Foreign investors likely to see South Korea's new leader as pro-business: Expert
Peter Kim of KB Financial Group talks about what new South Korean president Lee Jae-Myung's labor policies could look like, and why they are critical for the country's productivity.
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Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Digitally altered photo misleads on Trump's response to South Korea presidential election
"As soon as [Lee Jae-myung] was inaugurated as president, 'Yoon Again' was spotted on Trump's cellphone," reads part of a Korean-language Facebook post shared on June 5. "It means President Yoon is still the only leader Trump accepts." A photo attached to the post appears to show US President Donald Trump holding up a phone with "Yoon Again" displayed on its screen; the slogan was adopted by impeached president Yoon Suk Yeol's supporters who believe his removal from office was illegitimate (archived link). The posts were shared a day after Lee won South Korea's snap presidential election by a large margin, ending months of political unrest triggered by Yoon's imposition of martial law and subsequent impeachment (archived link). The same doctored image and claim were widely circulated in Facebook groups backing Yoon and other conservative figures in South Korea, as well as on far-right forum Ilbe. "President Trump will correct the results of South Korea's presidential election as he seems to have watched it closely," read a comment on one of the posts. Another said: "Trump is the only ally to President Yoon still standing, let's put our trust in him." As of June 6, Trump had not called the new South Korean president, with analysts saying any further delay may signal reluctance on the US president's part to engage with the new leader (archived link). The circulating image, however, has been altered. A keyword search found the circulating image was altered from a photo taken by AFP photographer Saul Loeb on May 30 at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, as Trump disembarked from Air Force One. Trump's phone lock screen in fact shows a picture of the president pointing forwards, not a message of support for Yoon. The date displayed on the phone screen also reads "May 30" -- four days before South Korea's presidential election. According to reports by MSNBC and Euronews, the image of Trump's phone screen was widely discussed on social media, with his supporters praising the president and his critics calling him "self-absorbed" (archived here and here). Another photo taken by Loeb also shows Trump's phone screen did not display a message of support for Yoon. AFP has debunked multiple false claims about Trump's supposed opinion on South Korea's impeached president.
3 hours ago
North Korea says it has raised a capsized destroyer upright as it continues repair
SEOUL, South Korea -- North Korea said Friday it had righted a capsized destroyer and moored it at a pier in the northeastern port of Chongjin as it continues to repair the new warship leader Kim Jong Un has described as a significant asset for his nuclear-armed military. The report by North Korean state media aligned with South Korean military assessments and recent commercial satellite images. North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency said experts will closely examine the ship's hull before beginning the next phase of restoration, which will take place at a dry dock at the neighboring port of Rajin and is expected to last seven to 10 days. Satellite images taken Thursday by Planet Labs PBC analyzed by The Associated Press showed the stricken destroyer upright and floating. It wasn't immediately clear from the image just how much damage had been done to the vessel, which had been in the water for days after the failed launch. However, the ship did not appear to be noticeably listing, meaning Pyongyang is likely able to send it onward to the other port to inspect the vessel's electronics. Jo Chun Ryong, a senior official from the ruling Workers' Party, told the agency that the 'perfect restoration of the destroyer will be completed without fail' before a major party congress in late June, a deadline set by Kim. Outside experts say it remains unclear how severely the 5,000-ton-class destroyer was damaged during a botched launching ceremony in late May, which triggered a furious response from Kim, who called the failure a 'criminal act caused by absolute carelessness, irresponsibility, and unscientific empiricism.' North Korean law enforcement authorities have detained at least four officials over the incident, including the vice director of the Workers' Party's munitions industry department, according to state media. The North's main military committee said those responsible would be held accountable for their 'unpardonable criminal act.' Lee Sung Joon, spokesperson for South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters Thursday that the South's military assesses that the North Koreans righted the ship earlier this week and are likely conducting drainage operations while examining the damage. 'The nature and duration of the repair process will vary, depending on internal repairs, additional work or whether the incident affected the keel,' Lee said, referring to the ship's structural backbone. 'This could also affect how the ship is used going forward.' The damaged warship was North Korea's second known destroyer and seen as a crucial asset toward Kim's goal of modernizing its naval forces. It was in the same class as the country's first destroyer unveiled in April, which experts assessed as the North's largest and most advanced warship to date. Kim lavishly praised that ship, which was launched in the western port of Nampo, saying it advances his goal of expanding the military's operations range and nuclear strike capabilities. State media described that ship as designed to handle various weapons systems, including anti-air and anti-ship weapons as well as nuclear-capable ballistic and cruise missiles. Kim also supervised test-firings of missiles from the destroyer afterward, and state media said the ship was expected to enter active duty early next year. While North Korea's naval forces are widely seen as far inferior to those of its rivals, analysts say a destroyer equipped with modern missile and radar systems could still boost the North's offensive and defensive capabilities. South Korean officials and experts say the North's destroyer was likely built with Russian assistance as the two countries' military cooperation have intensified amid Russian President Vladimir Putin's war on Ukraine. Kim's government has supplied Russia with thousands of troops and large shipments of military equipment, including artillery and ballistic missiles, to support its warfighting. Washington and Seoul have expressed concern that, in return, Kim may seek Russian technology transfers that could enhance the threat posed by his nuclear-armed military. in Pyongyang on Wednesday in the latest sign of the countries' deepening ties. Kim has framed his arms buildup as a response to perceived threats from the United States and South Korea, which have been expanded joint military exercises in reaction to the North's advancing nuclear program. Kim says the acquisition of a nuclear-powered submarine would be his next big step in strengthening the North Korean navy.
San Francisco Chronicle
7 hours ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
North Korea says it has raised a capsized destroyer upright as it continues repair
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea on Saturday said it had righted a capsized destroyer and moored it at a pier in the northeastern port of Chongjin as it continues to repair the new warship leader Kim Jong Un has described as a significant asset for his nuclear-armed military. The report by North Korean state media aligned with South Korean military assessments and recent commercial satellite images, which indicated that the ship was in an upright position and floating in the harbor, according to the North Korea-focused 38North website. North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency said experts will closely examine the ship's hull before beginning the next phase of restoration, which will take place at a dry dock at the neighboring port of Rajin and is expected to last seven to 10 days. Jo Chun Ryong, a senior official from the ruling Workers' Party, told the agency that the 'perfect restoration of the destroyer will be completed without fail' before a major party congress in late June – a deadline set by Kim. Outside experts say it remains unclear how severely the 5,000-ton-class destroyer was damaged during a botched launching ceremony in late May, which triggered a furious response from Kim, who called the failure a 'criminal act caused by absolute carelessness, irresponsibility, and unscientific empiricism.' North Korean law enforcement authorities have detained at least four officials over the incident, including the vice director of the Workers' Party's munitions industry department, according to state media. The North's main military committee said those responsible would be held accountable for their 'unpardonable criminal act.' Lee Sung Joon, spokesperson for South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters Thursday that the South's military assesses that the North Koreans righted the ship earlier this week and are likely conducting drainage operations while examining the damage. 'The nature and duration of the repair process will vary, depending on internal repairs, additional work or whether the incident affected the keel,' Lee said, referring to the ship's structural backbone. 'This could also affect how the ship is used going forward.' The damaged warship was North Korea's second known destroyer and seen as a crucial asset toward Kim's goal of modernizing its naval forces. It was in the same class as the country's first destroyer unveiled in April, which experts assessed as the North's largest and most advanced warship to date. Kim lavishly praised that ship, which was launched in the western port of Nampo, saying it advances his goal of expanding the military's operations range and nuclear strike capabilities. State media described that ship as designed to handle various weapons systems, including anti-air and anti-ship weapons as well as nuclear-capable ballistic and cruise missiles. Kim also supervised test-firings of missiles from the destroyer afterward, and state media said the ship was expected to enter active duty early next year. While North Korea's naval forces are widely seen as far inferior to those of its rivals, analysts say a destroyer equipped with modern missile and radar systems could still boost the North's offensive and defensive capabilities. South Korean officials and experts say the North's destroyer was likely built with Russian assistance as the two countries' military cooperation have intensified amid Russian President Vladimir Putin's war on Ukraine. Kim's government has supplied Russia with thousands of troops and large shipments of military equipment, including artillery and ballistic missiles, to support its warfighting. Washington and Seoul have expressed concern that, in return, Kim may seek Russian technology transfers that could enhance the threat posed by his nuclear-armed military. Kim met with Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu in Pyongyang on Wednesday in the latest sign of the countries' deepening ties. Kim has framed his arms buildup as a response to perceived threats from the United States and South Korea, which have been expanded joint military exercises in reaction to the North's advancing nuclear program. Kim says the acquisition of a nuclear-powered submarine would be his next big step in strengthening the North Korean navy.
