News

Remains of six Korean independence activists return home

2025/08/13 22:35

Ahead of the 80th anniversary of Korea's liberation from Japanese colonial rule this Friday, the remains of six Korean independence activists were returned home today from the United States, Brazil, and Canada. A repatriation ceremony was held at the Seoul National Cemetery, where Prime Minister Kim Min-seok posthumously awarded each of them the Order of Merit for National Foundation. In his address, the Prime Minister said that bringing home the remains of independence fighters is a solemn duty, and vowed that the government will continue these efforts until the very last hero is laid to rest. The remains will be buried at the Daejeon National Cemetery.

Putin shares information on upcoming summit with U.S. to N. Korean leader Kim

2025/08/13 22:35

Before meeting President Lee Jae Myung at the White House later this month, U.S. President Donald Trump is set to hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin this week in Alaska. Ahead of that meeting, Putin spoke over the phone with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Kim Bo-kyoung reports on Kim's reaction, and what could be on the table when Putin and Trump meet. Russian President Vladimir Putin, during a phone call on Tuesday, briefed North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on the upcoming summit between himself and U.S. President Donald Trump. Putin is set to meet Trump in Alaska on Friday to discuss the Ukraine war, as U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff's visit to Russia on August 6th laid the foundations for the summit to take place. According to the Kremlin on Tuesday local time, Putin highly assessed Pyongyang's support for operations in the Kursk region, and the two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to further developing cooperative relations in all areas in line with the mutual defense treaty they signed in June last year. According to the Korean Central News Agency on Wednesday, Kim Jong-un expressed his full support. Meanwhile, the White House has reconfirmed that the Putin-Trump summit is going to be a bilateral one, not involving Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The White House press secretary added that the goal is to have a better understanding of how the war could end. "I think this is a listening exercise for the president. Look, only one party that's involved in this war is going to be present, and so this is for the president to go and to get, again, a more firm and better understanding of how we can hopefully bring this war to an end." When asked about whether the issue of dispatching North Korean troops to Russia would be discussed, Tammy Bruce, State Department Spokesperson, said the content of the dialogue can only be known by the two leaders. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on Tuesday vowed not to give eastern Ukrainian land the Donbas region to Russia, adding that it would open a bridgehead for a Russian offensive. He said Moscow would have to agree to a ceasefire before territorial issues are discussed. Kim Bo-kyoung, Arirang News.

Pres. Lee to visit Japan for summit from Aug. 23 in potential resumption of regular high-level meetings

2025/08/13 22:34

Our other major story tonight: President Lee Jae Myung's summit diplomacy. A day after setting the date for the South Korea-U.S. summit, the Presidential Office today announced that President Lee will first visit Japan next weekend for talks with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. Our Park Kun-woo reports. A Korea-Japan summit will take place next week. The Presidential Office officially announced on Wednesday that President Lee plans to head to Japan for two days from August 23rd to meet his Japanese counterpart Prime Minister Ishiba. This means his visit will take place right ahead of Lee's scheduled meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump on August 25th. "We hope Lee's visit strengthens the personal relationship and trust between the two leaders. They are expected to explore ways for future-oriented cooperation between the two countries along with their trilateral cooperation with the U.S." The upcoming Lee-Ishiba summit comes after the two leaders agreed to immediately resume regular high-level meetings during the G7 summit held in Canada's Kananaskis in June. The Presidential Office added regional issues regarding peace and stability, along with other global issues may be discussed. While the exact agenda has yet to be decided on, the office added issues regarding import regulations for fisheries imports could be on the table, with the government raising potential health issues that could affect Koreans. With less than two weeks left until the meeting, eyes are on whether this signals a resumption of regular summits between the two countries. Park Kun-woo, Arirang News.

President Lee picks new education, gender minister candidates

2025/08/13 22:33

President Lee Jae Myung has named new nominees to head the Education and Gender Equality ministries. Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik announced on this Wednesday that Choi Kyo-jin, the current superintendent of Sejong Metropolitan City Office of Education, has been chosen to lead the Education Ministry, a post that also serves as Deputy Prime Minister. Kang described Choi as an "education expert" who has dedicated four decades to the field. Lawyer Won Min-kyong, who has served on the National Assembly's Gender Equality Advisory Committee, has been nominated as Minister of Gender Equality and Family. Both positions have remained vacant after the President's initial picks withdrew or resigned following allegations of plagiarism and workplace abuse.

S.Korea and Vietnam agree on expanded Trade, Defense, and Strategic Partnership

2025/08/13 21:35

Welcome to Within The Frame, where we bring the most pressing issues across the globe into focus. I'm Kim Mok-yeon. The Vietnamese head of state is in Korea this week on a visit carrying significant diplomatic and economic weight. Meeting with President Lee Jae Myung on August 11th, the two leaders agreed to deepen their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, expanding cooperation in defense, economy, science, culture, and infrastructure. Businesses from both countries also gathered in Seoul to explore new opportunities, as the two sides set a goal to nearly double trade volume to 150 billion U.S. dollars by 2030. With more than 10,000 Korean companies already active in Vietnam, the outcomes of this visit could shape the next phase of economic growth and regional strategy, with even more developments to watch for in the months ahead. For a deeper discussion on this, we connect to Joon Woo Lee, representative director at Yoon & Yang Law Vietnam LLC. Welcome. Also joining us is Lee Jae-hyon, senior fellow at Asan Institute for Policy Studies. Good to see you. 1. (Jae-hyon) Let's begin with Dr.Lee, on the 11th, Korea and Vietnam adopted a Joint Statement on deepening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, covering strengthened cooperation in defense, economy, science, and culture. How would you assess the overall outcome of this summit? 2. (Joon Woo) Now let's bring in Director Lee to the conversation, so you are currently based in Vietnam. What is the local sentiment regarding this summit? And how do people in Vietnam view the results achieved? 3. (Joon Woo) Looking specifically at trade, the two nations agreed to expand bilateral trade from the current level of about 86.7 billion U.S. dollars to 150 billion dollars by 2030. Director, How do you think the economic cooperation plans announced at the summit will translate into real opportunities for Korean companies? What benefits can be expected? 4. (Jae-hyon) Now to the bigger picture of global trade, amid the restructuring of trade systems, Dr.Lee what is the diplomatic significance and importance of the decision to roughly double Korea–Vietnam trade within the next five years? Could this be seen as part of a broader move to strengthen economic ties with ASEAN? 5. (Joon Woo) Turning to Korean companies already in Vietnam, more than 10,000 are currently operating there, and the two countries agreed to work closely to ensure their stable business activities. From a national policy perspective Director Lee, what measures do you think are necessary to guarantee these companies' operations? 6. (Jae-hyon) On the resources front, the summit also led to an agreement to expand supply chain cooperation on critical minerals such as rare earths. In an era where resource protectionism has weaponized rare earths, what diplomatic benefits could cooperation with Vietnam bring Dr.Lee? 7. (Jae-hyon) In terms of security and defense, another achievement of this summit is the expansion of the stage for Korean defense exports. The two nations agreed to restart the Korea–Vietnam Defense and Military Cooperation Committee, which had been suspended since 2008, and to strengthen defense cooperation. Dr.Lee, In the complex geopolitical environment of the South China Sea, what is the strategic significance of this move? 8. (Joon Woo) On infrastructure and development, Korea and Vietnam also agreed to cooperate in areas such as nuclear power, high-speed railways, and new city development, opening new opportunities for Korean companies in Vietnam. Director.Lee, What major localization challenges do Korean companies face when investing or entering the Vietnamese market? 9. (Jae-hyon) Finally, looking ahead, this summit is seen as a starting signal for expanding and deepening Korea's diplomacy in Southeast Asia. For the Lee Jae-myung administration's successful pragmatic diplomacy, how should Korea's Southeast Asia policy move forward Dr.Lee?

WOMEN ON COINS AND ON PREFERENCE LISTS

2025/08/13 19:45

Hello and welcome to yet another edition of Press Perspective. It's Wednesday August 13th here in Seoul. I'm Min Sunhee. It's that time of the week during which we touch upon a number of diverse social stories related to South Korea that made international headlines. For this I have Kelly Kasulis Cho with The Washington Post. Kelly welcome back. It's been over a month since we last had the pleasure of your presence here. I also have writer Colin Marshall with us. Colin it's good to have you here. Colin, a Korean-American disability rights activist has been depicted on a U.S. quarter dollar released this year as part of the American Women quarters program. First, do tell us a bit about this program, and then, do touch upon the significance of the inclusion of the Korean-American activist. And Kelly, what more can you tell us about Stacey Park Milbern and her contribution to the American society? Moving forward, Kelly, this next topic is something we touched upon in one of our previous shows, but we're revisiting it given its relevance to changing social values here. A poll by Gallup International shows more Koreans would choose to have a daughter over a son if they were to pick a gender. First, do briefly walk us through this latest poll, and how do you explain this particular finding? Colin, as I mentioned earlier, we touched upon the growing preference for daughters a while back in light of an article by The Economist. That being said, do you suppose the growing preference for daughters may lead to unexpected social ramifications? Kelly, the New York Times last week published an article highlighting yet again the gender debate here in South Korea. First, what was the article about, and second, what's your takeaway? And Colin, here now is the tough question. Do you believe there is indeed a difference in the treatment of women by men here in Korea as compared to their counterparts in the West? Also, how do you explain the heated gender debate here in Korea? Meanwhile Kelly, Reuters points out the South Korean military has shrunk in size amid the fall in male population. Do tell us more about this reality and its implications. Colin, concerns over defense posture have reignited the debate over conscripting women. How feasible is the plan of expanding the presence of female troops? All right.

President Lee vows to overcome conflict as 5-year policy road map unveiled

2025/08/13 19:43

President Lee Jae Myung vowed to overcome social conflict through integration, with his five-year policy blueprint unveiled today. "I will make a country where the people are treated as owners, the real Republic of Korea where everyone is happy, together. Beyond conflict and confrontation, I will open a path towards integration through politics that unite the people." Lee was speaking at an event in Seoul on Wednesday where a road map was unveiled by the State Affairs Planning Committee, which concluded its two-months-long job as a de-facto transition team. Included were 123 tasks in five areas, including politics, the economy and foreign affairs.

[Weather] Heavy rain tomorrow, about 50-150mm in Seoul metropolitan area

2025/08/13 19:43

Heavy rain of around 30 to 80 millimeters per hour has been passing through the Seoul metropolitan area and northern parts of Gangwon-do Province. Heavy rain warnings are in effect in Seoul, Incheon, and the northern parts of Gyeonggi-do Province, while heavy rain advisories are in place for other areas of the capital region and northern parts of Gangwon-do Province. By tomorrow morning, more than 200 millimeters of rain is expected in Incheon and northern parts of Gyeonggi-do Province, 50 to 150 in the Seoul metropolitan area, and over 150 millimeters in inland areas of Gangwon-do Province. Seoul and Busan will start warm at 26 degrees Celsius tomorrow morning, Chucheon at 24 degrees. Daily highs will move up to 29 degrees in Seoul and Chuncheon, 35 degrees in Gyeongju. Rain in the central parts of the country will continue until Friday morning. That's all for Korea. Here are the weather conditions around the world.

World News: Wildfires rage across southern Europe as temperatures top 40C

2025/08/13 19:42

This is the World Now, bringing you the latest stories from around the globe. From Spain to the Balkans, a severe heatwave is driving temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius and fires have broken out across southern Europe, resulting in three deaths and forcing thousands to evacuate. In Spain, a wildfire near Madrid resulted in one death late Monday and forced the evacuation of 180 people. Another person died fighting fires in northwest Spain, while in southern Spain's Cadiz region, over 2,000 tourists and residents were evacuated from hotels and beaches as a fast-moving blaze filled the skies with black smoke. Spain's military said on Tuesday that nearly 1,000 soldiers have been deployed to combat wildfires across the country. Greece, which is facing more than 100 wildfires, has requested emergency assistance including water-dropping planes from the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism. Wildfires have broken out in several other countries. One person fighting fires in Montenegro died when a water tanker overturned, while in Turkiye, around 50,000 people have been evacuated due to fires. Scientists warn that climate change is turning southern Europe into a tinderbox due to rising temperatures and prolonged droughts. Egypt has announced that Cairo is actively engaging with Qatar and the United States as mediators to negotiate a 60-day ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. During a news conference on Tuesday, Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty stated that Egypt is "working very hard in full cooperation with the Qataris and Americans" to revive a previous ceasefire proposal. This plan includes a 60-day truce, conditional releases of hostages and Palestinian detainees, and unrestricted access for humanitarian aid into Gaza. Abdelatty emphasized that discussions are ongoing with both Hamas and Israeli authorities, based on a recent initiative from the U.S. and Qatar. Last month, negotiations in Doha failed to achieve a breakthrough for a ceasefire and the release of hostages, as Israel and the U.S. withdrew their delegations, citing unacceptable demands from Hamas. In France, a swarm of jellyfish caused a temporary shutdown of four of the six reactors at the Gravelines nuclear power plant, one of the country's largest, as of Monday morning, after clogging the cooling system's filters. EDF, the company that operates the plant, stated that teams are conducting inspections to restart the site "in complete safety," and that the reactors that were shut down are expected to restart on Thursday. While the company reassured that no safety or environmental risks were linked to the incident, experts warn that an increase in jellyfish blooms exacerbated by climate change is increasing the risk of power plant interruptions. Finally, in South Africa's Adventures With Elephants sanctuary in Bela-Bela, visitors celebrated World Elephant Day on Tuesday by interacting with a herd of rescued African elephants. As part of what was described as a rare and respectful opportunity to connect with the animals firsthand, visitors had the chance to feed and touch the largest mammals on earth. A special tour commemorating the day also included the reserve's educational team, which informed visitors about the history of elephants and emphasized their intelligence and memory. Choi, Chi-hee, Arirang News.

Art galleries, museums become popular during summer vacation season

2025/08/13 19:42

Meanwhile for those of you in the southern resort island of Jeju who are seeking some shelter from the scorching heat a trip to an art gallery there may prove to be quite rewarding. Cha Yun-kyung reports. "Dreams of a Butterfly on Jeju," a special exhibition on Seok Joo-myung in celebration of the 80th Anniversary of Korea's Liberation from Japan, is currently being held by Jeju National Museum. Seok was a lepidopterist who made significant contributions to the taxonomy of around 250 butterfly species in Korea. At the exhibition, visitors can find paintings of butterflies by Nam Gye-u, a painter of the Joseon Dynasty whose works were praised by Seok. There is also Seok's legacy reflecting the nature and life on Jeju Island, such as his research notes on his drawings. The exhibition will be held until October 19th at the Special Exhibition Gallery of Jeju National Museum. "It is too hot outside. So, we came into the exhibition hall. There are some species that we never knew before. It is great content to show our children." Meanwhile, an exhibition of artwork by Marc Chagall is also being held at Jeju Museum of Art. His engraved print series, "Daphnis and Chloe," is being shown in Korea for the first time. Visitors can spend a lot of time at the gallery perusing the wonderful colors and storytelling behind his work. The exhibition will also be held until October 19th. "It feels so great when we get into the museum and artworks also purify our minds." Spending a summer vacation at art galleries and museums is becoming a trend since people can get some rest while enjoying artistic culture. Cha Yun-kyung, Arirang News.

From final brushstrokes to burnt Taegeukgi: Illuminating Korea’s resistance heritage

2025/08/13 19:41

Come Friday Korea commemorates its 80th anniversary of liberation from Japanese colonial rule and in light of this occasion a number of related exhibitions are underway here on the local front. Our Park Hyo-been takes us to one such event. Korea's darkest days, and the courage of those who refused to bow, now gathered in one place. To mark the 80th anniversary of Korea's Liberation from Japanese colonial rule, a special exhibition at Deoksugung Palace brings together over 110 artifacts from the late 19th century to the day the nation reclaimed its freedom. "For the first time, Korean independence hero Ahn Jung-geun's calligraphy is being showcased to the public. These two letters, meaning 'green bamboo', show his strong opposition to Japanese rule." His final brushstrokes, made in a cold Lushun prison cell before his execution, capture not only defiance against Japan, but also a longing for peace in Asia and respect for human dignity. From here, the story turns to lesser-known independence fighters. Min Young-hwan took his own life in protest after Japan's illegal Eulsa Treaty stripped Korea of its sovereignty, writing, "If our freedom and independence are restored, I shall gladly smile even in the afterlife." Manifestos and letters from Korea's civilian militias, known as the righteous armies, also bear the weight of defiance, with some returning to Korea only last year after decades in Japan. The spirit of defiance is also preserved in the national flag, a Taegeukgi found at Jingwansa Temple, riddled with holes and burn marks. Believed to have been made during the March 1st Independence Movement in 1919, it bears the Korean flag's taegeuk symbol and trigrams painted in black ink over the Japanese flag, amplifying the message of resistance. "This Taegeukgi, national flag of Korea, found at Jingwansa Temple, is even more meaningful as it shows just how fiercely our independence fighters carried out their work in secrecy." Bringing these treasures together is what makes this exhibition truly historic. "While marking the 80th anniversary of Korea's liberation, this exhibition is most meaningful for bringing together authentic resistance heritage from both institutions and individuals in one place." Liberation was never given. It was earned, with blood, sweat, and hope. Eighty years on, their courage still lights the path toward the freedom they dreamed of. Park Hyo-been, Arirang News.

Do Kwon pleads guilty to U.S. fraud charges in US$ 40 bil. crypto collapse

2025/08/13 19:39

Over in the U.S. Disgraced cryptocurrency founder Kwon Do-hyung also known as Do Kwon has pleaded guilty to fraud for a 12-year prison sentence and a 19 million U.S. dollar fine. Lee Seung-jae has more. Disgraced South Korean cryptocurrency mogul Do Kwon on Tuesday, pleaded guilty in the United States to two fraud charges, connected to the 40 billion U.S. dollar collapse of Terraform Labs' digital currency ecosystem. The 33-year-old entered the plea at a Manhattan federal court, where under the deal with prosecutors, Kwon will face no more than 12 years in prison if he abides by the agreement. This is despite nine charges he was facing under the indictment and sentencing guidelines calling for roughly 25 years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for December 11th. Also, as part of the plea deal, Kwon admitted to conspiring to commit commodities, securities, and wire fraud. He will also forfeit over 19 million dollars, proceeds authorities say were illegally gained. Kwon will also relinquish his stake in Terraform and its cryptocurrencies. Meanwhile,.. if Kwon serves half his sentence and meets all conditions of the plea bargain, the U.S. Justice Department will support his request to transfer to South Korea under the International Prisoner Transfer Program. Kwon has long requested that he be extradited to his home country, to serve prison time in South Korea. However, he also faces separate criminal charges in South Korea. Kwon co-founded Terraform Labs in 2018, developing the so-called stablecoin TerraUSD, pegged to the U.S. dollar to avoid price swings. But in 2022, the token's value collapsed, wiping out about 40 billion dollars from TerraUSD and its sister coin Luna, leaving investors around the world with major losses. Lee Seung-jae, Arirang News.

Kim Keon Hee arrested on corruption charges

2025/08/13 19:38

Former First Lady Kim Keon Hee has been arrested. This unprecedented event also marks the first time that a former presidential couple is sitting behind bars simultaneously. Byeon Ye-young reports. Kim Keon Hee, the wife of impeached former President Yoon Suk Yeol, was arrested late on Tuesday on charges of stock manipulation, interference in party nominations, and political influence-peddling. A special counsel team set up to investigate Kim has summoned the former first lady to appear for questioning at 10 AM on Thursday. Meanwhile, the special counsel team has launched a raid on the People Power Party to investigate allegations that large numbers of Unification Church members joined the party. On Wednesday morning, investigators were dispatched to the PPP's central headquarters in Yeouido to secure electronic data needed for the probe. They presented a search and seizure warrant and received the necessary materials through voluntary submission. Kim is accused of taking part as a "funding source" in the Deutsche Motors stock-rigging scheme from 2009 to 2012, meddling in People Power Party candidate selections in recent elections, and accepting an illicit lobbying request from a "broker" from the Unification Church in 2022. The Seoul Central District Court cited "concerns over destruction of evidence" as the main reason for issuing the arrest warrant. Kim was moved to the Seoul Southern Detention Center, where she waited in a holding room for detainees before she was transferred to a housing unit. Her arrest means all privileges as a former first lady were revoked, and her security detail was fully withdrawn. However, like her husband, she will be assigned a dedicated correctional officer and kept separate from other inmates during exercise and bathing. Kim first appeared for questioning in front of the special counsel team last week, where she made a public apology. "I am truly sorry that a nobody like myself has caused concern for the people. I will faithfully undergo the questioning." Her husband, Yoon Suk Yeol, is behind bars on insurrection charges. While several other former South Korean presidents have previously served prison terms, this is the first time in the nation's history that both a former president and their spouse have been jailed at the same time. Byeon Ye-young, Arirang News.

As torrential downpour continues, landslide and flood advisories issued nationwide

2025/08/13 19:37

Heavy rain has been pounding the Greater Seoul region since the early hours of this Wednesday and authorities remain on high alert amid reports of flash floods and landslides. Ahn Sung-jin reports. South Korea continues to see heavy rain throughout the central region, including Gyeonggi-do Province, on Wednesday. Deokjeok-do Island of Ongjin-gun County, Incheon saw extreme rainfall of nearly 150 millimeters in just one hour. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, from 8:14 AM till 9:14 AM on Wednesday morning, around 149 millimeters of rain poured in the area, marking a near record figure of rainfall. Even areas that didn't cross the 100 millimeter per hour threshold still saw significant rainfall well above typical downpour levels, being classified as "heavy" rainfall. Around 29 streams in Seoul have been closed off, including Cheonggyecheon and Anyangcheon streams. A heavy rain advisory had been issued in the morning in the northern parts of the city and was later raised to a heavy rain warning in the southwestern areas. Seoul and Gyeonggi-do Province have activated Level Two of their emergency response measures, while the country's Forestry Service issued landslide warnings for some cities and counties, including Pocheon, Gapyeong, and Yangju. Advisories have been placed in nearby regions, as authorities order evacuations in other affected areas as a precaution. The KMA notes that this comes from North Pacific high-pressure air expanding into the Peninsula alongside hot and humid air caused by the typhoon "Budle". This air, combined with the dry air coming down from the north, created a narrow rain cloud band. More specifically, fast winds blowing from the lower atmosphere at an altitude of 1-point-5-kilometers, known as lower jets, have been adding to a large amount of water vapor and torrential rain. As the Interior and Safety Ministry activated level 1 of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters response measures, authorities are calling on strict management and preemptive closure of flood-prone areas to prevent further damage. Though heavy rain is expected to continue throughout Wednesday, it will ease off nationwide by Thursday afternoon, and related agencies will be closely monitoring conditions. Ahn Sung-jin, Arirang News.

Continued employment struggle for manufacturing, construction sectors

2025/08/13 19:36

Employment expanded by one-hundred-71-thousand in July on year to post a second straight month of gains hovering on the one-hundred-thousand range. Accordingly Statistics Korea says the employment rate for the month of July rose by 0-point-1 percent to stand at 63-point-4 percent. By sector however the employment trend remained mixed with health and social welfare adding on more jobs while the manufacturing and construction industries continued to see job losses. Meanwhile the unemployment rate now stands at 2-point-4 percent down 0-point-1 percentage point on year.

Information, communication technology exports hit record high for July

2025/08/13 19:36

On the trade front. Overseas shipments of ICT products soared over 14 percent on year in July spurred by strong global demand for semiconductors. Park Jun-han has the latest numbers. South Korea's information and communication technology exports saw a record-breaking performance in July. Exports of ICT products for the month reached 22-point-19 billion U.S. dollars, a 14-point-5 percent increase from the same period last year, according to data released by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy on Wednesday. Despite uncertainties stemming from U.S. tariff policies, this marks the highest July export figure ever recorded for the sector, producing a trade surplus of 8-point-87 billion dollars. The driver behind the surge was semiconductors. Semiconductor exports posted an over 31 percent increase in July to 14-point-7 billion dollars, driven by rising prices for memory semiconductors and strong demand for high-value-added chips such as high bandwidth memory (HBM) and double data rate 5 (DDR5.) This marks the fourth consecutive month of year-on-year record-breaking semiconductor exports. "With the growth of the AI industry, sales of HBM memory semiconductors for AI systems are rising, and as HBM is a high-value product, it is positively impacting South Korea's tech exports." However, not all sectors showed as strong a performance. Display exports fell almost 9 percent due to uncertain demand in forward industries, while mobile phone exports dropped almost 22 percent, though strong finished product sales partially offset declines in components. Exports of computers and peripherals declined by about 17 percent, affected by the high baseline set by last year's surge in solid state drive (SSD) shipments, and a temporary slowdown in demand. The strength in exports once again underscored South Korea's resilience in the global ICT market, particularly in semiconductors, despite ongoing trade uncertainties. Park Jun-han, Arirang News.

Putin shares information on upcoming summit with U.S. to N. Korean leader Kim

2025/08/13 19:35

On the international front. Russia's Vladimir Putin and his North Korean counterpart Kim Jong-un appear to have reaffirmed their alignment ahead of the Russian leader's upcoming trip to Alaska to meet with his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump on Friday. Our defense correspondent Kim Bo-kyoung reports. Russian President Vladimir Putin, during a phone call on Tuesday, briefed North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on the upcoming summit between himself and U.S. President Donald Trump. Putin is set to meet Trump in Alaska on Friday to discuss the Ukraine war, as U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff's visit to Russia on August 6th laid the foundations for the summit to take place. According to the Kremlin on Tuesday local time, Putin highly assessed Pyongyang's support for operations in the Kursk region, and the two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to further developing cooperative relations in all areas in line with the mutual defense treaty they signed in June last year. According to the Korean Central News Agency on Wednesday, Kim Jong-un expressed his full support. Meanwhile, the White House has reconfirmed that the Putin-Trump summit is going to be a bilateral one, not involving Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The White House press secretary added that the goal is to have a better understanding of how the war could end. "I think this is a listening exercise for the president. Look, only one party that's involved in this war is going to be present, and so this is for the president to go and to get, again, a more firm and better understanding of how we can hopefully bring this war to an end." When asked about whether the issue of dispatching North Korean troops to Russia would be discussed, Tammy Bruce, State Department Spokesperson, said the content of the dialogue can only be known by the two leaders. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on Tuesday vowed not to give eastern Ukrainian land the Donbas region to Russia, adding that it would open a bridgehead for a Russian offensive. He said Moscow would have to agree to a ceasefire before territorial issues are discussed. Kim Bo-kyoung, Arirang News.

Remains of six Korean independence activists return home

2025/08/13 19:34

The remains of six Korean independence activists arrived home on Wednesday from the U.S. Canada and Brazil ahead of Friday's 80th anniversary of Korea's liberation from Japanese colonial rule. A repatriation ceremony was held at the Seoul National Cemetery where Prime Minister Kim Min-seok posthumously awarded each of them the Order of Merit for National Foundation. He also reaffirmed commitment to ensure that the repatriation campaign continues until the very last hero is laid to rest here at home. The remains of the six activists will be buried at the Daejeon National Cemetery.

President Lee picks new education, gender minister candidates

2025/08/13 19:33

President Lee Jae Myung has named new nominees to head the Education and Gender Equality ministries. Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik announced on this Wednesday that Choi Kyo-jin the current superintendent of Sejong Metropolitan City Office of Education has been tapped as the new Education Minister a post that also serves as Deputy Prime Minister. Kang described Choi as an "education expert" who has dedicated four decades to the academic arena. Lawyer Won Min-kyong who has served on the National Assembly's Gender Equality Advisory Committee has been picked as Minister of Gender Equality and Family. Both positions have remained vacant after the president's initial picks withdrew and resigned respectively following allegations of plagiarism and workplace abuse.

Pres. Lee to visit Japan for summit from Aug. 23-24

2025/08/13 19:33

President Lee Jae Myung will travel to neighboring Japan for talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba next weekend that is August 23rd until the 24th. According to the Presidential Office on this Wednesday this bilateral summit will take place prior to the summit with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on August 25th. On the agenda of talks between the South Korean and Japanese leaders are ways to promote a future-oriented partnership and to bolster the trilateral security framework with the U.S.