Acting President Han impeached

SEOUL, December 27 (AJP) - The National Assembly on Friday passed a motion to impeach Acting President Han Duck-soo over his refusal to appoint justices to fill vacancies at Korea's Constitutional Court. Han's impeachment came just a day after he insisted on a parliamentary agreement granting him the authority to appoint three nominees to fill the vacancies at the court. With the motion passed at the National Assembly, where the main opposition Democratic Party holds a su

December 27, 2024

New China envoy arrives in Seoul, vows enhanced bilateral ties

SEOUL, December 27 (AJP) - China's new ambassador to South Korea, Dai Bing, arrived in Seoul on Thursday, calling the two nations "inseparable partners" and expressing hopes for South Korea's stability amid its current political turmoil. "South Korea and China are inseparable partners and their cooperation has high levels of mutual benefit and strategic importance," Dai said in a written statement after arriving at Gimpo International Airport. The vete

December 27, 2024

North Korean soldier captured by Ukrainian forces, spy agency confirms

SEOUL, December 27 (AJP) - A North Korean soldier allegedly deployed to Russia to support its war in Ukraine has been captured by Ukrainian forces, South Korea's spy agency confirmed on Friday. "Through real-time information sharing with allied intelligence agencies, we have verified that one injured North Korean soldier has been captured," said National Intelligence Service (NIS) in a statement. "We will closely monitor further developments." The first co

December 27, 2024

Yoon's legal representatives set to attend impeachment hearing

SEOUL, December 27 (AJP) - Lawyers representing President Yoon Suk Yeol are expected to attend a public hearing for his impeachment trial at the Constitutional Court of Korea on Friday. Yoon's longtime friend and legal representative Seok Dong-hyun told reporters that Yoon has formed a legal defense team to handle his impeachment trial and investigations related to his short-lived martial law attempts earlier this month. According to Seok, Bae Bo-yoon, a former scholar who se

December 27, 2024

National Assembly votes to appoint Constitutional Court justice nominees

SEOUL, December 26 (AJP) - Three justices nominated for the Constitutional Court of Korea were approved by the National Assembly on Thursday. But their final appointments remain uncertain as they require approval from Acting President Han Duck-soo who insists that he can only proceed if the National Assembly reaches an agreement granting him the authority to do so. The main opposition Democratic Party (DP), which holds a majority in the National Assembly, has been seeking to fill

December 26, 2024

OPINION: The Night of Seoul: A breakdown of rule of law in Korea's constitutional crisis

SEOUL, December 26 (AJP) -- Harvard University professors Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt, authors of How Democracies Die (2018), emphasize the importance of "respecting guardrails" and exercising restraint in presidential power, as norms and institutions like the separation of powers alone are insufficient. The authors particularly emphasize democratic norms: mutual toleration and understanding that recognizes opposing parties as legitimate competitors, and exercisin

December 26, 2024

Constitutional Court to hold first hearing over Yoon's martial law attempt

SEOUL, December 26 (AJP) - The Constitutional Court of Korea is set to hold its first hearing on Friday on the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol over his abrupt declaration of martial law earlier this month. The hearing comes about two weeks after the National Assembly passed a motion to impeach him on Dec. 14. Such a public hearing is a preparatory procedure to discuss how the court will proceed with its deliberations to determine whether to impeach or reinstate the preside

December 26, 2024

Chinese port city strengthens ties with South Korea's Buyeo

SEOUL, December 26 (AJP) - China's eastern port city of Yantai aims to further deepen its ties with Buyeo, a small southwestern town in South Korea. During an event on Monday that brought together media outlets from both countries, the two provincial cities agreed to promote mutual exchanges, highlighting the growing cooperation between them. Representatives from government agencies, institutions, and media outlets from both countries attended, including Shandong Network Radi

December 26, 2024

Acting President refuses to appoint Constitutional Court justices without parliamentary consensus

SEOUL, December 26 (AJP) - Acting President Han Duck-soo said on Thursday that he will not appoint justices to fill vacancies at the Constitutional Court of Korea unless the National Assembly reaches an agreement granting him the authority to do so. "Under the inherent spirit of the Constitution, an acting president should refrain from exercising presidential power including appointments," said Han during a nationwide address in Seoul. "If such power must be exerci

December 26, 2024

Yoon's troop deployment under martial law raises questions about alliance: US Congress report

SEOUL, December 24 (AJP) - President Yoon Suk Yeol’s decision to deploy troops under martial law without notifying U.S. military commanders in South Korea has raised concerns about the state of alliance coordination, according to a new report released by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) on Dec. 23. The report, accessible on the CRS website, highlights potential ramifications for U.S.-South Korea relations and broader foreign policy. It warns that Seoul could face cha

December 24, 2024