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Following another sharp drop in the stock market, the Trump administration dismissed concerns, characterizing the decline as routine and not a cause for alarm. On the 10th, Treasury Secretary Scott Besant stated there was “nothing unusual today,” despite the ongoing market volatility, which came even after a 90-day delay in tariffs for countries other than China.

Speaking during a White House Cabinet meeting led by President Trump, Besant noted, “The inflation numbers were good today, oil prices were down, and we have a successful bond market.” On the topic of tariff negotiations, he expressed confidence, saying, “They are going to come to us with their best offer,” and assured that “we will be in a very clear position within the next 90 days.”

When asked directly about the day’s sharp market decline, President Trump responded dismissively, saying, “I didn’t see it,” citing that he had been in the Cabinet meeting for two and a half hours. This contrasted with his reaction the day before, when the market rallied sharply after the announcement of the 90-day grace period. Trump had welcomed that surge enthusiastically, calling it “a record day.”

White House trade adviser Peter Navarro also weighed in, appearing on CNN to address market concerns. Known as Trump’s “tariff strategist,” Navarro downplayed the market drop, stating, “We had the highest increase in history yesterday.” He added, “Of course there will be some setbacks, and that’s a normal retracement after a big day.” He concluded, “It’s not a big deal.”

Despite public reassurances, the mixed messaging and uncertainty around tariff policy continue to weigh on investor sentiment, with markets reacting sharply to any signals of economic instability or trade tensions.

A group of New York City Council members has introduced a bill that seeks to make food waste separation a voluntary practice rather than a mandatory, fine-enforced policy. The proposed legislation, Int. 1236, was introduced on April 10 by Councilmembers David Carr, Vicky Palladino, and Joanne Arriola, all members of the Council’s Common-Sense Caucus.

The bill comes just 10 days after New York City began enforcing its food waste separation regulations, which require residents to separate organic waste for composting. Since enforcement began on April 1, the New York City Department of Sanitation has issued 2,462 tickets, collecting a total of $61,550 in fines. Notably, during the first week of enforcement, the amount of food waste collected jumped by 240% compared to the same period last year, from 737,000 pounds to nearly 1.8 million pounds.

Mayor Eric Adams defended the city’s policy, stating that the goal of food waste separation is to promote environmentally friendly composting, not to generate revenue through fines. “Food waste separation is an eco-friendly policy for composting, not a means to raise fines,” he said.

Despite the mayor’s assurances, critics of the enforcement argue that the fines are excessive and unfair. Councilmember Ariola, one of the bill’s sponsors, stated, “No one should be forced to compost or punished for not doing so.” She went on to compare the current enforcement of food waste rules to “cash embezzlement.”

Under current city policy, households with one to eight units face a $25 fine for the first violation, $50 for a second, and $100 for each subsequent offense. For larger residential buildings with nine or more units, the penalties start at $100 for a first offense and escalate to $200 and $300 for subsequent violations.

If passed, the proposed legislation would eliminate these fines and change food waste separation from a mandatory, punitive program to a voluntary one, potentially reshaping the city’s approach to organic waste management.

The U.S. government has initiated investigations into the national security risks posed by the import of semiconductors and pharmaceuticals. These investigations could lead to tariffs or other restrictions designed to bolster domestic production of critical technologies and healthcare products.

On April 14, the Department of Commerce announced in the Federal Register that it had launched two separate investigations under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act. This legislation grants the president the authority to impose import restrictions if certain products are deemed a threat to national security.

The semiconductor-related investigation will examine a wide range of items, including semiconductor substrates and bare wafers, legacy and advanced semiconductors, microelectronics, and components of semiconductor manufacturing equipment. It will also evaluate derivative products—such as electronic devices that incorporate semiconductors—highlighting the potentially broad scope of the review.

The pharmaceutical investigation, similarly, will focus on finished drugs, essential raw materials like active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), and medical countermeasures, including vaccines and antibiotics. The investigation aims to assess vulnerabilities in the pharmaceutical supply chain, especially concerning public health crises.

President Donald Trump has strongly advocated for reducing foreign dependence on key sectors like semiconductors and pharmaceuticals. Citing national security concerns, he has threatened tariffs as a tool to incentivize domestic manufacturing. Under his administration, Section 232 has already been used to impose 25% tariffs on steel, aluminium, and various automotive products.

Given this precedent, there is a high probability that these new investigations could lead to similar tariffs or import quotas. According to the Federal Register, both investigations officially began on April 1, and a formal notice will be published on April 16, after which the Department of Commerce will collect public comments for 21 days.

For semiconductors, the Department is soliciting input on issues across the entire supply chain, including U.S. demand, domestic production capacity, foreign subsidies, state-backed overproduction, export controls, and the necessity of trade barriers like tariffs or quotas.

For pharmaceuticals, public input is being sought on supply chain vulnerabilities, unfair trade practices, and the potential for foreign governments to weaponize pharmaceutical exports during crises.

Once the investigations are underway, the Secretary of Commerce has 270 days to deliver a report to the president, outlining whether the imports in question pose a threat and recommending potential remedies. The president must then decide within 90 days whether to act on those recommendations.

Although the process could take up to a year, the Trump administration appears to be moving quickly. Secretary of Commerce Howard Rutnick stated in an interview that semiconductor tariffs could be announced “probably within a month or two.”

Concerns are growing among international students in the United States as cases of sudden visa cancellations continue to occur, with many facing deportation without clear explanations. Lawyers are warning that, in addition to political activities, students may also be targeted for minor legal violations, further increasing anxiety among international students. Reports have highlighted that Korean student in New York and New Jersey are particularly affected by these cancellations, with many being forced out of the U.S. unexpectedly.

Harvard University, one of the country’s most prestigious Ivy League institutions, revealed on the 6th that the visas of three undergraduate students and two recent graduates had been cancelled. This followed similar incidents at other universities, including Stanford University, the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn), Cornell University, the University of Texas, and the University of Minnesota, where numerous international students had their visas cancelled in the past two weeks.

The Associated Press reported on the 4th that the Trump administration seemed to have strengthened its crackdown on international students, noting that some students were being terminated from legal residency. The report also pointed out that, unlike in the past, the cancellations of student visas were being followed by immediate removal from the Student Visa Information System (SEVIS), which results in the immediate revocation of their legal residency status in the U.S.

Korean international students are particularly impacted by this issue. Many Korean immigration lawyers in the New York and New Jersey areas have reported an increase in consultations from students who are at risk of deportation due to recent visa cancellations. One Korean lawyer shared that, within just four days, two students came seeking legal advice after facing issues related to visa cancellations.

These visa cancellations have left many students confused and anxious. Lawyers mentioned that, in many cases, students were notified of their visa cancellations and SEVIS termination by their school authorities without being provided any clear explanation. For the affected students, this has created an unusual and stressful situation where they are suddenly forced to leave the U.S. and discontinue their studies, often with little understanding of why their visas were cancelled.

While some students have faced deportation due to political activities, such as supporting Palestine or engaging in protests, immigration lawyers warn that there could be other reasons behind the cancellations. These might include minor legal infractions or petty crimes that lead to visa revocation. The overall climate of uncertainty has left international students feeling increasingly vulnerable, as they face the possibility of deportation despite no clear connection to political or legal wrongdoing.

On the 8th, President Donald Trump issued an executive order aimed at revitalizing the coal industry in the United States. At the ‘American Energy Revitalization Executive Order Signing Ceremony’ held at the White House, President Trump signed four executive orders designed to support the coal sector.

The executive orders include measures to halt discriminatory policies against the coal industry within all federal government departments and agencies. Additionally, they aim to increase permits and funding for new coal projects, prevent the closure of coal-fired power plants under regulations from the former Joe Biden administration, and stabilize the power grid through coal power generation. The orders also direct the Department of Justice to investigate policies that may discriminate against coal mining and power generation in some Democratic-controlled states.

A particularly notable provision is the use of the defence Production Act to promote coal mining. In his speech, President Trump emphasized the benefits of coal, calling it “the most reliable, durable, safe, and powerful energy source.” He described coal as “cheap, efficient, and virtually indestructible” and reiterated, “We will continue to utilize affordable American energy, including beautiful, clean coal.”

Trump further stated, “Our country is blessed with the most abundant natural resources on Earth. We will use these resources very responsibly,” and expressed confidence that coal mining could extract significant amounts of critical minerals and rare earth elements necessary for advanced technologies.

Regarding global warming, President Trump downplayed concerns, saying, “You don’t have to worry about it. The seas are going to rise about a quarter of an inch in the next 500 to 600 years, and you’re going to have a little more real estate on the waterfront.”

Dozens of coal miners attended the event, standing behind President Trump as he delivered his speech and signed the executive orders.

In his speech, President Trump also touched on his tariff policy, claiming, “We’re making almost $2 billion a day from tariffs,” a figure that aligns closely with his earlier statement about generating $600 billion to $1 trillion annually from tariff revenue. He also discussed trade negotiations, describing them as “tailored, not off the rack,” and mentioned that Japan and South Korea were in talks with the U.S. at the time.

New Jersey is launching a crackdown on cell phone use while driving throughout the entire month of April. The initiative, announced by the New Jersey State Attorney, focuses on addressing distracted driving, particularly the use of cell phones behind the wheel. From April 1st to 30th, local police will conduct intensive enforcement efforts on major highways, such as the New Jersey Turnpike and Garden State Parkway, as well as on local roads in areas with large Korean populations, including Palisades Park, Fort Lee, Leonia, Cliffside Park, Edgewater, Closter, and Teaneck.

To support this crackdown, the State Attorney’s office has allocated over $1.2 million to fund the efforts of 158 town police departments across the state, including the State Police. The goal is to reduce the number of distracted driving incidents caused by cell phone use. In New Jersey, fines for using a cell phone while driving are steep: $200-$400 for the first offense, $400-$600 for the second, and $600-$800 for subsequent offenses. Drivers will also receive three penalty points on their license, and those caught repeatedly using a cell phone while driving may face a suspension of up to 90 days.

Last year, through intensive crackdowns, a total of 9,055 violations of cell phone use while driving was caught and fined. According to state police, distracted driving was a significant factor in nearly half of the traffic accidents that occurred in New Jersey in 2023, resulting in 160 deaths and more than 1,400 injuries. This new crackdown is part of a broader effort to improve road safety and reduce the number of accidents caused by distractions while driving.

New York City has announced a significant increase in fines for illegal dumping in its parks. Starting on March 31st, individuals caught illegally dumping trash in a New York City Park will face a $5,000 fine. If the same person is caught again within 12 months, the fine will increase to $10,000. This new fine structure is a substantial rise from the previous penalty of $1,000 for illegal dumping in city parks.

Illegal dumping in New York City parks includes a wide range of items such as household garbage bags, discarded furniture, construction waste like wood, discarded tires, mattresses, refrigerators, and water heaters. The increased fines are part of a broader effort to crack down on habitual littering and illegal dumping across the city.

Since 2023, New York City has been identifying areas outside parks, such as deserted streets, street corners, and vacant lots, as habitual littering zones. To combat this, the city has installed 115 additional surveillance cameras to monitor illegal dumping activities. For illegal dumping in these areas, a $4,000 fine is imposed, and any vehicle used for dumping will be impounded until the fine is fully paid.

At a press conference held at Richman (Echo) Park in the Bronx, Donohue, the director of the city’s waste management bureau, explained that the use of surveillance cameras has allowed the city to more efficiently target those responsible for dumping furniture, household waste, and construction debris. He expressed confidence that the increase in fines would help curb illegal dumping. Additionally, the waste management bureau plans to bolster patrol efforts, particularly during evenings and weekends, at 121 of the city’s busiest parks to further crack down on illegal dumping. The installation of security cameras in the city’s parks is expected to be completed this spring, making the parks cleaner and safer for all.

President Donald Trump officially announced on the 26th that, following steel and aluminum, he would impose a 25% tariff on foreign automobiles imported into the United States starting April 2nd.

The target countries are all foreign automobiles, but it is expected that automobiles produced in Korea, Japan, Europe, Mexico, and Canada will be the main targets. This has further expanded the front lines of Trump’s global trade war.

President Trump’s latest measure, which aims to lead the revival of the automobile manufacturing industry in the United States, is expected to have a particularly big impact on Korea, where automobiles are the number one export item to the United States.

At a press conference held in the Oval Office that afternoon, President Trump said, “What we’re going to do is impose a 25% tariff on all cars that are not made in the United States.” He said, “We’re going to impose tariffs on countries that have been doing business here and stealing jobs and wealth over the years,” adding, “Friends have often been much worse than enemies. And this (imposing tariffs) is very gentle.”

President Trump also signed an executive order saying, “We expect to raise $100 billion (about 147 trillion won) annually by imposing tariffs on foreign-made cars.” The auto tariffs are the third tariff on individual items that President Trump has imposed since taking office on January 20.

Previously, the United States imposed a 25% tariff on steel, aluminum, and steel and aluminum derivatives imported from all trading partners starting at 00:01 on the 12th, Eastern Standard Time.

President Trump announced that the auto tariffs would be imposed on “April 2nd.” April 2nd is also the date on which he announced that he would impose “reciprocal tariffs” on each country, considering tariff rates and non-tariff barriers to the United States. President Trump reaffirmed this plan to impose reciprocal tariffs, saying that he would impose reciprocal tariffs on “every country” and that there would be no exceptions.

Regarding reciprocal tariffs, he said, “We will be very fair,” but “we will be very generous. In many cases, the tariffs will be lower than what other countries have imposed on the United States for decades. “He added, “I think people will be very pleasantly surprised.”

A hidden camera, presumably installed by thieves, has been found in the yard of a home in San Marino. According to the San Marino Police Department, a gardener found the camouflaged hidden camera while trimming a fence at a home at 2500 Canterbury Road last weekend. The device was recovered by police who responded to a report, and no additional details have been released so far. This is the fourth hidden camera found in LA County since March.

The same incident occurred on the 2nd at a home in a gated community complex in Chino Hills (as reported on page A3 of the 6th issue of this newspaper), and the owner of the home was confirmed to be Korean, which almost resulted in Korean victims.

At the time, police searched the bushes and found a hidden camera disguised as a flowerpot connected to a power supply.

The homeowner, Mr. Kim, said, “The couple lives in the house alone, so they are relatively free of the house,” and “We quickly installed surveillance cameras around the house to prevent further damage.”

Then on the 11th, a woman in Encino, a Valley neighborhood, reported to police that she had discovered a hidden camera installed in a tree in front of the front door and a wire hidden in the bushes while visiting her parents’ home with her children.

Another hidden camera was recently discovered after a home invasion robbery in the West Hills neighborhood. The practice of installing hidden cameras outside houses for the purpose of burglary has recently become a trend in Southern California, including Glendale, Temecula, Arcadia, Alhambra, and Garden Grove.

Last year, Glendale police arrested four Colombians suspected of operating a “burglary tourism” operation using hidden cameras. Three other Colombians were arrested in Temecula in connection with a similar scheme.

In May of last year, a Korean resident of Gardena, Lee, discovered a hidden camera disguised with leaf-printed duct tape while watering her front yard. Police said, “Recently, there have been many cases of Asian homes, including Koreans, being damaged by thieves who traveled from Central and South America,” adding, “These thieves are mostly Chilean or Colombian nationals, and they travel around various areas of Southern California to commit crimes.”

Hidden cameras typically consist of a camera, a battery pack, and a memory card. Police explained that the prevalence of hidden cameras in residential areas is related to home invasion theft. Home thieves are monitoring residents’ comings and goings and deciding when to break in.

Police advise that to prevent hidden camera victims, ▲keep your home well-lit, ▲ask a trusted gardener to regularly inspect trees and shrubs for hidden devices, and ▲install a video surveillance system to check for suspicious activity. Police also urge people to report any hidden cameras they find around their homes immediately and not touch the cameras until the site has been investigated.

The U.S. Federal Reserve (Fed) decided to keep the base interest rate unchanged at 4.25-4.50% on March 19th, maintaining its cautious approach to managing the economy. This decision followed a two-day Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting where the Fed acknowledged the continuing expansion of economic activity, a stable low unemployment rate, and a solid labour market. However, the Fed also noted that inflation had slightly risen, and uncertainty about the economic outlook had increased. This uncertainty is largely attributed to the economic effects of the “tariff war,” which began during the Trump administration and has had a significant impact on both U.S. and global economies.

The Fed’s statement emphasized its commitment to achieving maximum employment and a 2% inflation target in the long term, while also acknowledging the risks posed by the current economic landscape. The FOMC removed the previous language from its January meeting, which had stated that “risks to achieving the employment and inflation goals are broadly balanced.” This change reflects growing concerns about potential economic downturns and rising inflation due to tariffs imposed during Trump’s presidency.

The Fed’s decision to freeze interest rates for the second consecutive time is seen as a response to a slowing inflation relief trend and rising economic uncertainty caused by the ongoing tariff policies. As a result, the interest rate gap between the U.S. and Korea remains at 1.75 percentage points, based on the upper limit of the U.S. rate. The Fed’s quarterly economic outlook report, which included projections for the end of this year, indicated that the base rate (median) would be reduced to 3.9%, signalling two potential rate cuts of 0.25% each.

However, the number of Fed members predicting multiple rate cuts by 2025 has decreased, from 15 out of 19 in December to 11 in the latest projection. For these rate cuts to occur, there needs to be visible progress toward achieving the 2% inflation target or signs of a sharp economic downturn. The Fed’s outlook also shows that U.S. GDP growth will be slower than initially forecasted, with a revised estimate of 1.7% for this year, down from 2.1% in December. Inflation expectations have also risen, with the personal consumption expenditures (PCE) inflation forecast raised to 2.7%, while the core PCE inflation forecast increased to 2.8%.

Fed Chairman Jerome Powell acknowledged the role of President Trump’s tariff policies in driving inflation, suggesting that the current rise in inflation could be partly a response to tariffs. However, Powell noted that if the inflationary impact from the tariffs proves to be temporary, the Fed may overlook the inflation increase. Powell also downplayed the likelihood of a recession, despite a slight increase in recession predictions from some economic forecasters. He stated that while the probability of a recession has risen, it remains relatively low at this stage.