Main opposition seeks vote on Yoon impeachment motion Saturday

The main opposition Democratic Party said Thursday it will push for a vote Saturday for an impeachment motion against President Yoon Suk Yeol over his declaration of martial law and subsequent lifting. The DP and five other minor opposition parties have submitted an impeachment motion, arguing Yoon's martial law declaration constituted violations of the Constitution and other laws. Yoon declared martial law Tuesday night, citing "anti-state" acts by the opposition. It was lifted s

PoliticsDec. 5, 2024

Some train, subway lines disrupted amid railway workers' strike

Some train and subway lines experienced delays and cancellations Thursday after unionized workers of the national railway operator launched an indefinite general strike. Subway Lines 1, 3 and 4 in the capital area, as well as high-speed KTX trains and regular trains, were being delayed or canceled as workers of the Korea Railroad Corp. (KORAIL) began a strike to demand better pay and additional hiring, the first such walkout since September 2023. At Seoul Station, a public announcement informed

Social AffairsDec. 5, 2024

N. Korea-Russia defense treaty goes into effect Dec. 4: state media

A new defense treaty signed by the leaders of North Korea and Russia in June came into force this week as the two nations have exchanged the treaty ratification instruments, state media reported Thursday. The comprehensive strategic partnership treaty went into effect Dec. 4, when the two sides signed protocol on exchanging the ratification instruments, according to the Korean Central News Agency. At summit talks in Pyongyang in June, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimi

North KoreaDec. 5, 2024

Ex-defense minister ordered deployment of troops to Natl. Assembly during martial law

Former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun ordered troops to infiltrate the National Assembly and block lawmakers from entering the compound during martial law, vice defense minister said Thursday. Vice Defense Minister Kim Seon-ho made the remark in response to a lawmaker's question in a parliamentary session, as South Korea is reeling from the aftermath of the turmoil triggered by President Yoon Suk Yeol's aborted declaration of martial law late Tuesday. The martial law imposition lasted

PoliticsDec. 5, 2024

[Exclusive] End threatening press freedom: Reporters Without Borders

International media watchdog Reporters Without Borders called on the South Korean government to stop trying to control the media, as the Korean president now faces impeachment vote over imposing a short-lived martial law rule. “The attempt to control the media shows that press freedom is still at risk, and Reporters Without Borders (RSF) calls on the South Korean authorities to put a definitive end to this worrying trend,” the watchdog told The Korea Herald, citing the martial law de

Social AffairsDec. 5, 2024

N. Korea's state media remains silent about martial law turmoil in S. Korea

North Korea's state media on Thursday kept mum about President Yoon Suk Yeol's short-lived imposition of emergency martial law and its political repercussions. Yoon abruptly declared martial law late Tuesday, accusing the opposition of paralyzing the government with "anti-state" activities. He lifted the decree hours after the National Assembly voted to reject it. As of 9 a.m., none of the North's state media, including the Rodong Sinmun, the North's main newspaper,

PoliticsDec. 5, 2024

PPP leader vows efforts to block opposition-led impeachment motion against Yoon

Han Dong-hoon, the leader of the ruling People Power Party, said Thursday he will make efforts to unite his party to block the passage of an opposition-led motion to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol. Han made the remark after the main opposition Democratic Party and five other minor parties reported an impeachment motion over Yoon's aborted martial law declaration to a plenary session of the National Assembly early Thursday. A vote is expected as early as Friday. "As party leader, I wil

PoliticsDec. 5, 2024

President Yoon Suk Yeol accepts Defense Minister's resignation

President Yoon Suk Yeol has accepted the resignation of Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, who is believed to have advised Yoon to declare martial law, according to presidential Chief of Staff Chung Jin-suk on Thursday. At a briefing Thursday morning, Chung said Yoon has approved Kim's dismissal from the post, without clarifying when his approval was made. Yoon tapped Choi Byung-hyuk, a retired four-star Army general who is currently the ambassador to Saudi Arabia, as the new Defense Minister

PoliticsDec. 5, 2024

Impeachment motion to be voted on Saturday

The motion to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol will be put to the vote at around 7 p.m. on Saturday, the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea said Thursday. According to the party, the bill for launching an independent counsel investigation into first lady Kim Keon Hee will be voted on at the same time. The Democratic Party and five other minor opposition parties tabled the motion to impeach the president at the National Assembly plenary session that kicked off around 12:50 a.m. Thursday. Th

PoliticsDec. 5, 2024

Ruling party to vote against President Yoon Suk Yeol impeachment bill; Leader demands Yoon quit party

The ruling People Power Party announced Thursday plans to vote against the motion filed to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol, who declared martial law Tuesday in a surprise move. The decision was made at an emergency party meeting held at 10 p.m. Wednesday. Rep. Kwak Kyu-taek, senior spokesperson of the ruling party, said the party's decision implies that the impeachment motion as it is is "not acceptable." If all 108 ruling party lawmakers vote against the impeachment motion, it wo

PoliticsDec. 5, 2024

'Martial law' becomes most-searched word on Google in South Korea

The Korean term for "martial law" was the most-searched word on Google in South Korea on Wednesday following President Yoon Suk Yeol's short-lived declaration of martial law. The word topped Google's trends chart with the search volume over the past 24 hours surpassing the 2 million mark, up more than a thousand percent from a day ago. "Currency exchange rate" and "Kim Yong-hyun," the name of the South Korean defense minister who reportedly proposed decl

Social AffairsDec. 4, 2024

Unionized railway workers to go on strike from Thursday

Unionized workers of Korea Railroad Corp., the national railway operator, said Wednesday they will go on an indefinite general strike this week, demanding higher pay and a bigger workforce, as wage negotiations broke down. The protest will began from Thursday, they added. KORAIL and the union started last-minute negotiations earlier in the day but failed to reach an agreement. It will be the first strike by the railway union since September last year. The walkout, if implemented, is expected t

Social AffairsDec. 4, 2024

Anti-Yoon protesters hold candlelight rallies nationwide

Civic and labor groups on Wednesday held candlelight or protest rallies across the nation to demand the resignation of President Yoon Suk Yeol over his controversial martial law declaration. The Korean Federation of Trade Unions, People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy and other civic groups organized a massive candlelight rally at Gwanghwamun Square in downtown Seoul, with an estimated 2,000 people in attendance. Participants criticized President Yoon for his short-lived attempt

PoliticsDec. 4, 2024

Yoon meets PM, PPP leadership amid opposition's impeachment bid

President Yoon Suk Yeol held a meeting with Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and leaders of the ruling People Power Party likely to discuss follow-up measures after opposition parties submitted an impeachment motion in response to the short-lived martial law declaration. Prime Minister Han, PPP leader Han Dong-hoon and floor leader Choo Kyung-ho convened at the presidential office just hours after the opposition submitted the motion, following the National Assembly's rejection of the martial l

PoliticsDec. 4, 2024

Seoul defense chief offers to resign over martial rule

Minister of National Defense Kim Yong-hyun offered to step down Wednesday shortly after the Democratic Party of Korea filed an impeachment bill against him over his role in President Yoon Suk Yeol declaring martial law a day prior. In a brief text message, the South Korean defense minister said he accepts full responsibility for all events related to Tuesday’s martial law declaration and that he told the president he intended to resign. Kim said all members of the country’s armed f

PoliticsDec. 4, 2024

[News Analysis] Political crisis: What it means for Korea-US alliance and beyond

The political upheaval sparked by President Yoon Suk Yeol’s abrupt declaration of martial law -- issued without prior notice to the United States and rescinded just six hours later -- has heightened uncertainties in the South Korea-US alliance, already strained by Donald Trump's return to power. Leadership transitions in both Seoul and Washington amplify the turbulence. Even if Yoon survives the political storm, his foreign policy achievements -- outshining his domestic track record -

Foreign AffairsDec. 4, 2024

Parents of soldiers spend sleepless night worrying about sons

The declaration of martial law late Tuesday placed all military forces on emergency stand-by, with some special units mobilized to enforce the decree. Korean parents with sons serving on active military duty endured a sleepless night too, overwhelmed with worry about what their children might be experiencing amid the chaos. In an online community of Korean soldiers' parents on Naver, which has around 150,000 members, parents voiced their worries throughout the night, uncertain about what

Social AffairsDec. 4, 2024

Yoon aides, Cabinet members offer to resign

President Yoon Suk Yeol's entire Cabinet and all of his aides offered to step down from their posts in the aftermath of the six-hour fiasco triggered by Yoon's surprise declaration of martial law Tuesday night. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo discussed the matter with leaders of the ruling People Power Party and Yoon's aides at an emergency meeting held at 2 p.m. at the Prime Minister's office in Jongno-gu, Seoul. The closed-door meeting lasted for approximately an hour and a hal

PoliticsDec. 4, 2024

Teachers across country field martial law questions from kids

As political turmoil unraveled from Tuesday night into Wednesday morning, following President Yoon Suk Yeol's declaration of martial law, local teachers prepared for their students' questions at school. "My knowledge of martial law is limited, from some books and films. I felt I didn’t know it well enough to teach students about it. I did some quick research on the internet before going to work,” said Kang, 31, an elementary school teacher in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province

Social AffairsDec. 4, 2024

Foreign residents shocked by martial law declaration

The sudden declaration of martial law by South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol late Tuesday night sent shock waves through the country's foreign community. President Yoon has defended the move, citing alleged threats from opposition lawmakers, and saying the National Assembly had "become a den of criminals, paralyzed the country's judicial and administrative systems through legislative dictatorship, and attempted to overthrow the liberal democratic system." Although the order

Social AffairsDec. 4, 2024