News

World News: U.S. to revoke all visas held by South Sudanese over deportation dispute

2025/04/07 17:00

This is the World Now, bringing you the latest stories from around the globe. The U.S. has announced it will immediately revoke all visas held by South Sudanese passport holders, citing the African nation's failure to accept the return of its repatriated citizens. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement on Saturday that South Sudan's transitional government has not complied with international norms by refusing to accept its nationals deported from the United States. As a result, the U.S. Department of State is revoking all existing visas held by South Sudanese citizens and halting the issuance of new visas to these individuals. The unprecedented decision, the first of its kind aimed at a specific country since the Trump administration took office, comes amid concerns about a potential return to civil war in the African nation. Rubio accused South Sudan's government of "taking advantage of the United States" and added that the U.S. is prepared to review the recent actions once South Sudan demonstrates full cooperation in accepting its repatriated citizens. In the Middle East, two British Members of Parliament have been denied entry into Israel during a planned visit to the occupied West Bank. Israel accused the two lawmakers of plans to spread "anti-Israel hatred." Labour MPs Abtisam Mohamed and Yuan Yang, were detained upon arrival at Israel's Ben Gurion International Airport on Saturday local time. The Israeli immigration authority stated they intended to "document the security forces and spread hate speech against Israel," leading to their deportation. The MPs asserted that they were part of a parliamentary delegation, alongside charities, visiting humanitarian aid projects in the West Bank. British Foreign Secretary David Lammy called Israel's actions "unacceptable, counterproductive and deeply concerning." In the African country of the Democratic Republic of Congo, torrential rain led to severe flooding in the capital, Kinshasa, over the weekend, resulting in at least 22 deaths. 46 people were hospitalized, and 75 families also had to be temporarily relocated due to the conditions. The flooding disrupted access to more than half of the city and its main airport. While Kinshasa, home to over 12 million residents, experiences frequent flooding during the rainy season, the weekend's rain marks the city's first major deluge of the year. Similar flooding in the capital city in 2022 killed over 100 people. Finally, in the U.S. state of Los Angeles, a minke whale that had been swimming in Long Beach Harbor last week was found dead on Sunday morning local time. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is collaborating with local officials to determine the cause of death. Earlier efforts to guide the whale out of the harbor were unsuccessful as it repeatedly returned despite attempts by experts to encourage its departure. The whale's appearance in the harbor last week had attracted crowds eager to catch a glimpse of the marine mammal. Choi Chi-hee, Arirang News.

Small library in Gyeongbokgung Palace, welcoming spring

2025/04/07 17:00

For those of you here in Seoul looking for a peaceful place to indulge in books the king's study at Gyeongbokgung Palace is open as a small public library. Our Choi Soo-hyung has a glimpse. Spring has arrived in Gyeongbokgung Palace. This part of the palace.. is called 'Jibokjae', which means "Collecting precious jewels such as jade." It is connected with Palujeong, an octagonal two-story pavilion, and Hyeopgildang Hall, showcasing a distinctive traditional architectural beauty. Inside the buildings, over a thousand books fill the walls, and people look around and read. From April 2nd, the 'Jibokjae' has been opened as a small library. Here, visitors can read books, relax, and enjoy a moment of peace. The low ceiling gives visitors a cozy feeling and lets them see the beautiful Dancheong, traditional Korean patterns, up close. "I think it's yeah peaceful, quiet, so yeah, I feel lucky to be here actually. I choose other books like poem just to see how it's like writing." "We came here to enjoy the nice weather and also to learn more about our culture. The atmosphere is very calm and peaceful and it feels like the perfect place to relax. We are having a really great time." Since 2016, the Korea Heritage Service has opened this space for free to allow visitors to experience the palace more closely. This building was built in 1881 and was used by King Gojong as a study and to receive foreign envoys. It closed during the COVID-19 pandemic but reopened in 2022. Currently, this place has over 1,700 books related to the history of the Joseon Dynasty and royal family. "It also offers books for children, foreign language translations and, and rare resources such as the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty, which are not easily found elsewhere." The office plans to hold programs such as meet-the-author events and book talks at the library. The Jibokjae small library will be open until October 31, except in July and August. Choi Soo-hyung, Arirang News.

K-pop tops global association with S. Korea for 8th straight year

2025/04/07 17:00

For the eighth year in a row K-pop remains the first thing that comes to the minds of foreigners when asked about Korean culture. This is according to the latest annual survey by the Culture Ministry whose results were released on this Monday showing almost 18 percent with exposure to Korean culture highlighting K-pop as the top item on the list of Korean culture. This was followed by Korean food and K-dramas. The most favored K-pop artist in the survey was BTS which has held the top spot for seven straight years.

Power plant fire sends one worker to hospital, others evacuated safely

2025/04/07 17:00

Back on the local front. A fire broke out earlier on this Monday at a thermal power plant and fortunately no fatalities were reported. According to authorities the blaze began at around 9:30 a.m. at the Honam Thermal Power Plant located in Yeosu in the eastern part of Jeollanam-do Province. The flame was tamed in about an hour and half and officials have now launched an investigation into its cause.

Ukraine faces mounting pressure as Russian strikes escalate as mineral deal talks loom in Washington

2025/04/07 17:00

Meanwhile a recent Russian air strike on a residential area in the Ukrainian leader's hometown is prompting much outrage as it comes amid U.S. efforts to hammer out a ceasefire. Byeon Ye-young reports. Twisted steel beams, shattered windows, and other mangled remains of residential blocks now scar the skyline of Kryvyi Rih after a Russian missile strike on April 4th killed at least 20 people, including children playing in a park. Dozens were injured. As Ukraine observed a day of mourning, Russia launched more missiles and drones at Kyiv on Sunday, killing one and wounding several others. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the attacks and criticized the U.S.'s tepid response to the attack on Kryvyi Rih, his hometown. "Staying silent about the fact that it is Russia killing children with ballistic missiles is wrong and dangerous. It only emboldens Moscow to continue the war and keep ignoring diplomacy." While Washington has yet to respond officially, Secretary of State Marco Rubio hinted at a possible shift in policy. Speaking in Brussels on Friday following a two-day NATO meeting, Rubio suggested that Washington's patience with Moscow is wearing thin and warned that Russia could soon face additional U.S. sanctions. Amid the military crisis, Ukraine is preparing for talks in Washington next week on a new draft for a mineral deal. According to The Associated Press, Ukraine's Economy Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko confirmed that a Ukrainian delegation, including officials from the Ministries of Economy, Foreign Affairs, Justice, and Finance, will head to the U.S. next week. The proposed agreement would give the U.S. access to critical resources such as rare earths, oil and gas. European leaders are also pushing for tougher measures. French President Emmanuel Macron called for an immediate ceasefire and "strong action" if Russia continues to stall. Finnish President Alexander Stubb proposed April 20th, which marks both Easter and the three-month anniversary of President Donald Trump's inauguration, which marks both Easter and the three-month anniversary of President Donald Trump's inauguration, as a deadline for Russia to comply with ceasefire terms. Byeon Ye-young, Arirang News.

G7 foreign ministers raise concerns over China's recent military drills around Taiwan

2025/04/07 17:00

Top diplomats of the G7 have shared concerns over China's recent war games around Taiwan. In a joint statement they described Beijing's activities as "destabilizing" and urged for dialogue to address differences. The foreign ministers also asserted these regional tensions endanger international stability and prosperity. Last week the Chinese military held two days of military drills around Taiwan involving long-range live fire drills.

Growing downside risks to S. Korean economy amid U.S. tariff pressures: KDI

2025/04/07 17:00

And as expected a state-run think tank has highlighted the presence of greater external risk factors to the Korean economy notably U.S. trade barriers. Our correspondent Moon Hye-ryeon has more. A state-run think tank has diagnosed continued downside risks to South Korea's economy for the fourth consecutive month, citing growing uncertainties in global trade. In the April edition of its monthly economic trends report, the Korea Development Institute stated that external conditions are "rapidly deteriorating" in light of the recent tariff announcement from the United States, and paired with the slowdown in both domestic and global demand, the situation is exacerbating. Last week, Washington announced that it would impose tariffs of 25 percent on South Korean goods, and a separate 25 percent tariff on global automobiles and auto parts. Automobiles are South Korea's top export to the United States, with nearly half of the country's total auto shipments headed there last year. The KDI noted that if the U.S. continues to escalate its protectionist trade measures – as U.S. President Trump has threatened to do – it could further erode corporate sentiment and hinder investment and export growth. While South Korea's exports rose by more than three percent in March, the think tank warned that this recovery remains fragile, with exports in the first quarter of the year showing a contraction due to a slowdown in the ICT sector. The KDI also pointed to continued sluggish consumer spending as another drag on the economy. While internal consumption of durable goods briefly rebounded thanks to a temporary tax cut on automobiles for the first half of the year, overall retail sales for January and February were down with persistent weakness in sales of semi-durable and non-durable goods. Consumer sentiment in March stayed pessimistic, with the central bank's Consumer Sentiment Index data showing that it has yet to recover to levels seen before the martial law declaration last December. Going forward, the think tank stressed the importance of closely monitoring both global developments and domestic demand to avoid further drag on recovery. Moon Hye-ryeon, Arirang News.

Massive sell-off in S. Korea stock market; sidecar triggered by KOSPI 200 futures index

2025/04/07 17:00

Well regardless of those remarks by Mr. Trump the Korean stock market tumbled during early trade on this Monday with a circuit breaker going into effect briefly in the morning to ward off panic selling. Our correspondent Lee Soo-jin reports. U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff announcements have triggered massive sell-offs across South Korea's stock market. The Korea Exchange at 9:12 AM on Monday, activated a sell-side sidecar for the first time in eight months, when the KOSPI 200 futures index fell 5-point-19 percent to 312-point-05. A sidecar is triggered when the KOSPI 200 futures index rises or falls by 5 percent or more and stays there for at least one minute. On Monday, the sidecar was activated for five minutes. And stock indexes also took a hit amid mounting investor concerns over the impact of U.S. tariffs. Both the benchmark KOSPI and the tech-heavy KOSDAQ closed down more than five percent, the KOSPI down 5-point-57 percent to around 2-thousand-3-hundred-28, and the KOSDAQ 5-point-25 percent to 6-hundred-51. But one expert said decline of this size is likely a temporary phenomenon, which is why a circuit breaker --triggered when the KOSPI and KOSDAQ indexes fall by 8 percent or more --is unlikely to be activated. "Today's market decline was likely driven by last Friday's slump in the U.S. market and President Trump's hardline stance over the weekend, which led to a 3 to 4 percent drop in U.S. futures that triggered foreign investor sell-offs. As such, the downturn is unlikely to continue for long." The loss was led by foreign investors offloading shares as they reacted to sharp losses in U.S. markets. On Friday local time, Wall Street suffered sharp losses, with the broad-based S&P 500 closing down 6 percent, the tech-heavy Nasdaq 5-point-8 percent. And the Dow Jones fell around 5-point-5 percent. This marked the second straight day of major losses, with the S&P and Dow Jones both suffering the biggest one-day drops since June 2020 on Thursday. In the foreign exchange market on Monday, the Korean won weakened against the dollar, closing at around 1-thousand-467, down 33-point-7 won from the previous session after briefly topping 1-thousand-470 during intraday trading. The same expert said this reflects fears of a potential global economic downturn, noting that Korea's exchange rate with the dollar has surpassed the 1-thousand-400 won mark three times in the past, during the 1997 IMF crisis, the 2008 financial crisis, and the U.S. Fed's aggressive rate hikes in 2022. Lee Soo-jin, Arirang News.

Trump dismisses stock market turmoil caused by tariffs

2025/04/07 17:00

In other news. A baseline U.S. tariff of 10 percent on imports of all foreign-origin goods into the American market went into effect this past weekend and the heavier country-specific duties are poised to take effect this coming Wednesday U.S. time with no prospect of a postponement. Moon Ji-young has details. US President Donald Trump has refused to back down on tariffs on imports from most countries despite the market turmoil they have caused. Speaking to reporters on Air Force One on Sunday evening, Trump characterized the tariff duties as “medicine,” while panicked investors continued a massive sell-off of global stocks. He warned foreign governments that they would have to pay "a lot of money" to lift sweeping tariffs. “I spoke to a lot of leaders, European, Asian, from all over the world. They’re dying to make a deal. And I said, we’re not going to have deficits with your country. We’re not going to do that, because to me a deficit is a loss. We’re going to have surpluses or, at worst, going to be breaking even.” When asked about a potential trade deal with China, Trump underscored that no agreement would be reached unless the U.S. trade deficit with Beijing, currently at one trillion dollars, is addressed. He also claimed that tariffs caused China to pull back from a deal regarding TikTok, which was nearly finalized, highlighting this as evidence of "the power of tariffs." In response to tariffs on Europe, Trump stated that the U.S. cannot afford to spend heavily on NATO to protect Europe while losing money on trade. Meanwhile, speaking to NBC on Sunday morning, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said more than 50 countries have begun negotiating with the U.S. since the announcement of the reciprocal tariffs. The comments go in line with Trump's remarks last week that "every" country has called the U.S. for talks. On the same day, Trump shared a post on social media that massive financial deficits can be cured only with tariffs, calling them a “beautiful thing to behold.” Moon Ji-young, Arirang News.

Constitutional reform given green light, but will lawmakers slim presidential power with it up for grabs?

2025/04/07 17:00

The parliament is also looking to revise the country's Constitution. And within the reform proposals is one that grants presidents two four-year terms instead of the current single five-year term. Our Kim Do-yeon covers this plan and more. The leaders of South Korea's two major parties on Monday gave the green light to National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik's proposal for Constitutional reform, in light of the upcoming presidential election. But it came with a caveat as the Chair of the Democratic Party of Korea, Lee Jae-myung, is cautious as there are more important tasks at hand. "But right now, what's far more urgent and important is preventing the destruction of democracy. The immediate focus should be on ending the insurrection. I hope the People Power Party isn’t thinking of using constitutional reform as a way to simply move past this. But yes, reform is necessary." However, he confirmed that he agrees that certain aspects of the Constitution need to be changed, such as adding the spirit of the Gwangju May 18th pro-democratization movement to the Constitution, among other things. Laws need to be revised for this nationwide referendum to happen and Lee has agreed to get work done to make it possible alongside the presidential election in less than 60 days. In terms of the presidential term, Lee agreed on two four-year terms like the U.S. model. Meanwhile, the People Power Party welcomed the Constitution reform proposal, while saying that they're already working on the details from their side. "It's not just about dispersing power. The system must be restructured so checks and balances function properly. Just as presidential powers are being reviewed, the authority of the National Assembly must also be adjusted in a balanced way. Kwon said that as much as the presidential authority needs to be adjusted, the parliament's authority needs to be adjusted as well. At the moment, the parliament has impeachment motion power over four different branches of government, and Kwon says it has been imperialistic with its power recently, as the opposition holds the majority of the floor. He said no one expected this in 1987 when the current Constitution was passed, saying it needs to reflect the world we live in now. Speaker Woo, after the two leaders' comments, welcomed that the two main parties are on board with the Constitutional reform. But, as the DP leader was cautious, the referendum targeted for the next presidential election in less than 60 days can just be on what's agreed upon until then. "With presidential powers at the heart of the constitutional reform debate, voters heading to the polls in less than 60 days won't just be choosing the next president — they'll also be weighing each party’s vision for the presidency and its power. Especially in the wake of a push for martial law rule by a former president. Kim Do-yeon, Arirang News."

S. KOREA PREPARES FOR PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

2025/04/07 17:30

Hope your workweek is off to a good start. It's Monday April 7th here in Seoul and you're watching Press Perspective. I'm Min Sunhee. Come early summer this year South Korea will have a new leadership at the top office after the strength of its democracy went on full display last week according to a number of foreign media outlets. For more I have Chloe Borgnon with French broadcaster France 24 Chloe it's great to have you here. I also have Thomas Maresca with American news agency UPI. Thomas welcome back. 1) Thomas, you also covered the Constitutional Court's verdict to uphold the presidential impeachment last Friday. Quite a number of foreign media outlets are linking this latest development to South Korea's democratic resilience. What more can you tell us about this perspective among the foreign press? 2) Chloe, the decision to uphold the presidential impeachment was unanimous. What are the broader implications of this reality according to the foreign press? 3) Thomas, Korea needs to hold an election within two months. What is the latest with regard to a potential date and related preparations by rival political parties? 4) Chloe, Reuters published a piece about the top contenders for the early presidential election with focus on six political figures. Let's go over the first three potential candidates: Lee Jae-myung, Han Dong-hoon, and Kim Moon-soo. For the sake of our viewers who may not be familiar with these figures, do tell us a bit about them as shared by Reuters. 5) And now Thomas, do tell us a bit about the final three contenders: Oh Se-hoon, Hong Joon-pyo, and Kim Dong-yeon . 6) Chloe, foreign press members say Yoon leaves behind a deeply divided country. Do you suppose the election will serve to start the healing process? 7) Thomas, what do you believe will be some of the urgent tasks for the next president of South Korea? 8) Chloe, in hindsight, what are the lessons to be learnt from the latest political developments here in Korea starting early last December? 9) And Thomas, what do you suppose may be the lessons to be learnt?

[Kulture Issue] Popularity of sports-themed K-content

2025/04/07 14:00

Recent movies revolving around sports have been captivating domestic audiences. Let's take a look at what’s behind the popularity of sports-themed content with culture critic Professor Chie Hye-won at Kyung Hee University’s Arts and Cultural Management Program. Welcome Professor Chie! Q1-1. “The Match“ (“Seungbu“), which deals with the board game Go, or “baduk“ in Korean, (and is considered a sport), and the golf film “Lobby“ are ranked first and second at the domestic box office, respectively. Please, tell us first what the movies are about. Let’s start with “The Match.“ Q1-2. What’s “Lobby” about? The title seems to tell us it’s not just about golf? Q2. So, let’s talk more about Go or “baduk“. It’s a very interesting topic, but also a challenging game that requires lots of brain. Are there any other Go-themed movies? Go does seem to appear quite frequently (in many cases casually) in scenes of various K-content. Why is that? Q3. When it comes to golf, this sport has been tremendously popular in Korea in recent years, even being a major theme on variety of entertainment programs on TV. What’s behind the popularity of golf as a means of content? Q4. Sports was once considered an unpopular topic in Korea in TV and movies, so why has it gained so much traction in recent years? Q5. So, which Korean dramas and movies revolving around sports have stood out and received praise? Q6. What are some of the things to keep in mind when using sports as a main theme in content? Q7. What are the strengths of combining Korean content with the sports genre, and how can we make it more appealing to a wider audience?

[K-wave] Small library in Gyeongbokgung Palace, welcoming spring

2025/04/07 14:00

The delights of spring are coming from all around including Gyeongbokgung Palace, a royal palace in the center of Seoul. Along with taking a tour around the historic place visitors can now indulge in reading in the innermost part of the palace thanks to the opening of a small library. Our Choi Soo-hyung takes us around. Spring has arrived in Gyeongbokgung Palace. This part of the palace.. is called 'Jibokjae', which means "Collecting precious jewels such as jade." It is connected with Palujeong, an octagonal two-story pavilion, and Hyeopgildang Hall, showcasing a distinctive traditional architectural beauty. Inside the buildings, over a thousand books fill the walls, and people look around and read. From April 2nd, the 'Jibokjae' has been opened as a small library. Here, visitors can read books, relax, and enjoy a moment of peace. The low ceiling gives visitors a cozy feeling and lets them see the beautiful Dancheong, traditional Korean patterns, up close. "I think it's yeah peaceful, quiet, so yeah, I feel lucky to be here actually. I choose other books like poem just to see how it's like writing." "We came here to enjoy the nice weather and also to learn more about our culture. The atmosphere is very calm and peaceful and it feels like the perfect place to relax. We are having a really great time." Since 2016, the Korea Heritage Service has opened this space for free to allow visitors to experience the palace more closely. This building was built in 1881 and was used by King Gojong as a study and to receive foreign envoys. It closed during the COVID-19 pandemic but reopened in 2022. Currently, this place has over 1,700 books related to the history of the Joseon Dynasty and royal family. "It also offers books for children, foreign language translations and, and rare resources such as the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty, which are not easily found elsewhere." The office plans to hold programs such as meet-the-author events and book talks at the library. The Jibokjae small library will be open until October 31, except in July and August. Choi Soo-hyung, Arirang News.

[K-Enter] Jimin the chart landlord tops Spotify's list for 90 weeks

2025/04/07 14:00

So, for our daily dose of K-enter news with you Walter, we start off with BTS's Jimin setting more records on the largest music streaming platform Spotify. How do you become one of the most popular 'Weekly Top Artists' on Spotify's South Korean charts for 90 weeks? Call yourself Jimin, release a couple of hit songs and just sit back and watch. According to Spotify's announcement on Friday, this marks the first and only time in the chart's history that any artist has accomplished this milestone. Jimin first entered the "Korea Weekly Top Artist" chart in April 2022 with the original soundtrack "With You" from the tvN drama "Our Blues". As of April 3, 2025, he has charted for a total of 139 weeks, holding the No. 1 position for 90 of those weeks. Jimin has also seen success with his title track "Who" from his second album "Muse" on Spotify Korea's 'Daily Top Songs' chart. Congratulations to Jimin, let's see if he can make it to 100 weeks! Moving onto boy group SEVENTEEN also becoming the first to achieve a milestone in the name of K-pop. On Friday, K-pop boy group SEVENTEEN took to the stage as a headliner at the major music festival "Tecate Pa'l Norte 2025" held at Fundidora Park in Monterrey, Mexico. They are the first K-pop artists to ever perform at this festival. During their approximately one-hour performance, they showcased hit songs such as "LOVE, MONEY, FAME," "Left & Right," "HOT" and "God of Music." Pa'l Norte is one of the largest music festivals in Latin America. This year, SEVENTEEN shared the headliner lineup with global stars including Olivia Rodrigo, Green Day and Fall Out Boy. Let's hope to see more and more K-pop artists being invited to new and exciting music festivals in the future. Next up we have a 10th anniversary celebration concert for one group. Last week we actually touched upon how this year was the 10th anniversary for many groups, but who are you going to mention? I am talking about DAY6, who will be performing at the KSPO Dome for the first time, 10 years after their debut. Their agency, JYP Entertainment, announced the finale of "DAY6's 3RD World Tour Forever Young" will take place right here in Seoul. The concerts will be held over the span of six days from May 9 through 11 and May 16 through 18. This will be DAY6’s first time performing at the KSPO Dome, so the group is making thorough preparations to make sure the crowd leave amazed. They plan to open the entire venue in a 360-degree format so fans can enjoy the performance from every angle. The concert is set to be a grand finale to their large-scale world tour, they are currently touring in Australia. And last but certainly not least, we have some news of a K-pop star with his first solo album. On Monday, NCT member Mark is releasing his first solo album titled "The Firstfruit", officially marking his debut as a solo artist. The full album will be available on major music platforms at 6 p.m. Korea time and the music video for the title track “1999” will be released simultaneously on the SMTOWN YouTube channel and other platforms. The album features 13 tracks themed around four cities that have shaped Mark’s life: his hometown Toronto, the first city he moved to, New York, the place where he spent his school years, Vancouver, and Seoul, where he’s pursuing his dream as an artist. Mark will hold a showcase event for The Firstfruit at 8 p.m. on Monday at the Seongsu Cultural and Arts Center.

K-wave AI News

2025/04/07 14:00

Hello and welcome to your AI guide to the latest cultural updates from Korea. Here's our top story. Gangneung City in Gangwon-do Province was bustling with visitors over the weekend, drawn to its popular cherry blossom spots. Gyeongpodae Pavilion and Gyeongpoho Lake were filled with tourists exploring the 'Gyeongpo Cherry Blossom Festival'—one of the city's signature spring events known for its stunning floral scenery. Although official performances and celebratory events were canceled in light of recent large-scale wildfires, the festival drew large crowds eager to embrace the spring atmosphere. The festival runs through April 9, with diverse programs like a 'hanbok outing' and a flea market also in store. To further boost tourism, Gangneung City has released a map of the cherry blossom hotspots, featuring not only well-known locations but also hidden points throughout the region. Gimhae City in Gyeongsangnam-do Province will kick off its largest annual event, the '2025 Gaya Culture Festival,' this Thursday. It will be held at the UNESCO-listed Daeseong-dong Tombs and the surrounding Sulleungwon area. Festival highlights include "Gaya Fantasia," a dynamic fusion performance that blends traditional Korean music with modern vocals, belly dancing, hanbok showcases, and more. A media façade installation will illuminate the historic tomb complex at night, vividly bringing to life the rich legends of the ancient Gaya Kingdom through cutting-edge technology. Gimhae City has canceled fireworks displays out of respect for recent wildfire victims. Korea's southern port city of Busan welcomed a record 30,165 foreign medical tourists last year, the highest level to date. The figure marks a 134% increase from 2023 and is the third highest nationwide, following Seoul and Gyeonggi-do Province. According to the Korea Health Industry Development Institute, the majority of medical tourists to Busan came from Japan, Taiwan, and China. Notably, the number of Taiwanese visitors soared by a whopping 1,840% on-year. That's all from me. Keep it tuned to the Kulture Wave.

[Short-form] “Sanggwabang,” where royal desserts are made

2025/04/07 14:00

Step into Sanggwabang and savor the sophisticated tastes of the Joseon royal court!

On-point: Rival parties gear up for early election & new administration

2025/04/07 10:00

Now that South Korea took the weekend to digest and cool off following Friday's final verdict, politicians are now gearing up to map out a new administration. Let us discuss more with Professor Mason Richey. Good morning. 1. I'd like to start with the National Assembly speaker's proposal on a referendum on the election to revise the Constitution. 2. The leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, Lee Jae-myung, is one of the top contenders for the upcoming presidential election, but why has he kept a low profile since the final verdict came out? 3. When will he quit his position as the party's leader? 4. The People Power Party took the weekend to reflect on the ruling, but there's not much time to take things slowly now that we only have 60 days, right? 5. I asked you this on Friday when the final verdict came out. Professor Richey thank you for sharing your insight with us.

"No postponing" of tariffs: Lutnick

2025/04/07 10:00

And just hours before the shock to the South Korean stock market on Monday, the U.S. confirmed the recent reciprocal tariffs imposed by Washington will not be delayed and will begin on April 9th. Lee Seung-jae has the details. U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said Sunday that U.S. President Donald Trump will go ahead with reciprocal tariffs announced last week, stressing that there would be no postponement. Speaking to CBS News the commerce secretary stressed the Trump administration's move to close all potential loopholes in the tariff policy. Reaffirming that the sweeping reciprocal tariffs will go into effect on April 9th, as scheduled, Lutnick shot down any idea that Trump would pause for negotiations, saying tariffs would remain in place for "days and weeks." Meanwhile,.. as Wall Street took a dive after the announcement of the reciprocal tariffs last week, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent dismissed the idea that the levies would cause a recession in the U.S. Speaking to NBC on Sunday, Bessent said he wasn't worried about last week's stock market sell-off, adding that the market has consistently underestimated President Trump. He stressed that there's no reason that the U.S. would have to "price in a recession." Bessent also said that more than 50 countries have begun negotiating with the U.S. since the announcement of the reciprocal tariffs. The comments go in line with Trump's remarks last week that "every" country has called the U.S. for talks. "What we have is we have a set of tariffs based on what they've been charging us. That's reciprocal. And those tariffs have come in and every country's called us. That's the beauty of what we do. We put ourselves in the driver's seat. If we would have asked some of these countries, almost most of these countries, to do us a favor, they would have said no. Now they'll do anything for us." Neither Bessent nor any other U.S official named the countries that have begun holding talks with Washington over the reciprocal tariffs. Lee Seung-jae, Arirang News.

Massive sell-off in S. Korea stock market; sidecar triggered by KOSPI 200 futures index

2025/04/07 10:00

U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff announcements have triggered massive sell-offs across South Korea's stock market. As of 9:02 AM on Monday, the KOSPI index stood at 2-thousand-352-point-72, down more than 4 percent from the previous session, while the tech-heavy KOSDAQ index fell by more than 3 percent. And the KOSPI 200 futures index fell 5-point-19 percent, triggering a sell-side sidecar for the first time in eight months at 9:12 AM. A sidecar is activated when the KOSPI 200 futures index rises or falls by 5 percent or more and stays there for at least one minute.

NA Speaker calls for Constitutional referendum during next presidential election

2025/04/07 10:00

And over the weekend, National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik suggested a referendum on the election day to revise the Constitution. It will be aimed at reorganizing power structure he says. Kim Do-yeon reports. Calls for constitutional reform surface almost every election season in South Korea. But this time, National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik says it must happen and soon. He is pushing for a nationwide referendum to take place within the next 60 days, alongside the upcoming presidential election triggered by President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment. Speaking on Sunday, Woo emphasized that although the declaration of martial law was ultimately blocked, it revealed serious vulnerabilities in the country's democracy. "To break this vicious cycle, we must pave the way before the new president's term begins. Now is the perfect time to achieve constitutional reform, as the public's call for decentralization of power, popular sovereignty, and national unity has never been clearer. I propose holding a national referendum on constitutional amendment on the same day as the upcoming presidential election." To move the process forward, Speaker Woo also proposed launching a special committee dedicated to constitutional amendments. He said the first round of reform, aimed at aligning with the presidential election timeline, would focus on the division of power. A second round of proposed changes could follow during next year's nationwide local elections. When asked whether he was referring to a four-year presidential term with the possibility of re-election -similar to the U.S. model -Woo said it's an idea both major parties appear open to. However, he emphasized that the specifics would be discussed within the newly proposed committee. On the other hand, the leadership and senior members of the Democratic Party of Korea also the party the Speaker is from said it's not the time for this reform yet. While the Chair of the DP, Lee Jae-myung, did not directly respond, those close to him said that now is the time to put effort into holding those who started the insurrection responsible. The People Power Party interim chair, however, said the Party is unchanged in its stance on Constitutional Reform and welcomed the idea. Kwon Young-se said that the floor leader will come up with those joining the special committee proposed by the Speaker, and all details will be discussed there. Kim Do-yeon, Arirang News.