News

Newest Aegis Destroyer Jeongjo the Great's training unveiled for first time

2025/02/03 20:00

The South Korean Navy this past weekend showcased its newest destroyer in a training session for the first time. Our defense correspondent Kim Bo-kyoung takes a closer look. Sailing in the waters of the East Sea, the newest Aegis Destroyer, Jeongjo the Great, detects a simulated North Korean submarine, launching an SLBM from waters off Hamgyongbuk-do Province. "Anti-submarine, anti-aircraft yellow alert issued! All personnel, battle stations!" With a display in the Combat Command Center showing the missile's flight trajectory, the intercept missile was fired, hitting the SLBM in less than ten minutes from the point of detection. "Three, Two, one. Mark India (target hit)." This was part of the ballistic missile defense exercise that took place over the weekend, conducted aboard the 170-meter-long, 21-meter-wide destroyer. The warship is capable of not only detecting and tracking ballistic missiles but also intercepting them. as it is equipped with the ship-based surface-to-air missile system SM-6 and possibly SM-3 as well. "Showcasing Jeongjo the Great Aegis destroyer mobilized and in training for the first time is to mark the establishment of the newly-formed Task Fleet Command. This 82-hundred-ton advanced destroyer will be command's key asset." Newly launched on Saturday, the command will be based at the Jeju Naval Base, and will operate multiple destroyers under the Rear Admiral's command, including not just Jeongjo the Great destroyer but also 76-hundred ton Sejong the Great-class Aegis destroyers. And of course, Jeongjo the Great will be at the unit's core of the maritime three-axis system against North Korea's nuclear and missile threats. "Jeongjo the Great maintains the highest combat readiness through rigorous training to counter any possible maritime provocations. It is fully prepared to respond decisively and forcefully, regardless of when, where, and what circumstance." Kim Bo-kyoung, Arirang News.

OpenAI founder Altman to visit Korea for AI event, collaboration with Kakao

2025/02/03 20:00

Sam Altman, co-founder and CEO of U.S. artificial intelligence company OpenAI, will visit South Korea this week to attend an event with local developers. The "Builder Lab" event brings local companies and startups together amid the intensifying global AI race. Altman is expected to announce a collaboration with South Korea's dominant mobile platform Kakao and to expand joint business ventures, especially in the Asian market. Kakao introduced its conversational AI service, Kanana last year. Watchers predict the company could integrate OpenAI's model into its AI platform.

Samsung Electronics chief Lee Jae-yong acquitted again in appeal over alleged illegal merger

2025/02/03 20:00

Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong has had his acquittal upheld by an appeals court with regard to allegations of unfairly merging Cheil Industries and Samsung C&T. In 2015, Lee was accused of orchestrating the merger to secure control over Samsung Electronics as Samsung C&T was a major shareholder of the company. Lee attended the ruling at the Seoul High Court earlier today, as the judges ruled that he was not guilty of a wide array of allegations ranging from illegal trading to market manipulation to breach of duty. Last year, a lower court cleared him of all charges, ruling that the merger appeared driven by business needs.

S. Korea's industrial output rose in 2024 despite persistent weak domestic demand

2025/02/03 20:00

Findings for 2024 show Korea's industrial output remained sturdy but retail sales lost substantial ground. Moon Hye-ryeon covers the latest data. South Korea's industrial production saw a rise in 2024, largely driven by a recovery in semiconductor exports. However, domestic consumption indicators remained sluggish, highlighting a growing disparity between sectors. According to data from Statistics Korea on Monday, the country's overall industrial production index showed a one-point-seven percent year-on-year increase. This growth outpaced the one-percent increase recorded in 2023, and comes due to strong performance in the manufacturing sector. Manufacturing output rose by 4-point-4 percent – a turnaround from the 2-point-6 percent decline recorded in 2023. Semiconductors and pharmaceutical production played a key role with a surge in exports, but domestic manufacturing shipments fell by two percent, underscoring weak domestic demand. The service sector saw slower growth, seeing the lowest since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, due to a downturn in retail and wholesale trade and hospitality services. Retail sales dropped by 2-point-2 percent, which is the sharpest annual decline since 2003. This also marks three straight years of contraction in retail sales – the longest streak of decline since data collection began. Sales fell across all three categories measured – durable goods such as automobiles, non-durable goods such as food, and semi-durable goods such as clothing. A spokesperson from the agency said that the impact of the political turmoil and the Jeju Air plane crash in December on these numbers is yet unclear. "Declines in industries like food and services, lodging, arts, sports, and leisure may have been influenced by the political climate and national mourning period in December. That said, it's difficult to isolate the exact impact of these factors from the numbers." Construction activity, particularly in building projects, also recorded the biggest drop since 2001 last year with a decline in completed construction work. Capital investment, however, grew by 4-point-1 percent, driven by increased spending on semiconductor manufacturing equipment and transportation equipment. Moon Hye-ryeon, Arirang News.

Assembly Speaker urges rival parties to agree on supplementary budget during February extraordinary session

2025/02/03 20:00

Over at the National Assembly, an extraordinary session began today. During an opening ceremony, Speaker Woo Won-shik urged the rival parties to agree on a supplementary budget during the February session. He also urged speeding up legislation on people's livelihoods and called for the quick completion of talks on bills supporting future industries, including semiconductors and energy. The floor leaders of the rival parties will give speeches to the Assembly next week. Starting next Wednesday, the Assembly will question government ministries for three days.

Yoon visited by top ruling PPP leaders, delivers message for party

2025/02/03 20:00

Against this backdrop, the president had visitors at Seoul Detention Center earlier today, the leadership of the ruling People Power Party, during which he sent some message. Our political correspondent Kim Do-yeon has more. For the first time the leadership of the ruling People Power Party visited President Yoon Suk Yeol at Seoul Detention Center. On Monday as announced a day earlier interim Chair Kwon Young-se, floor leader Kweon Seong-dong, and senior lawmaker Na Kyung-won spent 30 minutes with President Yoon. "He urged our party to unite and play a role in giving hope to the people, including the younger generation in their 20s and 30s. He also expressed concerns about the current international situation and the global economy, particularly regarding South Korea's future." Also according to Na Yoon repeated the reasons behind his declaration of martial law that the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea had put the government in paralysis using its supermajority. The meeting comes after the floor leader announced yesterday that this was a personal visit to show support for an old friend and not a political move. This comes as President Yoon heads into a busy week. Two appearances at the Constitutional Court on Tuesday and Thursday and with the criminal trial also underway now there could be extra court appearances. For the impeachment motion trial at the Constitutional Court key military personnel will take the witness stand to testify as to Yoon's orders during the declaration and the brief execution of martial law. They include Yeo In-hyeong, former chief of the Defense Counterintelligence Command and others. NIS Chief Cho Tae-yong and National Security Advisor Shin Won-shik have also been asked to appear as witnesses by Yoon's legal team. And with the criminal trial putting more burden on Yoon Yoon's legal team requested the Constitutional Court to stop the review of his impeachment motion because of the criminal case that was ongoing for the same reason his declaration of martial law. According to Article 51 of the Constitutional Court Act this is a possibility. Yoon's legal team is also set to request bail for the President. Kim Do-yeon, Arirang News.

Constitutional Court postpones ruling on Acting President's partial bench appointment

2025/02/03 20:00

In other news. Will the Constitutional Court's final ruling with regard to President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment trial include eight or nine justices? Now that is the question, as the court next week shares its verdict on a related matter. Our correspondent Oh Soo-young explains. The Constitutional Court has postponed its verdict on whether Acting President Choi Sang-mok should have appointed a third judge to fill the court bench's remaining seat a crucial ruling as the bench deliberates on President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment trial. On Monday, the 8-member bench was set to convene at 2 PM to issue a ruling on a competence dispute filed by National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik against the Acting President's decision to appoint only two out of the three candidates recommended by the Assembly. Lawyer Kim Jung-hwan also filed a complaint, arguing that Choi's appointment was unconstitutional. However, the Court announced it would hold a hearing on the competence dispute one week later on February 10th, while indefinitely postponing a ruling on Kim's petition. Under pressure from both ends of the political spectrum, Choi in late December chose to instate two candidates one recommended by the ruling party and one by the opposition party. But he omitted left-leaning judge Ma Eun-hyuk, saying there should be bipartisan agreement on the third candidate. The Assembly's resolution to appoint the judges was forced through by the majority-holding opposition party, which recommended two progressive candidates. The Speaker, who comes from the opposition party, claims Choi has disregarded the parliament's decision, by only partially enacting the resolution. The ruling People Power Party, however, has called for the case to be scrapped and says the Speaker's competence dispute bypassed a formal vote at the National Assembly. "The Court's composition is a particularly sensitive issue, as it comes amid President Yoon's trial, which requires a two-thirds majority vote or six justices to uphold his impeachment." The ruling party and Yoon's supporters have raised concerns about the political orientation of the bench, which is already deemed to have four left-leaning judges. Experts say the Court has likely postponed the decision as Ma's appointment would mean the bench's verdict on Yoon's impeachment could look politically driven, giving rise to further controversy. "In the impeachment trial of former President Park Geun-hye, the ruling was unanimous eight-to-zero, including even conservative justices. This led the public to accept the decision as a legal judgment rather than a political one. However, if President Yoon's impeachment results in a split decision -such as a five-to-four -it could be seen as purely political. If the justices' votes align perfectly along political lines, the public may lose trust in the Court's impartiality." At the same time, if the Court finds Choi Sang-mok's partial appointment unconstitutional, there would be significant pressure on the Acting President to appoint Ma Eun-hyuk as the ninth justice to the bench. Press Officer Cheon Jaehyeon said Monday that while the Court's verdict would not be mandatory, ignoring it would amount to a violation of the Constitution and the law. As the decision is not legally binding,.. observers say it is likely Choi would sustain the eight-member bench until a compromise is reached between the ruling and opposition parties. Oh Soo-young, Arirang News.

Acting President Choi Sang-mok vows to mobilize all possible means against Trump's tariffs

2025/02/03 20:00

Acting President Choi Sang-mok pledged to mobilize all possible means to minimize any negative impacts from Trump's tariffs. During a meeting with local companies on Monday, Choi said the government will not only maintain communication with the U.S. but also engage with the Mexican and Canadian governments as well as Korean businesses in those regions. The authorities also plan to allocate 2-point-9 trillion won, or nearly 2-billion dollars, to support export initiatives. This comes as the benchmark KOSPI surrendered 2-point-5 percent on Monday to close at 2-thousand-4-hundred-53. The Korean won also weakened against the U.S. dollar, with the exchange rate ending at 1-thousand-4-hundred-67 won against the greenback.

China, Canada, Mexico hit back against Trump tariffs

2025/02/03 20:00

As expected, the three countries Canada, Mexico, and China that are facing the first set of Trump tariffs have vowed to retaliate. Ahn Sung-jin covers their response in detail. Following the imposition of tariffs by the U.S., China stated that it would challenge Trump's move. "The unilateral imposition of tariffs by the U.S. seriously violates World Trade Organization rules, which is not conducive to solving its own problems, but disrupts normal China-U.S. economic and trade cooperation." In a written statement from the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, China expressed strong discontent and added that not only will it file a lawsuit with the World Trade Organization, but it will take other countermeasures to safeguard its rights and interests. Though nothing has been specifically stated, some of its retaliation measures may be hardening export controls on rare earth metals or targeting U.S. companies with interests in China. There's also speculation that China may impose a 10 percent tariff on U.S. imports after Tuesday, when Trump's new sanctions will be put in place. Mexico and Canada have also vowed immediate retaliatory measures against the U.S. for tariffs imposed on both countries. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Saturday posted on X that she has informed her economy minister to implement what she called "plan B" which includes tariff and non-tariff measures in defense of Mexico's interests. "This measure, of 25% tariffs, has effects for both countries but it has very serious effects for the economy of the United States as it is going to greatly increase the costs of all products that are exported from Mexico to the United States." Canada responded with a 25 percent tariff on American goods, including beer and wine starting Tuesday, while Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also urged Canadians to restrict travel to the U.S. and to boycott U.S. products, adding that Americans will feel pain from Trump's tariffs. "This is a choice that yes, will harm Canadians but beyond that, it will have real consequences for you, the American people." A spokesman for the European Commission said the EU regrets U.S. tariffs against neighboring countries and China and vowed to respond strongly to unfair levies levelled against the bloc. Ahn Sung-jin, Arirang News.

Pres. Yoon becomes first S. Korean president to be indicted under detention, what's next?

2025/02/03 20:00

Welcome to Within The Frame, where we bring you today's most pressing issues from across the globe, I'm Kim Mok-yeon. It's been a week since President Yoon Suk Yeol was indicted under detention on charges of being the mastermind behind the December third martial law imposition, which has plunged the country into a political crisis. The indictment, announced Sunday, makes Yoon the first sitting president in the country's history to face such charges while in office. This comes as Yoon also faces an impeachment trial, with the Constitutional Court set to decide his fate within 180 days. The Seoul Central District Court has scheduled the first preparatory hearing for Yoon for February 20th. Meanwhile, the Constitutional Court has postponed its ruling on the constitutionality of acting President Choi Sang-mok's decision to withhold the appointment of a ninth justice, which could sway the outcome of Yoon's impeachment as six justices' consent is required to uphold his impeachment. For a deeper analysis of this developing situation, we invite attorney Kim Jisu into the studio with us. Welcome. Also joining us online is Song Se-ryun, a Professor of Law at Kyung Hee University. Great to have you with us, Professor. 1. (Song) Let's start with the criminal trial of President Yoon Suk Yeol, who has been indicted and detained. So Professor Song, could you explain for us the background behind the prosecution's decision to indict President Yoon, making him the first sitting president in South Korean history to face such a legal action? 2. (Kim) Now to Ms. Kim, President Yoon's insurrection case has been formally assigned to the 25th Criminal Division. But since the cases of former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun and others, are also assigned to the same division, there are concerns about whether a single division will be able to properly handle all these cases. What is your opinion on this? 3. (Kim) So with this, President Yoon is set to undergo his first trial while being held in custody for up to six months. His criminal trial is set to begin with the first pre-trial hearing on the 20th. What are the key issues in this criminal trial? 4. (Song) Meanwhile, as President Yoon's visitation rights at the Seoul Detention Center have been restored, he met with members of the ruling People Power Party and called for them to unite together to "bring hope" for the youth and the people. Professor Song, Could these types of messages coming from Yoon influence public opinion or even the court's judgment? 5. (Song) Yoon's impeachment trial, which was paused during the Lunar New Year holiday, will resume. In the fifth hearing scheduled for Tuesday this week, witnesses with conflicting testimonies from President Yoon's side, including former Counterintelligence command Chief Yeo In-hyung, are expected to appear. Professor, What points do you think the Constitutional Court will focus on? 6. (Kim) Ahead of the fifth hearing, President Yoon's legal team has submitted a motion to the Constitutional Court, requesting the recusal of three justices on the grounds of political bias. Ms.Kim, Under what circumstances do justices recuse themselves, and what decision do you expect the Constitutional Court to make? 7. (Song) Today, the Constitutional Court postponed deciding on the unconstitutionality of the failure to appoint Ma Eun-hyeok as the acting chief of the Constitutional Court, as proposed by Acting President Choi Sang-mok. Professor Song, How would you read into this, and how will the Constitutional Court's restoration of a full panel of nine justices influence the impeachment ruling? 8. (Kim) The Constitutional Court has effectively set the 8th hearing on February 13th as the final session. Is there a possibility of additional hearings? Also, if the current situation continues, when do you expect the impeachment judgment to be issued? 9. (Song) President Yoon might apply for bail, citing the need to ensure his right to defense. If President Yoon's legal team applies for bail, what is the likelihood that it will be granted Professor Song? 10. (Kim) As the criminal trial progresses, there is speculation that President Yoon's legal team might request a suspension of the impeachment trial at the Constitutional Court. What is the legal basis for such a request, and how do you foresee this situation developing?

Trump says possible pain from tariffs "worth the price"

2025/02/03 17:00

We start in the U.S where President Donald Trump has shared support for the adage "no pain no gain" as he brushes aside mounting concerns over domestic inflation amid rampant tariffs targeting America's major trade partners. Lee Seung-jae reports. U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday imposed a 25-percent tariff on goods from Canada and Mexico, while China was hit with an additional 10-percent tariff on the various existing duty rates. The tariffs are expected to be met with retaliatory measures from the affected countries, and are also expected to lead to higher inflation. Economists also predict that the ensuing trade war would likely slow U.S. growth. However, Trump says while the Americans may feel the economic "pain" from his tariffs, it would be "worth the price" in order to secure U.S. interests. Taking to his social media platform Truth Social on Sunday, he said the tariffs will "Make America Great Again, and it will all be worth the price that must be paid." Meanwhile, in a separate post, the U.S. president reiterated his call for Canada to become a U.S. state. He claimed that the U.S. pays "hundreds of billions of dollars to SUBSIDIZE Canada," adding that Canada would "cease to exist as a viable Country" without the subsidy. With this, he called on Canada to become a "Cherished 51st State," promising that such a move would lead to lower taxes, better military protection and no tariffs. The cryptocurrency market responded negatively to the news of Trump's tariffs against Canada, Mexico and China over the weekend. According to U.S.-based exchange Coinbase as of 7 AM Korea Standard Time, the price of bitcoin stood at just over 97-thousand-200 U.S. dollars. The price of the largest cryptocurrency by market cap, hovered above 100 thousand U.S. dollars before the tariffs went into effect on Saturday. According to cryptocurrency media outlet CoinDesk, the renewed trade war could aggravate inflation in the U.S., and make it difficult for the U.S. Fed to cut interest rates. It added that the weakness in the bitcoin price reflects such concerns, sending a signal to the market to avoid risky assets. On the other hand, spot gold price surpassed 28 hundred U.S. dollars per ounce on Friday, with investors opting to buy safer assets. Lee Seung-jae, Arirang News.

[Weather] Cold wave warnings, snow forecast all over the country

2025/02/03 17:00

On the very first Monday of February, an untimely cold wave has come around. As a strong cold wave moves south from the north, cold wave advisories and warnings are in place all over the country. Even in the middle of the day today, temperatures remained below zero degrees Celsius in the Seoul metropolitan area. In addition, starting with the Jeolla-do provinces, snow will spread to the west coast of Chungcheongnam-do Province tonight. Heavy snow of up to 25 centimeters is expected in Jeollabuk-do Province and up to 15 centimeters is also predicted on the west coast of Chungcheongnam-do Province and rest of the southwest. Most of this snowfall will continue until Thursday, and until the weekend in the southwest and on Jeju Island. Tomorrow, Seoul will be as cold as minus 13 degrees in the morning. Gwangju and Busan at minus 6 degrees. Daily highs will only move up to minus 5 in Seoul, Daejeon will reach minus 3 degrees. This cold wave will remain throughout this whole week. That's all for Korea. Here are the weather conditions around the world.

World News: Egyptian border at Rafah opens again after 9 months

2025/02/03 17:00

This is The World Now, bringing you the latest stories from around the globe. In the Middle East, the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt reopened on Saturday local time after being closed for nearly nine months. This reopening aims to facilitate the evacuation of Palestinians, including children who require urgent medical treatment. The development is part of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, aiming to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. It signals that negotiations on the possible extension of the current ceasefire are gaining traction. The World Health Organization estimated just before the current ceasefire that approximately 12,000 patients require medical evacuation, including those with war injuries and chronic conditions. A group of 50 sick and wounded Palestinian children were the first to be allowed through the crossing on Saturday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Russia of bombing a boarding school in Sudzha, located in the area of Russia's Kursk region that has been under Kyiv's control for five months. Civilians were sheltering there and preparing for evacuation when the attack on Saturday occurred. Ukraine's Armed Forces reported that four people were killed, dozens were injured, and 84 people have been rescued or received medical treatment. However, the Russian Defense Ministry says the Ukrainian forces launched the deadly missile strike from Ukraine's Sumy region. These conflicting accounts have not yet been independently verified. Lima, the capital city of Peru, hosted the third annual Pamplonada Rimense, a bullfighting festival featuring Peruvian matadors. The event, on Sunday, local time gives participants a taste of the bullfighting of Spain's Pamplona and celebrates traditional bullfighting culture in Peru. It was held in Lima's historic Plaza de Toros de Acho. The venue has 259 years of history since it opened in 1766, and has hosted some of the greatest bullfighting figures of all time. Choi Chi-hee, Arirang News.

2025 Grammys Awards: Beyoncé wins her first Album of the Year for "Cowboy Carter"

2025/02/03 17:00

Over in Los Angeles this past Sunday. The 67th Grammy Awards took place to celebrate exceptional talent in the music industry. Beyoncé the most awarded artist in Grammy history won her first-ever "Album of the Year" for "Cowboy Carter" which also won the "Best Country Album". Kendrick Lamar also had garnered much applause by sweeping two of the "big four" categories winning "Record of the Year" and "Song of the Year" for his rap track "Not Like Us." And Chappell Roan was named "Best New Artist".

Israeli military forces continue assaults in West Bank after ceasefire in Gaza

2025/02/03 17:00

On the international front. Israeli defense forces have killed at least fifty Palestinian militants in the occupied West Bank over the past two weeks. Israel claims 23 buildings were destroyed earlier on Sunday in Jenin to thwart the building of quote "a terrorist infrastructure". Meanwhile a Palestinian news agency asserts Israel has been targeting a refugee camp in Jenin destroying multiple homes and leading to casualties. The latest assault comes just days after a ceasefire went into effect in Gaza.

Newest Aegis Destroyer Jeongjo the Great's training unveiled for first time

2025/02/03 17:00

The South Korean Navy this past weekend showcased its newest destroyer in a training session for the first time and this show of might was covered by a group of journalists including our Kim Bo-kyoung . Do take a look. Sailing in the waters of the East Sea, the newest Aegis Destroyer, Jeongjo the Great, detects a simulated North Korean submarine, launching an SLBM from waters off Hamgyongbuk-do Province. "Anti-submarine, anti-aircraft yellow alert issued! All personnel, battle stations!" With a display in the Combat Command Center showing the missile's flight trajectory, the intercept missile was fired, hitting the SLBM in less than ten minutes from the point of detection. "Three, Two, one. Mark India (target hit)." This was part of the ballistic missile defense exercise that took place over the weekend, conducted aboard the 170-meter-long, 21-meter-wide destroyer. The warship is capable of not only detecting and tracking ballistic missiles but also intercepting them. as it is equipped with the ship-based surface-to-air missile system SM-6 and possibly SM-3 as well. "Showcasing Jeongjo the Great Aegis destroyer mobilized and in training for the first time is to mark the establishment of the newly-formed Task Fleet Command. This 82-hundred-ton advanced destroyer will be command's key asset." Newly launched on Saturday, the command will be based at the Jeju Naval Base, and will operate multiple destroyers under the Rear Admiral's command, including not just Jeongjo the Great destroyer but also 76-hundred ton Sejong the Great-class Aegis destroyers. And of course, Jeongjo the Great will be at the unit's core of the maritime three-axis system against North Korea's nuclear and missile threats. "Jeongjo the Great maintains the highest combat readiness through rigorous training to counter any possible maritime provocations. It is fully prepared to respond decisively and forcefully, regardless of when, where, and what circumstance." Kim Bo-kyoung, Arirang News.

Samsung Electronics chief Lee Jae-yong acquitted again in appeal over alleged illegal merger

2025/02/03 17:00

Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong has had his acquittal upheld by an appeals court with regard to allegations of unfairly merging Cheil Industries and Samsung C&T. In 2015 Lee was accused of orchestrating the merger to secure control over Samsung Electronics as Samsung C&T was a major shareholder of the company. Lee attended the ruling at the Seoul High Court earlier today as the judges ruled that he was not guilty of a wide array of allegations ranging from illegal trading to market manipulation to breach of duty. Last year a lower court cleared him of all charges ruling that the merger appeared driven by business needs.

S. Korea's industrial output rose in 2024 despite persistent weak domestic demand

2025/02/03 17:00

Findings for the year 2024 show Korea's industrial output remained sturdy but the country's retail sales lost substantial ground. Our correspondent Moon Hye-ryeon covers the latest data. South Korea's industrial production saw a rise in 2024, largely driven by a recovery in semiconductor exports. However, domestic consumption indicators remained sluggish, highlighting a growing disparity between sectors. According to data from Statistics Korea on Monday, the country's overall industrial production index showed a one-point-seven percent year-on-year increase. This growth outpaced the one-percent increase recorded in 2023, and comes due to strong performance in the manufacturing sector. Manufacturing output rose by 4-point-4 percent – a turnaround from the 2-point-6 percent decline recorded in 2023. Semiconductors and pharmaceutical production played a key role with a surge in exports, but domestic manufacturing shipments fell by two percent, underscoring weak domestic demand. The service sector saw slower growth, seeing the lowest since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, due to a downturn in retail and wholesale trade and hospitality services. Retail sales dropped by 2-point-2 percent, which is the sharpest annual decline since 2003. This also marks three straight years of contraction in retail sales – the longest streak of decline since data collection began. Sales fell across all three categories measured – durable goods such as automobiles, non-durable goods such as food, and semi-durable goods such as clothing. A spokesperson from the agency said that the impact of the political turmoil and the Jeju Air plane crash in December on these numbers is yet unclear. "Declines in industries like food and services, lodging, arts, sports, and leisure may have been influenced by the political climate and national mourning period in December. That said, it's difficult to isolate the exact impact of these factors from the numbers." Construction activity, particularly in building projects, also recorded the biggest drop since 2001 last year with a decline in completed construction work. Capital investment, however, grew by 4-point-1 percent, driven by increased spending on semiconductor manufacturing equipment and transportation equipment. Moon Hye-ryeon, Arirang News.

Yoon visited by top ruling PPP leaders, delivers message for party

2025/02/03 17:00

On the political front. President Yoon Suk Yeol now faces an impeachment trial and a criminal prosecution on charges of rebellion. For more I have our top office correspondent Kim Do-yeon standing by live. Do-yeon welcome. First then I hear top officials of the ruling People Power Party were there at the Seoul Detention Center to meet with the president? That's right Sun-hee the leadership of the ruling People Power Party specifically interim Chair Kwon Young-se, Floor Leader Kweon Seong-dong, and senior lawmaker Na Kyung-won visited here earlier in the day the first time the leadership has come to see President Yoon here at the Detention Center. The visit lasted about 30 minutes and lawmaker Na shared a message from Yoon to the party afterward. Take a listen. "He urged our party to unite and play a role in giving hope to the people, including the younger generation in their 20s and 30s. He also expressed concerns about the current international situation and the global economy, particularly regarding South Korea's future." Kim Do-yeon, Seoul Detention Center The visit was about 30 minutes and the lawmaker also shared that Yoon repeated the reasons behind his declaration of martial law that the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea had put the government in paralysis using its supermajority. The meeting comes after the floor leader announced yesterday that this was a personal visit to show support for an old friend and not a political move. Meanwhile what's on the schedule for the president's impeachment trial this week? Sun-hee, as you said earlier he's facing two trials now the impeachment motion at the Constitutional Court and the criminal case on charges of insurrection due to his declaration of martial law. As for President Yoon's schedule this week he's set to head to the Constitutional Court on Tuesday and Thursday for this trial. Key military personnel will take the witness stand who can testify to Yoon's orders during the declaration and the brief execution of martial law. They include Yeo In-hyeong, former chief of the Defense Counterintelligence Command and others. NIS Chief Cho Tae-yong and National Security Advisor Shin Won-shik have also been asked to appear as witnesses by Yoon's legal team. Now, this is not the only trial Yoon is facing. His criminal trial has also begun and this means he could be appearing at two different courts three times a week. And because of this Yoon's legal team requested the Constitutional Court to stop the review of his impeachment motion as there is a criminal case going on for the same reason his declaration of martial law. According to Article 51 of the Constitutional Court Act this is a possibility. Meanwhile, the legal team is also looking at requesting bail for President Yoon to have him released during the trials. Do-yeon I also understand there was another attempt to access the top office? Sun-hee, that's right. Yet again, the police are working with the PSS to get access inside the Yongsan Presidential Office where the PSS' main office is located. However as we've seen from multiple attempts the process seems to be in gridlock with the police being denied access. On the other hand, they did make progress with this round of raids. They actually raided the homes of two key PSS officials for alleged obstruction of official duties during the police and CIO's execution of the arrest warrant for President Yoon. From what we know the officials' homes were raided and their phones including personal and secured work phones were confiscated. That's all for now, back to you Sun-hee. All right Do-yeon thank you for the latest regarding the impeachment trial and criminal prosecution faced by the president.

Constitutional Court postpones ruling on Acting President's partial bench appointment

2025/02/03 17:00

In other news. Will the Constitutional Court's final ruling with regard to President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment trial include eight or nine justices? Now that is the question as the court next week shares its verdict on a related matter. Our correspondent Oh Soo-young explains. The Constitutional Court has postponed its verdict on whether Acting President Choi Sang-mok should have appointed a third judge to fill the court bench's remaining seat a crucial ruling as the bench deliberates on President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment trial. On Monday, the 8-member bench was set to convene at 2 PM to issue a ruling on a competence dispute filed by National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik against the Acting President's decision to appoint only two out of the three candidates recommended by the Assembly. Lawyer Kim Jung-hwan also filed a complaint, arguing that Choi's appointment was unconstitutional. However, the Court announced it would hold a hearing on the competence dispute one week later on February 10th, while indefinitely postponing a ruling on Kim's petition. Under pressure from both ends of the political spectrum, Choi in late December chose to instate two candidates one recommended by the ruling party and one by the opposition party. But he omitted left-leaning judge Ma Eun-hyuk, saying there should be bipartisan agreement on the third candidate. The Assembly's resolution to appoint the judges was forced through by the majority-holding opposition party, which recommended two progressive candidates. The Speaker, who comes from the opposition party, claims Choi has disregarded the parliament's decision, by only partially enacting the resolution. The ruling People Power Party, however, has called for the case to be scrapped and says the Speaker's competence dispute bypassed a formal vote at the National Assembly. "The Court's composition is a particularly sensitive issue, as it comes amid President Yoon's trial, which requires a two-thirds majority vote or six justices to uphold his impeachment." The ruling party and Yoon's supporters have raised concerns about the political orientation of the bench, which is already deemed to have four left-leaning judges. Experts say the Court has likely postponed the decision as Ma's appointment would mean the bench's verdict on Yoon's impeachment could look politically driven, giving rise to further controversy. "In the impeachment trial of former President Park Geun-hye, the ruling was unanimous eight-to-zero, including even conservative justices. This led the public to accept the decision as a legal judgment rather than a political one. However, if President Yoon's impeachment results in a split decision -such as a five-to-four -it could be seen as purely political. If the justices' votes align perfectly along political lines, the public may lose trust in the Court's impartiality." At the same time, if the Court finds Choi Sang-mok's partial appointment unconstitutional, there would be significant pressure on the Acting President to appoint Ma Eun-hyuk as the ninth justice to the bench. Press Officer Cheon Jaehyeon said Monday that while the Court's verdict would not be mandatory, ignoring it would amount to a violation of the Constitution and the law. As the decision is not legally binding,.. observers say it is likely Choi would sustain the eight-member bench until a compromise is reached between the ruling and opposition parties. Oh Soo-young, Arirang News.