Korea24 – 2022.11.23 (Wednesday)

News Briefing: The ruling and opposition parties have reached an agreement to open a parliamentary investigation into the Itaewon crowd crush tragedy. (Eunice Kim)

In-Depth News Analysis: A new capital gains tax on stock investments was set to go into effect next year, but citing the current slump in the stock market, the government and the ruling People Power Party want to delay the tax by two years to 2025, but the main opposition Democratic Party is against the postponement. To get some expert analysis on this tax and the ramifications that could follow, Professor Kim Yong-jin from Sogang University and Economics Professor Yang Jun-suk from the Catholic University of Korea join us on the line.

Korea Trending with Walter Lee:

1. Police are investigating a couple accused of hiding the body of their 15-month-old daughter after she died in 2020. (15개월 딸 시신, 3년간 옥상 김치통에 숨겨 은폐한 부모)

2. 540 police officers are set to be mobilized to manage a street cheering event at Gwanghwamun Square on Thursday for South Korea’s first World Cup match. ([월드컵] 경찰 ‘광화문 월드컵 거리응원’ 기동대·특공대 540여명 투입)

3. Saudi Arabia’s King Salman declared Wednesday a national holiday to celebrate the country’s historic 2-1 win over Argentina in the World Cup. ([월드컵] 아르헨 잡은 사우디, 국경일 선포)

Korea Book Club: Is it possible to find love at an old age? That is the question that is asked in the 1998 short story by Park Wan Suh (박완서) called 'Weathered Blossom (마른 꽃)'. It follows the challenges faced by a 60-year-old widow as she falls for a similarly aged, charming man. Literary critic Barry Welsh joins us in the studio to discuss the work via the 2006 English translation by Yu Young-nan.

Morning Edition Preview with Richard Larkin:

- In tomorrow’s Korea Times, Kwon Mee-yoo reports on The Cervantes Institute, which promotes Spanish language and culture, and its new branch in Myeong-dong, Seoul.

- Tomorrow’s Korea Herald features a report by Park Ga-young on ‘piketing’, the term used in Korea for ticket scalping, and its prevalence in the classical music world.

Korea24 – 2022.11.22 (Tuesday)

News Briefing: The UN Security Council has again failed to agree on a response to North Korea’s latest intercontinental ballistic missile launch, with China and Russia vetoing further sanctions. (Eunice Kim)

In-Depth News Analysis: The 27th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) closed on Sunday. Officials from some 200 countries made headway with an agreement to establish a “loss and damage” fund to assist countries most vulnerable to climate disasters. While the agreement was hailed as historic by some, others criticized its lack in detail. Professor Brendan Mackey, Director of the Griffith Climate Change Response Program at Griffith University in Australia, joins us on the line to assess the outcomes and what it means for the fight against climate change.

Korea Trending with Diane Yoo:

1. The notorious child sex offender Cho Doo-soon is set to move to a new home, despite residents' concern of an elementary school nearby. ('아동 성범죄자' 조두순 이사..."방범 대책 강화")

2. Lotte Confectionery has come under fire after a customer was sent a box of goods along with a death condolence envelope. ("죽으란 건가" 불만 고객에 부의 봉투 보낸 롯데제과)

3. The Iranian national football team remained controversially silent for their national anthem before a World Cup match on Monday to show solidarity with protesters in Iran. (이란 대표팀, 국가 제창 거부…국영매체 생중계 중단)

Touch Base In Seoul: In October, a special English adaptation of “Gwangju The Musical” was shown on Broadway, New York, for the first time. The creative director and producer of the one-off gala concert, Andrew Rasmussen, joins us via video, to tell us how the production came about, what he thought of the musical, and its prospects for a full English adaptation.

Morning Edition Preview with Richard Larkin:

- In tomorrow’s Korea Times, Park Han-sol writes about the rapper and K-pop star Mino from Winner, and his alternative career as an artist.

- Tomorrow’s Korea Herald features an interview by Park Ga-young with composer, pianist, and producer, Yang Bang-ean, who is celebrating the 25th anniversary of his debut this year.

Korea24 – 2022.11.21 (Monday)

News Briefing: President Yoon Suk Yeol has suspended his daily press briefing amid continued acrimony between the presidential office and MBC over a dispute about the broadcaster’s coverage of the president. (Koo Hee-jin)

In-Depth News Analysis: Human Rights Watch published a report last week revealing how North Korea has substantially increased security along its northern border, using COVID-19 prevention as justification. It said the measures have worsened severe shortages of food, medicine and other necessities, as well as greatly reducing attempts by North Koreans to defect. To learn more about this report, Phil Robertson, the Deputy Asia Director of Human Rights Watch, joins us on the line.

Korea Trending with Walter Lee:

1. South Korea has kicked off a four-week period to increase the uptake of COVID-19 booster shots, particularly among senior citizens. (오늘부터 '2가백신' 집중 접종 기간)

2. For the second day in a row on Sunday, North Korean state media disclosed photos of Kim Jong-un’s daughter. (北, ICBM 참관 김정은...딸 공개)

3. Jungkook of BTS took to the stage at the opening ceremony of the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup on Sunday. (첫 중동·겨울 월드컵 개막‥BTS 정국 '개막 공연’)

Monday Sports Round-up: The 2022 FIFA World Cup kicked off on Sunday. Qatar became the first host nation to lose the opening match, falling to a 2-0 defeat against Ecuador. We speak to Paul Williams, the Founding Editor of the Asian Game website, and football writer Steve Price, to discuss the latest developments from the tournament, both on and off the field, as well as preview South Korea’s first group game against Uruguay on Thursday.

Morning Edition Preview with Richard Larkin:

- Tomorrow’s Korea Herald features a report by Jie Ye-eun on the veteran rock band TransFixion making their own anthem to support the Korean team for the World Cup.

- In tomorrow’s Korea Times, Kwon Mee-yoo writes about how Columbia is the largest supplier of flowers to South Korea.

Korea24 – 2022.11.18 (Friday)

News Briefing: North Korea fired another intercontinental ballistic missile into the East Sea on Friday morning. South Korea and the US launched aerial exercises in response. (Koo Hee-jin)

In-Depth News Analysis (Weekly Economy Review): One of the world’s biggest cryptocurrency exchange platforms, FTX, filed for bankruptcy last week. It has renewed concerns about the safety and value of cryptocurrencies, with even financial authorities here in Korea expressing caution. We take a closer look with Economics Professor Yang Jun-sok from the Catholic University of Korea. We also discuss the situation concerning the rising price of milk in South Korea.

Korea Trending with Walter Lee:

1. More intercity buses in Gyeonggi province have adopted a no standing policy. (경기 광역버스 입석 중단 첫날…출근길 일부 승객 불편)

2. Residents in Incheon, Gimpo, and Seoul suffered from strong malodor on Thursday due to an odorant leak at the metropolitan landfill in Incheon. (“이상한 냄새가 나요” 인천 한 구청에만 민원 수백건...악취의 정체는)

3. The Korea Football Association revealed that the national team had been eating chicken and beef, but no pork, in Doha ahead of the Qatar World Cup. (대표팀 돼지고기 없는 식단 공개... 점심은 닭, 저녁은 소)

Movie Spotlight: A remake of the hit melodrama, “Ditto (동감)”, hit cinemas this week. Critics Jason Bechervaise and Marc Raymond join us this week to give their thoughts on how it compares to the 2000 original. They also review “The Apartment With Two Women (같은 속옷을 입는 두 여자)”, a family drama, which won a record five awards at the Busan International Film Festival last year.

Next Week From Seoul with Richard Larkin:

- The 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar kicks off on Sunday.

- Starting Monday, South Korea will enter a four week ‘intensive COVID-19 vaccination period’ with bivalent booster shots available without reservation.

- The Bank of Korea will announce its last rate hike decision of the year on Thursday.

- Emergency response officials will appear for questioning on Monday over the Itaewon crowd crush disaster.

Korea24 – 2022.11.17 (Thursday)

News Briefing: President Yoon Suk Yeol and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met in Seoul and agreed to expand the participation of Korean firms towards major Saudi infrastructure projects. They also discussed increased cooperation in the energy and defense sectors. (Koo Hee-jin)

In-Depth News Analysis (Korean Politics Digest): The Yoon administration recently courted controversy after it banned broadcaster MBC from the presidential plane for President Yoon’s trip to Southeast Asia, citing MBC's repeated "distorted" coverage. Meanwhile, the Seoul City Council passed an ordinance this week to abolish funding for the broadcaster TBS over its alleged left-leaning political stance. These two cases, and more, have sparked debate on issues of freedom of speech and the relationship between the government and media. Law Professor Song Se-ryun from Kyunghee University and Affiliate Professor Kim Byoung-joo from the Hankuk University of Foreign Studies provide their thoughts on the debate.

Korea Trending with Diane Yoo:

1. A high school student suffering from a rare genetic disease was able to take the CSAT by herself in hospital thanks to Busan’s education office. ("단 1명 위한 시험장"…희귀난치병 여고생, 대학병원 입원실서 수능 도전)

2. A South Korean female flight attendant and 9-year-old boy are reportedly in critical condition after being stabbed by a man at a supermarket in Los Angeles. (국내 항공사 승무원, LA에서 흉기 찔려 중태)

3. NASA’s Orion spacecraft sent home its first stunning views of Earth, as part of the historic Artemis I mission to send an uncrewed spacecraft around the moon. (달로 향하는 아르테미스 우주선, 지구 모습 담은 셀카 보냈다)

Explore Korea: A new attraction has opened in Seoul. “Docking Seoul” is a disused concrete parking lot ramp next to Seoul Station that has been repurposed into a unique art exhibition space. Our travel Explorer Hannah Roberts joins us in the studio to tell us all about it, as well as some other attractions nearby.

Morning Edition Preview with Richard Larkin:

- In tomorrow’s Korea Times, Kwak Yeon-soo writes about knitting artist Seo Yoon-nam, who is still going strong at 89 years old.

- Tomorrow’s Korea Herald features a report by Hwang Dong-hee on the return of winter street snacks.

Korea24 – 2022.11.16 (Wednesday)

News Briefing: President Yoon Suk-yeol pressed Chinese President Xi Jinping to take a more active role in containing North Korea, during their face-to-face meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Indonesia on Tuesday. (Eunice Kim)

In-Depth News Analysis: The 2022 World Cup in Qatar is days away, and over the next month, 32 nations from around the world will battle it out to see who will be crowned the champions of football. Star player Son Heung-min had made it into the 26-man squad for South Korea despite suffering an injury, but it remains to be seen how much he will be able to play. To discuss the favorites, the dark horses and whether South Korea can reach the top 16, sports writers Steve Han and Steve Price join us on the line.

Korea Trending with Walter Lee:

1. South Korea’s first peer-to-peer(P2P) file-sharing service, Soribada, is expected to file for bankruptcy. ('1세대 음원 플랫폼' 소리바다 파산 수순…회생절차 폐지)

2. K-pop sensation BTS has been nominated for the Grammy Awards for the third consecutive year. (BTS, '그래미' 2개 부문 후보 지명…3년 연속·K팝 최초)

3. Former US President Donald Trump has announced that he will be running for president in 2024. (트럼프, 2024년 대선출마 공식선언…세 번째 대권 도전)

Korea Book Club: This week, we look at a short story by Eun Heekyung (은희경) called ‘Beauty Looks Down on me (아름다움이 나를 멸시한다)’. Translated by Sora Kim-Russell, it follows the physical and mental struggles of a man in his 30s as he tries to lose weight. Literary critic Barry Welsh helps us unpack the story.

Morning Edition Preview with Richard Larkin:

- In tomorrow’s Korea Herald, Park Ga-young writes about how orchestras in Korea are looking to find the next generation of classical music conductors.

- Tomorrow’s Korea Times features a report by Lee Kyung-min on Kimchi Day, which is celebrated on November 22!

Korea24 – 2022.11.15 (Tuesday)

News Briefing: In their first face-to-face meeting as heads of state on Monday, US President Joe Biden told Chinese President Xi Jinping that if North Korea escalates tensions further, the U.S. will have to take action to protect itself and its allies. (Eunice Kim)

In-Depth News Analysis: The highly anticipated face-to-face meeting between US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping took place on Monday on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Bali. They met for nearly three hours, discussing a wide range of topics, including Taiwan, North Korea and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. To analyze the outcomes of this meeting and what it signals for the future, we connect with Professor Choo Jae-woo from Kyunghee University and Professor David Arase from The Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies.

Korea Trending with Walter Lee:

1. E-commerce giant Amazon is planning to lay off approximately 10,000 people, according to the New York Times. (인천대교서 잇단 추락사…갓길에 '드럼통 1500개' 설치한다)

2. 1,500 polyethylene drums are set to be installed along Incheon Bridge to prevent cars from stopping after three people jumped off the bridge in three consecutive days. (채용 중단했던 아마존, 1만명 인력 감원 착수…"역대 최대 규모”)

3. The Seoul Metropolitan Fire & Disaster Headquarters announced it will be selling its firefighters calendars again to raise money for burn victims. ('몸짱 소방관 달력' 내년 1월 19일까지 판매…"화상환자 지원")

Touch Base In Seoul: Korean American actor and singer Stephanie Jae Park recently landed the principal role of Eliza Hamilton in the smash hit musical “Hamilton” on Broadway. She joins us via video to tell us about her story, what it means as an Asian American to play the role of Eliza, and her music group “Saffron Lips”, which she formed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Morning Edition Preview with Richard Larkin:

- Tomorrow’s Korea Times features a report by Dong Sun-hwa on the K-pop girl groups Le Sserafim and IVE joining forces with novelists to create concept albums.

- In tomorrow’s Korea Herald, Hwang Dong-hee writes about a web drama series titled "The Untold Story" set in two UNESCO heritage sites.

Korea24 – 2022.11.14 (Monday)

News Briefing: The leaders of South Korea, the U.S. and Japan met on the sidelines of ASEAN-led multilateral forums in Cambodia, adopting a joint statement covering security and economic issues. (Eunice Kim)

In-Depth News Analysis: President Yoon Suk Yeol, U.S. President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida adopted a joint statement after a trilateral meeting in Cambodia on Sunday, pledging to further bolster trilateral solidarity, whilst strongly condemning North Korea’s provocations. President Yoon also held separate bilateral meetings with both leaders. To discuss the implications of the meetings, particularly for Seoul-Tokyo relations, Timothy Martin from The Wall Street Journal and Professor Brad Glosserman from the Center for Rule-Making Strategies at Tama University joins us on the line.

Korea Trending with Walter Lee:

1. Prosecutors are seeking a 3 year prison sentence for former YG Entertainment CEO, Yang Hyun-suk, on charges of threatening an informant who testified against one of the label’s artists. ("너 하나 죽이는 건 일도 아냐" 보복 협박 혐의 양현석, 징역 3년 구형)

2. South Korean pianist Lee Hyuk won first prize at the renowned Long-Thibaud Competition in France. (피아니스트 이혁, 프랑스 롱티보 콩쿠르 공동 1위)

3. Jungkook, a member of the K-Pop group BTS, will perform at the opening ceremony of the Qatar football World Cup on Sunday. (BTS 정국, 카타르 월드컵 개막식 무대 선다)

Monday Sports Round-up: Sports journalist Yoo Jee-ho from the Yonhap News Agency joins us on the line to take a look at the final lineup for the South Korean national football squad heading to the 2022 Qatar World Cup. We also wrap-up the Korean Series, and discuss the impact that Kim Yeon-koung is having on the Korean women’s volleyball league in drawing spectators and winning games.

Morning Edition Preview with Richard Larkin:

- In tomorrow’s Korea Herald, Hwang Dong-hee reports on the rising popularity of audio dramas in South Korea.

- Tomorrow’s Korea Times features the winning essays from its 18th English Economic Essay Contest on how financial companies can attract MZ Generation customers and possible ESG management ideas for financial companies.

Korea24 – 2022.11.11 (Friday)

News Briefing: President Yoon Suk Yeol is in Cambodia for his first tour of Southeast Asia, where he will be attending various ASEAN-led summits and then the G20 summit in Indonesia. (Koo Hee-jin)

In-Depth News Analysis (Weekly Economy Review): The US midterm elections took place on Tuesday, and while the final outcome has yet to be declared, it is closely being watched in South Korea for the impact it could have on US economic policies, particularly the Inflation Reduction Act, which is set to negatively impact Korean carmakers. Troy Stangarone, Senior Director and Fellow at the Korea Economic Institute (KEI) joins us on the line to discuss the implications.

Korea Trending with Walter Lee:

1. A story of a quick thinking nurse who saved a man’s life as she was about to leave work has been attracting attention online. (택시 문 열자마자 직감했다…심정지 승객 살린 '퇴근길 천사')

2. South Korean slugger Choi Ji-man is heading to the Pittsburgh Pirates after spending 4 years with the Tampa Bay Rays. (최지만, PIT 유니폼 입는다…박효준·배지환과 한솥밥)

3. Hybe have announced that RM from the K-pop group BTS, will release his first official solo album, “Indigo,” on December 2. (방탄소년단 RM, 12월 2일 솔로 앨범 '인디고' 발매)

Movie Spotlight: The latest release from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” hit cinemas in Korea this week. Critics Jason Bechervaise and Marc Raymond join us in the studio to give their verdict on the superhero blockbuster. They also review “Walk Up”, the 28th feature from the prolific auteur Hong Sang-soo.

Next Week From Seoul with Richard Larkin:

- The South Korean government will begin administering Pfizer's BA.4 and BA.5 bivalent COVID-19 vaccines to people aged 18 and older from Monday.

- This year’s college scholastic ability test, also known as Suneung, will take place on Thursday.

- South Korea’s largest gaming convention, G-star, is back for the first time in three years from Thursday.

Korea24 – 2022.11.10 (Thursday)

News Briefing: A trilateral summit with the US and Japan has been announced during President Yoon Suk-yeol’s six-day diplomatic trip to Southeast Asia from Friday. (Eunice Kim)

In-Depth News Analysis (Korean Politics Digest): In the wake of the Itaewon crowd crush disaster, President Yoon Suk Yeol vowed to find those responsible for the deficient handling of the incident and hold them to account. While mostly senior and mid-level police officials have been the focus of a special police investigation, opposition lawmakers are calling for senior government officials, such as the interior minister Lee Sang-min, to take responsibility as well. Law Professor Song Se-ryun from Kyunghee University and Affiliate Professor Kim Byoung-joo from the Hankuk University of Foreign Studies join us to discuss the issue.

Korea Trending with Walter Lee:

1. Police have detained two employees of the Korea Federation of Community Credit Cooperatives (KFCC) on suspicions of embezzling nearly 13 billion won in bank funds over 16 years. (16년 간 고객 돈 129억 빼돌린 새마을금고 직원 2명 구속)

2. Pitcher An Woo-jin of the KBO’s Kiwoom Heroes will not be considered for the prestigious Choi Dong-won Award due to his record of bullying in high school. (‘학폭’ 안우진, 최동원상 후보 제외…“최동원 정신에 위배”)

3. The second generation K-pop group Kara will make their official comeback after 7 years with a performance at the 2022 MAMA Awards in Japan on November 29. ('7년만 완전체' 카라, '2022 마마' 퍼포밍 아티스트 출격)

Explore Korea: A day after the Itaewon crowd crush disaster, President Yoon Suk Yeol declared an official weeklong national mourning period. But some in the cultural sector expressed their complaint over the decision. Our arts contributor Ahn Jae-woo joins us this week to explain the issue.

Morning Edition Preview with Richard Larkin:

- Tomorrow’s Korea Herald features a report by Kim Hae-yeon on how the National Museum of Korea is looking to use augmented reality (AR) technology for one of its exhibitions.