Early end to President Yoon Suk Yeol’s term unavoidable: ruling party chief

Han Dong-hoon, the leader of the ruling People Power Party, said Saturday an early end to President Yoon Suk Yeol’s term was “unavoidable,” but he did not specifically mention impeachment. Speaking to reporters immediately after Yoon’s address to the nation at 10 a.m., Han said the president was “in a situation where he is unable to perform his normal duties as a president.” “An early end to the president’s term appears unavoidable,” he said.

PoliticsDec. 7, 2024

Opposition leader 'disappointed' by Yoon Suk Yeol's address, presses Yoon to step down

Opposition leader Rep. Lee Jae-myung expressed disappointment Saturday over President Yoon Suk Yeol's televised apology at 10 a.m. the same day, in which he said he would entrust power to his party. "I was extremely disappointed," said Lee, who leads the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, adding Yoon's address "did not meet the expectation of the ordinary people at all, and was rather feeding ordinary people's anger." He also said the existence of the i

PoliticsDec. 7, 2024

Full text of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's address to the nation

Below is a full, unofficial translation of President Yoon Suk Yeol's statement issued on Saturday, pledging to entrust his power to the ruling party and not to declare martial law again. Dear fellow citizens. I declared martial law at 11 p.m. on Dec. 3. About two hours later, around 1 a.m. on Dec. 4, in accordance with the National Assembly's resolution to nullify martial law declaration, I ordered the military forces to withdraw and lifted martial law after a late-night Cabinet meetin

PoliticsDec. 7, 2024

President Yoon Suk Yeol says will entrust state affairs to ruling party

President Yoon Suk Yeol on Saturday apologized to the South Korean people for the public concern he caused by declaring martial law. In a televised address to the nation, he said he would entrust the running of the country to the ruling party and the government. Yoon also promised that there would not be another declaration of martial law. "I imposed martial law at 11 p.m. on Dec. 3 and ordered troops to leave and lifted it in a Cabinet meeting at around 1 a.m. Wednesday after the parliamen

PoliticsDec. 7, 2024

[Breaking] Yoon to deliver address to nation

President Yoon Suk Yeol will deliver an address to the nation at 10 a.m. Saturday, four days after he declared martial law Tuesday.

PoliticsDec. 7, 2024

Nobel Prize winner Han Kang expresses shock over martial law news

South Korean author Han Kang, this year's Nobel laureate in literature, expressed her shock Friday over the martial law turmoil in her native country. "I am following the news in a state of shock," she said during a press conference held in Stockholm, Sweden, to commemorate her win. "Like many South Koreans, I am deeply shocked over the last few days by the news of a martial law situation unfolding in 2024," she said. President Yoon Suk Yeol declared emergency martial la

BooksDec. 6, 2024

Impeachment vote set at 5 p.m. Saturday: Democratic Party

The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea on Friday announced the motion to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol will be put to a vote at 5 p.m. on Saturday, two hours before the original timeline. Rep. Park Seong-jun of the main opposition pointed out the decision was made in regards to the possible People Power Party’s strategy to postpone the voting procedures, according to local news reports on Friday night. South Korea’s six opposition parties, including the Democratic Party of K

PoliticsDec. 6, 2024

Natl. archives agency requests preservation of martial law documents

The state-run archives agency on Friday requested the presidential office and the defense ministry to preserve all documents related to this week's botched martial law declaration. The National Archives of Korea (NAK) said it has also sent the notice to the interior ministry, the police agency and other related organizations. In the notice, the NAK, responsible for preserving government documents, called for the thorough preservation of all materials, including Cabinet meeting minutes, inst

Social AffairsDec. 6, 2024

Girls’ Generation 2007 song resurfaces as protest anthem

Who could have imagined that a K-pop debut track from 2007 would evolve into a rallying cry for political change? “Into the New World,” the debut single by Girls’ Generation, has reemerged as a protest anthem amid South Korea’s growing discontent with President Yoon Suk Yeol after he declared the ill-fated martial law earlier this week. On Thursday, the song was sung across candlelit rallies on the steps of the National Assembly in Seoul, where demonstrators waved flags a

PoliticsDec. 6, 2024

Genesis to debut high-performance GV60 Magma in Middle East next year

Genesis is entering the high-performance electric vehicle market with the GV60 Magma, the first model in its newly announced “Magma” lineup. Set to launch in the Middle East next year, this version of the GV60 promises top-tier performance, pushing the boundaries of what the luxury automaker’s electric vehicles can deliver. Based on the all-electric GV60, the Magma variant has been developed as the flagship performance model for Genesis’ growing lineup. Speaking at a foll

MobilityDec. 6, 2024

Impeachment history offers clues to Yoon’s political fate, future course

South Korea's 20th president, Yoon Suk Yeol, has become the country's third leader to face impeachment proceedings in the National Assembly, following former Presidents Park Geun-hye and Roh Moo-hyun. As Yoon's political future hangs in the balance, the contrasting outcomes of Park and Roh's cases provide a framework for understanding how things might pan out. The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea and its allied parties plan to bring the impeachment motion against Yoo

PoliticsDec. 6, 2024

'12.12: The Day' in spotlight amid martial law aftermath

Amid the aftermath of President Yoon Suk Yeol's emergency martial law declaration on Tuesday night, the film "12.12: The Day" has surged to the top of Netflix’s movie rankings, drawing renewed attention for its historical themes. As of Friday, "12.12: The Day" claimed the No. 1 spot among Netflix’s popular films, overtaking newer releases like "Pilot" and "Because I Hate Korea." Released over a year ago, on Nov. 22, the movie has newfound

FilmDec. 6, 2024

Christian groups to hold prayer meeting calling for President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment

A coalition of over 160 Christian organizations, including the National Council of Churches in Korea (NCCK) and the Christian Action for the Current Situation, announced they will hold a prayer meeting on Saturday at 1 p.m. in front of the NCCK’s headquarters in Jongno-gu, Seoul, to demand the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol. “Emergency martial law was declared without legitimate procedure or justification, and has reversed the clock on democracy,” the group said in a st

CultureDec. 6, 2024

South Korea, US, Japan to hold talks on North Korea nuclear provocation next week

South Korea, the United States and Japan will hold a high-level meeting in Tokyo next week to discuss North Korea's nuclear provocations, Seoul's foreign ministry said Friday. Vice Foreign Minister for Strategy and Intelligence Cho Koo-rae will meet US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink and Hiroyuki Namazu, Japan's assistant minister for Asian and Oceanian Affairs, on Monday, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. During the m

Foreign AffairsDec. 6, 2024

Affinity Equity to acquire rental car business from Lotte in W1.6tr deal

South Korean retail giant Lotte Group said Friday that it has picked Affinity Equity Partners, the Hong Kong-based private equity firm, as the preferred bidder to acquire its rental car business, Lotte Rental, in a 1.6 trillion won ($1.12 billion) deal. The deal involves a combined 56.2 percent stake in Lotte Rental owned by its hotel subsidiaries, Hotel Lotte and Busan Lotte Hotel. The latest deal comes amid growing concerns over a potential liquidity crisis at the nation’s sixth-larges

CompaniesDec. 6, 2024

'Long-term damage on K-culture limited,' says Culture minister

DAEGU -- Yu In-chon, the minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said Friday that he believes the martial law declaration chaos will have limited negative impact on Korean culture's popularity among the globe, as he resumed his activities just two days after the president's fiasco. “There may be some short-term shocks, but I don't believe this will lead to any long-term damage. Some countries have issued travel advisories, likely out of concern that the situation might esca

CultureDec. 6, 2024

French architect, designer Jean Prouve's modernism on view at Seoul Auction

Seoul Auction, a major auction house in South Korea, has opened an exhibition highlighting modernist design led by prominent 20th-century architects and designers, with a particular focus on the works of French architect and designer Jean Prouve. Prouve is celebrated as one of the most influential figures of the 20th century, renowned for developing cutting-edge technology and modular systems for mass production during the postwar modernist era. His exhibition, titled “Jean Prouve 6x6,&rdq

Arts & DesignDec. 6, 2024

Korea’s finance chief sending out emergency letters to reassure foreign investors

South Korea's finance minister has sought to reassure foreign investors and global financial institutions through emergency letters and meetings, as political tensions intensify following President Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law declaration. An official from the Ministry of Economy and Finance confirmed that the ministry is continuing to send out emergency letters to major economies, financial regulators and investors to assure them that "the nation’s political, economic and na

EconomyDec. 6, 2024

Song Joong-ki takes on his most desire-driven role in in 'Bogota: City of the Lost'

Song Joong-ki, the Hallyu sensation known for his roles in Korean hits like "Vincenzo," "Reborn Rich" and "My Name is Loh Kiwan," is ready to portray one of his most passionate and desire-driven characters in the upcoming film, "Bogota: City of the Lost," premiering Dec. 31. The film follows the journey of Guk-hee (played by Song Joong-ki), who escapes with his family to Bogota, Colombia, after South Korea’s IMF bailout in 1997. Struggling to survive

FilmDec. 6, 2024

Why did martial law troops go to National Election Commission?

The rapid deployment of troops to the National Election Commission in the chaotic first minutes of martial law declared by President Yoon Suk Yeol late Tuesday night has raised suspicions in South Korea. On Thursday, firsthand accounts -- including from individuals directly involved -- emerged, suggesting the deployment had been tied to a conspiracy theory that the April 10 general election had been rigged. The main opposition party had won a landslide victory, securing the majority in the par

PoliticsDec. 6, 2024