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  Opposition leader accuses Yoon of abusing power Lee Jae-myung, the leader of the main opposition Democratic Party, speaks at the National Assembly on Dec. 6, 2024. Yonhap SEOUL, December 6 (AJP) - Lee Jae-myung, the leader of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP), accused President Yoon Suk Yeol of abusing his power for personal and political gains in a statement at the National Assembly in Seoul on Friday. Lee denounced him, pointing out that the democratic values of the country face a "severe crisis" after Yoon's December 6, 2024
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  PHOTOS: Opposition calls for impeachment of Yoon Suk Yeol SEOUL, December 06 (AJP) - Five opposition parties and civic organizations held a joint press conference Friday morning in front of the National Assembly, calling for the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol over his martial law declaration earlier this week. The groups urged members of the ruling party to vote for Yoon's impeachment. December 6, 2024
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  Noose tightens on former defense chief over botched martial law SEOUL, December 06 (AJP) - South Korea’s former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun is facing investigation over his role in a controversial Dec. 3 martial law declaration that was swiftly overturned by the National Assembly. The incident has raised questions about the motivations behind the declaration and the extent of Kim's involvement. A graduate of Chungam High School, from which President Yoon Suk Yeol also graduated, Kim's career trajectory includes stints as a December 6, 2024
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  South Korean won plunges amid woes of political instability SEOUL, December 06 (AJP) - The South Korean won tumbled on Friday, as deepening political turmoil sent shockwaves through the currency market. The won’s value against the U.S. dollar fell sharply, briefly threatening to breach the 1,430 won level. The currency’s decline accelerated in the morning, fueled by concerns over the escalating political crisis. Calls for the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol, following a declaration of a state of emergency, have heightene December 6, 2024
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  US defense secretary skips Seoul visit after Yoon's martial law debacle SEOUL, December 6 (AJP) - U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has reportedly canceled his planned visit to Seoul in the aftermath of President Yoon Suk Yeol's aborted martial law earlier this week. The outgoing secretary had planned his final Asian visit including stops in Seoul and Tokyo next week, but reportedly decided to skip his visit to South Korea as Yoon faces backlash over his abrupt declaration of martial law, which ended in a chaotic overnight fiasco on Wednesday, December 6, 2024
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  Assembly votes on Yoon impeachment, first lady investigation due on same day SEOUL, December 6 (AJP) - South Korea’s National Assembly is set to hold separate votes to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate allegations against first lady Kim Keon-hee and to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol. While the official schedule for the votes is set for 7 p.m. on Saturday, party officials have indicated that the timing could be subject to change. The main opposition Democratic Party intends to override President Yoon’s veto of the special prosecutor bil December 6, 2024
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  Prosecution, police launch probes into martial law incident SEOUL, December 6 (AJP) - South Korean prosecutors and police launched separate investigations Friday into the Dec. 3 martial law incident, with both agencies assembling large-scale investigative teams. The Supreme Prosecutors' Office announced the formation of a special investigation headquarters led by Seoul High Prosecutors' Office Chief Park Se-hyun. The move comes just one day after Prosecutor General Shim Woo-jung directed prosecutors to conduct a direct investigat December 6, 2024
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  Ruling party chief supports suspension of Yoon's duties ahead of impeachment vote SEOUL, December 6 (AJP) - South Korea's ruling People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon said on Friday that President Yoon Suk Yeol's duties should be suspended, signaling his support for an impeachment motion over Yoon's abrupt late-night declaration of martial law earlier this week. "Considering the newly revealed facts, it is necessary to immediately suspend Yoon's duties to protect the country and its people," Han said during an emergency party meeting o December 6, 2024
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  US confident in South Korea's democratic resilience SEOUL, December 6 (AJP) - Despite international concerns over South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's declaration of martial law and the subsequent impeachment proposal, the White House has expressed confidence in the country's democratic resilience. In a statement on Wednesday, the White House affirmed, "The Republic of Korea (ROK) is demonstrating democratic resilience. We are confident the Korean people will resolve this episode peacefully, democratically, and constit December 6, 2024
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  OPINION: What is self-coup? South Korean president's attempt ended in failure SEOUL, December 6 (AJP) - Something unexpected – but hardly unprecedented – happened in South Korea on Dec. 3, 2024. With little warning, President Yoon Suk Yeol declared emergency martial law, citing the threat from "pro-North Korean anti-state forces." The move, which appeared more about curtailing efforts by the main opposition – the center-left Democratic Party – to frustrate Yoon's policy agenda through their control of parliament, left man December 6, 2024