North Korea reports on South Korea’s martial law turmoil for first time

North Korean media reported last week’s botched declaration of martial law in South Korea for the first time, breaking its silence on the fiasco, as well as on President Yoon Suk Yeol’s possible impeachment and rallies by South Korean protestors in Yeouido, western Seoul on Dec. 7. The Korean Central News Agency, an overseas-oriented media outlet in North Korea, reported on Wednesday that the “puppet” regime of South Korea experienced a serious governance crisis after Y

North KoreaDec. 11, 2024

[Newsmaker] Ex-intel commander appears key to alleged martial law plan

Three-star Army general Yeo In-hyung, former chief of the Defense Counterintelligence Command, is facing growing scrutiny over allegations he played a key role in facilitating the recent martial law declaration. Yeo has denied the accusations, claiming the DCC was unaware of the plans. However, emerging testimony and evidence cast doubt on Yeo’s claims, raising questions about his involvement in President Yoon Suk Yeol's controversial martial law declaration. Contradicting stories I

PoliticsDec. 11, 2024

Ex-defense minister attempts suicide in custody

Former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, who is currently being detained at a facility in Seoul on alleged collusion with President Yoon Suk Yeol in imposing martial law last week, attempted to take his own life late Tuesday night, a correctional official said Wednesday. Shin Yong-hae, commissioner general of the Korea Correctional Service under the Justice Ministry, said Kim was discovered during the attempt. “At approximately 11:52 p.m. an officer discovered Kim attempting suicide in the r

Social AffairsDec. 11, 2024

Shame on presidential couple: Yoon and his wife decried by alma maters

Students at President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon Hee's former schools have jointed in the nationwide condemnation of what is being seen as the president's act of insurgence via declaration of martial law on Dec. 3. The student council of Chungam High School said in an official statement that the government declaring martial law was a wrongful action that plunged the nation into chaos. Yoon, commander of the Defense Counterintelligence Command Yeo In-hyung, then-Defense Ministe

Social AffairsDec. 11, 2024

Capsized fishing boat plunges underwater while being towed

A fishing boat in a recent maritime accident that left seven dead and one missing appears to have sunk into deep sea, the Coast Guard said Wednesday, after a rope that connected it to a tugboat snapped the previous day. According to the Coast Guard, the 29-ton boat was being pulled by a 190-ton tug vessel when the rope snapped at around 7:06 p.m. Tuesday. Officials searched for the lost vessel for three hours to no avail, and now believe that the boat may have sunk to about 1,000 meters below th

Social AffairsDec. 11, 2024

K-pop glow sticks light up online secondhand market

The aftermath of the Dec. 3 martial law turmoil is felt even on the secondhand marketplaces of platforms like Karrot and Joonggonara. Items such as K-pop light sticks and Yoon Suk Yeol commemorative wristwatches —labeled with new meanings amid recent protests and shifting public sentiment toward the president — have seen contrasting fates in these digital marketplaces. Demand for K-pop light sticks has surged as they have emerged as a symbol of protest. Their limited production &mdas

Social AffairsDec. 11, 2024

Elderly farmer anonymously donates savings to help others

An elderly woman recently donated 3 million won ($2,000) to the local government of Chungju, North Chungcheong Province, on the condition of anonymity, saying she earned the money while working as a farmer. The mystery woman, who appeared to be in her late 70s or early 80s, entered Chungju City Hall at around 2 p.m. on Dec. 6. She said she wanted to donate money, handing officials a white envelope containing 3 million won in cash. "I want to make a donation, thinking about all the help I&

Social AffairsDec. 11, 2024

Main opposition set to file new motion to impeach Yoon over martial law declaration

The main opposition Democratic Party is set to introduce a new impeachment motion against President Yoon Suk Yeol on Wednesday over his failed bid to impose martial law, days after Yoon avoided impeachment because most ruling party lawmakers boycotted a vote. The DP's move comes after a motion to impeach Yoon was scrapped last Saturday due to a lack of quorum as nearly all lawmakers from Yoon's ruling People Power Party boycotted the vote. Following the scrapping of the motion, the DP

PoliticsDec. 11, 2024

Russian Embassy in N. Korea hosts reception on ratification of mutual defense treaty

The Russian Embassy in North Korea has hosted a reception to celebrate the ratification of a mutual defense treaty between the two nations, the North's state media reported Wednesday. North Korea's top officials, including Choe Ryong-hae, chairman of the Supreme People's Assembly's standing committee, Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui and Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, attended the reception Tuesday, according to the Korean Central News Agenc

North KoreaDec. 11, 2024

Ex-defense minister formally arrested on insurrection charges

Former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun was formally arrested Wednesday on charges of helping President Yoon Suk Yeol stage an insurrection through his short-lived imposition of martial law last week. The Seoul Central District Court issued a warrant for his arrest after prosecutors accused Kim of engaging in "essential" activities in insurrection and abusing his power to obstruct the exercising of rights when martial law was in place for six hours between Tuesday and Wednesday last week

PoliticsDec. 11, 2024

[Graphic News] Lee Jae-myung leads suitability for the next president

As President Yoon Suk Yeol’s declaration of martial law raises the possibility of an early presidential election, Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, has emerged as the leading candidate for the presidency. A survey conducted by Media Research and commissioned by the news agency Newspim polled 1,007 men and women aged 18 and older nationwide using an automatic response system (ARS) on Sunday. Respondents were asked, “Among the following individuals, who do you t

PoliticsDec. 11, 2024

Court issues arrest warrant for ex-defense minister on insurrection charges

A court on Tuesday issued an arrest warrant for former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun on charges of helping President Yoon Suk Yeol stage an insurrection through his short-lived imposition of martial law last week. The Seoul Central District Court issued the warrant at the request of the prosecution, who accused Kim of engaging in "essential" activities in insurrection and abuse of power in connection with Yoon's declaration of martial law last Tuesday. The warrant's issuance

PoliticsDec. 11, 2024

Finance ministry vows swift execution of 2025 budget

The government will make every effort to prepare for the swift execution of next year's budget to help stabilize people's livelihoods and respond to external uncertainties, the finance ministry said Tuesday. The ministry issued the statement shortly after the National Assembly passed next year's national budget of 673.3 trillion won ($471.5 billion), following a 4.1 trillion-won cut by the main opposition Democratic Party. "The government will make every effort to prepare for

PoliticsDec. 10, 2024

Ishiba mentions martial law aftermath in S. Korea; Austin appreciates PM's 'steady hand'

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said Tuesday no one could have ever imagined South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's short-lived martial law imposition last week, while US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin took note of Ishiba's "steady hand." Ishiba met with Austin at his residence in Tokyo as Seoul is reeling from the aftermath of the reversed martial law declaration. "The world changes very quickly on a weekly basis. No one could have ever imagined what has happened

Foreign AffairsDec. 10, 2024

Austin reaffirms 'ironclad' commitment to S. Korea, Japan, says US 'clear-eyed' about N.K., China threats

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin reaffirmed America's "ironclad" deterrence commitment to South Korea and Japan on Tuesday, stressing that Washington remains "clear-eyed" about security challenges from North Korea, China and Russia. During his talks with Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani in Tokyo, Austin also underscored the United States' commitment to advancing what he called "historic" trilateral cooperation with South Korea in the face of shared

Foreign AffairsDec. 10, 2024

Culture minister urges opposition to halt impeachment of Cabinet ministers

The culture minister on Tuesday called on opposition parties to refrain from impeaching two Cabinet ministers overseeing the nation's legal and security matters in connection with President Yoon Suk Yeol's short-lived martial law declaration, warning such actions could destabilize the government. Speaking in his capacity as the government spokesperson at the main government building in Seoul, Yu In-chon issued a public statement emphasizing the need for stability in state governance. &

PoliticsDec. 10, 2024

‘Drag lawmakers out’: Yoon’s chilling order to commander

Dozens of generals and military leaders attended a questioning session by the Assembly national defense committee on Tuesday, a week after troops stormed the parliament grounds overnight on Dec. 3-4. One by one, key commanders testified against Yoon on his aborted bid to impose martial law. In a shocking revelation, Special Warfare Commander Lt. Gen. Kwak Jong-geun claimed to have received a call from Yoon, who told him to “break open the door, and drag the lawmakers out.” “The

PoliticsDec. 10, 2024

Newlywed couples fall below 1m for first time

Nearly half of couples remain childless in the first 5 years of marriage in South Korea, government data showed Tuesday. According to the Statistics Korea, the number of newlywed couples, defined as those married for 5 years or less, stood at at 974,000 in 2023, marking a 5.6 percent decrease from 1.03 million in 2022. This is the first time the figure has fallen below 1 million since the government began tracking such data in 2015. The number of newlywed couples has been on a steady decline s

Social AffairsDec. 10, 2024

Lawsuit eyes W100,000 per person in damage compensation from Yoon

Two lawyers are recruiting plaintiffs for a lawsuit against President Yoon Suk Yeol, seeking compensation of 100,000 won ($70) per individual for alleged psychological damages stemming from his declaration of martial law. They argue Yoon’s actions during the martial law incident violated constitutional principles and caused public distress. The lawsuit is led by two attorneys: Lee Geum-kyu, who represented the National Assembly during the impeachment trial of former President Park Geun-hye

PoliticsDec. 10, 2024

Adult politicians may be divided, but teen leaders speak with one voice: Yoon out

South Korea’s two main parties cannot quite agree on what to do with President Yoon Suk Yeol after his botched attempt to rule the country under martial law. Their clash resulted in a failed vote to impeach Yoon on Saturday. As a result, Yoon remains president of South Korea. However, two 19-year-olds, despite their respective affiliations with the opposing parties, believe it is time to put party interests aside. In interviews with The Korea Herald, both said there is no way forward for K

Social AffairsDec. 10, 2024