Peabody Essex pieces would come from such programs." So far, the Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation has supported 58 projects across 10 different countries, not only ensuring that the Korean cultural heritage overseas is preserved, but also displaying them to a global audience. But this is the first time that a private art museum has taken part in the restoration efforts as a contribution to society. After the special exhibition at Leeum, the Peabody Essex Museum will showcase the two restored Korean objects in May. Lee Eunjin, Arirang News.

[K-Enter] Kim Sae-ron's bereaved family sue YouTuber for defamation

2025/03/18 14:00

So, Walter we start off on some news regarding a lawsuit between the family of Kim Sae-ron and a well-known YouTuber. The family of late actress Kim Sae-ron have filed a complaint against YouTuber Lee Jin-ho , on defamation charges. The lawyer representing Kim Sae-ron's family, submitted the complaint against Lee to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency on Monday afternoon. The charge is defamation due to the spread of false information. The YouTuber had accused Kim Sae-ron of posing as actor Kim Soo-hyun's girlfriend. Lee Jin-ho had posted content on his channel claiming that Kim Sae-ron was spreading false information, calling it a "staged romance." Lee has been a critic of Kim since 2022 when she was involved in a drink driving incident. Kim Sae-ron's legal team claim the accusations put a severe mental toll on her. The lawyer representing Kim Sae-ron's family stated, (quote) "In order to disprove this false information, the family had no choice but to reveal the truth about their relationship and release past photos as evidence." The family are also considering legal action against Kim Soo-hyun. I am sure the Kulture Wave will keep up to date with the this case. Moving onto some news on late singer Wheesung . The family of the legendary singer Wheesung has decided to donate all the condolence money given at his funeral. On Monday, Wheesung's younger brother announced the decision through his agency, saying "all of the condolence money received during the funeral period will be used in places that can have a positive social impact in the name of singer Wheesung." His brother also said "Once again, we deeply thank everyone who remembered and visited Wheesung ." A final cause of death has yet to be determined and the National Forensic Service has said it is expected to take more than two weeks for the detailed examination results to be released. A very kind donation indeed that we hope goes to a worthy cause. Now let's end on a lighter note and move onto the subject of K-pop. We have been seeing this girl group rise through the last few years and they have been gaining a lot of steam especially on social media and 특히 소셜 미디어와 예능 프로그램에서 인기를 얻고 있습니다. Who are you going to talk about? NMIXX released their new fourth mini-album "Fe3O4: FORWARD" along with their title track "KNOW ABOUT ME". This new release follows their second mini-album "Fe3O4: BREAK" and third mini-album "Fe3O4: STICK OUT", marking the final installment of the 'Fe3O4' album series. Meanwhile, NMIXX has been announced as a performer for the "2025 iHeartRadio Wango Tango", a U.S. festival set to take place on May 10 at Huntington City Beach in California. Additionally, as part of their second fan concert tour in April, they will hold performances in Taipei and Hong Kong, both of which are sold out. Great news for them, I know they have been one of the most exciting groups recently. So let's hope to see more of them soon. Now, let's move onto more culture news with Ari, Ari what stories do you have for us today?

[Weather] Spring storm hits most of Korea with snowy surprise, chilly all day

2025/03/18 10:00

A spring storm hit most of Korea with snowy surprise, with a heavy snow advisory issued yesterday in the capital, the latest on the record. Overnight, Seoul received nearly 7 centimeters of snowfall and it will keep piling up through the mid-afternoon with 1 to 5 centimeters more snow in store. East of Gangwon-do could see 40 centimeters or more, mountainous regions in Gyeongsangbuk-do Province may see up to 20 centimeters, with blizzards. Heavy snow alerts in place for most regions. Strong winds will also be an issue, especially on Jeju Island and western regions, with wind advisories in place. Temperatures remain on the chilly side throughout the day, highs will be similar to yesterday topping out at 7 degrees in the capital, Busan at 8 degrees. On the bright side, warmer days are ahead! Starting Thursday, we'll see a sharp turnaround as a warming trend takes over. Sunny skies return, and temperatures will climb, melting away today's snow fairly quickly. So, for today, bundle up and drive safely.

St. Patrick's Day brings parades and celebrations to New York

2025/03/18 10:00

Finally, in the United States, New York City celebrated its 264th annual St. Patrick's Day Parade on Monday local time, attracting approximately 2 million spectators and featuring 150,000 marchers. Participants included school bands, Irish pipe and drum ensembles, and uniformed personnel from the police and fire departments. Mayor Eric Adams and Governor Kathy Hochul were among the attendees, and also wore green for the occasion. Meanwhile, in Chicago, the annual tradition of dyeing the Chicago River green with an eco-friendly dye, a practice that began in 1962, was once again observed.

Rwanda cuts diplomatic ties with Belgium citing interference

2025/03/18 10:00

Rwanda announced it officially cut diplomatic ties with Belgium on Monday, citing interference in regional matters. The Rwandan government announced that all Belgian diplomats must depart within 48 hours, raising concerns about escalating bilateral tensions. The decision follows accusations that Belgium has sided against Rwanda with regard to the ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Rwanda insists that Belgium has taken sides in the regional conflict and continues to mobilize against Rwanda in various forums, employing what it describes as "lies and manipulation" to destabilize the region.

EU and partners promise U.S.$ 6.3 bil. in aid for Syria and its neighbors

2025/03/18 10:00

The European Union and its international partners have pledged substantial financial aid to support Syria and its neighboring countries during a critical transition period following the ousting of its former leader. At a conference held in Brussels on Monday, donors committed approximately 6.3 billion U.S. dollars in aid for Syria and its neighbors, with the EU pledging nearly 2.7 billion dollars. This year's total pledges are lower than the 8.2 billion dollars raised last year, partly due to reductions in the United States foreign aid budget. Meanwhile, Syria's interim government participated in the conference for the first time, with its foreign minister in attendance.

Trump says U.S. will hold Iran responsible for further Houthi attacks

2025/03/18 10:00

Good morning, I'm Choi Chi-hee, and this is The World Now. Following a series of U.S. airstrikes targeting Yemen's Houthi rebels over the weekend, President Donald Trump on Monday issued a warning to Iran regarding its support for the group. Trump emphasized that any future assaults by the Houthis will be regarded as direct actions by Iran, and promised severe repercussions. Taking to social media he said, "Every shot fired by the Houthis will be looked upon as being a shot fired from the weapons and leadership of IRAN, and IRAN will be held responsible and suffer the consequences, and those consequences will be dire." The White House reinforced the stance, indicating that Iran should take the United States' warnings seriously. Meanwhile, the Pentagon reported that over 30 Houthi sites have been targeted so far, and vowed to continue using "overwhelming lethal force" to protect international maritime commerce until the group ceases its attacks.

Sensory neurons for sweet tastes suppress those for bitter tastes

2025/03/18 10:00

The story of taste especially that of sweetness as well as bitterness begin in the brain with intriguing power dynamics. Cha Yun-kyung tells us more. As fruit flies are often used as experimental models, researchers created genetically engineered fruit flies that are vitalized when their sensory neurons are activated. When their sensory neurons for sweet tastes were activated they suppressed the sensory neurons for bitter tastes. On the other hand, when sensory neurons for bitter tastes were activated, those for sweet tastes were not suppressed. This is because sensory neurons for sweet tastes can control those for bitter tastes. "When sensory neurons for sweet tastes are activated, those for bitter tastes are suppressed due to the electric field from the sweet activated sensory neurons. As a result, when there are bitter and sweet tastes at the same time, the bitter tastes are eliminated " The researchers explained that this principle could be the reason why black coffee tastes bitter while coffee mixtures with sugar taste less bitter or fruit juices taste less sour. As the mechanism of the suppression interaction among sensory neurons for taste has been uncovered from fruit fly experiments, researchers expect that this will help with experiments on sensory neurons of different species, including animals and eventually people. Cha Yun-kyung, Arirang News.

On-point: Will President Yoon's impeachment case ruling be announced on Friday?

2025/03/18 10:00

Many are expecting the Constitutional Court to rule on President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment case later this week. What's taking the justices so long? We turn to legal expert Joung Hwang. Good morning. 1. What do you think the eight justices are contemplating at this stage? Didn't the court stress a speedy ruling? 2. Some are betting that Thursday or Friday to be the day the ruling is announced, and some even expect it to happen as late as next week. Which day are you betting on? Why that day? 3. And I'm sure the justices will pour extra efforts into drawing up their final statements considering the gravity of the case, won't they? 4. Will President Yoon make a statement before the ruling day do you think? Yoon's legal team said no, but if yes, what kind of statement? 5. Will the ruling and opposition parties be able to draw out a joint message following the verdict? They did back in 2017 when former President Park Geun-hye was ousted. Thanks so much for sharing your insight with us this morning.

OECD's latest economic outlook projects 'softening' in growth with big changes in trade policies

2025/03/18 10:00

The OECD has yet again signaled a slowdown in South Korea's growth prospects, citing trade tensions and geopolitical uncertainties. Our Moon Hye-ryeon reports. "Steering Through Uncertainty" is what the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development is calling the current global economic situation, forecasting a gradual slowdown in global economic growth over the next three years. Its interim economic outlook, published on Monday, anticipates that global economic growth will moderate, projecting figures of 3-point-1 percent for 2025 and 3 percent for 2026. Notably, the growth forecast for this year has been revised downwards by point-two percentage points compared to the previous projection given in December last year. The OECD highlights that while the global economy has remained "resilient," recent economic activity indicators suggest a softening of global growth prospects. Significant changes in trade policies were outlined as a critical concern – as the new Trump administration rolls out sweeping tariffs – warning that these shifts could impede economic growth and contribute to rising inflation. The organization also noted that inflationary pressures persist across numerous nations. Regional variations in economic performance are expected. In the United States, growth is projected to slow due to the implementation of increased tariffs, with forecasts of 2-point-2 percent this year, while China's economy is expected to maintain relatively robust growth, with forecasts of 4-point-8 percent in 2025. However, Canada and Mexico are projected to be severely negatively impacted by the new U.S. tariffs. As for the South Korean economy, it is projected to grow at a subdued pace of 1-point-5 percent this year, and 2-point-2 percent next year. The 2025 South Korea growth projection has also been revised downwards, reflecting the general trend of reduced growth forecasts among major economies, and falls in line with forecasts from other major institutions. The Bank of Korea adjusted its forecast for domestic economic growth this year also to 1-point-5 percent back in February, while the Korea Development Institute revised its forecast to 1-point-6 percent. Going forward, the OECD's policy recommendations advise central banks to navigate potential increases in trade costs and has called for international cooperation to address trade concerns, structural reforms to promote competition, and support for growth in productivity through the integration of artificial intelligence technologies. Moon Hye-ryeon, Arirang News.

Trump's top economic aide warns of more uncertainty over tariffs

2025/03/18 10:00

U.S. President Donald Trump's top economic aide on Monday warned of more economic uncertainty stemming from Washington's evolving tariff policy. Speaking to CNBC's "Squawk Box" on Monday, U.S. National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett said there will be "some uncertainty" between "now and April 2nd", referring to the date Trump is set to unveil his "reciprocal" tariff plans. His comments come as market analysts and business leaders have criticized the sweeping tariff announcements, which have led to volatility in the markets. However, Hassett defended Trump's tariffs against Mexico, Canada and China, calling them "very positive developments" adding things will clear up after April 2nd.

Freedom Shield exercise conducted in accordance with int'l law: U.S. Maj. General

2025/03/18 10:00

A United States Army major general stationed in South Korea has said the recent U.S.-Korea joint military exercise was not a "nuclear war" exercise. Major General William Taylor, who is serving as the Operations Chief of the UN command and the combined U.S.-Korea forces., made the remark in an interview on Tuesday with Yonhap News Agency when asked about North Korea's criticism of the Freedom Shield exercises, a joint military training program that started on March 10th, which the North claims are rehearsals for invasion. He also emphasized that all the exercises are being conducted in accordance with international law. When asked about the possibility of the U.S. reducing or withdrawing U.S. troops from Korea, he said that the U.S. is focused on maintaining strong forces capable of ensuring regional security.

Trump plans to call Putin on Tuesday to discuss war in Ukraine

2025/03/18 10:00

U.S. President Donald Trump says he's going to call Russian President Vladimir Putin, to discuss a potential ceasefire agreement for the Ukraine war. Lee Seung-jae reports. U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday that he plans to have a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, to discuss putting an 휴전 협정을 논의하기 위해 화요일에 러시아 대통령 블라디미르 푸틴과 전화 통화를 할 계획이라고 말했습니다.end to the Ukraine war. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump announced the date of the planned phone call, adding that a lot of work has been done over the past weekend to bring ceasefire discussion into fruition. When asked if he thought Russia would agree to a 30-day ceasefire, Trump voiced optimism. Ahead of the planned phone call, the White House said Monday that a deal to finally put an end to more than three years of war is closer than it has ever been. Speaking to reporters, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said that they're "on the 10th yard line of peace," adding that they've "never been closer to a peace deal" than this moment. She stressed that Trump is determined to get the deal done. Meanwhile, the European Union warned Trump not to trust Russia ahead of his phone call with Putin. EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas said at a press conference following the EU foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels on Monday, that the consensus among the member countries is that Russia cannot be fully trusted. Kallas pointed out that Russia did not immediately accept the 30-day ceasefire deal agreed upon by the U.S. and Ukraine, adding that Russia will use the opportunity to make demands. EU foreign ministers at the meeting also discussed providing Ukraine with a new military aid package worth over 43 billion U.S. dollars. The EU believes that additional military aid is urgent for Ukraine's security as Washington is pushing for a quick end-of-war agreement. Lee Seung-jae, Arirang News.

Latest-ever heavy snow advisory issued for Seoul as S. Korea experiences mid-March snowfall

2025/03/18 10:00

South Korea is experiencing an unusual spring chill, resulting in heavy mid-March snow. Our Lee Soo-jin has this report. As winter makes an unexpected return to South Korea, Seoul has been issued its latest-ever heavy snow advisory. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, over 10 cm of snow accumulated in the northern part of the capital between 8 PM on Monday and 6 AM on Tuesday. In the county of Cheorwon in Gangwon-do Province, 14 cm of snow accumulated over the same period, while significant snowfall of more than 10 cm of snow was also recorded in cities in Gyeonggi-do Province. Heavy snow advisories, which are issued for a region when at least 5 cm of snow is expected to accumulate over a period of 24 hours, were issued for the Seoul metropolitan area as well as in parts of Chungcheong-do Provinces, Jeolla-do Provinces, Gyeongsang-do Provinces, and Jeju Island. And a heavy snow warning, issued when snowfall is expected to exceed 20 cm within the same period, was issued for Gangwon-do Province. For Seoul, this marks the latest-ever heavy snow advisory issued, surpassing the previous record set on March 9, 2010. This year's unusual mid-March snowfall was caused by an Arctic vortex, a large, rotating mass of cold air, bringing Arctic cold air with temperatures as low as minus 40 degrees Celsius into the country. With heavy snow advisories issued nationwide,.. the Interior Ministry activated a Level One Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters emergency response posture and raised the nation's crisis alert level for heavy snow from the lowest level, "attention," to "caution." But the heavy snowfall has already resulted in accidents. Around 12:50 AM today, in the city of Ansan in Gyeonggi Province, a car skidded on a snowy road and collided with a median barrier, killing the driver while other vehicles were damaged by debris. While the snow and rain falling nationwide are expected to gradually ease by the afternoon, to prevent further accidents, local governments are deploying automatic deicing equipment and personnel to clear roads. Lee Soo-jin, Arirang News.

S. Korea added to U.S. Sensitive List due to security issue, not policy: Gov't

2025/03/18 10:00

South Korea's addition to the U.S. Sensitive Countries List has been explained by the government, which stated it's due to security concerns at U.S. research facilities. Kim Jung-sil reports. Following communication with the U.S., Seoul's Foreign Ministry confirmed that South Korea's inclusion in the lowest tier of the U.S. Energy Department's 'Sensitive and Other Designated Countries List' is due to security-related issues, rather than foreign policy concerns. Seoul also clarified that U.S. officials said the designation will not significantly impact joint energy research or technology cooperation. The ministry further highlighted that South Korea has been on the list in the past and was removed through similar diplomatic efforts. It is said that the inclusion follows an incident where security regulations at Idaho National Laboratory, a research institution under the U.S. Energy Department, were breached. In its semiannual report to Congress for the period ending March last year, the Energy Department listed an instance where a contractor was "terminated after boarding a flight to South Korea with nuclear reactor design software." The investigation, involving the FBI and Homeland Security, revealed the employee's knowledge of export restrictions and communication with a foreign government. The U.S. is said to have explained this case as one of several security regulation breaches. South Korean Minister of Trade, Industry, and Energy Ahn Duk-geun is set to visit the U.S. this week to discuss the issue with his counterpart. Seoul is committed to engaging with Washington to resolve the issue before the designation takes effect on April 15th. Kim Jung-sil, Arirang News.

OECD's latest economic outlook projects 'softening' in growth with big changes in trade policies

2025/03/17 20:00

The OECD signals a slowdown in the global growth prospects, citing trade tensions and geopolitical uncertainties. The global economic outlook has been dragged down to a little over 3-percent for this year. Our Moon Hye-ryeon has the details. "Steering Through Uncertainty" is what the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development is calling the current global economic situation, forecasting a gradual slowdown in global economic growth over the next three years. Its interim economic outlook, published on Monday, anticipates that global economic growth will moderate, projecting figures of 3-point-1 percent for 2025 and 3 percent for 2026. Notably, the growth forecast for this year has been revised downwards by point-two percentage points compared to the previous projection given in December last year. The OECD highlights that while the global economy has remained "resilient," recent economic activity indicators suggest a softening of global growth prospects. Significant changes in trade policies were outlined as a critical concern – as the new Trump administration rolls out sweeping tariffs – warning that these shifts could impede economic growth and contribute to rising inflation. The organization also noted that inflationary pressures persist across numerous nations. Regional variations in economic performance are expected. In the United States, growth is projected to slow due to the implementation of increased tariffs, with forecasts of 2-point-2 percent this year, while China's economy is expected to maintain relatively robust growth, with forecasts of 4-point-8 percent in 2025. However, Canada and Mexico are projected to be severely negatively impacted by the new U.S. tariffs. As for the South Korean economy, it is projected to grow at a subdued pace of 1-point-5 percent this year, and 2-point-2 percent next year. The 2025 South Korea growth projection has also been revised downwards, reflecting the general trend of reduced growth forecasts among major economies, and falls in line with forecasts from other major institutions. The Bank of Korea adjusted its forecast for domestic economic growth this year also to 1-point-5 percent back in February, while the Korea Development Institute revised its forecast to 1-point-6 percent. Going forward, the OECD's policy recommendations advise central banks to navigate potential increases in trade costs and has called for international cooperation to address trade concerns, structural reforms to promote competition, and support for growth in productivity through the integration of artificial intelligence technologies. Moon Hye-ryeon, Arirang News.

U.S. launches airstrikes against Houthis to secure maritime navigation in Red Sea

2025/03/17 20:00

In the Middle East. U.S. fighter jets targeted several Houthi drones launched from Yemen this past Sunday amid attacks on American Navy ships following U.S. bombings of Houthi militant sites in Yemen. Our Choi Soo-hyung has the latest. Powerful explosions occurred across many regions of Yemen, including its capital, Sanaa, over the weekend. U.S. forces carried out more than 170 airstrikes against Iran-backed Houthi rebels in the Middle Eastern country. The U.S. targeted military bases, specifically their missile and drone capabilities in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. The operation was aimed at deterring attacks on international shipping routes in the Red Sea and to secure maritime navigation there. President Trump said the U.S. responded to Houthi attacks on American ships and aircraft in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. Trump's national security adviser, Michael Waltz, told ABC News on Sunday that Iran should be held responsible for supporting the rebel group. "This was an overwhelming response that actually targeted multiple Houthi leaders and took them out. And the difference here is, one, going after the Houthi leadership, and two, holding Iran responsible. It is Iran that has repeatedly funded, resourced, trained, and helped the Houthis " The Houthi-run Health Ministry reported that the strikes resulted in at least 53 deaths and injured over 100 people. In retaliation to the airstrikes, the self-styled Yemeni Armed Forces stated that they would target all American warships in the Red and Arabian Seas. "The Yemeni Armed Forces will not hesitate to target all American warships in the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea in retaliation to the aggression against our country." These forces carried out a military operation on Sunday, local time, with multiple ballistic missiles and drones, launched at the American aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman and its battle-group. However, the U.S. stated that 11 drones were shot down by U.S. aircraft, while the missiles malfunctioned and fell into the sea. The United Nations expressed concern over the U.S. and Houthi clashes and urged for a halt to all military activities. Choi Soo-hyung, Arirang News.

Trump to speak with Putin over concessions needed for ceasefire in Ukraine

2025/03/17 20:00

US President Donald Trump is expected to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin tomorrow to discuss ending the war in Ukraine and potential concessions to be considered. Cha Yun-kyung has more. US President Donald Trump told reporters on Sunday during a late flight back to Washington from Florida that he will speak to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday after talks between U.S. and Russian officials in Moscow last week. Trump said he is trying to win Putin's support for a 30-day ceasefire proposal that Ukraine accepted last week, as Ukraine and Russia continued trading heavy aerial strikes over the weekend. Trump projected a positive outcome on the ceasefire deal. " Maybe we can, maybe we can't. But I think we have a very good chance." For concessions that are being considered in ceasefire negotiations, Trump mentioned about possibly dividing up land and power plants which have been already discussed by the both Ukraine and Russia. " We'll be talking about land. It's a lot of land. It's a lot different than it was before the war We'll be talking about power plants I think we have a lot of it already discussed very much by both sides, Ukraine and Russia. We're already talking about that -dividing up certain assets." The U.S. has been pushing for a ceasefire in Ukraine, but Russia has not given a firm position, instead insisting on various conditions by outlining numerous details that need to be negotiated before any deal can be completed. Cha Yun-kyung, Arirang News.

U.S. hints at new trade deals as reciprocal tariffs set to impact S. Korea

2025/03/17 20:00

Trump's reciprocal tariffs on all American trade partners, including South Korea, will go into effect in April as scheduled, as his administration aims to sit down for new bilateral trade talks. Lee Soo-jin has the details. The United States is considering forging new trade agreements, which could also impact Free Trade Agreement partners like South Korea. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in a CBS interview on Sunday local time, said that the U.S. could potentially engage in bilateral agreements with countries after resetting a "new baseline of fairness and reciprocity." He emphasized that bilateral negotiations would not begin until reciprocal tariffs were fully implemented on countries like Canada, Mexico, and most of the EU, suggesting the tariffs could serve as a bargaining tool. He also stated that the reciprocal tariffs are not targeted towards specific nations, but apply to all countries. South Korea's trade minister Cheong In-gyo, who visited Washington to request an exemption from the tariffs, said on his return that the reciprocal tariffs on South Korea, are likely to take effect on April 2nd as President Donald Trump previously announced. "The goal of reducing the trade deficit through reciprocal tariffs has not changed. Since President Trump directly oversees these tariffs, it's highly likely that his policies will be carried out as planned." While there were no discussions on specific items like automobiles or beef, he said that the U.S. highlighted how South Korea's sanitary policies and technical regulations have made it difficult for the U.S. to access the Korean market. Cheong's trip to the U.S. to meet with his counterpart follows Trump's accusation earlier this month that South Korea imposes tariffs four times higher than those of the U.S., a claim that Korea disputed. South Korea's effective tariff rate on U.S. imports stands at 0-percent-79 percent as of 2024, in line with the two countries' FTA, a sharp drop from the 2-point-48 percent in 2015. While it is unclear whether South Korea's FTA with the United States will be revised or replaced by a completely new deal, given that it was already revised during Trump's first term, it is highly likely that further adjustments will be considered in response to the changing trade dynamics. Lee Soo-jin, Arirang News.