Korea24 – 2020.06.12. (Friday)

News Briefing: On Friday, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun(정세균) announced that the two-week emergency social distancing campaign in the Seoul metro area will be extended indefinitely. (Rosyn Park)

In-Depth News Analysis(Weekly Economy Review): Professor Yang Jun-suk(양준석) from the Catholic University of Korea gives his insight on the two rising concepts, basic income(기본소득제) and universal employment insurance(전국민고용보험).

Korea Trending with Jacco Zwetsloot: A child abuse victim is released from the hospital(창녕아동학대), hundreds of members of a virtually-defunct crime group gather in Seoul(김태촌), and actor Song Joong-ki(송중기) plans to take legal action against damaging rumors.

Movie Spotlight: Film critics Darcy Paquet and Marc Raymond share the legal drama “Innocence(결백)” directed by Park Sang-hyun(박상현), and the independent film “A French Woman(프랑스 여자)” directed by Kim Hee-jung(김희정).

Next Week from Seoul: Mark Wilson-Choi brings us stories to look out for the following week, including the 20th anniversary of the very first inter-Korean summit, the start of the training camp for South Korea's U-19 football team, the auction of an eco-friendly art education facility, and the release of the title track "Stay Gold" by the K-pop megastar group BTS.

Korea24 – 2020.06.11. (Thursday)

- News Briefing: South Korea's Supreme Court upheld a previous court decision on Choi Seo-won(최서원), the confidante of ousted former President Park Geun-hye(박근혜), regarding a major influence-peddling and corruption scandal. (Robert Koehler)

- In-Depth News Analysis: Ami Bera (D-Calif.), chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, and Nonproliferation, discusses the disagreement between South Korea and the US on defense cost-sharing. He shares his thoughts on the current discord between the allies, and what can be done to salvage the current stalemate.

- Korea Trending with Lee Ju-young: A survey asks about South Korea's chances of finding a cure for COVID-19, Korean Air asks cabin crews to take extended leaves amid the pandemic, and actor Ryoo Seung-bum(류승범) is set to become a father.

- Explore Korea: Andy St. Louis shares "MaytoDay: Spring of Democracy,” an exhibition held at the Art Sonje Center(아트선재센터), that pays tribute to the Gwangju Uprising through contemporary art and historical archives.

- Morning Edition Preview with Mark Wilson-Choi: Mark shares an article from the Korea Herald that talks about the growth of vegan culture in South Korea.

Korea24 – 2020.06.10. (Wednesday)

- News Briefing: The South Korean government's Unification Ministry said on Wednesday it will lodge complaints against two defector groups that have been engaging in anti-Pyongyang leaflet campaigns. (Rosyn Park)

- In-Depth News Analysis Part 1: Dr. Markus Lipp, Head of the Food and Agriculture Organization’s Food Safety and Quality Unit, discusses how the pandemic is affecting our access to clean and safe food as the UN warns of a food shortage crisis due to COVID-19.

- In-Depth News Analysis Part 2: Restaurateur Jonathan Kim, who runs several establishments in the Seoul area, talks about what business owners are going through as the industry has taken heavy hits from the ongoing pandemic.

- Korea Trending with Jacco Zwetsloot: Two international schools in Seoul are set to become regular schools, a committee decides that a wireless operator must cover damages to a user's phone after refusing to do so at first, and BLACKPINK lands a spot in the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

- Korea Book Club: Barry Welsh shares the graphic novel "Banned Book Club" by Kim Hyun Sook(김현숙) and Ryan Estrada, illustrated by Ko Hyung-Ju(고형주). The YA memoir shows Kim's life under authoritarian rule in the 80s, and how she discovers a secret club for banned books.

Korea24 – 2020.06.09. (Tuesday)

- News Briefing: As North Korea declared it would sever all inter-Korean channels in protest of anti-Pyongyang leaflet campaigns in South Korea, the regime ignored calls via several bilateral communication lines. (Robert Koehler)

- In-Depth News Analysis: Dr. Choi Kang of the Asan Institute for Policy Studies and Professor Mason Richey from Hankuk University of Foreign Studies discuss North Korea's decision to cut off all inter-Korean communication lines and what it means for future inter-Korean relations.

- Korea Trending with Lee Ju-young: An accident occurs surrounding a popular money transfer app, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety finds some krill oil products to be faulty, and a much-anticipated concert is postponed for the second time, due to the ongoing pandemic.

- Touch Base in Seoul: Paul Kyumin Lee, President of Divided Families USA, talks about how the organization seeks to reunite Korean Americans with their family members in North Korea.

- Morning Edition Preview with Mark Wilson-Choi: Mark shares a feature from the Korea Times that covers the discovery of ancient artifacts found in the DMZ that date back to the Paleolithic Age.

Korea24 – 2020.06.08. (Monday)

- News Briefing Part 1: Sohee Kim of Bloomberg discusses the arrest warrant hearing of Samsung heir Lee Jae-yong(이재용). She covers the charges and suspicions surrounding Lee, and what is at stake for Samsung.

- News Briefing Part 2: South Korea reports less than 40 new COVID-19 cases for the first time in three days. Meanwhile, one-point-35 million students return to class in the final phase of South Korea's school reopening. (Rosyn Park)

- In-Depth News Analysis: Kwon Eun-Kyoung(권은경), Secretary-General of the International Coalition to Stop Crimes Against Humanity in North Korea(ICNK), and Professor Brian Myers of Dongseo University discuss the issue involving North Korea's Kim Yo-jong(김여정) slamming South Korea for not preventing anti-Pyongyang leaflet campaigns.

- Korea Trending with Jacco Zwetsloot: A new type of anti-droplet face mask(비말 차단 마스크) is in high demand amid COVID-19 and rising temperatures, a survey shares how South Koreans feel about a basic income for the entire population of the country(기본 소득제), and Gangwon Province holds a special sale of locally harvested tomatoes(강원마트).

- Sports: Yoo Jee-ho from Yonhap News Agency discusses the Hanwha Eagle's manager stepping down as the squad suffers their 14th straight loss, major wins at both the top and bottom of K League 1, and LPGA star Kim Hyo-joo(김효주) ending her four-year victory drought over the past weekend.

Korea24 – 2020.06.05. (Friday)

News Briefing: The first plenary session of South Korea’s 21st National Assembly opens, and main opposition United Future Party walks out in protest of the ruling Democratic Party’s push to proceed without a partisan deal on Assembly organization. (Robert Koehler) 

                                                      

In-Depth News Analysis (Weekly Economy Review): Professor Yang Jun-suk of Catholic University of Korea discusses KOSPI’s rally above the 2,100 threshold amid the still-struggling real economy, as well as future risks and opportunities. 

  

Korea Trending with Jacco Zwetslooot: South Korea commemorates Memorial Day(현충일), a new memoir written by ex-President Park Geun-hye's confidante Choi Soon-sil is published, and actor Song Joong-ki pulls out of an upcoming movie “Season of You and Me(너와 나의 계절).”  

  

Movie Spotlight: Film critics Jason Bechervaise and Darcy Paquet discuss two new South Korean films – mystery thriller Intruder by writer/director Son Won-pyeong and independent feature Jazzy Misfits, set in multicultural Itaewon. 

  

Next Week from Seoul: Nancy Kim gives us a preview of upcoming events next week, including a maritime combined military drill, a Court decision on whether or not to arrest Samsung heir Lee Jae-yong, and Oh Seung-hwan of the Samsung Lions returns to the game.  

Korea24 – 2020.06.04. (Thursday)  

 

- News Briefing: Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s sister Kim Yo-jong(김여정) speaks out against anti-Pyongyang leaflets recently sent across the border by North Korean defectors in the South, prompting Seoul to draft a ban on such tension-heightening activity. (Robert Koehler)

 

- In-Depth News Analysis:  With protests spreading across the US in response to the police killing of George Floyd, Newsweek’s international politics reporter Tom O’Connor and Dr. James Kim of the Asan Institute for Policy Studies(아산정책연구원) discuss the contributing factors that set the stage for such large-scale social unrest, the role of President Donald Trump’s rhetoric in aggravating the situation, and the potential implications for US domestic and foreign policy.

 

- Korea Trending with Lee Ju-young: A disturbing case of child abuse in Cheonan(천안) ends in a 9-year-old’s death, Korea’s once-popular SNS platform Cyworld(싸이월드) goes dark, and two new films by Korean directors are selected for the Cannes Film Festival.

 

- Explore Korea: Jennifer Chang visits the port city of Yeosu(여수) on Korea’s southern coast, famous for its beautiful shorelines and great seafood.

Korea24 – 2020.06.03. (Wednesday)

 

- News Briefing: The government announced its third extra budget plan totaling a record-high 35.3 trillion won as a countermeasure for the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. (Rosyn Park)

 

- In-Depth News Analysis Part One: The third phase of school reopenings began on Wednesday, even as renewed quarantine measured have forced public facilities to close until mid-June. Infectious disease expert Professor Choe Young-june(최영준) of Hallym University College of Medicine reflects on social distancing in the classroom, preventing further cluster outbreaks, and balancing health concerns with economic stimulus initiatives.

 

- In-Depth News Analysis Part Two: Professor Choi Won Mog(최원목) of Ewha Womans University Law School discusses the ongoing trade dispute between South Korea and Japan, in light of Seoul’s plan to resume settlement proceedings at the World Trade Organization over Tokyo’s continued curbs on Korean exports of materials used in high-tech manufacturing.

 

- Korea Trending with Jacco Zwetsloot: The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention receives an upgrade in official status, reports reveal the extent of Korea’s territorial expansion since 1970, and the #BlackOutTuesday movement takes over social media.

 

- Korea Book Club: Barry Welsh weighs in on Frances Cha’s acclaimed debut novel “If I Had Your Face.”

Last updated : 2020.06.02 Korea 24 is a daily current affairs show that covers all the biggest stories coming out of South Korea. Every weekday, Korea 24 brings you the latest news updates, as well as in-depth analysis on the most important issues with experts and special guests, providing comprehensive insight into the events on the peninsula.

Korea24 – 2020.06.01. (Monday)

 

- News Briefing Part One: At the meeting of the sixth emergency economic council, President Moon Jae-in announced details of his administration’s proposed Korean New Deal. (Lee Ho-jeong, Korea JoongAng Daily)

 

- News Briefing Part Two: A new infection cluster emerged in connection with a church meeting in Incheon, while the number of new COVID-19 cases in South Korea increased to over 35 within the past 24 hours. (Rosyn Park)

 

- In-Depth News Analysis: Prof. Han Suk-hee of Yonsei University’s Graduate School of International Studies and Prof. David Arase of the Hopkins-Nanjing Center in China, currently in Hong Kong, discuss the escalating US-China feud in light of growing civil unrest in Hong Kong as well as the outlook for South Korea and other countries in the region.

- Korea Trending with Jacco Zwetsloot: The government begins easing restrictions on the purchase of face masks, Seoul Metro reveals plans for logistics centers in 100 subway stations, and Suga of K-pop sensation BTS apologizes after landing in controversy over questionable content in one of his songs.

 

- Sports: Sports writer Steve Price breaks down last week’s results in the Korean baseball and football leagues, previews key upcoming matchups, and delivers an update on Korean athletes playing for football teams in the English Premier League, German Bundesliga and Austrian Bundesliga.