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Yoon: Martial law didn't fail, but ended 'sooner than expected'
Ex-defense minister testifies in Yoon's trial that he advised Yoon to declare martial law, drafted decree, reviewed by Yoon Suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol testified during his impeachment trial on Thursday, defending his Dec. 3 martial law declaration by stating it did not fail but ended “sooner than expected,” arguing that the imposition of military rule was intended to "appeal to the public for strict oversight and criticism" of the parliament. "It wasn’t a failed martial law; I thought it
Jan. 23, 2025 -
CIO sends Yoon's case to prosecution after failed summonses
GWACHEON, Gyeonggi Province -- The lead agency of the joint team investigating President Yoon Suk Yeol said it was sending the case to the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office after multiple failed attempts to interrogate the detained president. The case was transferred to the prosecution, which holds the sole authority to indict the president, four days after the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials formally arrested the president and eight days after it took him into custody. The
Jan. 23, 2025 -
Three arrested attempting to sell 61kg of cocaine in largest such crime in South Korea
Three people processing and attempting to sell 61 kilograms of cocaine have been arrested and sent to court in the largest cocaine crime in Korea, investigators said Wednesday. The Incheon Prosecutors’ Office announced it has indicted three individuals, including a 55-year-old Filipino Canadian and a 34-year-old South Korean national, for violating the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes and the Narcotics Control Act. They have also requested an Interpol red notice for four accom
Jan. 23, 2025 -
'Lone wolf' lawmaker determined to end far-right populism
Rep. Kim Sang-wook, who vocally supports Yoon's impeachment, wary of clash of ideologies, seeks to promote 'healthy conservatism' When the ruling People Power Party staged a mass boycott of the National Assembly late last year to oppose the opposition-led bill to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol, one first-term lawmaker from the conservative party chose to break ranks. Despite fierce criticism from his colleagues and risking his political career, Rep. Kim Sang-wook, a 45-year-old conservative law
Jan. 23, 2025 -
One of court attackers was a missionary of controversial far-right pastor: report
One of the men arrested for the attack against Seoul Western District Court on Sunday was a missionary who worked under controversial far-rght pastor Jeon Kwang-hoon of the Sarang Jeil Church, local media outlets reported Thursday. The man, surnamed Lee, was among the 87 people arrested in relation to the violence at the courthouse, which left scores of police officers and civilians injured and inflicted an estimated 600 to 700 million won ($414,000~$483,000) worth of property damage. He was amo
Jan. 23, 2025 -
Higher medical fees during Lunar New Year holiday
Patients to pay up to 50% additional fees for treatment during holiday, except Jan. 27 During South Korea's Lunar New Year holiday, patients visiting hospitals or pharmacies will face higher medical fees, with a surcharge of 30 to 50 percent compared to regular weekdays. However, for patients with prebooked appointments on January 27, standard weekday fees will be applied. According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare on Thursday, the National Health Insurance system charges additional fees fo
Jan. 23, 2025 -
Assault on democracy: Comparing South Korea's court attack and the US Capitol riot
As South Korea faces its own assault on democracy, the world watches to see if it can succeed where the US faltered after Jan. 6. Images from Seoul’s Western District Court on Jan. 19 immediately drew parallels with the infamous Jan. 6, 2021 storming of the US Capitol. Both events featured crowds of supporters -- fueled by conspiracy theories and loyalty to a disputed leader -- using violence to attack the core institutions of democracy. These incidents, though separated by years and continents,
Jan. 23, 2025 -
Thai brothers win Korean Lotto jackpot
Two Thai siblings working in South Korea won the jackpot for the 1,155th edition of Korean Lotto, Thai news outlets reported Tuesday, with one of the winners preparing to return home with his prize money. The two men won 4.06 billion won ($2.8 million) in the state-run weekly Lotto 6/45. They are expected to have received around 2.7 billion won after tax, and said will share the winnings between them. The two men are currently working in the city of Paju, 28 kilometers northwest of Seoul. It was
Jan. 23, 2025 -
Top S. Korean, US diplomats fast-track first talks amid Seoul’s nuclear worries
Rubio, Cho agree to maintain close coordination on N. Korean nuclear issue, Seoul says South Korean and US top diplomats have agreed to hold their first meeting in Washington “at the earliest mutually convenient date,” amid mounting concerns in Seoul over the Trump administration’s stance on North Korea’s denuclearization -- intensified by Trump’s description of the regime as a “nuclear power.” US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has invited South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul to Washington
Jan. 23, 2025 -
S. Korean FM Cho holds 1st phone call with US top diplomat Rubio; both agree on close cooperation on NK nuke
South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul held his first phone call on Thursday with new US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and they agreed to maintain close cooperation on North Korea's nuclear issues, the foreign ministry here said. The phone conversation took place after US President Donald Trump was sworn in on Monday and the top diplomats of the two nations discussed bilateral relations, North Korean nuclear issues as well as trilateral cooperation involving Japan, the foreign ministry said.
Jan. 23, 2025 -
Constitutional Court rejects impeachment of broadcasting watchdog chief
The Constitutional Court on Thursday rejected a National Assembly vote to impeach Korea Communications Commission Chairperson Lee Jin-sook over what opposition lawmakers said was a controversial decision-making process at the state broadcasting watchdog. The opposition-led National Assembly voted to impeach Lee on Aug. 2, just two days after she took office, accusing her of making KCC decisions with only two members while leaving the other three of the commission's five-member standing committee
Jan. 23, 2025 -
'Election rigging' campaigners did not win a single legal case in past 5 years
Despite impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol's insistence of election rigging, which he said last week was among the reasonsfor his Dec. 3 martial law declarations, government data showed Thursday that the court dismissed such claims in all the 150 related legal cases that have been concluded since 2020. There have been 182 complaints filed against the National Election Commission making allegations of election rigging during the legislative and presidential elections since 2020, according to data
Jan. 23, 2025 -
Ex-defense minister to testify at Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment trial
Suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol will attend the fourth hearing of his impeachment trial on Thursday, his lawyers said, as former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun is slated to appear and testify as well. Yoon's legal team said that as of now, the impeached president will attend all of the legal proceedings regarding confirmation of his impeachment. The motion to impeach him was passed by the National Assembly on Dec. 14. He is also under criminal investigation for charges of leading an insurrecti
Jan. 23, 2025 -
Govt. to tighten oversight on low-cost carriers following Jeju Air crash
South Korea plans to strengthen its oversight of low-cost carriers and impose strict penalties on airlines failing to meet enhanced operational safety standards, the government said Thursday, following last month's Jeju Air crash. In a meeting with CEOs of nine domestic LCCs, including Jeju Air, T'way Air, Eastar Jet and Jin Air, Transport Minister Park Sang-woo outlined the plan to adopt stricter safety standards for LCCs, which have come under scrutiny after the Dec. 29 accident that claimed 1
Jan. 23, 2025 -
Around 1,000 N. Korean troops killed in war against Ukraine: report
About 1,000 North Korean soldiers are believed to have been killed while fighting Ukrainian forces in Russia's western front-line region of Kursk, a news report said Thursday. Out of the estimated 11,000 North Korean troops deployed in support of Russia's war against Ukraine, 4,000 have been killed, wounded, missing or captured, BBC reported, citing unnamed Western officials. Of the total North Korean casualties, around 1,000 are believed to have been killed by mid-January, it said. The report c
Jan. 23, 2025