South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol defended his decision to impose martial law in December, as a top military commander testified in court on Tuesday. The Constitutional Court is reviewing Yoon’s impeachment, which could permanently remove him from office.
🔹 Court Proceedings Begin
President Yoon Suk Yeol appeared before the Constitutional Court on Tuesday, where he denied allegations of abuse of power over his December 3 martial law declaration. The court is reviewing his impeachment, with a final decision determining whether he will be permanently removed from office or reinstated.
🔹 Military Testimony Raises Concerns
Army Lieutenant General Lee Jin-woo, who commanded the Army Capital Defence Command, testified that he believed the martial law order was legitimate but declined to confirm whether Yoon had ordered the removal of lawmakers from parliament.
"I considered it an order," Lee told the court, adding that he trusted Yoon’s legal expertise as a former top prosecutor.
Yeo In-hyung, former head of the defence counterintelligence command, said he opposed martial law but complied with Yoon’s decision. He refused to confirm whether a list of politicians to arrest existed.
🔹 Allegations of Political Crackdown
Prosecutors accuse Yoon of attempting to arrest lawmakers and suppress media critical of his administration.
Hong Jang-won, former deputy chief of the National Intelligence Service, testified that Yoon ordered him to “catch them all and clean up everything.”
Hong claimed he received a list of politicians to arrest from military officials.
A copy of the indictment reviewed by Reuters alleges Yoon also instructed the safety minister to cut off power and water to media outlets critical of his leadership.
🔹 Yoon’s Defense
Yoon dismissed allegations of wrongdoing, telling the court that debating specific orders was irrelevant since “nothing actually happened.” He also denied Hong’s testimony outright.
🔹 What Happens Next?
The Constitutional Court will decide whether to uphold Yoon’s impeachment. If removed, a new presidential election must be held within 60 days. Meanwhile, Yoon remains in detention facing separate criminal charges of insurrection.
South Korea’s Air Force chief, Lee Young-su, publicly apologized for a bombing accident last week in Pocheon, which injured 29 people. The incident occurred when fighter jets mistakenly dropped bombs on a civilian area.
South Korea’s acting President Choi Sang-mok said Monday the government will seek consultations with the U.S. on shipbuilding and energy cooperation, as economic ties remain a priority.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was released from detention on Saturday following a court decision that canceled his arrest warrant on insurrection charges.
In a bid to end a 13-month dispute that has seen thousands of trainee doctors walk off the job and medical students boycotting classes, South Korea’s education ministry announced on Friday that it will freeze the number of new medical students at approximately 3,000 per year.
A South Korean court on Friday cancelled the arrest warrant for impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol, potentially paving the way for his release from jail as he faces trial on insurrection charges related to a brief imposition of martial law.
A mysterious collision between a U.S.-flagged chemical tanker carrying jet fuel for the U.S. military and a Portuguese-flagged container vessel unfolded off Britain’s coast on Tuesday morning, leaving both ships ablaze and prompting an urgent investigation into what went wrong
OpenAI on Tuesday introduced a suite of new developer tools designed to streamline the creation of advanced AI agents, signaling a strategic move amid intensifying competition from Chinese AI startups.
Mexico’s economy appears on track to contract in the first quarter, potentially plunging the country into a technical recession, as U.S. President Donald Trump’s fluctuating tariff policies disrupt growth that was already showing signs of weakness.
World leaders welcomed the 30-day ceasefire proposal that Ukraine has agreed to, calling it a step toward ending the conflict with Russia.
U.S. President Donald Trump reversed course on Tuesday, scaling back a planned 50% tariff on Canadian steel and aluminum just hours after announcing the sharp hike, following a retaliatory electricity surcharge threat from Ontario.
President Donald Trump is preparing a new travel ban that could block entry for people from Afghanistan and Pakistan as early as next week. The move is part of an intensified immigration crackdown.
Italy’s League party urges the government to favour Starlink over French-led Eutelsat for satellite communication systems, citing Starlink's technological edge. The push comes amid delays in the EU’s IRIS² program, as Italy seeks secure communication solutions for officials.
XPeng Motors plans to mass-produce flying cars by 2026, becoming the first company globally to do so. CEO He Xiaopeng also highlighted advancements in autonomous driving and humanoid robotics as part of the company’s future tech initiatives.
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) is set to condemn Trump’s Gaza “Riviera” plan, backing Egypt’s $53 billion reconstruction proposal. A classified draft resolution, rejects the relocation of Gazans, calls for urgent international support, and mobilises opposition to the U.S. stance.
A mysterious collision between a U.S.-flagged chemical tanker carrying jet fuel for the U.S. military and a Portuguese-flagged container vessel unfolded off Britain’s coast on Tuesday morning, leaving both ships ablaze and prompting an urgent investigation into what went wrong
Mexico’s economy appears on track to contract in the first quarter, potentially plunging the country into a technical recession, as U.S. President Donald Trump’s fluctuating tariff policies disrupt growth that was already showing signs of weakness.
World leaders welcomed the 30-day ceasefire proposal that Ukraine has agreed to, calling it a step toward ending the conflict with Russia.
U.S. President Donald Trump reversed course on Tuesday, scaling back a planned 50% tariff on Canadian steel and aluminum just hours after announcing the sharp hike, following a retaliatory electricity surcharge threat from Ontario.
Polling stations closed in Greenland on Tuesday in a closely watched parliamentary election, as U.S. President Donald Trump’s push to acquire the mineral-rich Arctic island fueled debate over independence from Denmark.
A mysterious collision between a U.S.-flagged chemical tanker carrying jet fuel for the U.S. military and a Portuguese-flagged container vessel unfolded off Britain’s coast on Tuesday morning, leaving both ships ablaze and prompting an urgent investigation into what went wrong
OpenAI on Tuesday introduced a suite of new developer tools designed to streamline the creation of advanced AI agents, signaling a strategic move amid intensifying competition from Chinese AI startups.
Mexico’s economy appears on track to contract in the first quarter, potentially plunging the country into a technical recession, as U.S. President Donald Trump’s fluctuating tariff policies disrupt growth that was already showing signs of weakness.
World leaders welcomed the 30-day ceasefire proposal that Ukraine has agreed to, calling it a step toward ending the conflict with Russia.
U.S. President Donald Trump reversed course on Tuesday, scaling back a planned 50% tariff on Canadian steel and aluminum just hours after announcing the sharp hike, following a retaliatory electricity surcharge threat from Ontario.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment