The diplomatic crisis involving Ukraine is getting tangled up with President Lee Jae-myung’s overtures towards Russia. South Korea hopes that the Kremlin might facilitate fresh talks with the North; however, contacts with Moscow are fuelling suspicions in Washington and risk jeopardising relations with Kyiv and South Korea’s European partners.
After the impeachment of the Korean president, the People Power Party is preparing to choose its new candidate for the elections on 3 June. The mayor of the capital, Oh Se-hoon, could be the favourite in the primaries, which will be held on 3 May. Oh is banking on his administrative experience and a conservative agenda. Meanwhile, the opposition has formalised the candidacy of Lee Jae-myung, currently leading in the polls.
The implications of Trump’s trade war are being vetted in Beijing. For sociologist Sun Liping, it is time “to overcome the obsession with a production-oriented model of society” and instead increase “domestic consumption”.
The strategic infrastructure in the south-west had a makeover thanks to Chinese support. For Prime Minister Hun Manet, the country will not allow foreign military bases on its territory, but is open to Chinese aid. Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to visit the country to promote China as the only reliable partner for the region, taking advantage of US disengagement and Trump's tariffs.
The metropolis will host the universal exposition from 13th April to 13th October, with the theme ‘Designing tomorrow's society for our lives’. Osaka had already hosted the event in 1970, the first in Asia, and today it retains the same ambitious impetus. Today the symbol of the exhibition is the Grand Ring, the venue for the event, which stands on the artificial island of Yumeshima.
The Hang Seng index is down by 13.22 per cent, its sharpest drop since 1997, in the wake of the trade war triggered by tariffs. Recession fears are also sinking Singaporean real estate companies. Massive interventions by a Chinese sovereign wealth fund contains losses on the Shanghai stock exchange.
The manager of a Japanese 7-Eleven convenience store in Oita Prefecture killed himself after working non-stop to ensure the store was stocked all the time. The family accuses the company's headquarters of failing to supervise working conditions, while the company declines any responsibility.
Even conservatives accept the Constitutional Court’s unanimous ruling, removing the sitting president over his attempt to impose martial law on 3 December. This marks the start of an uncertain election campaign with opposition leader Lee Jae-miung as the big favourite.
China’s Ministry of Commerce accuses Washington of "unilateral bullying" but keeps channels of communication open. Beijing had already launched stimulus measures for domestic consumption, expecting lower exports, but now it will also have to deal with the fallout from the heavy tariffs imposed on Southeast Asia. The chances for free trade area with Japan and South Korea have improved.
As the tariffs imposed by US President Trump heat up the trade war, the three countries are looking for new ways of working together. The summit got underway today until tomorrow in Seoul. The South Koreans and Japanese are concerned about tariffs on cars. Meanwhile, Beijing announces countermeasures if Washington continues the trade war.
The Bangladeshi leader starts a four-day visit that is viewed with suspicion in New Delhi at a time when the regional balance of power in South Asia is still shaky after Sheikh Hasina’s ouster. Reducing interest on its loans is Dhaka's most important request to Xi Jinping. Large Chinese investments in solar panel production and other outsourcing opportunities in Bangladesh are other top issues.
A recent study by an independent commission exposes decades of abuse in international adoption practices, with minors taken from their families and sent abroad by private agencies (which made huge profits) without adequate oversight. Only recently has South Korea taken steps to protect adoptees, and began working with Norway where more than 6,500 children were sent from 1969 to last year.
To reach an upper-medium level of development this decade, greater investments in energy are needed. For supporters, nuclear plants would guarantee stable and "clean" energy, and improve the environment at a critical juncture for traditional renewables. Moscow and Beijing would partner in infrastructure development.
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