With Prime Minister Han Duck-soo carrying out the presidential duties of beleaguered President Yoon Suk Yeol, the ruling and the main opposition parties are clashing over the interim leader's rights regarding presidential veto and the appointment of Constitutional Court justices. Rep. Lee Jae-myung, the leader of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, expressed regrets on Friday about Han exercising veto on the six bills recently passed unilaterally by the Democratic Party. The bills inc

Politics Dec. 20, 2024

Despite ongoing political turmoil in South Korea prompted by the Dec. 3 martial law imposition, acting Defense Minister Kim Seon-ho and US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin have reaffirmed the decadeslong "ironclad" alliance between the two countries, Seoul's Ministry of Defense said Friday. In a phone call, Kim "expressed his gratitude for the US government's support of the ironclad South Korea-US alliance despite the current domestic situation," according to Seoul�

Politics Dec. 20, 2024

Civic group Peace Tree said Wednesday it has filed a criminal complaint against a far-right church group that called for President Yoon Suk Yeol to launch a second round of martial law. The left-leaning civic group said it filed for charges of "agitation of insurrection," as stipulated in Article 90 of the Criminal Act, against multiple individuals, including a close confidant of controversial pastor Jeon Kwang-hoon. Jeon, a Christian pastor known for far-right views, has accused the o

Social Affairs Dec. 19, 2024

Chung Mong-gyu, incumbent president of the Korea Football Association, officially announced his bid for a fourth term at the nation's top soccer governing body on Thursday while vowing to earn back the trust of Koreans toward the soccer federation. The 62-year-old said he would gladly accept criticism of irregularities in the KFA's operation during his tenure, adding he would work to rebuild public confidence in the federation and the national team. "As a person who worked hard wi

Soccer Dec. 19, 2024

Homegrown fast-food chain Lotteria has garnered unwarranted nationwide attention in relation to the Dec. 3 declaration of martial law, after it was revealed that military commanders had discussed their actions concerning the president's orders at one of its branches. The fast-food brand, one of the largest in the country, has expressed discomfort in the surge of internet memes linking it to President Yoon Suk Yeol's ill-fated declaration of martial law. "We are perplexed for being

Social Affairs Dec. 19, 2024

Former defense minister Kim Yong-hyun, currently being investigated in detention for insurrection and abuse of power charges, justified President Yoon Suk Yeol's Dec.3 martial law declaration and defended the military actions under his orders. "The martial law was to eradicate the anti-state forces and to bequeath the free Korea to the future generation. ... We all know that the president declared the martial law upon my suggestion," he said in a statement released behind bars o

Politics Dec. 19, 2024

With support for President Yoon Suk Yeol's People Power Party plummeting after his controversial Dec. 3 martial law, over half of the respondents in a recent survey said Yoon's party should not even be considered a ruling party during his impeachment trial. Local pollster Realmeter on Thursday revealed the results of a survey taken Wednesday on 503 voters across the country, in which 52.6 percent said the People Power Party "was not a ruling party" while Yoon's duties

Politics Dec. 19, 2024

South Korean prosecutors are requesting the death penalty for two Korean men accused of murdering a Korean tourist in Thailand and discarding the body, court officials said Wednesday. The prosecution requested the Changwon District Court in South Gyeongsang Province to hand down capital punishment to the 39-year-old man surnamed Kim and his 27-year-old accomplice surnamed Lee for charges including murder during robbery, discarding of a body and attempted extortion. Officials requested a life s

Social Affairs Dec. 18, 2024

The South Korean government announced Wednesday that it is seeking to remove addresses from inoculation documents, in a bid to prevent abusive parents from tracking down their separated children. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency issued a notification regarding a legislative proposal on revising the Enforcement Decree of the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act, which it says will help protect children who have left abusive homes. According to the agency, there had been

Social Affairs Dec. 18, 2024

Troops mobilized under the Dec. 3 martial law decree brought with them thousands of rounds of live ammunition for their operations, reports revealed Tuesday. The 707th Special Missions Group of the Army's Special Warfare Command brought 3,960 live ammunition rounds, 1,980 blank rounds and 100 cartridges for stun guns when they were deployed to the National Assembly, the National Election Commission and other areas across Seoul on the night of Dec. 3-4. It was also reported by local broadc

Social Affairs Dec. 18, 2024

The leaders of Korea's two main parties are expected to discuss matters related to President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment, the opposition's involvement in the state affairs and the appointment of key government and judiciary figures during their meeting Wednesday afternoon. Filling the three vacant seats on the Constitutional Court and allowing the main opposition to participate in state affairs are expected to be in the agenda for the meeting. Kwon Seong-dong, the acting chairman

Politics Dec. 18, 2024

Users of local websites with politically conservative inclinations are encouraging each other to file online reports to the US Central Intelligence Agency against K-pop star IU and other celebrities who publicly supported protests calling for President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment. The anonymous users have posted screenshots of their reports to the US federal agency that collects and analyzes foreign intelligence. "IU can't go to America now," read the title of an anonymous po

Social Affairs Dec. 17, 2024

The political turmoil following President Yoon Suk Yeol's ill-fated martial law declaration could negatively impact the labor market, according to a report by a state-run think tank. The Korea Labor Institute said that employment for 2025 is expected to increase by less than 100,000 compared to this year, in its report submitted to Rep. Kim Hyun-jung of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea. This is significantly less than the institute's previous estimate of 120,000, which it

Economy Dec. 17, 2024

North Koreans who file for divorce are immediately subject to forced labor, a US-based news outlet recently reported, citing sources from within the communist state. According to a Radio Free Asia report on Monday, an anonymous source living in Yanggang Province, North Korea said that 12 couples saw their divorces finalized in court on Dec. 13. Immediately after the ruling, each person was sent to a military labor camp, the report said. "Last year, only the person who initially filed for

North Korea Dec. 17, 2024

Politicians and government officials alike are encouraging South Koreans not to cancel their regular year-end meetings, after the Dec. 3 martial law and subsequent political turmoil brought a fall in the country's restaurant sales. Reports have indicated that small enterprises in particular have been hit hard in the aftermath of President Yoon Suk Yeol's recent declaration of martial law. The Korea Federation of Micro Enterprise on Sunday released a statement that small business owne

Social Affairs Dec. 17, 2024