-
Bipartisan resolution welcomes Trump's second term, highlights joint efforts to denuclearize North Korea
Bipartisan resolution welcomes Trump's second term, highlights joint efforts to denuclearize North Korea
The National Assembly on Thursday passed a bipartisan resolution in support of a strengthened alliance with the US and cooperation between the two allies for peace on the Korean Peninsula. The resolution, co-authored by People Power Party Rep. Kim Gunn and Democratic Party of Korea Rep. Kim Byung-joo, states that the South Korea-US alliance is one of the founding blocks for maintaining peace on the Korean Peninsula and a key pillar of global peace and prosperity. The resolution named denucleariz
March 13, 2025 -
Parties clash over opposition's 'abuse' of impeachment process
Parties clash over opposition's 'abuse' of impeachment process
Ruling party, Yoon's office hail verdict that overturned opposition-led impeachment motions Rival parties clashed over allegations that the main opposition party abused its impeachment powers following the Constitutional Court's ruling Thursday that overturned opposition-led motions to impeach a state auditor chief and three prosecutors. The ruling bloc hailed the court's decisions, claiming they were proof that the opposition-led parliament had abused its political power through a series of imp
March 13, 2025 -
Presidential office welcomes court's dismissal of impeachments against state auditor, prosecutors
Presidential office welcomes court's dismissal of impeachments against state auditor, prosecutors
The presidential office on Thursday welcomed the Constitutional Court's decision to reject impeachments of the chief state auditor and senior prosecutors. The office issued a statement after the court unanimously dismissed impeachments of Choe Jae-hae, chair of the Board of Audit and Inspection, as well as Lee Chang-soo, chief of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office, and two other senior prosecutors. "The Constitutional Court dismissed all four cases of impeachment motions that lacked c
March 13, 2025 -
Acting justice minister says court's decision to release Yoon was unjust
Acting justice minister says court's decision to release Yoon was unjust
Acting Justice Minister Kim Seok-woo said Wednesday he considered a court's decision to release impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol from jail "unjust." Yoon, who was detained in January on charges of inciting an insurrection through his failed bid to impose martial law on Dec. 3, was released from jail last Saturday as the court allowed the suspended president to stand trial without detention, citing some questions over investigations into his charges. "I think the court's verdict needs to be rect
March 12, 2025 -
Rival protests intensify amid Yoon impeachment limbo
Rival protests intensify amid Yoon impeachment limbo
Rival protests are intensifying on the streets as South Korea awaits the Constitutional Court's verdict on whether to uphold the National Assembly's vote to impeach suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol. After the court ordered Yoon's release Saturday, the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea announced it would hold nonstop protests. The party said all 170 of its lawmakers would take to the streets every day until Yoon is removed from office. Democratic Party's leader Rep. Lee Jae-myung has can
March 12, 2025 -
8 of 10 reporters who covered Yoon Suk Yeol's trial predict unanimous ruling to oust him
8 of 10 reporters who covered Yoon Suk Yeol's trial predict unanimous ruling to oust him
Only one of the 10 surveyed predicted verdict reinstating Yoon Reporters who covered all 11 hearings of President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment trial overwhelmingly predict a unanimous decision to remove the suspended president, the country's journalist association reported Wednesday. According to the Journalists Association of Korea’s survey of 10 reporters who covered the Constitutional Court throughout Yoon’s trial, nine expect the ruling to uphold his impeachment, removing him from the top off
March 12, 2025 -
Impeachment verdicts that sealed South Korean presidents' fates
Impeachment verdicts that sealed South Korean presidents' fates
Past rulings suggest Yoon Suk Yeol verdict could focus on his active intention and the seriousness of his Constitutional violation by declaring martial law South Korea has seen three presidents face trial for impeachment, including current President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was impeached in a Dec. 14 National Assembly vote on charges of leading a self-coup. So far, between the other two impeached former presidents, Roh Moo-hyun and Park Geun-hye, the Constitutional Court upheld only Park's impeachment
March 12, 2025 -
How Constitutional Court reaches verdict, according to memoirs of ex-justice
How Constitutional Court reaches verdict, according to memoirs of ex-justice
As the Constitutional Court nears the conclusion of President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment trial, the nation is intently eyeing what has already become the lengthiest deliberation process in the history of South Korean presidential impeachments. The justices on the current eight-member bench are reportedly reviewing the case every day except for most weekends, even doing so during the March 1 Independence Movement Day holiday. According to the memoir of the top court's former chief justice Kim Yo
March 12, 2025 -
Police to probe report of plot to assassinate Rep. Lee Jae-myung
Police to probe report of plot to assassinate Rep. Lee Jae-myung
Police will look into a report of an alleged plan to assassinate Democratic Party of Korea Chair Rep. Lee Jae-myung, the main opposition party’s most likely presidential candidate, the country's police chief told the parliament Wednesday. Lee Ho-young, acting Commissioner General of the Korean National Police Agency, said in a meeting of the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee that the police will "conduct a thorough investigation" of the report. The response from the police
March 12, 2025 -
Seoul mayor says South Korea should have as much access to nuclear fuel as Japan
Seoul mayor says South Korea should have as much access to nuclear fuel as Japan
South Korea should gain the same right to reprocess and enrich spent nuclear fuel as its neighbor Japan has, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon said Tuesday. The Seoul mayor -- floated as one of the ruling People Power Party's potential presidential contenders -- was speaking at a forum attended by more than a dozen lawmakers from his party to discuss the possibility of South Korea acquiring nuclear weapons as a way for the country to reduce its dependence on the US for defense. Oh said that South Korea cou
March 11, 2025 -
Ex-PPP leader proposes bill to abolish CIO
Ex-PPP leader proposes bill to abolish CIO
Rep. Lee Jun-seok, a leading figure in the minor Reform Party and the former chair of the ruling party, said Tuesday that he has proposed a bill to abolish the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials, questioning the agency's capacity and political neutrality over handling high-profile cases such as Yoon's insurrection charges. "Today, I submitted a bill to the National Assembly calling for the abolishment of the CIO," Lee said at a press conference at the National Assembly in
March 11, 2025 -
Shaving heads, on hunger strike: Democratic Party of Korea goes all out calling for Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment
Shaving heads, on hunger strike: Democratic Party of Korea goes all out calling for Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment
The Democratic Party of Korea is going all out to call for Yoon Suk Yeol's removal, with some lawmakers going on hunger strike or shaving their heads to urge the Constitutional Court to uphold the suspended president's impeachment. After the court released Yoon from detention Saturday, the Democratic Party has gone into "nonstop protest" mode, taking to the streets of central Seoul to hold rallies daily. The party's lawmakers have also begun taking turns participating in a hunger strike as well
March 11, 2025 -
Marriage, childbirth evoke fear, not joy among young South Koreans, study finds
Marriage, childbirth evoke fear, not joy among young South Koreans, study finds
Amid birth rate crisis, new support plans unveiled, including 'fast-track' airport entry for large families, affordable housing Marriage and parenthood are increasingly associated with fear and anxiety among South Korea’s younger generation, according to an analysis released Tuesday. According to an analysis of posts on Blind, an online community for young workers, two-thirds of marriage-related posts carried emotions of "sadness," "fear" or "abomination." Of these, 32.3 percent displayed feelin
March 11, 2025 -
Court to rule on state auditor's impeachment Thursday
Court to rule on state auditor's impeachment Thursday
The Constitutional Court said Tuesday it will deliver its impeachment ruling for chief state auditor Choe Jae-hae this week. Choe, chair of the Board of Audit and Inspection, was impeached by the National Assembly in December for allegedly conducting a poor review of suspected irregularities surrounding the 2022 relocation of the presidential office. The court said its ruling will be announced at 10 a.m. Thursday, along with its verdict on the impeachments of three top prosecutors -- Lee Chang-s
March 11, 2025 -
Acting president vows 'zero tolerance' for any violence amid imminent ruling on Yoon's impeachment
Acting president vows 'zero tolerance' for any violence amid imminent ruling on Yoon's impeachment
Acting President Choi Sang-mok on Tuesday pledged "zero tolerance" for any acts of violence as the Constitutional Court is set to deliver its ruling on whether to reinstate or remove impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol. The court is expected to announce its decision as early as this week, raising concerns over potential clashes as both Yoon's supporters and opponents are anticipated to gather in large numbers. "The government will guarantee the right to hold lawful and peaceful rallies to the full
March 11, 2025