News

[K-wave] Kansong Art Museum opens rare fan art exhibition

2025/04/10 14:00

Every fan has a story to tell. The Kansong Art Museum has opened its spring exhibition featuring exquisite paintings and calligraphy rendered on classical Korean hand fans. From works by late Joseon masters to modern literati artists, the display offers a rare glimpse into the refined beauty and spirit adorned on fans across generations. Our Han Da-eun takes us there. A fan painting gifted by a Qing dynasty scholar to a celebrated Joseon literati painter Hong Hyeon-ju. The delicate bamboo leaves invite viewers into the refined artistic exchanges of the era. "Jiranbyeongbun" by Chusa Kim Jeong-hui, a towering figure of Joseon-era calligraphy and literati art, brings to life a graceful composition of orchid blossoms and mushrooms. Jo Hui-ryong's orchids whisper of changing times, casting light on the evolution of his artistic style. "Jo Hui-ryong's early orchid paintings were largely shaped by Chusa Kim Jeong-hui, but later gave way to a more unrestrained style—reflecting the emotional weight of his exile." A grand fan painting by Danwon Kim Hong-do, Joseon's prominent painter renowned for his depictions of common people, with heartfelt praise from Kim's close mentor inscribed in the right corner adds to the charm and warmth of this masterful work. "Rather than giving a plain fan, our ancestors made it special by adding their own paintings or calligraphy—turning it into a personalized gift." The fan artworks of modern-era artists are filled with calligraphy and paintings, each brimming with stories and warm wishes for the recipient's good fortune. Titled "Seonwoo Pungwol," which translates to "sharing a moonlit breeze with good friends," the exhibition features 55 fan artworks carefully curated from the Kansong Art Museum's collection. Among them, over 20 pieces will be unveiled to the public for the first time. The museum's first fan-themed exhibition in 50 years runs through May 25, inviting visitors to discover the untold stories woven through every fold and brushstroke. Han Da-eun, Arirang News.

[K-enter] Injunction appeal held for NewJeans and ADOR

2025/04/10 14:00

We will start with the dispute between NewJeans and ADOR. What are the latest updates Bella? On Wednesday, a 15-minute hearing took place for the appeal made by NewJeans, last month, against the court injunction imposed on the members’ activities. The hearing took place at the Seoul Central District Court and only the attorneys of NewJeans and the agency ADOR attended. It was not open to reporters, as opposed to last month’s hearing that was open to audience. The result of the appeal is yet to come out. Wednesday’s hearing took place two and a half weeks after the court sided with ADOR and approved the injunction against NewJeans’ activities taking place outside of the agency. The court ruled that the five members’ argument that their trust had been broken wasn’t sufficient and ordered them to return to ADOR. Instead of accepting the injunction ruling, NewJeans appealed the decision and announced that they will halt all activities for now. The first hearing on NewJeans’ termination of its contracts with ADOR took place on April 3rd where the two did not come to a settlement. The second hearing over the contract termination will take place on June 5th. Moving onto our next story-we are going to talk about G-Dragon and his music which can be heard everywhere from radio to the internet, social media, clubs and cafes, you name it. but perhaps this is the most unlikely place you would expect to hear it. We always talk about K-pop artists performing all around the globe in so many different countries. But I can guarantee you that none of their songs have been played here. As you may all know, G-Dragon is a visiting professor at Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, KAIST. Well, he collaborated with scientists at KAIST to launch his music and an image of his iris into OUTER SPACE! The Space Institute of KAIST announced on Thursday that the world’s first “space sound transmission” was successfully conducted on Wednesday by Lee Jin-joon, a contemporary artist and associate professor at KAIST, in collaboration with G-Dragon. Professor Lee used generative AI technology to create a media art piece titled “Iris,” based on an image of G-Dragon’s eye. The audio component included sound from the Emile Bell, a historic Korean bronze bell over a thousand years old, along with G-Dragon’s recent hit “Home Sweet Home.” G-Dragon said that he was both thrilled and surprised by the project. He explained the reason behind selecting “Home Sweet Home” was because the song features Big Bang members, Taeyang and Daesung. In that sense, he added that he is excited to see Big Bang travel into space, where the big bang is from. Thrilled to see more interesting projects like this. Our last story is on an actor, who are we talking about? Soa, can you guess which actor is most loved globally? It’s Lee Min-ho! Lee Min-ho has been crowned as the ‘Most Loved Korean Actor Worldwide’ not just this year, but for 12 consecutive years. According to the ‘2025 Global Hallyu Survey’ released by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korean Foundation for International Cultural Exchange, Lee Min-ho secured the top spot as the most preferred Korean actor globally for 12 years in a row, solidifying his status as a Hallyu star. He ranked first in all five continents―Asia, the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa -across 28 countries, proving his immense global popularity. Through various successful projects like “The Heirs,” “Legend of the Blue Sea,” and “Pachinko,” Lee Min-ho has definitely demonstrated his power. Meanwhile, Lee Min-ho is set to appear in the upcoming film “Omniscient Reader: The Prophet” later this year. Very impressive milestone by Lee Min-ho! Thank you Bella for today’s stories.

Trump announces 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs, hikes levies on China

2025/04/10 10:00

U.S. President Donald Trump has made a dramatic reversal, announcing a 90-day pause on the reciprocal tariffs that went effect on Wednesday. But he hiked China's tariff rate to 125% after Beijing retaliated. Kim Bo-kyoung has our top story. In just 13 hours since the reciprocal tariffs for so-called "worst offender" countries took effect on Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump abruptly backed down on this set of tariffs for 90 days for all countries apart from China, which instead saw its tariffs raised to one-hundred-25-percent. Trump's stunning reversal came through his social media just before 1:30 PM Wednesday where he said Washington would pause higher targeted tariffs to more than 75 trading partners who reached out to negotiate with the U.S., rather than retaliated. He repeated his thoughts during an event with race car champions on the White House South Lawn. "I did a 90-day pause for the people that didn't retaliate, because I told them, if you retaliate we're going to double it. And that's what I did with China, because they did retaliate." The decision means countries that would have faced reciprocal tariff rates on Wednesday including South Korea, see rates go back down to the universal ten-percent rate. But for Beijing, which had retaliated to Trump's 104% tariffs by upping its tariff rate on U.S. goods to 84%, Trump raised tariffs on China yet again, to now 125%. Products that aren't exempt under the trade deal --steel, aluminum and autos, will still have a 25-percent tariff. When asked whether volatile bond markets persuaded him to pull back on his plan, Trump said he saw people were getting afraid. "The bond market right now is beautiful. But yeah, I saw last night where people were getting a little queasy. . They were getting yippy, you know, they were getting a little bit yippy, a little bit afraid." On this, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent reportedly told the press at the White House,. that what people saw --the reciprocal tariffs that went effect on Wednesday was a "ceiling", and now that they have a temporary "floor." He added it would take some time for each country's tailor-made solutions. Meanwhile for South Korea, the 90-day pause will likely serve as time to negotiate with the U.S. after the new administration launches in June. Kim Bo-kyoung, Arirang News.

[Weather] Lovely spring day but dusty in the Seoul metro area

2025/04/10 10:00

It's shaping up to be a lovely spring day across much of the country, with warmer temperatures and clear skies. But air quality is still a concern in the Seoul metropolitan area, it will be dusty all day, whereas Busan and Ulsan will see dusty air at night. Meanwhile, Gangwon-do and Jeju will see rain through the morning, then parts of Gyeongsang-do provinces could see spotty rain with possible hail in the late afternoon. But overall, it's a beautiful spring day with plenty of sunshine and milder temperatures. Highs will jump more than 10 degrees by lunchtime. Seoul, Daejeon and Busan get up to 19 degrees Celsius, Gyeongju tops out at 23 degrees. Tomorrow will feel more like mid-May, with a high of 24 degrees Celsius in the capital. Rain is forecast to move in on Saturday, spreading across much of the country through Sunday with some chill. Knowing that, you might want to squeeze in those spring outings before the rain arrives!

U.S. Defense Secretary calls for cooperation against "Chinese threats" during Panama visit

2025/04/10 10:00

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has announced plans to enhance military cooperation with Panama, aiming to counter perceived threats from China's influence over the Panama Canal. During a visit to Panama City on Tuesday, Hegseth emphasized the strategic importance of the Panama Canal, through which over 40% of U.S. container traffic transits annually. On Wednesday, he asserted that China-based companies control critical infrastructure in the canal area, potentially enabling surveillance activities that compromise the security and sovereignty of both Panama and the United States. In response, the U.S. and Panama have agreed to deepen their military collaboration, including conducting joint training exercises and enhancing security operations to safeguard the canal's operations.

Coalition deal in Germany clears way for Friedrich Merz to become chancellor

2025/04/10 10:00

Let's begin in Germany where Friedrich Merz is set to become the next chancellor? That's right. With the conservative CDU/CSU alliance and the center-left SPD reaching a coalition agreement, Merz will be inaugurated as the new chancellor next month. On Wednesday local time, leaders from Germany's Christian Democratic Union, its sister party the Christian Social Union, and the Social Democratic Party announced a coalition deal. This follows the federal elections held on February 23, where the CDU and CSU emerged as the leading force without an outright majority. The coalition's policy framework, titled "Responsibility for Germany," outlines key initiatives, including economic measures, fiscal policy, defense, and foreign policy. Friedrich Merz, leader of the CDU, is poised to become the next Chancellor, pending formal approval processes within the involved parties.

Ghibli-style AI-generated portrait boom; new wave in art scene?

2025/04/10 10:00

If you're active on social media, you've probably come across one of these Ghibli-style portraits that are AI-generated. Our Park Kun-woo tells us more about the craze as well as the potential issues with the craze. Social media is buzzing with Studio Ghibli-style portraits -not of actual characters but of real people transformed using generative AI. The global trend has also reached South Korea after OpenAI CEO Sam Altman posted his own version last month, showing how ChatGPT can now create intricate images with just simple prompts. "Whenever I open social media, it's flooded with these Ghibli-style images. A lot of my friends have tried them, some even shared their wedding photos in that style." Since the launch of the new image-generation tool in late March, over 700 million images were created, in just the first week. "This is my original photo, and I asked to be turned into a Ghibli character—and boom, two minutes later, here I am. And it's not just this but you can also turn into characters like Pororo or Marvel heroes. No wonder it's gone viral." As the craze spreads, Sam Altman even joked on social media that "our GPUs are melting." However, the trend has also had backlash. A Japanese animation director known for "One Piece" expressed strong distaste, saying the trend is tarnishing the Ghibli brand. And Studio Ghibli co-founder Hayao Miyazaki previously condemned AI-generated work as "an insult to life itself" adding that he would never use it in his pieces. Copyright concerns are also fueling the controversy. "Art styles and aesthetics are considered ideas, so the case is hard to judge whether it's violating copyrights. The issue is whether an AI company trained its model on works in the Ghibli style." She added that because this is a legal grey area with not much precedent, international and social consensus will be crucial moving forward. Despite the controversy, some believe this could be a new turning point in the culture and art scene. "The art world faces what's called "Baumol's cost disease" -rising labor costs without matching productivity. And hand-drawn animation is extremely labor-intensive. Ghibli, for example, hasn't released a new film since 2014. But AI could ease that burden and enable new creations while preserving the original identity." She also said that with proper consensus, AI-generated art could evolve into a new cultural movement, perhaps even gaining long-term value, much like Van Gogh's paintings did posthumously. And considering that, a tiny Ghibli-style AI portrait might just be the spark, redrawing the entire canvas of modern art. Park Kun-woo, Arirang News.

Wall Street climbs on news of Trump's 90-day tariff pause

2025/04/10 10:00

Wall Street reacted positively to the news of Trump's 90-day tariff pause. The Dow Jones Industrial Average on Wednesday rose 7-point-8-7 percent, or over 2-thousand-962 points, to close at 40-thousand-608-point-4-5. The tech-heavy Nasdaq soared over 12 percent, up over 1-thousand-857 points from the previous trading session, to close at 17-thousand-124-point-9-7. Global crude prices also rose on the news of the tariff pause. On the New York Mercantile Exchange, futures for May delivery for West Texas Intermediate rose more than 4 percent from the previous trading session, while the June delivery for Brent Crude also climbed over 4 percent on the ICE Futures Exchange.

On-point: Why 125% tariffs on China when a 90-day pause for others?

2025/04/10 10:00

Trump is really hunting down China. A 90-day pause on Trump's reciprocal tariffs with the exception of China, with Beijing now facing 125% tariffs. We're joined by Professor Oh Joon-seok this morning. Welcome back. 1. Tariffs continue to roll in for Beijing when a tariff delay has been given to others. 2. Some analysts also point out it's about who'll blink first here: Washington or Beijing? 3. With the tariff delay, South Korea has bought time until early July, when we'll have a new leader. 4. It looks like Trump's pushing for this one-stop shopping --bundling trade, defense, and industrial cooperation into one package deal. 5. Trump can be really pushy, especially when pursuing his goals. Thanks so much for sharing your insight this morning.

China counters Trump's 104% tariffs with 84% levies on U.S. products

2025/04/10 10:00

And hours before the announcement on the delay, both China and the EU decided to strike back at Trump's reciprocal tariffs. First, China countered Trump's 104 percent tariff with 84 percent duties on American goods. Lee Seung-jae tells us more. The two largest economies in the world are now going back and forth with tariffs, each hoping one side with succumb first. A day after U.S. President Donald Trump announced a 104 percent tariff on Chinese goods coming into the U.S., China retaliated, announcing an 84 percent tariff on U.S. goods. China's State Council Tariff Commission said in a statement that the U.S. escalation of tariffs against Beijing is a "mistake upon mistake," adding that it "severely" infringes upon China's legitimate rights and interests. It added that the U.S. tariffs seriously damage the rules-based multilateral trading system. China had warned that it would "fight to the end" if Washington continued to impose additional tariffs against the country. On top of the 84 percent tariffs, China's Ministry of Commerce announced that it had imposed export controls on 12 American companies, banning Chinese companies from supplying them with dual-use products with military and civilian applications. Beijing also added 6 more U.S. firms to its "unreliable entity list," which bans them from trading or making new investments in China. Meanwhile the European Union will impose its first countermeasures against the U.S. reciprocal tariffs starting next week. EU members agreed on Wednesday to join Canada and China in retaliating against U.S. tariff policies. Members agreed to impose retaliatory tariffs on 23 billion U.S. dollars worth of American products, from farm produce to products from Republican states. The EU says it will impose 25 percent tariffs on a number of goods from almonds to yachts,.. with the first levies being collected starting next Tuesday. Most of the retaliatory tariffs will be applied from May 15th,.. and the remainder starting on December 1st. However,.. the European Commission said in a statement that "these countermeasures can be suspended at any time, should the U.S. agree to a fair and balance negotiated outcome. Lee Seung-jae, Arirang News.

S. Korea's stocks surge with tariff pause, buy-side sidecar activated for KOSPI 200 futures

2025/04/10 10:00

South Korea's stock market is surging, boosted by the pause in U.S. tariffs. As of 9:02 AM on Thursday, the KOSPI stood at 2-thousand-415-point-39, up more than five percent from the previous session, triggering a buy-side sidecar for the first time in more than eight months at 9:06 AM. A sidecar is activated when the KOSPI 200 futures index rises or falls by 5 percent or more and stays there for at least a minute. The tech-heavy KOSDAQ also showed a large jump of more than four percent.

S. Korea and U.S. inked new joint wartime operations plan last year to counter N. Korea WMD, missile threats: USFK Commander

2025/04/10 10:00

South Korea and the United States signed a new joint wartime operations plan last year, in response to North Korea's evolving nuclear threats. Commander of the U.S. Forces Korea, General Xavier Brunson, mentioned this plan in a written statement to the House Armed Services Committee on Wednesday. The general said the plan was in response to Pyongyang's increasingly sophisticated weapons of mass destruction and missile capabilities and that the new plan was signed after testing and validating it through the two countries' joint exercises. He added that Seoul and Washington will continue to refine the plan to improve integration and interoperability.

[Weather] Cloudy with more rain in the south, April warmth continues

2025/04/09 20:00

We missed the sun today! Spotty rain that started in the west is gradually moving in across the country. Rain could take a break in between through tomorrow so keep an umbrella handy. Despite the rain, pleasant spring warmth continues with temperatures going up to similar to today, so let's take a closer look. The morning chill has eased, Seoul starts off at 9 degrees Celsius, Daegu at 11 degrees Celsius. Meanwhile, the capital area will be dusty all day tomorrow. Then highs will go up to 20 degrees in most parts of Korea, Daegu and Gyeongju will be warmer at 22 degrees but expect to receive rain through the afternoon. Disappointing news for those who plan to check out the cherry blossoms this weekend, rain is in the forecast for both days. Also temperatures will plunge on Sunday with a high of 9 degrees in the capital. That's Korea for you, here's a look at the international weather conditions.

Negotiations already launched as reciprocal tariffs come into effect on Wednesday

2025/04/09 20:00

Country-specific U.S. tariffs took effect today, putting much uncertainty on the world economy. The team from Korea is in Washington, with the U.S. saying its allies South Korea and Japan in mind for negotiations. Meantime, the levy for China went up to 104-percent. Kim Bo-kyoung has more. Countries hit by tariffs have already launched negotiations with the U.S. as the steeper rates of reciprocal tariffs for what Trump calls the "worst offenders" were officially imposed on Wednesday. South Korea, which saw a 25-percent reciprocal tariff imposed as of 1PM Wednesday local time, began its talks as well. Along with Acting President Han Duck-soo's phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump, Seoul's trade minister Cheong In-kyo arrived at Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, for talks with the U.S. Trade Representative. Cheong said Korea has two major projects it could bring to the table. "The Alaska LNG project is an important part, and shipbuilding, where discussions are already ongoing between the two countries is an area the U.S. is particularly interested in so it will likely be brought to the negotiating table for discussions." While saying his goal is to completely eliminate mutual tariffs, Cheong said Korea will aim to reduce the tariffs gradually if elimination is difficult. Such talks come as the U.S. is prioritizing its key allies South Korea and Japan, in holding trade negotiations. Among dozens of countries facing high reciprocal tariffs, Kevin Hassett, Chairman of the White House National Economic Council, said in an interview with local media on Tuesday that Seoul and Tokyo are the highest priorities, citing them as major trading partners and allies with large trade surpluses with the United States. Meanwhile, China now needs to deal with Washington's huge one-hundred-four-percent tariff across all Chinese imports. China was already set to see tariffs increase by 34-percent on Wednesday, following two rounds of ten-percent levies. The rate shot up again as Beijing did not back down on its decision to impose 34-percent retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods by noon on Tuesday. "Countries like China, who have chosen to retaliate and try to double down on their mistreatment of American workers, are making a mistake. President Trump has a spine of steel and he will not break and America will not break under his leadership." Regarding the massive tariff on China, Trump at the National Republican Congressional Committee President’s Dinner on Tuesday, said though it might seem outrageous, China has imposed tariffs of one-hundred or one-hundred-25-percent on many American items. He then said China would at some point, negotiate. Kim Bo-kyoung, Arirang News.

Employment in Mar. up by 193,000; sharp decline in construction and manufacturing

2025/04/09 20:00

The Korean labor market is holding steady with employment expanding in March, growing by almost 200-thousand from a year ago, but that expansion remains uneven. Moon Ji-young explains. South Korea’s job market saw robust growth in March, but challenges persist, particularly in the construction and manufacturing sectors, along with youth employment. According to Statistics Korea’s employment report released on Wednesday, the number of employed people aged 15 or older reached almost 28-point-6 million in March, marking a year-on-year increase of 193-thousand. This gain marks the third consecutive month of growth. By industry, the health and social welfare sector led the job gains, followed by public administration, defense, and social security, as well as the finance field. However, construction saw the largest year-on-year drop in jobs since data collection began in 2013, marking a continuous decline for eleven consecutive months. The manufacturing sector also recorded its most significant decline since November 2020, reflecting a ninth straight month of falls in employment. Some experts forecast that manufacturing, the backbone of the domestic economy, could see a further decline in jobs this year, as export growth slows due to a potential trade war triggered by U.S. tariffs. "Due to the shock from tariffs, our product exports may decline, leading to a faster reduction in job opportunities. Since most of what we sell consists of manufactured goods, this could result in a reduction of decent jobs in the sector." By age group, employment for those aged 60 years and older primarily led the job growth, adding 365-thousand year-on-year. In contrast, the number of employed individuals aged 15 to 29 dropped by 206-thousand. The employment rate for young adults stood at 44.5 percent, marking the lowest monthly record for any March since 2021. With this latest data, Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok expressed concerns regarding sluggish job growth, particularly in export-driven industries such as manufacturing, during an economic officials' meeting on Wednesday. To address the volatility in the trade market, the government has committed to a supplementary budget of 10 trillion won, or roughly 6.7 billion dollars. Moon Ji-young, Arirang News.

[Politics & Diplomacy] Presidential race heats up: DP leader resigns to run for president, former Labor Minister joins race

2025/04/09 20:00

For the presidential election on June 3rd, politicians are speeding up their moves to join the race. To take a closer look at how the rival parties are preparing and what’s ahead, let’s turn to our political correspondent Shin Ha-young. Ha-young, the Democratic Party leader resigned from the chairmanship of the party today. What does this mean? You’re right. Today, Democratic Party Chairman Lee Jae-myung, widely seen as the likely DP candidate, stepped down from his position, hinting at his presidential bid. This comes as the political scene quickly shifted into early election mode, following former President Yoon’s removal from office. Lee, who lost to former President Yoon by a margin of zero-point-7-3 percentage points in the last presidential election, has not officially declared his candidacy but plans to do so on Thursday. Take a listen. "I am grateful to have been able to serve as the party leader for three years and to have achieved some meaningful results. Things were tough in the beginning, but I’m leaving with the situation looking better than when I started. I will soon be starting a new chapter." Politicians outside Lee's faction within the DP are also preparing to enter the race. Among them, former DP lawmaker Kim Du-kwan, who also served as minister of interior, and governor of Gyeongsangnam-do Province, was the first to announce his candidacy. Kim Dong-yeon, the current Governor of Gyeonggi-do Province, also formally declared his bid today, before departing for Michigan in the U.S. to address tariff-related issues. Following Lee's resignation, the DP quickly shifted into election mode, planning to launch an election committee as soon as possible. The party aims to select its presidential candidate by the end of this month. Primary rules and the election schedule are also expected to be finalized soon, with candidate registration expected to start next week. There’s growing attention on how the primary will be run, as different factions within the party hold different views. In the last presidential election, the primary was based on the results of a party membership vote given a 50 percent share and public opinion polls also given a 50 percent share. This time, however, politicians outside Lee’s faction are pushing for an open primary, where the outcome is determined entirely by public voting. What's the mood at the People Power Party? Any updates? Well, as for the People Power Party, there is no front runner like its rivals, and the primary is expected to have around 10 candidates or even more. Now-former Labor Minister Kim Moon-soo, who resigned from his post yesterday, declared his candidacy today. Let's take a listen. "I received a lot of support and encouragement from the public. I've decided to follow the will of the people. I'm committed to defending South Korea's identity as a free democracy, and doing my part to help make the country even stronger." PPP lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo also declared his fourth run for presidency on Tuesday. Former PPP Chair Han Dong-hoon said the formation of his camp will begin on Thursday, while Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon is planning to announce his candidacy on Sunday. Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo's supporters said his official announcement will be on the 14th of April. The party's election committee today decided to hold its national convention on May 3rd to choose its official presidential candidate. Candidate registration will take place next Monday for two days, and the first-round contenders will be announced on April 16th. With as many as 15 people expected to run, there’s a lot of talk about how many rounds of cutoffs there'll be, and how many candidates make it through each time. Those details are set to be decided at tomorrow's meeting. With the election date now official, I hear the election commission today ensured a fair and transparent process. You're right. National Election Commission chief Roh Tae-ak today stressed the importance of the 21st presidential election, saying the commission will make the voting and counting process more transparent to build public trust. Take a listen. "The National Election Commission takes this election seriously and is committed to ensuring a fair and impartial process. Despite the short timeline, we’ll do all we can to prepare thoroughly so the will of the people is fully reflected in the outcome." Roh also emphasized that election fraud is impossible, noting that over 300-thousand clerks take part in the voting and counting process, and more than 100-thousand observers monitor every step. CCTV will record in real-time the storage rooms for ballot boxes, and the footage will be shared. Ballot-counting clerks will count the ballots with their hands in addition to the electronic counting. Let's shift our focus to the Constitutional reform that has been making headlines during the past few days. I hear the Assembly Speaker has backtracked on the idea of holding a referendum on the election day. What's the story there? You're right. Well, calls for constitutional reform surface almost in every election in South Korea. But this time, National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik pushed for a nationwide referendum to take place alongside the upcoming election, emphasizing the need to strengthen the separation of powers to ensure popular sovereignty and national unity. However, on Wednesday, he withdrew his earlier proposal, saying that it has become virtually impossible under the current political turmoil, especially after Acting President Han Duck-soo nominated two Constitutional Court justices to fill the bench. Instead, Woo suggested opening full-scale discussions on the revision after the presidential election. Alright, thank you, Ha-young, for your report today. Keep us posted on future developments. Thank you.

S. Korean, U.S. leaders signal interest in "win-win" "one-stop shopping" deal in phone call

2025/04/09 20:00

A deal between Korea and the U.S. could involve the one that ties trade and security. The country's acting president spoke over the phone with the American leader last night. Oh Soo-young reports. The leaders of South Korea and the United States have signaled interest in a potential "win-win" package deal, amid tensions over tariffs and defense cost-sharing. This came during a phone call Tuesday between Acting President Han Duck-soo and U.S. President Donald Trump,.marking the first top-level contact between the two countries since Trump began his second term 78 days ago. It follows a leadership shift in Seoul,. just four days after President Yoon Suk Yeol was removed from office by the Constitutional Court, placing Han in full control as acting president. The 28-minute conversation focused on trade and security issues. On trade, both leaders agreed to continue ministerial-level talks aimed at mutually beneficial outcomes, particularly around trade balance. Han highlighted potential cooperation in three key sectors: shipbuilding, liquefied natural gas, and trade adjustment. The call came just 16 hours before the U.S. implemented its so-called Liberation Day levies a 10 percent baseline tariff on all imports, and a country-specific reciprocal tariffs on goods from South Korea. On security issues, Han called for stronger unity on North Korea's denuclearization, as both leaders reaffirmed their dedication to the South Korea-U.S. alliance. They also pledged close coordination on North Korea policies, and backed continued trilateral cooperation with Japan. Beyond the formalities, both sides appeared to willing to work towards a deal. Speaking to CNN earlier that day, Han ruled out retaliation against Trump's tariffs, unlike China or Japan, and called for a “cool negotiation.” On top of last month's duties on steel and aluminum, Washington's latest measures target key Korean exports such as automobiles, batteries, and machinery. While calling Trump's string of tariffs “a pity,” Han said he believed a “win-win deal” between friends could encourage Washington to ease its stance. Meanwhile, Trump took to Truth Social, posting he had a "great call" with Han. He said they discussed South Korea’s trade surplus, tariffs, LNG purchases, and cost-sharing for U.S. troops in Korea. Trump claimed South Korea began paying “billions” in military costs during his first term, only for “Sleepy Joe Biden” to cancel the deal. However, no such agreement was finalized. A new cost-sharing pact was signed under Biden last year, raising South Korea’s contribution by 8.3 percent from 2026, with annual increases tied to inflation, marking a significant financial commitment by Seoul. Still, as a growing number of countries strike back against his tariffs, Trump seemed hopeful for a breakthrough with South Korea, saying he saw potential for a "great deal." Noting that South Korea’s “top team” on trade was en route to Washington, he floated a “one-stop shopping” approach which bundles trade, defense, and industrial policy into one sweeping pact. A South Korean government official told local press on Wednesday that Seoul prioritizes the easing of tariffs. The official added that Trump seemed "open" to a streamlined, package deal, but said sealing a deal will depend on the pace of negotiations, and what cards the two sides bring to the table. Oh Soo-young, Arirang News, Sejong.

Tariffs take toll on South Korea; KOSPI falls below 2,300 for first time in 17 months

2025/04/09 20:00

Korea's benchmark KOSPI fell below the 23-hundred mark on Wednesday in the wake of the major U.S. tariffs that went into effect. Markets elsewhere also took a hit. Bae Eun-ji has the details. South Korea's benchmark KOSPI has dipped below the 2,300 points, for the first time in almost a year and half. The KOSPI index closed at 2-thousand-293-point-7 on Wednesday, down 1-point-7-4 percent from the day before. The sharp decline comes after it already lost more than 5 percent in a single day on Monday. Over the course of three days, the benchmark index has lost 139-point-7 trillion Korean won in market value, which is more than 94 billion dollars. The country's tech-heavy KOSDAQ also slid more than 2-percent, to finish at 643-point-3-9. The local currency also fell,.. with the won-dollar rate briefly declining to its lowest since the global financial crisis more than 16 years ago. The Korean won dropped to 1,484 per dollar on Wednesday, the lowest since March 2009. And it wasn't just South Korea that saw sharp declines on Wednesday. In neighboring countries, Japan's Nikkei 225 lost almost 4 percent, while Taiwan's benchmark stock index also shed nearly 5-point-8 percent. Meanwhile, U.S. stocks also continued to drop amid tariff fears. The S&P 500 fell sharply on Tuesday, to close below 5-thousand points for the first time in almost a year. It has now lost 5-point-8-3 trillion dollars in value, for its steepest four days of losses since the index was created in the 1950s. Apple shares have fallen more than 20 percent since last week's tariff announcement, wiping out 770 billion dollars in market cap over the past four days. This was mainly because Apple is considered as one of the companies most exposed to the trade war, due to its heavy reliance on China clearly showing that the current uncertainty around tariffs is overwhelming. Bae Eun-ji, Arirang News.

A look into N. Korea’s moves and regional risks amid S. Korea’s political uncertainty

2025/04/09 20:30

Welcome to Within The Frame, where we bring the most pressing issues across the globe into focus. I'm Kim Mok-yeon. South Korea is facing an intense period of political transition following the impeachment of former President Yoon Suk-yeol. As Seoul prepares for new leadership, attention has been shifted to North Korea’s muted response to Yoon’s dismissal as it stands in stark contrast to its past behaviors, raising questions about Pyongyang’s current strategic thinking. Meanwhile, Kim Jong-un’s high-profile military inspection on the day of the ruling, along with renewed statements from Kim Yo-jong and a reported border-crossing incident in the DMZ, suggest that tensions may still be simmering beneath the surface. To delve deeper into the inter-Korean situation, we invite our go-to North Korea expert, Dr. Go Myong-hyun, Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for National Security Strategy. Welcome. Also joining us is Brian Myers, Professor of International Studies at Dongseo University. Great to have you. 1. (Go) So Dr. Go, North Korea briefly reported the news of former President Yoon Suk-yeol's dismissal without special comments a day after it happened. This is in contrast with the swift and detailed reporting of former President Park Geun-hye’s impeachment. How could we read into this? 2. (Myers) On the other hand, there is also a view that the North may have limited its rhetoric against the South, as the impeachment news could negatively impact its own regime. What is your view? 3. (Go) The North's KCNA reported that Kim Jong-un inspected a special operations unit on April 4—the day of Pres. Yoon's impeachment ruling. Do you think this holds any significance? 4. (Go) Meanwhile, the former Yoon administration maintained a hardline stance on North Korea. Do you believe a shift in North Korea policy is necessary under the next administration for better stability on the Korean Peninsula? 5. (Myers) Dialogue between North Korea and the U.S. is being cited as the biggest variable that could shake the situation on the Korean Peninsula. In this context, Kim Yo-jong, Vice Department Director of the Workers’ Party, strongly objected to the foreign ministers' meeting between Seoul, Washington, and Tokyo, which reaffirmed commitments to North Korea’s denuclearization, calling it the most hostile act. What is the significance of Kim Yo-jong stepping forward to reiterate North Korea's position? 6. (Go) Meanwhile, Acting President Han Duck-soo and U.S. President Trump held their first phone call for nearly 30 minutes on Tuesday. This was the first conversation between the two leaders since the launch of Trump’s second administration, amid continued concerns over a “Korea passing” in the North Korea nuclear negotiations. How do you assess this development? 7. (Myers) After the call with Acting President Han, President Trump hinted at renegotiating the increase in South Korea's defense cost sharing. What kind of proactive diplomatic and security responses do you think are necessary going forward? 8. (Go) North Korea–Russia relations are strengthening into a strategic alliance, and the U.S.–Russia relationship is reportedly improving in light of the Ukraine ceasefire talks. Amid such changes in the international landscape, what direction should South Korea’s diplomacy take for the sake of Peninsula stability? 9. (Myers) Recently, the United Nations Human Rights Council adopted a North Korea human rights resolution for the 23rd consecutive year. This year's resolution notably includes concerns over North Korean troop deployment to Russia. While these resolutions are not legally binding, do you think continued pressure like this can have an impact on North Korea? 10. (Go) On April 8th, the Joint Chiefs of Staff reported that around a dozen North Korean soldiers crossed the Military Demarcation Line in the eastern section of the Demilitarized Zone. While it may have been a simple mistake made during reconnaissance, there is also speculation that it was a deliberate incursion taking advantage of South Korea’s current political instability. What is your view on this?

S. Korean, U.S. leaders signal interest in "win-win" "one-stop shopping" deal in phone call

2025/04/09 17:00

Acting President Han Duck-soo and U.S President Donald Trump have confirmed their commitment to bolstering bilateral ties on trade and security. Our correspondent Oh Soo-young reports. The leaders of South Korea and the United States have signaled interest in a potential "win-win" package deal, amid tensions over tariffs and defense cost-sharing. This came during a phone call Tuesday between Acting President Han Duck-soo and U.S. President Donald Trump,.marking the first top-level contact between the two countries since Trump began his second term 78 days ago. It follows a leadership shift in Seoul,. just four days after President Yoon Suk Yeol was removed from office by the Constitutional Court, placing Han in full control as acting president. The 28-minute conversation focused on trade and security issues. On trade, both leaders agreed to continue ministerial-level talks aimed at mutually beneficial outcomes, particularly around trade balance. Han highlighted potential cooperation in three key sectors: shipbuilding, liquefied natural gas, and trade adjustment. The call came just 16 hours before the U.S. implemented its so-called Liberation Day levies a 10 percent baseline tariff on all imports, and a country-specific reciprocal tariffs on goods from South Korea. On security issues, Han called for stronger unity on North Korea's denuclearization, as both leaders reaffirmed their dedication to the South Korea-U.S. alliance. They also pledged close coordination on North Korea policies, and backed continued trilateral cooperation with Japan. Beyond the formalities, both sides appeared to willing to work towards a deal. Speaking to CNN earlier that day, Han ruled out retaliation against Trump's tariffs, unlike China or Japan, and called for a “cool negotiation.” On top of last month's duties on steel and aluminum, Washington's latest measures target key Korean exports such as automobiles, batteries, and machinery. While calling Trump's string of tariffs “a pity,” Han said he believed a “win-win deal” between friends could encourage Washington to ease its stance. Meanwhile, Trump took to Truth Social, posting he had a "great call" with Han. He said they discussed South Korea’s trade surplus, tariffs, LNG purchases, and cost-sharing for U.S. troops in Korea. Trump claimed South Korea began paying “billions” in military costs during his first term, only for “Sleepy Joe Biden” to cancel the deal. However, no such agreement was finalized. A new cost-sharing pact was signed under Biden last year, raising South Korea’s contribution by 8.3 percent from 2026, with annual increases tied to inflation, marking a significant financial commitment by Seoul. Still, as a growing number of countries strike back against his tariffs, Trump seemed hopeful for a breakthrough with South Korea, saying he saw potential for a "great deal." Noting that South Korea’s “top team” on trade was en route to Washington, he floated a “one-stop shopping” approach which bundles trade, defense, and industrial policy into one sweeping pact. A South Korean government official told local press on Wednesday that Seoul prioritizes the easing of tariffs. The official added that Trump seemed "open" to a streamlined, package deal, but said sealing a deal will depend on the pace of negotiations, and what cards the two sides bring to the table. Oh Soo-young, Arirang News, Sejong.