Seoul shares open sharply lower on renewed Trump tariff threats

South Korean stocks opened sharply lower Tuesday, following overnight Wall Street losses spurred by US President Donald Trump's renewed tariff threats. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index lost 1.08 points, or 0.04 percent, to 2,562.40 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Overnight, US stock markets plummeted after Trump shared in an interview with Fox News his intent to push forward with high tariff policies. The S&P 500 dipped 2.7 percent, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average decline

March 11, 2025

Police could ban release of firearms on day of Yoon's impeachment ruling

Police are reviewing whether to ban the release of firearms on the day of President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment ruling over concerns about their use in a terrorist attack, officials said Tuesday. The National Police Agency is looking into instructing police stations nationwide to prohibit the discharge of guns used for the purpose of killing dangerous wild animals. By law, those who have received permission to own a firearm and to capture dangerous wild animals must keep the weapon at a police s

March 11, 2025

S. Korea's exports increase 2.9% in March 1-10 period

South Korea's exports increased from a year earlier in the first 10 days of this month on strong demand for shipbuilding and automobiles, data showed Tuesday. Outbound shipments reached $13.87 billion in the March 1-10 period, up 2.9 percent from $13.48 billion tallied over the same period last year, according to the data from the Korea Customs Service. Imports gained 7.3 percent on-year to $15.92 billion during the period, resulting in a trade deficit of $2 billion. The daily average volume of

March 11, 2025

Dodgers' Kim Hye-seong scores twice, steals bag in spring game

Competing for a spot with the Los Angeles Dodgers, South Korean rookie Kim Hye-seong has begun showing signs of life at the plate and on base paths. Kim recorded a hit and a steal while scoring twice as the Dodgers defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks 6-2 at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Arizona, on Monday (local time). Kim is now batting .222/.323/.333 in 14 spring training games with six runs scored and two steals. Kim, who signed with the Dodgers in January after eight years with the Kiwoom Heroe

March 11, 2025

Card spending falls in January amid economic slowdown

Card spending in South Korea continued to slip in January as households tightened their purse strings amid an economic slowdown, industry data showed Tuesday. Credit card spending on lodging and restaurants, which was hit hard by impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol's botched martial law bid in December, continued to slide, falling 1.8 percent on-year to 12.27 trillion won ($8.41 billion) in January, according to the data from the Credit Finance Association. Card spending for transportation service

March 11, 2025

S. Korean man shot fatally in robbery incident in Philippines

A South Korean man has been shot and killed by robbers in the Philippines' capital of Manila, according to a local media outlet and the Korean embassy in the country Monday. According to GMA News of the Philippines and embassy officials, the incident occurred at around 7:45 p.m. on Friday in Malate, a commercial and tourist district in Manila. The South Korean national, whose identity was withheld, was shot by a pair of assailants while resisting an attempted robbery. He was taken to a hospital

March 10, 2025

Assembly Speaker Woo to meet McCarthy to discuss bilateral diplomacy, trade

National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik will meet with Kevin McCarthy, former speaker of the US House of Representatives, later this week, Woo's office said Monday, to discuss diplomatic issues between Seoul and Washington. The meeting, slated for Friday, comes amid the second term of US President Donald Trump, with discussions expected to focus on the importance of parliamentary diplomacy between the two allies. Woo is also expected to stress the resilience of South Korea's democracy, despite th

March 10, 2025

Seoul shares end higher on eased growth concerns

South Korean stocks finished slightly higher Monday as concerns over an economic slowdown was eased by Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's dovish comments. The local currency lost against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index added 6.91 points, or 0.27 percent, to close at 2,570.39. Trade volume was moderate at 429.4 million shares worth 9.73 trillion won ($6.7 billion), with losers closely outpacing winners 466 to 406. Individual and institutional investors led the da

March 10, 2025

Seoul shares end higher on eased growth concerns

South Korean stocks finished slightly higher Monday as concerns over an economic slowdown was eased by Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's dovish comments. The local currency lost against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index added 6.91 points, or 0.27 percent, to close at 2,570.39. Trade volume was moderate at 429.4 million shares worth 9.73 trillion won ($6.7 billion), with losers closely outpacing winners 466 to 406. Individual and institutional investors led the da

March 10, 2025

Acting President Choi vows enhanced school safety following first grader's tragic death

The government will implement a series of measures to enhance safety at schools and prevent incidents like the recent fatal stabbing of an 8-year-old student by a teacher, acting President Choi Sang-mok said Monday. "School safety management will be further strengthened in the new semester," Choi said during a meeting on education policies, emphasizing the need to prevent such tragedies from occurring on school grounds. As part of the measures, the government will push for the swift passage of a

March 10, 2025