Opposition leader rejects Yoon's 'orderly early exit'

SEOUL, December 8 (AJP) - Lee Jae-myung, leader of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP), on Sunday dismissed an idea of President Yoon Suk Yeol's "orderly early exit" after his aborted martial law gambit earlier this week. In a joint press conference earlier in the day, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and Han Dong-hoon, leader of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) admitted that Yoon is no longer able to fulfill his duties and pledged to stabilize the national crisis

December 8, 2024

Prosecution probing Yoon on insurrection charges

SEOUL, December 8 (AJP) -- South Korean prosecutors said Sunday they have launched a criminal investigation into President Yoon Suk Yeol over allegations of insurrection related to the Dec. 3 martial law declaration. Yoon imposed martial law late Tuesday and sent armed forces to storm the National Assembly. The decree was canceled six hours later, after the parliament voted against it. Park Se-hyun, head of the special investigation team at the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office,

December 8, 2024

PM, ruling party chief seek Yoon's orderly exit

SEOUL, December 8 (AJP) - Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and the ruling People Power Party (PPP) leader Han Dong-hoon announced Sunday plans to stabilize South Korea’s political crisis by facilitating President Yoon Suk Yeol’s "orderly early departure" from office. Their joint statement was aimed at addressing mounting public and international concerns following the failed impeachment motion against President Yoon the previous day. Yoon imposed martial law late Tu

December 8, 2024

Prosecutors arrest ex-defense chief in martial law probe

SEOUL, December 8 (AJP) -- South Korean prosecutors arrested former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun early Sunday after an overnight interrogation in connection with the Dec. 3 martial law declaration. President Yoon Suk Yeol imposed martial law late Tuesday and sent armed forces to the National Assembly. The measure was canceled six hours later, after the parliament voted against it. Kim, who allegedly played a key role in proposing and implementing the emergency decree, was place

December 8, 2024

Yoon impeachment vote fails after ruling party boycott

SEOUL, December 07 (AJP) - The National Assembly’s attempt to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol over his botched martial law ended in a failure on Saturday, with the motion failing to secure the minimum 200 votes required. Only 195 lawmakers participated in the session, falling short of the two-thirds quorum needed for the impeachment vote to take effect. National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-sik declared the vote invalid. All but three ruling People Power Party (PPP) lawmakers

December 7, 2024

Hundreds of thousands of protesters brave shivering cold as Yoon faces fateful impeachment vote

SEOUL, December 7 (AJP) - Despite the freezing weather, hundreds of thousands of people gathered near the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul on Saturday, demanding President Yoon Suk Yeol step down. Yoon faces a fateful impeachment vote after his short-lived martial law declaration earlier this week, which sparked nationwide outrage. Police estimated that around 149,000 people had gathered as of 5:30 p.m., as many citizens and civic groups packed the streets. Prote

December 7, 2024

First lady special investigation bill dropped; Opposition may push for reintroduction

SEOUL, December 7 (AJP) - The National Assembly rejected a bill to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate allegations against First Lady Kim Keon-hee in a revote, Saturday. This comes after President Yoon Suk-yeol vetoed the bill earlier. The bill, which required a two-thirds majority, failed to garner enough support, with 198 lawmakers voting in favor and 102 against. This outcome suggests that six lawmakers from the ruling People Power Party (PPP) may have voted for the bill,

December 7, 2024

Yoon apologizes for martial law debacle

SEOUL, December 7 (AJP) - President Yoon Suk Yeol in a televised nationwide address Saturday said he will not avoid any "legal and political responsibility" for his abrupt declaration of martial law, which ended in a chaotic overnight fiasco earlier this week. His 2-minute-long address comes just hours before the National Assembly is set to hold a vote on a motion to impeach the president. Yoon apologized for "causing public concern and inconvenience"

December 7, 2024

First S.Korean Nobel laureate in literature Han Kang reflects on recent Korea's political turmoil

South Korean author Han Kang participates in a press conference at the Nobel Prize Museum in Stockholm, Sweden, on Dec. 6, 2024. SEOUL, December 06 (AJP) - "So for the past few days, as with many Koreans alike, I was shocked, and I am keeping my eyes on the news to see the changes happening in my home country,” said Han Kang, the 54-year-old novelist and the first South Korean to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, during her first official press conference at the Swedish Acad

December 6, 2024

Ruling party chief remains firm on suspending Yoon's duties

SEOUL, December 6 (AJP) - Han Dong-hoon, leader of the ruling People Power Party (PPP), remains adamant about the need to suspend President Yoon Suk Yeol's duties, even after a brief meeting with him on Friday. Sharing details of his meeting with Yoon at the presidential residence in Hannam-dong in Seoul, Han said he "heard nothing" from Yoon to change his stance after discussing about his abrupt declaration of martial law, which ended in a chaotic overnight fiasco ear

December 6, 2024