Constitutional Court rejects impeachment of Prime Minister Han

SEOUL, March 24 (AJP) - The Constitutional Court on Monday rejected the impeachment motion against Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, ruling that although the motion was procedurally valid, the alleged violations did not justify his removal from office. In its ruling, the court stated that Han's actions could not be considered a grave breach of the law serious enough to deprive him of public trust. With the decision, Han returns to office 87 days after the National Assembly passed t

March 24, 2025

4 dead, thousands evacuated as wildfires ravage southeastern S. Korea

SEOUL, March 23 (AJP) - At least four people were killed and six others injured as wildfires, driven by strong winds and dry conditions, swept through the nation’s southeastern region. The fires also forced the evacuation of approximately 1,500 residents. The blaze began on Friday in Sancheong-gun before spreading to other areas. According to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, all four victims were discovered in Sancheong. Of the six people inju

March 23, 2025

Three Korean women missing near Grand Canyon, search intensifies

SEOUL, March 23 (AJP) - Three Korean women, traveling from the Grand Canyon toward Las Vegas, have been missing for 10 days, prompting authorities in Arizona to intensify their search. The women, identified as Lee, 33; Kim, 59, her mother; and Kim, 54, her sister, were reported missing after they failed to arrive for a scheduled flight back to South Korea from San Francisco on March 17, according to the Los Angeles Consulate General and local law enforcement. The women were las

March 23, 2025

Multiple wildfires sweep South Korea, two firefighters perish

SEOUL, March 22 (AJP) - Massive wildfires engulfed multiple regions across South Korea on Saturday, claiming the lives of two firefighters and forcing hundreds of residents to evacuate their homes as authorities raised the national crisis alert to its highest level. The most severe blaze in Sancheong County, South Gyeongsang Province, entered its second day uncontained, prompting the Korea Forest Service to deploy over 1,300 personnel including specialized firefighting units, police

March 22, 2025

Mass rallies expected in Seoul as impeachment verdict looms

SEOUL, March 22 (AJP) - About 300,000 demonstrators are expected to flood central Seoul on Saturday as South Korea braces for a potential impeachment verdict against President Yoon Suk Yeol in the coming days. Pro-impeachment groups, including the Bisang Action for Yoon Out & Social Reform, have registered rallies with an anticipated attendance of 100,000 people, though organizers claim they will mobilize up to one million supporters. The opposition Democratic Party plans to

March 22, 2025

Yoon's verdict inches closer as Constitutional Court set to decide on PM Han's impeachment

SEOUL, March 21 (AJP) - With the Constitutional Court of Korea set to rule on Prime Minister Han Duck-soo's impeachment trial early next week, its verdict to decide on President Yoon Suk Yeol's fate over his botched martial law debacle late last year seems to be on the horizon. While serving as acting president shortly after the debacle, Han has been suspended from his duties due to his refusal to appoint three justice nominees to he highest court along with several other al

March 21, 2025

Constitutional Court to deliver verdict on PM's impeachment

SEOUL, March 20 (AJP) - The Constitutional Court of Korea will deliver its ruling on the impeachment of Prime Minister Han Duck-soo next week. In a notice on Thursday, the court said the verdict will be made at 10 a.m. on Monday, about three months after he was impeached by the National Assembly on Dec. 27 over his refusal to appoint justices and several other allegations related to President Yoon Suk Yeol's botched martial law debacle late last year. While serving as acting

March 20, 2025

Marriages surge to over 200,000 for first time since pandemic

SEOUL, March 20 (AJP) - The number of marriages sharply increased last year, seeing the largest jump in almost three decades, Statistics Korea said on Thursday. About 222,000 couples tied the knot, up 14.8 percent or 29,000 couples from the previous year, seeing the largest increase since 1996 when the number of marriages grew by 36,000. The surge comes as the number of people born in the 1990s reaches their early to mid-30s, which is often considered the prime age for getting ma

March 20, 2025

Police step up readiness for Yoon's impeachment ruling on the horizon

SEOUL, March 19 (AJP) - Police are ramping up security measures with plans to mobilize nearly all available resources in central Seoul as the Constitutional Court of Korea is shortly expected to deliver its final verdict on President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment trial over his botched martial law debacle late last year. According to police sources on Wednesday, the highest-level security alert will be issued on the day of the court's ruling, which will decide Yoon's fate

March 19, 2025

Activists urge referral of North Korean leader to international criminal court

SEOUL, March 19 (AJP) - Human rights groups called for North Korea to be held accountable for human rights violations and other alleged crimes against humanity at a forum in Geneva earlier this week. Hosted by Seoul-based non-profit organization People for Successful Corean Reunification (PSCORE) and other advocacy groups, the event as part of this year's regular session of the UN Human Rights Council on Tuesday shed light on the North Korean regime's heinous and brutal crim

March 19, 2025