South Korea

Visitor spending and arrivals are up across the islands compared to a year ago. That includes visitors from most markets in the Asia Pacific. And residents in one of those countries are setting records for foreign travel.

Navy ships from more than a dozen countries will be taking part in an event next week in South Korea. But there is controversy – not about ships or weapons, but about a flag.

If you have travel plans coming up that include a flight to Asia, you may be part of the newest wave of airport technology. The idea is to get passengers on their way more quickly — and without having to always take out a passport.

We’re a week away from the Hawaii Tourism Authority’s annual Global Tourism Summit. While the state will update its latest strategies to attract visitors, other locations are considering similar plans. And that includes the capital of South Korea.

Hawai‘i’s unemployment rate remains just over 2% — that’s about half the national average. It’s also a very different story than in South Korea — where more discouraging figures came out this week.

September is full of seasonal events. There’s Labor Day, the start of the National Football League season, and later this month, the United Nations General Assembly. There’s word this week that President Trump will meet South Korea’s president during that period to talk about North Korea; and according to South Korean media, there may be developments to discuss.

This was a triumphant weekend for Hawai‘i sports teams. Not only did Honolulu win the Little League World Series, but the underdog UH football team has a perfect record after winning its first game. On the other side of the Pacific there was also big news in amateur sports.

Japanese automakers always top the charts when it comes to car sales in Hawai‘i. But in South Korea, German automakers dominate the rankings of imported cars. And in recent months there has been a dangerous trend with one of the best-selling brands.

For a little more than a year, Honolulu has had a bike sharing program on the streets. A similar program has been on the Big Island for even longer. But in parts of Asia, it’s a business that’s going through a lot of changes.

Summertime means hotter weather. Last Wednesday, Lihue hit a record high at 87-degrees. But in recent weeks, most of Japan and parts of Korea have been baking under far higher temperatures.

Hawaii is one of 18 states that raised its minimum wage this year to $10.10 an hour. That’s an increase of about nine-percent from last year. In South Korea, the minimum wage rose nearly twice as much this year and is headed higher — but the politics have become complicated.

As you may have heard earlier on NPR, President Trump heads to Europe today for a week of diplomatic meetings. He’ll be talking with allies and will also spend time in Helsinki with Russian President Vladimir Putin. But another high-level diplomatic meeting is taking place this week thousands of miles from Europe.

South Korea is changing the way it sells coffee — at least when you buy it at a coffee shop. Starting next month, if you drink your coffee in a café, you won’t be using a disposable cup. And that’s already stirring some controversy.

On this Independence Day, there’s an unusual event marking the day on the Korean peninsula. It’s a basketball game involving teams from North Korea and South Korea—and a date that is significant for both sides.

Government officials from the United States and South Korea are still trying to figure out the details of President Trump’s promise to pull back from military exercises on the Korean peninsula. The development surprised military officials in both Washington and Seoul.

We’re about a month away from President Trump’s scheduled meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. While residents in South Korea are closely watching developments, a survey shows they also have some surprising attitudes when it comes to their neighbors to the north. HPR’s Bill Dorman has more in today’s Asia Minute.

The leaders of North and South Korea are scheduled to meet this Friday at the Demilitarized Zone on the border between the two countries. Both countries are scrambling with last minute preparations this week—but in different ways. HPR’s Bill Dorman has more in today’s Asia Minute.

The western side of the Big Island of Hawai‘i is getting some extra attention this week at an unlikely location. Kona is making headlines in South Korea—but not for reasons you might expect. HPR’s Bill Dorman has more in today’s Asia Minute.

As you’ve heard on NPR over the last couple of days, the United States and South Korea this week agreed on a new trade deal. It’s a revised version of the U.S. Korea Free Trade Agreement. But despite that arrangement, a major American company may be pulling out of the country. HPR’s Bill Dorman has more in today’s Asia Minute.

Work-life balance is a familiar phrase in the modern workplace. While it sometimes is more a theoretical goal than a practical reality, one city in Asia is taking steps to improve its chances. HPR’s Bill Dorman has more in today’s Asia Minute.

President Trump will have a new Secretary of State advising him ahead of his planned meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un later this spring. But while the headlines in the United States are focused on these bi-lateral talks, some coverage in Asia is already looking at another possible high-level meeting. HPR’s Bill Dorman has more in today’s Asia Minute.

Government officials from the United States and South Korea will be meeting in Hawai‘i this week. They’ll be talking about cost-sharing when it comes to U.S. military forces based in South Korea. HPR’s Bill Dorman has more in today’s Asia Minute.

President Trump says he’ll make a formal announcement this week slapping tariffs on imported steel and aluminum. Several U.S. trade partners in Asia produce steel, but the impact is likely to hit one regional economy the hardest. HPR’s Bill Dorman has more in today’s Asia Minute.

General Motors announced this week it is closing an assembly plant in South Korea. The company says the move is based on economics, but the story also carries a layer of politics. HPR’s Bill Dorman has more in today’s Asia Minute.

US Defense Secretary James Mattis says diplomacy must take the lead in the effort to achieve peace on the Korean Peninsula.

The Winter Olympics get underway in two weeks in South Korea. A North Korean delegation will be coming—from athletes and cheerleaders to government officials. But one of the biggest challenges is facing a dual citizen of the United States and Canada. HPR’s Bill Dorman has more in today’s Asia Minute.

This weekend’s false alarm about a missile attack has refocused attention on security on the Korean peninsula, but also on diplomacy. And it’s been an active several days on that front. HPR’s Bill Dorman has more in today’s Asia Minute.

It’s a little over three weeks until the opening ceremonies of the Winter Olympics in South Korea. As long as the details can be worked out, a team from North Korea will be there. But there are a lot of other uncertainties about the North’s participation in the games. HPR’s Bill Dorman has more in today’s Asia Minute.

South Korea has proposed a round of direct talks with North Korea in less than a week. A South Korean cabinet minister says one topic of the high level talks would be North Korea’s possible participation in the Winter Olympics. The history of talks between the two governments goes back decades, and has been uneven at best. HPR’s Bill Dorman has more in today’s Asia Minute.

Unemployment in Hawai‘i hit a record low last month—at 2-percent. And as 2017 draws to a close, the state has one of the lowest jobless rates in the country—although wages still remain relatively low and the cost of living is near the top of the national charts. Heading into the new year, the employment situation is a very different story in South Korea. HPR’s Bill Dorman has more in today’s Asia Minute.