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Straits Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
South Korea launches joint probe to revisit deadly 2022 Halloween crowd crush in Itaewon
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox More than 150 people were killed in the 2022 Halloween crowd crush in Seoul's Itaewon district. SEOUL - South Korea's Supreme Prosecutors' Office on July 30 decided to launch a joint investigation team comprising the prosecution and police to probe the Itaewon crowd crush . The decision came two weeks after President Lee Jae Myung pledged to the bereaved families of victims in the Itaewon tragedy that he would form a separate task force to investigate the disaster , which claimed 159 lives during Halloween festivities in 2022. The joint investigation team is set to revisit the overall circumstances regarding the incident, including its causes, rescue efforts and authorities' responses, and probe additional cases involving secondary damage for survivors and bereaved families. Some 20 personnel will be assigned to the investigation team, according to Yonhap News. The team will be led by the criminal affairs department of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office. The Supreme Prosecutors' Office spokesperson stated that thorough and swift measures are needed as the victims and bereaved families suffered for a long time, according to reports. 'The Itaewon tragedy is a matter of significant national concern regarding the facts and accountability. It is necessary to uncover the truth to resolve the ongoing social controversy and prevent further abuse against families of tragedy victims,' said the spokesperson. The team will also review any shortcomings in the country's disaster response system. Though a special independent investigation committee on the Itaewon crowd crush was formed in September, it struggled with a lack of investigative authority. 'Much of the information has not been provided to the National Commission for the Investigation of 10.29 Itaewon Disaster,' a representative of the bereaved families said during a meeting with Mr Lee held at the Blue House in Seoul on July 16. 'All records from the day of the tragedy, including communications between the relevant ministries, on-site instructions and more, must be disclosed by the government. Uncovering the truth is the very least we can do to honour the memory and dignity of the children who were lost in the incident.' THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
Korea Herald
2 days ago
- Politics
- Korea Herald
Joint probe to revisit Itaewon tragedy
South Korea's Supreme Prosecutors' Office on Wednesday decided to launch a joint investigation team comprising the prosecution and police to probe the Itaewon crowd crush. The decision came two weeks after President Lee Jae Myung pledged to the bereaved families of victims in the Itaewon tragedy that he would form a separate task force to thoroughly look into the crowd crush that claimed 159 lives during Halloween festivities in 2022. The joint investigation team is set to revisit the overall circumstances regarding the incident, ranging from its causes, rescue efforts, authorities' response and probe additional cases, involving secondary damage for survivors and bereaved families. Some 20 personnel will be assigned to the investigation team, according to Yonhap News. The team will be led by the criminal affairs department of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office. The Supreme Prosecutors' Office spokesperson stated that thorough and swift measures are needed as the victims and bereaved families suffered for a long time, according to reports. 'The Itaewon tragedy is a matter of significant national concern regarding the facts and accountability. It is necessary to uncover the truth to resolve the ongoing social controversy and prevent further abuse against families of tragedy victims,' said the spokesperson. The team will also review any shortcomings in the country's disaster response system. Though a special independent investigation committee on the Itaewon crowd crush was formed in September, it faced criticisms due to a lack of investigative authority, limiting its capability to determine the facts of the case. 'Much of the information has not been provided to the National Commission for the Investigation of 10.29 Itaewon Disaster. All records from the day of the tragedy, including communications between the relevant ministries, on-site instructions and more, must be disclosed by the government. Uncovering the truth is the very least we can do to honor the memory and dignity of the children who were lost in the incident,' a representative of the bereaved families said during the meeting with Lee held at Cheong Wa Dae on July 16.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Korea Pitches to Make US Shipbuilding Great Again for a Deal
(Bloomberg) -- South Korea is pitching the US on a shipbuilding partnership as a key proposal to seal a last-minute agreement to avoid a 25% tariff rate. The High Costs of Trump's 'Big Beautiful' New Car Loan Deduction Can This Bridge Ease the Troubled US-Canadian Relationship? Budapest's Most Historic Site Gets a Controversial Rebuild Trump Administration Sues NYC Over Sanctuary City Policy While details remain unclear, Yonhap News reported that South Korea has proposed a multi-billion dollar project dubbed 'Make American Shipbuilding Great Again.' South Korea's Industry Ministry declined to comment. 'We confirmed the US side's strong interest in the shipbuilding sector and the two countries agreed to work together to develop mutually acceptable terms that include shipbuilding cooperation,' South Korea's presidential office said in a statement Saturday. As countries across Asia clinched deals last week, Seoul's negotiators have been racing to stay engaged with their US counterparts while Washington shifted its focus to the European Union and China. The US and the EU announced a pact Sunday that will set the 27-nation bloc's tariffs at 15% on most exports to the US, including automobiles. The latest agreement which follows a Japan deal last week, adds to the pressure on Asia's fourth-largest economy to clinch a deal. South Korea, where negotiations have been slowed by internal political turmoil, is one of the biggest Asian economies to still be without a deal. Aside from China, other major exporters in the region that are in the thick of negotiations include India and Taiwan. South Korea's finance and foreign ministers are set to meet their US counterparts this week in a last-minute bid to close the negotiations. The government in Seoul has said the two countries are committed to making a deal before US President Donald Trump's August 1 deadline. Also on the table is increased access to South Korea's agricultural market, as well as a fund to invest in American projects similar to an agreement Japan struck. Under the deal, the two sides touted a $550 billion fund as part of the agreement on the tariff rate dropping to 15%. The South Korean talks are similarly focused on reaching a 15% tariff rate, including for autos, and the recent proposals suggest a comparable structure. Demonstrating a sense of urgency, South Korean Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan flew from the US to Europe to continue talks with his US counterparts, Yonhap said. Kim's office didn't immediately respond to a Bloomberg News request seeking confirmation. The discussion of agricultural imports raises the stakes for South Korea's new government. Past efforts to open the country's beef market sparked nationwide protests and any shift on rice imports could face even stiffer resistance. 'It's true that we are facing strong US pressure on tariff negotiations,' Woo Sang-ho, a South Korean presidential secretary, told reporters in Seoul on Monday. 'It's also true that there are specific demands related to the agricultural and livestock products, but I can tell you that we are doing our best to minimize our concessions to protect our domestic industries.' South Korea's shipbuilding industry, the world's second-largest behind China, is looking to benefit from Trump seeking to revitalize the sector in the US. Raising South Korea's defense spending and buying American weapons are among the items being discussed, Woo said, declining to elaborate. Barring a deal, Bloomberg Economics estimates a 1.7% hit to South Korea's gross domestic product, with market volatility and uncertainty threatening to push the GDP losses beyond that. Overseas shipments were equivalent to more than 40% of South Korea's GDP last year. 'Japan's trade deal paints a positive backdrop but also sets a high bar for others,' Morgan Stanley economist Kathleen Oh said in a note last week. 'Korea and Taiwan may need to ramp up new investment schemes to increase agricultural and energy imports and expand market access, as seen in Japan's case.' (Updates with South Korean official's comments in paragraphs 10, 12.) Burning Man Is Burning Through Cash It's Not Just Tokyo and Kyoto: Tourists Descend on Rural Japan Elon Musk's Empire Is Creaking Under the Strain of Elon Musk Confessions of a Laptop Farmer: How an American Helped North Korea's Wild Remote Worker Scheme Dude! They Killed Colbert! ©2025 Bloomberg L.P. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
South China Morning Post
4 days ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
South Korea pitches ‘Make American Shipbuilding Great Again' plan to avert Trump tariffs
South Korea is pitching the US on a shipbuilding partnership as a key proposal to seal a last-minute agreement to avoid a 25 per cent tariff rate. While details remain unclear, Yonhap News reported that South Korea has proposed a multibillion-dollar project dubbed 'Make American Shipbuilding Great Again' (Masga). South Korea's Industry Ministry declined to comment. 'We confirmed the US side's strong interest in the shipbuilding sector and the two countries agreed to work together to develop mutually acceptable terms that include shipbuilding cooperation,' South Korea's presidential office said in a statement on Saturday. As countries across Asia clinched deals last week, Seoul's negotiators have been racing to stay engaged with their US counterparts as Washington shifted its focus to the European Union and China. The US and EU announced a pact on Sunday that will see the bloc face 15 per cent tariffs on most of its exports to the US, including automobiles. The latest agreement, which follows a Japan deal last week , adds to the pressure on Asia's fourth-largest economy to clinch a deal. South Korea, where negotiations have been slowed by internal political turmoil, is one of the biggest Asian economies to still be without a deal. In addition to China India is another major exporter in the region currently engaged in negotiations.
Japan Times
4 days ago
- Business
- Japan Times
South Korea pitches Trump on shipyards for last-minute trade deal
South Korea is pitching the U.S. on a shipbuilding partnership as a key proposal to seal a last-minute agreement to avoid a 25% tariff rate. While details remain unclear, Yonhap News reported that South Korea has proposed a multibillion dollar project dubbed "Make American Shipbuilding Great Again.' South Korea's Industry Ministry declined to comment. "We confirmed the U.S. side's strong interest in the shipbuilding sector and the two countries agreed to work together to develop mutually acceptable terms that include shipbuilding cooperation,' South Korea's presidential office said in a statement Saturday. As countries across Asia clinched deals last week, Seoul's negotiators have been racing to stay engaged with their U.S. counterparts as Washington shifted its focus to the European Union and China. The U.S. and EU announced a pact Sunday that will see the bloc face 15% tariffs on most of its exports to the U.S., including automobiles. The latest agreement which follows a Japan deal last week, adds to the pressure on Asia's fourth-largest economy to clinch a deal. South Korea, where negotiations have been slowed by internal political turmoil, is one of the biggest Asian economies to still be without a deal. Aside from China, other major exporters in the region that are in the thick of negotiations include India and Taiwan. South Korea's finance and foreign ministers are set to meet with their U.S. counterparts this week in a last-minute bid to close the negotiations and the government in Seoul has said the two countries are committed to making a deal before U.S. President Donald Trump's Aug. 1 deadline. Also on table is increased access to South Korea's agricultural market, as well as a fund to invest in American projects similar to an agreement Japan struck. Under the deal, the two sides touted a $550 billion fund as part of the agreement on the tariff rate dropping to 15%. The South Korean talks are similarly focused on reaching a 15% tariff rate, including for autos, and the recent proposals suggest a comparable structure. Putting agricultural imports on the table raises the stakes for South Korea's new government. Past efforts to open the country's beef market sparked nationwide protests and any shift on rice imports could face even stiffer resistance. Barring a deal, Bloomberg Economics estimates a 1.7% hit to South Korea's gross domestic product, with market volatility and uncertainty threatening to push the GDP losses beyond that. Overseas shipments were equivalent to more than 40% of South Korea's GDP last year. "Japan's trade deal paints a positive backdrop but also sets a high bar for others,' Morgan Stanley economist Kathleen Oh said in a note last week. "Korea and Taiwan may need to ramp up new investment schemes to increase agricultural and energy imports and expand market access, as seen in Japan's case.'
