South Korea's Acting President Orders Close Monitoring of US Policies

A handout photo made available by the South Korean finance ministry shows South Korean acting President Choi Sang-mok, who serves concurrently as deputy prime minister for economic affairs and finance minister, speaks during a meeting on macroeconomic and financial affairs at the government complex in Seoul, South Korea, on 24 January 2025. EPA/South Korean finance ministry
A handout photo made available by the South Korean finance ministry shows South Korean acting President Choi Sang-mok, who serves concurrently as deputy prime minister for economic affairs and finance minister, speaks during a meeting on macroeconomic and financial affairs at the government complex in Seoul, South Korea, on 24 January 2025. EPA/South Korean finance ministry
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South Korea's Acting President Orders Close Monitoring of US Policies

A handout photo made available by the South Korean finance ministry shows South Korean acting President Choi Sang-mok, who serves concurrently as deputy prime minister for economic affairs and finance minister, speaks during a meeting on macroeconomic and financial affairs at the government complex in Seoul, South Korea, on 24 January 2025. EPA/South Korean finance ministry
A handout photo made available by the South Korean finance ministry shows South Korean acting President Choi Sang-mok, who serves concurrently as deputy prime minister for economic affairs and finance minister, speaks during a meeting on macroeconomic and financial affairs at the government complex in Seoul, South Korea, on 24 January 2025. EPA/South Korean finance ministry

South Korea's acting President Choi Sang-mok ordered that policies of the new US administration and their market impact be closely monitored, the South Korean government said in a statement on Thursday.

Choi, the Bank of Korea governor, and financial regulators also noted the increased volatility in technology stocks in major markets created by China's DeepSeek, and said it was necessary to keep tabs on financial and currency markets after South Korean holidays end on Thursday.



Russia's Lavrov to Discuss Turkish Role in Ending Ukraine War in Visit

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov attends a press conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia February 18, 2025. Russian Foreign Ministry/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov attends a press conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia February 18, 2025. Russian Foreign Ministry/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo
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Russia's Lavrov to Discuss Turkish Role in Ending Ukraine War in Visit

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov attends a press conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia February 18, 2025. Russian Foreign Ministry/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov attends a press conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia February 18, 2025. Russian Foreign Ministry/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will visit Türkiye on Monday to discuss his country's recent talks with US officials on ending the war in Ukraine, and how Ankara can contribute to the process, a Turkish foreign ministry source said on Sunday.

NATO-member Türkiye, which hosted initial negotiations between Russia and Ukraine months after the war began in 2022, "is ready to assume this role in the upcoming period", the source said, requesting anonymity, Reuters reported.

Lavrov's visit coincides with the three-year anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The source added that Lavrov and his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan would also discuss the ceasefire in Gaza and the situation in Syria, where Türkiye will emphasize the need for Syrian territorial unity and the expulsion of terrorists.

US and Russian negotiators met in Riyadh last week to discuss ending the conflict in Ukraine, without Kyiv's participation. On the same day, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy met Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara.

The Turkish source said the sides on Monday would discuss steps toward "a just and lasting peace through diplomatic efforts, recent contacts between the US and Russia and the contributions that Türkiye can make to the process".