News

Prosecution requests extension of Yoon's detention period until Feb. 6

2025/01/24 20:00

Thank you for joining us. I'm Yoon Jung-min. We start with the prosecution's probe into allegations of insurrection by the president in light of his short-lived martial law on the night of December third. For details, I have our Choi Min-jung standing by live at the Prosecutors' Office here in Seoul. Min-jung , prosecutors are seeking to further extend the president's detention. Jung-min, the prosecution does not have much time, with a detention deadline approaching, as early as the 26th of January. And because of the tight schedule,. we just learned just a few hours ago, that the investigation team had already requested with the Seoul Central District Court yesterday. an extension of President Yoon's detention until February sixth. If approved, that would allow more time for the prosecutors to investigate. Under such a plan, the prosecution is expected to make every effort to interrogate President Yoon. They also plan to continue the investigation throughout the weekend, and even during the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday. Considering past cases of former presidents who were detained, prosecutors will likely visit President Yoon at the Seoul Detention Center for questioning, rather than summoning him to the prosecution office, due to security and confidentiality concerns. Previously, when former Presidents Chun Doo-hwan, Roh Tae-woo, Park Geun-hye, and Lee Myung-bak were detained, the prosecution conducted their investigations at the prison. The prosecution is reportedly only willing to question Yoon in person, given the gravity of the case. And what been the response from his defense team thus far? Right, the question is whether Yoon will respond to the prosecution's investigation. But given his team's latest response, they appear unlikely to cooperate. Around an hour ago, Yoon's legal team released a statement, criticizing the prosecution's handling of the situation. It argued that the prosecution should cancel the President's detention and wait for the impeachment trial to proceed. The statement stressed that keeping the President in detention could interfere with the impeachment process. The team also stated that the prosecution should disregard the illegal investigation conducted by the CIO and start a fresh investigation. Hours ago, Yoon's lawyers, Yun Gap-geun and Kim Hong-il, briefly stopped by, and told reporters that they came to convey their thoughts to the prosecution. Though exact details were not revealed, they may have discussed scheduling coordination with the investigators. But, just to give you a brief background, the prosecution's special investigation team took the case back yesterday, after the anti-corruption agency formally requested that the prosecution take over the investigation. The case was handed over earlier than planned due to President Yoon's refusal to cooperate with the CIO. That's all I have for now. Back to you, Jung-min. All right Min-jung thank you for the latest.

[Weather] Rain and snow along the east coast until tomorrow

2025/01/24 20:00

Seoul has weather like early spring today. Also, ahead of the holiday, most of the fine dust has cleared. These clear and warm conditions will continue throughout the weekend. There has been rain or snow from the afternoon along the east coast. It will relieve the dryness of the atmosphere. As for the snowfall, up to 15 centimeters of snow is forecast in the mountainous areas of Gangwon-do Province by tomorrow. There is a possibility of heavy snow advisories in this area. Up to 5 centimeters of snow is expected on the east coast of Gangwon-do and the mountainous areas of northeastern Gyeongsangbuk-do Province. Tomorrow, Daejeon will start off at minus 2 degrees Celsius, Busan at 5 degrees. Daily highs will move up to around 10 degrees in most parts of the country tomorrow. On next Monday and Tuesday, more rain and snow is forecast all over the country. That's all for Korea. Here are the weather conditions around the world.

Trump pushes "America First" agenda at Davos: Invest or face tariffs

2025/01/24 20:00

Elsewhere In his first address to a global audience following his return to the White House, President Trump called on companies worldwide to make their products in America or face hefty tariffs. Moon Hye-ryeon explains. "Come make your product in America and we will give you among the lowest taxes of any nation on earth." U.S. President Donald Trump emphasized his stance on tariffs once again in front of the global elite at the annual World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, as he followed up his push to bring manufacturing into the U.S. with a threat to impose levies for foreign goods. "But if you don't make your product in America, which is your prerogative, then very simply you will have to pay a tariff." Speaking in a video call on Thursday at his first major appearance since his inauguration earlier this week, Trump went on to describe how these tariffs will add up to "trillions of dollars" to strengthen the U.S. economy. This follows an earlier announcement that he plans to impose tariffs of 25 percent on Mexico and Canada starting February – alongside a 10 percent tariff for China. During the rest of his 45-minute speech, he went on to lay out more of his vision for the U.S. economy, which includes lowering the corporate tax to 15 percent from the current 21 percent, lowering energy costs by pressuring OPEC and lowering interest rates in turn. And in a panel discussion following his speech, he addressed the European Union for its substantial trade imbalance with the United States and condemned their regulatory actions against American tech giants such as Apple, Google, and Facebook. His comments spurred a chain of reactions – oil prices fell, the greenback showed fluctuations, and U.S. stocks rose. It also inspired commentary from attendees, who called for a measured response to Trump's tariff policies – cautioning against hasty retaliatory actions. The Director-General of the World Trade Organization called for careful analysis to examine the economic impact to gauge whether they are excessive and warned that retaliatory tariffs can have disastrous effects on the global economy. The European Union's economic commissioner echoed this sentiment, while some attendees showed a more nuanced understanding of Trump's approach to tariffs by viewing it as a bargaining tool. Trump also advocated for a reduction in nuclear arms and urged for global cooperation at the forum, stating that he had discussed the matter with Russian President Vladimir Putin prior to the 2020 U.S. presidential election. He revealed that Putin had been receptive to the idea of nuclear disarmament and that China would have joined the initiative – warning that Beijing is rapidly expanding its nuclear arsenal and could catch up with the U.S. in a few years. Moon Hye-ryeon, Arirang News.

No immediate signs of provocation from N. Korea but preparing ICBM, satellite launches: JCS

2025/01/24 20:00

While there is no indication of an imminent provocation, North Korea looks to be prepared for an intercontinental ballistic missile launch or a satellite mission at any time. Our Kim Bo-kyoung reports. No immediate signs of North Korean missile launches have been detected since Trump's inauguration, but preparations for a spy satellite or an ICBM continue. This is the recent assessment made by the Joint Chiefs of Staff on North Korea. released on Friday. Regarding Pyongyang's potential missile launches, the regime had earlier this month already fired two missiles before Trump was sworn in as the new U.S. president. And, the JCS says the North appears to be ready to launch short-range ballistic and cruise missiles at any time. Yet, as Trump has delivered a message to resume talks, one expert says it is unlikely that Pyongyang will be highly provocative. "In response to President Trump's conciliatory message, it is unlikely that North Korea will conduct a high-intensity display of force, such as an ICBM launch." Meanwhile, Pyongyang has been dismantling and removing the materials from the Kaesong Industrial Complex's Comprehensive Support Center for over a month, since mid-December last year. Considering that North Korea had shown similar activities before demolishing the inter-Korean liaison office in June 2020, the same expert again says the possibility of utterly blowing up the complex would take some time. "North Korea has already dismantled symbolic South Korean buildings and facilities in the Geumgangsan Mountain area and destroyed the inter-Korean liaison office. Given that it is unclear what benefit would come from destroying the Kaesong Industrial Complex, they could dismantle, but it would take time to demolish." When it comes to North Korea sending troops to Russia. the South's military expects Pyongyang to accelerate preparations for additional deployments with around four months already having passed since the first troop deployment. It is likely, given the fact that the battle nearing its end could get fierce, but the expert said the relationship between Russia and the U.S. could bring a change in Kim Jong-un's decision. Kim Bo-kyoung, Arirang News.

Gov't strengthens emergency medical system ahead of Seollal holidays

2025/01/24 20:00

With the holiday just around the corner, the authorities are making sure that the emergency medical system is managed in a stable manner. Our Park Kun-woo has more. Efforts to stabilize the emergency medical system are underway. During a central disaster meeting on Friday, Acting President Choi Sang-mok emphasized that stabilizing the system during the upcoming Seollal holidays was crucial. "The government and local authorities will focus their efforts on ensuring the smooth implementation of special measures to maintain the emergency medical system, so people can spend the holidays peacefully." This comes after the emergency medical response period was set for two weeks from January 22nd, to cover the holidays. Choi said all domestic emergency medical facilities are being monitored around the clock with medical officers dispatched. He also stressed that every effort will be made to provide specialized care for high-risk pregnant women, nighttime pediatric care, and other special conditions. Choi also urged that emergency rooms be prioritized for those who are in real need. "If you have an urgent problem, call 119; if not please visit a local clinic or small to medium-sized hospital emergency room first." The government said more hospitals will be open during the holidays, up by over 3-hundred-60 percent from last year's Seollal holidays. The National Fire Agency will also increase its emergency personnel and medical consultations beyond normal levels. Korean nationals living abroad or traveling can also receive consultations through the agency's internet or social media channels. The health authorities advised caution regarding respiratory diseases during the holidays even though the flu season peak has passed. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said people should follow infectious disease prevention measures, including maintaining hygiene and ventilation, and especially high-risk groups should get vaccinated as the flu season continues. Park Kun-woo, Arirang News.

Lawmakers greet people traveling for Seollal holiday at major stations in Seoul

2025/01/24 20:00

Meanwhile, lawmakers across the aisle also made their way to major bus and train stations on this Friday here in Seoul to meet with travelers as they head home for the lunar new year holiday. Members of the ruling People Power Party were at Seoul Station while their counterparts of main opposition Democratic Party were at Seoul Express Bus Terminal. During their brief interactions with members of the public, rival lawmakers pledged to pledge to promote issues related to the cost of living for ordinary people.

Live from Seoul Station: Seollal holiday travel season starts in Korea

2025/01/24 20:00

Korea is looking ahead to an extended Lunar New Year holiday starting this weekend. For those seeking an early start to the journey back to their hometowns for Seollal celebrations with family and friends, today is travel day. Our correspondent Song Yoo-jin joins us live from a major transport hub here in Seoul. Happy holiday, Yoo-jin! What's the latest on the hustle and bustle where you are? Happy holiday to you too, Jung-min from Seoul Station, the busiest train station in Korea. Today is the eve of the six-day Seollal holiday if we include the upcoming weekend. Seollal is one of Korea's two biggest holidays, the other being Chuseok, often called the Korean Thanksgiving. The station is becoming increasingly more crowded, as we've been seeing a significant influx of travelers after 6 PM when most people will have finished work. According to the latest data from the country's state-run railway operator, as of 3 PM, more than 76 percent of nearly 3-hundred-40-thousand available train tickets from this train station have already been booked. In fact, we're seeing more and more notices on the big screens here that some trains are sold out. Earlier, I spoke with some travelers about how excited they are for the holiday. Take a listen. "I want to relax with my family. I've been quite busy leading up to this holiday, so I want to visit cafes and travel with them." "Right now, I'm living with a host family so I'm thinking maybe with my host family maybe I'll make tteokguk or I think maybe we may vacation a little bit outside of Seoul maybe to Everland. I'll see what happens. But I also have some friends here so I think I may hang out with them." "I haven't been able to visit my grandmother for quite a while because I've been preparing for a new job. I'm going to meet and tell her I'll do my best." "The holiday is so long that I'm a bit worried about how to spend all that time with my daughter, but I think she'll be really happy to see her grandparents after such a long time." Happy holiday plans! Now, let's talk about numbers. How many people are projected to travel and WHEN would be ideal? Ahead of every Seollal, the Transport Ministry announces a 'special transportation measures period.' This year, it spans 10 days, starting today and lasting through next Sunday, February 2nd. For those taking next Friday off, this means a potential nine-day break. The Korea Transport Institute estimates that a total of 34 million people will take to the roads, skies, and other forms of transport during these 10 days. That's an increase of nearly 8 million compared to last year when the transportation period was just five days. The institute predicts that Seollal Day itself, next Wednesday, will be the busiest in terms of volume, with approximately 6 million people traveling. But it seems that the days just before and after Seollal Day will also be difficult to move, as an online survey conducted by the institute shows that Tuesday morning is the most preferred time for starting trips, while Thursday afternoon, is expected to be the most popular time for returning home. To ease the burden for travelers, motorway tolls will be lifted from Monday to Thursday. Discounts will be offered for train tickets and snacks at highway rest stops. If you're planning your schedule this holiday season, keep this in mind. And Yoo-jin, as our culture correspondent, I hear you have a special recommendation for those passing through Seoul Station. That's right. Just a short walk from here, in the old Seoul Station building, which first opened in 1925. It operated as a railway station until 2003 but reopened in 2011 with a new name 'Culture Station Seoul 284' as a space for exhibitions, performances, and workshops. Currently, two exhibitions are being held there, with no admission fee. If you're in this area, it's worth checking out. Or, stay tuned for my full report, which will air next Tuesday, just ahead of Seollal. Back to you Jung-min. That was our Song Yoo-jin live from Seoul Station.

Live from Seoul Station: Seollal holiday travel season starts in Korea

2025/01/24 17:00

Korea is looking ahead to an extended lunar new year holiday starting this weekend and for those seeking an early start to the journey back home for Seollal celebrations with family and friends in their hometowns today is travel day. That being said I have my colleague Song Yoo-jin joining me live from a major transport hub here in Seoul. Yoo-jin welcome. So what's the latest on the hustle and bustle where you are? Sunny, I'm at Seoul Station, the busiest train station in Korea. Today is the eve of the six-day Seollal holiday if we include the upcoming weekend. Seollal is one of Korea's two biggest holidays, the other being Chuseok, often called the Korean Thanksgiving. As such, it's a time when many people either head to their hometowns or travel elsewhere. While cars remain the most common form of transport for domestic trips, train stations like this one offer the clearest snapshot of the holiday travel rush. The station isn't overly crowded at the moment, but we expect a significant influx of travelers after 6 PM when most people will have finished work. According to the latest data from the country's state-run railway operator, as of 3 PM, more than 76 percent of nearly 3-hundred-40-thousand available train tickets from this train station have already been booked. Earlier, I had a chance to speak with some holiday travelers. Take a listen. "I want to relax with my family. I've been quite busy leading up to this holiday, so I want to visit cafes and travel with them." "Right now, I'm living with a host family so I'm thinking maybe with my host family maybe I'll make tteokguk or I think maybe we may vacation a little bit outside of Seoul maybe to Everland. I'll see what happens. But I also have some friends here so I think I may hang out with them." Right it's family and friends for most people during Seollal. Now let's talk about numbers Yoo-jin . How many people are projected to travel and WHEN would be ideal? Ahead of every Seollal, the Transport Ministry announces a 'special transportation measures period.' This year, it spans 10 days, starting today and lasting through next Sunday, February 2nd. For those taking next Friday off, this means a potential nine-day break. The Korea Transport Institute estimates that a total of 34 million people will take to the roads, skies, and other forms of transport during these 10 days. That's an increase of nearly 8 million compared to last year when the transportation period was just five days. The institute predicts that Seollal Day itself, next Wednesday, will be the busiest in terms of volume, with approximately 6 million people traveling. But it seems that the days just before and after Seollal Day will also be difficult to move, as an online survey conducted by the institute shows that Tuesday morning is the most preferred time for starting trips, while Thursday afternoon, is expected to be the most popular time for returning home. To ease the burden for travelers, motorway tolls will be lifted from Monday to Thursday. Discounts will be offered for train tickets and snacks at highway rest stops. If you're planning your schedule this holiday season, keep this in mind. Back to you, Sunny. All right Yoo-jin thank you for the latest on the Seollal travel here in Korea. And YOO-JIN happy holidays! Happy holiday!

Prosecution requests extension of Yoon's detention period until Feb. 6

2025/01/24 17:00

We start with the prosecution's probe into allegations of insurrection by the president in light of his short-lived martial law on the night of December third. For details I have Arirang News correspondent Choi Min-jung standing by live at the Prosecutors' Office here in Seoul. Min-jung first then let's begin with talk about a further extension of the president's detention as sought by prosecutors. Sunny, the prosecution does not have much time, with a detention deadline approaching, as early as the 26th of January. And because of the tight schedule,. we just learned moments ago, that the investigation team has already requested with the Seoul Central District Court yesterday. an extension of President Yoon's detention until February sixth. If approved, that would allow more time for the prosecutors to investigate. Under such a plan, the prosecution is expected to make every effort to interrogate President Yoon as much as possible. They also plan to continue the investigation throughout the weekend, and even during the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday. Considering past cases of former presidents who were detained, prosecutors will likely visit President Yoon at the Seoul Detention Center for questioning, rather than summoning him to the prosecution office, due to security and confidentiality concerns. Previously, when former Presidents Chun Doo-hwan, Roh Tae-woo, Park Geun-hye, and Lee Myung-bak were detained, the prosecution conducted their investigations at the prison. The prosecution is reportedly only willing to question Yoon in person, given the gravity of the case. And what been the response from his defense team thus far? Right, the question is whether Yoon will respond to the prosecution's investigation. President Yoon's legal team said nothing has been decided yet, but did urge the prosecution to comply with proper legal procedures, unlike what they call the "illegal" actions of the CIO. His lawyer said yesterday that his team will decide on whether to cooperate with the prosecution's potential visit to the detention center after consulting with the president. He added that many factors, including the prosecution's approach, still need to be considered. Just to give you a brief background, the prosecution's special investigation team took back the case yesterday, after the anti-corruption agency formally requested that the prosecution take over the investigation. The case was handed over earlier than planned due to President Yoon's refusal to cooperate with the CIO. That's all I have for now. But I'll be back with more on our later newscast. Back to you, Sunny. All right Min-jung thank you for the latest on the probe by prosecutors into insurrection charges against the president.

[Weather] Rain and snow until tomorrow on the eastern parts of the country

2025/01/24 17:00

A day before the Lunar New Year holiday, the ultra-fine dust has cleared. There were clear skies in the inland areas today. The weather is also milder than usual with highs of 9 degrees Celsius in Seoul, as warm as early spring. These milder conditions will continue throughout the weekend. Along the east coast, there has been rain or snow from the afternoon. It will relieve the dryness there. By tomorrow, up to 15 centimeters of snow is forecast in mountainous areas of Gangwon-do Province, and up to 5 centimeters on the east coast of Gangwon-do and the mountainous areas of northeastern parts of Gyeongsangbuk-do Province. Tomorrow, Seoul, Gwangju, and Daegu will start off at zero degrees. Daily highs will move up to around 10 degrees in most parts of the country tomorrow. More rain and snow is expected on next Monday and Tuesday across the country. That's all for Korea. Here are the weather conditions around the world.

World News: Federal court blocks Trump's executive order on birthright citizenship

2025/01/24 17:00

This is the World Now, bringing you the latest stories from around the globe. In the U.S., on Thursday, District Judge John Coughenour in Seattle put a two-week temporary halt, on President Donald Trump's executive order, aimed at ending birthright citizenship, calling it "blatantly unconstitutional." Trump's order sought to deny citizenship to children born in the U.S. to non-citizen parents. The order challenges the 14th Amendment, which grants citizenship to anyone born in America, with a few minor exceptions. 22 states and several immigrant rights groups are challenging Trump's executive order, arguing that it would strip many individuals of their right to citizenship. The Justice Department plans to appeal Judge Coughenour's decision, asserting that the order correctly interprets the Constitution. The case, which represents an early setback for the Trump administration's immigration agenda, could potentially end up at the Supreme Court for a final decision. Also in the U.S., Purdue Pharma and its owners, the Sackler family, on Thursday, agreed to a 7.4 billion U.S. dollar settlement, to resolve numerous lawsuits alleging their role in the U.S. opioid crisis through the marketing of their product, OxyContin. Under the settlement terms, the Sacklers will pay 6.5 billion U.S. dollars over 15 years, and give up their ownership of Purdue Pharma. An additional 900 million U.S. dollars will come from Purdue itself. The agreement follows the U.S. Supreme Court's rejection of a 6 billion dollar settlement that would have granted the Sacklers immunity from future civil lawsuits. The new settlement does not provide such immunity. The OxyContin crisis led to hundreds of thousands of deaths and addictions in the U.S. since the drug's release in 1996. The Sackler family continues to deny any wrongdoing. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning announced on Thursday that recent tests of seawater samples collected near Japan's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant revealed no abnormalities. The first independent test of samples since October 2024, was conducted as part of an agreement between China and Japan, allowing stakeholders to perform independent sampling and monitoring, under the framework of the International Atomic Energy Agency. China's foreign ministry spokesperson noted the limits of the significance of a single test result, and China has not yet hinted at lifting its ban on Japanese seafood imports, which was imposed in August 2023. In Australia, Sydney's Royal Botanic Garden saw the blooming of a "corpse flower," or Putricia, for the first time in 15 years on Thursday. The rare flower, which is native to Sumatra, Indonesia, is known for its pungent odor, often compared to rotting flesh. The occasion attracted over 20,000 visitors, as the flower's bloom is a significant event, due to its rarity and brief 24-hour lifespan. Visitors endured lines exceeding two hours to witness the rare spectacle, and some described the scent as being like a dead animal. Choi Chi-hee, Arirang News.

Lawmakers greet people traveling for Seollal holiday at major stations in Seoul

2025/01/24 17:00

Meanwhile lawmakers across the aisle also made their way to major bus and train stations on this Friday here in Seoul to meet with travelers as they head home for the lunar new year holiday. Members of the ruling People Power Party were at Seoul Station while their counterparts of main opposition Democratic Party were at Seoul Express Bus Terminal. During their brief interactions with members of the public rival lawmakers pledged to promote issues related to the cost of living for ordinary people.

New wildfire erupts in southern California

2025/01/24 17:00

A fresh and fast-moving wildfire is spreading through Los Angeles County. According to local authorities the Hughes fire which was first detected Wednesday morning had consumed over 10-thousand acres of land by Thursday afternoon. However no structures have been destroyed. This latest blaze comes just over two weeks after the catastrophic Palisades and Eaton fires in the LA area.

No immediate signs of provocation from N. Korea but preparing ICBM, satellite launches: JCS

2025/01/24 17:00

While there is no indication of an imminent provocation North Korea is prepared for an intercontinental ballistic missile launch or a satellite mission at any time. This is according to South Korean military officials. Our Kim Bo-kyoung reports. No immediate signs of North Korean missile launches have been detected since Trump's inauguration, but preparations for a spy satellite or an ICBM continue. This is the recent assessment made by the Joint Chiefs of Staff on North Korea. released on Friday. Regarding Pyongyang's potential missile launches, the regime had earlier this month already fired two missiles before Trump was sworn in as the new U.S. president. And, the JCS says the North appears to be ready to launch short-range ballistic and cruise missiles at any time. Yet, as Trump has delivered a message to resume talks, one expert says it is unlikely that Pyongyang will be highly provocative. "In response to President Trump's conciliatory message, it is unlikely that North Korea will conduct a high-intensity display of force, such as an ICBM launch." Meanwhile, Pyongyang has been dismantling and removing the materials from the Kaesong Industrial Complex's Comprehensive Support Center for over a month, since mid-December last year. Considering that North Korea had shown similar activities before demolishing the inter-Korean liaison office in June 2020, the same expert again says the possibility of utterly blowing up the complex would take some time. "North Korea has already dismantled symbolic South Korean buildings and facilities in the Geumgangsan Mountain area and destroyed the inter-Korean liaison office. Given that it is unclear what benefit would come from destroying the Kaesong Industrial Complex, they could dismantle, but it would take time to demolish." When it comes to North Korea sending troops to Russia. the South's military expects Pyongyang to accelerate preparations for additional deployments with around four months already having passed since the first troop deployment. It is likely, given the fact that the battle nearing its end could get fierce, but the expert said the relationship between Russia and the U.S. could bring a change in Kim Jong-un's decision. Kim Bo-kyoung, Arirang News.

Seoul envoy vows to maintain joint goal of N. Korea's denuclearization with Trump administration

2025/01/24 17:00

South Korea's top delegate to the U.S. has reaffirmed intentions to work with Washington to rid North Korea of nuclear weapons. The remarks were made in response to concerns here over Mr. Trump's labeling of the regime as a "nuclear power". Lee Seung-jae has details. South Korea's Ambassador to the United States Cho Hyun-dong said Thursday that Seoul and Washington will maintain the goal of North Korea's denuclearization in the new Donald Trump administration. In a monthly press meeting, Seoul's top envoy to Washington emphasized South Korea's focus on reinforcing policy coordination with the Trump administration. In order to remain on the same page on North Korea nuclear policy, Cho said the South Korean government will strengthen its coordination with the U.S., especially given the North's participation in the war in Ukraine. The ambassador also stressed Seoul's priority of strengthening the credibility of the U.S.' extended deterrence commitment. This includes the mobilization of the full range of its military capabilities, including nuclear weapons,.. in order to defend South Korea. Cho added that, Seoul will continue to ensure the combined South Korea-U.S. defense posture, while maintaining the Seoul-Washington-Tokyo trilateral cooperation. His comments come amid growing concerns that the U.S. may be changing its policy on North Korea's nuclear program. On the day of his inauguration on Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump described North Korea as a "nuclear power." Also,.. Trump's defense chief nominee Pete Hegseth used the same term to describe the regime. U.S. officials have long refrained from using such terms, as it could be seen as Washington's recognition of North Korea's nuclear weapons program. However, the term is different from "the nuclear-weapon states,". often used to describe countries like the U.S., UK, France, Russia, and China. They're officially recognized as countries that possess nuclear weapons in the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. Lee Seung-jae, Arirang News.

Trump pushes "America First" agenda at Davos: Invest or face tariffs

2025/01/24 17:00

Elsewhere. In his first address to a global audience following his return to the White House U.S. President Donald Trump called on companies worldwide to make their products in America or face hefty tariffs. Our business correspondent Moon Hye-ryeon reports. "Come make your product in America and we will give you among the lowest taxes of any nation on earth." U.S. President Donald Trump emphasized his stance on tariffs once again in front of the global elite at the annual World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, as he followed up his push to bring manufacturing into the U.S. with a threat to impose levies for foreign goods. "But if you don't make your product in America, which is your prerogative, then very simply you will have to pay a tariff." Speaking in a video call on Thursday at his first major appearance since his inauguration earlier this week, Trump went on to describe how these tariffs will add up to "trillions of dollars" to strengthen the U.S. economy. This follows an earlier announcement that he plans to impose tariffs of 25 percent on Mexico and Canada starting February – alongside a 10 percent tariff for China. During the rest of his 45-minute speech, he went on to lay out more of his vision for the U.S. economy, which includes lowering the corporate tax to 15 percent from the current 21 percent, lowering energy costs by pressuring OPEC and lowering interest rates in turn. And in a panel discussion following his speech, he addressed the European Union for its substantial trade imbalance with the United States and condemned their regulatory actions against American tech giants such as Apple, Google, and Facebook. His comments spurred a chain of reactions – oil prices fell, the greenback showed fluctuations, and U.S. stocks rose. It also inspired commentary from attendees, who called for a measured response to Trump's tariff policies – cautioning against hasty retaliatory actions. The Director-General of the World Trade Organization called for careful analysis to examine the economic impact to gauge whether they are excessive and warned that retaliatory tariffs can have disastrous effects on the global economy. The European Union's economic commissioner echoed this sentiment, while some attendees showed a more nuanced understanding of Trump's approach to tariffs by viewing it as a bargaining tool. Trump also advocated for a reduction in nuclear arms and urged for global cooperation at the forum, stating that he had discussed the matter with Russian President Vladimir Putin prior to the 2020 U.S. presidential election. He revealed that Putin had been receptive to the idea of nuclear disarmament and that China would have joined the initiative – warning that Beijing is rapidly expanding its nuclear arsenal and could catch up with the U.S. in a few years. Moon Hye-ryeon, Arirang News.

Choi Sang-mok orders officials to respond to important issues first from Trump's 'America First' policy

2025/01/24 17:00

Acting President Choi Sang-mok has called for a thorough review of the country's response strategy to the Trump administration's America First campaign. The call came earlier on this Friday during a round-table discussion on global economic matters with relevant government officials. According to the Finance Ministry this latest session of talks is the third of its kind and takes place just three days after the last. The overall gist of the agenda is navigating the new U.S. government's protectionist policies.

GROWING GAP IN POLITICS AND AMONG PEOPLE

2025/01/24 17:00

Hello and welcome. You're watching Press Perspective for this Friday January 24th here in Seoul. I'm Min Sunhee. Today we address the impact of political polarization on the stability of our societies and more. For more I have Kelly Kasulis Cho with The Washington Post. Kelly it's good to have you back this week. I also have Colin Marshall with the foreign pundit's take on the issues at hand. Colin as always thank you for being here. 1) Kelly, there are grave concerns about the deepening political divide here in Korea. 2) Colin, what do you suppose is further aggravating Korea's political polarization this time around? 3) Kelly, some pro-Yoon supporters have spoken of seeing hope in Mr. Trump's return to the White House where he promptly moved to pardon the January 6th rioters who stormed the U.S. Capitol in 2021. 4) Colin, back here in Korea. 5) Meanwhile Kelly, I hear this growing political gap between Gen Z women and men is a phenomenon that extends beyond Korean borders. 6) Colin, a local survey shows most Koreans believe the government should take the lead in bridging the political divide, but few trust its ability to do so. 7) Kelly, let's now move on to some other lighter stories. 8) Colin, there has been yet another foreign media report about robots tackling labor shortages amid Korea's aging population. All right.

[K-enter] Actor Byeon Woo-seok Donates Merchandise Proceeds to Pediatric Patients

2025/01/24 14:00

Time for some K-entertainment news with Bella Kim. Today, we start off with a heartwarming story. Actor Byeon Woo-seok has donated the proceeds from his birthday merchandise sales to Korea Pediatric Cancer-Foundation. The sale of the goods started last October and his agency VARO Entertainment announced that all proceeds will be donated to children suffering from childhood cancer, leukemia, and rare and incurable diseases. The exact amount is not revealed. Byeon Woo-seok actually donated 300 million won, which is roughly 210-thousand U.S. dollars, for pediatric patients to Severance Hospital in Seoul just last year. Meanwhile, he confirmed his next project for an MBC drama tentatively titled “21st Century King’s Wife”. We have another donation story, but this time by a K-pop boy group member? BTS' Jin donated 100 million won (about 70,000 U.S. dollars) to Korea University Medical Center to support terminally ill patients in developing countries. The donation will be used for Korea University Medical Center’s international medical support program, aimed at providing treatment to those suffering from financial hardships and lack of treatment. Jin stated “I hope this brings a small hope to those who are suffering and unable to receive treatment in medical blind spots.” He added that he wants to help more lives with his global fans. Jin was discharged from mandatory military service last June and recently released his solo album, “Happy.” And speaking of Jin, we’ll end off with another story on some other BTS members? BTS Jimin has achieved a historic milestone on the US Billboard charts. According to the latest Billboard charts released on Wednesday, Jimin’s second solo album, “MUSE” is still on the Billboard 200 chart at No.118. This is his 26th consecutive week on the chart, which makes him the longest-charting K-pop solo artist on this chart. Despite the fact that the album was released in July last year, it is still No.3 on the World Albums chart and its title track, “Who,” is ranked No.41 on the Hot 100. We also have some more exciting news for Jimin along with Jung Kook? Jimin and Jung Kook were nominated for various categories of the “2025 iHeartRadio Music Awards” in the United States. On Wednesday, iHeartRadio Music Awards announced the list of nominees for this year’s awards. Jimin was nominated for “K-pop Artist of the Year” and his song “Who” was nominated for “Best Lyrics” and “K-pop Song of the Year.” Notably, Jimin is the first Korean artist to be nominated for the “Best Lyrics” category. Also, a travelogue taken by Jimin and Jung Kook “Are You Sure?!” was considered as a competition for “Favorite On Screen.” The iHeartRadio Music Awards is a music awards ceremony hosted, since 2014, by iHeartRadio, an American online radio station. It awards the most played artists and songs on iHeartRadio stations and applications every year. This year’s awards ceremony will be held in Los Angeles on March 17th and will be broadcast live on the FOX channel in the United States. Thank you Bella for today’s stories.

K-pop marketing strategies behind new releases

2025/01/24 14:00

It’s been another week with new releases in the K-pop world, with a variety of songs catching the eyes and ears of fans. Today, we want to analyze some of the marketing strategies behind K-pop idols’ song releases. We’ll do that with the expert in this field Jeff Benjamin, a contributor to Billboard, Forbes, Rolling Stone and more. Hello Jeff! Q1. Let’s first start with WHO released WHAT in the past week. Q1-1. What’s your first impression of ‘KickFlip’? What do you think are their strengths? Q2. Girl group IVE have wrapped up their 11-month world tour and their song ‘REBEL HEART’ has been topping charts around the world. They will also return with a mini-album on Feb. 3rd. What's your take on the song and your expectations for the album? Q3. Now let’s go deeper into the "pre-release" strategy . It’s become the norm for K-pop stars to have a single released first, followed by an album release. How effective is this marketing strategy? And is there something different to it compared to releases elsewhere in the world? Q4. Interestingly, we're also seeing longer teaser and promotion periods, but shorter and shorter active periods. What’s behind this change? Q5. What are other mentionable marketing trends in the K-pop industry? Q6. Amid these strategies, are there any factors that may need improvement in your view?