Ex-defense minister urges court justices 'punished' in handwritten letter

President Yoon Suk Yeol’s close confidant and former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun wrote from prison, calling for three Constitutional Court justices to be punished, in a letter that was revealed in front of Yoon supporters at a rally Saturday. Kim’s choice of words quickly became the focus of attention: The word literally translates as "punish," but carries harsher implications. The same expression was used in the martial law declaration’s Decree No. 1. The detained ex-Minister's handwritten l

March 3, 2025

Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment trial: 73 days, 11 hearings, 16 witnesses

With 7 weeks of hearings over, and suspended president indicating constitutional, political reform if reinstated, Assembly urges justices to remove him for ‘sake of democracy’ The Constitutional Court’s conclusion of arguments in President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment trial on Tuesday brought an end to more than two months of hearings. In the third presidential impeachment trial in South Korea’s history, the court held a total of 11 hearings over 73 days, examining the constitutionality and legal

Feb. 26, 2025

[Reporter’s Notebook] How Yoon Suk Yeol turned Constitutional Court hearings into political theater

Former prosecutor seized every opportunity in court to speak, justify his martial law declaration As a reporter, I never expected I’d have to cover two presidential impeachments. Nearly eight years ago, on March 10, 2017, I stood in the street near Gwanghwamun, interviewing people who reacted with joy and anger after the court unanimously ruled to remove then-President Park Geun-hye from office. This time, the biggest difference was seeing the president himself defend his case in court. Yoon Suk

Feb. 26, 2025

In final defense, Yoon Suk Yeol apologizes but insists Dec. 3 martial law was ‘national appeal’

Suspended president indicates Constitution, political reform, vows to focus on foreign affairs if reinstated; Parliament’s impeachment committee tells justices that Yoon must be removed for ‘sake of democracy, national progress’ President Yoon Suk Yeol defended his December 3 martial law declaration in a lengthy final argument, apologizing for causing public concern but emphasizing that it was intended to appeal to the public about the “imperial opposition party,” not to oppress people as past m

Feb. 25, 2025

Yoon Suk Yeol to make final defense as impeachment hearings end

Verdict expected within 2 weeks Suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment hearings was set to conclude on Tuesday, with Yoon arriving to deliver his final argument late into the evening to defend his Dec. 3 martial law declaration as legitimate and constitutional despite the accusations to the contrary. He was the first president to defend himself in court in South Korea’s history. Tuesday’s hearing was the 11th and final one after the Constitutional Court began with the first hearing on J

Feb. 25, 2025

[Newsmaker] Former deputy spy chief at center of ‘politician arrest’ note controversy

Intel agency ex-No. 2, once loyal to Yoon, rattles president with claims about list of politicians he was ordered to arrest A list of politicians who President Yoon Suk Yeol allegedly ordered to be arrested has been at the center of the president's impeachment trial this month along with the whistleblower who disclosed it as crucial evidence. Hong Jang-won, one of 16 witnesses summoned in Yoon’s impeachment, which began on Jan. 14, is the only figure who has been called into the Constitutional C

Feb. 23, 2025

Constitutional Court to conclude Yoon’s trial on Tuesday

Verdict on Yoon’s impeachment estimated for around March 11 The Constitutional Court of Korea on Thursday announced that it would hold the 11th and final hearing in President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment trial on Tuesday. The justices will hear Yoon’s final statement with no time limit. Finishing the 10th hearing on Thursday night after examining three witnesses, the court’s acting Chief Moon Hyung-bae said that the 11th hearing is to take place on Tuesday at 2 p.m. “There will be no time limit f

Feb. 20, 2025

Ex-intel agency No. 2 changes testimony on where he wrote 'politician arrest list’

Hong Jang-won, the former National Intelligence Service deputy director, on Thursday changed his prior testimony regarding the controversial "politician arrest list" he says he wrote out on Dec. 3, 2024, at the 10th hearing in the impeachment case of President Yoon Suk Yeol. Hong, who appeared for a second examination after Yoon’s legal team raised concerns about the credibility of his testimony given on Feb. 4 and requested that he be summoned again, admitted to a “slight error” in his memory.

Feb. 20, 2025

PM Han testifies Dec. 3 Cabinet meeting was ‘flawed’

Ex-intel agency No. 2 changes testimony on where he noted down 'politician arrest list' Prime Minister Han Duck-soo appeared at the 10th hearing in President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment trial on Thursday, testifying that the Cabinet meeting that was convened on the night of Dec. 3, 2024, right before Yoon’s declaration of martial law was “flawed.” Han, who is currently suspended from his position after the National Assembly also impeached him on Dec. 27, said that night’s meeting was different f

Feb. 20, 2025

[Photo News] Dokdo-related Joseon-era diary revealed

The Northeast Asian History Foundation said Wednesday that it will release the 17th late century's Hanggilgotek Diary on its website Dokdo Archive. The diary, which has been donated seven years ago, proves that Ulleungdo and Dokdo were administered as Joseon territory during the Joseon Dynasty. (Northeast Asian History Foundation)

Feb. 19, 2025