Yoon defends aborted martial law decree, vows to fight to the end

SEOUL, December 12 (AJP) - President Yoon Suk Yeol defended his aborted declaration of martial law last week as a legitimate exercise of his authority in governing state affairs and vowed to fight to the end, in a pre-recorded nationwide address at the presidential office in Yongsan, Seoul on Thursday. Yoon, who had holed up in his official residence in Hannam-dong after making a brief apology last Saturday, appeared to deliver the address to justify last Tuesday's debacle and r

December 12, 2024

Joint team formed to probe martial law debacle

SEOUL, December 11 (AJP) - A team of investigators from three different agencies is set to launch a joint probe into President Yoon Suk Yeol's abrupt declaration of martial law last week. Consisting of investigators from the Ministry of Defense, the National Police Agency, and the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials (CIO), an independent agency established to root out corruption in government, the team formed on Wednesday aims to minimize inefficiency and

December 11, 2024

Police attempt raid on presidential office, face standoff

SEOUL, December 11 (AJP) - Police on Wednesday tried to raid the presidential office in Yongsan, Seoul, about a week after President Yoon Suk Yeol abruptly declared martial law last week. Some 18 investigators arrived at the presidential compound at around 11:50 a.m. with a search warrant to seize documents and other records which could provide a clue about Yoon's short-lived martial law debacle last Tuesday. But they were prevented from entering by security staff, who, citin

December 11, 2024

Han Kang receives Nobel Prize in Literature in Sweden

SEOUL, December 11 (AJP) - Novelist Han Kang received the Nobel Prize in Literature in Stockholm, Sweden on Tuesday, becoming the first South Korean and the first Asian woman to be awarded the honor. She was presented with the prize, along with a Nobel medal, by King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden during a ceremony at Stockholm's prestigious concert hall Konserthuset. Han is the 121st Nobel Literature laureate and only the 18th woman to win since the prize's inception

December 11, 2024

Former defense chief attempts suicide amid probe into martial law declaration

SEOUL, December 11 (AJP) - Former South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun attempted suicide at a Seoul detention center just before his arrest in connection with last week's martial law declaration, the nation's corrections chief said Wednesday. Kim was formally arrested early Wednesday over allegations of conspiring with President Yoon Suk Yeol in imposing the emergency decree last Tuesday. He had been in custody at the Seoul Eastern Detention Center since Sunday. Ki

December 11, 2024

Former defense minister accused of repeatedly changing phones after lifting of martial law

SEOUL, December 10 (AJP) - Former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun and National Police Chief Cho Ji-ho, central figures in the December 3 martial law declaration, are facing allegations of repeatedly changing their mobile phones after martial law was lifted. Lawmakers speculated on Tuesday that the changes may have been an attempt to destroy evidence related to the controversial move. Data from mobile telecom companies, obtained by Democratic Party (DP) lawmaker Hwang Jeong-ah, r

December 10, 2024

Special ops commander reveals President Yoon's order to 'drag out lawmakers' from National Assembly

SEOUL, December 10 (AJP) - South Korea's Army Special Warfare Command (SWC) commander Kwak Jong-geun revealed on Tuesday that President Yoon Suk Yeol ordered him to "drag out the lawmakers" from the National Assembly Main Hall. The alleged order came when politicians had gathered to unanimously pass a resolution to lift the emergency martial law early Wednesday, about three hours after the declaration. Straight after the declaration, some dozens of martial forces, co

December 10, 2024

National Assembly approves downsized budget for next year

SEOUL, December 10 (AJP) - South Korea’s opposition-controlled National Assembly on Tuesday approved the nation's 2024 budget of 673.3 trillion won ($470.8 billion), a 4.1 trillion won reduction from the government’s initial proposal, without the ruling party's consent. The budget bill was passed with 183 votes in favor, 94 against, and 1 abstention. The cuts were primarily driven by the main opposition Democratic Party, which has been critical of the Yoon Suk

December 10, 2024

Assembly approves bill for special investigation into Yoon's martial law declaration

SEOUL, December 10 (AJP) - South Korea's National Assembly passed a bill Tuesday for a permanent special counsel to investigate President Yoon Suk Yeol and senior officials over last week's failed martial law declaration. Yoon declared martial law last Tuesday, deploying troops to the National Assembly and National Election Commission, before canceling the measure six hours later after parliament voted against it. The independent investigation bill passed with 210 lawmake

December 10, 2024

US reaffirms 'ironclad' alliance with South Korea

SEOUL, December 10 (AJP) - The U.S. on Monday reaffirmed its alliance with South Korea will remain "ironclad." "The alliance between the remains ironclad. We are committed to the peace and security of the Korean Peninsula, and we will continue to be," said State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller during a press briefing. "We will keep lines of communication open with all relevant parties in . The legal process and the poli

December 10, 2024