News

2025 Museum Week: Museums, art galleries to provide discounted admissions and special events

2025/05/02 20:00

Starting Friday, about two-hundred-sixty museums and art galleries across the nation are holding '2025 Museum Week.' Despite its name, museum week runs from May 2nd till May 31st, with discounted admissions and special events for visitors. The number of local museums participating this year has increased compared with last year. Private collections will also be displayed at 50 museums and art galleries nationwide, including Gyeonggi Province Museum and Gyeonggi Museum of Contemporary Ceramic Art. More details can be found on the official website.

Discussion on AI ethics during a time of disruptive technological shifts

2025/05/02 20:00

Welcome to Within The Frame where we bring the most pressing issues across the globe into focus, I'm Kim Mok-yeon. The rise of artificial intelligence has become one of the most disruptive technological shifts of our time. From large language models shaping the way we communicate, to algorithms influencing financial markets, medical diagnostics, and even justice systems, AI is now deeply embedded in the fabric of modern life. But AI also brings ethical concerns— from bias and inequality to data ownership and creative authorship. With global powers competing to lead the AI race, the question is no longer whether AI should be used, but how it can be used responsibly. To delve deeper into how we can coexist with artificial intelligence, we connect to Professor Agustin Rayo, Dean of the School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Welcome to the program. 1. Professor Rayo, Generative AI such as OpenAI's models has already become an essential part of our daily lives. In your view, what has enabled AI to so rapidly integrate into our lives in such a short period of time? 2. As AI technologies advance at a rapid pace, AI ethics is being increasingly discussed. For starters could you explain what "AI ethics" exactly is? And why do you believe it should be emphasized, particularly at this point in time? 3. So in the context of AI ethics, issues like algorithmic bias and personal data protection have also emerged. From your perspective, what is the most critical ethical challenge that AI currently poses? 4. In a separate interview last year, you cited inequality as one of the major threats posed by AI. Could you elaborate on the reason for this? And what kind of real-world impact might inequality caused by flawed ethical standards have on our society? 5. Lately in Korea, there has been a trend where people used image-generating AI to transform their own photos into a style of Japanese animation, referred to as "Ghibli-style." This sparked debates around copyright infringement and creative ethics. To what extent do you think laws and ethical standards should intervene in AI-generated creative works? 6. Places such as the EU and South Korea are proposing various regulatory frameworks to ensure the safe use of AI. However, some critics argue that current AI regulations still remain vague. How do you think ethical standards should evolve in response to the advances in AI technology? 7. Some argue that AI ethics is not merely a technical issue, but a human one. As an expert in the field, what is your take on this perspective? 8. Educating those who develop and use AI seems crucial in cultivating ethical awareness and guiding the future direction of AI development. What educational initiatives has MIT introduced in this regard? 9. As the global AI race intensifies, there is still a long way to go in terms of implementing clear value standards and systematic institutionalization, either through private self-regulation or national frameworks. In your opinion, what approaches are necessary to ensure a balanced coexistence between humans and AI?

New Acting President Lee Ju-ho takes full charge to stabilize security, economy until election

2025/05/02 17:00

We start with some dramatic developments on the political front overnight with the post of acting president going to Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs Lee Ju-ho . Our senior correspondent Oh Soo-young covers the events thus far. Stabilizing governance amid a political storm, South Korea's new Acting President Lee Ju-ho took charge of the nation Friday, prioritising people's livelihoods and national security as his first agenda. Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs Lee Ju-ho, as of midnight, became the country's unprecedented third interim leader in the aftermath of President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment. This came after two back-to-back resignations on Thursday, as Acting President and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo stepped down to run in the June 3rd presidential election, and his next in line, Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok, quit within hours under the threat of impeachment by the National Assembly. Lee's first course of action: convening the National Security Council to ensure livelihoods and public safety remain intact, and for watertight readiness against potential provocations from North Korea. "Ensuring national security and the lives and safety of the people is the government's most fundamental duty. There must not be even the slightest gap in any area — whether in diplomacy, security, defense, or economic security." The Acting President also presided over a State Council meeting to approve the 13-point-8 trillion won, or 9-point-six billion dollar supplementary budget passed by parliament, to fund wildfire recovery, AI research and development, public welfare, and infrastructure projects. Remarking on the fastest-ever passing of extra budget seen in the last two decades, Lee stressed the interim government must not cease to address challenges affecting national interests, such as trade consultations with the United States, 경제 안보, and global competition in key technologies like semiconductors and AI. Until the next government takes office next month, Lee requested all ministers fulfill their duties until the end, in the face of history. An economist globally renowned for education and innovation policy, the two-time Education Minister will run a caretaker government until a new president is elected. His responsibilities now span the country's presidency, the prime minister's office, and the Finance Ministry. With the Finance Minister's resignation, the Cabinet is left with only 14 members falling short of the 15 required to hold a State Council meeting. However, the Ministry of Government Legislation has ruled that the 15-member requirement refers to positions, not active individuals, and that with 11 or more attendees, the Cabinet can lawfully function. Oh Soo-young, Arirang News.

[Weather] Rain again across the country, temperatures drop a bit

2025/05/02 17:00

It stayed relatively cool even in the middle of the day today. The daytime temperature in Seoul rose to 20 degrees Celsius and 22 degrees in Daegu which was about 2 to 3 degrees lower than the usual temperature at this time of year. Temperatures will move down a bit with the rain tomorrow. There's frequent rain in the forecast during this extended weekend. Following tomorrow, it will rain across the country next Monday night and continue until Tuesday. Rain will begin in the central parts of the country early tomorrow and gradually spread to the whole country. These rain clouds won't stay long and will slowly recede during the daytime. Tomorrow, Seoul and Daejeon will start off at 9 degrees, Gyeongju at 10 degrees. Daily highs will rise up to 16 to 18 degrees nationwide except for Jeju at 23 degrees. Mild conditions with rain are expected until early next week. That's all for Korea. Here are the weather conditions around the world.

World News: Waltz out as U.S. national security adviser and tapped for UN ambassador

2025/05/02 17:00

This is the World Now, bringing you the latest stories from around the globe. U.S. President Donald Trump has removed National Security Adviser Mike Waltz following a security breach and named Secretary of State Marco Rubio his interim replacement. As part of the reshuffle, Trump has nominated Waltz as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. President Trump's decision was announced on Thursday local time. This comes after Waltz mistakenly added journalist Jeffrey Goldberg to a group chat of top officials discussing classified U.S. military operations in Yemen. While an internal review concluded the breach was accidental, the incident intensified tensions between Waltz and other officials over his hawkish foreign policy views. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been appointed as acting National Security Adviser, adding to his current roles as Secretary of State, acting administrator for the United States Agency for International Development, and U.S. Archivist. The Senate must now confirm Waltz's nomination as UN Ambassador. Parts of Northwest Europe are experiencing an unprecedented heatwave, with multiple countries recording their highest temperatures at the start of May. The United Kingdom saw its hottest start to May since records began on Thursday, with temperatures reaching 29.3 degrees Celsius at Kew Gardens in London, according to the Met Office. This surpasses the previous record of 27.4 degrees Celsius set in 1990. Elsewhere in Europe, cities including Paris and Berlin have also experienced unseasonably warm weather, with temperatures reaching 29 and 27 degrees Celsius, respectively. The early onset of such high temperatures raises concerns about the frequency and intensity of future heatwaves in the region. In Brazil, Sister Inah Canabarro Lucas, recognized as the world's oldest person, has died at the age of 116. Sister Inah passed away on April 30 in Porto Alegre due to natural causes. Born in 1908, Lucas became a Catholic nun in her early 20s and devoted her life to religious service and teaching. She joined the Teresian Sisters religious community in 1927 and spent decades educating students. Sister Inah was blessed by the late Pope Francis in 2018. She attributed her longevity to her faith, saying that "He is the secret of life." With her passing, 115-year-old Ethel Caterham in England now holds the title of oldest living person. Choi Chi-hee, Arirang News.

Honoring 80 years of liberation: history lives through records

2025/05/02 17:00

Starting tomorrow for those of us here in Korea we are looking ahead to a long weekend to celebrate Children's Day and Buddha's Birthday. That being said if you have yet to make plans do consider a meaningful exhibition here in central Seoul to mark the 80th anniversary of Korea's liberation. Our Lee Eun-hee was there. This year marks the 80th anniversary of Korea's liberation, when Korea regained independence from Japan in 1945 after 35년 of colonial rule. To mark the anniversary, and to show the daily lives of people during the colonial rule and other moments of Korea's recent history, the National Museum of Korean Contemporary History is holding a special exhibition called "Records, Memory of You." The displays, including official documents, diaries and literary works show more than just historical facts. They reveal the human emotions of the time-hope, sorrow and joy-so we can experience Korea's journey through the eyes of those who lived it. "This young soldier, unable to write to his illiterate father, asked a journalist to take his photo to take his photo to let him know he was alive — tragically, he was killed in action the very next day. And this stack of letters was exchanged between a couple separated by the Vietnam War, offering a glimpse into their hope to be reunited." Korea's struggle and pride are reflected in key moments in sports history. From the 1936 Berlin Olympics, where a Korean athlete won gold in the marathon but had to stand under the Japanese flag-to the nation's first international sports victory after liberation and its Olympics debut under the name "KOREA" these milestones capture the resilience and determination of a country reclaiming its identity. "Even though it was a time we never lived through, seeing over 80 years since Korea's first Olympics appearance made me feel how far our country has come, and also gave me a strange, nostalgic feeling, like I had been part of it." "I wanted to come to South Korea, to the Republic of Korea and visit and learn more about the history and arts and culture of the country. So this is actually my first stop. I arrived this morning so I'm very happy to be here and I find the exhibit to be fascinating and very emotional actually because it talks about the history of what has happened in the recent past." Held in collaboration with the Cheongju National Museum and the National Archives of Korea, the exhibition reminds us of the meaning of "Gwangbok" in Korean, meaning the restoration of lost sovereignty-and the importance of never forgetting those historic struggles. Lee Eun-hee, Arirang News.

Joseon Tongsinsa: Peacebuilding ship sets sail for Osaka

2025/05/02 17:00

A while back we covered an elaborate reenactment of a centuries-old diplomatic mission that begins in Korea and ends in Japan. WELL that mission is now re-enacting its trip to the neighboring country having set sail from Busan earlier this week. Our culture correspondent Song Yoo-jin files this report. The final stop on Korean soil for the Joseon Tongsinsa, Korea's diplomatic missions to Japan during the 17th to 19th centuries, was the port city of Busan. After arriving from Seoul, hundreds of envoys boarded ships bound for Japan. Every year, this historic moment is revived through the Joseon Tongsinsa Festival. Dressed in traditional Korean attire, hundreds of participants march through Busan, retracing the footsteps of the original envoys. "It's my first time participating, but it really made me reflect more deeply on Korea's relationship with Japan, such as the colonial era." "When I filled the form for this event, I did look it up, and it was like, it was a good historical piece that I got to know." And completing the recreation, the Tongsinsa ship has also been meticulously brought back to life. "This vessel, modeled after the original Tongsinsa ships, will set sail for Japan. By mid-May, the vessel is set to arrive in Osaka." This marks the first time in 261 years that the route to Osaka is being taken. The man behind this reconstruction is Hong Sun-jae, who has spent a decade bringing the historic vessel back to life. Since 2015, he's collected historical documents, studied ancient ship models, and traveled across the country to find the right timber. The ship launched in 2018, made its first voyage to Japan in 2023, and this year, it's heading farther than ever before. "This year marks 60 years since South Korea and Japan normalized diplomatic ties. Our ship will hold an arrival ceremony in Osaka on May 13th, Korea Day at the Osaka World Expo. Through this journey, we hope to promote peace and remind people that our two countries share a long history of connection, not just conflict." Having departed from Busan on April 28th, the ship will visit multiple ports in Japan, hosting exhibitions and performances, just as the Joseon Tongsinsa envoys did centuries ago to share Korean culture. Song Yoo-jin, Arirang News, Busan.

Gov't unveils 2025 plan for N. Korean defectors, boosting education and incentives

2025/05/02 17:00

The Unification Ministry has shared its latest settlement support plan for North Korean defectors. The plan expands academic opportunities for the children of defectors and offers tax incentives to businesses that hire defectors. It also strengthens safety nets for the elderly and working mothers. Seeking to build upon last year's framework the plan focuses on job creation and talent development aimed at giving defectors the chance to gain a firm foothold here in South Korea.

S. Korea, U.S. conduct first tabletop military exercise against N. Korea's space threats

2025/05/02 17:00

South Korea and the U.S. held their first tabletop exercise against space-based security threats posed by North Korea. The exercise between the Joint Chiefs of Staff and U.S. Space Forces Korea took place on Thursday and included response simulations to potential North Korean attacks against South Korean satellites such as GPS jamming. This tabletop training follows working-level talks on space partnership held in Washington D.C. last November.

S. Korea-U.S. conclude working-level 'technical discussions' on tariffs

2025/05/02 17:00

Working-level trade officials from South Korea and their U.S. counterparts have concluded their first "technical talks" on tariffs in Washington D.C. Our correspondent Lee Soo-jin has more. South Korean and U.S. trade officials concluded two days of "technical discussions" on bilateral trade issues on Thursday, local time. The discussions, which were held in Washington, mark the first working-level meeting between the South Korean delegation, led by Chang Sung-gil, the director-general for trade policy at the industry ministry, and their U.S. Trade Representative counterparts. While the details of the discussions were not disclosed, one source said the meeting's aim was to outline a framework for future full-scale talks. The meeting comes on the heels of last week's so-called "two-plus-two" trade negotiations between Industry Minister Ahn Duk-geun, and then-Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. During the high-level talks, the two sides agreed to create a trade package aimed at securing tariff exemptions by July 8, the day that a 90-day pause in tariffs set by U.S. President Donald Trump is set to expire. And South Korea is not the only Asian country that the U.S. is holding trade talks with. The second round of tariff negotiations between the U.S. and Japan kicked off on Thursday, local time, in Washington attended by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, and a delegation led by Japan's Economic Revitalization Minister Ryosei Akazawa. During the meeting, which lasted about an hour longer than the first round, the U.S. and Japan focused on expanding trade, addressing non-tariff measures, and strengthening cooperation on economic security. Bessent emphasized the Trump administration's focus on countries in Asia during an interview on Thursday. "I am concentrating on our Asian trading partners. So we're meeting with the Japanese delegation today. We've had some very good meetings with Korea. So, you know, we we are moving quickly." He also said that trade deals with other Asians countries may take place before China. White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller maintained a firm stance on China during a briefing on Thursday, saying that the U.S. will not tolerate intellectual property theft or mounting trade deficits. He also said the trade deficit in auto trade between the U.S. and South Korea, Japan and the European Union, was "unsustainable" under fair trade conditions. Lee Soo-jin, Arirang News.

April consumer prices up 2.1% y/y; fourth straight month in 2% range

2025/05/02 17:00

Consumer prices continue to hover on the two-percent range here in Korea for the fourth month in a row. Park Jun-han covers the findings for this past April. Inflation in South Korea persists despite low oil prices, spurred by high food and dining out costs. According to data from Statistics Korea on Friday, South Korea's inflation in April stood at 2-point-1 percent year-on-year. Consumer prices have been showing increases in the two-percent range over the past four months. High exchange rates due to the weakening of the Korean won and supply constraints pushed up the prices of processed foods and the cost of dining out. Compared to April last year, prices of processed foods went up by 4-point-1 percent. This is the highest level of increase in 16 months. In the same period, the cost of dining out went up by 3-point-2 percent. This is the highest level of increase in 13 months. Declining global oil prices eased inflationary pressure, as prices of petroleum products fell 1-point-7 percent, offsetting earlier gains. An expert from Statistics Korea pointed to the impact of the drop in global oil prices from around 89 U.S. dollars per barrel in April last year to around 68 dollars per barrel this April as a reason why further increases in consumer prices did not occur. "The fluctuations in consumer prices were due to a downward shift in petroleum products due to a decline in global oil prices." While the rise in the exchange rate contributed to April's inflation, and falling global oil prices limited further increases in consumer prices, this data alone does not indicate a long-term economic trend. "Although it used to go up, the exchange rate is falling a lot at the moment, so I think the exchange rate problem will go away sooner or later. About the global oil price issue, oil prices have also dropped a lot recently, but they might go up again, so I don't think the inflation issue is stabilized yet." Meanwhile, the prices of fresh produce fell by 1-point-9 percent, marking the largest drop since March 2022. Despite global uncertainties, an expert from Statistics Korea expects the country's inflation level to remain around 2 percent in the near future. Park Jun-han, Arirang News.

Fmr. PM Han declares presidential candidacy ahead of PPP convention; DP proposes bill following Lee's court ruling

2025/05/02 17:00

And as mentioned in that report Han Duck-soo has declared his intentions to join the presidential race on June 3rd. Our political correspondent Shin Ha-young covers this declaration as well as the latest on the election front. Former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo officially announced his run for president on Friday morning, just one day after stepping down as acting president and prime minister. "I just can't accept that even trade and diplomacy, which are vital to our national interest, are being used for political fights. I've decided to find a way to contribute for the future of the Republic of Korea I love, and for all of us." Han pledged immediate constitutional reform. He laid out a plan to draft an amendment in his first year in office, complete it in the second, hold general and presidential elections in the third year under the new Constitution, and then step down immediately. He also pledged to tackle trade issues including U.S. tariffs as well as to work for national unity and support the vulnerable. Han's entry into the race is expected to shake up the People Power Party's primary, now in its final stage, as he's expected to form a coalition with the PPP's final candidate. The PPP will wrap up its two-day voting on Friday to choose the party's presidential candidate, with results based 50 percent on party members and 50 percent on a public opinion poll. Ahead of the party convention on Saturday, where the final candidate will be announced, Kim Moon-soo and Han Dong-hoon on Friday visited different regions to gather support. Kim focused on the Seoul Metropolitan Area, while Han visited Busan and Gyeongsangnam-do Province. Meanwhile, despite the political fallout from the Supreme Court's decision on his election law violation case, Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung is sticking to his schedule. Lee visited Gangwon-do Province to listen to the voices of the people. The Supreme Court on Thursday sent Lee's election law violation case back to the high court with the intent of a guilty verdict. The DP's election committee on Friday criticized the ruling, calling it an unfair political decision. The National Assembly Legislation and Judiciary Committee led by members of the DP decided on Friday to initiate the review of a DP-proposed amendment to the Criminal Procedure Act, despite opposition from PPP members. The amendment aims to halt legal proceedings once a defendant is elected president. The DP plans to refer the bill to a plenary session next week. Shin Ha-young, Arirang News.

YOUTUBE, HALLYU AND TRAVEL

2025/05/02 17:00

Welcome to Press Perspective. It's Friday May 2nd and time for our talk.. on a host of headlines related to social and entertainment news. For this I have writer Colin Marshall here in the studio. Colin welcome back. I also have Marianna Baroli a journalist for the weekly Italian news magazine Panorama. Marianna it's a pleasure. 1) Colin, YouTube turned twenty this year, and Psy's Gangnam Style as well as Pinkfong's VERSION of Baby Shark were listed among the biggest moments of its history. Do tell us more. 2) And Marianna, what can you tell us about the role played by YouTube in promoting Hallyu or the Korean Wave on the global stage? 3) Colin, YouTube appears to have strengthened its status as THE platform for content creators. What are your thoughts regarding this reality? 4) Marianna, YouTube's "auto-translate" feature can translate captions into the language of your choice. What does this mean for non-English content including that from Korea? 5) Marianna, in recent times, there have tangible signs that China is slowly embracing Hallyu again. What more can you add? 6) Colin, moving forward. Starting tomorrow, we are looking ahead to a long weekend in celebration of Children's Day and Buddha's Birthday. Initially, there was talk about designating today, that is Friday, a temporary holiday to boost travel and leisure activities in hopes of bolstering domestic consumption. However, this idea was scrapped as findings showed Koreans opting for foreign destinations rather than domestic locations. What do you believe is discouraging Koreans from travel within borders? 7) And Marianna, while Koreans choose to venture overseas for their holidays, many foreign travelers from neighboring countries have made their way here. What appear to be their expectations about Korea prior to their trip here, and what accounts for a significant portion of their spending here?? 8) Colin, in contrast, what are the aspects that need to be addressed to better accommodate our foreign guests? All right.

K-wave AI News

2025/05/02 14:00

Hello and welcome to your AI guide to the latest cultural updates from Korea. Here's our top story. A variety of festivals and hands-on events for families will take place across Seoul marking the six-day "golden holiday." At Seoul City Hall and Seoul Plaza, visitors can enjoy a celebration marking the first anniversary of the new design for the city's official mascot, Haechi, with magic shows, opera performances, and cheerleading, among others. Over on Nodeul Island in the Hangang River, the eye-catching "Seoul Circus Festival" offers a unique experience. Seoul Grand Park will host various performances and interactive programs, and offer free admission for visitors under 13 and over 65 on Children’s Day. Detailed information on holiday programs is available on the Seoul city website, seoul.go.kr, and the Seoul Culture Portal, culture.seoul.go.kr. The city of Chuncheon in Gangwon-do Province has launched the "Chuncheon Tour Pass" to revamp local tourism and attract more family travelers. The pass is a QR-based digital ticket that offers access to major attractions, restaurants, and diverse experiences across the city. A 24-hour pass is available for 15,900 won and a 48-hour pass for 49,900 won. Purchases can be made through major online travel agencies. Chuncheon City plans to operate the pass program as a six-month pilot through October, intending to expand it after a review. A special exhibition “Mana Moana – Arts of the Great Ocean, Oceania” is now on display at the National Museum of Korea, offering an in-depth look at the rich cultures of the Oceania region. Highlighting the history, art, and traditions that flourished across the vast Pacific Ocean, the exhibition features over 170 artifacts from the 18th to 20th centuries, along with eight contemporary works. Divided into four thematic sections, the exhibition explores the region’s distinctive cultural expressions through a range of objects, including centuries-old navigation techniques, canoe craftsmanship, ornaments, and sculptures from islands scattered across the Pacific. This marks Korea’s first exhibition dedicated to the Oceania region, and will be on display until September 14. That’s all from me. Keep it tuned to the Kulture Wave.

Latest in K-Sports

2025/05/02 14:00

An exciting weekend is coming up for golf fans in Korea, with LIV Golf coming to the country for the first time ever. For this and other updates in the world of sports, we are now joined by our sportscaster Jason Lee in the studio. Welcome Jason! Q1. Starting off with the LPGA, Japan's Mao Saigo took the first LPGA major of the year, but there was a pretty crazy finish to the event which was an unprecedented five-way playoff, not to mention the performance of Korea's Kim Hyo-Joo . You might recall, I previously mentioned how Kim Hyo-Joo won the Ford Championship in Arizona at the end of March that was the 2nd win by a Korean on the LPGA tour this year. And yeah, Kim Hyo-Joo was trying to take an even bigger bite at the Chevron Championship in Texas. She was 1 of 5 players who finished 7-under over the 4-rounds. She would par the playoff hole, while Mao Saigo birdied it to take the event. Kim had the lowest score in the final round among the 5 players in the playoff so she came from behind on the last day. I will also note that among the 3 ladies tied for 6th place, 2 of them were Koreans. Former world number-1 Ko Jing-Young and Ryu Haeran were both 2 strokes off the pace and another Korean Choi Hye-Jin was another stroke back to tie for 9th. It's unfortunate that Kim Hyo-Joo wasn't able to close out the deal, but still a strong showing by the Korean ladies in the year's first major. Q2-1. Sticking with golf, we did give a preview last time you were here LIV Golf is in Korea for the first time this weekend. What do we need to know about the inaugural event? Let's first go over what is LIV golf what's all the fuss about? It's a pro tour that made headlines a couple of years ago after poaching a lot of the top PGA golfers with exorbitant signing bonuses often in the hundreds of millions of dollars. It was rumoured that Tiger Woods turned down a Billion dollar deal to defect to the dark side as they've sometimes been called. Q2-2. Tell us more about the 'dark side' or controversies surrounding the event. They're backed by Saudi Arabian oil money as they try to diversify their investments. The PGA obviously wasn't pleased about their growth and threat of becoming legitimate competition from a business standpoint so let's just say LIV golf received a lot of negative press from players and media loyal to the PGA. But they've grown and basically have a good chunk of the top 50 golfers in the world. Every golf fan would probably know most of the 48 players in their tour this year and even casual sports fans would have heard the names of a lot of their top guys and again, these are golfers that were often receiving 200-300 thousand dollar signing bonuses to make the switch and you just don't pay that kind of money to no-name athletes. Q2-3. What about the actual event? I've heard it's a bit different from a typical PGA Event There are a few differences but it's still golf where you play 18 holes and the best score wins. The biggest difference is that it's a shotgun start which means that Everyone starts at the same time on a different hole so there's less wasted time basically everyone should start and finish around the same time whereas in PGA events everyone starts on the first hole and ends at 18 so the last group will be the last ones on the course and the first group will start alone on the course. The other difference or maybe I should call it an addition is that it's not just 48 golfers. Each golfer is on a 4-man team and at the end of the year there is extra money to be earned for teams as well with the winning team splitting 16 million dollars 4 ways on top of any individual earnings as well. Basically they're just giving away a lot more money with the signing bonuses, the individual purses and then bonus money for the team events as well. I guess you can kinda think of it like F1 Racing where you're trying to win, but you also have a teammate racing out there as well and his success is good for you as well. Q3. Moving on to football Son Heung-Min is still unable to play because of a foot injury he suffered three weeks ago. What's the latest on his status at Tottenham Hotspur? Yeah, this has actually gone on a lot longer than I initially thought it would. Son Heung-Min has been out since April 11th in their Europa match against Frankfurt. Son was ruled out for the first leg of the Europa semi-final against Boda-Glimt. Hopefully he'll be ready for the 2nd leg of that on Friday, May 9th Korean time. Of course Korea's next game for World Cup qualifying is June 5th against Iraq and June 10th against Kuwait so hopefully he's healthy with a few games under his belt by then. Q4. Lee Jung-Hoo remains hot for the San Francisco Giants in Major League Baseball. What's the latest on him? Q5. Onto domestic baseball Kia's Kim Do-Young has made his season debut after missing the first month with a thigh injury. How has he been since his return?

[K-wave] National treasure paintings featured at Kansong Art Museum Daegu exhibition

2025/05/02 14:00

Gyeomjae Jeong Seon is an artist of the 18th century who greatly impacted the history of art in Korea, leading the shift in art style to true landscape views of the Joseon kingdom. It is one of his paintings that adorns the back of the 1-thousand won bill. Our Lee Eun-jin gives us a glipse into an exhibition where visitors can now see his representative works. The Scene of Inwangsan Mountain After Rain. Considered a true landscape painting that used ink to show the rain-soaked mountainscape in 1751, the painting titled 'Inwangjesaekdo' is a masterpiece by Gyeomjae Jeong Seon, a painter of the late Joseon Dynasty. He drew the piece at the age of 76. A winter landscape of Mount Kumgang. This painting titled 'Geumgang jeondo' is another one of Gyeomjae Jeong Seon's masterpieces and it continues to receive the most praise among all his works. Each mountaintop is expressed as well to show an aerial view. He drew this piece at the age of 59. "On the top corner of the painting, there is a poem that says looking at this painting is more pleasant than going to the actual Mount Kumgang. With it, the painting as a whole encompasses the desires of the people at the time who could not visit Mount Kumgang." These two representative works of art by Gyeomjae Jeong Seon are not only considered by far the best among many landscape paintings of Korea, but are also designated as National Treasures -numbers 216 and 217. Also, it is his 'Geumgang jeondo' painting that adorns the back of South Korea's 1-thousand won bill. From the then-prevailing imitation paintings of Chinese art, the arrival of Gyeomjae Jeong Seon's new style of painting left a lasting impact on Korean art. A new era was opened as Gyeomjae Jeong Seon established original "true-view" paintings of Korea's mountains and streams to which he visited himself while traveling. "Paintings started to portray our land and our lives, expressing the pride of living on Joseon land." Now the representative works of Gyeomjae Jeong Seon have been gathered in one place on the largest scale ever. The two giants of ancient art exhibitors in Korea, Hoam and Kansong Art Museums, have collaborated to exhibit artwork from 18 institutions and private collections. This special exhibition titled 'The Sense of Beauty within Bird-and-Flower Paintings' features "Hwajohwa", meaning flower-and-bird painting, which has become a prominent genre in Korean traditional art, as it transitioned from the 16th to 19th centuries. But it also reveals things about Gyeomjae that we did not know, welcoming visitors to the Kansong Art Museum Daegu from April 30th through August 3rd. Lee Eunjin, Arirang News.

[K-enter] NCT DOYOUNG confirms additional show after sold-out concerts

2025/05/02 14:00

You've got some updates on NCT member DOYOUNG and his solo concert. Please fill us in. DOYOUNG is adding to his solo concerts after receiving an explosive response from the fans. The “2025 DOYOUNG CONCERT ,” scheduled to be held at Jamsil Indoor Stadium in Seoul on June 14th and 15th, sold out both days just with fan club pre-sales. So the artist has decided to hold an additional show on June 13th. The tickets for it will be available on May 12th for fan club pre-sales and May 13th for general sales. Since DOYOUNG’s first solo concert at Kyung Hee University Peace Hall in Seoul last year, he has been expanding the scale of his concerts every time. Meanwhile, DOYOUNG is set to release his second solo album on June 9th. One more chance for DOYOUNG’s fans to get their hands on the tickets. For our next story, we stay on the note of music, but this time it’s a rock festival. Which festival are we talking about? We are talking about the Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival. It has revealed the first names on this year’s lineup that features a blend of legendary acts and rising stars from around the globe. First, the iconic Britpop band, Pulp, is headlining the festival. It’s Pulp’s first-ever concert in Korea. The band, formed in 1978, rose to prominence in the 90s with their hit songs like “Babies” and “Common People.” They recently announced the release of their new album, titled “More,” in June -a first release in 24 years. Some Korean artists featured in the line-up are singer-songwriter Chang Ki-ha, vocalist Song Sohee, and the band Hyukoh, who will team up with Taiwanese indie band Sunset Rollercoaster. The 2025 Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival will be held from August 1st to 3rd at Songdo Moonlight Festival Park in Incheon. This year, the festival celebrates its 20th anniversary and about 60 domestic and international artists are expected to perform. It's interesting to see Song Sohee in the lineup, as she used to be a popular traditional folk singer and now has transformed into a contemporary music singer-songwriter. Lastly, we are going to move onto Netflix. Korean Netflix series are doing amazing, so it’s exciting to hear about a new release, especially when it’s a first for Korea? The first Korean original animated film on Netflix, “Lost in Starlight,” is set to be released on May 30th. The film, taking place in Seoul in the year 2050, depicts a romance between astronaut Nan-young, who dreams of Mars exploration, and Jay, who has put aside his dream of becoming a musician. It is the work of director Han Ji-won, who rose to prominence in the Korean animation scene as a pioneer after winning the Grand Award at the Seoul Indie-Ani Fest with her debut work “Kopi Luwak.” Actors Kim Tae-ri and Hong Kyung lend their voices to Nan-young and Jay respectively. If you want to catch Korea’s first-ever original animated film on Netflix, make sure to check it out on May 30th. Excited to see how well a Korean animation will do on Netflix. Thank you Bella for today’s stories.

S. Korea-U.S. conclude working-level 'technical discussions' on tariffs

2025/05/02 10:00

South Korean industry ministry officials and their U.S. counterparts have wrapped up their first working-level "technical discussion," which follows the "two-plus-two" trade talks held last week. Our Lee Soo-jin tells us more. South Korean and U.S. trade officials concluded two days of "technical discussions" on bilateral trade issues on Thursday, local time. The discussions, which were held in Washington, marks the first working-level meeting between the South Korean delegation, led by Chang Sung-gil, the director-general for trade policy at the industry ministry, and their U.S. Trade Representative counterparts. While the details of the discussions were not disclosed, one source said the meeting aimed to outline a framework for future full-scale talks. The meeting comes on the heels of last week’s so-called "two-plus-two" trade negotiations between Industry Minister Ahn Duk-geun, and then-Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. During the high-level talks, the two sides agreed to create a trade package aimed at securing tariff exemptions by July 8, the day that a 90-day pause in tariffs set by U.S. President Donald Trump is set to expire. And South Korea is not the only Asian country that the U.S. is holding trade talks with. The second round of tariff negotiations between the U.S. and Japan kicked off on Thursday, local time, in Washington between Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and his Japanese counterpart,.. Economic Revitalization Minister Ryosei Akazawa. Bessent emphasized the Trump administration's focus on countries in Asia during an interview on Thursday. "I am concentrating on our Asian trading partners. So we're meeting with the Japanese delegation today. We've had some good meetings with Korea. So, you know, we we are moving quickly." He also said that trade deals with other Asians countries may take place before China. White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller maintained a firm stance on China during a briefing on Thursday, saying that the U.S. will not tolerate intellectual property theft or mounting trade deficits. He also said the trade deficit in auto trade between the U.S. and South Korea, Japan and the European Union, was "unsustainable" under fair trade conditions. Lee Soo-jin, Arirang News.

April consumer prices up 2.1% y/y, fourth straight month in 2% range

2025/05/02 10:00

Consumer prices here have been showing an increase in the two-percent range over the past four months. According to data from Statistics Korea on Friday, consumer prices in April increased 2.1 percent year-on-year. The depreciation of the Korean won triggered price increases in processed foods and the cost of dining out. Notably, prices of processed foods rose by 4.1 percent year-on-year, and prices of dining out went up by 3.2 percent. In the meantime, the prices of fresh produce fell by 1.9 percent, marking the largest drop since March 2022.

Education minister now leads S. Korea as finance minister resigns following DP's impeachment push

2025/05/02 10:00

South Korea is now led by Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs and Education Minister, Lee Ju-ho fourth in line to the presidency. This comes as Deputy Prime Minister for Finance Choi Sang-mok was initially set to take over again as caretaker but stepped down after the Democratic Party moved to impeach him. Let’s bring in Kim Do-yeon, live from the National Assembly. Do-yeon, walk us through what happened. Dami, tensions flared at the National Assembly last night as the Democratic Party pushed an impeachment motion against Choi Sang-mok — just hours before he was to assume caretaker duties. The DP abruptly changed the plenary agenda, bringing an idle bill to a vote right after Prime Minister Han Duck-soo’s resignation. Choi, who had been present for a vote on the supplementary budget, walked out as the impeachment motion was read and submitted his resignation to then Acting President Han, who accepted effectively halting the vote. The DP accused Choi of being complicit in the alleged insurrection tied to former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s martial law declaration among other unconstitutional acts. In protest, People Power Party lawmakers walked out calling it political retaliation for the Supreme Court’s ruling on DP presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung earlier in the day. Now, for the first time in South Korean history, the Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs is serving as acting president. New Acting President Lee Ju-ho began Friday with an emergency National Security Council meeting vowing to keep security tight. Here’s also what he said upon entering office for the first time. "I feel a great sense of responsibility. With the election just a month away, my top priority is ensuring a fair process." Now, this all stems from former Acting President and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo resigning to run for the presidency earlier yesterday and I believe at the moment, he's at the National Assembly to declare his presidency. Catch us up with this. That's right Dami. The former Acting President and Prime Minister is currently giving his declaration speech for his candidacy for the presidency. This comes as at 4 PM yesterday then Acting President Han as anticipated said he will resign effective as of midnight. First, take a listen to what he had to say yesterday. To help overcome the crisis we face, I’ve decided to step down and do what I can, and must do. Following the impeachment and removal of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, Han Duck-soo has been the nation's interim leader. While he was impeached himself by the National Assembly, the Constitutional Court restored him to his duties just 39 days ago. But his move to run for president was widely expected with some People Power Party lawmakers calling for him to run and recent polling showing him ahead of other conservative leaders favored for the next presidency though still behind the DP's Lee Jae-myung. Dami. Do-yeon, do keep us posted please. Thank you.