Korea24 – 2022.05.04. (Wednesday)

News Briefing: North Korea has launched another ballistic missile into the East Sea. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said it flew 470 kilometers with a maximum altitude of 780 kilometers and top speed of Mach Eleven. It marks the regime's 14th show of force this year alone. (KOO Hee-jin)

In-Depth News Analysis: A recent editorial in an Iranian newspaper has raised concerns that Tehran is looking to raise the pressure on Seoul to release seven billion dollars of Iranian funds that are frozen in Korean banks under US sanctions. The chief editor of the Kayhan called for the Strait of Hormuz to be closed to South Korean cargo ships and oil tankers, until the assets are released. This has alarmed Seoul, especially after a South Korean ship was seized by Iran last year. To assess the situation, Professor Park Hyondo from the Sogang Euro-MENA Institute joins us on the line.

Korea Trending with Jenny Suh:

1. Authorities in China have launched an investigation after a South Korean man was found dead in his apartment in Shanghai, amid the city's COVID-19 lockdown. (‘봉쇄 한달’ 상하이, 한국인 주재원 아파트서 숨진채 발견)

2. Hyundai Development Company has announced it will demolish and rebuild all eight buildings of two apartment complexes under construction in Gwangju. (현대산업개발, 광주 화정 아이파크 8개동 전면 철거후 재시공)

3. South Korean football star Son Heung-min has created an official Twitter account. (손흥민, 트위터 열고 "저 맞아요"…3시간만에 팔로워 14만 육박)

Korea Book Club: “Losing a Sister (언니를 놓치다)” by Lee Kyung-ja (이경자) tells the heartbreaking story of two sisters who become separated during the Korean War, and then get the opportunity to briefly see each other again over five decades later through the state sanctioned ‘separated families reunion’ event. Literary critic Barry Welsh introduces this powerfully tragic and angry work.

Morning Edition Preview with Richard Larkin:

- Tomorrow’s Korea Times features a report by Kwon Mee-yoo on Mariia Chernozhukova, a Ukrainian artist and model who is taking part in a charity art exhibition to raise awareness of her country and the conflict with Russia.

- In tomorrow’s Korea Herald, Park Ga-young reports on the protests by traditional Korean musicians over the exclusion of Gugak from the new music curriculum for schools.

Korea24 – 2022.05.03. (Tuesday)

News Briefing: President Moon Jae-in has promulgated two controversial reform bills set to reduce the prosecution’s investigative powers in his final Cabinet meeting. This comes after the ruling Democratic Party finally passed the second of two related bills through the National Assembly earlier in the day. (KOO Hee-jin)

In-Depth News Analysis: The outdoor mask mandate has been lifted in South Korea, amid the downward trend in new COVID-19 cases. The classification of COVID-19 has been lowered to a Class 2 infectious disease as well. However, there are lingering concerns over those suffering from long-term effects of the disease. To discuss concerns over ‘long-COVID’ and recent developments Dr. Alice Tan from MizMedi Women’s Hospital joins us on the line.

Korea Trending with Jenny Suh:

1. Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist, Bill Gates, has warned that the possibility of new variants mean that the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic might not be over. (빌 게이츠 "코로나19, 최악 상황 안 왔을 수도 있다")

2. President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol is set to launch next year “Youth Leap”, a government-backed savings account for young people. ("10년 저축하면 1억"…윤석열표 '청년도약계좌' 내년 출시)

3. Trot singer Lim Young-woong's first full-length album “I'm Hero”, released on Monday, surpassed one million copies in sales. (임영웅, 밀리언셀러 예고…'아임 히어로' 선주문 100만장↑)

Touch Base In Seoul: The K League’s first ever back-to-back Player Of The Month winner, Stefan Mugosa of Incheon United FC, joins us via video this week. We discuss the team’s impressive start to the 2022 season, after fighting in relegation battles in recent years. We also look back at his 5 years with the club and talk about what it means to win the Player of the Month Award.

Morning Edition Preview with Richard Larkin:

- Tomorrow’s Korea Times features a report by Jon Dunbar on how “Free Comic Book Day” will be coming to South Korea this week.

- In tomorrow’s Korea Herald, Song Seung-hyun reports that the South Korean animated film “Tae-il-i” will compete at this year's Annecy International Animation Film Festival in France.

Korea24 – 2022.05.02. (Monday)

News Briefing: The outdoor mask mandate has been lifted in South Korea. This comes as the nation recorded 20,084 new COVID-19 cases, the lowest daily count since February 1st. (Emilee JENNINGS)

In-Depth News Analysis: It has been more than two months since Russia invaded Ukraine. At least 46-thousand people have died, and more than 13 million have been displaced, according to Reuters, and there seems to be no end to the fighting in sight, despite sanctions against Russia and negotiations between the two countries. For analysis on the situation, Professor Robert Kelly from Pusan National University joins us on the line.

Korea Trending with Walter Lee:

1. Two members of Seoul’s Get-Home-Safely Scout service helped catch a man in his 60’s who was sexually assaulting a teenager. (10대 성추행한 60대男…'안심귀가스카우트' 신고로 현장 덜미)

2. Actor Park Bo-gum will be co-hosting the 58th Baeksang Arts Awards on Friday in his first TV appearance since being discharged from the military last week. (박보검 전역, 백상 MC로 복귀)

3. The US minor league baseball team Montgomery Biscuits transformed into Montgomery Kimchi last week, as part of a Korean Heritage theme night. (美 프로야구단의 ‘김치 유니폼’…주황색 바탕에 한글까지)

Monday Sports Round-up: After four straight wins, the Lotte Giants unexpectedly find themselves in second place in the KBO. Sports reporter Yoo Jee-ho from the Yonhap News Agency briefs us on their surprise start to the season. We also discuss another record broken by football star Son Heung-min, the latest from the AFC Champions League, and a preview of the KBL playoff finals.

Morning Edition Preview with Richard Larkin:

- In tomorrow’s Korea Herald, Kim Hae-Yeon reports on Children’s Day events and exhibitions at national museums across Seoul.

- Tomorrow’s Korea Times features a report by Lee Gyu-lee on a special short film series featuring eight directors called "All Viewers+: Short Buster”.

Korea24 – 2022.04.28. (Thursday)

News Briefing: President-elect Yoon Suk Yeol is set to hold a summit with U.S. President Joe Biden in Seoul on May 21. This will be part of Biden’s visit to South Korea from May 20 to 22, just ten days after Yoon is sworn into office on May 10. (KOO Hee-jin)

In-Depth News Analysis (Korean Politics Digest): Our regular panel of guests, Affiliate Professor Kim Byoung-joo from the Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, and Law Professor Cho Hee-kyung from Hong-ik University, discuss the latest developments in Korean politics, including President Moon Jae-in’s final TV interview in office, President-elect Yoon Suk Yeol’s decision to reside in the foreign minister’s residence and the latest developments related to the contentious prosecution reform bills.

Korea Trending with Jenny Suh:

1. The Supreme Court has upheld a 35-year prison sentence for the woman who caused the death of her 16-month-old adopted daughter in a high profile child abuse case. (대법, '정인이 사건' 양모 징역 35년 확정…양부는 징역 5년)

2. Artworks donated by the late Samsung group chairman Lee Kun-hee have been brought together in Seoul for an exhibition to mark the one-year anniversary of the donation. ('이건희 컬렉션' 1주년 기념...'수련이 있는 연못' 등 355점 공개)

3. US authorities have arrested Korean-American investor Bill Hwang for alleged “manipulative trading” last spring, which cost Wall Street billions of dollars in losses. (월가 12조 날린 역대급 사건…한국계 '천재 투자가' 체포됐다)

Explore Korea: Children’s Day is coming up next week on May 5th! Our travel and history contributor Allison Needels from the website Pinpoint Korea joins us on the line to tell us about the history and significance behind the national holiday, and how families look to enjoy it each year.

Morning Edition Preview with Richard Larkin:

- In tomorrow’s Korea Times, Kwak Yeon-soo reports on a K-Culture conference where speakers discussed what Hallyu needed to do to continue to grow around the world.

- Tomorrow’s Korea Herald features a report Kim Hae-yeon on the Lotus Lantern festival or Yeongdeunghoe (연등회) returning after a two-year break.

Korea24 – 2022.04.27. (Wednesday)

News Briefing: The People Power Party have launched a filibuster at the National Assembly over a pair of controversial prosecution reform bills that were put to a plenary vote, despite rival parties failing to find common ground in last-minute meetings earlier in the day. (Eunice KIM)

In-Depth News Analysis: It has been over 450 days since the military junta took over Myanmar, leaving hundreds of thousands of people displaced by the conflict. According to the World Food Programme, there are 14.4 million people in need of humanitarian assistance and 13.2 million food insecure. The WFP’s Myanmar Country Director Stephen Anderson joins us in the studio today during his visit to Korea to update us on the situation.

Korea Trending with Jon Kim:

1. The Cultural Heritage Administration has come under fire for a notice excluding foreign children from free entry to royal palaces and tombs during Children’s Day next month. (어린이날 고궁 무료입장 '외국인 어린이' 제외 논란)

2. The International Skating Union has stripped referee Choi Yong-koo of his referee status for protesting disqualifications made against Korean athletes during the Beijing Winter Olympics. (베이징 편파판정 항의한 최용구 심판, 국제심판 자격박탈)

3. DJ Hwang So-hee, aka DJ Soda, says she will be boycotting American Airlines after she was kicked off a flight for wearing pants with obscene writing printed over it. (DJ소다, ‘바지’ 때문에 미국 비행기서 쫓겨났다)

Korea Book Club: Our monthly contributor, literary translator Anton Hur, introduces us to ‘Earth is Fine, It’s the Humans Who Are In Trouble (지구는 괜찮아, 우리가 문제지)’ by renowned climate scientist and science fiction writer Kwak Jaesik (곽재식), which attempts to tackle the issue of climate change in an engaging and accessible way.

Morning Edition Preview with Richard Larkin:

- In tomorrow’s Korea Times, Lee Gyu-lee reports that SM Entertainment will be resuming its concert tour, SMTOWN LIVE, offline for the first time in three years.

- Tomorrow’s Korea Herald features a report by Jie Ye-eun that takes a look at how ‘retro’ is the theme behind this year’s spring and summer hair trends in South Korea.

Korea24 – 2022.04.26. (Tuesday)

News Briefing: North Korea has carried out a military parade showcasing an array of nuclear weapons, including the Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). Leader Kim Jong-un also vowed to further strengthen his regime's nuclear capabilities.

(Eunice KIM)

In-Depth News Analysis: A delegation sent by President-elect Yoon Suk Yeol met with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Tokyo on Tuesday, hand delivering a letter from the incoming president. This is the latest in Yoon's apparent push to reconcile Seoul's relationship with Tokyo. We speak to Dr. Bong Young Shik, Research Fellow at the Yonsei Institute for North Korean Studies to discuss the implications of the meeting. We will also get his thoughts on the military parade in North Korea.

Korea Trending with Jenny Suh:

1. Seoul city and the taxi industry are in discussions to move up the start time for nighttime rates from midnight to 10pm to help ease the nighttime shortage of drivers. (택시대란에… 서울시, ‘심야할증’ 밤 10시부터)

2. Award-winning novelist and media personality Lee Oi-su died on Monday at the age of 75. (소설가 이외수 투병 중 별세)

3. A deal has been reached for the Tesla CEO, Elon Musk, to acquire the social media platform Twitter for 44 billion dollars. (결국 트위터 품는 머스크‥55조 원 인수 합의)

Touch Base In Seoul: The championship winning head coach Tommi Tiilikainen of the Incheon Korean Air Jumbos joins us in the studio today. We look back at his professional journey to Korea from Finland, via Germany and Japan. We also discuss the nail-biting end to the V-league championship series and how he is preparing for next season.

Morning Edition Preview with Richard Larkin:

- In tomorrow’s Korea Times, Kwak Yeon-soo writes about a new trend revolving around retro-themed comic books that seems to be gaining popularity in Korea.

- Tomorrow’s Korea Herald features a report by Jie Ye-eun on the French luxury brand Louis Vuitton opening its first-ever pop-up restaurant in Seoul next month.

Korea24 – 2022.04.25. (Monday)

News Briefing: South Korea has downgraded COVID-19 from a Class 1 to a Class 2 infectious disease, in the nation’s four-tier classification system. Immediate changes include allowing public food consumption at indoor facilities, and more changes will be introduced over the next four weeks, including the lifting of the seven-day self-quarantine requirement for infected people. (Eunice KIM)

In-Depth News Analysis: In November 2017, South Korean President Moon Jae-in unveiled one of his key diplomatic initiatives, the New Southern Policy (NSP), aimed at strengthening ties with the member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and India. But President-elect Yoon Suk Yeol’s transition team have hinted they will replace the initiative with a new policy that includes all Indo-Pacific countries. To look back and assess the successes and failings of the NSP, and consider what changes the new administration might bring, Dr. Lee Jae-hyon (이재현), senior fellow at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies joins us on the line.

Korea Trending with Jon Kim:

1. A marine, who defected from the military and left the country to try and fight in the war in Ukraine, was arrested as he returned home on Monday. ('우크라 참전 시도' 해병, 무단출국 한달여 만에 압송)

2. The culprit behind the live burial of a poodle found with only its snout exposed above ground, in Jeju last Tuesday, was found to be the owner. (푸들 생매장 범인은 ‘견주’… “아파서 묻어준 것”)

3. Emmanuel Macron won the French presidential election on Sunday, beating the far-right candidate Marine Le Pen by 17 percentage points. (프랑스 마크롱 대통령 연임 성공)

Monday Sports Round-up: This week, sports reporter Yoo Jee-ho from the Yonhap News Agency updates us on how the Korean teams are getting along in the AFC Champions League, the latest from the Korean Basketball League playoffs, and how the attendance at Korea Baseball Organization games were up over the weekend after the ban on singing and chanting was lifted.

Morning Edition Preview with Richard Larkin:

- In tomorrow’s Korean Times, Kwak Yeon-soo writes about how the movie "The Roundup" starring Ma Dong-seok has been sold to 132 countries.

- Tomorrow’s Korea Herald features a report by Park Ga-young on the musical “City of Light (광주)”, which will showcase on Broadway in November.

Korea24 – 2022.04.22. (Friday)

News Briefing: Rival political parties have accepted a compromise proposed by the National Assembly Speaker, Park Byeong-seug, on the controversial prosecutorial reform bills, with a related plenary session to take place next week. Meanwhile, Prosecutor General Kim O-su and his deputies have handed in their resignations en masse in protest. (KOO Hee-jin)

In-Depth News Analysis (Weekly Economy Review): Economics Professor Yang Jun-sok from the Catholic University of Korea joins us on the line discuss to discuss various economic issues of the week, including the International Monetary Fund (IMF) revising down its economic growth forecast for South Korea this year, Seoul announcing that it was joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership(CPTPP), and three International Labor Organization (ILO) conventions on workers’ rights coming into effect in Korea from Wednesday.

Korea Trending with Walter Lee:

1. ‘Eulji OB Bear’, the oldest pub in Seoul’s Euljiro Nogari Alley, has been forcibly cleared after being in business for 42 years. (을지로 노가리골목에서만 42년…'을지OB베어' 강제 철거됐다)

2. A lion gave some 30 passengers on a local safari tour the scare of their lives after it rammed the vehicle, shattering the glass on one of its doors. (사파리 트램에 사자가 ‘쾅’…30여 명 대피)

3. Starting from Friday, baseball fans will be allowed to vocally cheer for their clubs in all stadiums across the nation, but only if they are wearing masks. (KBO, 오늘(22일)부터 육성응원 허용…고척돔 취식은 25일 이후 재개)

Movie Spotlight: Film critics Jason Bechervaise and Marc Raymond join us in the studio this week to review the action-adventure-romantic-comedy ‘The Lost City’, and local psychological-horror ‘Anchor’. They also discuss how the latter is the first of many commercial releases coming from major studios, signaling a post-pandemic bounceback for the local film industry.

Next Week From Seoul with Richard Larkin:

- Several confirmation hearings are set to take place next week, including for Prime Minister nominee Han Duck-soo which starts on Monday.

- A ban on eating and drinking in indoor multi-use facilities will be completely lifted from next Monday.

- Singer Psy will make his comeback next week with a new album, his first in five years.

Korea24 – 2022.04.21. (Thursday)

News Briefing: The ruling Democratic Party has called on the National Assembly Speaker to convene a plenary session for Friday, pushing ahead with reform bills to strip the prosecution of its investigative powers. (KOO Hee-jin)

In-Depth News Analysis (Korean Politics Digest): In the Democratic Party’s continuing drive to reform the prosecution, lawmaker Min Hyung-bae took the strategic step to withdraw from the party, allowing him to sit as an independent on the agenda coordination committee that reviews the related bills before it comes to the national assembly floor. We discuss the developments with Affiliate Professor Kim Byoung-joo from the Hankuk University of Foreign Studies and law Professor Cho Hee-kyung from Hong-ik University.

Korea Trending with Jenny Suh:

1. Russia announced that it test-fired a new Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile, which President Putin said should make their enemies think twice. (러시아, ICBM 시험 발사‥"히로시마 원폭 2천 배 위력")

2. A woman who got separated from her family when she got on a wrong bus as a 5-year-old was reunited with her family after 43 years. (버스 잘못 탔다가 실종된 5살, 43년만에 노모와 극적 상봉)

3. The fried chicken franchise Genesis BBQ has awarded free chicken to Olympic champions Hwang Dae-heon and Choi Min-jeong every day until they are 60 years old. (쇼트트랙 최민정·황대헌, 치킨연금 받았다…60세까지 '1일 1닭')

Explore Korea: To mark Earth Day on Friday, our travel contributor Hannah Roberts joins us on the line to give us ideas about eco-friendly travel ideas here in Korea. We discuss the expansive Sejong National Arboretum, the mountains of the Yeongnam Alps and the natural wonders of Baengnyeong Island.

Morning Edition Preview with Richard Larkin:

- In tomorrow’s Korea Times, Lee Gyu-lee writes about Mun Jun-suk, the CEO of a startup business striving to create bridges for refugees to integrate into Korean society.

- Tomorrow’s Korea Herald features a report by Lee Si-jin on how Seoul’s Han river park has been named the third most picturesque park in the world.

Korea24 – 2022.04.20. (Wednesday)

News Briefing: From May 1, schools across the country will normalize curricular and extracurricular operations for the first time in two years since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. (Eunice KIM)

In-Depth News Analysis: To mark the 42nd Day of People with Disabilities in South Korea today, we discuss the recent high profile protests on Seoul subways by the disability advocacy group, ‘Solidarity Against Disability Discrimination’. They have been demanding measures to improve mobility rights and increased government support. Despite promises by the President-elect's transition team to improve the situation, they have said the plans do not go far enough, and will continue the protests starting Thursday. For more on this story, reporter Jung Da-min from the Korea Times joins us on the line.

Korea Trending with Walter Lee:

1. A court has rejected a request by a woman trying to claim the life insurance of her adopted sister, citing suspicions of insurance fraud. (53살에 입양돼 떡 먹다가 사망…의심스러운 보험금 59억)

2. Gayageum musician Lee Young-hee has donated her residence and land to the Cultural Heritage Administration, on the condition that they build an education facility. (“전통 예능 전수관 지어달라”…인간문화재 이영희, 50억대 땅 기부)

3. Singer Cho Yong-pil is said to be working on his first album in nine years, due to be released this year. ('가왕' 조용필이 돌아온다…"연내 새 음반 목표로 작업 중“)

Korea Book Club: This week we look at the poetry of Kim Myeong-sun (김명순), a progressive, feminist poet from early twentieth century Korea. Our literary critic Barry Welsh introduces us to three works translated by Sean Jido Ahn (Suhyun Jeong Ahn), available on the Poethead website.

Morning Edition Preview with Richard Larkin:

- Tomorrow’s Korea Herald features a report by Lim Hae-yeon on Deoksu Palace offering night tours from May 3.

- In tomorrow’s Korea Times, Ko Dong-hwan explains how ambassadors in South Korea are offering cultural lessons as tourism returns.