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Political rhetoric reaches extreme over 2nd attempt to arrest Yoon Suk Yeol
Impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol's die-hard supporters threaten 'civil war' With investigators and police preparing to make a second attempt to detain impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol on a court-ordered warrant, South Korean politics is descending further into chaos, with Yoon sympathizers now invoking the term “civil war” to warn against a violent clash. Rep. Kwon Seong-dong, floor leader of Yoon’s ruling People Power Party, on Friday warned the nation’s police against mobilizing forces to ta
Jan. 10, 2025 -
Yoon Suk Yeol's chief bodyguard resigns
President Yoon Suk Yeol's chief bodyguard, Park Jong-joon, submitted his letter of resignation Friday before appearing at the police for questioning for allegedly obstructing officials from the joint investigation team from carrying out a court-ordered warrant to arrest suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol. Choi Sang-mok, acting president and deputy prime minister, has accepted Park's resignation, his office announced Friday. Just before the announcement, the Presidential Security Service said Frid
Jan. 10, 2025 -
‘White skull squad’: die-hard Yoon supporters spark backlash for resurrecting dark era
The launch Thursday evening of a group calling itself the "Baekgoldan," which literally translates to "white skull squad," has sparked an immediate backlash for evoking one of the darkest chapters in modern Korean history, when the same name was used by a plainclothes police unit to suppress people protesting for democracy. The group, introduced as a unit of the likewise self-proclaimed "Anti-Communist Youth League," is said to consist of people in their 20s and 30s aiming to thwart any efforts
Jan. 10, 2025 -
Acting president emphasizes maintaining S. Korea's external credibility
Acting President Choi Sang-mok on Friday emphasized the importance of diplomatic activities to maintain South Korea's credibility in the global market, his office said. Choi made the remarks during a meeting with two newly appointed envoys tasked with promoting international finance cooperation and international investment cooperation, respectively, according to the finance ministry. "Economic diplomatic activities aimed at maintaining South Korea's external credibility are crucial," Choi said,
Jan. 10, 2025 -
President's chief bodyguard appears before police for questioning
The chief of South Korea's Presidential Security Service, Park Jong-joon, appeared for police questioning at 10 a.m. Friday, facing allegations of obstructing the execution of a court-ordered warrant to arrest suspended South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on Jan 3. In front of the National Office of Investigation of the Korean National Police Agency in Seoul, Park, who commands Yoon's bodyguards, claimed investigators attempting to carry out the warrant to arrest Yoon was “inappropriate.” “I be
Jan. 10, 2025 -
UN chief shows confidence in S. Korea's democratic resilience despite political turmoil
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Friday he has complete confidence in South Korea's democratic resilience, according to the Seoul government. Guterres made the remarks during a phone conversation with acting President Choi Sang-mok, the finance ministry said, as the country faces political uncertainty stemming from President Yoon Suk Yeol's botched attempt at imposing martial law and his subsequent impeachment last month. The ministry quoted Guterres as saying that he fully trusts Sout
Jan. 10, 2025 -
Head of presidential security service to appear before police for questioning
The head of the Presidential Security Service is set to appear before police Friday for questioning regarding allegations that he blocked investigators' attempt to detain impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol over a martial law probe, the PSS said. Park Chong-jun, chief of the PSS, has been booked on charges of obstructing official duties as presidential security officials have blocked the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials from executing a warrant to detain Yoon. Park will a
Jan. 10, 2025 -
Presidential office denies involvement in drone infiltration to Pyongyang
The presidential office denied Thursday the opposition's claims that the National Security Council (NSC) had ordered the military to send a drone into North Korea last year. Lawmakers of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) claimed that a senior NSC official directly ordered the Drone Operations Command to infiltrate Pyongyang with a drone last October. The presidential office said Yin Sung-hwan, the second deputy national security adviser, visited the command in March 2023 as part of an of
Jan. 9, 2025 -
Main opposition speeds up revote of special counsel bill
In revised bill, DP accuses president of inciting military attack from North Korea The Democratic Party of Korea and five minor parties on Thursday resubmitted a bill to initiate a special counsel investigation of President Yoon Suk Yeol’s Dec. 3 declaration of martial law. Thursday’s version of the bill changed how the special counsel tasked with investigating Yoon would be picked, to solicit support from the ruling People Power Party. It also included fresh allegations that the president tried
Jan. 9, 2025 -
Govt., Assembly to launch consultative leadership committee
A consultative body between the government and the National Assembly held its first working-level meeting on Thursday, where its members decided to establish a leadership committee aimed at normalizing state affairs. The committee will consist of the acting president, the National Assembly speaker and the leaders of the two major parties. Following the meeting, Rep. Kim Sang-hoon of the People Power Party explained that preparations for the committee's launch are still in the early stages, and f
Jan. 9, 2025 -
Ex-Marine investigator acquitted over defamation, mutiny charges
Col. Park Jeong-hoon, the former head of the Marine Corps investigation team, was acquitted Thursday on charges of mutiny against his superiors and defamation of a defense minister during his investigation into the death of a Marine corporal. The Central District Military Court delivered the verdict Thursday morning, concluding a trial that lasted over a year since proceedings began in December 2023. The case garnered widespread attention when Park revealed he had been instructed to exclude a ke
Jan. 9, 2025 -
Opposition to propose special counsel bill against Yoon, inviting 3rd party to designate investigators
The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea is set to propose a new bill on Thursday to appoint a special counsel to investigate President Yoon Suk Yeol on charges of insurrection, a day after its initial attempt to initiate further probes targeting the South Korean leader and his wife failed in a parliamentary vote. The key difference in the newly devised bill concerns how the special counsels would be nominated. The previous version gave the right to nominate the special counsels to the main
Jan. 9, 2025 -
Acting president vows normalization of state affairs, economy amid uncertainties
Acting President Choi Sang-mok on Thursday pledged to focus efforts on normalizing state affairs and addressing uncertainties in the South Korean economy amid lingering domestic political turmoil. "The inauguration of the new administration of the United States, combined with the domestic political situation, is increasing the uncertainty surrounding our economy," Choi said in a meeting with economy-related ministers. "I reiterate my commitment to the public that the government will focus all po
Jan. 9, 2025 -
Bills for new probes into Yoon couple fail, prompting opposition outcry
A bid by the Democratic Party of Korea to launch additional investigations aimed at President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon Hee failed in a National Assembly vote Wednesday, with the party vowing to reintroduce the bills until they pass. The two bills, if passed, would initiate a special counsel investigation into Yoon’s botched attempt to impose martial law, and another one into his wife’s suspected stock price manipulation. Of the 300 lawmakers present, 198 voted in favor of the special
Jan. 8, 2025 -
Speaker tells Chinese envoy ‘Korea is safe’
Woo Won-shik, the speaker of the National Assembly, told Chinese Ambassador Dai Bing on Wednesday that he wants to assure the international community of the safety of South Korean society. Woo said he told Dai he looked forward to the ambassador’s role in developing bilateral ties, as South Korea and China are set to host Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summits this year and next, respectively. Dai began his term as Chinese ambassador to South Korea last month. “I welcome the appointment of th
Jan. 8, 2025