Korea24 – 2022.09.12 (Monday)

Issue Briefing: Issue Briefing with Koo Hee-jin: We assess where South Korea stands in the battle against COVID-19. Then we look at the impact of the weakening South Korean won against the US dollar for Korean households. (KOO Hee-jin)

In-Depth News Analysis: South Korea and Japan have been on a rocky road in recent years, owing to tensions over various historical issues, but a new administration in South Korea this year began to try and turn the tide. To try and assess how those efforts are going, and what more both sides need to do to improve ties, we speak to Dr. Bong Young-shik from the Yonsei Institute for North Korean Studies and Brad Glosserman, the deputy director and visiting professor at the Center for Rule-Making Strategies at Tama University in Japan.

Chuseok Special with Walter Lee: For the second part of our Chuseok special in lieu of Korea Trending, Walter introduces us to how countries around the world celebrate their own version of Chuseok or thanksgiving holiday, including China’s mid-autumn festival, Vietnam’s Tết Trung Thu and Thanksgiving Day in the US.

Monday Sports Round-up: In a special Chuseok edition of the Round-up, sports reporter Yoo Jee-ho joins us in the studio to give a comprehensive preview of South Korea’s prospects at the Qatar 2022 World Cup. We discuss Korea’s opponents in Group H, what the Taeguk Warriors will need to do to get to the knockout stages, and the key players to look out for.

Korea24 – 2022.09.09 (Friday)

Issue Briefing with Koo Hee-jin: We take a closer look at the South Korean auto industry’s concerns over the US Inflation Reduction Act, which excludes tax incentives for electric vehicles (EVs) assembled outside of North America. Then we delve into South Korea’s bid to host the 2030 World Expo in the port city of Busan.

In-Depth News Analysis (Weekly Economy Review): In May, South Korea posted a trade deficit with China for the first time in 333-months. It has continued to do so for the next four months, which is the first time that has happened since the two countries established diplomatic ties in 1992. We look at the causes, as well as the short and long-term implications of the shortfall, with Professor Yang Jun-sok from the Catholic University of Korea.

Chuseok Special with Walter Lee: In this first part of a two-part special in lieu of Korea Trending, Walter helps us look back at the history and traditions of Chuseok in Korea, including how people spend their day, the traditional games that might be played and what foods are enjoyed to celebrate a good harvest.

Movie Spotlight: Film critics Jason Bechervaise and Marc Raymond join us in the studio to discuss two films that they have picked for listeners to watch at home this Chuseok. First is “JSA: Joint Security Area (공동경비구역 JSA) which was released for Chuseok in 2000. The second is “Move the Grave (이장)”, a well-reviewed indie family drama/comedy, that went under the radar during the early months of the pandemic.

Korea24 – 2022.09.08 (Thursday)

News Briefing: South Korea has reached out to North Korea, proposing that they hold formal talks to address the issue of separated families. (KOO Hee-jin)

In-Depth News Analysis (Korean Politics Digest): The Yoon administration has received backlash after it proposed plans to move several conglomerates, along with several universities and special high schools to rural areas outside of Seoul. Affiliate Professor Kim Byoung-joo from the Hankuk University of Foreign Studies and Law Professor Cho Hee-kyung from Hong-ik University joins us in the studio to give their thoughts on the proposal, as well as the latest controversies surrounding the wives of President Yoon Suk Yeol and the Democratic Party chief Lee Jae-myung.

Korea Trending with Jenny Suh:

1. A weather forecast site has warned that the 13th typhoon of the season, Merbok, could be heading towards Korea next week. (가을 태풍 또 온다…'므르복', 14일 한국 상륙 예상)

2. A man was caught sending some 300 million won to a voice phishing organization after a bank customer reported his suspicious activity at the ATM. (ATM에서 '쪼개기 송금' 덜미...금융실명제법 악용)

3. The tracklist for K-pop girl group Blackpink's second album “Born Pink” has been revealed. (블랙핑크, BORN PINK' 트랙리스트 공개)

Explore Korea: Described by our Arts Explorer Ahn Jae-woo as rock star-like sculptor/media artist, he introduces us to the striking works of Choi Haneyl (최하늘) today, and two exhibitions on view in Seoul currently where you can see them: “Manner”, a solo show at Gallery 2 and P21, and “The Other Self”, a two-person show at the Ilmin Museum of Art.

Morning Edition Preview with Richard Larkin:

- In tomorrow’s Korea Herald, Kim Hae-yeon reports that the Cultural Heritage Administration and Italian luxury brand Gucci have decided to go ahead with a fashion show at Gyeongbok Palace after all.

- Tomorrow’s Korea Times features Dong Sun-hwa’s interview with Shim Hyun-bo, the founder of a company aiming to promote financial independence for elderly people.

Korea24 – 2022.09.08 (Thursday)

News Briefing: South Korea has reached out to North Korea, proposing that they hold formal talks to address the issue of separated families. (KOO Hee-jin)

In-Depth News Analysis (Korean Politics Digest): The Yoon administration has received backlash after it proposed plans to move several conglomerates, along with several universities and special high schools to rural areas outside of Seoul. Affiliate Professor Kim Byoung-joo from the Hankuk University of Foreign Studies and Law Professor Cho Hee-kyung from Hong-ik University joins us in the studio to give their thoughts on the proposal, as well as the latest controversies surrounding the wives of President Yoon Suk Yeol and the Democratic Party chief Lee Jae-myung.

Korea Trending with Jenny Suh:

1. A weather forecast site has warned that the 13th typhoon of the season, Merbok, could be heading towards Korea next week. (가을 태풍 또 온다…'므르복', 14일 한국 상륙 예상)

2. A man was caught sending some 300 million won to a voice phishing organization after a bank customer reported his suspicious activity at the ATM. (ATM에서 '쪼개기 송금' 덜미...금융실명제법 악용)

3. The tracklist for K-pop girl group Blackpink's second album “Born Pink” has been revealed. (블랙핑크, BORN PINK' 트랙리스트 공개)

Explore Korea: Described by our Arts Explorer Ahn Jae-woo as rock star-like sculptor/media artist, he introduces us to the striking works of Choi Haneyl (최하늘) today, and two exhibitions on view in Seoul currently where you can see them: “Manner”, a solo show at Gallery 2 and P21, and “The Other Self”, a two-person show at the Ilmin Museum of Art.

Morning Edition Preview with Richard Larkin:

- In tomorrow’s Korea Herald, Kim Hae-yeon reports that the Cultural Heritage Administration and Italian luxury brand Gucci have decided to go ahead with a fashion show at Gyeongbok Palace after all.

- Tomorrow’s Korea Times features Dong Sun-hwa’s interview with Shim Hyun-bo, the founder of a company aiming to promote financial independence for elderly people.

Korea24 – 2022.09.07 (Wednesday)

News Briefing: President Yoon has vowed to promptly declare Pohang a special disaster zone in the aftermath of Typhoon Hinnamnor, as recovery efforts continue in the southern regions. (KOO Hee-jin)

In-Depth News Analysis: A new government report has forecast that South Korea’s population is expected to drop by 27% to 38 million by the year 2070, and almost half that population will be over the age of 65. To delve into the implications and challenges of South Korea’s population crisis Troy Stangarone, the Senior Director and Fellow at the Korea Economic Institute of America, joins us on the line.

Korea Trending with Walter Lee:

1. Questions have been raised about who will be paying for the free BTS concert next month to promote South Korea’s bid to host the 2030 World Expo in Busan. (70억 드는 BTS 공연…부산시도 유치위원회도 "우린 돈 안 내")

2. The Korea Consumer Agency found that many Omega-3 fish oil supplements sold in South Korea have too much fatty acid and Vitamin E. (한국소비자원 '오메가-3, 제품별로 지방산 함량에 차이 있어')

3. The roster for the South Korean women’s national volleyball team was announced ahead of the FIVB Women's World Championship. (2022 세계여자배구선수권대회 최종엔트리 14명 발표)

Korea Book Club: Inspired by the 2014 Sewol Ferry Tragedy, writer Kim Ae-ran (김애란) published a short story in 2016, called “Where Would You Like To Go” (어디로 가고 싶으신가요), about a woman who tries to battle grief and depression, with the help of Siri. Literary critic Barry Welsh helps us look closer at this powerful work.

Morning Edition Preview with Richard Larkin:

- In tomorrow’s Korea Herald, Kim Hae-yeon reports on The National Gugak Center’s (NGC) tour of Germany starting next Monday.

- Tomorrow’s Korea Times features a report by Ko Dong-hwan on Seoul Metropolitan Government resuming an initiative to use Taekwondo as a way to promote the city.

Korea24 – 2022.09.06 (Tuesday)

News Briefing: Super typhoon Hinnamnor has passed the Korean peninsula, causing flooding, power outages and leaving several people dead or missing in its wake. (KOO Hee-jin)

In-Depth News Analysis: The South Korean won broke the 1,370 won mark against the US dollar for the first time in 13 years on Monday. It closed on Tuesday at 1,371.7 won against the greenback. The local currency's fall comes amid expectations that the U.S. Federal Reserve will maintain its hawkish stance on monetary policies, which will likely further strengthen the US currency. To get some analysis on the situation, we speak to Daniel Yoo, Head of Global Asset Allocation at Yuanta Securities.

Korea Trending with Jenny Suh:

1. The Samsung Group started the second open recruitment of the year for its 20 affiliates, where some 5,000 people are expected to be hired. (삼성 20개 계열사, 하반기 공채 실시)

2. Sungkyunkwan, an institute that preserves Confucianism in Korea, has announced a new standard for setting up a Charye table for ancestral rites to help ease conflict among family members during the Chuseok holiday. (성균관 “차례상 음식, 최대 9가지만…전 부칠 필요 없어”)

3. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss will become the new Prime Minister of the UK on Tuesday. ('철의여인' 부활한 영국…새 총리에 리즈 트러스)

Touch Base In Seoul: Are we wearing a mask in our everyday lives? Psychology Professor Lisa Son from the Barnard College of Columbia University looks at that question for her new book on ‘Impostor Syndrome’ called “임포스터 (Impostor)”. She joins us in the studio to tell us more about her findings, and how a better understanding of our masks can help improve our lives.

Morning Edition Preview with Richard Larkin:

- In tomorrow’s Korea Herald, Park Yuna reports on the Los Angeles County Museum of Modern Art (LACMA) putting on a landmark Korean modern art exhibition from Sunday.

- Tomorrow’s Korea Times features a report by Enid Tsui and Park Ji-won introducing Jaap van Zweden, the new music director of the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra.

Korea24 – 2022.09.05 (Monday)

News Briefing: Super Typhoon Hinnamnor is expected to make landfall in South Korea on Tuesday morning, with the southern regions and Jeju island to be hit hardest. (KOO Hee-jin)

In-Depth News Analysis: South Korea's defense ministry caused a stir last week after it backtracked on a plan to consider conducting a public survey on whether the K-Pop boy band BTS should be given an exemption from the nation’s military service. The issue has also gained traction as the oldest member, Jin, is in line to face enlistment this December. To get some perspectives on this issue, Retired Lieutenant General Chun In-bum from the South Korean army and Bernie Cho, the President of DFSB Kollective, an Artist and Label Services agency, joins us in the studio.

Korea Trending with Walter Lee:

1. The government plans to grant 4.24 billion won in reward money to the researchers behind the country's first homegrown rocket Nuri and the first lunar orbiter Danuri. (누리호·다누리호 연구진 포상금 42억)

2. Members of the farming community in Brazil, where five Korean children were found dead in April, have reportedly described the deaths as a “gift to God.” ('한국 어린이 5명 사망' 브라질 집단농장…"아이들 죽음은 예물")

3. Actor Lee You-mi won a prize at this year’s Creative Arts Emmy Awards for her guest role in the Netflix series “Squid Game.” ('오징어 게임' 이유미, 美 에미상 게스트상 수상)

Monday Sports Round-up: In K League football, last-place Seongnam FC stunned leaders Ulsan Hyundai FC with a 2-0 win on Sunday. Sports reporter Yoo Jee-ho from the Yonhap News Agency joins us on the line to tell us about the upset, as well as Son Heung-min’s continuing goal drought, and the LG Twins making a run at first place in the KBO.

Morning Edition Preview with Richard Larkin:

- In tomorrow’s Korea Times, Park Han-sol reports on “Frieze Seoul”, a massive international air fair that took place at COEX in Seoul.

- Tomorrow’s Korea Herald features a report by Lee Si-jin on how companies are looking to expand the global presence of Korean webtoons.

Korea24 – 2022.09.02 (Friday)

News Briefing: Typhoon Hinnamnor, the year’s most powerful tropical storm, has changed course, and it is now expected to have a greater impact on the Korean Peninsula. (KOO Hee-jin)

In-Depth News Analysis (Weekly Economy Review): Consumer prices in South Korea rose 5.7% on-year in August, but it was the first time in 7 months that the growth pace slowed. Economics Professor Yang Jun-sok from the Catholic University of Korea joins us to discuss whether the high inflation has peaked. He also gives his thoughts on the government's budget proposal for next year, which is up 5.2% but is the lowest on-year increase since 2017.

Korea Trending with Walter Lee:

1. South Korea’s first lunar orbiter, Danuri, has sent its first images on its way to the moon. (한국 첫 달탐사선 '다누리'가 130만㎞ 상공서 촬영한 지구와 달)

2. The Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency announced that it discovered 62 foreign fire ants at a cargo container storage yard in Incheon. (인천항서 맹독성 해충 '붉은불개미' 60여 마리 발견…긴급방제 실시)

3. The KBS Symphony Orchestra launched "Digital K-Hall”, an online platform where pictures and videos of its concerts can be viewed free of charge. (KBS교향악단 과거 공연, 온라인으로 무료로 즐긴다)

Movie Spotlight: The colorful, 80’s nostalgia action film “Seoul Vibe (서울대작전)”, starring Yoo Ah-in, was released on Netflix last week. We review the film with critic Jason Bechervaise, as well as “6/45 (육사오)”, a comedy-caper starring Go Kyoung-pyo about soldiers on the inter-Korean border, which has been a surprise box office hit.

Next Week From Seoul with Richard Larkin:

- South Korea will celebrate Chuseok, one of the biggest holidays of the year next Saturday, with the holiday running from next Friday.

- Lee Jae-myung, the leader of the main opposition Democratic Party, has been asked to appear for questioning by the prosecution next Tuesday.

- Daily rush-hour subway protests from the Solidarity Against Disability Discrimination (SADD) will continue in Seoul from Monday.

Korea24 – 2022.09.01 (Thursday)

News Briefing: Prosecutors have summoned the leader of the main opposition Democratic Party Lee Jae-myung for questioning next week, over the ongoing probe related to the Seongnam land development scandal. (KOO Hee-jin)

In-Depth News Analysis (Korean Politics Digest): The former presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung won the leadership race for the main opposition Democratic Party on Sunday, despite being dogged by various scandals. Meanwhile, the leadership turmoil at the ruling People Power Party continues, after a local court ruled in favor of former party chair Lee Jun-seok’s injunction against his party’s leadership. Law Professor Cho Hee-kyung from Hong-ik University and Affiliate Professor Kim Byoung-joo from the Hankuk University of Foreign Studies join us to give their reaction to these stories, as well as the prosecution’s summoning of Lee Jae-myung.

Korea Trending with Jenny Suh:

1. The super typhoon Hinnamnor is set to affect Jeju Island next Monday. (초강력 태풍으로 진화한 '힌남노'…5일 제주 직접 영향)

2. Police in Busan have apprehended 73 people involved in a rivalry between two gangs that inspired the 2001 film “Friend”. (영화 '친구' 속 두 조폭 세력다툼하며 칼 휘둘러…부산조폭 73명 검거)

3. A government lottery event began this week, where consumers who spend 30,000 won or more from small businesses can win up to 1 million won. (중기부, 동행축제 기간 '소비복권' 이벤트…당첨금 최대 100만원)

Explore Korea: For quite some time, Itaewon has been one of the most colorful and unique neighborhoods in Seoul and the country. Allison Needels from Pinpoint Korea joins us to tell us about the district’s eventful history and some of the most notable areas worth visiting, including Gyeongnidan-gil and Haebangchon.

Morning Edition Preview with Richard Larkin:

- In tomorrow’s Korea Times, Lee Gyu-lee reports on Taiwanese actor Hsu Kuang-han’s first fan meeting in Korea taking place this weekend.

- Tomorrow’s Korea Herald features a report by Shim Woo-hyun on how tennis saw a huge boom in Korea during the pandemic.

Korea24 – 2022.08.31. (Wednesday)

News Briefing: An international tribunal has ordered South Korea to pay the U.S. private equity firm Lone Star 216.5 million U.S. dollars in a case related to the sell-off of a local bank. Seoul has said it is still considering an appeal. (Eunice Kim)

In-Depth News Analysis: A new report published by the RAND Corporation in partnership with the Asan Institute for Policy Studies on Tuesday has warned that North Korea may be more prepared to use other Weapons of Mass Destruction, such as biological and chemical weapons, and cyber capabilities, anticipating that its nuclear “shadow” would deter many South Korea-U.S. responses. The co-author of the report, Dr. Bruce Bennett from RAND, joins us in the studio to tell us more about the report.

Korea Trending with Walter Lee:

1. Two men have been arrested for a 21-year cold case of a bank robbery and two murders. (완전범죄 꿈꾼 고교동창…현장에 남긴 ‘마스크’ 때문에 21년 만에 덜미)

2. A woman in her 60s in Yeongam County was able to survive a snake bite thanks to her neighbors’ quick thinking. (논일 하던 중 뱀 물린 60대…이웃 응급처치로 생명구해)

3. Hanwha Group has announced that the Seoul International Fireworks Festival will go ahead this year for the first time in three years on October 8. (한화 '서울세계불꽃축제' 3년 만에 열린다…10월 8일 개최)

Korea Book Club: Sohn Won-pyung, the author of the international bestseller, “Almond”, published a new novel in Korea last month called “튜브 (Tube)”. It tells the story of a middle-aged man in Korea, who decides to try and turn his life around after contemplating suicide. Literary translator Anton Hur joins us in the studio to tell us more about it.

Morning Edition Preview with Richard Larkin:

- In tomorrow’s Korea Times, Kim Rahn reports on the growing safety concerns over the free BTS concert set to be held in Busan in October to support the city's bid to host the World Expo 2030.

- Tomorrow’s Korea Herald features an article by Lee Si-jin on comments made by the CEO of Astory, the production company behind “Extraordinary Attorney Woo” on the importance of IP ownership.