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LEE ADMINISTRATION UNVEILS POLICY BLUEPRINT

2025/08/13 16:40

LEE ADMINISTRATION UNVEILS POLICY BLUEPRINT

[Features reporter] From final brushstrokes to burnt Taegeukgi: Illuminating Korea’s resistance heritage

2025/08/13 16:40

Just two days from now marks the 80th anniversary of Korea's liberation from Japanese rule. Hyobeen, I heard you went somewhere that takes us right back to that time in history? That's right, Soa. Ahead of Liberation Day this Friday, I visited a special exhibition that sheds light on stories of resistance , and some of the artifacts are being shown to the public for the first time. Let's take a look. 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.

[K-enter] Seventeen donate charity auction proceeds to UNESCO

2025/08/13 16:39

Time for some K-entertainment news with Bella Kim. Bella, today we have a wide range of K-entertainment news. Let's start with a warm donation story. Seventeen, a group that serves as a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassadors for Youth, have made a huge gesture. According to their agency, Pledis Entertainment, the group donated 250-thousand U.S. dollars to UNESCO on International Youth Day. The donation was raised through a charity auction, titled "Joopiter Presents: Sacai X Seventeen." This charity auction was a limited collection introduced back in June by Seventeen in collaboration with JOOPITER, a digital commerce content platform founded by fashion brand Sacai and artist and producer Pharrell Williams. They released leather jackets that Seventeen members helped make and T-shirts with their autographs. The donation will fund the Global Youth Grant that Seventeen and UNESCO launched together. Last year, Seventeen were named as the first-ever UNESCO Goodwill Ambassadors for Youth, and upon their appointment, they donated 1 million U.S. dollars to help young people around the world pursue their dreams. It's great to see them support young people as ambassadors for youth. Speaking of ambassadors, we are going to talk about another group who were appointed as ambassadors. Which group is it? The city of Seoul has appointed the virtual idol group PLAVE as the ambassadors for Startup Seoul. On Tuesday, Seoul held a ceremony to appoint the "2025 Startup Seoul ambassadors and Try Everything promotional group." At the ceremony, Seoul selected PLAVE as its ambassadors to promote the startup and entrepreneurship ecosystem of Seoul to foreign countries. PLAVE's agency, VLAST, is a Seoul-based startup that possesses motion capture-based 3D content production technology. At the ceremony, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon presented the appointment letter to the CEO of VLAST and PLAVE members received it in real time in a virtual world on a large screen just behind them. The members of PLAVE said that they are honored to have the opportunity to promote Seoul's excellent startup ecosystem to the world, and that they will widely convey the charm of Seoul to their global fans. It's more meaningful as PLAVE's agency is a startup as well. Now, let's end off on an upcoming movie. The upcoming film "MURDER REPORT" held a press conference on Tuesday at CGV Yongsan IPark Mall in Seoul. Attending along with the director Cho Young-joon were lead actors Cho Yeo-jeong of "Parasite" and Jung Sung-il, best known for his role in Netflix hit series "The Glory." "MURDER REPORT" centers on a psychiatrist, who is also a serial killer, requesting an exclusive interview with a reporter. The majority of the film is filled with a one-on-one interview between the two. Cho Yeo-jeong, who plays the reporter Seon-ju, said she specifically focused on her pronounciation and articulation to express the character well. Jung Sung-il, who portrays the killer Young-hun, said that he fell right into the character and actually had trouble getting out of it after the shoot. "MURDER REPORT" is set to be released in theaters on September 5th. Crime-thriller film fans like you Bella must be excited. Thank you Bella for today's stories.And now let's go over to our AI anchor Ari for other issues on the culture front. Ari!

K-wave AI News

2025/08/13 16:37

Hello and welcome to your AI guide to the latest cultural updates from Korea. Here's our top story. The Independence Hall of Korea will host a cultural celebration this Friday, August 15, to mark Liberation Day on the 80th anniversary of Korea's liberation from Japan's colonial rule. Held under the theme "Light of the Nation," the event will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., featuring a wide range of performances and programs that showcase the spirit of independence and the significance of liberation. Highlights include an air show by the Air Force's Black Eagles, a taekwondo demonstration, and special guided tours of liberation-themed exhibitions. Organizers expressed hope that many will attend to reflect on the meaning of Korea's Liberation Day. Also marking the milestone 80th anniversary, Busan's Gwangalli Beach hosted a special edition of the "Gwangalli M Drone Light Show." Some 1,500 drones lit up the night sky with images depicting independence activists such as Kim Gu and Yu Gwan-sun, as well as Ahn Jung-geun's severed finger, a powerful symbol of independence fighters' unwavering resolve. The Gwangalli Drone Show is one of Busan's signature weekend tourist attractions, with its theme changing each week to match the season. This week's performance was specially designed to commemorate Liberation Day. Yeon Deok-chun, the first Korean pro golfer to win a major international tournament, has had his Korean name officially restored. Yeon, the late former advisor to the Korea Professional Golfers' Association, won the Japan Open in 1941 but was forced to compete and be recorded under a Japanese name during Japan's colonial rule. An official ceremony for the correction of his name and Japan Open records was held in Seoul on Tuesday. This came at the request of the Korean government, marking the 80th anniversary of liberation and the 60th anniversary of normalizing Seoul-Tokyo ties. Japan Golf Association Chief Operating Officer Hiroshi Yamanaka hinted after the ceremony that Yeon is highly likely to be inducted into the JGA Hall of Fame. That's all from me. Stay tuned to the Kulture Wave.

[K-Sports highlights with Jason Lee] Son Heung-min transfers from Tottenham to LAFC

2025/08/13 16:36

It's time for K-sports highlights, after a decade at Tottenham Hotspur global football icon, South Korea's superstar Son Heung-min has transferred to Major League Soccer, to join Los Angeles FC. And in the KBO, a legendary pitcher has announced his retirement after this season. For all the details, we have our sportscaster Jason Lee joining us in the studio. Jason hello! Q1. Clearly, the big news is Son Heung-min leaving Tottenham Hotspur and joining LAFC in the Major League Soccer! Yes, there had been rumours for quite some time of the possibility of Son Heung-Min leaving Tottenham this offseason and I have to admit I didn't want to hear it. He's been such a staple and icon with the team over the last decade that I think many (including myself) were in denial of a possible move. But when you actually consider everything, it actually does make a lot of sense for all parties. I've said for the last several months now that Son Heung-Min has clearly lost a step he's not as explosive as he used to be especially 1-on-1 or even 1-on-2 situations that he would attempt confidently in the past. Injuries have also been an issue as of late and that's resulted in a drop in playing time and a lack of playing time becomes an issue with personal confidence and the whole thing just snowballs. So this should be a good move for Son Heung-Min in that, yes he's going to a lesser league, but he'll continue to have a significant role, which I just don't think would've been the case had he decided to stay with Tottenham. This is also a good move for Tottenham as they receive a whopping 26-million dollar transfer fee. And for LAFC they get a big name star that the large Korean population in LA will be willing to pay money to see. And LAFC has always been like the LA Clippers of MLS with the LA Galaxy being more like the Lakers so this maybe gives the team a chance to catch up to the Galaxy in terms of local popularity and support. Q2. And Sonny has actually already made his debut for his new team, how did he do in his first game against the Chicago Fire? Yeah, He entered the game at the 1 hour mark so he played about the last 40 minutes factoring in injury time. He obviously got a huge cheer from fans when entering the game eventhough the game was on the road in Chicago. Son Heung-Min earned a breakaway late in the game, but was clearly taken down in the penalty area and earned his team a penalty kick which was converted by Denis Bouanga to tie the game so Son Heung-Min already paying off for LAFC. Q3. A lot has been going on in the KBO as of late not all good news though, let's start with the news that Kim Do-Young is out with another hamstring injury Yeah, I guess you could say his leg has hamstrung his season This is the 3rd time his leg is knocking him out for a considerable amount of time and his Kia Tigers have announced that they'll keep him out for the rest of the regular season. This is huge because Kim Do-Young is the reigning KBO MVP after hitting 38 home runs last year the thing is Kia can really use him just to get into the post season right now. They're right on the playoff bubble I can say this much no team will want to face Kia in the post season if they're adding Kim Do-Young to a team that somehow made it without him. Q4. Kim Do-Young may have been the KBO's big story last year, but this year he's been upstaged by a fellow 21 year old Yes, you are obviously talking about KT's Ahn Hyun-Min, who was just named the KBO's player of the month for July. He's currently hitting.348, which is tops in the league his 1.060 OPS is also tops in the league and for the month of July he hit.441 while slugging.706. As you mentioned he's the same age as Kia's Kim Do-Young, but Ahn is still eligible for Rookie of the Year this year and it's already a foregone conclusion that he'll win the award. The only question is if he'll be a unanimous winner, which he has a good shot at. The one other thing I'll mention is that a lot of people worried with Lee Jung-Hoo and Kim Hye-Seong both leaving for Major League baseball over the past 2 years. But since then, the KBO has broken attendence records and has seen the rise of stars like Kim Do-Young and Ahn Hyun-Min the last 2 years so it seems the league is still in good hands. Q5. Speaking of players leaving the KBO, Samsung Lions pitcher Oh Seung-Hwan has announced he would be retiring after this season how big of a deal is that? It's huge If you've just gotten into baseball or the KBO recently you might not fully appreciate the accomplishments of Oh Seung-Hwan, but he has been as great as they come as a reliever. He set the single season saves record back in 2006 as a sophomore and was a finalist for League MVP that season unfortunately for him, that same season Lee Dae-Ho won the hitting triple crown, while Ryu Hyun-Jin took the pitching triple crown and MVP honours. But Oh Seung-Hwan, I think you can safely say is the greatest Korean reliever of all-time. Not only are his 427 saves, more than any other KBO pitcher ever, he accomplished that while spending 2 years in Japan with the Hanshin Tigers and 4 years in major league baseball with the Cardinals, Jays and Rockies. And I've gotta say beyond the numbers and accomplishments I'll always remember him for his nickname, "the final boss". He helped Samsung to back to back Korean series titles in 2005 and 2006 and then he led them to 3 straight from 2011 to 2013. Q6. It's getting late in the year, but there have been a couple of other serious injuries resulting in players missing the rest of this year and a good chunk of next year as well Yes, both players on the Kiwoom Heroes let's start with their closer Ju Seung-Woo. He will need Tommy John Surgery so there's a good chance he misses all of this year and next year as well. He last pitched on Sunday and complained of pain in his elbow and tests revealed ligament damage in his right elbow. This is a big blow because Kiwoom has been terrible this year in last place, but Ju had been one of the few bright spots with a 2.45 ERA. And more bad news for the Heroes as Ahn Woo-Jin will also miss about a year after requiring shoulder surgery for an incident that could've been avoided. Ahn was basically forced to do extra drills by a coach for being on the losing team of a scrimmage and during those drills he got hurt. Ahn is also recovering from Tommy John surgery so hasn't played in over a year and was targetting a return to play this fall. And talent wise he's the type of guy Korea could use on their national team for the World Baseball Classic next Spring, but he won't even be a consideration for that now so a big loss to Korea, not just Kiwoom. Thank you very much Jason for all the updates, have a great rest of the week. Thank you Bella, we'll see you back tomorrow.

Putin briefs N. Korean leader on upcoming summit with Trump: report

2025/08/13 13:34

Russian President Vladimir Putin has spoken with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, and briefed him on his upcoming meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump. According to Russia's TASS news agency on Tuesday, the two discussed the planned Trump-Putin talks in Alaska on Friday, which are aimed at efforts to end the war in Ukraine over the phone. Putin also shared his appreciation for Pyongyang's support of Russian operations in the western front-line Kursk region, praising what he called the "valor, heroism and selflessness" of North Korean troops. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday stressed his country will not give up the Donbas region as part of a ceasefire deal with Russia. The comments come as Moscow is demanding that Ukraine withdraw from the entire eastern Donbas region as a condition for a peace deal.

[NEWs GEN] No Delivery Day: Why Korea's delivery system sets global standard

2025/08/13 13:33

NEWs GEN] No Delivery Day: Why Korea's delivery system sets global standard '택배 없이는 못 살아'... 한국의 택배 시스템

Kim Keon Hee arrested on corruption charges

2025/08/13 11:41

South Korea's ex-first lady, Kim Keon Hee, has been arrested on corruption charges. This is the first time in the nation's history that a former first lady has been put behind bars, and also the first time that a former presidential couple has been detained at the same time. Byeon Ye-young starts us off. 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. 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. She first appeared for questioning in front of a 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 spouse have been jailed at the same time. Byeon Ye-young, Arirang News.

Heavy rain in central areas today, contrasting temperatures

2025/08/13 11:40

Hope your morning commute was alright. A stationary front has been dropping strong and heavy rain on most of the central regions since early this morning, and it will continue to lash down through tomorrow morning. By tomorrow, the capital area could see over 200 millimeters of rain, with west of Gangwon-do receiving up to 150 millimeters. Rain could pound down at a rate of 40 to 50 millimeters an hour. So, heavy rain alerts have been issued in the capital region, which could expand to more surrounding areas. Meanwhile, rain in southern provinces will let up as the morning goes on so sunny skies and strong heat return by the afternoon with a high of 34 degrees in Daegu and Gyeongju, which is about 10 degrees higher than yesterday. Seoul has heat relief with a high of 28 degrees. Those in the central-northern regions can expect on-and-off rain along with strong winds through Liberation Day morning on Friday, so those near the water need to stay alert!

Elephant reserve in South Africa educates visitors on World Elephant Day

2025/08/13 11:40

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.

French nuclear plant facing delayed restart after jellyfish 'invasion'

2025/08/13 11:39

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.

Egypt announces joint effort with Qatar and U.S. to broker 60-day Israel-Hamas ceasefire

2025/08/13 11:39

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.

World News 1: Wildfires rage across southern Europe as temperatures top 40C

2025/08/13 11:39

Good morning, I'm Choi Chi-hee, and this is The World Now. 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.

Continued employment struggle for manufacturing, construction sectors

2025/08/13 11:38

South Korea's year-on-year employment in July increased by 171 thousand, continuing two consecutive months of job gains in the 100-thousand range. According to Statistics Korea on Wednesday, the employment rate for July rose by point-1 percent to hit a record 63-point-4 percent. However, manufacturing and construction sectors continued to see job losses, down 78 thousand and 92 thousand,.. respectively. Healthcare and social welfare added over 260 thousand jobs, while professional services gained 91 thousand. The unemployment rate was 2-point-4 percent, down point-one percentage point from the same period last year.

[On-point] How immigration raids are affecting Koreans in U.S.

2025/08/13 11:38

As the Trump administration's crackdown on immigrants intensifies,.. a Purdue University student from Korea was recently released from federal detention, while a green card holder living in the United States for 35 years was also detained sending shockwaves through the Korean community in the United States. For more on this, we're joined by Steve Kang, Chairman of the Korean American Federation of Los Angeles. Mr. Kang, thanks for joining us today. 1. Immigration raids like these are unprecedented, right? How do cases like this reflect the Trump administration's immigration policy? 2. All this must have been shocking for Koreans living in the U.S. How is the Korean community in Los Angeles reacting to the recent immigration raids? 3. I understand ICE agents have been arresting hundreds of immigrants every day across the U.S. What do the raids look like in Los Angeles? How are they changing people's daily lives? 4. What kind of diplomatic efforts does the Korean government need to make to help resolve this issue? Alright, thank you so much for sharing your insight with us today. We appreciate it.

[THE INTERVIEW] Victor Cha on what’s at stake if Trump meets Kim

2025/08/13 11:37

In part two of our interview, the CSIS Korea chair weighs in on the prospects for a summit between Trump and North Korea's Kim Jong-un,.. and the issues that could define it. He also notes that Washington's pursuit of denuclearization of Pyongyang is a long-term goal. Our correspondent Kim Jung-sil reports. Victor Cha, Korea chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, says Washington's official stance remains unchanged: the end goal is still the denuclearization of North Korea. But he warns that's no short-term prospect. "Stated U.S. policy is that the end game is denuclearization, right? That's our stated U.S. policy. But that's really a long-term goal. I mean given how much North Korea's nuclear program has developed. So the question then becomes, in the interim, what would the United States be seeking?" In that interim, Dr. Cha says Washington could pursue other priorities and perhaps a diplomatic opening. He's suggested that if the U.S. President attends October's APEC meeting in Gyeongju, the trip might also take him to Panmunjom, and possibly to talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. "If that (the summit) happened, I just wanted to ask you the real end game for both sides this time?" "Certainly, I think some form of freeze on the program, some of the initial steps towards denuclearization, would be important. But at the same time, there are other things that I think the United States is concerned about when it comes to North Korea. And one of them, of course, is their deep military relationship with Russia." He says that relationship now factors directly into Trump's top foreign policy priority. "This is clearly a priority of the Trump administration to end the war in Europe, and North Korea now plays a role in that. So one wonders whether that will become a high priority issue if President Trump meets the leader of North Korea." But Pyongyang has set its own terms for any meeting. In a recent statement, Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of North Korea's leader, rejected any challenge to the regime's "nuclear weapons status". "She made very clear that any meeting between the two leaders will be as a de facto recognized nuclear weapons state. That's a condition they've laid out for meeting, and it's one theTrump administration has to determine whether they're willing to meet that condition or not." Dr. Cha says a Trump–Kim meeting could sideline denuclearization issues for others, such as Pyongyang's military ties with Moscow, or stopping North Korea from helping rebuild Iran's nuclear program. "But as we've seen with this president, like in the end he makes the decision, and as far as we know he won't make that decision till he walks into the room with Kim." For now, all eyes are on what Trump decides when, and if, he meets Kim. Kim Jung-sil, Arirang News.

U.S. State Department says human rights in N. Korea remain very serious

2025/08/13 11:36

The U.S. State Department, in its latest report on human rights, says the situation in North Korea remains very serious. The 2024 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices released on Tuesday local time, said the regime maintains its control through brutality and coercion including executions, physical abuse, enforced disappearances and collective punishment. It said that in the past year, there has been "no significant change" in the North's human rights. The report lists serious abuses in the North, including killings, disappearances, torture, forced medical practices, arbitrary detention, repression abroad, limits on speech, press, and religion, coerced abortions, human trafficking and forced labor, child labor and bans on independent unions.

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

2025/08/13 11:35

Disgraced cryptocurrency mogul Do Kwon has pleaded guilty in the United States to two fraud charges. With the plea deal, Kwon is expected to face no more than 12 years in prison, with half of his sentence potentially behind bars in South Korea. 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.

What is expected to top agenda at Korea-U.S. summit?

2025/08/13 11:34

With a summit between the presidents of South Korea and the United States scheduled for August 25th,.. eyes are now on what issues will be on the table. For now,.. security and trade are expected to top the agenda. Park Kun-woo has more. As the Korea-U.S. summit approaches later this month, speculation is mounting over the possible agenda items. One is security, including "modernizing" the alliance, which could involve changes to the size and role of the U.S. Forces Korea, increasing defense spending, and greater strategic flexibility. This comes after remarks last week from USFK Commander Xavier Brunson, who cited evolving security threats, including from the North's nuclear program expansion. Asked about a potential troop reduction, he stressed capability over numbers. Observers are watching how much Seoul can concede, as fully rejecting U.S. requests may be difficult while maintaining stability on the peninsula. The Washington Post also reported that the U.S. initially sought to raise Korea's defense spending from 2-point-6 percent to 3-point-8 percent of GDP, along with boosting Seoul's annual cost-sharing payments for U.S. troops. Another expected key item is finalizing details of Korea's 350 billion U.S. dollar investment pledge made during tariff negotiations. About 150 billion is expected to go toward the MASGA project, possibly through acquiring and operating U.S. shipyards, and building and supplying naval and commercial vessels. The rest would possibly be invested more broadly in sectors such as chips and batteries. Specific investment sectors and timelines for implementation are expected to be discussed. Talks may also touch on non-tariff barriers, from the possible allowance of agriculture and beef imports to digital trade issues. With about two weeks remaining, the summit is expected to tackle these issues, with the hope of concluding the talks with constructive outcomes for both sides. Park Kun-woo, Arirang News.

Putin briefs N. Korean leader on upcoming summit with Trump: report

2025/08/13 11:33

Russian President Vladimir Putin has spoken with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, and briefed him on his upcoming meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump. According to Russia's TASS news agency on Tuesday, the two discussed the planned Trump-Putin talks in Alaska on Friday, which are aimed at efforts to end the war in Ukraine over the phone. Putin also shared his appreciation for Pyongyang's support of Russian operations in the western front-line Kursk region, praising what he called the "valor, heroism and selflessness" of North Korean troops. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday stressed his country will not give up the Donbas region as part of a ceasefire deal with Russia. The comments come as Moscow is demanding that Ukraine withdraw from the entire eastern Donbas region as a condition for a peace deal.