Bills for independent probe into Yoon and first lady scrapped once again in National Assembly

SEOUL, January 8 (AJP) - Bills proposing independent prosecutors to investigate President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon Hee over several allegations including Yoon's botched martial law debacle last month were scraped in the National Assembly on Wednesday. The bills, which had passed during a plenary session last month after Acting President Choi Sang-mok's veto, failed to secure enough votes to override the veto, with 198 and 196 votes in favor each, falling short of

January 8, 2025

Yoon 'willing to respond if legitimate court issues warrant for his detention'

SEOUL, January 8 (AJP) - President Yoon Suk Yeol is willing to face trial, should he be indicted or if a legitimate court issues a warrant for his detention, Yoon's legal representatives said on Wednesday. The remarks came just a day after his arrest warrant, issued by the Seoul Western District Court, was extended and another attempt to arrest him by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials (CIO) looms over his botched martial law debacle last month. &q

January 8, 2025

Seasoned diplomat to serve as interim US Ambassador to Seoul

SEOUL, January 8 (AJP) - Joseph Yun, a former U.S. State Department special representative for North Korea policy will assume the role of chargé d'affaires to South Korea, following the departure of U.S. Ambassador Philip Goldberg. The seasoned diplomat "will become chargé d'affaires in a few days," the outgoing ambassador said during a farewell press briefing at Incheon International Airport on Tuesday when asked if Yun would serve as the acting U.S

January 8, 2025

South Koreans to enjoy weeklong break for Lunar New Year holiday

SEOUL, January 8 (AJP) - South Koreans are expected to enjoy a full week's break for the Lunar New Year holiday later this month as the government is considering designating Jan. 27 as a temporary public holiday. This means the holiday would start on Saturday, Jan. 25, and last until Jan. 30. The announcement was made after a meeting with the ruling People Power Party on Wednesday. PPP lawmaker Kim Sang-hoon said the extra public day off would help "boost domestic consumpti

January 8, 2025

Anti-corruption agency vows to arrest Yoon in next attempt as court extends warrant

SEOUL, January 7 (AJP) - Investigators vowed Tuesday to ensure the arrest of President Yoon Suk Yeol over his botched martial law debacle last month, after their failed attempt last week. "We will thoroughly prepare for the arrest, with the resolve that it would be the last chance," said Oh Dong-woon, head of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO), during a National Assembly hearing. Last week, about 30 CIO investigators attempted to arrest

January 7, 2025

Russia may share space technology with North Korea: Blinken

South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul (right) and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken hold a press conference after their talks at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Seoul on Jan. 6, 2025. Yonhap SEOUL, January 6 (AJP) - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Monday Russia may provide advanced space and satellite technology to North Korea in exchange for weapons and other military supplies from Pyongyang. "We have reasons to believe that Moscow intends to share advanced

January 6, 2025

Police consider arresting presidential guards for blocking Yoon's detention

SEOUL, January 6 (AJP) - South Korean police said Monday they are considering arresting presidential security staff if they continue to block attempts to execute an arrest warrant for impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol. The police also effectively rejected a request from the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) to take charge of detaining Yoon on charges of insurrection. Earlier in the day, the CIO revealed that it had requested the police to execute th

January 6, 2025

Anticorruption agency requests police to execute arrest warrant for impeached president

Protesters demand the arrest of President Yoon Suk Yeol during a rally near the presidential residence in Seoul on Jan. 5, 2025. (Yonhap) SEOUL, January 06 (AJP) - South Korea's Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) said Monday that it has requested the police to execute an arrest warrant for impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol after its failed attempt last week due to resistance from the Presidential Security Service. The arrest warrant, issued last Tuesday

January 6, 2025

Police pursue top presidential security officials for blocking Yoon's detention

SEOUL, January 05 (AJP) - Police have again called for two senior officials from the Presidential Security Service (PSS) to appear for questioning over their alleged role in obstructing the detention of suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol. Park Chong-jun, head of the PSS, and Deputy Kim Seong-hoon are under suspicion for obstructing the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) in its attempt to arrest Yoon, Jan. 3. The CIO was attempting to execute a warrant

January 5, 2025

Defending President Yoon's martial law may lead to criminal charges

SEOUL, January 05 (AJP) - A heated debate has erupted online over whether defending South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol over his Dec. 3 declaration of martial law could lead to criminal charges. Some argue that endorsing Yoon’s conduct could itself be punishable, while others assert that such claims infringe upon the freedom of political expression guaranteed by the Constitution. At the heart of the discussion is the potential application of sedition charges for those wh

January 5, 2025