Army chief suspended after being named suspect

Four-star Army Gen. Park An-su, who was appointed to lead the martial law command during the Dec. 3 martial law declaration, has been suspended from his position as Army Chief of Staff, the Defense Ministry announced Thursday. Gen. Go Chang-jun, a four-star general currently leading the Army 2nd Operations Command, has been appointed acting Army Chief of Staff. The spokesperson explained that Go was chosen for his extensive knowledge of ground operations. Park’s suspension brings the total

Dec. 12, 2024

‘Drag lawmakers out’: Yoon’s chilling order to commander

Dozens of generals and military leaders attended a questioning session by the Assembly national defense committee on Tuesday, a week after troops stormed the parliament grounds overnight on Dec. 3-4. One by one, key commanders testified against Yoon on his aborted bid to impose martial law. In a shocking revelation, Special Warfare Commander Lt. Gen. Kwak Jong-geun claimed to have received a call from Yoon, who told him to “break open the door, and drag the lawmakers out.” “The

Dec. 10, 2024

Signs surface that martial law plotted well in advance

Senior officers of the military were ordered to be on standby for a North Korea-related situation in the days leading up to President Yoon Suk Yeol’s declaration of martial law, in another sign that the events that unfolded on Dec. 3 were plotted in advance. Colonel-level commanders were called to be on guard for an imminent provocation by North Korea on Dec. 1, two days before Yoon declared martial law, according to Maj. Gen. Lee Kyung-min. Speaking before the National Assembly on Tuesday

Dec. 10, 2024

Commandos ‘victims in ex-defense chief’s plan for Assembly break-in’: group leader

The leader of the 707th special mission group said his commandos are victims of Kim Yong-hyun, the ex-minister who was arrested Sunday. The group’s commandos were tasked with entering the National Assembly after martial law was declared. Col. Kim Hyun-tae, who leads the Special Warfare Command’s elite 707th special mission group, told reporters Monday that he was responsible for making the commandos follow the ex-minister’s orders to break into the parliament’s main build

Dec. 9, 2024

Ahn Cheol-soo says will back impeachment unless Yoon outlines resignation plan

Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo, a three-time presidential candidate and member of the ruling People Power Party, announced his support for a motion to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol, breaking from his party's official stance. As the party reportedly leans toward going against the vote set to be held Saturday afternoon, Ahn urged President Yoon and the party to set a timeline for his resignation and propose a plan for forming a neutral national unity cabinet. "Now that President Yoon has entrusted

Dec. 7, 2024

Special Warfare Commander says no more martial law, vows to refuse such order

Kwak Jong-geun, the Special Warfare Commander who led special forces into the Assembly on Tuesday evening, said Friday that there would be no additional martial law and that he will refuse any such orders in the future. Speaking at a YouTube live show hosted by Democratic Party lawmakers Park Sun-won and Kim Byung-joo, members of the National Assembly's National Defense Committee, Kwak said he received orders from Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun to drag lawmakers out of the Assembly, 20 minu

Dec. 6, 2024

Former defense minister banned from leaving country amid treason allegations

Former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, a key figure behind South Korea’s six-hour martial law chaos, is barred from leaving the country as state prosecutors, acting on a treason accusation raised by politicians, prepare for an investigation. According to legal sources, a division of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, led by Chief Prosecutor Lee Chan-gyu, has been assigned to investigate President Yoon Suk Yeol, Kim, and Army Chief of Staff Gen. Park An-su, regarding Yoo

Dec. 5, 2024

Retired general, Saudi envoy Choi Byung-hyuk named new defense minister

President Yoon Suk Yeol on Thursday named Choi Byung-hyuk, who has been serving as ambassador to Saudi Arabia since January and is a retired four-star Army general, as South Korea's new defense minister. Choi served as deputy commander of the South Korea-US Combined Forces Command from 2019 to 2020. Prior to that, he held key posts, including commander of the 5th Corps and deputy chief of staff of the Army. Choi also held the position of president of the Korea Defense Veterans Association&r

Dec. 5, 2024

Yoon Suk Yeol postpones meeting on drug control

President Yoon Suk Yeol on Wednesday postponed his plan to attend a meeting to review drug control measures, according to the presidential office, hours after he agreed to the parliament's request to revoke martial law. "The meeting to assess the current status of drug control measures, originally set to take place at the presidential office, has been rescheduled," an official said.

Dec. 4, 2024

South Korean troops return to bases as martial law to end

Troops deployed for martial law returned to their bases as President Yoon Suk Yeol agreed to lift the martial law he declared about six hours ago late Tuesday. According to the South Korean military, all troops had been called back to their bases as of 4:22 a.m. Wednesday. The South Korean military added it continued to maintain high vigilance and that nothing unusual was observed in North Korea.

Dec. 4, 2024

Full text of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol agreeing to lift martial law

Below is a full, unofficial translation of President Yoon Suk Yeol's statement issued on Wednesday, announcing that the declaration of emergency martial law is lifted. Last night at 11 p.m., I declared a state of emergency martial law with a determined will to save the nation, in response to anti-state forces that were paralyzing the essential functions of the state and undermining the liberal democratic constitutional order. However, just a moment ago, the National Assembly requested t

Dec. 4, 2024

[From the Scene] Rush to get to National Assembly in first hours of martial law

In the hours after President Yoon Suk Yeol declared in South Korea at around 10:20 p.m. Tuesday, chaos ensued west of Yeouido in central Seoul as lawmakers, aides and reporters rushed to get to the National Assembly. Soon after Yoon announced he would impose martial law, police squads began surrounding the gates of the legislature. At this point, people could enter at checkpoints if they presented their passes. Democratic Party of Korea Rep. Kim Byung-kee, running up flights of stairs, could be

Dec. 4, 2024

Martial law command issues sweeping nationwide restrictions

The newly established martial law command, led by Four-Star General Park An-soo, issued its first comprehensive decree Tuesday at 11 p.m., implementing immediate nationwide restrictions. The martial law command's decree outlines extensive controls on civil and political activities. The first provision prohibits all political activities by the National Assembly, provincial assemblies and political parties. Political gatherings and demonstrations are also banned. A second measure bans activit

Dec. 4, 2024

Seoul defense chief calls meeting of key commanders

South Korean Minister of National Defense Kim Yong-hyun called a meeting of key commanders late Tuesday as President Yoon Suk Yeol declared an emergency martial law. In a brief alert, the Ministry of National Defense said the minister convened a meeting gathering commanders across the country and ordered all forces to be on high alert. Gen. Park An-su, the Army chief of staff, was made martial law commander as of 11 p.m. Tuesday.

Dec. 3, 2024

JCS chief inspects military readiness against NK provocation near border

Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Adm. Kim Myung-soo visited the Army's 1st Corps and an air defense post near the North Korean border Tuesday to review their readiness against potential provocations. Addressing the troops at the 1st Corps in Goyang, north of Seoul, Kim stressed to the need to maintain vigilance against the risk of provocations during the year-end and New Year period, and instructed military personnel to respond decisively and effectively against provocations. During inspectio

Dec. 3, 2024

[Herald Interview] Why Hong Kong's foreign domestic worker policy shouldn't be model for Korea

While the 98 Filipina caregivers in Seoul city’s pilot program are protected under South Korea’s Labor Standards Act, Act on the Employment Improvement of Domestic Workers and statutory minimum wage, some government officials have been talking about making the project more like Hong Kong’s foreign domestic helper scheme. Some have said Korea should follow Hong Kong’s model and exclude foreign domestic workers from the minimum wage. Foreign caregivers here could be hired t

Dec. 3, 2024

South Korean military to get ‘low-cost, stealthy’ cardboard drones

The South Korean military plans to introduce cardboard drones, dubbed “cheap stealth” because they are inexpensive and invisible to radar. According to the Ministry of National Defense on Tuesday, the military is set to finalize a contract to purchase the cardboard drones around the end of this year. Approximately 100 cardboard drones are to be supplied to the Drone Operations Command by early next year, the Defense Ministry said. “Drones have emerged as a game changer in moder

Dec. 3, 2024

S. Korea, Germany vow 'united, firm' response to NK-Russia military cooperation

Senior diplomats of South Korea and Germany have agreed to work closely to ensure a "united and firm" response against growing military cooperation between North Korea and Russia, Seoul's foreign ministry said Tuesday. First Vice Foreign Minister Kim Hong-kyun shared the commitment with Thomas Bagger, the state secretary of Germany's Federal Foreign Office, during their bilateral talks in Berlin on Monday, the South Korean ministry said in a release. Kim is on a two-nation sw

Dec. 3, 2024

Defense chiefs of Russia, N. Korea meet amid escalating Ukraine war

Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov met with his North Korean counterpart, No Kwang-chol, in Pyongyang on Friday amid the intensifying war in Ukraine, where North Korea has dispatched soldiers and provided weapons to bolster Russia's efforts. The meeting was held during Belousov's "official visit" to North Korea at the invitation of Noh, Russia's Defense Ministry said Friday. Belousov notably underscored the significance of the Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Part

Nov. 29, 2024

11 Chinese, Russian military aircraft enter S. Korea’s air defense zone

Eleven Chinese and Russian military aircraft entered South Korea’s air defense identification zone without notice Friday, prompting the South Korea’s Air Force to send its fighter jets to the scene. According to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, five Chinese military planes and six Russian aircraft entered the KADIZ over the East and South Seas between 9:35 a.m. and 1:53 p.m. and exited it. They did not violate the country's airspace. The JCS said it identified the Chinese and Russian

Nov. 29, 2024