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Business Standard
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Business Standard
South Korea, US, Japan hold air drill to show strength against North Korea
During their regular meeting in Seoul on Friday, the chairmen of the joint chiefs of staff from South Korea, the US and Japan discussed North Korea's deployment of troops to Russia AP Seoul Top South Korean, US and Japanese military officers urged North Korea to cease all unlawful activities that threaten regional security, as the three nations flew advanced warplanes for a joint exercise in a show of force against the North. The development came Friday as Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was to travel to North Korea amid booming military and other cooperation between the two countries that have raised concerns among their neighbours. During their regular meeting in Seoul on Friday, the chairmen of the joint chiefs of staff from South Korea, the US and Japan discussed North Korea's deployment of troops to Russia to support its war against Ukraine and Russia's potential transfer of military technology to North Korea in return. They urged the DPRK to immediately cease all unlawful activities to destabilise the Korean Peninsula, the Indo-Pacific, and beyond, and pledged to continue working together to respond to the DPRK's threats, the three top military officers said in a joint statement. DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, North Korea's formal name. North Korea and Russia have grown sharply closer in recent years, with North Korea supplying thousands of troops and ammunitions to Russia in return for economic and military assistance. Seoul, Washington and their partners worry Russia might provide North Korea with sensitive technologies that can enhance its nuclear and missile programmes as well. The three joint chiefs of staff South Korea's Kim Myung-soo, the United States' Dan Caine and Japan's Yoshida Yoshihide discussed various ways to deepen their cooperation in order to ensure peace and stability in the region, according to the joint statement. Also Friday, the three countries staged a trilateral aerial drill in international waters off South Korea's southern Jeju island. The training, which involves America's nuclear-capable B-52H bomber, is meant to improve the deterrence and response capabilities against North Korea's advancing nuclear and missile programmes, according to South Korea's Defence Ministry. In recent years, South Korea, the US and Japan have been expanding or restarting their regular military training exercises to cope with North Korea's enlarging nuclear arsenal. North Korea views such US-led drills as invasion rehearsals and often responds with missile tests. Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, was to begin a three-day trip to North Korea on Friday, according to North Korean and Russian state media reports earlier this week. Russia's Tass news agency, citing Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, reported Wednesday that Lavrov's North Korea trip was part of the second round of strategic dialogue with his North Korean counterpart Choe Son Hui. Lavrov and Choe's earlier meeting took place in November in Moscow. Some South Korean analysts said Lavrov may discuss arranging a visit by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to Russia.
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Business Standard
03-07-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
US trade deal remains unclear: South Korean prez as Trump's deadline looms
Trump's tariff hikes and other America First policies are major challenges for Lee's month-old government, as are North Korea's advancing nuclear programme and domestic economic woes AP Seoul South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said that it remained unclear whether Seoul and Washington could conclude their tariff negotiations by the deadline set by President Donald Trump for next week, noting Thursday that both nations were still working to clarify their positions and identify areas of agreement. Speaking at his first news conference since taking office last month, Lee also reiterated his intentions to improve badly frayed ties with North Korea, though he acknowledged that mutual distrust between the Koreas is too deep to heal anytime soon. Trump's tariff hikes and other America First policies are major challenges for Lee's month-old government, as are North Korea's advancing nuclear programme and domestic economic woes. Lee, a liberal, came to power after winning a snap presidential election caused by the ouster of conservative President Yoon Suk Yeol over his ill-fated imposition of martial law in December. Lee calls tariff talks with US clearly not easy Lee said the tariff negotiations with the US have been clearly not easy and stressed that the countries must reach mutually beneficial outcomes. It's difficult to say with certainty whether we will be able to reach a conclusion by July 8. We are now doing our best, Lee said. What we need is a truly reciprocal outcome that benefits both sides and works for everyone, but so far, both sides are still trying to define exactly what they want. Trump's 90-day pause in global reciprocal tariffs is set to expire on July 9, potentially exposing South Korean products to 25 per cent tax rates. Washington has separately been seeking higher duties on specific products such as automobiles and semiconductors, which are key exports for South Korea's trade-dependent economy. There are growing concerns in Seoul that Trump may also demand a broader deal requiring South Korea to pay significantly more for the 28,000 US troops stationed in the country to deter North Korean threats. Lee has consistently urged patience on tariffs, arguing that rushing to secure an early deal would not serve the national interest. His trade minister, Yeo Han-koo, was reportedly arranging a visit to Washington for possible meetings with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. Lee pushes to revive long-stalled talks with North Korea On North Korea, Lee said he would seek to restore long-dormant talks with Pyongyang, whose expanding military cooperation with Russia pose major security concerns to their neighbours. I think we should improve relations with North Korea based on a reliable coordination and consultation between South Korea and the US, Lee said. But I expect that won't be easy as mutual antagonism and distrust are too serious. Lee previously faced criticism that he was tilting toward North Korea and China and away from the US and Japan. But during his campaign, Lee promised to pursue pragmatic diplomacy, saying he would bolster the alliance with the US while also seeking to repair ties with North Korea, China and Russia. Some critics say it's too difficult to satisfy all parties. Lee added that he had proposed resuming more frequent summits with Japan. Lee's government has made proactive efforts to build trust with North Korea, halting frontline anti-Pyongyang propaganda broadcasts and taking steps to ban activists from flying balloons carrying propaganda leaflets across the border. Trump has also expressed intent to resume diplomacy with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Lee has said he would support Trump's push. North Korea hasn't publicly responded to the conciliatory gestures by Trump and Lee. But officials said North Korean propaganda broadcasts are no longer being heard in South Korean border towns. North Korea has refused talks with the US and South Korea since earlier Trump-Kim nuclear talks collapsed in 2019. North Korea is now working to expand relations with Russia, supplying troops and weapons to support its war against Ukraine in return for economic and military assistance. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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Business Standard
14-05-2025
- Business Standard
Families of S Korea plane crash victims file complaint against 15 officials
Police and government officials have already been investigating the Jeju Air crash, so the complaint is largely seen as a symbolic step calling for a swifter and more thorough probe AP Seoul Families of victims of December's devastating plane crash in South Korea have filed a complaint against 15 people including the transport minister and the airline chief who they believe are responsible for the disaster that killed all but two of the 181 people on board. Police and government officials have already been investigating the Jeju Air crash, so the complaint is largely seen as a symbolic step calling for a swifter and more thorough probe. Many bereaved families complain of what they see as a lack of meaningful progress in efforts to determine what caused the disaster and who is responsible. On Tuesday, 72 bereaved relatives submitted the complaint to the Jeonnam Provincial Police agency in southern South Korea, according to their lawyers and police. The 15 people cited in the complaint include the transport minister, Jeju Air's president and airline officials handling maintenance and safety issues, along with officials at Muan International Airport who are responsible for preventing bird strikes, air traffic control and facility management, according to a statement from a lawyers' group supporting the relatives. Four months after the disaster, we can't help feeling deep anger and despair over the fact that there has been little progress in the investigation, Kim Dae-hye, a bereaved family member, said in the statement. Lawyer Lee So-Ah said Wednesday the complaint would formally require police to brief bereaved families of their investigation, though police have so far only voluntarily done so. The Boeing 737-800 operated by Jeju Air skidded off the runaway at the Muan airport on December 29 after its landing gear failed to deploy, slamming into a concrete structure and bursting into flames. Authorities have since said they found traces of bird strike in the plane's engines and that the plane's two black boxes stopped recording about four minutes before the crash. Many analysts said the concrete structure, which housed a set of antennas called a localiser that guides aircraft during landings, should have been built with lighter materials that could break more easily upon impact. But no exact cause of the crash has been announced and no one has been legally persecuted yet over the crash, the country's deadliest aviation disaster since 1997. Jeonnam Provincial Police agency officials said they've been investigating the accident. They suggested a complex incident like the Jeju Air crash would require a lengthy investigation but declined to say when they expect to wrap up their probe. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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Business Standard
30-04-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Samsung reports revenue increase on heels of higher mobile phone sales
The South Korean semiconductor and smartphone giant said in a statement that it posted 79.14 trillion won ($56 billion) in consolidated revenue for the January-March quarter AP Seoul Samsung Electronics reported Wednesday a sharp increase in consolidated revenue for the first quarter thanks to strong sales of its new smartphones, but its semiconductor business suffered a setback. The South Korean semiconductor and smartphone giant said in a statement that it posted 79.14 trillion won ($56 billion) in consolidated revenue for the January-March quarter, calling it an all-time quarterly high. It said its operating profit rose to 6.7 trillion won ($4.7 billion), up from 6.61 trillion won ($4.6 billion) in the same period last year. Samsung attributed the results to strong sales of its flagship Galaxy S25 smartphone and other high-value-added products. However, the operating profit of the company's semiconductor business fell to 1.1 trillion won ($774 million) from 1.91 trillion won ($1.3 billion) in the corresponding quarter last year. The company said its profits were squeezed by falling average sale prices, as well as reduced demand for high-bandwidth memory as customers wait for the release of next-generation memory chips. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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Business Standard
26-04-2025
- Politics
- Business Standard
North Korean leader Kim unveils new naval destroyer, cites US as threat
Kim described the arms buildup as a response to perceived threats from the US and its Asian allies, citing their expanding joint drills amid growing tensions over North Korea's nuclear programme AP Seoul North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has unveiled a new naval destroyer, claiming it as a significant advancement toward his goal of expanding the operational range and preemptive strike capabilities of his nuclear-armed military, state media said Saturday. North Korea's state-run Korean Central News Agency said Kim attended the launching ceremony for the 5,000-ton warship on Friday at the western port of Nampo. Kim framed the arms buildup as a response to perceived threats from the United States and its allies in Asia, who have been expanding joint military exercises amid rising tensions over the North's nuclear programme. He added that the acquisition of a nuclear-powered submarine would be his next big step in strengthening his navy. The new multipurpose destroyer, touted by state media as the first in a new class of heavily armed warships, is designed to handle various weapons systems, including anti-air and anti-naval weapons, as well as nuclear-capable ballistic and cruise missiles, Kim said. He said the destroyer will be handed over to the navy early next year and begin active duty. Kim criticised recent efforts by the United States and South Korea to expand joint military exercises and update their nuclear deterrence strategies, portraying them as preparations for war. He vowed to respond decisively to this geopolitical crisis and ongoing developments, according to his speech carried by KCNA. South Korea's military didn't immediately comment on the North Korean claims about its new warship. North Korea's unveiling of the new warship follows its March revealing of a purported nuclear-powered submarine under construction. However, some experts question whether the impoverished and largely isolated nation could develop such advanced capabilities without foreign assistance. Nuclear-powered submarines were among a broad list of advanced weapons that Kim pledged to develop at a major political conference in 2021, citing growing US-led threats. His wish list also included solid-fuelled intercontinental ballistic missiles, hypersonic weapons, spy satellites, and multi-warhead missiles. Since then, North Korea has conducted a series of tests aimed at acquiring these capabilities. Regional tensions have increased as Kim continues to flaunt his military nuclear capabilities and align with Russia over President Vladimir Putin's war on Ukraine. US President Donald Trump has said he would reach out to Kim again to revive diplomacy, but the North has not responded to that offer. While the two leaders met three times during Trump's first term, negotiations broke down over disagreements on easing US-led sanctions in exchange for steps toward the North's denuclearisation. Kim's foreign policy focus has since shifted to Russia, which he has supplied with weapons and military personnel to support its warfighting in Ukraine. South Korean officials are concerned that, in return, Pyongyang could receive economic aid and advanced military technology to further develop its weapons programmes. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
