Leaders of South Korea's two major political parties held talks Wednesday in hopes of helping normalize state affairs, but the meeting ended with the two showing widely divergent views on how to address the power vacuum. At the meeting, the ruling People Power Party's acting Chair Rep. Kweon Seong-dong floated amending the portion of South Korea's Constitution that stipulates that the president serves a single five-year term. The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea's le

Politics Dec. 18, 2024

North Korean forces have suffered hundreds of casualties in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, according to estimates by an unnamed US official. In the Kursk region of Russia, which has been partly occupied by Ukrainian forces, a US official was quoted as saying by news reports Tuesday that "several hundred casualties is our latest estimate that (North Korea) has suffered." Around 10,000 North Korean troops are believed to have been deployed to engage in combat alongside Russian

Politics Dec. 18, 2024

South Korea’s main parties clashed Tuesday over whether acting President Han Duck-soo possesses the authority to approve Assembly nominations for new Constitutional Court justices, a move that could make it easier to confirm President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment. Confirming the impeachment requires the approval of at least six Constitutional Court justices. With three of the nine justice positions vacant, Yoon would not be impeached without a unanimous decision by all incumbent justi

Politics Dec. 17, 2024

South Korea's acting president, Han Duck-soo, is expected to test the waters by exercising the presidential veto powers delegated to him after President Yoon Suk Yeol's suspension on Saturday evening, despite repeated calls from the main opposition Democratic Party to abstain. A Cabinet meeting to be held before Saturday would allow the ruling conservative bloc to send six opposition-sponsored bills back to the National Assembly for a revote. Han, as acting president, is the person who

Politics Dec. 16, 2024

President Yoon Suk Yeol said Saturday that he would never succumb to the threat of impeachment, after the National Assembly voted 204-85 in favor of a motion that could eventually dethrone the incumbent president. "I will never surrender," he said in his fifth address to the nation in the past two weeks since his imposition of martial law on Dec. 3. "I will cherish any reprimand, encouragement and support you show to me, and I will do my best for the country until the end," h

Politics Dec. 14, 2024

With incumbent President Yoon Suk Yeol suspended after the National Assembly voted to impeach him, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo will take over as acting president for up to six months. Under Article 71 of the South Korean Constitution, if the president is deemed unable to perform duties for any reason, the prime minister shall assume the powers and duties of the incumbent president. Han's role as acting president started 7:24 p.m. Saturday evening, as soon as a copy of the impeachment resolu

Politics Dec. 14, 2024

An alleged assassination plot was unable to proceed as planned as President Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law imposition on Dec. 3 was short-lived, claimed a liberal figure at the National Assembly on Friday. Radio show host Kim Ou-joon told lawmakers at the Assembly's Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee that he had obtained information that troops dedicated to special operations were on standby for an assassination operation. Kim was earlier revealed to have been one of

Politics Dec. 14, 2024

It was another casual night after work on Dec. 3, replete with glasses of "somaek," a beer cocktail mixed with a shot of soju. No one at the reporters' unofficial dinner gathering with the administrative staff of President Yoon Suk Yeol's office had any idea that one of the biggest threat to South Korea's democracy in the 21st century was about to break out. Not too long into the dinner, news that the presidential office would make a "shocking announcement" spr

Politics Dec. 13, 2024

The National Assembly has rescheduled its vote on the motion to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol, moving it up by an hour to 4 p.m. on Saturday, according to the office of National Assembly Speaker Rep. Woo Won-shik on Friday. This came after 190 lawmakers of all six opposition parties and independent lawmaker Rep. Kim Jong-min tabled the impeachment motion to the National Assembly at around 2 p.m. Under South Korean law, a voting session may convene 24 hours after the motion is tabled, and must

Politics Dec. 13, 2024

President Yoon Suk Yeol's approval rating has fallen to just 11 percent, hitting his lowest point again in the aftermath of his martial law declaration on Dec. 3, the most recent poll result showed Friday. Previous polls showed that Yoon's approval rating during the poll between Dec. 3 and Dec. 5 stood at 16 percent, while the figure has been on a downward trend over the week, to 13 percent for the Dec. 4-5 period and 11 percent for the Dec. 6-7 period. In the meanwhile, 85 percent of respondent

Politics Dec. 13, 2024

Newly elected Floor Leader of the ruling People Power Party Rep. Kweon Seong-dong said Friday he asked National Assembly Speaker Rep. Woo Won-shik to kick off parliamentary discourse to amend the Constitution of South Korea. Kweon told reporters after his meeting with Woo on Friday morning that he suggested the speaker take the lead in the discourse to amend the Constitution. South Korea last amended the Constitution in 1987 in the wake of its transition to democracy. "Now is the right time

Politics Dec. 13, 2024

The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea Chair Rep. Lee Jae-myung, in a televised speech on Friday, urged ruling party lawmakers to vote in favor of the motion to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol in the National Assembly's session on Saturday. "It's not Yoon Suk Yeol or your party that you're supposed to protect," said Lee, who leads the party that controls the majority in the Assembly. "It's the people wailing in the streets, in the cold, and their livelihoods that you're sup

Politics Dec. 13, 2024

President Yoon Suk Yeol on Thursday rejected calls for his resignation, asserting that his declaration of martial law on Dec. 3 was both an inevitable and legitimate decision made by the head of state, marking another unexpected development that has clearly dismissed the ruling party's "orderly retreat" scenario. Yoon said in the 29-minute address, televised at around 9:40 a.m., that he pledged to withstand his ordeals until the end, demonstrating his will to respond legally to im

Politics Dec. 12, 2024

Kim Hong-il, former chief of South Korea's broadcast watchdog the Korea Communications Commission, might serve as one of President Yoon Suk Yeol's attorneys should Yoon's legal troubles deepen, according to news reports Wednesday. Kim, who had reportedly quit local law firm Shin & Kim, would be joined on a team of up to six attorneys, according to news reports. This came as police accused Yoon of inciting insurrection by declaring martial law and cracking down on dissidents th

Politics Dec. 11, 2024

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said he opposed President Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law declaration on Dec. 3 and regretted he could not keep Yoon's martial law imposition at bay. "Ultimately, I could not stop (the martial law declaration)," Han told lawmakers at the National Assembly's plenary session Wednesday. "I feel regretful and remorseful." Han's remarks preceded the Cabinet members' apology. Han and most other Cabinet members bowed in unison in a sh

Politics Dec. 11, 2024