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☆ Canada's Trudeau to visit South Korea; focus on minerals, security
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Hyonhee Shin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SEOUL, May 16 (Reuters) - Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will arrive in South Korea on Tuesday for a summit with President Yoon Suk Yeol as the two countries seek to boost cooperation on security and critical minerals used in batteries. Yoon and Trudeau are scheduled to hold a summit and joint press conference on Wednesday, followed by an official dinner, said Yoon's deputy national security advisor, Kim Tae-hyo. The two U.S. allies have been exploring ways to deepen cooperation on critical minerals used in electric vehicle (EV) batteries and step up intelligence sharing. Yoon and Trudeau will sign an agreement on key mineral supply chains, clean energy conversion and energy security cooperation, a South Korean government official told Reuters, requesting anonymity as the deal was not finalised. The two countries have also sought to step up security cooperation including intelligence sharing, while navigating an intensifying rivalry between the United States and China.

☆ Taiwan's wind industry braves cross-strait risks in clean energy boom
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( Sarah Wu | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

With large swathes of Taiwan's territorial waters restricted due to defense, shipping and other uses, offshore wind developers will soon run out of space. It's a question of whether you want to pay the price," insurance broker Clive Lin told offshore wind developers in a packed lecture hall in Taipei. Political risk insurance is typically not covered in mainstream insurance policies, so developers have to buy it additionally. The risk of a military confrontation and its impact on Taiwan's wind farms are hard to quantify, analysts say. "In a kinetic conflict invasion, Taiwan's going to have so many other problems, offshore wind is going to be way down on the list," Cancian said.

☆ OpenTable CEO Debby Soo
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailOpenTable CEO Debby SooFor Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, OpenTable CEO Debby Soo details how her Chinese and Taiwanese upbringing helped her professionally and socially.

☆ Singapore firms scramble to soften blow of soaring rent costs
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( Chen Lin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

But with private housing rents in Singapore maintaining the scorching pace of gains in 2023, those steps are likely falling short, forcing expatriate workers to even consider leaving the city for good. An exodus of foreign talent due to unaffordable housing costs would be a setback to Singapore in fulfilling its ambitions of becoming a technological and innovations hub. EXPAT WOESRecruitment companies said most expats in Singapore do not get housing allowances as companies are controlling their costs amid an uncertain global economy. That is cold comfort for Briton Natalie, who has been living in Singapore for 15 years and is facing a S$3,200 increment in monthly rent. ($1 = 1.3274 Singapore dollars)Reporting by Chen Lin in Singapore; Editing by Xinghui Kok and Muralikumar AnantharamanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Born of Grief, a Couple’s Off Broadway Incubator Marks 20 Years
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( Robin Pogrebin | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

In 2002, Jenny and Jon Steingart founded the Off Broadway incubator Ars Nova as a way of honoring Jenny’s brother, Gabriel Wiener, who in 1997 died of a brain aneurysm at the age of 26. Now, as the nonprofit theater is marking its 20th anniversary, the couple is facing another wrenching struggle: Jon has A.L.S., the severe neurological disorder also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. “Every painful experience in my life — if I have to live through it, I am going to come out on the other side with a lesson and a way to give back in some way,” Jenny Steingart said in a recent interview at their home on the Upper West Side. “Because a loss without some meaning behind it is really hard to live with.”So this anniversary, to be celebrated with a gala on Monday, also finds the Steingarts feeling great satisfaction, having created an institution that — in the wake of the 9/11 attacks — has played a crucial role in the professional development of so many artists. Among those who have worked at Ars Nova are Lin-Manuel Miranda, Thomas Kail, Christopher Jackson and Phillipa Soo of “Hamilton” fame; Bridget Everett, the actress and cabaret performer of the acclaimed HBO series “Somebody Somewhere”; and Dave Malloy, who created “Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812” at Ars Nova.

☆ More than 250 business leaders back Julie Su for Labor secretary as nomination hangs in the balance
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Emma Kinery | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Deputy Labor Secretary Julie Su testifies before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee during her confirmation hearing to be the next secretary of the Labor Department in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill on April 20, 2023 in Washington, DC. More than 250 business leaders are urging the Senate to confirm acting Labor Secretary Julie Su to helm the department, according to a letter first obtained by CNBC. "Julie Su is a trailblazer whose track record speaks for itself," reads the letter, which cited her experience as Labor secretary of California. Additionally, her experience as U.S. Deputy Labor Secretary has given her a thorough understanding of the Labor Department and the current issues facing the economy, businesses, and workers." She was confirmed to be deputy secretary to former Labor Secretary Marty Walsh in 2021 by a party-line vote, but several key moderate Democrats have yet to say whether they will support her this round.

☆ DeSantis urges more cooperation with South Korea
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/5] Florida's Governor Ron DeSantis shakes hand with South Korea's Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dong-yeon during their meeting in Seoul, South Korea, April 26, 2023. DeSantis, in a meeting with Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, vowed support for South Korean companies and exchanges between the state of Florida, of which he is governor, and South Korean counterparts, Han's office said. South Korea was a key partner for Florida's economy and job creation, Han's office cited DeSantis as saying. Han called for the governor's support for South Korean companies in Florida. His visit comes as South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol is in Washington for a summit with President Joe Biden, accompanied by more than 120 South Korean business leaders.

☆ Explainer: South Korea's nuclear dilemma: Would U.S. trade Seattle for Seoul?
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( David Brunnstrom | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

WHY IS SOUTH KOREA WORRIED? U.S. "extended deterrence" protection for South Korea rests on a simple, if grim, assumption: if North Korea were to attack South Korea with nuclear weapons, it would face devastating U.S. retaliatory strikes. Yoon vowed in his election campaign to seek redeployment of U.S. tactical nuclear weapons in South Korea and possibly "nuclear sharing," meaning joint command over U.S. weapons. But his comments have driven a growing debate that one former senior U.S. defense official said threatens to normalize a once unthinkable concept of a South Korean nuclear arsenal. WHAT WOULD BE THE IMPLICATIONS OF A NUCLEAR SOUTH KOREA?

☆ S.Korea's Yoon to meet Biden as doubts grow over nuclear umbrella
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Hyonhee Shin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

More than 64% supported South Korea developing its own nuclear weapons, with about 33% opposed. Yoon has been pushing to boost South Korea's say in operating the U.S. extended deterrence but exactly what that might entail has not been spelt out. A senior U.S. official said on Friday that Biden, during the summit with Yoon, would pledge "substantial" steps to underscore U.S. commitments to deter a North Korean nuclear attack. South Korea, a major producer of artillery shells, says it has not provided lethal weapons to Ukraine, citing its relations with Russia. South Korea tries to avoid antagonising Russia, due chiefly to business interests and Russian influence over North Korea.

☆ S.Korea summons Chinese ambassador over reaction to Yoon's Taiwan remarks
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The move came after China and South Korea exchanged harsh words over Yoon's comments in a recent interview with Reuters. "The Taiwan issue is not simply an issue between China and Taiwan but, like the issue of North Korea, it is a global issue." Asked about Yoon's comments, the Chinese foreign ministry denounced Yoon and called on South Korea to "prudently handle matters" related to Taiwan. Hours later, South Korea's foreign ministry hit back and said comments by the Chinese foreign ministry were "unspeakable". A vice foreign minister called in Chinese Ambassador to South Korea Xing Haiming and strongly protested what South Korea called "diplomatic discourtesy", the South Korean foreign ministry said in a statement.

☆ How to watch the Chevron Championship live: Start time, channel and other things to know
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Jack Bantock | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Once again, the first women’s golf major of the season tees off with The Chevron Championship. How to watchUS viewers can watch the first and second rounds on the Golf Channel, with coverage running from 10 a.m. CST until 7 p.m. CST. “I think I was in a bit of a panic last year,” Kupcho told reporters Tuesday. But I don’t think that’s going to be my driving force going to any of these events this year.”Ko tees off at the HSBC Women's World Championship in March. “I don’t think I have a weakness in my game at all, and I think that’s partially why I’ve been very consistent,” Hall told reporters.

It was the first time that Seoul suggested a willingness to provide weapons to Ukraine, more than a year after ruling out the possibility of lethal aid. During the summit, Yoon said he will seek "tangible outcomes" on the allies' efforts to improve responses to evolving threats from North Korea, which has ramped up military tests, and launched its first solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile last week. In February, South Korea and the U.S. staged table-top exercises simulating a North Korea nuclear attack as part of Seoul's efforts to play a bigger role in Washington's nuclear policy over the North. "I think there's no big problem if Japan is joining, but since there's been much progress between the U.S. and South Korea, it would be more efficient to create this system ourselves first." "The Taiwan issue is not simply an issue between China and Taiwan but, like the issue of North Korea, it is a global issue."

☆ North Korean leader orders spy satellite launch as planned -KCNA
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( Soo-Hyang Choi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SEOUL, April 19 (Reuters) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has ordered officials to launch the first spy satellite as planned, saying that boosting reconnaissance capabilities is a priority to counter "threats" from the United States and South Korea, state media reported on Wednesday. North Korea in December conducted what it called an important "final phase" test for a spy satellite and said it would complete preparations for the launch by April. KCNA said the satellite production has been completed but it did not elaborate when the scheduled launch date is. "Securing real-time information about the hostile forces' military scenario" is the "most important" task, Kim said. A state media photo showed Kim, accompanied by his daughter, talking to officials in front of a blurred image of an apparent satellite.

☆ Most Korean plaintiffs in Japan forced-labour cases accept Seoul's compensation plan
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Soo-Hyang Choi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

"The bereaved families of 10 victims expressed hope that this issue be promptly resolved, and agreed to accept the compensation under the government plan," the foreign ministry said in a statement. South Korea will continue efforts to seek understanding from the victims and their families, the ministry added. The South Korean proposal has been hailed as "groundbreaking" by U.S. President Joe Biden following a deterioration in Japanese-South Korean relations to the lowest point for decades in the wake of the 2018 rulings. The March announcement was followed by South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's visit to Tokyo for a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. The two leaders agreed to put aside their countries' difficult shared history and work together to counter regional security challenges.

☆ North Korea says it tested new solid-fuel ICBM, state media reports
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SEOUL, April 14 (Reuters) - North Korea said on Friday it has tested a new solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) Hwasong-18 aimed at boosting the country's nuclear counterattack capability, state media reported. North Korea fired what appeared to be a new model ballistic missile on Thursday, South Korea said, triggering a scare in northern Japan where Hokkaido residents were told to take cover, though there turned out to be no danger. Developing a solid-fuel ICBM has long been seen as a key goal for North Korea, as it could help the North deploy its missiles faster in the event of a war. The latest launch came days after North Korean leader Kim called for strengthening war deterrence in a "more practical and offensive" manner to counter what North Korea called moves of aggression by the United States. North Korea has criticised recent U.S.-South Korean joint military exercises as escalating tensions and has stepped weapons tests in recent months.

[1/5] Choi Jin-mook, 48, Chief Director of Drug Addiction Rehabilitation Centre (DARC) and visiting professor of Department of Addiction Rehabilitation and Social Welfare at Eulji University, listens to a recovering drug addict during a group counselling for drug addicts in Incheon, South Korea, April 1, 2023. South Korea has only six drug rehabilitation centres, according to Choi, including just two run by the food and drug safety ministry. In comparison, Japan - with 126 million people to South Korea's 52 million - has about 90 rehab centres. PRISON NOT REHABOne of the biggest problems is that South Korea's corrections system focuses mostly on punitive detention and lacks rehabilitation support, Choi said. Some drug crimes are also punishable by death although South Korea has not carried out any executions since 1997.

☆ South Korea to lend 500,000 rounds of artillery shells to US, report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( Hyonhee Shin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SEOUL, April 12 (Reuters) - South Korea reached an agreement last month to lend the United States 500,000 rounds of 155 mm artillery shells that could give Washington greater flexibility to supply Ukraine with ammunition, a South Korean newspaper reported on Wednesday. The DongA Ilbo newspaper cited unnamed government sources saying that South Korea decided to "lend" the ammunition instead of selling in order to minimise the possibility of South Korean shells being used in the Ukraine conflict. It said the loaned shells would be used primarily by the United States to fill its stockpile. Having bought 100,000 rounds of the shells last year, the U.S. government had asked to buy the same amount or more in February, but the South Korean government sought another way to supply the ammunition to its ally. South Korea is a key U.S. ally and major producer of artillery ammunition, but has sought to avoid antagonising Russia in light of economic ties and Moscow's influence over North Korea.

☆ The Broadway Star Phillipa Soo Sings Her Favorite Pop Song
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( Nancy Coleman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Phillipa Soo enjoys fantasy stories: “Lord of the Rings,” “House of the Dragon,” anything magical with kings and queens involved. That’s partly why, she says, she was drawn to this season’s Broadway revival of “Camelot,” based on the Arthurian legend and opening April 13 at Lincoln Center Theater. Soo, 32, stars opposite Andrew Burnap as Guenevere, King Arthur’s wife and ally — a role that’s long been associated with Julie Andrews, who originated the role onstage in 1960. Soo’s goal, then, is to make Guenevere “a real person,” someone driven above all by a desire to be loved. But this past year, she joined the “Into the Woods” Broadway revival as Cinderella, and then did a brief run as Sarah in “Guys and Dolls” at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.

☆ South Korea says leaked US intel document 'untrue' amid US spying allegations
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( Soo-Hyang Choi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Erin ScottSEOUL, April 11 (Reuters) - A senior South Korean security official said on Tuesday that information contained in purportedly leaked U.S. confidential documents that appeared to be based on internal discussions among top South Korean officials is "untrue" and "altered." But internally, top South Korean officials were worried that the U.S. would divert them to Ukraine. South Korea has said its law forbids supplying weapons to countries engaged in conflict, meaning it can't send arms to Ukraine. Earlier, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin held phone talks with his South Korean counterpart on Tuesday and discussed recent media reports on the leak of confidential U.S. documents, South Korea's defence ministry said. During the phone conversation, which took place at the request of Austin, the Pentagon chief vowed to closely communicate and cooperate with South Korea on the issue, the ministry said.

☆ South Korea city wildfire fanned by strong winds, evacuations begin
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SEOUL, April 11 (Reuters) - More than 150 people evacuated from their homes in South Korea's eastern coastal city of Gangneung as strong winds and dry weather fanned a wildfire on Tuesday, officials said. Firefighters were struggling to control the blaze that started at around 8:30 a.m. (2330 GMT) on Monday in Gangneung, officials said. The flames had prompted the evacuation of 152 residents in the city of more than 200,000 people as of noon local time, a Gangneung city official told Reuters. Photos and footage circulating on social media showed large plumes of smoke and fires razing forests and fields. Reporting by Soo-hyang Choi; Editing by Kenneth MaxwellOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ US, South Korea, Japan express concern over N.Korea's 'malicious' cyber activities - joint statement
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SEOUL, April 7 (Reuters) - The United States, South Korea and Japan expressed deep concern over North Korea's "malicious" cyber activities to support its weapons programmes, in comments released in a joint statement on Friday. Crypto currency funds stolen by North Korean hackers have been a key source for financing the sanctions-stricken country's weapons programmes, officials and experts in the U.S. and its allies say. "We are also deeply concerned about how the DPRK supports these programmes by stealing and laundering funds as well as gathering information through malicious cyber activities," the statement said. South Korea's nuclear envoy held talks with his U.S. and Japanese counterparts in Seoul this week and condemned North Korea's weapons tests. read moreReporting by Soo-hyang Choi and Ju-min Park; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman and Kenneth MaxwellOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ South Korea, US, Japan hold anti-submarine drills to counter North Korea threats
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] Crews are seen on the flight deck of the USS Nimitz, off the coast of Busan, South Korea, 27 March 2023. Jeon Heon-Kyun/Pool via REUTERSSEOUL, April 3 (Reuters) - The navies of South Korea, the U.S. and Japan will hold two days of anti-submarine exercises starting Monday to better counter North Korea's evolving nuclear and missile capabilities, South Korea's defence ministry said. The trilateral drills come as North Korea unveiled last week new, smaller nuclear warheads, vowed to produce more weapons-grade nuclear materials to expand its arsenal, and boasted of what it called a nuclear-capable underwater attack drone. This week's exercises will use a mobile anti-submarine warfare training target to improve the capabilities needed to detect, track and destroy North Korean underwater threats, the ministry said. The three countries last held trilateral anti-submarine drills in September - the first time in five years - amid tension over North Korea's unprecedented number of missile tests.

☆ Forest fire in central Seoul forces evacuation of 120 homes
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

SEOUL, April 2 (Reuters) - A forest fire raged in central Seoul on Sunday, forcing the evacuation of at least 120 homes in the densely populated capital, authorities said. The fire, which started on a mountain in the middle of Seoul at around 11:53 a.m. (0253 GMT), razed forests the size of some 30 soccer fields before it was nearly extinguished as of 5 p.m. (0800 GMT), according to officials. Smoke billowing from forests was seen across the city as firefighters battled to put out the fire with water-bombing aircraft. Multiple helicopters were seen flying over the Han River in an apparent effort to supply water to extinguish the fire, a Reuters witness said. Reporting by Hyun Young Yi and Soo-hyang Choi; Editing by Christopher CushingOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Top security aide for S.Korea's Yoon offers to resign
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SEOUL, March 29 (Reuters) - A top security adviser for South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said on Wednesday he had offered to step down. His resignation comes ahead of Yoon's summit with U.S. President Joe Biden next month. Media reports said earlier National Security Adviser Kim Sung-han could be replaced over planning issues related to Yoon's visit to Washington. He added that Yoon's upcoming trip to the United States was being well prepared so his successor could take over smoothly. Yoon nominated Cho Tae-yong, ambassador to the United States, as Kim's successor, Yonhap news agency reported following the announcement.

☆ South Korea to host third 'Summit for Democracy' -joint statement
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SEOUL, March 29 (Reuters) - South Korea will host a third "Summit for Democracy", President Yoon Suk Yeol said in a statement with U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday. "The United States and the Republic of Korea share deep bonds, rooted in our common democratic values and respect for human rights, and we are committed to further strengthening our robust political, economic, security, and people-to-people ties," the statement said. The plenary session of the second summit is to be held on Wednesday, involving 120 countries, civil society groups and technology companies in an event critics say illustrates the halting progress the Biden administration has made in advancing human rights and democracy as a focus of its foreign policy. The second summit is being co-hosted by the United States, Costa Rica, Zambia, the Netherlands and South Korea. It was not immediately clear when the next summit will be held or whether other countries will co-host the meeting.

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