News

[Weather] Early summer-like weather already, strong winds blowing across the country

2025/04/17 17:00

Today felt so hot during the day across the country. Inland areas, red on the map, exceeded 25 degrees Celsius, with the temperature in Seoul reaching 24 degrees, 27 degrees in Gimcheon, as hot as early summer already. As the daytime temperatures rise significantly, the daily temperature difference widens as well. Please take care of your health. Even though the weather is getting warmer, the wind is blowing hard every day, with strong winds of around 15 meters per second across the country today, and gusty winds of around 20 meters per second in the mountainous areas of Jeju Island until dawn tomorrow. Tomorrow morning, Seoul and Chuncheon will start off at 13 degrees, Jeju at 18 degrees. Daily highs will move up to 21 degrees in Seoul, 29 degrees in Daegu and Gyeongju. Another round of rain is expected across the country this weekend. That's all for Korea. Here are the weather conditions around the world.

World News: UK Supreme Court says legal definition of 'woman' means biological female and excludes transgender people

2025/04/17 17:00

This is the World Now, bringing you the latest stories from around the globe. In the UK, the Supreme Court has made a landmark decision regarding the legal definition of a woman. According to the ruling, under the Equality Act 2010, woman refers exclusively to biological sex, excluding transgender people. The unanimous ruling on Wednesday, local time, stems from a legal challenge by the feminist advocacy group For Women Scotland against the Scottish government's inclusion of transgender women in a 2018 law that mandated 50% female representation on public boards. The Court ruled that the definition of woman should only include biological females. It said that interpreting the definition to include individuals based on gender identity would make the Equality Act inconsistent. However, the decision does not revoke existing protections against discrimination for transgender individuals. Women's rights groups lauded the ruling as a reaffirmation of sex-based rights while LGBTQ+ organizations expressed concern and disappointment. The French government has announced the expulsion of 12 Algerian diplomatic staff, following Algeria's decision to expel 12 French diplomats. Thus comes after France arrested an Algerian consular official suspected of links to a kidnapping. On Wednesday local time, France's foreign affairs minister said France will expel 12 Algerian diplomatic and consular officials in France, and recalled its ambassador from Algiers for consultations. This move comes after Algeria decided to expel 12 French diplomats after France detained an Algerian consular agent linked to a kidnapping case. In 2024, an activist and influencer known as "Amir DZ," a critic of the Algerian government, was abducted near Paris and released the following day. French prosecutors have charged three Algerian nationals, including the consular official, with kidnapping and terrorist conspiracy. Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday met with three former hostages held by Hamas, who were released in late 2023 and February of this year. Speaking to Alexander Trufanov, who had been held by Hamas in Gaza for 498 days, Putin pledged to continue efforts to secure the release of remaining hostages. Putin also acknowledged "years of stable relations" with Palestinian representatives as pivotal in facilitating the release of the hostages, and extended gratitude to Hamas for what he termed a "humanitarian act." Trufanov, whose father was killed during the October 2023 Hamas attack, appealed to Putin to persist in efforts to free others still in captivity. Finally, astronomers have identified a new planet, located approximately 120 light-years from Earth, that resembles Tatooine, the home planet of Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars movie. The planet appears to orbit a pair of brown dwarfs, or what experts call "failed stars" that are too small to shine like the Sun. What makes this planet special is that it moves in a completely different direction from how the two stars orbit each other, referred to as a "polar orbit." Although the planet was not directly seen, scientists spotted its presence by watching the movement of the stars. The author of the study, an astronomer from the University of Birmingham, said, "There aren't many very young planetary systems like this." This research was published in the journal Science Advances on April 16. Choi Chi-hee, Arirang News.

Seoul Auction to feature works of independence activists

2025/04/17 17:00

An intriguing collection of relics belonging to Korea's independence activists will go on auction this spring at an auction house here in Seoul. Our Lee Eun-jin has a glimpse. Revered Korean independence activist of the Japanese colonial era Ahn Jung-geun. As a part of his previously unreleased collection of calligraphic work, left behind in the final days leading up to his execution, this piece titled "Nokjuk", or "Green Bamboo", is presumed to have been created in February of 1910. This piece is different from his usual vertical writing, while his signature handprint is also imprinted horizontally. Han Yong-woon was a Buddhist reformer, poet and independence activist, also known by his penname Manhae. This folding screen contains poetry of his that compares the path of Buddhist practice to the journey of a young monk to find his lost cow. It is a rare 10-panel masterpiece, showcasing Manhae's unique round handwriting. "Manhae believed in the people continuing towards the independence of our country during the Japanese occupation. And through this poem, he wanted to remind us that it is a destination that should not be forgotten." Seoul Auction's spring session will have a large number of such relics containing traces from the independence movement. In addition to the works of Ahn Jung-geun and Han Yong-woon, there will be the first edition of Yun Dong-ju's book of poems titled "Sky, Wind, Star and Poem", showing the passage of time in its worn out cover page, as well as documents like records of the International Military Tribunal for the Far East. These items can range in value from tens to hundreds of thousands of U.S. dollars. Garnering greater interest due to this year marking the 80th anniversary of Korean independence, the relics will be shown in a free exhibition until April 21st, a day before the auction, on the 22nd. Lee Eunjin, Arirang News.

Bills aimed at special probes into fmr. Pres. Yoon fail to pass parliamentary revote

2025/04/17 17:00

The National Assembly today voted down Democratic Party-led bills that had been vetoed by the acting president. These include a special investigation bill related to former president Yoon Suk Yeol's declaration of martial law. Our correspondent Shin Ha-young is standing by live on the line. So Ha-young do fill us in. Sunny, just a few minutes ago, the National Assembly voted down a Democratic Party-led bill calling for a special investigation into former President Yoon Suk Yeol's declaration of martial law last December and the related insurrection charges. In an anonymous vote, of the total 299 votes cast, 197 voted for the bill and 102 voted against. The bill was vetoed in January by then-Acting President Choi Sang-mok and sent back to the parliament for a revote. For a bill already vetoed to pass, it requires approval from two-thirds or more of the lawmakers present in addition to a majority attendance. During Thursday's plenary session, the Assembly also voted down a bill that had been sent back for a revote, which called for a special probe into a political broker called Myung Tae-kyun. The DP in February unilaterally passed the bill seeking to investigate allegations of election fraud involving former President Yoon, first lady Kim Keon Hee, and Myung. Ahead of the session, the rival parties issued sharp messages over the bills up for a revote. Take a listen. "It's time for the PPP to break ties with Yoon Suk Yeol, who was removed from office. If they oppose the special investigation again, it will clearly show they're siding with insurrection and acting against the Constitution." "These are populist and unjust bills that the DP pushed through without sufficient public consensus or regard for national interests and people's livelihoods, just to strengthen its political position." And also, Ha-young tell us about the revote on the Commercial Act revisions. The parliament also rejected a Commercial Act amendment, which was vetoed by Acting President Han Duck-soo earlier this month. The bill sought to revise the Commercial Act to add the word "shareholders" to the director's duties from just "company," in efforts to tackle the so-called "Korea Discount." The PPP has been against the bill, arguing that it could lead to lawsuits and make it difficult for companies to make decisions. It claims that small investors are not contractually bound to the companies, with different types of investors aiming for different results. That's all I have for this hour. Back to you, Sunny. All right Ha-young, thank you for that coverage. That was our political correspondent Shin Ha-young with the latest at the parliament.

Millennial women make up majority of N. Korean defectors in Q1

2025/04/17 17:00

A notable demographic reality is taking shape with regard to the age and gender of North Korean defectors arriving in South Korea in recent times. According to the Unification Ministry on this Thursday most of the new arrivals are women in their 20s and 30s who spent a few years in third countries before seeking to settle in South Korea. Between January and March this year 38 North Korean defectors entered South Korea SLIGHTLY down from 43 during the same period last year and only one was male. Most were younger women who had spent more than five years in third countries after fleeing North Korea before its COVID-19 border closure. At present over 34-thousand North Korean defectors reside here in South Korea.

S. Korea, U.S. kick off joint two-week Freedom Flag air drills

2025/04/17 17:00

South Korea and the U.S. earlier on this Thursday began their two-week combined air drill. According to the Air Force here some 1-thousand-100 personnel and 90 aircraft from both countries have been mobilized for the semiannual Freedom Flag. Missions include air interdiction counter-air operations and wartime defense rehearsal. Freedom Flag combines two existing exercises the annual Combined Air Force Composite Training and Vigilant Defense.

S. Korean gov't holds preparatory meeting for APEC 2025

2025/04/17 17:00

Organizers of the 2025 APEC Summit to be held in Korea's ancient southern city of Gyeongju this coming November are now looking to move from the planning phase to the execution stage. Speaking at a related meeting earlier on this Thursday acting President Han Duck-soo also highlighted the significance of this latest annual summit as it comes amid much uncertainty over global trade given the changes it currently faces. He further pointed to prospects of new investment in South Korea as corporate leaders look to attend the gathering as well.

DP to move top office from Seoul to Sejong; PPP kicks off primaries with media day

2025/04/17 17:00

In other news. Presidential hopefuls of the Democratic Party have proposed relocating the top office to Sejong City as they begin their partisan campaign while the candidates of the People Power Party prepare to hold a series of debates this weekend on issues of national interest. Our correspondent Kim Do-yeon has the latest. Preliminary presidential candidates from the Democratic Party of Korea unveiled their strategies to boost growth in the Chungcheong-do provinces on Thursday, coinciding with the start of online voting by DP electors the day before. All three candidates shared a common pledge to fully establish Sejong City, located within Chungcheong-do, as South Korea's administrative capital, proposing to relocate the presidential office there. This pledge also follows a move by impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol, who previously relocated the presidential office from the Blue House to Yongsan—a decision heavily criticized by the DP as an unnecessary budget expenditure, and notably, the site of his martial law declaration. Chungcheong-do remains a crucial battleground for presidential candidates; notably, the winner of this region has also secured victory in the last seven presidential elections. Meanwhile, the People Power Party held a media day for its primary contestants on Thursday. With eight contestants, they broke the first round debates into two groups by topic. Future for the young generations and social unity. The future for the young generations debate will be held by Yoo Jeong-bok, Ahn Cheol-soo, Kim Moon-soo, and Yang Hyang-ja on Saturday. Social unity by Lee Cheol-woo, Na Kyung-won, Han Dong-hoon, and Hong Joon-pyo on Sunday. The People Power Party also launched its preparatory committee for the presidential election. Chaired by lawmaker Yun Jae-ok, the committee is set to prepare for the PPP presidential election campaign once the party's candidate is chosen. Yun said it's long overdue as the prep should've started before but said, "the tortoise beat the hare." Kim Do-yeon, Arirang News.

Government returns medical student quota to pre-increase level of 3,058

2025/04/17 17:00

The government is reversing its earlier expansion of medical school seats in a bid to resolve its protracted standoff with current students and junior doctors. Byeon Ye-young explains. The government announced on Thursday that the 2026 medical school enrollment quota will be returned to the 2024 level of 3,058 students. "We will push for a legal amendment to allow universities to adjust their 2026 medical school enrollment quotas to 2024 levels." Last year, the government raised the quota by 2,000 to 5,058, but doctors and medical students strongly opposed the move, alleging it would hurt training conditions. This led to a wave of leaves of absence among medical students, resulting in a significant gap in their medical education. Presidents of 40 medical schools proposed that the government restore the original quota for 2026 admissions if all first-year students returned to class. The government accepted the proposal on March 7th but only if a sufficient number of students to ensure classes could proceed without disruption returned by the end of March. A surge in last-minute enrollments at the so-called "Big 5" medical schools led to that number being achieved. While many former students returned, a number opted to "register but not attend." So even after reversing the quota increase, the government still has more to do to get these students back to classes and resolve the healthcare workforce shortage. This raises questions about the future of medical education. "We need to predict how the healthcare landscape will change 10 to 20 years from now, and based on that vision, we should determine how many medical professionals we need and what kind of education they should receive." Universities are now required to submit revised admissions plans that reflect the updated quota to the Korean Council for University Education (KCUE) by the end of this month. The proposed changes will then be reviewed and finalized following KCUE approval, expected around May. Byeon Ye-young, Arirang news.

Samsung had most shipments of smartphones in Q1, beating Apple

2025/04/17 17:00

Samsung Electronics ranked number one in smartphone shipments for the first quarter of this year. According to Counterpoint Research Samsung's shipments amounted to 61 million units surpassing Apple's by 3 million units. In terms of market share Samsung also led with 20 percent slightly ahead of Apple's 19 percent. Pundits are linking this performance to the Galaxy S25 series.

U.S., Japan begin first official trade talks in test case for Trump's tariff negotiations

2025/04/17 17:00

Also in the U.S. this past Wednesday. Japanese trade delegates and their American counterparts met for talks on tariffs during which President Donald Trump made a surprise appearance. Park Jun-han covers these talks. The United States and Japan agreed to finalize a trade agreement as soon as possible during their Wednesday meeting in Washington. Japanese Economic Revitalization Minister Ryosei Akazawa said that while the U.S. was seeking to conclude the agreement within the 90-day suspension period for "reciprocal tariffs," Tokyo was approaching the talks with caution, and the future course of the negotiations remained uncertain. During the talks, Akazawa expressed deep regret over President Donald Trump's tariff measures, noting that Washington had already imposed 25% tariffs on steel and automobiles and is set to apply a 24% reciprocal tariff on Japanese goods. "For my part, I said that the United States' tariff measures are deeply regrettable, I explained Japan's position regarding the impact on Japanese investment and hiring, both in Japan and in the United States, and strongly requested that the U.S. review its series of tariff measures." After meeting the Japanese trade delegation, President Trump noted on his social media that it was a "great honor" and added "big progress." According to Kyodo News, Washington is believed to have demanded higher defense spending by Tokyo, or a larger share of the costs associated with maintaining U.S. military forces in Japan, as part of any tariff reduction agreement, even though the two parties did not reveal the specifics of their conversation. Akazawa explained that the two countries had agreed to reschedule the next round of talks to be held within April and to continue discussions at both the working and ministerial levels. Meanwhile, the U.S.-Japan talks were viewed as a reference point for South Korea ahead of Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok's visit to Washington next week. Park Jun-han, Arirang News

Fed chair warns of economic risks from Trump's tariffs

2025/04/17 17:00

Meanwhile in the U.S. The Federal Reserve has acknowledged the likelihood of higher consumer prices and lower growth prospects in the face of rampant U.S. tariffs on its trade partners. Park Kun-woo reports. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell has warned that the Trump administration's recent tariff policies could pose risks to the U.S. economy. "The level of tariff increases announced so far is significantly larger than anticipated, and the same is likely to be true of the economic effects, which will include higher inflation and slower growth." Speaking at the Economic Club of Chicago on Wednesday, Powell said the tariffs are highly likely to cause "at least a temporary rise" in inflation, adding the impact could be more persistent. While the Fed aims to find a balance between keeping inflation at around 2 percent and maximizing employment, Powell said tariffs are leading the Fed to move away from those goals. "We will balance our maximum employment and price stability mandates, keeping in mind that without price stability, we cannot achieve the long periods of strong labor market conditions that benefit all Americans." However, Powell also said the central bank will remain patient, holding off on any policy changes until it has a better understanding of how the current trade policies play out. Following Powell's remarks, U.S. stocks tumbled on Wednesday. The tech-heavy Nasdaq dropped more than three percent, while the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average also fell. Also on Wednesday, gold prices soared, once even hitting an all-time-high of just over 3-thousand-3-hundred-57 dollars per ounce. Park Kun-woo, Arirang News.

S. Korea's foreign aid rose to record high in 2024

2025/04/17 17:00

Korea's official development assistance has hit a record high. New OECD figures show Korea provided 3-point-9-4 billion U.S. dollars in ODA last year UP almost 25 percent on year. The ratio of its contribution as compared to its Gross National Income also rose to an all-time high of 0-point-2 percent the highest since Korea became a donor country in 2010. Seoul boosted its aid in key areas such as humanitarian relief clean water and sanitation as well as transport and infrastructure. This assistance from Korea comes at a time when most advanced economies are cutting back. ODA from countries like Germany Japan and the UK saw notable declines bringing the total aid from 32 donor nations down by over 5 percent.

K-wave AI News

2025/04/17 14:00

Hello and welcome to your AI guide to the latest cultural updates from Korea. Here's our top story. Korea's oldest art market event, the 'Galleries Art Fair,' has officially kicked off at COEX in Seoul. Now in its 43rd edition, this year's fair brings together a record 168 galleries, the largest in the event's history. First launched in 1979 as the 'Korea Galleries Association Exhibition,' the fair has grown into a flagship event of Korea's spring art season and is widely regarded as a barometer that shows the current trends of the country's art market. Running through Sunday, the fair showcases a diverse array of works, including pieces by acclaimed artists from home and abroad, as well as bold, original creations by emerging talents. An exhibition exploring surrealism in Korea's modern art opened today at the Deoksugung branch of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art. While surrealism has often been overlooked in Korean art history, this exhibition sheds light on six artists who resolutely pursued their own surrealist visions, unaffected by contemporary trends. Featured artists include Kim Jong-nam, who lived in Japan under the name Hideo Manabe, and Kim Uk-kyu, originally from the North, who fled to the South, leaving his family behind. The exhibition offers a rare glimpse into the inner worlds of artists profoundly shaped by Korea's colonial history, war, and division. Their works will be on display until July 6. Korea's web novel market saw a roughly 30% increase in size in just two years. According to a recent report from the Culture Ministry, the market was valued at 1.35 trillion won, or around 950 million U.S. dollars, last year, up over 310 billion won, or roughly 220 million dollars, from 2022. Web novels accounted for more than 45% of the total annual revenue from web fiction content, including webtoons. Regarding royalties, around 30% of web novel creators earn between one million and three million won per episode, while only 1% make over 100 million won. That's all from me. Keep it tuned to the Kulture Wave.

[Hallyu_People] Dutch YouTuber explores Seoul's 467 neighborhoods

2025/04/17 14:00

Seoul is the capital of South Korea, a city with a long history and rich culture. Seoul is divided into 25 districts known as “gu” and 467 neighborhoods known as “dong” such as Myeongdong, Insadong, and Seongsudong. Today, we will meet a Dutch YouTuber who has been exploring and documenting the unique sights and stories found in these Seoul neighborhoods from top to bottom. It’s Bart van Genugten, who’s running the channel “iGoBart”. Welcome Bart! 1) We heard you just recently came back from a trip? Why don’t we start with that? 2) You were traveling around the world and you ended up settling in one of the countries you visited, which is South Korea. What was the deciding factor for you to live here? 3) On your YouTube channel “iGoBart” you have a series called “Welcome to My Dong”. Please tell us about it and how it started. 4) (So, why did you choose to introduce all “dongs” and not “gus”?) In which neighborhoods of Seoul have you lived and what would you say describes those neighborhoods? 5) Any fun or memorable episodes while making any of the “Welcome to My Dong” videos? 6) Is there any “dong” you would say is underrated, or too unknown that you would like to mention? 7) Why is Seoul an appealing travel destination? 8) Once you have introduced all 467 neighborhoods, what’s your next plan? Thank you very much for sharing your story with us today Bart can't wait to check out all of your trips around Seoul and beyond. Thank you Bella as always, I'll see you back tomorrow.

[K-wave] Seoul Auction to feature works of independence activists

2025/04/17 14:00

Leading Korean art auction house, Seoul Auction is attracting attention for its spring auction featuring works of independence activists from the Japanese colonial era. There is greater meaning as this year marks the 80th anniversary of Korea's independence. Lee Eun-jin tells us more. Revered Korean independence activist of the Japanese colonial era Ahn Jung-geun. As a part of his previously unreleased collection of calligraphic work, left behind in the final days leading up to his execution, this piece titled "Nokjuk", or "Green Bamboo", is presumed to have been created in February of 1910. This piece is different from his usual vertical writing, while his signature handprint is also imprinted horizontally. Han Yong-woon was a Buddhist reformer, poet and independence activist, also known by his penname Manhae. This folding screen contains poetry of his that compares the path of Buddhist practice to the journey of a young monk to find his lost cow. It is a rare 10-panel masterpiece, showcasing Manhae's unique round handwriting. "Manhae believed in the people continuing towards the independence of our country during the Japanese occupation. And through this poem, he wanted to remind us that it is a destination that should not be forgotten." Seoul Auction's spring session will have a large number of such relics containing traces from the independence movement. In addition to the works of Ahn Jung-geun and Han Yong-woon, there will be the first edition of Yun Dong-ju's book of poems titled "Sky, Wind, Star and Poem", showing the passage of time in its worn out cover page, as well as documents like records of the International Military Tribunal for the Far East. These items can range in value from tens to hundreds of thousands of U.S. dollars. Garnering greater interest due to this year marking the 80th anniversary of Korean independence, the relics will be shown in a free exhibition until April 21st, a day before the auction, on the 22nd. Lee Eunjin, Arirang News.

[K-enter] Rosé named as one of the most influential people of 2025

2025/04/17 14:00

Bella, today we start with some impressive news on BLACKPINK member Rosé. Rosé has been named on TIME magazine’s list of “The 100 Most Influential People of 2025.” On Wednesday, TIME magazine revealed the “2025 TIME 100,” an annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world. Rosé, whom the magazine classified as a “pioneer,” was one of the 100 people to make this year’s list. TIME magazine’s guest contributor, actress Lily Collins, shared the reasons behind Rosé’s selection. She said that Rosé is a dynamic performer and songwriter, and is able to captivate arenas full of people both as a member of the biggest girl group in the world and also as a solo artist. Meanwhile, Rosé’s “APT.,” featuring Bruno Mars, continues to maintain its spot on Billboard Hot 100 for the 25th consecutive week. Another proof for K-pop artists' global influence. Back in 2019, listed among rising stars, BLACKPINK was part of "Time 100 Next". And now THIS milestone. Big congratulations to Rosé! Now on the other side of K-pop, the lawsuit between NewJeans and ADOR is still on-going. Please fill us in with the latest updates. On Wednesday, the Seoul Central District Court dismissed objections filed by NewJeans against an earlier ruling that banned the group from independent activities outside of the agency ADOR. Immediately after the court’s decision, NewJeans appealed, taking the legal battle between the two to the appeals court. The legal representatives of NewJeans said that they will continue to try their best to reveal fact relevance. To give a quick recap, NewJeans began pursuing independent activities in February after accusing ADOR of violating the terms of their exclusive contract. However, ADOR claimed that the contract with the group remains valid until July 2029. Earlier in March, the court accepted the injunction sought by ADOR, to prevent the five members from independently signing advertising contracts and pursuing separate music activities. In response, NewJeans filed an objection against the injunction, but the court rejected it during this Wednesday’s hearing, upholding its previous ruling. Now what’s left is the appeals court’s decision. Meanwhile, a separate trial is ongoing over ADOR’s lawsuit regarding the validity of its exclusive contract with NewJeans and the second hearing for that is set to take place on June 5th. Please keep us updated with the results. For our last story today, we are going to talk about a new Korean Netflix series? Korean Netflix series are doing amazing these days, not only in Korea, but globally, so it’s very exciting to hear that another series is about to be released. This time it’s a mystery romance series, “Dear Hongrang”. It’s from a novel of the same title by writer Jang Da-hye. The story follows a son, Hongrang, who returns after a decade-long disappearance with no memory of his childhood. His half-sister, Jae I, who has been close to him since childhood, seeks the truth behind his sudden disappearance. The new series stars Lee Jae-wook, Cho Bo-ah, Jung Ga-ram, and Uhm Ji-won. “Dear Hongrang” will premiere on Netflix on May 16th. Will add that to my list of things to watch on Netflix. Thank you Bella for today’s stories.

France to expel 12 Algerian diplomats

2025/04/17 10:00

The French government has announced the expulsion of 12 Algerian diplomatic staff, following Algeria's decision to expel 12 French diplomats. Thus comes after France arrested an Algerian consular official suspected of links to a kidnapping. On Wednesday local time, France's foreign affairs minister said France will expel 12 Algerian diplomatic and consular officials in France, and recalled its ambassador from Algiers for consultations. This move comes after Algeria decided to expel 12 French diplomats after France detained an Algerian consular agent linked to a kidnapping case. In 2024, an activist and influencer known as "Amir DZ," a critic of the Algerian government, was abducted near Paris and released the following day. French prosecutors have charged three Algerian nationals, including the consular official, with kidnapping and terrorist conspiracy.

UK Supreme Court says legal definition of 'woman' means biological female and excludes transgender people

2025/04/17 10:00

In the UK, the Supreme Court has made a landmark decision regarding the legal definition of a woman. According to the ruling, under the Equality Act 2010, woman refers exclusively to biological sex, excluding transgender people. The unanimous ruling on Wednesday, local time, stems from a legal challenge by the feminist advocacy group For Women Scotland against the Scottish government's inclusion of transgender women in a 2018 law that mandated 50% female representation on public boards. The Court ruled that the definition of woman should only include biological females. It said that interpreting the definition to include individuals based on gender identity would make the Equality Act inconsistent. However, the decision does not revoke existing protections against discrimination for transgender individuals. Women's rights groups lauded the ruling as a reaffirmation of sex-based rights while LGBTQ+ organizations expressed concern and disappointment.

Lee Jae-myung, BLACKPINK Rosé named among Time Magazine's 100 most influential people

2025/04/17 10:00

Time magazine has named South Korea's former Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung and BLACKPINK'S Rosé in its 100 most influential people of 2025. In the list, revealed on Wednesday, Lee was included in the "Leaders" category, along with U.S. President Donald Trump and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Lee was described as the "clear favorite" to win the upcoming Presidential election. Rosé from K-pop girl group BLACKPINK was also named in the "Pioneers" category. She was recognized as a "dynamic performer and songwriter," praised for captivating massive audiences both as a soloist and a group.