Ex-first lady cleared of allegations over India trip and luxury jacket

SEOUL, February 7 (AJP) - Former First Lady Kim Jung-sook has been cleared of allegations of abuse of power and embezzlement of state funds. The Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office said on Friday that it dropped charges against Kim, the wife of former President Moon Jae-in, over allegations related to her solo trip to India and her handling of a luxury jacket worn during a state visit to France. "We conducted a thorough investigation, questioning multiple individuals a

February 7, 2025

No damage reported after 3.1-magnitue quake rattles Chungju

SEOUL, February 7 (AJP) - An earthquake struck Chungju in North Chungcheong Province in the wee hours of Friday, waking some residents there in the middle of the night. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA), a magnitude 3.1 earthquake occurred at around 2:35 a.m. and the epicenter of the earthquake was 9 km northwest of Chungju in the province. No significant injuries or damage were reported, according to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety confirmed.

February 7, 2025

Heavy snow warning issued for Seoul amid weeklong cold spell

SEOUL, February 6 (AJP) - As the freezing cold weather persists across the country this week, a heavy snow warning was issued for Seoul and most areas of Gyeonggi Province on Thursday. Such an advisory is issued when five or more centimeters of snow are expected to accumulate over 24 hours, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA). Up to 10 cm of snow is expected to blanket Seoul and the surrounding metropolitan areas, disrupting commuters during evening rush ho

February 6, 2025

Former special ops commander testifies Yoon ordered arrest of lawmakers

SEOUL, February 6 (AJP) - Another witness involved in President Yoon Suk Yeol's botched Dec. 3 martial law debacle last December testified on Thursday that Yoon had ordered him to arrest lawmakers from the National Assembly on that fateful night. Former Army Special Warfare Command (SWC) commander Kwak Jong-geun made the statement during a hearing for Yoon's impeachment trial at the Constitutional Court of Korea in Seoul. When asked whether the lawmakers were the targets of

February 6, 2025

South Korea aims to replicate success at Winter Asian Games in Harbin

SEOUL, February 6 (AJP) - The Winter Asian Games are set to kick off with an opening ceremony in Harbin, China on Friday. About 150 South Korean athletes along with 70 sports officials and staff already left the country on Tuesday. They will compete in six disciplines: biathlon, curling, ice hockey, ice skating (figure skating, short track and speed skating), skiing (alpine, cross-country, freestyle and snowboarding), and ski mountaineering. Originally slated for 2021, the Game

February 6, 2025

Ex-president's daughter indicted for DUI, alleged illegal Airbnb rentals

SEOUL, February 5 (AJP) - Former President Moon Jae-in's daughter Da-hye was indicted on charges of drunk driving and illegally running a lodging business, the Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office said on Wednesday. The indictment came about several months after she was caught driving under the influence after hitting a taxi while attempting to change lanes in Itaewon, Seoul in October last year. The taxi driver sustained minor injuries from the accident, but the DU

February 5, 2025

Lawmakers in another attempt to question Yoon at remand prison

SEOUL, February 5 (AJP) - A special parliamentary committee investigating allegations related to President Yoon Suk Yeol's botched martial law debacle last year is trying to question Yoon and his alleged accomplices on Thursday. Yoon, former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun and others are currently being separately held in remand prisons in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province. With lawmakers from the ruling People Power Party (PPP) boycotting it, the committee, mostly consisting of lawmak

February 5, 2025

North Korean troops still fighting on Russian front lines, Ukraine's intelligence chief says

SEOUL, February 5 (AJP) - About 8,000 North Korean soldiers are still engaged in combat in Russia's front lines, Ukraine's military intelligence chief said on Tuesday, contradicting earlier reports of their possible retreat. In an interview with the U.S. military news outlet The War Zone, Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine's Defense Intelligence, dismissed previous claims that North Korean troops had not been seen for weeks in Russia's Kursk region, which is currently o

February 5, 2025

Key witnesses refuse to testify at hearing for Yoon's impeachment trial

SEOUL, February 4 (AJP) - A key witness who appeared at a hearing for President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment trial over his botched martial law debacle in December last year refused to testify before the Constitutional Court of Korea in Seoul on Tuesday. Lee Jin-woo, former chief of the Capital Defense Command, was summoned as a witness but repeatedly declined to answer most questions, citing his legal right to remain silent. "I'm fully aware of the gravity of the mat

February 4, 2025

MBC to conduct internal probe into ex-employee's death amid workplace bullying allegations

SEOUL, February 4 (AJP) - MBC is set to launch an internal investigation into the death of its former employee on Wednesday, according to the terrestrial broadcaster. Oh Yoanna, formerly of an ex-girl band trainee, who joined MBC as a weathercaster in 2021, died in September last year. Little was known about the death of the 28-year-old until last week, when her family belatedly revealed that she had left a lengthy suicide note on her mobile phone. It took them about three months to

February 4, 2025