President Yoon Suk Yeol rejected allegations of insurrection over his short-lived martial law declaration on Dec. 3, his confidant told reporters Wednesday, stressing that the martial law decree was made to act against a national crisis. Seok Dong-hyeon, a lawyer who wished to be identified as Yoon's aide until the president's defense team is officially launched, said that Yoon feels confident to deliver his thoughts “proudly” in court. “Yoon apologized to the people

Social Affairs Dec. 19, 2024

A shaman reportedly close to President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife, was arrested by the prosecution Tuesday in connection with political funding allegations, drawing attention to whether the case will turn up new allegations related to the presidential couple. The prosecution announced that its joint investigation unit on virtual asset crimes arrested the 64-year-old shaman surnamed Jeon and initiated a search and seizure operation at his house in relation to political funding during the 2018 loc

Social Affairs Dec. 18, 2024

  President Yoon Suk Yeol will head to the Constitutional Court to deliver his stance on the impeachment resolution, his lawyer told reporters on Tuesday, calling the ongoing investigations into the alleged insurrection a "frenzy." Seok Dong-hyun, a known confidant of Yoon who was appointed as his lawyer, said that Yoon will “convey his stance in court confidently and with conviction,” stating that the insurrection charges cannot be established. Though the date for pub

Social Affairs Dec. 17, 2024

Police summoned former Interior Minister Lee Sang-min on Monday as a suspect in connection with President Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law declaration, where he faces allegations of insurrection. The special investigation team for police said Lee and his lawyers arrived at the National Office of Investigation for investigation into his role in Yoon's botched martial law declaration at 2 p.m. Monday. Lee, a close confidant to Yoon, is accused of conspiring with the president to plan and endo

Politics Dec. 16, 2024

North Korean media outlets reported on South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment Monday, two days after the National Assembly voted to suspend him from office Saturday. The Rodong Sinmun, North Korea's most widely circulated newspaper, and the Korean Central News Agency, which targets international audiences, both reported that the South's National Assembly passed the motion to impeach Yoon with 204 votes in favor and 85 against. The report was featured on the sixth page

North Korea Dec. 16, 2024

Divisions within the People Power Party deepened significantly following the vote to impeach South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, with senior lawmakers criticizing party Chair Hang Dong-hoon and lawmakers who disobeyed the party line. Rep. Yoo Young-ha, who previously served as legal counsel for former President Park Geun-hye, criticized fellow party members who cast votes in favor of the impeachment motion. "Heaven will take away your political lives," he wrote on his Facebook accoun

Social Affairs Dec. 15, 2024

The second parliamentary attempt to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol passed Saturday, with at least 12 lawmakers from the ruling People Power Party supporting the motion. Before the vote, seven People Power Party members had announced they would back the impeachment, despite fierce opposition from the party's mainstream. The vote took place amid escalating divisions within the party, with conflicts between the pro-Han Dong-hoon, the party chairman, and pro-Yoon Suk Yeol factions. The result

Social Affairs Dec. 14, 2024

South Korea experienced a series of tumultuous political events after President Yoon Suk Yeol’s short-lived imposition of martial law on Dec. 3, resulting in two impeachment votes to remove the president from his seat of power. From the political parties’ stances after the first impeachment vote, to the multiple arrests of key individuals accused of involvement in the martial law declaration, the political upheaval appeared to be slowly but surely gaining momentum towards Yoon’

Politics Dec. 14, 2024

While the majority of Korean millennials and Generation Z rallying at protests are demanding President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment, a small minority of young Koreans are anonymously voicing support for his controversial martial law declaration online -- revealing the entrenched polarization in Korean politics. The divide is evident across university campuses. Student councils at 38 universities nationwide, including Seoul National University, Korea University and Yonsei University, issued a

Social Affairs Dec. 13, 2024

With one more ruling People Power Party lawmaker required to vote in favor of Saturday’s impeachment vote to pass, Rep. Bae Hyun-jin of the ruling bloc appears likely to become the eighth legislator to back the second impeachment vote against President Yoon Suk Yeol. Bae shared her decision to cast a vote in the second impeachment attempt in a social media post on Tuesday, in a reversal after joining the ruling party's organized boycott of the vote on Dec. 7. The young lawmaker did no

Politics Dec. 13, 2024

With seven ruling party members now saying they will back a second impeachment vote against President Yoon Suk Yeol, the motion looks likely to need just one more backer to pass. Rep. Jin Jong-oh and Rep. Han Ji-ah of the People Power Party revealed their decisions for Saturday's impeachment vote, becoming the sixth and seventh ruling party lawmakers who will vote for Yoon's impeachment following Rep. Kim Sang-wook, Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo, Rep. Kim Yea-ji, Rep. Cho Kyung-tae and Rep. Kim J

Politics Dec. 12, 2024

The National Election Commission on Thursday blasted President Yoon Suk Yeol’s accusation against the election management system earlier in the day, denouncing his claim as a “self-denial” of the very election system that led him to become president. In a televised public address, Yoon cited disbelief of the NEC as one of the reasons for declaring martial law last week. "Allegations of election fraud based on strong suspicion is equivalent to a self-denial of the very elec

Social Affairs Dec. 12, 2024

The prosecution said Thursday that it summoned Health Minister Cho Kyoo-hong for questioning about the circumstances in which an emergency Cabinet meeting was convened just before President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law, and about what Cabinet ministers discussed in the meeting. The health minister was the first among the 11 members who were present at the meeting to be summoned by the prosecution. The prosecution sought to establish when Cho became aware of issues related to the emergency

Social Affairs Dec. 12, 2024

Rep. Kim Jae-sub of the People Power Party announced Wednesday that he will vote in favor of President Yoon Suk-Yeol’s impeachment in a press conference at the National Assembly. Kim told the reporters that he abstained from voting last week, feeling that the president deserved more time to make a decision. “The resignation needs order and time. But the president is refusing to leave," he said, noting reports that Yoon may argue the legality of declaring martial law. Criticizing

Politics Dec. 11, 2024

North Korean media reported last week’s botched declaration of martial law in South Korea for the first time, breaking its silence on the fiasco, as well as on President Yoon Suk Yeol’s possible impeachment and rallies by South Korean protestors in Yeouido, western Seoul on Dec. 7. The Korean Central News Agency, an overseas-oriented media outlet in North Korea, reported on Wednesday that the “puppet” regime of South Korea experienced a serious governance crisis after Y

North Korea Dec. 11, 2024