Politics

Acting South Korean President and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo delivers an address to the nation at the government complex in Seoul on Dec. 14. (Yonhap via Reuters)
Lawmakers cast their votes during a plenary session of the impeachment vote of President Yoon Suk Yeol at the National Assembly in Seoul on Dec.14, 2024.
South Korea leadership crisis

South Korea's Yoon impeached: 5 things to know

Constitutional Court to decide fate of disgraced president in next few months

15 December 2024
South Korean citizens celebrate in front of the National Assembly in Seoul after the legislature impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol on Dec.14.
South Korea leadership crisis

South Korean President Yoon impeached after martial law drama

Prime minister becomes acting president, assures 'no void in state affairs'

15 December 2024
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol speaks following his impeachment in Seoul on Dec. 14. (Photo by Korean Presidential Office/Kyodo)
South Korea leadership crisis

South Korea's Yoon says he will 'not give up' after impeachment vote

Leader has been suspended from office and awaits Constitutional Court ruling

14 December 2024
South Korea's ruling People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon enters the party's meeting at the National Assembly in Seoul on Dec. 14.
South Korea leadership crisis

Yoon's party maintains consensus to oppose second impeachment vote

But more ruling party lawmakers support move after martial law crisis

14 December 2024
Young protesters in Seoul hold placards with messages calling for the ouster of President Yoon Suk Yeol. (Photo by Ahn Seong-bok) 
South Korea leadership crisis

South Korea martial law brings youth into streets with K-pop light sticks

President's attempt to suspend rights inflamed latent frustration, analyst says

14 December 2024
Protesters attend a rally in Seoul on Dec. 12 calling for the impeachment of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol.
South Korea leadership crisis

More South Korean ruling party lawmakers back Yoon impeachment

With 8 PPP defections needed, 7 members publicly voice support, 1 anonymously

13 December 2024
Fewer tourists have been seen in Myeongdong, a shopping destination in central Seoul, since the brief declaration of martial law. (Photo by Nami Matsuura)
South Korea leadership crisis

South Korean martial law turmoil scares off foreign tourists

'Seoul is safe,' mayor says as businesses face canceled bookings

13 December 2024
Samsung is embroiled an Indian investigation which concluded that the South Korean electronics giant and other smartphone companies broke antitrust laws.
Technology

Samsung says India antitrust body holds workers, seizes data

Raid carried out as part of Amazon, Flipkart probe

12 December 2024
Protesters clash with police as they call for the impeachment of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol in Seoul on Dec. 12.
South Korea leadership crisis

South Korean opposition submits new motion to impeach Yoon

Pressure mounts on president as party support erodes before expected weekend vote

12 December 2024
U.S. soldiers and South Korean volunteers distribute charcoal briquettes, an inexpensive source of indoor heating, in the city of Dongducheon on Dec. 10. (Photo by Steven Borowiec)
South Korea leadership crisis

South Korea and U.S. work to keep defense ties warm after martial law

After initial criticism, two sides maintain their alliance remains 'ironclad'

12 December 2024
The House of Representatives passed an $895 billion defense budget for fiscal 2025 on Dec. 11. Now the bill heads to the Senate. (Photo by Ken Moriyasu)
Defense

U.S. House passes defense budget with Chinese lobbying limits

$895bn spending bill also pushes Pentagon to explore Japan's participation in AUKUS

12 December 2024
Relatives of victims of Taiwan's "White Terror" era of martial law hold lilies as they walk past a pond full of lilies during a memorial to mark the 22nd anniversary of the end of martial law in Taipei on July 15, 2009. 
Opinion

South Korean crisis stirs up memories of Taiwan's authoritarian past

Yoon's martial law fiasco underlines importance of independent state institutions

12 December 2024
A protester holds a sign calling for the arrest of President Yoon Suk Yeol during a rally on Dec. 11 in Seoul.
South Korea leadership crisis

South Korean police raid President Yoon's office in martial law probe

Investigations into martial law declaration intensify amid pressure to resign

11 December 2024
Protesters tear a banner representing the flag of the ruling People Power Party as they attend a rally calling for the impeachment of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol in front of PPP headquarters in Seoul on Dec. 9. 
South Korea leadership crisis

South Korean legislature passes motion to appoint special counsel for Yoon

Prosecutors, police and corruption office compete to probe embattled president

10 December 2024
A person dressed as Santa Claus passes by images of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol: Local stock investors are jittery following an abortive declaration of martial law last week.
Equities

South Korean retail investors dump stocks amid political crisis

Domestic shareholders 'more jittery'; foreign investors 'very calm': BNY

10 December 2024
A protester holds a banner calling for the impeachment of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol in front of the National Assembly in Seoul on Dec.9.
South Korea leadership crisis

South Korea ruling party shifting on president's impeachment

Embattled lawmakers coming to realize 'magnitude' of crisis, analyst says

10 December 2024
Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba, right, and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol shake hands at a meeting on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders' summit in Lima, Peru, in November.
International relations

How South Korea's chaos could lead to frayed Japan ties

In Tokyo, PM Ishiba warns of unpredictability after years of improving ties

9 December 2024
Members of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions shout slogans as they hold signs carrying the names of the ruling party's lawmakers who didn't vote at the impeachment motion, during a rally in front of the ruling People Power Party's head office in Seoul on Dec. 9.
South Korea leadership crisis

South Korean police say President Yoon could face questioning

President placed under travel ban as web of probes grows after martial law

9 December 2024
Col. Kim Hyun-tae, the commanding officer of the 707th Special Missions Group of South Korea, fought back tears while speaking to reporters outside the defense ministry in Seoul on Dec. 9.
South Korea leadership crisis

South Korea special forces officer: 'We were all victims' of martial law

Col. Kim Hyun-tae says his troops 'followed the orders of their commander'

9 December 2024
Protesters carry K-pop idol sticks at a rally calling for the impeachment of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol near the National Assembly in Seoul on Dec. 8.
Opinion

Yoon's martial law gambit was unsurprising in a polarized South Korea

Both progressive and conservative actors undermine liberal democratic norms

9 December 2024
South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo has held many high-profile positions.
South Korea leadership crisis

South Korean PM Han stands by for bigger role amid political turmoil

Veteran technocrat could step into spotlight after president's martial law gambit

9 December 2024
Following Donald Trump's win in the U.S. presidential election in early November, SGX's benchmark Straits Times Index rose to 17-year highs. (Nikkei montage/Source photo by Reuters)
Trading Asia

Singapore outruns Hong Kong in 'Trump trade' stock rally

ST Index bests Hang Seng as investors eye 'havens'; South Korean stocks fall further

9 December 2024
People protest during a candlelight vigil in Seoul on Dec. 5, calling for the resignation of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol.
Markets

South Korea's political fiasco still weighing on stocks, currency

Country's assets had already been weak; next year's economic outlook dim

9 December 2024
South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo bows to apologize while standing near ruling People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon as they release a joint public statement after the impeachment vote against the president failed, at the party's headquarters in Seoul on Dec. 8.
South Korea leadership crisis

South Korea martial law fallout deepens as prosecutors close in on president

Yoon's party says he will not be involved in foreign and other state affairs before resignation

8 December 2024
People call for South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's resignation in Seoul on Dec. 4.
Your Week in Asia

South Korea turmoil, Asian Nobel winners, China's economic meeting

Your weekly lineup of Asia's biggest business and political events

8 December 2024
A senior military official and opposition members say Kim Yong-hyun had proposed martial law to President Yoon.
South Korea leadership crisis

South Korea arrests ex-defense minister over martial law: Yonhap

Kim Yong-hyun seen as a central figure in botched attempt by Yoon

8 December 2024
President Yoon Suk Yeol has survived an opposition attempt to impeach him in the National Assembly after his People Power Party largely boycotted the vote. (Nikkei montage/Source photos by Getty Images)
South Korea leadership crisis

South Korea's Yoon survives impeachment bid: 3 things to know

Unpopular president can stay in office, though signs point to possible resignation

8 December 2024
Lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo sits alone, the only People Power Party lawmaker who remains in the voting chamber during the plenary session for the impeachment vote of President Yoon Suk Yeol at the National Assembly in Seoul on Dec. 7.
South Korea leadership crisis

South Korea presidential impeachment vote fails on ruling party boycott

Opposition leader says party will continue submitting impeachment motions

8 December 2024
Protesters react after South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol survived an impeachment motion in front of the National Assembly in Seoul on Dec. 7.
Politics

Timeline: How South Korean president's martial law bid unraveled

Four days of chaos led to impeachment vote against Yoon Suk Yeo

8 December 2024