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Busan mayor invited to Trump's inauguration ceremony
Busan Mayor Park Heong-joon has received an official invitation to the inauguration ceremony of US President-elect Donald Trump, slated for Jan. 20, and he is carefully considering whether to fly to Washington, D.C., city officials said Tuesday. Park has become the first mayor of Busan to be invited to the inauguration of a US president, they said. Park is pondering the invitation particularly carefully because he returned home less than 10 days ago after a trip to the United States to attend CE
Jan. 14, 2025 -
Police, CIO, Presidential Security Service meet to discuss execution of warrant to detain Yoon
The police, the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials and the Presidential Security Service met Tuesday to discuss the execution of a warrant to detain President Yoon Suk Yeol over his short-lived imposition of martial law. The meeting came amid speculation investigators, led by the CIO, will make a second attempt to detain Yoon this week following a failed bid early this month. The three sides met for about an hour but reportedly came away with few results. "We requested th
Jan. 14, 2025 -
Court set to hold 1st formal hearing of Yoon's impeachment trial
The Constitutional Court is set to hold the first formal hearing of President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment trial Tuesday with Yoon absent from the proceedings out of safety concerns. The hearing is scheduled for 2 p.m. and will be held exactly a month after the National Assembly voted to impeach Yoon over his short-lived imposition of martial law on Dec. 3. Yoon, who has been suspended from his duties, will not attend the hearing due to concerns about his personal safety amid investigators' attem
Jan. 14, 2025 -
Yoon's chief of staff appeals for impeached president's right to defend himself
The chief of staff for impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol said Tuesday that Yoon should be guaranteed his right to defend himself, as the Constitutional Court is set to start a trial to decide on Yoon's fate over his short-lived martial law declaration. Chung Jin-suk made the appeal for Yoon as the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials and the police were preparing for a second attempt to detain the embattled president. "Please guarantee the right to self-defense, a fundament
Jan. 14, 2025 -
Acting president expected to veto bills on AI educational materials, education subsidies
Acting President Choi Sang-mok is expected to veto two opposition-led bills, one of them calling for the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI)-generated educational materials and the other extending subsidies for free high school education in Cabinet meetings, the ruling party said Monday. The ruling People Power Party asked Choi to exercise his veto power against the two bills passed by the opposition-dominated National Assembly last month. Choi, who also serves as finance minister, looks se
Jan. 13, 2025 -
Yoon's lawyers demand exclusion of constitutional court justice over fair ruling concern
The legal representatives of impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol on Monday demanded the Constitutional Court exclude one of its eight justices in trials over Yoon's failed martial law bid last month. Yoon's lawyers made the request as they say Constitutional Court Justice Jeong Gye-seon will make it difficult for the court to come up with a fair ruling due to her progressive inclinations. Judge Jeong served as chairman of a Korean law research society composed of progressive judges and she showed
Jan. 13, 2025 -
At least 300 North Korean soldiers killed fighting for Russia: NIS
Trump likely to seek dialogue with Kim Jong-un More than 300 North Korean soldiers are estimated to have been killed in Russia’s war against Ukraine, with some 2,700 wounded, according to South Korea’s National Intelligence Service on Monday. Rep. Lee Seong-kweun said North Korea is believed to have sent about 11,000 soldiers to help Russia in its war since October last year. North Korean soldiers were participating in battles across the entire Kursk region near the border with Ukraine, Lee said
Jan. 13, 2025 -
Ruling party rebounds: Support ratings surge back to precrisis levels
Recent polls showed support ratings for the ruling party have recovered to what they were before martial law, with one indicating that the party has narrowed the gap with the main opposition party to just 1.4 percentage point. According to a Realmeter poll released Monday, 40.8 percent of South Korean adults with voting rights favored the People Power Party during the polling period of Thursday and Friday. The figure was up 6.4 percentage points in a week. This put the ruling party narrowly behi
Jan. 13, 2025 -
Presidential bodyguard snubs summons for 3rd time, police request arrest warrant
Lee Kwang-woo, one of the key members of the Presidential Security Service that stopped President Yoon Suk Yeol's arrest on Jan. 3, once again refused to comply with orders to appear for questioning, as police plan to request that the court issue an arrest warrant for one of the hard-liners in the presidential security team. The head of the Presidential Security Service bodyguard division failed to show up at the National Office of Investigation for the third time Monday morning, regarding his o
Jan. 13, 2025 -
New Trump administration to have 'significant' impact on S. Korean economy: acting president
Acting President Choi Sang-mok said Monday the second Donald Trump administration is expected to have a "significant" impact on the country's economy, urging coordinated efforts among stakeholders. The US president-elect is set to take office for his second presidential term on Jan. 20, raising concerns about the anticipated escalation of global protectionism and its effects on the country's export-dependent economy. "With the inauguration of the new US administration just a week away, swift pol
Jan. 13, 2025 -
What could happen if special counsel probe of Yoon is launched
Democratic Party of Korea bets on independent investigation to bring down suspended president President Yoon Suk Yeol is under investigation by the police and the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials over his sudden declaration of martial law last Dec. 3, and whether it constitutes insurrection and other crimes. Separately, the National Assembly has just launched a monthlong investigation to look into Yoon’s botched imposition of martial law. On top of the law enforcement a
Jan. 12, 2025 -
Suspended Yoon gets annual salary raise
The annual salary of suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol rises 3 percent this year, according to the Ministry of Personnel Management on Sunday. The president, facing both a trial at the Constitutional Court to confirm his impeachment and a separate investigation for allegedly leading an insurrection and abuse of power, will now be earning 21.8 million won ($14,900) per month. The president’s annual salary for 2025 has been set at 262.6 million won, up 3 percent from 254.9 million won in 2024. The
Jan. 12, 2025 -
Yoon's lawyer says president to be absent from first hearing in impeachment trial
President Yoon Suk Yeol will not attend the first formal hearing in his impeachment trial this week out of concerns for his safety, his lawyer said Sunday. Yun Gap-geun, Yoon's defense attorney, made the announcement as the Constitutional Court will hold its first oral arguments on Yoon's impeachment on Tuesday.
Jan. 12, 2025 -
Insurrection trials commence against Yoon's military commanders
The preparatory hearing for the trial of former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun will be held Thursday, headlining legal proceedings against military commanders implicated in President Yoon Suk Yeol's alleged insurrection. Kim, currently under detention, faces insurrection and power abuse charges related to his role in Yoon's botched martial law plan Dec. 3-4. He is believed to have acted under Yoon's orders to deploy armed forces to the National Assembly, in an apparent bid to block the parliamen
Jan. 12, 2025 -
Ex-PSS chief undergoes police questioning for 2nd time over obstructing Yoon's detainment
The former head of the Presidential Security Service has underwent police questioning for the second time over allegations that he blocked investigators' attempt to detain impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol over his short-lived imposition of martial law. Park Chong-jun, who stepped down as chief of the PSS on Friday, has been booked on charges of obstructing official duties as presidential security officials have blocked the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials from executin
Jan. 12, 2025