South Korean Prosecutor's Team Raids Unification Church HQ Over Yoon's Wife; Group Denies Organizational Involvement
The special prosecutor is investigating the former first lady for allegedly accepting a luxury brand name bag, given to her by a former senior church official through a political broker in 2022, in exchange for asking Yoon's side to make it easier for the group to run its business in Cambodia.
According to Yonhap News and other media outlets, the Unification Church denied any organizational involvement in the allegation during questioning by investigators before the investigation was transferred to the special prosecutor's team.
However, the former senior church official said the organization's leader Han Hak-ja approved it.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Nikkei Asia
a day ago
- Nikkei Asia
Trump tariffs: Asian reaction to new US 'reciprocal' rates
TOKYO -- Hours ahead of his Aug. 1 deadline for new "reciprocal" tariffs, U.S. President Donald Trump has announced the rates he is going to impose on imports of goods from dozens of countries. The new rates include 25% on India, 20% on Taiwan and 19% on Thailand, Malaysia and Cambodia. Countries that run a trade deficit in goods with the U.S., such as Singapore, will face the baseline rate of 10%. Some of Asia's smallest economies have been hit hardest: Laos and Myanmar both face 40%. For more in-depth reaction and analysis, here are some of Nikkei Asia's recent articles on the U.S. tariffs: - Trump unveils new sweeping tariff rates up to 41% - Taiwan says US tariff deal not final, calls 20% hit 'temporary' - China pauses US-bound company investment amid trade war - India's Modi faces opposition slam after Trump slaps 25% tariff - South Korean stocks plunge nearly 4% following US trade deal Follow the latest developments in this live blog (Japan standard time): Saturday, August 2 12:15 a.m. Malaysia's tariff deal with the U.S. is a "win-win," the Southeast Asian country's trade minister said. The deal demonstrates the strong bilateral relationship between the two countries, Malaysian Trade Minister Zafrul Aziz told a news conference. The U.S. tariff rate of 19% is "fair," he said, given the circumstances faced by neighboring countries in the region. Read more. Friday, August 1 5:15 p.m. Thailand's acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai said at a cabinet meeting that the 19% tariffs on Thai products "are the same rate as many countries in the region, which is good news," according to a government spokesperson. "A key step for the Thai government is to issue a joint Thai-U.S. statement," Phumtham said, which the representatives from both sides have drafted. Earlier, Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira indicated that, unlike some other countries, Thailand did not agree to eliminate tariffs on all American products. "For the types of products we are prepared for, we will give them 0%. What we are not ready for yet, we won't allow it at all, or we will allow it partially, asking for three to five years to prepare," Pichai told local media. 3:45 p.m. Soh Thian Lai, president of the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturing, pointed out that the burden of tariffs is often shared across the supply chain. "A reduction in tariffs benefits not only Malaysian exporters but also U.S. importers. It improves the overall cost equation and can stimulate demand for Malaysian goods, especially in sectors where price plays a crucial role in purchasing decisions," Soh said. While it is still too early to assess the full impact, he anticipated that several export-oriented industries like electrical and electronics machinery and equipment, rubber-based products and processed industrial goods, may benefit from improved competitiveness and increased demand. And while some front-loading of orders may have occurred earlier, Soh predicted that the tariff cut is likely to encourage more exporters to consider "taking on new orders." 2:15 p.m. Alexandra Hermann, lead economist at U.K.-based consultancy Oxford Economics, said the 25% tariff rate on Indian exports -- higher than Asian peers such as Vietnam, Japan and South Korea -- will put the country at a disadvantage in the medium term, damaging "export prospects and investment appeal." Hermann warned that Trump's threat to penalize Russia's trading partners could also weigh on India, forcing it to replace discounted Russian oil. "Though probably temporary, an additional 100% duty over the remainder of Q3 would shock confidence and could push global oil prices to $80-$90, raising India's import bill," she said. "Public finances would likely take some of the hit to cushion the inflationary impact in the near term, with state-owned oil refiner margins potentially absorbing most of the cost." Hermann added that there is still room for negotiations, as indicated by Trump, with final tariffs of 15% "a plausible upside scenario." 2 p.m. Kriangkrai Thiennukul, president of the Federation of Thai Industries, stated that Thailand's success in negotiating the rate down from 36% to 19% reflects close cooperation between the public and private sectors. "This tariff rate is at an acceptable level. No one gains or loses too much. Overall, Thai products can still compete, but businesses with margins below 10% will need to cut costs, improve efficiency and negotiate with trading partners." 1:50 p.m. By midday, the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange was up nearly 20 points, or 1.3%, at 1,531.88, after slipping from its sharp rise to 1,533.10 at the opening. Hong Leong Investment Bank (HLIB) said in a statement that the EMS, or electronic manufacturing services, and glove industries are regarded as immediate beneficiaries of the tariff announcement. However, it noted that both sectors are "still grappling" with industry-specific headwinds, which could temper further rises. HLIB said its target for the benchmark KLCI for the rest of 2025 will be 1,640. 1:15 p.m. Top executives at Singaporean lender Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp. on Friday highlighted uncertainty and volatility from Trump's continuing trade war. While OCBC's home market Singapore, which has a trade deficit with the U.S., is set to have its tariff rate kept at the baseline of 10%, the bank counts China, a main target of Trump's protectionist campaign, as a key external market. "The impact we see in the environment is really customers re-evaluating their investment decisions," OCBC's Deputy CEO Tan Teck Long said during an earnings briefing on Friday. "When the tariff charge on China products was very high at triple digits, we found that the merchandise from a major manufacturing country such as China found its way to other markets ... [and] some of the local businesses suffer from this intense competition." 1 p.m. Tricia Yeoh, associate professor at the University of Nottingham Malaysia, raised concerns that the U.S. could place further pressure on Malaysia to concede on non-trade matters, including its relationship with China and countries in the Middle East. "If so, we are entering an interesting and unprecedented new global order, one in which non-traditional matters of security and foreign policy are grounds for negotiating traditional trade and economic deals," she said. All in all, she said she remains "cautiously optimistic," while countries in Southeast Asia and beyond need to be prepared to negotiate in unconventional ways. 12:45 p.m. For those of you focusing on Southeast Asia, here's a chart comparing how the U.S. tariff rates have changed from the initial announcement in April. 12:35 p.m. Deborah Kay Elms, head of trade policy at the Hinrich Foundation, a trade advocacy group, said the public would benefit from "greater clarity" from the White House, specifically on the transshipment provision, which indicates that "anyone found guilty" of doing this to evade duties will face a 40% levy. "It does not (at the moment) indicate Chinese content," she told Nikkei Asia. Elms argued the "bigger challenge" is that the tariffs in their current state are simply high. "There will be changes ahead. The document reserves the right for the president to modify rules. His agencies have a lot of latitude in implementation." 12:20 p.m. Malaysia's Trade Minister Zafrul Aziz welcomed the outcome, saying that it reflects "strong and enduring economic ties" between the two countries. "It is also a testament to Malaysia's credibility as a reliable trade and investment partner. We thank our counterparts in the U.S. especially the U.S. Trade Representative's Office and the Department of Commerce for their constructive cooperation and support throughout the negotiation process," Zafrul said in a statement. The statement also noted that Malaysia had "stood firm" on various "red line" items such as its affirmative action Bumiputera policy, procurement and opportunities for local companies. 12:10 p.m. Brian McFeeters, CEO and president of the US-ASEAN Business Council, said that since the "reciprocal" tariff rates for exports to the U.S. from several Southeast Asian countries are the "same or close," there should not be "massive shifts" in movable production. "The ASEAN countries have engaged in constructive negotiations with the U.S. administration and there may be scope for further tariff adjustments or other changes in the coming months," McFeeters told Nikkei Asia. 11:55 a.m. Piyasak Manason, head of economic research at InnovestX Securities in Bangkok, said the 19% U.S. tariff represents a "relatively positive outcome" for Thailand. "This tariff level allows Thai businesses to maintain competitiveness while managing the adjustment costs," he wrote, as Thailand's tariff rates were similar to those of regional competitors. At the same time, he warned that several key Thai export industries, such as electronics, machinery and processed foods, will face substantial pressure. "This tariff level allows Thai businesses to maintain competitiveness while managing the adjustment costs," he said. At the same time, the key is "how quickly Thai businesses can adapt through market diversification, productivity improvements and value-chain repositioning." 11:50 a.m. Cambodia's Deputy Prime Minister Sun Chanthol, who led negotiations with the White House, said that while the government welcomed the lowered tariff rate -- Cambodia was facing 49% in April -- it would continue to work with the U.S. to bring it down further. He said that all imports from the U.S. would face 0% duties. Chanthol added that the prospects of tariffs had spurred the government to increase its investment in the domestic market and infrastructure, saying the government would create 300,000 jobs a year. "For Cambodian workers in other countries, please come back home. We will have lot of jobs," he vowed. Chanthol also announced Cambodia was buying 10 Boeing planes for its national carriers, with the option of buying 10 more. Ken Loo, spokesperson for the Textile, Apparel, Footwear & Travel Goods Association in Cambodia, said the tariffs were likely to hit exports even though Cambodia is in the same range as some of its garment-exporting competitors like Vietnam, Indonesia and Bangladesh. "For sure this will affect exports in the short term, because I think this is going to result in lower profitability or higher consumer prices across the board," Loo said. 11:45 a.m. Stephen Olson, senior visiting fellow at the ISEAS -- Yuosf Ishak Institute and a former U.S. trade negotiator, told Nikkei Asia that Trump has "fundamentally rewritten the rules of global trade." "Instead of the U.S. at the head of a system created to reduce trade barriers and conduct trade relationships according to predictable, mutually agreed rules, countries wishing to trade with the U.S. will now face dramatically higher tariffs that could be further increased at the whim of a president who has shown a disdain for trade rules and trade agreements -- even those which he himself has signed," he said. Olson said that while many countries continue to adhere to the principles of free trade, the U.S. is effectively opting out and it "remains to be seen how or if that system can continue to function." He warned that the latest announcement is unlikely to be the end of the story. "Trump regards this as an ongoing reality show. More 'deals' or further tariff increases are almost certain to follow." Southeast Asian countries hoping to pursue export-led development "will be especially hard hit," he said. As for China, Olson said it "has an opportunity to pick up the pieces and seize the mantle -- perhaps rhetorically more than in practice -- as the leader of rules based trade." At the same time, Trump's imposition of a 40% transshipment duty will be perceived as directed against Chinese interests and "will inevitably spill over" in the superpowers' ongoing trade negotiations. 11:35 a.m. Nazir Razak, chair of the ASEAN-Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC) said the reduction in tariffs on Malaysian goods from 25% to 19% is a "positive step forward" and hopefully there would be opportunity for further engagement and reductions. "ASEAN-BAC encourages continued efforts toward a more predictable, open and mutually beneficial trade environment for Malaysia and other ASEAN nations," he said. On the semiconductor front, Wong Siew Hai, president of Malaysia Semiconductor Industry Association commended that the government has put in a tremendous amount of effort to get it down as low as possible, in a "more level playing ground" relative to all the other countries in ASEAN. "From our perspective, the way I see it is that currently business will be as normal. Meanwhile, everybody has to find a way to compete as aggressively as possible, by working on productivity, getting on into technology and so on, until everything settles. Nothing is said about the sectoral tariff that is currently exempted," Wong said. 11:30 a.m. Australia's Minister for Trade Don Farrell said the country's engagement with the U.S. had paid off after the U.S. ally's tariff rate remained at 10%, and added that the government would move to take advantage of having a more competitive rate than some peers. "This is a vindication for the Albanese government, and particularly the prime minister, in the cool and calm way that we have conducted diplomacy with the United States," Farrell told reporters in Adelaide on Friday. He said Australian products like beef -- its top export to the U.S. -- as well as lamb, wine and wheat would be more competitive in the U.S. "As a government, we will assist all of our exporters in ensuring that we take advantage of this situation and increase the volume of exports, not just to the United States, but to all of those other countries that we have diversified with," he said, adding the government would continue pushing its U.S. counterparts to eliminate tariffs and had invited U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick to Australia for discussions. 11:05 a.m. Here are the U.S. "reciprocal" rates on key Asian countries: For further charts on the latest tariffs, check out our tracker. 11:05 a.m. The latest U.S. tariff adjustments reflect a more nuanced approach to "friendshoring," targeting countries closely tied to Chinese value chains while easing pressure on those like Malaysia that retain strategic flexibility, said Khoo Ying Hooi of the University of Malaya. "It signals that the U.S. is not shutting out ASEAN but curating trade ties based on geopolitical behavior," she told Nikkei Asia, adding it boosts investor confidence in Southeast Asia as a viable alternative for supply chain diversification. Former diplomat Ilango Karuppannan agreed, calling it a dual message of discipline and openness. While higher tariffs may raise cost concerns, he said the move also reaffirms Southeast Asia's strategic role in U.S. supply chain realignment. Countries like Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia may benefit as "second-best" but geopolitically favorable options. Mohd Faiz Abdullah of the Institute of Strategic and International Studies noted that Malaysia's role in the Thai-Cambodia truce and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's diplomatic engagement influenced the outcome. "This deal was reached without compromising our sovereignty -- our Bumiputera policy, procurement rules, and domestic space remain intact," he said, referring to affirmative action policies to help native Malays. 11 a.m. Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te posted on Facebook that his negotiators in Washington were informed by the U.S. that the 20% rate is "provisional." "The main reason is that, due to procedural arrangements, the U.S. and Taiwan have not yet completed the final wrap-up meeting," Lai wrote. "If an agreement is reached later, the rate is expected to be reduced." He added that the two sides will continue negotiations on supply chain cooperation and other matters. 10:55 a.m. Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira, who led the government's negotiation team, said in a social media post: "It helps maintain Thailand's competitiveness on the global stage, boosts investor confidence, and opens the door to economic growth, increased income, and new opportunities for the country. "The outcome of this negotiation signals that Thailand must accelerate its adaptation and move forward in building a stable and resilient economy, ready to face global challenges ahead." 10:50 a.m. Wendy Cutler, senior vice president of the Asia Society Policy Institute and a former deputy U.S. Trade Representative, flagged some of the key things in, and missing from, Trump's executive order (EO): "What seems to be absent from the EO is whether existing or new rules of origin will be issued and/or negotiated. This is of key importance in light of the 40 percent transshipment tariff now applicable beyond Vietnam. "U.S. companies will also face challenges as they navigate this new tariff landscape. Of particular concern is the continued uncertainties they will face with new sectoral tariffs coming and possibilities of additional tariffs if the Administration believes countries are not operating in good faith in their implementation efforts. "No doubt about it -- the EO and related agreements concluded over the past few months tears up the trade rule book that has governed international trade since WW2. Whether our partners can preserve it without the United states is an open question." 10:45 a.m. U.S. President Donald Trump announced the new tariff rates in an executive order early evening Washington time, early morning in East Asia.
The Diplomat
2 days ago
- The Diplomat
The Evolution of ‘Made in China 2025'
The success of China's 'Made in China 2025' initiative cannot be judged simply by how effective the policy was in developing robotics, aerospace, advanced information technology, biopharma, new energy vehicles, and the five other key sectors that were meant to transform the country from a low-cost manufacturing hub into a global high-tech leader. It also needs to be evaluated in light of the priorities that fully emerged only after its launch in 2015: achieving technological self-reliance and bringing industrial supply chains within China's borders. Over the past decade, the Made in China 2025 strategy has successfully driven industrial development in many of its 10 focus sectors. But Beijing's shift toward economic security has broadened this approach, bringing a wider move toward cross-sectoral industrial dominance and more self-sufficient, high-tech supply chains. While localizing value chains inside China and self-sufficiency were part of the mix 10 years ago, the strategy was primarily designed to help China avoid the middle-income development trap, position its companies to become global leaders in their fields, and generate sustained economic growth through assertive industrial policy. China has made great strides in shifting its focus from low-cost production to tech innovation and manufacturing quality – yet supply chain dependencies persist. When Made in China 2025 was launched, it focused on 10 industries with a range of goals. The original policy and roadmap prioritized targets for market share and patent applications and the development of quality Chinese brands, while more broadly aiming to upgrade the economy to move China up global value chains. At the time, the country enjoyed access to international markets, foreign technology, and cross-border investment – and most of its policymakers, private sector, and scientific community did not support a push for more self-reliance. For instance, tech companies like Alibaba and Tencent focused their R&D efforts on the design side of the semiconductor value chain but relied on South Korean or Taiwanese technology for the actual production of chips. The onset of the China-U.S. trade war during Donald Trump's first presidency changed this equation. Washington's restrictions on Chinese tech giants Huawei and ZTE and the resulting broader tech war after 2018 galvanized Chinese society to embrace a whole-of-nation effort for technological advancement and self-reliance. Accordingly, the focus of Made in China 2025, as well as Beijing's metrics for assessing its results, shifted from avoiding the middle-income trap to achieving technological independence across its 10 focus sectors – with varying degrees of success.
The Diplomat
2 days ago
- The Diplomat
A Rare, Direct Warning From Japan Signals a Shift in the Fight Against Child Sex Tourism in Asia
A Japanese restaurant owner's call to action shed light on the scourge of transnational child sex tourism – and forced Japan's government to respond. Japan's embassy in Laos and its Ministry of Foreign Affairs have issued a rare and unusually direct advisory, warning Japanese men against 'buying sex from children' in Laos. The move was sparked by Ayako Iwatake, a restaurant owner in Vientiane, who allegedly saw social media posts of Japanese men bragging about child prostitution. In response, she launched a petition calling for government action. The Japanese-language bulletin makes clear such conduct is prosecutable under both Laotian law and Japan's child prostitution and pornography law, which applies extraterritorially. This diplomatic statement was not only a legal warning. It was a rare public acknowledgement of Japanese men's alleged entanglement in transnational child sex tourism, particularly in Southeast Asia. It's also a moment that demands we look beyond individual criminal acts or any one nation and consider the historical, racial and structural inequalities that make such mobility and exploitation possible. A Changing Map of Exploitation Selling and buying sex in Asia is nothing new. The contours have shifted over time but the underlying sentiment has remained constant: some lives are cheap and commodified, and some wallets are deep and entitled. Japan's involvement in overseas prostitution stretches back to the Meiji period (1868-1912). Young women from impoverished rural regions (known as karayuki-san) migrated abroad, often to Southeast Asia, to work in the sex industry, from port towns in Malaya to brothels in China and the Pacific Islands. If poverty once pushed Japanese women abroad to sell their bodies, by the second half of the 20th century – fuelled by Japan's postwar economic boom – it was wealthy Japanese men who began travelling overseas to buy sex. Around the 2000s, the dynamic flipped again. In South Korea, now a developed economy, men travelled to Southeast Asia – and later to countries such as Russia and Uzbekistan – following routes once taken by Japanese men. Later in the same period, the flow took an even darker turn. Japanese and South Korean men began to emerge as major buyers of child sex abroad, particularly across Southeast Asia, the Pacific Islands and even Mongolia. According to the United States Department of State, Japanese men continued to be 'a significant source of demand for sex tourism,' while South Korean men remained 'a source of demand for child sex tourism.' The U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime and other organizations have also flagged both countries as key contributors to child sexual exploitation in the region. A more recent and troubling shift appears to be unfolding within Japan. Amid ongoing economic stagnation and the depreciation of the yen, Tokyo has reportedly become a destination for inbound sex tourism. Youth protection organizations have observed a notable rise in foreign male clients, particularly Chinese, frequenting areas where teenage girls and young women engage in survival sex. What ties these movements together is not just culturally specific beliefs, such as the fetishisation of virginity or the superstition that sex with young girls brings good luck in business, but power. The Battle to Protect Children The global campaign to end child sex tourism began in earnest with the founding of ECPAT (a global network of organizations that seeks to end the sexual exploitation of children) in 1990 to confront the rising exploitation of children in Southeast Asia. Despite legal frameworks and international scrutiny, the abuse of children remains disturbingly common. Several factors converge here: endemic poverty, weak law enforcement, and a constant influx of wealthier foreign men. Add to that the digital age of information and communication technologies, where child sex can be advertised, arranged, and commodified through encrypted platforms and invitation-only forums, and the crisis deepens. While local governments often pledge reform, implementation is inconsistent. Buyers, especially foreign buyers, often manage to evade consequences. However, in early 2025, Japan's National Police Agency arrested 111 people – including high school teachers and tutors – in a nationwide crackdown on online child sexual exploitation, conducted in coordination with international partners. Why This Moment Matters The shock surrounding the Laos revelations and the unusually direct response from Japanese authorities offers a rare opportunity to confront the deeper systems at work. Sex tourism doesn't happen in a vacuum. It's enabled by uneven development, transnational mobility, weak regulation and social silence. But this moment also shows grassroots activism can force institutional action. Japan's official warning wasn't triggered by a government audit or diplomatic scandal. It came because Ayako Iwatake saw social media posts of Japanese men boasting about buying sex from children and refused to look away. When she delivered the petition to the embassy, it responded quickly. Less than ten days later, the Foreign Ministry issued a public warning, clearly outlining the legal consequences of child sex crimes committed abroad. Iwatake's action is a reminder: it doesn't take a government to expose a system. It takes someone willing to speak out – even when it's uncomfortable. As she told Japanese newspaper Mainichi Shimbun: 'It was just too blatant. I couldn't look the other way.' It's commendable that Japan acted swiftly. But a warning alone isn't enough. Japan should strengthen and expand its international cooperation to combat these heinous crimes. A more decisive model can be seen in a recent case in Vietnam, where U.S. authorities infiltrated a livestream child sex abuse network for the first time in that country. Working undercover for months, they coordinated with Vietnamese officials to arrest a mother who had been sexually abusing her daughter on demand for paying viewers abroad. The rescue of the 9-year-old victim showed what serious cross-border intervention looks like. But for every headline-grabbing scandal, there are hundreds of untold stories. The Laos case should be the beginning of a broader reckoning with how sex, money and power move across borders – and who pays the price. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.
