South Korea

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South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo reinstated as acting president after impeachment overturned

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea’s Constitutional Court overturned the impeachment of Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, reinstating the nation’s No. 2 official as acting leader Monday while not yet ruling on the separate impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol over his shocking imposition of martial law in December.

https://apnews.com/article/south-korea-impeachment-han-ducksoo-20daed0fb3c90c02ca229c977d230b06?

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At least 24 dead as wildfires ravage southern South Korea and force thousands to evacuate

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Wind-driven wildfires that were among South Korea’s worst ever have ravaged the country’s southern regions, killing 24 people, destroying more than 300 structures and forcing 28,800 residents to evacuate, officials said Wednesday.

https://apnews.com/article/south-korea-wildfires-death-toll-725062af5bfe2d664ddb2cb47c3db66f?

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South Korea’s truth commission says government responsible for fraud and abuse in foreign adoptions

South Korea’s truth commission concluded the government bears responsibility for facilitating a foreign adoption program rife with fraud and abuse, driven by efforts to reduce welfare costs and enabled by private agencies that often manipulated children’s backgrounds and origins. Read More.

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South Korea

South Korea’s highest court officially removed President Yoon Suk Yeol from office today. The ruling ended four months of political turmoil and legal wrangling that Yoon created when he declared martial law in December and sent soldiers into parliament to “drag out” lawmakers. He claimed his actions were justified by political deadlock and threats from “anti-state forces.” The lawmakers responded by pushing past the troops and gates, voting to overturn Yoon's decree and later, impeaching him. Moon Hyung-bae, the Constitutional Court’s head judge, said the martial law decree was unconstitutional because there was no grave national crisis at the time and thus could not be justified. Yoon still faces criminal charges that could land him in prison for life. A general election to choose a new president must be held within the next 60 days.

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South Korea’s acting leader Han resigns amid reports he will run for president

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea’s acting leader, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, said Thursday he is resigning to take on “heavier responsibility” as expectation mounted he will run in next month’s presidential election.

https://apnews.com/article/south-korea-presidential-election-han-ducksoo-94a9814f6eec74d5b7dd9565cfa41f7e?

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Diver DNA

There’s a community of women in South Korea known for free diving — without the help of breathing equipment — for several hours a day, collecting seafood from the ocean floor as deep as 60 feet below the surface. Scientists have discovered these women have evolved “unique genetic differences” that they hope will one day lead to improved medical treatments.

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Liberal opposition candidate Lee Jae-myung elected South Korea’s new president

South Korea’s liberal opposition candidate Lee Jae-myung was elected president early Wednesday. It was unclear whether Lee’s election would cause any major, immediate shift in South Korea’s foreign policy. Lee, previously accused by critics of tilting toward China and North Korea and away from the U.S. and Japan, has repeatedly stressed South Korea’s alliance with the U.S. as the foundation of its foreign policy. Read More.

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South Korea will bring home 300 workers detained in massive Hyundai plant raid in Georgia

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — More than 300 South Korean workers detained following a massive immigration raid at a Hyundai plant in Georgia will be released and brought home, the South Korean government announced Sunday.

https://apnews.com/article/us-south-korea-ice-raid-georgia-hyundai-ee8781d965c74a5ee18525ce87959ba4?

ps:Lets just keep alienating our friends!! It wont be long before all the Eastern countries will be against us! Than it will really be East against the West!!

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Unification Church leader arrested in bribery case involving former South Korean president’s wife

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The 82-year-old leader of the Unification Church was arrested in South Korea early Tuesday as investigators probe allegations that the church bribed the wife of jailed former President Yoon Suk Yeol and a conservative lawmaker.

https://apnews.com/article/arrest-warrant-unification-church-hak-ja-han-a94265a743ff76f860f1b5df9f6bed3f?

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Former South Korean president receives life sentence for imposing martial law in 2024

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was found guilty of leading an insurrection on Thursday and sentenced to life in prison for his brief imposition of martial law in 2024, a ruling that marks a dramatic culmination of the country’s biggest political crisis in decades.

https://apnews.com/article/south-korea-yoon-suk-yeol-martial-law-verdict-rebellion-5d5f5c3a82590dc805b41b905f5bbca1?

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Runway Safety Lapse

South Korean airport operators built a concrete mound at the end of Muan International Airport’s runway to cut costs, according to a government audit released yesterday. The decision violated safety standards and contributed to the 2024 Jeju Air crash that killed 179 people.  A report released earlier this year used computer simulations to reconstruct the Boeing 737-800’s belly landing and collision (see analysis) with a solid concrete mound after a bird strike left its landing gear inoperable. The audit found the airport had used solid concrete rather than collapsible materials to support a localizer antenna—a navigation aid that guides landing aircraft—because reshaping the surrounding terrain would have been more expensive. Investigators also determined that airport officials falsified inspection reports for 16 years to conceal the defect. The audit identified 14 similar localizer installations at nine airports nationwide that did not meet government regulations. Officials said they are working to replace those with compliant structures.