News

A Return Like Home: UN veterans honored in South Korea

2025/07/29 11:38

75 years after the start of the Korean War, some of the men who helped defend South Korea have returned to the country they once fought for. Our Kim Jung-sil reports. They were in their early twenties when they first arrived in Korea: young men in uniform, sent to fight in a country they had never seen. Seven decades later, some of them have returned. 55 guests from 19 countries are taking part in South Korea's "Re-Visit Korea, Re-View Korea" program. Among them: six veterans of the Korean War, their families, and delegates from veterans' associations. As part of the six-day program, participants visited the War Memorial of Korea ahead of the official commemoration ceremony on Sunday. "I came here in 1952, actually my experience in the war was as a tank driver. We had to defend that place because otherwise the Chinese communists would overrun and come back to Seoul. That was our job." Now 91, Yamashiroya was joined by his grandson, who reflected on his grandfather's influence on their family. "He's a really strong and tough person mentally and he's really ingrained that in our family and everything he has done. It's definitely an honor learning more about the culture of Korea the history behind the war hearing about their impact it means a lot." "I'm so happy for the Korean people because they persevered and built success for themselves." While some veterans were able to return, others could not. Sunday's ceremony was held for UN Forces Participation Day: South Korea's official day to honor foreign veterans of the Korean War. U.S. Army Corporal Fred B. McGee was recognized with the country's highest military honor. His daughter accepted the medal on his behalf. "What you've done here this past week has been highly commendable. It's above and beyond anything that I expected. I just celebrate the Korean government and the Korean people for all they've done for the Korean war veterans." The medal was presented by Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, who also addressed the ceremony. "To protect the freedom and peace of the Republic of Korea, 1.98 million UN troops stood alongside the Korean people. Their sacrifice will never be forgotten." For the veterans and families who visited this time, the trip offered not only commemoration, but connection. Kim Jung-sil, Arirang News.

Musk says Samsung and Tesla sign US$ 16.5 billion chip supply deal

2025/07/29 11:37

Samsung Electronics has clinched a landmark 16-point-5 billion dollar deal to supply AI chips to Tesla, a move set to revitalize its struggling foundry division. Our Moon Ji-young has the details. Samsung Electronics will produce AI semiconductors for Tesla in a new agreement, which could prove to be a game-changer for its currently underperforming foundry division. In a regulatory filing, the South Korean chip giant announced on Monday that it had secured a 22-point-8 trillion won, or 16-point-5 billion U.S. dollar, chipmaking agreement. The deal represents 7-point-6 percent of Samsung Electronics' total revenue of 300-point-9 trillion won in 2024, marking it as the largest chip order for a single client secured by the company. This long-term contract is set to run for more than eight years through the end of December 2033. The tech giant initially did not disclose the identity of the client or the specifics of the deal, citing "management confidentiality." Tesla CEO Elon Musk said in a social media post later in the day that Samsung would produce next-generation AI6 semiconductors for the company. The Korean firm currently produces AI4s, while Taiwan's TSMC manufactures AI5s. In a reply to a comment, Musk also suggested the deal could be "much more than" the amount Samsung had disclosed. Following the announcement, shares of Samsung Electronics surged 6-point-3 percent on intraday trading, going above 70,000 won for the first time since last September. Samsung has been steadily losing ground in certain manufacturing sectors, and so this record-breaking deal is expected to give a much-needed boost to its foundry division, which has long struggled to catch up with global industry leader TSMC. Moon Ji-young. Arirang News.

[On-point] Trade talks between South Korea, U.S. continue as deadline looms

2025/07/29 11:36

As we just heard, Korean officials are making all-out efforts to strike a deal before the trade deadline set by U.S. President Donald Trump ends on Friday. For more on what to expect, we're joined by Dr. Stephen Noerper, President of Asia Dialogue. South Korean officials have yet to reach a trade deal, despite recent talks in Washington, D.C. What exactly is the United States seeking from South Korea? Seoul appears to be considering the shipbuilding sector as a bargaining chip in the negotiations, while also showing more flexibility on the agenda --now indicating that agricultural products are also on the table. Do you see this as an effective strategy? South Korea's foreign minister is also expected to hold talks with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington on the 31st. How should the Korean government address the burden-sharing issue regarding U.S. troops in Korea? Will security concerns also affect ongoing trade negotiations? President Trump has made it clear he's putting American interests over those of U.S. allies. How do you think the Lee administration should manage the alliance with the United States over its five-year term? How might President Trump's tariffs on Asian allies affect the broader U.S. strategy to counter China? Alright Dr. Noerper, thank you so much for your insight today. We appreciate it.

Seoul officials make all-out efforts to strike deal with U.S. before Aug. 1 tariff enforcement

2025/07/29 11:36

The clock is ticking as the Lee Jae Myung administration looks to clinch a deal with Washington, to swerve the 25 percent reciprocal tariffs going into effect this Friday. Senior officials are making last-minute efforts to engage with their American counterparts. Oh Soo-young reports. Just days before the August 1st deadline for Washington's reciprocal tariffs, pressure is mounting for South Korean officials, as they aim to strike a trade deal with the United States. As of Monday, Seoul's Trade Minister Kim Jung-kwan has reportedly flown from the U.S. to Europe in a last-ditch attempt to engage with Trump administration officials, following the U.S.-EU Summit in Scotland. This comes ahead of the delayed two-plus-two talks between South Korea and the U.S.' trade and finance-related ministers. Citing a scheduling conflict, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer last Friday postponed the meeting to July 31st --one day before the 25 percent duties on Korean goods take effect. Finance Minister Koo Yoon-chul received the cancellation notice just one hour before he was due to take off to Washington D.C. He will instead leave on Tuesday to meet with Bessent on Thursday local time. The U.S. has been demanding greater access to the agricultural market, as well as digital and auto sectors. According to local media, Seoul is expected to leverage America's interest in Korean shipbuilding. Trade Minister Kim last week proposed a multibillion-dollar "Make American Shipbuilding Great Again" plan, which was reportedly received with "strong interest" by U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnik. There's also growing speculation that a bilateral investment fund, modeled after Japan's 550 billion dollar deal, could be on the table. Seoul is reportedly reviewing plans to expand its proposed investment beyond the initial 100 billion, involving the country's largest conglomerates such as Samsung, SK, Hyundai Motor, LG and Hanwha. Foreign Minister Cho Hyun is also set to meet U.S. Secretary of State Rubio in parallel talks on Thursday in D.C., for what could be a final opportunity to reach a breakthrough. Oh Soo-young, Arirang News.

[Weather] Searing heat continues with a chance of passing rain in some parts

2025/07/29 11:35

Continuous extreme heat makes it tough to be outdoors. Even at night, the air stays hot and heavy. Seoul has now recorded its 10th consecutive tropical night, and many other areas are also dealing with heavy nights. Heatwave warnings remain in place across most of the country, and unfortunately, the intense heat isn't going anywhere just yet. This afternoon, Seoul and Daejeon will climb to 37 degrees Celsius, Chuncheon and Daegu will get up to 36 degrees Celsius, with very strong UV rays nationwide. We're also expecting scattered showers this afternoon in the central inland regions and northern Jeollabuk-do provinces, with 5 to 40 millimeters expected. Looking ahead, more summer heat to come with blazing sunshine. As we are spending more time indoors nowadays, we might not move as much. Indoor body stretching could help to improve circulation and relieve tension. AND if you're heading out, remember to stay hydrated throughout the day.

Relationship between Trump and Kim Jong-un shouldn't be used for denuclearization push: Kim Yo-jong

2025/07/29 11:34

The powerful sister of North Korea's leader has issued her second statement in two days, this time saying that while relations between the U.S. and North Korean leaders are not bad, there won't be any future talks to end the North's nuclear program. Our Choi Soo-hyung reports. On Tuesday, Kim Yo-jong, the sister of the regime's leader Kim Jong-un, said through the North's state-run Korean Central News Agency that the U.S. must accept the new reality. She added that if Washington continues to cling to the past, any meeting with the North will remain only America's hope. Kim noted that the personal relationship between the U.S. President Donald Trump and the North's leader Kim Jong-un is not bad. But she stressed that if the U.S. intended to use this relationship as a step toward denuclearization, it would only be regarded as "mockery" to the North. She said that since Trump's first term, both North Korea's nuclear capabilities and the geopolitical environment have changed dramatically. Kim warned that, "Any attempt to deny the position of the North as a nuclear weapons state will be thoroughly rejected." She also said it would not be wise for two nuclear-armed states to move toward confrontation, suggesting that other forms of contact should be explored. Following Kim's statement, the White House has again said that President Trump remains open to talks with Kim Jong-un about denuclearization. Washington and Pyongyang held summits in Singapore in June 2018 and in Hanoi in February 2019, and later met at Panmunjom in June 2019. On Monday, Kim also issued an official statement criticizing South Korea's Lee Jae-myung administration, saying it is no different from its predecessor. Choi Soo-hyung, Arirang News.

S&P 500, Nasdaq hit new highs despite caution ahead of earnings reports, FOMC meeting

2025/07/29 11:33

Monday was a mixed day for Wall Street, with investors cautious about upcoming big tech earnings reports, the FOMC meeting, and the release of key economic data. While the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell more than 64 points on the day, the S&P 500 rose slightly, up zero-point-zero-two percent, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq climbed over 70 points. Both the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq closed at new all-time highs. Wall Street gave up early gains during the session ahead of a "big week" with big tech companies publishing earnings figures. The FOMC meeting will take place over two days starting Tuesday, with key economic indicators, such as the July employment numbers, expected to weigh heavily on sentiment.

Last-minute tariff showdown: S. Korea races to close gap with U.S.

2025/07/28 22:46

Welcome to Within The Frame, where we bring the most pressing issues across the globe into focus. I'm Kim Mok-yeon. With less than a week left before the U.S. imposes its next round of tariff revisions, Seoul is entering a critical phase of negotiations with Washington. Talks have intensified following back-to-back industry ministerial meetings, as the Trump administration sealed major deals with Japan and the EU, securing steep tariff cuts in exchange for massive investment pledges. South Korea, meanwhile, is facing pressure to scale up its own offer—reportedly falling short of Washington's 400 billion-dollar demand. High-stakes issues like rice imports, over-30-month-old beef, semiconductors, and shipbuilding are all on the table. To help us break this down and walk us through what's at stake, we're joined by Kim Yong-jin, a professor at Sogang Business School. Welcome. Also joining us, from Virginia, is William Brown, a former member of the Board of Directors for the Korea Economic Institute of America, and the Principal of Northeast Asia Economics and Intelligence Advisory, LLC. (Brown) To start off—with the U.S. and EU having just reached a surprise trade agreement, slashing tariffs to 15% and announcing a massive investment package, it looks quite similar to the U.S.-Japan deal. In light of these precedents, how do you see the prospects for the U.S.-Korea tariff negotiations? (Kim) Let's build on that—after two rounds of Korea-U.S. industry ministerial talks in Washington, things seem to be wrapping up. Japan sealed its deal by pledging a $550 billion investment in the U.S., while Korea is reportedly offering around $100 billion. But Washington is said to be demanding closer to $400 billion. What strategic options does Seoul have to close this gap? (Brown) Now, moving into market access—items like beef aged over 30 months and rice are reportedly on Washington's list. Why is President Trump so focused on opening up the agricultural market? And why has beef, in particular, become such a flashpoint in the U.S.-Korea negotiations? (Kim) From a domestic angle—relaxing regulations on agricultural imports is a politically sensitive issue in Korea. That's why rice imports and beef aged over 30 months have been labeled red lines by the Korean government. So what kind of middle ground can Seoul and Washington realistically find? (Brown) Shifting focus to the shipbuilding sector—the presidential office has revealed that the U.S. has shown particular interest in Korea's shipbuilding capabilities. Why is America paying attention to this sector? And could Korea use shipbuilding as a bargaining chip to draw concessions from the U.S.? (Kim) On the energy front—participation in the Alaska LNG project and expanding imports of U.S. LNG are of high interest to the Trump administration. To what extent could these energy deals influence the overall tariff negotiations? (Brown) Let's turn to digital trade—non-tariff issues like Google Maps data export and platform deregulation have also entered the talks. What are the key friction points in these digital regulation demands from the U.S.? (Kim) Now, onto semiconductors—Washington's Commerce Secretary has hinted that new semiconductor tariffs could be announced in two weeks. Given that semiconductors, alongside autos, are Korea's top exports to the U.S., what impact do you foresee? (Brown) Steel is another area of concern—under the current 25% tariff, Korean steel exports have already dropped by over 20%. There's speculation that, as with Japan, steel may be excluded from these talks. What's your take? And what countermeasures or alternative export strategies could be considered? (Both) And finally—with less than a week left until the deadline, Korea's Deputy Prime Minister Koo Yun-cheol and Minister Cho Hyun are both scheduled to meet with U.S. Treasury Secretary Bessent and Secretary of State Rubio this week. What core negotiation principles should the Korean side prioritize in these final talks?

STOCK&FX

2025/07/28 22:44

2025. 7. 28. KOREAN STOCK MARKET KOSPI : 3,209.52 ▲13.47 +0.42% KOSDAQ : 804.40 ▼2.55 -0.32% KOSPI200 : 433.37 ▲2.59 +0.60% ASIAN STOCK MARKET NIKKEI225 : 40,998.27 ▼457.96 -1.10% HANG SENG : 25,562.13 ▲173.78 +0.68% SHANGHAI : 3,597.94 ▲4.28 +0.12% WALL STREET (July 25) DOW JONES : 44,901.92 ▲208.01 +0.47% NASDAQ : 21,108.32 ▲50.35 +0.24% S&P500 : 6,388.64 ▲25.29 +0.40% EXCHANGE RATE USD : 1,382.00 (+4.10) JPY : 932.84 (-4.60) CNY : 192.73 (+0.36) EUR : 1,619.29 (+0.33)

Seoul officials make all-out efforts to strike deal with U.S. before Aug. 1 tariff enforcement

2025/07/28 22:43

The clock is ticking as the Lee Jae Myung administration looks to clinch a deal with Washington, to swerve the 25 percent reciprocal tariffs going into effect this Friday. Senior officials are making all-out efforts to engage their U.S. counterparts. Oh Soo-young has the latest. Just days before the August 1st deadline for Washington's reciprocal tariffs, pressure is mounting for South Korean officials, as they aim to strike a trade deal with the United States. As of Monday, Seoul's Trade Minister Kim Jung-kwan has reportedly flown from the U.S. to Europe in a last-ditch attempt to engage with Trump administration officials, following the U.S.-EU Summit in Scotland. This comes ahead of the delayed two-plus-two talks between South Korea and the U.S.' trade and finance-related ministers. Citing a scheduling conflict, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer last Friday postponed the meeting to July 31st one day before the 25 percent duties on Korean goods take effect. Finance Minister Koo Yoon-chul received the cancellation notice just one hour before he was due to take off to Washington D.C. He will instead leave on Tuesday to meet with Bessent on Thursday local time. The U.S. has been demanding greater access to the agricultural market, as well as digital and auto sectors. According to local media, Seoul is expected to leverage America's interest in Korean shipbuilding. Trade Minister Kim last week proposed a multibillion-dollar "Make American Shipbuilding Great Again" plan, which was reportedly received with "strong interest" by U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnik. There's also growing speculation that a bilateral investment fund, modeled after Japan's 550 billion dollar deal, could be on the table. Seoul is reportedly reviewing plans to expand its proposed investment beyond the initial 100 billion, involving the country's largest conglomerates such as Samsung, SK, Hyundai Motor, LG and Hanwha. Foreign Minister Cho Hyun is also set to meet U.S. Secretary of State Rubio in parallel talks on Thursday in D.C., for what could be a final opportunity to reach a breakthrough. Oh Soo-young, Arirang News.

[Weather] Scorching heat across the country, heat wave warnings everywhere

2025/07/28 22:42

After the hottest day of this year in Seoul yesterday, with 38 degrees Celsius in the middle of the day, the scorching heat has been continuing today. With heat wave warnings all over the country, daytime temperatures in Seoul, Jeonju, and Cheongju rose to as high as 37 degrees. It will reach 37 degrees in Seoul again tomorrow, and this scorching heat will last until the second half of the week. In addition, tropical nights have been continuing for days in Seoul, and this night heat will continue to be severe. Please take care not to get any heat-related illnesses. Tomorrow morning will start very warm in Seoul at 27 degrees, Chuncheon 24 degrees. Daily highs will move up to 36 degrees in Chuncheon, Daejeon and Daegu, 35 degrees in Gwangju and Gyeongju. No more rain is forecast for the time being but summer heat will continue instead. That's all for Korea. Here are the weather conditions around the world.

[Sports Round-up] FC Barcelona, Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United in S. Korea for friendly matches

2025/07/28 22:42

It is time now to take a look at what's been happening in the world of sports. For that, we have our sports editor Paul Neat joining us in the studio. Hello, Paul. Hello. Let's begin with baseball. It seems that every year the KBO sets new attendance records. This year is no different. No, you're right. KBO reached two milestones recently. Starting on Thursday last week, the KBO reached 8 million fans in the fewest games 465 games. The previous record was 549, set last year. Last year, the league went on to reach 10-point-88 million, meaning it is on course to reach around 12 million this year. According to Yonhap, average attendances across the 10 teams are up around 17-percent from this time last year. Then, on Saturday, it was confirmed that KBO had set a single-season record for the number of sellout matches with 224. Last year, KBO reached 221 sellouts over the full 720-game season, but this year the record was broken after just 470 games. Hanwha Eagles have recorded the most sellouts with 40. Sticking with baseball for now. How have some of South Korea's MLB stars been doing? Mixed fortunes, certainly for Lee Jung-hoo and Kim Ha-seong. Lee went 3-for-4 with an RBI in the Giants' 2 to 1 loss to the New York Mets on Saturday. It was his seventh three-hit effort this season and his third in July alone. His first hit was a single at the top of the second inning. He collected an RBI with a bases-loaded groundout in the fourth, which ended up being his team's only run. He then hit a double off the right-center field wall with one out in the last inning. His batting average went up to point-254. Meanwhile, Kim Ha-seong of the Tampa Bay Rays has been put on the injured list with a lower back strain. Kim joined the Rays this winter after a four-season spell with the Padres. But his time in Florida has been disrupted by injury. To swimming now. A bronze medal for South Korea at the World Championships. Yes, Kim Woo-min earned bronze in the men's 400-meter freestyle. In Singapore on Sunday, Kim finished with a time of 3 minutes 42-point-6 seconds, just point-2-5 of a second behind the winner, Lukas Martens of Germany. Kim actually had the fastest split over the final 50 meters at 27-point-6-2 seconds. It was Kim's second straight podium finish in the event. He also joined Park Tae-hwan as the only South Koreans to win multiple world championship medals in the 400-meter freestyle. And finally, to football. I understand that some big European clubs will be in Korea this week. Yes, we have some summer friendly matches taking place in Korea. First up is Team K League taking on English Premier League side Newcastle United in the first game of the Coupang Play Series. The match will take place at Suwon World Cup Stadium on Wednesday at 8 PM. Newcastle will also face Tottenham Hotspur at Seoul World Cup Stadium on Sunday at the same time. There could be a Korean derby of sorts with Park Seung-soo having just signed for Newcastle from Suwon Bluewings, and Yang Min-hyeok and Son Heung-min part of the Spurs squad. Then on Thursday, La Liga champions FC Barcelona will take on an in-form FC Seoul. Then on Monday next week, Barca will face Daegu FC, but Daegu sit bottom of K League 1, 11 points behind 11th. Thanks for that, Paul. See you next week. Thank you.

Muddy escape from the summer heat Boryeong Mud Festival is back!

2025/07/28 22:40

In other news. It's not vacation season without this festival here in the country. People from around the world gather in Boryeong city to enjoy the summer in the mud. Our Park Hyo-been takes us there. Splashing, tumbling, and soaking up the fun. Despite the scorching heat, people are all smiles as they dive into the mud and leave the summer swelter behind. Daecheon Beach in Chungcheongnam-do Province is holding the 28th Boryeong Mud Festival, which opened last Friday. "It's over 30 degrees here in Boryeong, but the more mud, the cooler it gets. This is why people head here to beat the summer heat." What began as a local event has now become one of the most beloved summer festivals in the world, attracting around 1.6 million visitors last year, many of them from abroad. The only goal here is to get dirty, together. "Oh yeah, it's really fun." "It's a lot more fun than we thought." "The mud dunk tank was really good because we got fully submerged in mud." "Yeah just completely covered." "Hi, I'm from the U.S. and I am having a lot of fun here." "I'm from Canada, I'm having so much fun. I've never been to an event like this before. It's been so fun." "You can see it feels really good. I hope it's good for my skin. It doesn't feel sticky or dirty at all it actually feels really nice." But the now-famous Boryeong mud wasn't always celebrated. Back in the early 1990s, Daecheon Beach was seen as murky and uninviting, until it was discovered that the mineral-rich mud was great for the skin. What was once worthless became a treasure, and by 1998, the Boryeong Mud Festival was born. This year's event is bigger and bolder than ever. Visitors can dive into a mudslide, spin through the mud barbeque, or simply cover themselves in the mineral-rich sludge. There are special zones for families with young children and by night, the energy ramps up with K-pop concerts and dazzling drone light displays. Festival organizers say safety is a top priority, especially with the record-breaking heatwaves this summer. "The heatwave has been especially intense lately, so we've prepared safety measures to make sure visitors can stay comfortable while enjoying the festival." Officials say more than 2 million people from around the world are expected to join the festival this year. To help visitors from overseas enjoy the fun, interpretation services are offered in English, Chinese, and Japanese. The ultimate summer playground, Boryeong Mud Festival, runs until August 10th. Park Hyo-been, Arirang News, Boryeong.

Junior doctors apologize to patients for prolonged conflict over medical reform

2025/07/28 22:38

The Korea Intern Resident Association apologized on Monday to patient groups and the public for the suffering caused by its prolonged conflict with the government over medical reform. The association's emergency committee chair, Han Sung-jon, "apologized to the people who must have been suffering and anxious due to the conflict that has been prolonged for more than a year and five months." Regarding a controversy over alleged privileges for returning medical students, the Ministry of Education said on Monday, "It is time to decide on how to embrace the wounds of the students rather than talk about privileges."

Heat wave drives people to cool off in pools, while heat illnesses soar

2025/07/28 22:38

It was another hot start to the week here in South Korea. The extreme heat wave reached a peak today, with temperatures becoming slightly cooler as the week goes by. Our Park Kun-woo reports. Splashing in deep water, people are wading away the heat. This large outdoor swimming pool near the Hangang River is packed, even during the hottest part of the day. With heat warnings issued nationwide, Seoul hit 37 degrees Celsius on Monday, while similar sweltering conditions are expected throughout the week. "It feels like I'm in a sauna standing out here, so instead of staying indoors, people are cooling off wherever they can, just like in this pool behind me. In this kind of heat, even a small splash makes a big difference." "The weather is very hot, so I think it's a very good idea to come to the cool and swim a little bit. I think in Poland we don't have that much heat. And yeah, we are having a great experience." "Compared to last year, my skin feels burning cause it's particularly hot this year, which also makes me worried for people working outside." According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, around 2-thousand-3 hundred people have been treated for heat-related illnesses this year as of Saturday, including outdoor workers. That's 2-point-5 times more than the same period last year. Among them, 11 people have reportedly died. This surge is linked to the number of heat wave days doubling from last year. And the damage isn't limited to people. Roughly 2-thousand farmed fish, and more than a million livestock deaths have also been reported, a tenfold increase from 2024. Accordingly, the government convened a central disaster response meeting on Monday, where the interior minister said all available resources will be mobilized to minimize casualties. Authorities also pledged support for vulnerable groups here, including victims of the recent floods, from further damage. While the weather agency forecasts a slight drop in temperatures later this week, the authorities advise the public to stay indoors, remain hydrated, and rest frequently as the intense heat and tropical nights continue. Park Kun-woo, Arirang News.

ROK Navy and Marine Corps take part in multinational drill jointly hosted by U.S. and Australia

2025/07/28 22:37

South Korea's Navy and Marine Corps successfully took part in a multinational exercise, jointly hosted by the U.S. and Australia. Our Kim Bo-kyoung has the details. South Korea's Navy and Marine Corps have successfully completed their part in a biennial multinational exercise in Australia, that went on for around a month starting early this July. Named "Talisman Sabre," meaning "sword with mysterious power," the exercise marks the largest bilateral military drill between Australia and the U.S. Aiming to hone operational capabilities, this year's edition united more than 35-thousand military personnel from 19 like-minded countries. Korea's Navy first participated in 2021, and the Marine Corps joined in 2023. More than eight-hundred personnel from the Navy and Marine Corps, along with around ten types of equipment, including Korean amphibious assault vehicles, K-9 self-propelled howitzers, and multiple Chunmoo rocket systems, joined the exercise. With U.S. and Australian forces, Korean troops conducted joint live-fire training, with K-1 tanks joining the drill for the first time. and amphibious, airborne assault drills, using Korean and Australian assault assets, also took place. The drill was seen as a chance to improve operational capabilities. "We have conducted combined joint operations with the Republic of Korea, conducting naval, maritime, and land operations as part of ongoing integration training in order to ensure that we can work together in a safe environment and fight together if required." "Through tactical exchanges with various countries such as Australia and the United States during this training, our unit's combat capabilities have advanced to a higher level. We will do our best to complete our mission with strong unity and ensure everyone returns safely." The Navy and Marine Corps personnel who took part will depart Australia on Tuesday, and arrive at a port in Jinhae of Gyeongsangnam-do Province in mid-August. Kim Bo-kyoung, Arirang News.

Unification minister proposes adjustment to ROK-U.S. military exercises

2025/07/28 22:36

South Korea's new unification minister says he'll propose an adjustment to upcoming joint military exercises with the U.S., calling it a move toward de-escalation. Speaking to reporters Monday, Chung Dong-young did not call for a suspension, but his remarks suggested possible adjustments to the exercises' scale and nature. Regarding Chung's idea, the presidential office notes that any decision would involve input from all key ministries, including defense. Chung, also on Monday, vowed to ease restrictions on civilian contact with North Koreans, saying only a simple report will be required.

Seoul to continue push for peace despite Kim Yo-jong’s rebuke

2025/07/28 22:36

North Korea issued its first official comments directed at the Lee Jae Myung administration on Monday, calling South Korea an "enemy" and rejecting talks. But Seoul says it's staying the course. Kim Jung-sil reports. South Korea says it won't be swayed from its push for peace. Following North Korea's first official statement since the Lee Jae-myung administration took office, the presidential office said Monday it's taking the North's remarks seriously, but insists its focus remains on building peace through steady, necessary action. At the Unification Ministry, the message was much the same. "We believe the statement shows Pyongyang is closely watching our policy direction. While distrust from the North remains deep, our push for peace and inter-Korean cooperation will continue, calmly and with consistency." "Officials here say they won't be swayed by every comment from Pyongyang, and that they're sticking to a steady, non-confrontational approach." But the tone from the North was very different. The statement came earlier in the day from Kim Yo-jong, the sister of North Korea's leader, Kim Jong-un. She dismissed Seoul's suspension of border loudspeaker broadcasts as "not worthy of recognition," and criticized other recent moves, including talk of resuming tourism and halting leaflet campaigns. She also rejected speculation that Kim Jong-un might be invited to the APEC meeting in the South, calling the idea a "vain illusion." Kim accused the South of being trapped in the "ghost of unification by absorption," and said North Korea no longer sees the South as part of "one people," but simply as another state. "Even before Seoul's new cabinet takes shape, North Korea is rejecting anything it sees as a threat to its interests. With no shift in the ROK-U.S. alliance, the North sees little value in peace overtures." Analysts say Pyongyang may be rejecting dialogue to sideline Seoul and entrench its two-state strategy, a move that runs directly against the South's push for reconciliation. Kim Jung-sil, Arirang News.

Foreign Minister Cho to travel to Tokyo for first bilateral, ahead of meeting U.S. counterpart

2025/07/28 22:35

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun is set to visit Japan tomorrow for a bilateral meeting with his Japanese counterpart, Takeshi Iwaya. This marks Cho's first foreign trip since taking office last week. Their talks are expected to focus on strengthening cooperation across a range of areas to improve bilateral ties, as the two countries this year mark their 60th anniversary of normalizing diplomatic relations. Following his one-night stay in Japan, Cho will head to Washington D.C., to meet U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday local time. Prior to his confirmation hearing, Cho told reporters that it was time to move beyond the fixed notion that Seoul's diplomatic outreach must start with the U.S.

Musk says Samsung and Tesla sign US$ 16.5 billion chip supply deal

2025/07/28 22:34

Samsung Electronics has clinched a landmark 16-point-5 billion dollar deal to supply AI chips to Tesla, a move set to revitalize its struggling foundry division. Our Moon Ji-young tellu us more. Samsung Electronics will produce AI semiconductors for Tesla in a new agreement, which could prove to be a game-changer for its currently underperforming foundry division. In a regulatory filing, the South Korean chip giant announced on Monday that it had secured a 22-point-8 trillion won, or 16-point-5 billion U.S. dollar, chipmaking agreement. The deal represents 7-point-6 percent of Samsung Electronics' total revenue of 300-point-9 trillion won in 2024, marking it as the largest chip order for a single client secured by the company. This long-term contract is set to run for more than eight years through the end of December 2033. The tech giant initially did not disclose the identity of the client or the specifics of the deal, citing "management confidentiality." Tesla CEO Elon Musk said in a social media post later in the day that Samsung would produce next-generation AI6 semiconductors for the company. The Korean firm currently produces AI4s, while Taiwan's TSMC manufactures AI5s. In a reply to a comment, Musk also suggested the deal could be "much more than" the amount Samsung had disclosed. Following the announcement, shares of Samsung Electronics surged 6-point-3 percent on intraday trading, going above 70,000 won for the first time since last September. Samsung has been steadily losing ground in certain manufacturing sectors, and so this record-breaking deal is expected to give a much-needed boost to its foundry division, which has long struggled to catch up with global industry leader TSMC. Moon Ji-young. Arirang News.