Acting Defense Minister dismisses possibility of another martial law attempt

SEOUL, December 6 (AJP) - Acting Defense Minister Kim Sun-ho on Friday dismissed the possibility of another martial law attempt, saying that such a thing would "never" happen. "Rumors about another similar attempt are completely groundless, and we will refuse any such actions," said Kim, who temporarily assumed the post after former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, who reportedly proposed the idea of declaring martial law to President Yoon Suk Yeol earlier this we

December 6, 2024

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

National Assembly impeaches chief auditor, 3 senior prosecutors

SEOUL, December 5 (AJP) - The National Assembly passed a motion on Thursday to impeach Choi Jae-hae, the head of the Board of Audit and Inspection, marking the first-ever impeachment of a chief auditor in South Korean history. The main opposition Democratic Party accused Choi of allegedly covering up issues for President Yoon Suk Yeol's administration, claiming that he violated political neutrality required for the post. The DP claimed that Choi obstructed a parliamentary aud

December 5, 2024

Ambassador to Saudi Arabia named new defense chief

SEOUL, December 5 (AJP) - South Korean Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Choi Byung-hyuk was named as the successor to Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun on Thursday. "President Yoon Suk Yeol accepted Kim's resignation and nominated Choi as the new defense minister," said Presidential Chief of Staff Jeong Jin-seok at the presidential office in Yongsan, Seoul. Kim tendered his resignation after Yoon's abrupt declaration of martial law ended in a chaotic overnight fiasco e

December 5, 2024