Who is Han Dong-hoon? A key player in Korea’s presidential impeachment drama

Ruling People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon, once President Yoon Suk Yeol’s staunchest ally, has called for the swift suspension of Yoon’s duties amid ongoing impeachment proceedings. Han’s shift in stance could decisively shape South Korea’s political landscape. At a Supreme Council meeting that captured nationwide attention on Friday morning, Han made a statement, asserting that it is necessary for the president to “promptly cease” performing his duties

Dec. 6, 2024

South Korean military says will not obey another martial law

Senior Ministry of National Defense and Joint Chiefs of Staff officials said Friday the military would defy any further attempts to enact martial law, should President Yoon Suk Yeol decide to declare it a second time. Earlier reports that the military was preparing for another declaration of martial law are “completely false,” a senior Defense Ministry official said. “If there ever is a call for declaring martial law once again, the Defense Ministry and the Joint Chiefs of Staf

Dec. 6, 2024

[Exclusive] NIS agents banned from entering National Assembly

National Intelligence Service agents have been suspended from entering National Assembly buildings after troops broke in following President Yoon Suk Yeol’s martial law declaration. Several sources told The Korea Herald on Friday the National Assembly Secretariat has banned NIS agents from accessing parliament buildings starting Wednesday, along with the police and the Ministry of National Defense officials. The entry passes for NIS agents have been suspended accordingly, sources said. The

Dec. 6, 2024

Prime Minister orders public servants to remain at posts, carry on their duties

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo on Friday urged all Cabinet members and public servants to remain at their posts, as the conservative bloc has been grappling with chaos from the aftermath of President Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law decree early this week. "I ask all Cabinet members and public officials of ministries to fulfill their assigned duties at all times to ensure the nation's safety and that people can carry on with their everyday lives without (concerns)," Han said in a wri

Dec. 6, 2024

Special Warfare Commander says no more martial law, vows to refuse such order

Kwak Jong-geun, the Special Warfare Commander who led special forces into the Assembly on Tuesday evening, said Friday that there would be no additional martial law and that he will refuse any such orders in the future. Speaking at a YouTube live show hosted by Democratic Party lawmakers Park Sun-won and Kim Byung-joo, members of the National Assembly's National Defense Committee, Kwak said he received orders from Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun to drag lawmakers out of the Assembly, 20 minu

Dec. 6, 2024

NEC decries troop dispatch as 'clear violation of Constitution'

The National Election Commission on Friday said the government dispatching soldiers to its offices Tuesday night was a clear violation of South Korea's Constitution and also of other laws, vowing legal action against those responsible. "After the emergency martial law was declared on Dec. 3, about 300 martial law forces forced their way into the NEC headquarters and other offices. ... The troops confiscated the cellphones of five officials, blocked off the entrances and set a perimeter

Dec. 6, 2024

Seoul mayor demands Yoon Suk Yeol break 'irresponsible silence'

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon urged South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol to “take full responsibility” and “present a concrete plan to address the crisis. “ “Impeachment is not the only answer,” Oh said through a Facebook post. “The president must break his irresponsible silence.” Yoon hasn’t made a public appearance since ending the emergency martial law declaration early Wednesday. “As the ruling party, it is our duty to alleviate public anx

Dec. 6, 2024

Rights group claims proof of 2nd martial law declaration

South Korean rights group the Center for Military Human Rights Korea revealed Friday that it has obtained proof that President Yoon Suk Yeol is preparing to impose martial law again in the near future. South Korea's Army commanders were ordered to stand by for an emergency call-up as the Army imposed a temporary ban on leave until Sunday, according to the military human rights group, without disclosing the names of the commanders that it suspects had received such instructions. This indicat

Dec. 6, 2024

Major rally set to call for Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment Saturday in Yeouido

The first major Saturday protest since President Yoon Suk Yeol’s declaration of martial law is set to take place in Yeouido, Seoul, on Saturday. The organizers say that an estimated 200,000 people will take part in the protest. The Group for the Movement to Oust the Yoon Suk Yeol Administration, led primarily by the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, Korea's largest umbrella labor union, plans to hold a large-scale rally in front of the National Assembly at 3 p.m. At present, the

Dec. 6, 2024

Prosecution forms special probe unit for Yoon's martial law

The prosecution said Friday it had formed a special investigation unit to probe President Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law declaration. The unit will be led by Park Se-hyun, chief prosecutor of Seoul High Prosecutors' Office, the office said. The police, meanwhile, said they had assigned some 120 investigators to probe the case, separately from the prosecution.

Dec. 6, 2024

1st open support of Yoon impeachment from ruling party lawmaker

Rep. Cho Kyung-tae became the first from the ruling People Power Party to back removing President Yoon Suk Yeol from office, after Han Dong-hoon, the party chair, spoke in support of impeachment earlier Friday. The six-time lawmaker told reporters on this day Yoon declaring martial law was “unconstitutional and illegal,” and that the impeachment bill against the president should be put to vote as soon as possible. Han said Yoon “needs to be stopped from exercising his president

Dec. 6, 2024

DP considering accusing ruling party floor leader of treason

The main opposition Democratic Party said it was considering accusing ruling party floor leader Choo Kyung-ho of treason, accusing him of attempting to obstruct the Assembly's resolution to lift martial law on Wednesday.

Dec. 6, 2024

President Yoon Suk Yeol's approval rating plummets to 13%: Gallup Korea

President Yoon Suk Yeol's approval rating plummeted to 13 percent after his short-lived martial law declaration, down by 6 percentage points from a week before, a poll by Gallup Korea showed Friday. Within a week, the approval rating during the period between Wednesday and Thursday fell by 3 percentage points from 16 percent as of Tuesday, according to a poll of 1,001 respondents. Some 80 percent of respondents disapproved of Yoon after his speech declaring martial law. This figure hit an a

Dec. 6, 2024

Yoon needs to be stopped from exercising power as president: ruling party head

Ruling party leader Han Dong-hoon said Friday morning President Yoon Suk Yeol should no longer be allowed to exercise his presidential powers. Han called an emergency meeting of People Power Party leadership that day, and said he has damning evidence Yoon mobilized troops in a bid to arrest politicians over the hours martial law was still in effect. “I learned last night the president ordered the defense counterintelligence commander (Lt. Gen. Yeo In-hyung) to arrest major political leader

Dec. 6, 2024

South Korea says 'necessary communication' taking place with US after Campbell remarks

South Korea and the United States are "in communication at all levels" as needed, a foreign ministry official said Thursday, after a senior US diplomat's comment on South Korea's martial law turmoil drew attention for its critical tone. US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell said Wednesday (US time) that President Yoon Suk Yeol "badly misjudged" when he declared martial law late Tuesday and ended it hours later following a parliamentary vote. Speaking at a forum

Dec. 5, 2024

6 Constitutional Court justices sufficient to carry out trial, says acting chief

Acting Constitutional Court President Moon Hyung-bae said the current "six-member system" is sufficient to begin an impeachment trial on President Yoon Suk Yeol over his controversial martial law decree, but would need "further discussions" to hand down a final verdict. "I do not believe that three more judges (need to be appointed) for the trial to kickoff," Moon told reporters as he entered the Constitutional Court in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on Thursday. His comments, h

Dec. 5, 2024

Army chief claims he learned of martial law from Yoon’s TV address

South Korean Army chief of staff told lawmakers Thursday he did not know of President Yoon Suk Yeol's plan to impose martial law before the president's televised address to the nation late Tuesday. Gen. Park An-su was named martial law commander in the military decree that came shortly after the president’s announcement. Park said he realized he would be assuming the role of martial law commander at the meeting of key commanders that followed. “The defense minister said at

Dec. 5, 2024

In Yoon's martial law speech, a window into his troubling worldview

When South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol shocked the world Tuesday night with an unexpected declaration of martial law — the first the country has seen since achieving full democracy in 1987 — his choice of words offered a revealing glimpse into his worldview. An analysis of key terms from his televised speech suggests a leader who increasingly views politics through an extremist lens and with a siege mentality, experts say. 'Legislative dictatorship' (ipbeob dokjae) &qu

Dec. 5, 2024

How Yoon’s fate could unfold under 4 scenarios

The opposition’s move to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol has gained momentum, since his surprise declaration of martial law late Tuesday. The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea has accused him of committing a crime similar to treason or insurrection, which is grounds for impeachment. The Constitution protects presidents from civil lawsuits and criminal charges unless they are convicted of treason. Here are the three possible scenarios that could unfold following the opposition-led A

Dec. 5, 2024

Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment vote looms large

The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea announced Thursday that an impeachment motion against President Yoon Suk Yeol will be put to a vote on Saturday. The opposition-majority National Assembly seeks to hold Yoon accountable for what they describe as an act of insurrection following his brief martial law declaration earlier this week. In the 300-member National Assembly, a motion to impeach a South Korean president requires at least 200 votes regardless of how many lawmakers are present a

Dec. 5, 2024