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South Korea to develop indigenous 'Iron Dome' system
South Korea has started development of a low-altitude missile defense system, akin to Israel’s "Iron Dome," to better counter long-range North Korean artillery threats. The Defense Acquisition Program Administration held a project kickoff meeting on Monday attended by military officials, representatives from the Agency for Defense Development -- a state-run defense think tank -- and prototype manufacturers, including LIG Nex1, Hanwha Aerospace and Hanwha Systems. According to DAPA, the ADD will
Jan. 20, 2025 -
Far-right figures offer free legal defense, raise funds for suspects in court attack
Former South Korean Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn and other prominent far-right media figures are rallying behind the 87 protesters taken into custody for violence and vandalism at a court in Seoul on Sunday. The demonstrators stormed the Seoul Western District Court to denounce its decision to grant an arrest warrant for the extended custody of President Yoon Suk Yeol, vandalizing property and injuring nine police officers in the process. While the unrest has drawn widespread condemnation for it
Jan. 20, 2025 -
Virtual assets protection, easier visa standards for skilled workers
Proposed Bill: Partial Amendment to the Act on the Protection of Virtual Asset Users Proposed by Rep. Kim Hyun-jung (Democratic Party of Korea) ● This amendment aims to protect virtual asset users by requiring virtual asset service providers to report and disclose information on the occurrence of events such as hacking or computer failures. It also adds provisions stipulating the preferential return of virtual assets to users. Proposed Bill: Partial Amendment to the Immigration Act Proposed by R
Jan. 20, 2025 -
Police launch fresh attempt to search presidential office in martial law probe
Police launched another attempt Monday to search the presidential office and a presidential safe house as part of their investigation into President Yoon Suk Yeol's failed martial law bid. Investigators arrived at the office in the central Seoul district of Yongsan and the safe house in the Samcheong-dong neighborhood to try to seize documents and surveillance camera footage. Previous attempts to search the locations largely failed due to resistance from the Presidential Security Service. (Yonha
Jan. 20, 2025 -
How moderate ruling party lawmaker joined vanguard of pro-Yoon protesters
5-term lawmaker throws himself into center of controversy, leading fight for impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol amid accusations of inciting extremists Since President Yoon Suk Yeol's Dec. 3 botched imposition of martial law, five-term lawmaker and ruling People Power Party Rep. Yoon Sang-hyun has been at the center of controversy. In a shift from his previous image as a moderate within the ruling party, Rep. Yoon has recently become a far-right advocate and staunch supporter of the impeached and
Jan. 20, 2025 -
Ruling party leads opposition rival in polls
The ruling conservative party led recent polls on South Koreans' political party preferences, with would-be voters showing a growing emphasis on the need for a smooth transition in a potentially upcoming presidential race. This shift comes amid a deeply divided political landscape following President Yoon Suk Yeol's arrest on Sunday. According to a Realmeter poll released on Monday, 48.6 percent of 1,004 respondents said they would likely support a candidate from the same party as President Yoon
Jan. 20, 2025 -
After arrest, President Yoon confined to 10 square meters
Korea's first sitting president to be arrested will sleep on floor mattress, wash own dishes Following his formal arrest Sunday, President Yoon Suk Yeol was relocated to a solitary cell approximately 10 square meters in size. Previously held in a detainee waiting room separate from the main detention block for general inmates, Yoon underwent formal admission procedures at the Seoul Detention Center upon the change in his status to "arrested." As part of the admission process, Yoon was assigned a
Jan. 20, 2025 -
Yoon and allies' empathy toward court attackers under fire
Arrested President Yoon Suk Yeol and prominent members of his conservative faction expressed regrets over the violence during the recent attack on the court that had issued his arrest warrant, but spoke favorably about what they claimed was "understandable anger" about his investigation. Yoon, in custody and under investigation for leading an insurrection and committing abuse of power, urged his supporters to express their intentions through peaceful means. "I do understand fully many people's r
Jan. 20, 2025 -
S. Korea to hold overseas combined drills in UAE next month
South Korea and the United Arab Emirates will conduct combined drills in the Middle East nation in February, Seoul's defense ministry said Monday, as part of efforts to bolster their defense cooperation. Under the plan, service members of the South Korean Army, Navy and Marine Corps departed for the UAE from a naval base in Jinhae, 312 kilometers southeast of Seoul, earlier in the day to attend the combined exercise scheduled for Feb. 10-20, according to the ministry. The upcoming exercise, orga
Jan. 20, 2025 -
S. Korea on track in preparing for major global maritime conference
The oceans ministry said Monday it will spare no effort to successfully prepare for a global maritime conference scheduled to be held in the country this April, providing a venue for countries and civic societies to discuss the future of the sector. The 10th Our Ocean Conference will be held under the theme "Our Ocean, Our Action" for three days from April 28 in the southern port city of Busan. It is expected to draw up to 2,000 participants, including government delegates, from around 50 countr
Jan. 20, 2025 -
Yoon continues to refuse questioning; CIO bans visitors to prevent destruction of evidence
Suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol, placed under formal arrest early Sunday on charges of leading an insurrection and committing abuse of power, was slapped with a visitor ban Sunday and once again refused to be questioned by investigators on Monday. Yoon's legal representatives said "it will be difficult" for him to comply with the interrogation of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, initially slated for 10 a.m. The arrested leader has been refusing questioning since
Jan. 20, 2025 -
S. Korea eyes $300 m K9 howitzer exports deal with Vietnam
South Korea is in the final stage of reaching a $300 million agreement to export homegrown K9 self-propelled howitzers to Vietnam, industry and government sources said Monday, in what would mark the first arms exports to the Southeast Asian nation when finalized. Under the envisioned plan, South Korea will ship around 20 K9 howitzers to Vietnam, which would make Hanoi the 10th country outside of Seoul to acquire the weapons systems, according to the sources. South Korea has so far shipped the K9
Jan. 20, 2025 -
N. Korea condemns Japan's opening of NATO mission as escalating regional military tension
North Korea on Monday denounced Japan's recent opening of a new diplomatic mission to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, accusing the country of dangerously escalating the military tension in the region. The North's official Korean Central News Agency issued the criticism in an article attributed to an international security analyst, following Japan's formal inauguration of an independent mission to NATO last week to bolster cooperation. "Japan set up its independent mission in NATO at a ti
Jan. 20, 2025 -
Govt. launches task force to support families of Jeju Air crash victims
A dedicated government task force to support the families of the victims of last month's Jeju Air Co. plane crash has officially begun operations, the transport ministry said Monday. The task force will take over the responsibilities of an integrated support center established on Dec. 29, when a Jeju Air B737-800 aircraft crashed, claiming 179 lives, at Muan International Airport, located some 290 kilometers southwest of Seoul. It involves joint efforts by the transport, interior and welfare min
Jan. 20, 2025 -
Arrested President Yoon banned from meeting visitors other than his lawyers
The anti-corruption investigation agency said Sunday that President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was formally arrested over his failed martial law bid, will be banned from meeting visitors other than his lawyers. The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials made the decision after a court granted a warrant earlier in the day to formally arrest impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol over allegations of insurrection and abuse of power related to his martial law declaration on Dec. 3. The CIO sa
Jan. 19, 2025