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The United States began a large military exercise with South Korea involving thousands of troops on Monday while also waging an escalating war in the Middle East. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff has said about 18,000 Korean troops will take part in Freedom Shield, which runs through March 19. US Forces Korea has not confirmed the number of American troops participating in the training in South Korea. The allies' combined exercise comes amid South Korean media speculation that Washington is relocating some assets from South Korea to support fighting against Iran. US Forces Korea said last week it would not comment on specific movements of military assets for security reasons. South Korean officials also declined to comment on the reports that some US Patriot anti-missile systems and other equipment were being moved to the Middle East, but they said there would be no meaningful impact on the allies' combined defence posture. Freedom Shield may trigger an irritated response from .
South Korea's jailed former president, Yoon Suk Yeol, has appealed his life sentence for rebellion over his brief imposition of martial law in December 2024, his lawyers said Tuesday. The conservative leader, who faces multiple trials over his power grab, expressed defiance following his conviction at the Seoul Central District Court last week. He called the decision illogical, said his actions were "solely for the sake of the nation and our people," and accused the judge of being biased against him. In a text message, Yoon's lawyers said they aimed to address the supposed "errors in fact-finding and misinterpretations of the law" contained in last Thursday's ruling. The case will now be sent to a specialized panel at a Seoul High Court established under a law passed in December to handle cases involving rebellion, treason and foreign subversion. "We will never be silent about what we view as an excessive indictment by a special prosecutor, the contradictory judgment rendered by the
Former President Yoon Suk Yeol was sentenced to life in prison for his brief imposition of martial law in December 2024. Judge Jee Kui-youn said he found Yoon guilty of rebellion for mobilizing military and police forces in an illegal attempt to seize the liberal-led National Assembly, arrest politicians and establish unchecked power for a "considerable" time. Yoon is likely to appeal the verdict. A special prosecutor had demanded the death penalty for Yoon, saying his actions posed a threat to the country's democracy and deserved the most serious punishment available, but most analysts expect a life sentence since the poorly-planned power grab did not result in casualties. South Korea has not executed a death row inmate since 1997, in what is widely seen as a de facto moratorium on capital punishment amid calls for its abolition. As Yoon arrived in court, hundreds of police officers watched closely as Yoon supporters rallied outside a judicial complex, their cries rising as the .
The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said Friday it was "sensible" for a South Korean government official to express regret for alleged civilian drone flights over North Korea but warned of counterattacks if they recur. The statement by Kim Yo Jong came after South Korean Unification Minister Chung Dong-young on Tuesday expressed "deep regret" over the alleged flights and stressed that Seoul's liberal government seeks "mutual recognition and peaceful coexistence" between the war-divided rivals. North Korea threatened retaliation last month after accusing South Korea of launching a surveillance drone flight in September and again in January. The South Korean government has denied operating any drones during the times specified by North Korea but law enforcement authorities are investigating three civilians suspected of flying drones into the North from border areas. The development threatens to further dampen prospects for a push by Seoul to resume long-stalled tal
South Korea's former interior minister was sentenced Thursday to seven years in prison for abetting then-President Yoon Suk Yeol's brief declaration of martial law in 2024. The verdict for Lee Sang-min came a week before a different judge at the same Seoul court rules on whether Yoon's actions amounted to rebellion, a crime for which prosecutors are seeking the death penalty. Lee, who led the ministry of interior and safety, was convicted for helping carry out the declaration and passing along Yoon's orders to the country's police and fire chiefs to cut water and electricity to news organisations that were critical of his policies. The instructions weren't carried out since martial law was lifted quickly after lawmakers broke through a military and police blockade at the National Assembly and unanimously voted to lift it. Lee denied receiving or issuing instructions to cut off utilities to the news organisations, disputing testimony from other officials, including former National F
The 68th annual Grammy Awards are taking place Sunday and spirits were high from the jump after a few back-to-back, history making moments. The Dalai Lama won his first Grammy for audio book, narration and storytelling recording, beating out Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. You ready that correctly. "I am not the Dalai Lama," Rufus Wainwright joked in an acceptance speech. "It was a privilege to participate on this project." "Golden" from "KPop Demon Hunters" won song written for visual media at the Premiere Ceremony, marking the first time a K-pop act has won a Grammy. Songwriters delivered their acceptance speech in both English and Korean, highlighting the song's bilingual appeal. Music film went to "Music for John Williams," which means director Steven Spielberg has officially won his first Grammy. That makes him an EGOT winner - an artist with an Emmy, Grammy, Tony and Oscar. The Premiere Ceremony, a pre-telecast show held at the adjacent Peacock Theater, began wi
President Donald Trump said Monday he is increasing tariffs on South Korean goods because the country's national assembly has yet to approve the trade framework announced last year. Trump said on social media that import taxes would be raised on autos, lumber and pharmaceutical drugs from South Korea with the rate on other goods going from 15 per cent to 25 per cent. The US president previously imposed the tariffs by declaring an economic emergency and bypassing Congress, while South Korea needed legislative approval for the framework announced in July and affirmed during Trump's October visit to the country. "Our Trade Deals are very important to America. In each of these Deals, we have acted swiftly to reduce our TARIFFS in line with the Transaction agreed to," Trump said. "We, of course, expect our Trading Partners to do the same." The threat was a reminder that the tariff drama unleashed last year by Trump is likely to be repeated again and again this year. The global economy a
A South Korean court sentenced former President Yoon Suk Yeol to five years in prison Friday on some charges related to his imposition of martial law. The verdict is the first against Yoon in the eight criminal trials over the decree he issued in late 2024 and other allegations. The most significant charge against him alleges that he led a rebellion in connection with his martial law enforcement and it carries a potential death penalty. The Seoul Central District Court in the case decided Friday sentenced him for other charges like his defiance of authorities' attempts to detain him. Yoon hasn't immediately publicly responded to the ruling. But when an independent counsel earlier demanded a 10-year prison term for Yoon over those charges, Yoon's defense team accused them of being politically driven and lacking legal grounds to demand such an excessive sentence. Yoon has been impeached, arrested and dismissed as president after his short-lived imposition of martial law in December
A fire on Friday in one of Seoul's last-remaining shanty towns burned makeshift houses and forced dozens of residents to flee, but no casualties were immediately reported. Much of the fire was under control about 6 1/2 hours after the blaze broke out in Guryong village in southern Seoul, fire officials said. Local fire officer Jeong Gwang-hun told a televised briefing that rescuers were searching each house in the burned area to look for possible victims. More than 1,200 personnel including firefighters and police officers were deployed to the scene, he said, adding the cause of the fire was under investigation. The hillside village has occasionally had fires over the years, a vulnerability that observers say is linked to its tightly packed homes built with materials that easily burn. The village is located near some of Seoul's most expensive neighbourhoods, with towering high-rise apartments and lavish shopping districts, and has long been a symbol of South Korea's stark income .
An independent counsel on Tuesday demanded the death sentence for former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on rebellion charges in connection with his short-lived imposition of martial law in December 2024. Yoon, who was removed from office last April and is in jail, faces eight trials over various criminal charges related to his martial law debacle and other scandals that flared during his time in office. Charges that he directed a rebellion are the most significant ones. Independent counsel Cho Eun-suk's team requested the Seoul Central District Court to sentence Yoon to death, describing his decree as anti-state activities and a self-coup. Cho's team alleged that Yoon aimed to prolong his rule by neutralising the constitutional structure of state governance systems. Speaking at the same court room later, Yoon slammed investigations on his rebellion charges, saying they've been frenzied" and that they have involved manipulation and distortion. Yoon, a conservative, also ...
North Korea's military accused South Korea of flying drones across the border between the nations this week, warning Saturday that South Korea will face consequences for its unpardonable hysteria. South Korea quickly denied the accusation. But the development is likely to further dim prospects for efforts by South Korea's liberal government to restore ties with North Korea. North Korean forces used special electronic warfare assets on Sunday to bring down a South Korean drone flying over North Korea's border town. The drone was equipped with two cameras that filmed unspecified areas, the General Staff of the North's Korean People's Army said in a statement carried by state media. South Korea infiltrated another drone into North Korean airspace on September 27 before it was forced to crash following electronic strikes by North Korea, the statement said, adding that authorities found the drone also contained video data on major objects in North Korea. We strongly denounce the hooliga