Opposition leader gains ground amid power vacuum after Yoon's impeachment

SEOUL, December 14 (AJP) - South Korea is grappling with political turmoil after President Yoon Suk Yeol's aborted declaration of martial law last week. Although it was lifted within hours, the move has sent shockwaves across the country, which has endured many years under military dictatorship and fought hard for democracy. It remains uncertain what led Yoon to resort to such a decades-old measure - the declaration of martial law - early this month, a move that could be seen as

December 14, 2024

Han, centrist veteran technocrat, takes over as acting president after Yoon's impeachment

SEOUL, December 14 (AJP) -- Han Duck-soo, South Korea's twice-serving prime minister, is set to assume the role of acting president Saturday following the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol. A veteran technocrat who has served under both conservative and liberal presidents, Han, 74, faces the challenging task of leading a politically divided nation through its latest constitutional crisis. Lawmakers voted to impeach Yoon following 10 days of political turmoil triggered

December 14, 2024

Impeachment may pave way for special counsel probe into first lady

SEOUL, December 14 (AJP) - The impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol is likely to trigger a full-scale investigation into allegations surrounding his wife, Kim Keon Hee. Scandals involving Kim have been a persistent source of political controversy throughout the Yoon administration, drawing sharp criticism from both opposition parties and the public. The investigation is expected to delve into longstanding allegations, which have often overshadowed the administration’s p

December 14, 2024

Yoon latest to face South Korea's presidential curse

SEOUL, December 14 (AJP) - Impeached by parliament on Saturday, President Yoon Suk Yeol looks set to join a long list of disgraced South Korean leaders. Over the seven decades, the nation's presidential history has been marred by a pattern of dramatic downfalls, from exile and imprisonment to assassination and suicide. The pattern began with Syngman Rhee, who became South Korea's founding president in 1948. Once celebrated as a champion of independence, Rhee's authoritar

December 14, 2024

Constitutional Court to decide on Yoon's fate

SEOUL, December 14 (AJP) - As parliament voted to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol on Saturday over his contentious implementation of martial law, his fate will be decided by the Constitutional Court, which will deliberate the case for up to 180 days to determine whether impeachment has sufficient grounds and followed due process. Should the court uphold the impeachment, South Korea will hold a presidential election within 60 days, as mandated by electoral law. Among the

December 14, 2024

President Yoon impeached over martial law declaration

SEOUL, December 14 (AJP) -- South Korean lawmakers voted to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol Saturday following 10 days of political turmoil triggered by his short-lived declaration of martial law last week. Yoon imposed martial law on the night of Dec. 3, sending troops and helicopters to the National Assembly. The decree was canceled later after lawmakers voted against it. Opposition parties led by the Democratic Party (DP) filed the impeachment bill Friday, labeling the

December 14, 2024

President Yoon impeached over martial law declaration

SEOUL, December 14 (AJP) -- South Korean lawmakers voted to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol on Saturday following 10 days of political turmoil triggered by his short-lived declaration of martial law last week. Yoon imposed martial law on the night of Dec. 3, sending troops and helicopters to the National Assembly. The decree was canceled later after lawmakers voted against it. The opposition-controlled National Assembly approved a second impeachment motion against the embattled p

December 14, 2024

(URGENT) President Yoon impeached over martial law declaration

SEOUL, December 14 (AJP) -- South Korean lawmakers voted to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol on Saturday following 10 days of political turmoil triggered by his short-lived declaration of martial law last week.

December 14, 2024

Hundreds of thousands rally ahead of Yoon's impeachment vote

SEOUL, December 14 (AJP) - Hundreds of thousands of protesters gathered near the National Assembly in Seoul on Saturday, demanding the ouster of President Yoon Suk Yeol ahead of a parliamentary vote to impeach him. Yoon abruptly declared martial law on Dec. 3, mobilizing troops and helicopters to storm the National Assembly, but the botched plan ended in an overnight fiasco, with martial law being lifted just hours later. The vote for Yoon's impeachment follows a f

December 14, 2024

Top police officials arrested in martial law probe

SEOUL, December 14 (AJP) - South Korea's two highest-ranking police officials were arrested Friday over their alleged roles in President Yoon Suk Yeol's failed martial law imposition last week. The Seoul Central District Court issued the arrest warrants for Cho Ji-ho, commissioner general of the National Police Agency, and Kim Bong-sik, chief of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency. The court cited concerns about the potential destruction of evidence. Yoon imposed mar

December 14, 2024