Court orders Yoon's release from detention SEOUL, March 7 (AJP) - A court on Friday ruled in favor of President Yoon Suk Yeol's request to cancel his arrest over his botched martial law debacle last December. The Seoul Central District Court found Yoon's indictment to be "invalid," as it was made after his detention period had expired. Given differing views over whether detention periods should be calculated in days or hours, the court further explained that there were additional grounds for canceling his arrest, even if the indictment came after before the expiration of his detention period. The court also elaborated that the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO), which was established to ensure fair and independent probes by separating investigation and prosecution, had consulted with prosecutors to detain him, despite the two being independent investigative agencies. The ruling comes about 40 days after Yoon was indicted in mid-January on charges of insurrection and abuse of power following his abrupt declaration of martial law on Dec. 3 last year. Yoon has been incarcerated at a remand prison in Uiwang, Gyeonggi Province since then. With Friday's ruling, Yoon will be released, unless prosecutors file an appeal against the decision within seven days. Meanwhile, Yoon's fate hangs in the balance as the Constitutional Court of Korea is expected to deliver a final verdict on his impeachment trial next week. A decision to uphold the impeachment would require at least six votes in favor from the highest court's eight-justice bench, which would result in Yoon's immediate ouster from office. Should the impeachment be upheld, Yoon would be ousted from office, leading to a snap presidential election within 60 days. Yoon is also facing a separate criminal trial for the debacle at the Seoul Central District Court. 2025-03-07 17:23:17

Poland hopes for swift weapons procurement from South Korea SEOUL, March 7 (AJP) - Polish President Andrzej Duda on Thursday expressed his hope for the swift shipment of weapons as part of its massive arms deal with South Korea. In a meeting with South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul in Warsaw, Duda "expressed his hope for swift progress" in finalizing the second-phrase purchase deal of K2 battle tanks to facilitate local production, the Foreign Ministry here said in a press release, quoting his as saying. Speaking later at a joint press conference with Secretary General Mark Rutte in Brussels, Duda cited swift delivery as a crucial factor in Poland's decision to purchase South Korean weapons, praising South Korea for completing deliveries within a year, unlike other European countries which typically take several years to deliver weapons. Poland signed massive arms deals worth US$44 billion with South Korea in 2022, involving the purchase of battle tanks, jet trainers, and howitzers. The first phase of deliveries has been completed, with negotiations ongoing for the remaining shipments. Poland allocated nearly five percent of its GDP to defense last year, the highest among NATO countries, with spending set to increase further this year, suggesting strong potential for expanded defense cooperation between Warsaw and Seoul. Cho is currently visiting several European countries including France, Germany, and Poland to foster enhanced cooperation. 2025-03-07 16:00:19

Military vows support for victims after live-fire drill mishap SEOUL, March 7 (AJP) - Military authorities on Thursday vowed support for the victims of an accidental bombing in Pocheon, north of Seoul the previous day, pledging to come up with measures to prevent similar incidents. Fighter jets accidentally dropped eight bombs outside a training range during a live-fire drill in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province, injuring 15 people including villagers and soldiers and also destroying five homes along with several other buildings and structures. Initial findings point to pilot error as the likely cause of the accident, as one of the pilots of the single-seat jets mistakenly entered incorrect coordinates for the intended targets. A joint task force consisting of military personnel, firefighters, and local officials will investigate whether the pilots followed proper procedures and look into any safety lapses to determine the exact cause of the accident, while assessing the damage. Temporary shelters and meals were provided for displaced residents, with about 30 households currently unable to return home. Air Force Chief of Staff Lee Young-soo said, "We will implement measures to ensure this does not happen again by providing enhanced safety training for all pilots and munitions personnel." He also promised, "We will provide full compensation for the losses suffered by residents including physical, psychological, and property damage." Meanwhile, the Defense Ministry has suspended all live-fire drills until the investigation is completed. However, the annual joint exercise with the U.S., dubbed "Freedom Shield," scheduled for next week, will proceed as planned, while outdoor field drills are likely to be reduced. 2025-03-07 14:21:05

North Korea 'abruptly halts packaged tours for foreign tourists' SEOUL, March 6 (AJP) - Packaged tours to North Korea have been abruptly suspended, according to several travel agencies based in China. Koryo Tours, a British travel agency based in Beijing, said on Thursday that it was notified of a temporary halt to tours to the northeastern special economic zone of Rason, adding that it is looking into the situation. Other travel agencies such as Young Pioneer Tours, founded by a New Zealander in Beijing, and Spain-based KTG Tours, also said they received similar notifications. North Korea closed its borders in January 2020 to contain the spread of COVID-19 and began reopening to foreign visitors in September 2023. Group tours were initially restricted to Russian travelers, but since February this year, the isolated country gradually allowed entry for other foreign tourists. It is widely speculated that Pyongyang may have been uneasy with how Western tourists portrayed the country online after their visits. A slew of recent visitors from Western countries including France, Germany, and the U.K., shared their experiences on social media, highlighting strict travel restrictions and apparent economic hardships in the country. ​​ 2025-03-06 16:15:50

North Korea deploys additional troops to Russia, US defense official confirms SEOUL, March 6 (AJP) - North Korea has deployed additional troops to Russia to assist its war in Ukraine, Radio Free Asia (RFA) reported on Thursday, citing an anonymous U.S. defense official. According to the U.S. government-funded nonprofit news outlet, the newly deployed North Korean forces look to be a "replenishment of battlefield losses" to replace those killed or wounded, with an assessment of the exact number in the latest deployment underway. Last month, South Korea's spy agency speculated that around 1,000 additional soldiers were sent to Moscow's frontline region of Kursk, a territory currently occupied by Ukraine, with the possibility of further troop dispatches. Yoo Yong-won, a lawmaker from the ruling People Power Party who recently visited Ukraine, said that around 5,000 soldiers were newly deployed to Russia, citing Ukraine sources. Of those, 1,500 have reportedly been stationed along the frontlines in Kursk, while 3,500 are undergoing field training in the area. Earlier this week, Vadym Skibitsky, deputy head of Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR) said, "Since mid-December 2024, have been directly involved in combat operations. In the first phase, they suffered heavy losses. They were then withdrawn for recovery and rest. The losses were about 4,000 out of 11,000..... However, starting from the first decade of February, they began to be actively used again on the front in the Kursk region." He also pointed out that the deployment has provided North Korean soldiers with experience in modern warfare, explaining that they "gained real combat experience with new technologies, new tactics, artillery combined with drones, extensive use of FPV drones, new electronic warfare tools, and new reconnaissance systems." 2025-03-06 12:00:41

UK strengthens cooperation with Seoul through cybersecurity drill SEOUL, March 5 (AJP) - A week-long computer-simulated defense drill on the outskirts of Seoul wrapped up last week, the British Embassy in Seoul said on Tuesday. Dubbed "Defense Cyber Marvel 4 (DCM4)" and hosted by the U.K. Ministry of Defense, this year’s drill, involving more than 1,000 participants from around 26 countries via Zoom at 20 different locations across the world, was held in Goyang, just northwest of Seoul, with over 400 representatives from South Korea, the U.K., and other countries. DCM4, one of the world's largest multinational cybersecurity drills, was designed to strengthen the cyber defense capabilities of participating countries through collaboration, competition, and knowledge-sharing. Participants practiced defending against simulated cyberattacks targeting critical infrastructure and key facilities, with scenarios including artificial intelligence-driven and quantum computing-based attacks, as well as satellite hacking, aimed at enhancing capabilities to respond to evolving threats. This was the first time DCM4 was held outside Europe, following a joint South Korea-U.K. team's victory at a competition during last year's exercise in Estonia. The U.K. and South Korea have expanded cybersecurity cooperation since President Yoon Suk Yeol's state visit to London in November 2023, when the two countries signed a strategic partnership. 2025-03-05 16:53:59

Pentagon deputy nominee urges US allies to share greater burden, stresses strengthening alliance with Seoul SEOUL, March 5 (AJP) - A nominee for a high-ranking post at the Pentagon stressed the need for U.S. allies to take greater responsibility for regional and global stability, arguing that the U.S. has long shouldered an unfair burden. In a written statement submitted to the Senate Committee on Armed Services ahead of his confirmation hearing on Tuesday, Elbridge Colby, the nominee for U.S. undersecretary of defense for policy, said, "I believe alliances are key. But, as President Korea..... the ASEAN nations, we have the QUAD with India, Australia, and Japan..... So I think you have correctly identified that in trying to counter China's rise, we should work with all these nations in the region," he said. 2025-03-05 15:08:26

Bukchon Hanok Village in Seoul to implement nighttime curfew for tourists amid overtourism concerns Tourists take a photo at Bukchon Hanok Village in Seoul on Jan. 9, 2025. Yonhap SEOUL, February 28 (AJP) - Tourists will be banned from sightseeing in Bukchon, a district known for its characteristic alleys filled with traditional Korean homes in central Seoul, during certain hours. With the tourist curfew starting from Saturday, visiting hours for Bukchon Hanok Village will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and violators will face a fine of 100,000 Korean won (US$75). The village attracts a large number of tourists eager to see traditional Korean houses that were once inhabited by members of the royal family in ancient times. Amid concerns over overtourism, the move aims to reduce disruptions for residents while preserving the neighborhood's historical heritage. Residents, merchants, and pedestrians are exempt from the curfew. However, those caught engaging in tourist activities such as taking photos or lingering for sightseeing will first receive warnings and face fines for subsequent violations if caught by officials stationed in the area. As part of broader efforts to reduce traffic congestion, the village will also restrict chartered tourist buses starting early next year. "We hope these new measures will provide residents with a more comfortable living environment," said a district official. "We also ask tourists to respect the designated hours and the daily lives of residents." 2025-02-28 18:04:44

Canadian Embassy hosts media-gathering event in Seoul SEOUL, February 28 (AJP) - The Embassy of Canada in Seoul hosted a special event at its official residence on Thursday, inviting journalists to strengthen media ties and discuss future collaboration. The event opened with a performance by the Vancouver Youth Choir, whose energetic renditions of songs from the "Lion King" soundtrack as well as the South Korean folk song "The Maiden Picking Herbs" captivated the attendees and guests. "Your interest in Canada's foreign policy..... across a broad range of priorities, your coverage of Canadian ministers' visits, trade and investment projects, cultural initiatives, and your always excellent questions have been instrumental in strengthening our ties," said Canadian Ambassador to Seoul Tamara Mawhinney in her welcoming remarks, stressing the role of the media in shaping the bilateral relations. The ambassador, in particular, highlighted that this year would be even more meaningful, as South Korea prepares to host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) later this year and Canada assumes the G7 presidency. "As we look ahead, 2025 will be another important year for Canada-Korea relations. Our partnership is stronger than ever, with a shared commitment to stability, prosperity, and sustainability," she said, adding that these events will provide opportunities for further collaboration. The day's gathering also encouraged mingling between journalists and embassy representatives, exchanging views on various issues. The dinner, served in collaboration with Four Seasons Hotel Seoul, offered tastes of Canadian cuisine, with acclaimed executive chef Shaun Anthony curating a menu. The event wrapped up with the embassy reaffirming its commitment to strengthening the ongoing partnership between the two countries. 2025-02-28 16:09:15

Constitutional Court rules Acting President's refusal to appoint justice unconstitutional SEOUL, February 27 (AJP) - The Constitutional Court of Korea ruled on Thursday that Acting President Choi Sang-mok's refusal to appoint one of nominees for a court justice last year was unconstitutional. In its ruling, the court said that Choi's decision infringed on the National Assembly's legislative power by not appointing Ma Eun-hyuk, a nominee recommended by the main opposition Democratic Party, but it dismissed a request to assign him the post, deeming it improper as it falls beyond its jurisdiction. The ruling now paves the way for Ma to fill the vacancy on the highest court's bench, which currently has eight of the nine justices seated, but it is unlikely that Choi will appoint him immediately. Choi had previously insisted that Ma's appointment could be made if the ruling and opposition parties reached an agreement. The appointment of Ma was considered one of crucial factors, as the court has been deliberating President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment trial over his botched martial law debacle in December last year. But the situation has somewhat changed, as Yoon's hearing sessions wrapped up earlier this week. Even if appointed eventually, it is unlikely that Ma will be included in the deliberation processes. Currently, the court's eight justices are holding closed-door discussions to decide whether to impeach or reinstate Yoon, with a final verdict expected by mid-March. Nevertheless, there remains a slim chance that Ma could join Yoon's impeachment trial, which might delay the verdict as it would require additional hearings and reviews. The deliberation process typically takes about two weeks, with justices meeting daily to review key arguments and relevant precedents. After exchanging opinions in deliberations, the justices proceed to a vote to make a decision. Once the decision is reached, a draft is prepared based on the majority view. Even when there are differing opinions, minority views are still included in the verdict. A decision to uphold the impeachment would require at least six votes in favor, which would result in Yoon's immediate ouster from office. Should the impeachment be upheld, Yoon would be ousted from office, leading to a snap presidential election within 60 days. 2025-02-27 17:14:12