Latest news with #S.Korean
Straits Times
26-06-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Former S.Korean president Yoon to be questioned on Saturday, requests privacy protection
Former South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol is on trial for insurrection and abuse of power over alleged illegal activities following his declaration of martial law on Dec 3, 2024. PHOTO: POOL VIA REUTERS Former president Yoon to be questioned on Saturday, requests privacy protection SEOUL - South Korea's disgraced former president Yoon Suk Yeol said on June 26 that he will appear before the special counsel investigating his alleged role in an insurrection, on the condition that the proceedings be held out of public view. Yoon will appear in court at 10am (9am, Singapore time) on June 28 , one hour later than the originally requested 9am. His lawyers stated that he is willing to cooperate with the ongoing investigation but has raised concerns about what he calls 'unjust' procedures. They argued that the special counsel must reach an agreement with the accused regarding the time and location of the questioning and emphasised that Yoon's privacy and dignity should be respected. They further claimed that the public summoning of Yoon was an attempt to humiliate him and was 'intended to make it difficult for Yoon to appear for questioning by deliberately seeking his arrest'. The independent counsel, led by Mr Cho Eun-suk, requested a travel ban on Yoon from the Ministry of Justice on June 25 . It also sought an arrest warrant from the court, which was denied later that day. Yoon is on trial for insurrection and abuse of power over alleged illegal activities following his declaration of martial law on Dec 3, 2024. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Korea Herald
24-06-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
‘Pragmatism' in focus as Lee Jae Myung skips NATO summit
S. Korean security adviser to join as Japan sends FM; conservatives attack Lee for sacrificing national interest President Lee Jae Myung's decision not to attend the NATO summit in the Netherlands has brought his 'pragmatic' foreign policy approach into renewed focus while triggering attacks from conservatives. Lee had considered participating in the NATO summit but decided not to, his office said Sunday, in the face of "various domestic issues and uncertainties due to developments in the Middle East." Skipping the NATO trip deprives Lee of a chance to sit down for talks with Trump, as well as with leaders of European countries that South Korea sees as partners in the defense industry and regional security, prompting criticism from the conservative main opposition People Power Party. "Why is (Lee) averting chances to coordinate with allies amid unrest in the Middle East? Is Seoul forfeiting opportunities while pursuing pragmatic diplomacy for national interest?" Rep. Kim Seok-ki, a lawmaker with the People Power Party, said Monday. "We are concerned that from the standpoint of China and Russia, South Korea may be seen as the weakest link among US allies" Kim added, noting that Lee's absence at the NATO summit could "trigger speculations that the Lee administration may be placing its priority on China, Russia and North Korea, rather than its allies and partners." Democratic Party of Korea Rep. Kim Hyun-jung countered that the Lee administration's pragmatic diplomacy based on the Korea-US alliance will remain steadfast despite Lee's absence at the summit, urging the conservative party to stop using smear campaigns based on ideological differences. "Will (the tariff issues) be resolved if we just rush to the NATO summit?" said Democratic Party Rep. Kim. "At the center of pragmatic diplomacy lies the national interest. We should wisely resolve pending issues between the two countries while protecting national interests." NATO revealed that a meeting between the NATO secretary-general, US President Donald Trump and the leaders of NATO partners in the Indo-Pacific region is set to take place at 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday in The Hague. However, New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is the only head of state expected to attend out of the four countries — Australia, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea — as of press time. Lee's office announced Monday that his national security aide, Wi Sung-lac, will attend the summit on behalf of Lee. Tokyo also unveiled Monday that Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya will head to the Netherlands on behalf of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, reversing its earlier confirmation of Ishiba's trip. Australia will be represented by Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles. Still, some experts believe that Lee's attendance at the NATO summit could have made a difference in navigating the external uncertainties, from the perspective of pursuing national interests. One expert suggested that Lee may have considered South Korea's ties with China in his decision, while also noting his interest in confidence-building with North Korea. Signs of reengagement with the latter remain limited, however, aside from his move to halt the operation of propaganda loudspeakers along the inter-Korean border. "President Lee decided not to attend (the summit) given that the focus of Trump's attention is on Iran and allied defense spending, rather than on a tariff deal with Seoul, and perhaps also out of concern that a strongly worded joint statement could offend China," said Leif-Eric Easley, professor of international studies at Ewha Womans University in Seoul. "Seoul will be on alert for how conflict in the Middle East reverberates in Asia," Easley added. Not attending the NATO summit "isn't only a missed opportunity" to help defend the international order by supporting Ukraine and coordinating responses to conflict in the Middle East, said Easley. "Seoul needs greater cooperation with NATO countries regarding Russia before Moscow's illegal military trade and exchanges with Pyongyang destabilize the Korean Peninsula." Another expert called Lee's decision not to attend the NATO summit a "mistake" because his presence there could have convinced Seoul's Western partners that he values Europe and understands the connection between security in the Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic regions. "This is diplomatic low-hanging fruit that Lee is not grabbing," said Mason Richey, professor of international politics at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies. "It's also a chance to further cement South Korea's role as an arms exporter to Europe, and perhaps make some connection with European leaders of states who could become future South Korean weapons customers," he added.
DW
17-06-2025
- Politics
- DW
Is North Korea boosting its nuclear capabilities? – DW – 06/17/2025
North Korea is building a new facility at its Yongbyon nuclear complex that is similar to a known uranium enrichment site, says the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said it is monitoring the construction of a new facility in North Korea's Yongbyon nuclear complex. In a statement released last week, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said the agency is "monitoring the construction of a new building at Yongbyon which has dimensions and features similar to the Kangson enrichment plant." He said the "undeclared enrichment facilities" in North Korea "are of serious concern," adding that, "The continuation and further development of the DPRK's nuclear program are clear violations of relevant UN Security Council resolutions and are deeply regrettable." 'Paranoid about regime survival' Analysts say that despite a functioning nuclear deterrent, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un sees an even greater atomic weapons capability as critical to the survival of his regime. "North Korea has long been paranoid about its regime survival," said Erwin Tan, a professor of international politics specializing in security dilemma theory at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies in Seoul. S. Korean bombs hit near N. Korea border in military drill To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Kim has inherited his father's belief that an operational nuclear arsenal would serve as an "insurance policy," he added. "The current moment is also something of a 'window of opportunity' for the North Koreans to develop an operational nuclear arsenal, due to the policy naivete of President Donald Trump's administration and its lack of geostrategic foresight." An analysis of satellite images published on June 13 by 38 North, a publication of the Washington-based Stimson Center think tank, supports the IAEA's assessment, including that the facility under construction is 120 meters long and 47 meters wide, almost identical to a plant at Kangson built to house high spin-rate centrifuges. Other developments include the construction of what appears to be an underground radioactive waste storage facility, it said. An expanding stockpile The reports also coincide with a study published on Monday by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute that examined the state of the world's nuclear arsenals. The institute estimated that North Korea "had assembled approximately 50 nuclear warheads and had sufficient fissile material to potentially produce up to 90 warheads" as of January this year. It added that Pyongyang's stockpile of nuclear warheads is "projected to expand in the coming years." Analysts say North Korean leader Kim Jong Un sees an even greater atomic weapons capability as critical to the survival of his regime Image: KCNA/KNS/AP Andrei Lankov, a professor of history and international relations at Seoul's Kookmin University, said the North could be following one of two trajectories; one optimistic in terms of greater regional security and the other pessimistic. "A decade ago, the North reached the level of technical capability to deploy both nuclear warheads and the ICBMs required to deliver them," he said. "They did not, however, halt their development work and now they have reached the point where they can deliver a warhead anywhere in the world." The "implied scenario," Lankov said, is for the North to menace the US by threatening to attack its cities with nuclear weapons if it interferes with an invasion of South Korea. The North could then use tactical battlefield nuclear weapons to "overcome the massive superiority that South Korea holds in conventional weapons systems." "The result would likely be a North Korean victory over the South," he added. The more optimistic reading of the present situation, Lankov suggested, would be that the North is constructing new facilities "in plain sight" at Yongbyon to send a very different signal. "This could be a very good sign that they are building this in full knowledge that it will be seen and understood as a sign that Pyongyang wants to negotiate." Regional proliferation concerns Professor Tan said Kim's security alliance with Russian President Vladimir Putin has certainly given him additional power to resist international pressures, although there are tensions between the two sides. "Russia and North Korea — and, for that matter, China — all distrust and dislike each other, but all of them also recognize that they have shared interests in opposing the US," he said. Why Russia and North Korea can't quit each other (for now) To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video "Kim Jong Un has apparently calculated that he can 'piggy-back' on his cooperation with Putin to rely on Russian military protection to undertake further development of his nuclear arsenal.' This raises once again the specter of nuclear proliferation in Northeast Asia including, potentially, South Korea developing and deploying its own nuclear deterrent. "Towards the end of Trump's first term in office, there already were discussions in South Korea about an independent nuclear arsenal, but these did not materialize," he said. "My impression is that whilst members of the public in South Korea might have a knee-jerk response that is in favor of a nuclear arsenal, such willingness diminishes when they become aware of the level of increased taxation and defense spending, along with the prospective international fallout for the South's international reputation," he concluded. Edited by: Srinivas Mazumdaru
Kyodo News
17-06-2025
- Business
- Kyodo News
Kyodo News Digest: June 17, 2025
KYODO NEWS - 7 minutes ago - 10:38 | All, World, Japan The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News. ---------- Japan, U.S. still far from tariff deal after Ishiba-Trump summit BANFF, Canada - Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and U.S. President Donald Trump made little headway in bridging gaps over tariffs at their summit on Monday, casting doubt on the prospect of a quick yet "mutually beneficial" package deal that can protect Japan's all-important auto sector. After sitting down with Trump for 30 minutes in Canada's Rockies, Ishiba said any potential deal should serve the interests of both Japan and the United States, and that bilateral ministerial talks will continue to seek such an agreement. ---------- G7 leaders discuss global trade amid Trump tariff tensions CALGARY, Canada - The leaders of the Group of Seven democracies discussed global trade Monday as they kicked off two days of talks in Canada, while trying to hide divisions stemming from U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff war and unilateralism. Trump's transactional approach to diplomacy and his confrontational trade actions, also targeted at G7 countries, have tested the 50-year-old group's ability to coordinate global economic policy and address threats to international peace and security. ---------- Japan calls for "utmost restraint" from Iran in conflict with Israel TOKYO - Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya on Monday told his Iranian counterpart Seyyed Abbas Araghchi that all parties must exercise "utmost restraint" amid the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran. During their phone talks, Iwaya said any action that could further escalate the situation should be refrained from, adding he is "deeply concerned about the current exchange of attacks spreading throughout the Middle East region," the Japanese Foreign Ministry said. ---------- 200 kg of cherries worth 1 mil. yen stolen in northeastern Japan YAMAGATA, Japan - Around 200 kilograms of premium cherries worth around 1 million yen ($7,000) have been stolen from an orchard in northeastern Japan, police said Monday. Of the 67 cherry trees at the orchard in Kaminoyama, Yamagata Prefecture, only the popular Sato Nishiki variety trees, which number around 50, had been stripped of their fruit, according to prefectural police. ---------- S. Korean leader Lee expresses desire for stable ties with Japan SEOUL - South Korean President Lee Jae Myung expressed his desire for stable development of relations between South Korea and Japan as the Japanese Embassy in Seoul held an event to mark 60 years since the two countries normalized diplomatic relations. Lee, who departed for Canada on the day as a guest at a Group of Seven nations summit, sent a congratulatory message for the event and said, "I wish for the stable and future-oriented development of South Korea-Japan relations." ---------- Renault CEO to step down in July, ties with Nissan in focus PARIS - Renault CEO Luca de Meo will step down effective July 15 to pursue work outside the auto sector, the French carmaker said Sunday, shifting attention to the company's ties with struggling Nissan Motor Co. and the moves his successor may make. After becoming Renault's chief executive in July 2020, de Meo worked to improve relations that had become strained following the arrest of Nissan's former chairman, Carlos Ghosn, who had led the partnership between the automakers. ---------- Former Michelin-star restaurant owner arrested after food poisonings OSAKA - Members of a family who run a formerly Michelin-starred restaurant in western Japan were arrested Monday for ignoring an order to temporarily shut it down after a spate of food poisoning cases, investigative sources said. Hirokazu Kitano, 69, his son Hirotoshi, 41, and wife Noriko 68, have all been involved in operating traditional Japanese-style restaurant Kiichi in Kawachinagano, Osaka Prefecture, and are alleged to have violated the Food Sanitation Act. Video: Kansai University professor estimates Pandas at Adventure World has earned some 120 billion yen in sales since 1994
Kyodo News
10-06-2025
- Business
- Kyodo News
Kyodo News Digest: June 10, 2025
KYODO NEWS - 2 hours ago - 20:00 | All, World, Japan The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News. ---------- G7 leaders may skip joint declaration, 1st since 2014: Japan source TOKYO - The Group of Seven nations are likely to skip a joint statement at the end of an upcoming three-day summit in Canada, a Japanese government source said Tuesday, marking the first time since 2014 the meeting would conclude without a consensus document. The move is apparently aimed at preventing the G7, known for its unity in tacking global challenges, from exposing internal divisions as leaders gather for their first in-person meeting since U.S. President Donald Trump took office in January. ---------- Japan ruling bloc OKs campaigning on cash handouts in summer election TOKYO - Japan's ruling parties agreed Tuesday to include cash handouts for households hit by rising prices in their platforms for this summer's House of Councillors election, senior lawmakers said. The Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, the main opposition force, unveiled its election pledges Tuesday, highlighting a proposal to suspend the 8 percent consumption tax on food for at least one year, in sharp contrast with the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, which opposes tax cuts. ---------- Japan urges Iran not to "miss opportunity" for nuke deal with U.S. TOKYO - Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya on Tuesday urged his Iranian counterpart not to "miss the opportunity" to reach a nuclear deal with the United States, as Japan seeks to help advance what appears to be delicate bilateral negotiations. During their phone talks, Iwaya was also quoted by his ministry as telling Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi that Japan will continue to make "utmost diplomatic efforts" toward a peaceful resolution, while they agreed to keep close communication. ---------- China's Xi urges new S. Korean leader Lee to improve bilateral ties BEIJING - Chinese President Xi Jinping urged new South Korean President Lee Jae Myung to promote a bilateral strategic cooperative partnership in their first telephone conversation on Tuesday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said. In a veiled reference to high U.S. tariffs imposed under President Donald Trump, Xi called for China and South Korea to "jointly safeguard multilateralism and free trade" and "ensure the stable and smooth functioning of global and regional industrial and supply chains," the ministry said. ---------- Toyota, Daimler ink Japanese truck units merger deal for April 2026 TOKYO - Toyota Motor Corp. and Daimler Truck Holding AG said Tuesday they concluded an agreement to merge their Japanese truck subsidiaries under a new holding company, aiming to boost competitiveness and better respond to challenges posed by energy transition and technological innovation. Hino Motors Ltd., a subsidiary of Toyota Motor, and Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corp., a unit of Daimler, will operate under the holding company to be set up in April 2026 and listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange's Prime Market, with the parent companies each holding a 25 percent stake in the new firm. ---------- 4-meter-long sinkhole appears in southwestern Japan, no one injured FUKUOKA - A 4-meter-long sinkhole opened near a busy shopping district in central Fukuoka on Tuesday morning, forcing a closure of the area, though no injuries were reported. Police received an emergency call at 9:50 a.m. reporting a collapsed sidewalk along a major road in the city. The hole, which spanned both the road and the sidewalk, measured about 2 meters wide and 2 meters deep, they said. ---------- Ex-Taiwan ruling party members indicted over spying for China TAIPEI - Four former members of Taiwan's ruling party were indicted Tuesday over spying for mainland China in violation of the self-ruled island's security laws. The Taipei District Prosecutors Office said the four male suspects, including a former aide to former Foreign Minister Joseph Wu, had collaborated to gather and provide confidential government information to Chinese intelligence agents. ---------- Over half obtain political news via mass media in Japan: survey TOKYO - Over half of respondents said they obtain news about elections and politics from the mass media, while about 10 percent rely on social media, according to a survey released Tuesday by a think tank affiliated with an internet news app company. Although the mass media has recently been criticized for lacking neutrality and objectivity, 68.7 percent said the information they provide is "reliable," with 9.0 percent rating it "very reliable" and 59.7 percent "relatively reliable." Video: Rainy season begins in western, central Japan regions
