Seoul mayor assures 'Seoul is safe'

Amid growing concerns over escalating political and social turmoil following President Yoon Suk Yeol's brief declaration of emergency martial law last week, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon said Wednesday that "Seoul is safe" and urged tourists to return, vowing to undertake efforts to ensure the safety of travelers. In a meeting held by Oh at Seoul City Hall, the mayor spoke with key stakeholders in the tourism sector, including representatives from the Seoul Tourism Organization, Korea As

Dec. 11, 2024

Ex-defense minister attempts suicide in custody

Former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, who is currently being detained at a facility in Seoul on alleged collusion with President Yoon Suk Yeol in imposing martial law last week, attempted to take his own life late Tuesday night, a correctional official said Wednesday. Shin Yong-hae, commissioner general of the Korea Correctional Service under the Justice Ministry, said Kim was discovered during the attempt. “At approximately 11:52 p.m. an officer discovered Kim attempting suicide in the r

Dec. 11, 2024

Shame on presidential couple: Yoon and his wife decried by alma maters

Students at President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon Hee's former schools have jointed in the nationwide condemnation of what is being seen as the president's act of insurgence via declaration of martial law on Dec. 3. The student council of Chungam High School said in an official statement that the government declaring martial law was a wrongful action that plunged the nation into chaos. Yoon, commander of the Defense Counterintelligence Command Yeo In-hyung, then-Defense Ministe

Dec. 11, 2024

Capsized fishing boat plunges underwater while being towed

A fishing boat in a recent maritime accident that left seven dead and one missing appears to have sunk into deep sea, the Coast Guard said Wednesday, after a rope that connected it to a tugboat snapped the previous day. According to the Coast Guard, the 29-ton boat was being pulled by a 190-ton tug vessel when the rope snapped at around 7:06 p.m. Tuesday. Officials searched for the lost vessel for three hours to no avail, and now believe that the boat may have sunk to about 1,000 meters below th

Dec. 11, 2024

K-pop glow sticks light up online secondhand market

The aftermath of the Dec. 3 martial law turmoil is felt even on the secondhand marketplaces of platforms like Karrot and Joonggonara. Items such as K-pop light sticks and Yoon Suk Yeol commemorative wristwatches —labeled with new meanings amid recent protests and shifting public sentiment toward the president — have seen contrasting fates in these digital marketplaces. Demand for K-pop light sticks has surged as they have emerged as a symbol of protest. Their limited production &mdas

Dec. 11, 2024

Elderly farmer anonymously donates savings to help others

An elderly woman recently donated 3 million won ($2,000) to the local government of Chungju, North Chungcheong Province, on the condition of anonymity, saying she earned the money while working as a farmer. The mystery woman, who appeared to be in her late 70s or early 80s, entered Chungju City Hall at around 2 p.m. on Dec. 6. She said she wanted to donate money, handing officials a white envelope containing 3 million won in cash. "I want to make a donation, thinking about all the help I&

Dec. 11, 2024

Newlywed couples fall below 1m for first time

Nearly half of couples remain childless in the first 5 years of marriage in South Korea, government data showed Tuesday. According to the Statistics Korea, the number of newlywed couples, defined as those married for 5 years or less, stood at at 974,000 in 2023, marking a 5.6 percent decrease from 1.03 million in 2022. This is the first time the figure has fallen below 1 million since the government began tracking such data in 2015. The number of newlywed couples has been on a steady decline s

Dec. 10, 2024

Adult politicians may be divided, but teen leaders speak with one voice: Yoon out

South Korea’s two main parties cannot quite agree on what to do with President Yoon Suk Yeol after his botched attempt to rule the country under martial law. Their clash resulted in a failed vote to impeach Yoon on Saturday. As a result, Yoon remains president of South Korea. However, two 19-year-olds, despite their respective affiliations with the opposing parties, believe it is time to put party interests aside. In interviews with The Korea Herald, both said there is no way forward for K

Dec. 10, 2024

A Korean teacher declared 'martial law' in class. Students rose up in response

A teacher at a second grade class of an elementary school in Gangwon Province conducted a reenactment of the recent political turmoil to teach children about the law. The mock classroom martial law decree denied misbehaving and disobeying students freedom of speech and outdoor play during lunch break. It ended when students eventually turned the tables, denying teacher the authority to impose such rules. According to Yonhap News Agency on Tuesday, the educational experiment took place on Dec. 4,

Dec. 10, 2024

Korean youth to adults: 'Do what you taught us'

“We were taught in school to stand against military dictatorships and defend democracy, but what’s the point of learning it if we don’t practice it? We refuse to stay silent anymore.” These words, spoken by Kim Dong-hee, a young activist from the Youth Human Rights Movement Coalition “Jieum,” captured the spirit of a historic youth-led protest in South Korea. On Tuesday, students and young activists gathered at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul to demand the resigna

Dec. 10, 2024

Supreme Court verdict on Cho Kuk due Thursday

Cho Kuk, the leader of the minor opposition Rebuilding Korea Party, is set to be sentenced by the Supreme Court on Thursday on allegations including fabrication of official documents and interfering in a state audit of a high-ranking Busan city official. If the two-year prison term handed to the 59-year-old by the lower courts is upheld, he will immediately lose his seat at the National Assembly along with his eligibility to run for public office. The Supreme Court’s sentencing will take

Dec. 10, 2024

Protests escalate with funeral flowers, eggs, threats

Protests against lawmakers from the ruling People Power Party have intensified following their collective boycott of the impeachment vote against President Yoon Suk Yeol. A number of citizens have voiced their anger by sending wreaths of white condolence flowers, throwing eggs at local offices, posting critical statements and even leaving knives outside lawmakers' homes. The backlash began after the impeachment motion against President Yoon was scrapped after ruling party lawmakers' wa

Dec. 10, 2024

Korean millennials, Gen Z make presence felt at protests

  Young Koreans, who had been seen as increasingly indifferent to politics, were among those their presence felt on the streets of Yeouido on Dec. 7 when the impeachment vote was held at the National Assembly. After experiencing the candlelight rallies to remove the country’s first female president Park Geun-hye in 2016, young Koreans started to take an active stance on political issues. But in the last presidential election, turnout among voters aged 19 to 29 was the lowest of any ag

Dec. 10, 2024

Ruling party lawmaker to back impeachment motion

Rep. Kim Sang-wook will no longer take part in his party's boycott of President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment, the People Power Party lawmaker announced Tuesday in a press conference at the National Assembly. Kim was one of the three lawmakers from the ruling party who cast their votes, while the other PPP members vacated the chamber to boycott the impeachment vote on Dec. 7. While revealing his vote was against the impeachment bill, stemming from his party’s stance rather than hi

Dec. 10, 2024

Search under way for 1 missing after fishing boat capsizes off southeastern coast

Search and rescue operations for the last missing person were under way for the second day Tuesday after a boat capsized off the southeastern coast, the Coast Guard said. The 29-ton fishing boat carrying eight crew members capsized after colliding with a 456-ton sand barge in waters near Gyeongju, about 270 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on Monday, leaving seven crew members dead. Seven people -- three South Koreans and four foreign nationals -- were rescued in a state of cardiac arrest and take

Dec. 10, 2024

Police chief slapped with exit ban in martial law probe

Cho Ji-ho, commissioner general of the Korean National Police Agency, and two other top police officials have been banned from leaving the country in connection with the ongoing police investigation into President Yoon Suk Yeol's short-lived declaration of martial law last week, the National Office of Investigation said Tuesday. The NOI said its special investigation team also imposed an overseas travel ban on Kim Bong-sik, chief of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency and Mok Hyun-tae, hea

Dec. 10, 2024

Prosecutors seek arrest warrant for ex-defense chief over botched martial law declaration

Prosecutors said Monday they have requested an arrest warrant for former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun to investigate his alleged role in President Yoon Suk Yeol's short-lived declaration of martial law last week. The special prosecution investigation team summoned Kim earlier in the day for questioning on treason, abuse of power and other charges, marking the third interrogation since his emergency arrest the previous day. Prosecutors said they are seeking the warrant over concerns that K

Dec. 10, 2024

Civic groups continue candlelight vigils calling for Yoon's impeachment

Civic groups staged another candlelight vigil across the nation Monday to call for the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol over last week's botched martial law declaration. Thousands of people held rallies in front of the National Assembly in Seoul, while others gathered in major cities to continue their rallies demanding Yoon's ouster from office. Yoon faces growing pressure to step down after he survived a first impeachment vote Saturday, as the opposition has vowed to try again t

Dec. 9, 2024

Police to summon counterintelligence chief, ex-interior minister over martial law declaration

Police will summon the counterintelligence chief and former interior minister as suspects in a sprawling investigation into the short-lived martial law imposition last week, officials said Monday. The police notified the head of the Defense Counterintelligence Command, Lt. Gen. Yeo In-hyung, and ex-Interior Minister Lee Sang-min of the plan, according to police officials. The exact date for their appearance has not yet been decided, they added. Yeo was suspended from his duties last week, and fo

Dec. 9, 2024

Man who claimed depression to avoid military duty gets suspended jail term

A South Korean man who falsely claimed to have depression to avoid combat duty in military has been sentenced to one year in jail, suspended for two years, the Daegu District Court said Sunday. The 26-year-old defendant, based on false claims he made to medical staff, was diagnosed with depression last year at a Daegu-based university hospital. He then submitted his diagnosis to the Military Manpower Administration and received grade 4 in his physical examination, which made him eligible to serv

Dec. 9, 2024