Informal Institute for National Security Thinkers and Practitioners

Quotes of the Day:

“I am committed to looking reality in the face and speaking about it without pretense. It is because I reject lies, and running away, that I am accused of pessimism; but this rejection implies hope – the hope that truth may be of use. And this is a more optimistic attitude, then the choice of indifference, ignorance, or sham.”

– Simone de Beauvoir

"Individual freedom, views people not as a means to an end, but as ends in themselves, celebrating "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" as the inalienable reality of their nature."

– A core principle of classical liberalism

"What are you afraid of losing, when nothing in the actually belongs to you."

– Marcus Aurelius

1. South Korea Impeaches Acting President, Prolonging Political Upheaval

2. Nat'l Assembly votes to impeach acting President Han

3. Acting President Choi Sang-mok vows to prioritize stabilizing state affairs

4. Foreign ministry holds phone talks with U.S., Japanese, Chinese envoys after impeachment

5. Acting President Han says respects Nat'l Assembly's impeachment decision

6. State Department: “Aware of Significant North Korean Casualties”∙∙∙Experts: “Due to Lack of Training, Lack of Communication”

7. N.K. soldier captured by Ukraine dies from worsening wounds: S. Korea's spy agency

8. US Congress fails to extend North Korean Human Rights Act

9. U.S. Senate Armed Services and Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Lee Shi-Wicker Nominated… Calls for Nuclear Redeployment in Indo-Pacific Region

10. Deadlocked politics over successive impeachments fuel concerns over prolonging of economic instability, FX woes

11. Beijing and Pyongyang will exploit South Korea's turmoil

12. Frontline report: Ukrainian forces decimate column of outnumbered North Korean soldiers in Kursk forest

13. South Korea's leadership crisis in hands of Constitutional Court

14. How the Impeachment of South Korea’s President Will Continue

15. A night of chaos: Inside South Korea’s six hours of martial law

16. After South Korean president’s impeachment, acting president suffers same fate

1. South Korea Impeaches Acting President, Prolonging Political Upheaval

Useful details from WSJ reporting. See the graphic on succession at the link:

South Korea Impeaches Acting President, Prolonging Political Upheaval

Han Duck-soo declined to make judicial appointments needed to advance the impeachment of his predecessor

https://www.wsj.com/world/asia/south-korea-impeaches-acting-president-prolonging-political-upheaval-013db4c2?st=8rTujN&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

By Dasl Yoon

and Soobin Kim

Updated Dec. 27, 2024 4:19 am ET

(4th LD) Nat'l Assembly votes to impeach acting President Han | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by Lee Haye-ah · December 27, 2024

(ATTN: UPDATES with ruling party's injunction, new acting president's schedule; ADDS photos)

By Lee Haye-ah and Yi Wonju

SEOUL, Dec. 27 (Yonhap) -- The National Assembly voted Friday to impeach acting President Han Duck-soo less than two weeks after he took over for President Yoon Suk Yeol who was impeached for his botched imposition of martial law.

A motion to impeach Han passed unanimously in a 192-0 vote, marking the first time an acting president was impeached by parliament.

Ruling People Power Party lawmakers protest National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik's decision to set the quorum for acting President Han Duck-soo's impeachment at 151 votes, as main opposition Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung (C) walks to his seat, in the main hall of the National Assembly in Seoul on Dec. 27, 2024. (Yonhap)

Han was suspended from his duties as soon as the impeachment resolution was delivered to him, putting Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok in his seat to serve as both the acting president and the acting prime minister.

"I respect the decision of the National Assembly, and in order not to add to the confusion and uncertainty, I will suspend my duties in line with relevant laws, and wait for the swift and wise decision of the Constitutional Court," Han said in a statement.

The ruling People Power Party (PPP) protested the decision, however, saying the vote was invalid as the quorum for impeachment was set at a simple majority of 151 votes, which applies to Cabinet ministers, not at a two-thirds majority of 200 votes, which applies to the president.

The quorum was announced by National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik immediately before the vote, sending PPP lawmakers scrambling to encircle the speaker's seat and punch the air while shouting "null and void."

Acting President Han Duck-soo delivers an address to the nation at the government complex in Seoul on Dec. 26, 2024. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)

The impeachment motion against Han was introduced by the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) the previous day after he refused to appoint additional justices to the Constitutional Court that will adjudicate Yoon's impeachment trial.

The DP listed five reasons for his impeachment, including his refusal to appoint justices, his involvement in Yoon's martial law imposition and his refusal to promulgate two special counsel bills targeting Yoon and first lady Kim Keon Hee.

The court currently has only six justices on the bench after three retired at the end of their terms. By law, at least six votes are required to uphold an impeachment motion, which means the appointment of three additional justices could improve the chances of Yoon's impeachment being upheld.

Shortly after the motion against Han passed, the PPP filed for an adjudication on jurisdiction disputes and an injunction with the Constitutional Court to nullify his impeachment.

Meanwhile, Finance Minister Choi assumed his duties and planned to meet with Han later in the day before holding a phone call with the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, issuing a written address to the public and convening the National Security Council, according to his ministry.

Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok leaves a meeting with Cabinet members at the government complex in Seoul on Dec. 27, 2024. (Yonhap)

julesyi@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by Lee Haye-ah · December 27, 2024

3. Acting President Choi Sang-mok vows to prioritize stabilizing state affairs

How long will it take for the opposition to seek Acting President Choi's impeachment?

On the other hand it appears that Acting President Choi is acting decisively to ensure the government keeps functioning.

(2nd LD) Acting President Choi Sang-mok vows to prioritize stabilizing state affairs | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Han-joo · December 27, 2024

(ATTN: CHANGES photo; ADDS more info)

By Kim Han-joo

SEOUL, Dec. 27 (Yonhap) -- Acting President Choi Sang-mok said Friday the government will do its utmost to focus on stabilizing state affairs amid ongoing political turbulence stemming from the short-lived imposition of martial law earlier this month.

Choi, who also serves as deputy prime minister for economic affairs and finance minister, stepped into the interim leadership role following the suspension of acting President Han Duck-soo's duties by the National Assembly earlier in the day.

Han was impeached less than two weeks after he took over for President Yoon Suk Yeol on Dec. 14, who was impeached for his mishandling of martial law.

Acting President Choi Sang-mok convenes the National Security Council at the government complex building in Seoul on Dec. 27, 2024. (Yonhap)

In a written statement addressed to the nation, Choi emphasized the importance of minimizing the confusion in state affairs.

"The government will do its best to ensure national stability," Choi said

Choi also offered an apology as a member of the Cabinet for contributing to the current chaos. He has faced pressure over his attendance at a Cabinet meeting held shortly before Yoon declared martial law on Dec. 3.

Separately, the new acting president reaffirmed the strong alliance between South Korea and the United States during a phone call with the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, according to the finance ministry.

Choi urged the military to remain on high alert, citing the possibility of provocations from North Korea.

"Readiness posture should be maintained to prevent North Korea from making any rash moves and uphold a firm security stance based on the strong South Korea-U.S. alliance," he ordered.

Choi also instructed Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul to maintain close communication channels with partner countries.

He also emphasized the importance of reassuring other countries that South Korea's foreign policy will remain unchanged, and that international exchanges and trade will not be disrupted.

Additionally, Choi urged the acting minister of the interior and safety to ensure public order while strengthening disaster response systems.

Choi also ordered Health Minister Cho Kyoo-hong to prioritize emergency medical plans for winter, ensuring that emergency medical systems operate smoothly.

Later in the day, Choi also convened the National Security Council, his office said.

Choi's tenure as acting president is expected to face challenges from the opposition-controlled National Assembly.

The main opposition Democratic Party has urged Choi to promptly appoint three Constitutional Court justice nominees to deliberate on Yoon's impeachment trial.

khj@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Han-joo · December 27, 2024

4. Foreign ministry holds phone talks with U.S., Japanese, Chinese envoys after impeachment

Foreign ministry holds phone talks with U.S., Japanese, Chinese envoys after impeachment | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Boram · December 27, 2024

SEOUL, Dec. 27 (Yonhap) -- High-ranking officials of South Korea's foreign ministry held phone discussions with ambassadors from the United States, Japan and China following the National Assembly's vote to impeach acting President Han Duck-soo, the foreign ministry said Friday.

Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul spoke with U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Philip Goldberg to exchange views on issues between the two countries as Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok assumed the presidential role after Han's impeachment.

During the call, Goldberg reaffirmed the U.S.' unwavering support for the strong U.S.-South Korea alliance and emphasized the importance of continued close communication, the ministry said.

First Vice Minister Kim Hong-kyun and Deputy Minister for Political Affairs Chung Byung-won also held separate phone talks with Japanese and Chinese envoys, respectively, discussing ways to maintain strong bilateral relationships under the leadership of new acting President Choi.

This file photo, taken Nov. 4, 2024, shows U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Philip Goldberg (2nd from L). (Yonhap)

brk@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Boram · December 27, 2024

5. Acting President Han says respects Nat'l Assembly's impeachment decision

At least the President and Acting President respect the National Assembly decisions. Although it is counterintuitive to some of us, they seem to be respecting the democratic process more than the DPK.

Acting President Han says respects Nat'l Assembly's impeachment decision | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr

Acting President Han says respects Nat'l Assembly's impeachment decision

Chae Yun-hwan

All News 17:20 December 27, 2024

SEOUL, Dec. 27 (Yonhap) -- Acting President Han Duck-soo said Friday he respects the National Assembly's vote on his impeachment and vowed to wait for a ruling by the Constitutional Court over the impeachment.

Han's remarks came shortly after the National Assembly voted to impeach him less than two weeks after he assumed the interim leadership for President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was impeached on Dec. 14 for his botched imposition of martial law.

"(I) respect the National Assembly's decision, and in order not to add on to the confusion and uncertainty, my duties will be suspended in accordance to relevant laws, and (I) will wait for the swift and wise decision from the Constitutional Court," he said in a statement.

It marked the first time that an acting president was impeached by parliament.

Acting President Han Duck-soo leaves a news conference at the government complex in central Seoul on Dec. 26, 2024. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)

yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr

(END)

6. State Department: “Aware of Significant North Korean Casualties”∙∙∙Experts: “Due to Lack of Training, Lack of Communication”

This is a Google translation of a VOA report.

Not mentioned by the journalist is that I said I remain skeptical about all reports about north Korean fighting in Russia/Ukraine but if the reports of high casualties are true these might be reasons why.

State Department: “Aware of Significant North Korean Casualties”∙∙∙Experts: “Due to Lack of Training, Lack of Communication”

2024.12.27

An Jun-ho

https://www.voakorea.com/a/7915184.html

The U.S. State Department said it was aware of the recent large number of casualties among North Korean troops deployed to Russia, and reiterated that North Korean troops were legitimate military targets. Experts pointed out that the large number of casualties among North Korean troops was due to lack of training, lack of interoperability, and lack of communication. Reporter Ahn Jun-ho reports.

In response to VOA’s inquiry regarding recent casualties of North Korean troops deployed to Russia, a State Department spokesperson stated on the 26th, “We are aware that there were significant North Korean casualties in the Kursk region,” and “As previously stated, North Korean troops participating in Russia’s illegal war against Ukraine are legitimate military targets.”

[State Department Spokesperson] “We are also aware of significant DPRK casualties in Kursk. As we have previously said, DPRK troops joining Russia’s illegal war against Ukraine are legitimate military targets.”

“Russia suffers 1,200 casualties a day”

“It is important to note that Russia is suffering over 1,200 casualties a day,” he continued. “That is more than at any time during this war.”

[State Department Spokesperson] “It is worth noting that Russia is suffering more than 1,200 Russian casualties per day – which is more than at any other time during the war.”

Earlier, the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff announced in a report titled 'Recent North Korean Military Trends' on the 23rd that approximately 1,100 North Korean soldiers deployed to Russia suffered casualties.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed that North Korean casualties had exceeded 3,000.

Earlier, in a press briefing on the 19th, U.S. Department of Defense Spokesperson Patrick Ryder said regarding the South Korean National Intelligence Service's report that at least 100 North Korean soldiers were killed, "I can't give you the exact number of killed and wounded, but hundreds were killed or wounded, and since they were fighting alongside the Russian military, that number is sure to increase."

[Recording: Ryder Spokesperson] “I'm not going to have a breakdown for you in terms of KIA wounded but several hundred have and as they engage in combat with the Russians you know, we certainly would anticipate that those numbers will go up .”

Since then, the U.S. government has not made any specific comments about the number of North Korean casualties.

A State Department spokesperson also noted that “North Korea’s direct support for Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine would be a dangerous escalation of the conflict, with serious consequences for the security of Europe and the Indo-Pacific region.”

He added, “Anyone who cares about preserving peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, upholding international law, and supporting the Ukrainian people in their fight to defend their freedom and independence against brutal Russian aggression should be deeply concerned about the deepening cooperation between Russia and North Korea.”

[State Department Spokesperson] “Deepening cooperation between Russia and the DPRK should be of great concern to anyone interested in maintaining peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, upholding international law and supporting the people of Ukraine as they defend their freedom and independence against Russia's brutal invasion .”

“North Korean troops not being properly utilized, resulting in many casualties”

David Maxwell, Vice President, Asia Pacific Strategy Center

David Maxwell, a former Green Beret and deputy director of the Asia-Pacific Strategy Center who served as the operations chief of staff for the ROK-US Combined Forces Command, said in a telephone interview with VOA that the reasons for the high number of North Korean casualties include the possibility that the North Korean military is not being properly utilized, difficulties in communicating with the Russian military, and a lack of training.

“If they are Storm Corps, 11th Corps special operations forces, they likely have more training in infiltration techniques than in traditional military operations,” Maxwell said. “Just because they have advanced training and special operations training, that doesn’t mean they are the best suited to conduct traditional military operations.”

[Recording: Vice President Maxwell] “They are unlikely to be employed in accordance with their capabilities. Meaning if they are special operations forces from the Storm Corps, the 11th Corps, they are more likely to be trained in infiltration techniques rather than conventional military operations.”

He continued, “This is not the case, especially when using complex weapon systems and when artillery, tanks, and infantry are maneuvering together,” adding, “This is not the right way to use special forces.”

“Lack of communication and interoperability is also a cause”

“Deploying as part of a Russian unit under Russian command and control could result in communication difficulties and interoperability issues,” Maxwell added. “Not only communication, but the tactics, techniques, and procedures used by Russia and North Korea are not compatible with each other, so there could be more problems than if we had conducted long-term joint training.”

[Recording: Vice President Maxwell] “If they are employed as part of Russian units under Russian command and control where there is difficulty in communications, difficulty of interoperability where not only communications is difficult, but the tactics, techniques and procedures that the Russians and North Korean use may not be as compatible as if they had conducted a long term training together.”

“Malnutrition due to lack of resources… Training is just ‘superficial’”

Deputy Maxwell also pointed out that “North Korean military training should not be overestimated,” and that “the same goes for special forces.”

“The North Korean military is under-resourced, focuses more on ideological indoctrination than actual combat training, and even its special forces are required to perform a variety of tasks outside of their training, such as farming and construction, which means they are not as effectively trained for combat as other militaries around the world,” Maxwell said.

Hyunseung Lee, Researcher, Global Peace Foundation

Lee Hyun-seung, a researcher at the Global Peace Foundation who was formerly from a unit directly under the General Staff of the North Korean military and trained with the Storm Corps soldiers who were recently dispatched to Russia, cited a lack of training as the biggest reason for the high number of casualties in the North Korean military.

The researcher told VOA in a telephone interview that day that the North Korean military lacks training and that since the so-called “Arduous March” in the mid-1990s, there has been a lack of support for military units, causing soldiers to suffer from malnutrition. He also said that many are being mobilized for farming and construction work outside of training.

[Recording: Researcher Lee] “The first reason is lack of training. So, first of all, North Korean soldiers are reported to have almost no training for modern warfare. And since the Arduous March, support for military units has been poor, so to speak, and malnutrition has been common among North Korean soldiers. Also, since soldiers spend most of their time farming or doing other activities outside of their training, they are not given the awareness of training and the time to train….”

The researcher also said that special forces have to train using mobile equipment such as aircraft, but because there is no fuel, the aircraft cannot take off, and because transportation by armored vehicles is not active, even when they do train, it is often just for show.

He continued, “It seems that North Korean troops deployed to Russia are helpless because they have not received proper drone training,” and “The fact that the North Korean military trains a lot in mountainous areas but little in open areas may be one of the reasons for the high number of casualties.”

“Russia, drive North Korean troops into Ukrainian positions like in WWI”

Bruce Klingner, Senior Research Fellow, Heritage Foundation

Bruce Klingner, a senior fellow at the Heritage Foundation and former deputy director for Korea affairs at the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), told VOA in a phone interview that day that “the North Korean military does not seem to understand drone warfare or other aspects of modern warfare,” but that “it is still unclear how effective the North Korean military is, as there are mixed positive and negative reports about the North Korean military.”

However, Senior Researcher Klingner pointed out that “North Korea’s training seems to be sporadic,” and that “they seem poorly adapted to modern warfare.”

He added that there were also difficulties in communication between Russian and North Korean military commanders and units.

“Russia may be using the North Korean military in a very simple, almost World War I-style assault,” Klingner continued.

He continued, “It would be like indiscriminately throwing North Korean troops into fixed Ukrainian positions like in World War I, so there are bound to be many casualties.”

[Recording: Senior Researcher Klingner] “And Russia may also be using them in sort of very simplistic, almost World War I waves of attack. So it’s just throwing the North Korean troops against fixed Ukrainian positions which like in World War I would lead to very high casualties.”

“It is difficult to determine the exact number of casualties in a conflict situation”

Senior Researcher Klingner also said about the discrepancies in the numbers of North Korean casualties announced by the South Korean, Ukrainian, and U.S. governments, “It is always very difficult to determine the exact number of casualties during wartime,” adding, “It can also be very difficult to distinguish between Russian and North Korean forces.”

[Recording: Senior Researcher Klingner] “I think it's always very difficult to get accurate casualty figures, especially during the conflict. And it may also be very difficult to discern between Russian and North Korean troops.”

“While the drone footage shows Asian soldiers, they may not be North Korean but rather from the Russian Far East,” said Senior Researcher Klinger.

This is Ahn Jun-ho from VOA News.

7. N.K. soldier captured by Ukraine dies from worsening wounds: S. Korea's spy agency

(2nd LD) N.K. soldier captured by Ukraine dies from worsening wounds: S. Korea's spy agency | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by Park Boram · December 27, 2024

(ATTN: RECASTS headline; UPDATES paras 1-5; ADDS byline)

By Park Boram

SEOUL, Dec. 27 (Yonhap) -- An injured North Korean solider died Friday from worsening wounds, a day after being captured by Ukraine, South Korea's spy agency confirmed, citing intelligence from a "friendly country."

"We confirmed through a friendly nation's intelligence organization that a North Korean solider, captured alive on Dec. 26, died a short while ago as (his) wounds worsened," the National Intelligence Service (NIS) said.

The remarks came hours after the agency initially confirmed Ukraine's capture of an injured North Korean soldier, following a news report about Ukrainian special operations troops seizing a North Korean fighter in the first reported instance of its kind.

The NIS confirmed the report as valid.

Ukraine's military-focused news outlet Militarnyi reported Thursday (local time) that Ukraine's forces captured the soldier during operations in Russia's western front-line region of Kursk, without specifying when the incident occurred.

A photo of the purportedly captured North Korean soldier, who appeared to have sustained injuries, circulated on Telegram. Details of the soldier's condition and status remained unknown.

If confirmed, it would mark the first time Ukraine has captured a North Korean soldier engaged in combat, according to Militarnyi.

Some 11,000 North Korean troops have been sent to Russia so far, with signs of preparations for further deployment of troops and military equipment, according to South Korean officials.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said earlier this week that North Korea has suffered more than 3,000 casualties in the Kursk region.

A suspected North Korean soldier reportedly captured by the Ukrainian military is seen in this undated photo captured from Telegram. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by Park Boram · December 27, 2024

8. US Congress fails to extend North Korean Human Rights Act

Should have been a simple vote. What is the matter with Congress? Sure as the President of the Committee for Human RIghts in North Korea, Greg Scarlatoiu, says below that there are competing priorities. But can't we walk, talk, and chew gum at the same time?

This is a Google translation of a VOA report. This is not being reported in other media outlets so we have to again thank VOA for keeping us abreast of important issues.

Excerpts:

It marks the first time since the NKHRA, became law that the reenactment bill has been dead for more than two years. Congress reapproved the measure three times, in 2008, 2012 and 2018.

Lawmakers vowed to work toward the reenactment of the NKHRA during the next congressional session.

Representative Young Kim, who chairs the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Indo-Pacific, said she was "extremely disappointed that the Senate failed to take up the North Korean Human Rights Reauthorization Act." The House passed the bill last month.

"Kim Jong Un subjects his own people to gross human rights abuses as he grows his nuclear arsenal, and the Senate is turning a blind eye to North Korean aggression by failing to pass this bill," Kim said in an emailed statement to VOA Korean on Monday.

“This remains a top priority of mine,” she stressed. “I will keep fighting to get this across the finish line to counter North Korea and promote US leadership and values around the world.”

The office of Representative Ami Bera, ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Indo-Pacific, said in an emailed statement to VOA Korean that Bera "looks forward to working with his Senate colleagues to pass this bipartisan legislation in the 119th Congress. "

Kim and Bera led the bill in the House, while senators Marco Rubio and Tim Kaine introduced the Senate version of the bill.

US Congress fails to extend North Korean Human Rights Act

2024.12.27

https://www.voakorea.com/a/us-congress-fails-to-extend-north-korean-human-rights-act/7915526.html

WASHINGTON —

The US Congress once again failed to pass a bipartisan bill to reauthorize the North Korean Human Rights Act, or NKHRA, painting a bleak picture for the future of the measure originally adopted by Congress and signed by President George W. Bush in 2004 to ensure the US continues to promote basic freedoms of speech, press and religion in North Korea.

Last Friday, the Congress ended its 118th session at midnight without the Senate approving the extension of the NKHRA, which expired at the end of September 2022.

The bill to extend the NKHRA was not even brought to the floor at the Senate this year, as the budget was more focused on other issues, including averting a government shutdown.

The bill called for measures such as reuniting Korean Americans with their families in North Korea, appointing a special envoy for North Korean human rights issues and supporting US broadcasting efforts in North Korea.

The 119th US Congress starts next year, and the NKHRA reauthorization bill will have to be reintroduced at the new session and again go through a process of discussion, deliberation, changes and eventually voting.

Lawmakers vow to try again

It marks the first time since the NKHRA, became law that the reenactment bill has been dead for more than two years. Congress reapproved the measure three times, in 2008, 2012 and 2018.

Lawmakers vowed to work toward the reenactment of the NKHRA during the next congressional session.

Representative Young Kim, who chairs the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Indo-Pacific, said she was "extremely disappointed that the Senate failed to take up the North Korean Human Rights Reauthorization Act." The House passed the bill last month.

"Kim Jong Un subjects his own people to gross human rights abuses as he grows his nuclear arsenal, and the Senate is turning a blind eye to North Korean aggression by failing to pass this bill," Kim said in an emailed statement to VOA Korean on Monday.

“This remains a top priority of mine,” she stressed. “I will keep fighting to get this across the finish line to counter North Korea and promote US leadership and values around the world.”

The office of Representative Ami Bera, ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Indo-Pacific, said in an emailed statement to VOA Korean that Bera "looks forward to working with his Senate colleagues to pass this bipartisan legislation in the 119th Congress. "

Kim and Bera led the bill in the House, while senators Marco Rubio and Tim Kaine introduced the Senate version of the bill.

VOA Korean reached out to Rubio's and Kaine's offices for comments but did not receive a reply.

VOA Korean also sought comment from the Permanent Mission of North Korea to the United Nations, but did not receive a response.

Competing priorities

Human rights experts in Washington said getting the NKHRA passed in Congress is challenging because North Korean human rights must compete with other seemingly more urgent issues.

“It’s very hard to — when you’re competing with Gaza and Ukraine — to get people to focus on what’s going on,” said Robert King, who served as special envoy for North Korea human rights issues at the US State Department from November 2009 to January 2017.

"The effort continues, and people are still concerned, and people still reflect the views that North Korea needs to make progress on human rights, but there's a lot of competition. There are a lot of other issues and concerns that are also important," King told VOA Korean on Tuesday by phone, adding that he doesn't see any skepticism among US audits about the effectiveness of the NKHRA.

Greg Scarlatoiu, president of the Washington-based Committee for Human Rights in North Korea, told VOA Korean in a Zoom interview Tuesday that the two-year absence of the NKHRA is "a matter of prioritizing other crises."

Scarlatoiu emphasized that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's monolithic power and pursuit of nuclear weapons have come at the cost of North Korean people's human rights.

“By means of oppressing and exploiting its own people at home and abroad, there is a clear nexus between human rights violations and the security challenges that North Korea poses to the world,” he said.

Scarlatoiu also pointed out that the recent deployment of North Korean soldiers in Russia is clear evidence of the Kim regime's violation of human rights.

“Now, as unbelievable as that might have sounded two years ago, it poses a security threat to Europe, so this is a very, very urgent issue for the Congress,” he said.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said Monday there are indications that North Korea is preparing to send more troops and weapons to support Russia's war effort in Ukraine. North Korea so far has sent about 12,000 troops to Russia, according to South Korea, the United States and Ukraine.

North Korean defectors say Pyongyang has likely kept the deployment of that nation's soldiers secret from its own people, including the soldiers' families.

A State Department spokesperson declined to comment in response to VOA Korean's inquiry about Congress' failure to pass the bill.

“As a general matter, we do not comment on pending legislation,” the spokesperson said in an emailed statement.

The State Department maintains, however, that North Korea is one of the most repressive regimes in the world.

"The DPRK [North Korea] is among the most repressive authoritarian states in the world. Its human rights situation is deplorable," a State Department spokesperson said in an emailed statement to VOA Korean on October 15, after North Korea criticized the US in its The annual Universal Periodic Review, a process through which each United Nations member state undergoes a peer review of its human rights records.

9. U.S. Senate Armed Services and Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Lee Shi-Wicker Nominated… Calls for Nuclear Redeployment in Indo-Pacific Region

Regardless of your views on redeploying nuclear weapons to the theater, at least Reps Risch and Wicker are looking at China and north Korea issues more holistically and not as separate problems.

This is a Google translation of a VOA report.

Excerpt:

Reps. Risch and Wicker are among those who have spoken out about the need to deploy U.S. nuclear weapons in the Indo-Pacific region, including the Korean Peninsula.

...

Rep. Risch, who served as the top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in the 118th Congress, has also proposed redeploying nuclear weapons to the Indo-Pacific.

“We should consider redeploying nuclear weapons to the Pacific theater to strengthen our extended deterrence,” Rep. Risch told VOA in August, citing the growing nuclear capabilities of China, Russia, and North Korea. “There should be no taboo in deepening discussions with our allies on this issue.”

Rep. Risch, along with Republicans, introduced legislation this session to combat competition with China that would require consideration of the deployment of nuclear assets in the region, and it is likely that such legislation will be reintroduced and given a boost in the new session, which is controlled by Republicans.

In addition, with regard to the Korean Peninsula issue, Rep. Rishi has discussed the need to strengthen trilateral cooperation between the U.S., South Korea, and Japan and to increase the defense cost sharing between South Korea and Japan.

Both Reps. Risch and Wicker are considered traditional mainstream Republicans.

As the third-term Republican who served as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in the 116th Congress, he has a particular interest in China issues.

U.S. Senate Armed Services and Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Lee Shi-Wicker Nominated… Calls for Nuclear Redeployment in Indo-Pacific Region

2024.12.27

Lee Jo-eun

https://www.voakorea.com/a/7915151.html

Senators James Risch and Roger Wicker have been nominated to lead the Foreign Affairs and Armed Services Committees, which oversee national security policy in the U.S. Senate, where Republicans will take over the majority next year. The two senators have been arguing for the need to deploy U.S. nuclear weapons in the Indo-Pacific region. Reporter Lee Jo-eun reports.

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U.S. Senate Armed Services and Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Lee Shi-Wicker Nominated… Calls for Nuclear Redeployment in Indo-Pacific Region

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Senator John Thune, who will lead the Senate Republicans in the 119th Congress that begins on January 3, has released the list of Republican senators who will be assigned to 21 Senate committees in the new Congress.

According to the list released on the 20th, Senators James Risch and Roger Wicker have been nominated as the next chairmen of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the Armed Services Committee, respectively, which oversee U.S. national security policy.

The list will not become official until it is approved by the new Senate.

Reps. Risch and Wicker are among those who have spoken out about the need to deploy U.S. nuclear weapons in the Indo-Pacific region, including the Korean Peninsula.

Republican Senator Roger Wicker.

Senator Wicker, who served as the top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee in the 118th Congress, proposed in May that the United States consider new nuclear sharing agreements in the Indo-Pacific region and redeployment of U.S. tactical nuclear weapons to the Korean Peninsula in his “major defense investment plan.”

In June, he said in a plenary speech that “we should discuss a nuclear burden-sharing agreement with South Korea, Japan, and Australia,” and that “we should explore ways to redeploy U.S. nuclear weapons to places where they were deployed in the past, namely the Indo-Pacific region, to check North Korea and China.”

[Recording: Representative Wicker] “With our allies South Korea, Japan, and Australia, we should discuss nuclear burden-sharing agreements… We should also explore re-deploying American nuclear weapons back where they have been in the past, to that region, to keep North Korea and China in check.”

It is expected that efforts by Rep. Wicker to include in the National Defense Authorization Act, which includes a large-scale defense investment plan that includes a plan to redeploy tactical nuclear weapons on the Korean Peninsula, will continue in the new session.

Moreover, since the new Congress is dominated by Republicans, there is a good chance that the measures proposed by Rep. Wicker as chairman of the Armed Services Committee will gain traction.

Rep. Risch, who served as the top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in the 118th Congress, has also proposed redeploying nuclear weapons to the Indo-Pacific.

“We should consider redeploying nuclear weapons to the Pacific theater to strengthen our extended deterrence,” Rep. Risch told VOA in August, citing the growing nuclear capabilities of China, Russia, and North Korea. “There should be no taboo in deepening discussions with our allies on this issue.”

Rep. Risch, along with Republicans, introduced legislation this session to combat competition with China that would require consideration of the deployment of nuclear assets in the region, and it is likely that such legislation will be reintroduced and given a boost in the new session, which is controlled by Republicans.

In addition, with regard to the Korean Peninsula issue, Rep. Rishi has discussed the need to strengthen trilateral cooperation between the U.S., South Korea, and Japan and to increase the defense cost sharing between South Korea and Japan.

Both Reps. Risch and Wicker are considered traditional mainstream Republicans.

As the third-term Republican who served as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in the 116th Congress, he has a particular interest in China issues.

He also supports strengthening the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and providing active support to Ukraine, taking a somewhat different approach from his fellow party member, President-elect Donald Trump.

Rep. Wicker, who won his fourth term in last month's election, is a former lieutenant colonel in the Air Force Reserve and, like Rep. Risch, has supported strong support for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, and has argued for active U.S. engagement around the world.

Meanwhile, in the House of Representatives, where Republicans maintain a majority in the new Congress, Rep. Brian Mast and Rep. Mike Rogers have been nominated to be the next chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Armed Services Committees, respectively.

The formal appointment will be made after House approval early next year.

Republican Senator Brian Mast.

Rep. Mast, who was elected to succeed Michael McCaul on the Foreign Affairs Committee, served in the Army for nearly 12 years and lost both legs while serving as an explosive ordnance disposal technician in Afghanistan in 2010.

Congressman Mast's position on security issues on the Korean Peninsula is not widely known, but in 2022, when North Korea launched an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), he criticized the Biden administration's "weakness" in a statement and emphasized the need to show "peace through strength" by imposing strong sanctions on North Korea.

While Senator Mast has also supported strong support for Israel, he has been skeptical of continued U.S. financial support for Ukraine.

Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Ky.

Rep. Rogers, who will continue to serve as chairman of the House Armed Services Committee in the new session, is a figure who maintains the traditional mainstream Republican position.

In particular, with regard to the Korean Peninsula, we have repeatedly emphasized the importance of strengthening regional and mainland missile defenses to prepare for the growing threat from North Korea.

Rep. Rogers also expressed his opposition to South Korea and Japan possessing their own nuclear weapons, telling VOA in April, “I don’t think it’s a desirable move.”

[Recording: Representative Rogers] “I don’t think that is a good move… we don't need any more nuclear power to deal with… I think providing enough resources, in that area of responsibility is one of the best ways to achieve that goal.”

“We should not have any more nuclear states to deal with,” Rep. Rogers said.

Instead, he emphasized the importance of the extended deterrence that the United States provides to South Korea and Japan, saying, “Providing sufficient resources within the region is one of the best ways to achieve that goal (strengthening extended deterrence).”

10. Deadlocked politics over successive impeachments fuel concerns over prolonging of economic instability, FX woes

It is amazing that there has not been more economic fallout so far.

(News Focus) Deadlocked politics over successive impeachments fuel concerns over prolonging of economic instability, FX woes | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Han-joo · December 27, 2024

By Kim Han-joo

SEOUL, Dec. 27 (Yonhap) -- The passage of the impeachment motion on Friday against acting President Han Duck-soo and the ensuing deadlock at the National Assembly has raised concerns over the nation's already fragile economy, amplifying uncertainty amid an unprecedented wave of political turmoil.

The opposition-controlled National Assembly voted to impeach Han over his refusal to appoint Constitutional Court justices to oversee President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment trial.

Yoon's duties were suspended earlier this month after his controversial declaration of martial law on Dec. 3.

With Han also suspended from his role as both prime minister and acting president, concerns are mounting over whether the next-in-line acting president, Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok, can prevent further economic woes and reinduce investor confidence.

Economic experts and government officials worry that the ongoing turmoil could further worsen instability and deepen the challenges facing South Korea's export-driven economy, which has been struggling with a prolonged downturn and weakened local currency.

Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok (C) speaks during a press conference at the government complex building in Seoul on Dec. 27, 2024. (Yonhap)

The Korean won has plunged to a 16-year low, extending its nearly 13 percent decline this year and cementing its position as the weakest-performing currency in Asia.

The won was quoted at 1,467.5 won per U.S. dollar, down 2.7 won from the previous session. It was the lowest level since March 13, 2009, when the currency was quoted at 1,483.5 won in the aftermath of the global financial crisis.

"If political uncertainty drags on, its adverse effects on the economy will inevitably worsen," Seok Byung-hoon, an economics professor at Ewha Womans University, said.

He also warned that prolonged instability could trigger further foreign capital outflows, pushing the dollar-Korean won exchange rate even higher and further weigh down on the local bourse.

On Friday, the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index extended losses for the third consecutive session by falling 1.02 percent to close at 2,404.77.

Experts point to "uncertainty" as the most significant factor to impact the country's credit rating.

"The mismatch between market expectations and policy decisions is particularly worrisome," Park Sang-hyun, a senior analyst at iM Securities, said. "This could deter foreign investors, adding another layer of complexity to the economic challenges."

Some analysts, however, view Choi's appointment as a potential stabilizing factor to ease the uncertainty issue.

They highlight his extensive experience as an economic bureaucrat and his nonpartisan background, which could enable him to focus on guiding the country's policies toward economic recovery.

"Given the current political and economic uncertainties, stability can only be restored by resolving leadership issues," said an economic expert who requested anonymity. "Choi's appointment could serve as a calming influence."

However, concerns persist about whether Choi, as the economic policy chief, can effectively address the broader national issues that extend beyond his economic expertise.

"It's unrealistic to expect the economic control tower to also manage diplomatic, defense and security matters," said a finance ministry official who requested anonymity.

A parliamentary plenary session is held at the National Assembly in Seoul on Dec. 27, 2024. (Yonhap)

khj@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Han-joo · December 27, 2024

11. Beijing and Pyongyang will exploit South Korea's turmoil

Another way to write the headline is to say Beijing and Pyongyang will exploit the turmoil they are contributing to causing in South Korea. They certainly desire a South Korean political opposition coming to power that will be anti-America.

The geopolitical landscape in the region may soon become less friendly to the U.S.

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2024/12/19/world/beijing-pyongyang-south-korea-turmoil/

A North Korean soldier watches his South Korean counterparts at the truce village of Panmunjom in the demilitarized zone. South Korea's political crisis, with President Yoon's impeachment, threatens U.S. influence while boosting opportunities for China and North Korea to expand their influence. | REUTERS

By KARISHMA VASWANI

Bloomberg

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Dec 19, 2024

Listen to this article5 min

South Korea’s political crisis shows no sign of abating. President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment and impending arrest will usher in months of leadership uncertainty. The chaos will be welcomed by China and North Korea, but for the U.S., its influence with a key ally is at risk.

Yoon has said he will fight to stay on, despite his disastrous declaration of martial law late on Dec. 3, but he is unlikely to succeed. The Constitutional Court has 180 days to decide whether to accept the impeachment motion passed by the National Assembly as legal. If it does, the leader will be ousted and elections must be held in 60 days.

His loss will be destabilizing for the U.S. Yoon was a key driver in the South Korea, Japan and U.S. trilateral alliance, designed to boost regional security in the face of China’s expansionism and North Korea’s belligerence. Joint U.S.-Korea training on submarine hunting and sharing real-time data on ballistic missile launches to ward off potential threats from Pyongyang were among his biggest achievements.

But now all three architects of that plan — Yoon, U.S. President Joe Biden and former Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida — are either out of office, or on their way out. For Beijing and Pyongyang, this moment fundamentally changes the geopolitical landscape to one that is far less hostile.

Both will now have the opportunity to create an atmosphere more conducive to their political aims. In China’s case, a South Korea that’s less susceptible to American influence helps to tilt the balance in the Indo-Pacific in Beijing’s favor. For North Korea, a distracted Seoul means it can continue to build closer ties with Russia and expand its nuclear weapons program undisturbed.

The first gift may come in the form of a new South Korean president. The most promising candidate is opposition leader Lee Jae-myung, often described as the nation’s Bernie Sanders or Donald Trump for his populist style. The 61-year old politician favors China policies that are closer to what Beijing would like to see. Lee has refused to take sides in the rivalry, opting for strategic balance rather than leaning toward Washington as Yoon did.

He’s also been an outspoken critic of the THAAD missile — an acronym for the Lockheed Martin-made Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system, which is designed to destroy short-and-medium-ranged ballistic missiles at high altitudes as they descend. THAAD would protect South Korea from the North’s missiles, but Beijing sees it as another example of American power in its backyard.

When first installed in South Korea by the U.S. military in 2016, THAAD triggered massive economic boycotts of South Korean goods by Chinese consumers, prompting previous president Moon Jae-in to halt deployment. It has remained as a 'temporary' installation due to fierce backlash from China, although Yoon — who was an ardent champion of THAAD — has said it is necessary for self-defense. Lee has talked about the importance of "pragmatic diplomacy,” calling China a vital strategic partner. Reversing course on the missile defense system would please Beijing.

For North Korea’s Kim Jong Un, the possibility of a change in leadership next door is also a moment to be exploited, particularly as Donald Trump will soon be back in the White House and he’s expected to be less friendly this time round.

Kim will be looking to take advantage of any new cracks in the Seoul-Washington relationship. The last time Trump was in power, the U.S. leader put an end to large-scale military training drills with Seoul in an effort to bring Kim to the negotiating table and stop his nuclear weapons program. Those drills were restarted and expanded under the Biden administration. Trump may offer to suspend them again as an incentive to get Kim to make a deal.

With Seoul preoccupied with political crisis, Kim will be able to strengthen his relationship with Moscow undeterred, as Gabriela Bernal notes for the Sydney-based Lowy Institute think tank. Both North Korea and Russia may seek to exploit the situation and double down on military collaboration with little fear of South Korean intervention. The news that several hundred North Korean soldiers have died fighting on Moscow’s behalf, is unlikely to prevent further cooperation.

The Biden administration has worked hard to shore up alliances between Seoul and Tokyo, putting significant effort into ensuring that both sides put away their historical acrimony. Trump has not typically been deft enough to manage these tensions with the subtlety required to handle such brittle relationships.

A priority for Trump’s national security team should be maintaining American power and presence in the region. Building a strong relationship with the next South Korean leader will be key to achieving that.

Karishma Vaswani is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering Asia politics with a special focus on China.

12. Frontline report: Ukrainian forces decimate column of outnumbered North Korean soldiers in Kursk forest

Frontline report: Ukrainian forces decimate column of outnumbered North Korean soldiers in Kursk forest

Heat signatures in snowy terrain exposed concentrated North Korean formations to precision artillery strikes of Ukrainians, disrupting their attempts to mass forces for a breakthrough toward strategic Malaya Loknya in Kursk Oblast.

https://euromaidanpress.com/2024/12/26/frontline-report-ukrainian-forces-decimate-column-of-outnumbered-north-korean-soldiers-in-kursk-forest/

Reporting from Ukraine

26/12/2024

3 minute read

A screenshot from the Reporting from Ukraine video, 25 September

Frontline report: Ukrainian forces decimate column of outnumbered North Korean soldiers in Kursk forest

Today, the most interesting developments come from the Kursk direction, Russia.

Here, in defense of their objective, Ukrainians devised a clever plan to turn the tables on the battlefield, using the North Korean numbers advantage against them. As cluster bombs and artillery rained down upon the North Koreans, Ukrainians sent in special forces operators to clear the area of any survivors and take prisoners; but as North Koreans were not willing to surrender, it led to a series of brutal confrontations.

A screenshot from the Reporting from Ukraine video, 25 September

The Main Ukrainian goal is to defend Kruglenkoe, to prevent North Koreans from using the capture of the settlement to penetrate further toward Malaya Loknya, a key settlement holding together the Ukrainian defense of the entire northern part of the Kursk salient.

It is important to note that the main value of Kruglenkoe is not the size of the village, as less than fifty people would’ve lived here before the war. Instead, the main value of Kruglenkoe is the forests surrounding the settlement and, most importantly, the basements of the houses here, which allows for the concealed gathering of forces and ammunition, making it a launching pad for further infiltration assaults through the forests on Malaya Loknya.

A screenshot from the Reporting from Ukraine video, 25 September

As North Koreans had already established a foothold in the forests during the initial stages of their assault, pushing them back out was not a viable option for Ukrainians as the North Koreans vastly outnumbered them.

This meant that to achieve their goal of stopping the North Korean breakthrough to Malaya Loknya, Ukrainians had to conceive a clever plan to turn the North Korean reliance on their numbers advantage into a weakness. The plan was simple, force North Koreans into tactically disadvantageous positions, undermine their combat capabilities, and conduct counterattacks to eliminate the remaining forces and gather reconnaissance.

As you remember from a previous report, Ukrainians already completed the first phase of the operation, conducting a tactical withdrawal from the narrow forests leading to Kruglenkoe. As North Koreans were initially spread out across the bigger forest to the west, North Koreans were now forced to concentrate their forests along a narrow corridor, allowing Ukrainians to eliminate the threat most effectively with HIMARS cluster bombs.

Newly released footage shows how the North Korean forces tried to deploy fresh troops to the forests to try and attack the village nonetheless. The footage shows a huge column of North Korean soldiers making their way through the forest, trusting that the trees would obscure them.

Unfortunately for North Koreans, Ukrainians were heavily monitoring the area with drones, as their heat signatures were highly visible in contrast to the snowy and cold underground. Ukrainian artillerymen immediately opened fire on the bunched-up North Koreans, decimating the entire assault group with a mix of conventional artillery and cluster rounds.

After the large majority of North Korean soldiers were wiped out by artillery, Ukrainians sent in special forces operators to conduct raids on the North Korean positions and clear the area, preventing them from gradually building up a sizeable assault force from the remnants of failed attacks. The Ukrainian special forces tactfully moved through the forest, clearing dugouts with grenades and finishing off any soldier unwilling to surrender.

A screenshot from the Reporting from Ukraine video, 25 September

As it turns out, reports from Ukrainian soldiers who have fought against the North Koreans report that their enemy often refuses to surrender, even in cases where they have no other way out. One soldier comments on how they were forced to shoot a North Korean who was faking a surrender, as he tried to pull the pin on a grenade on them once they came close to take him captive.

Overall, Ukrainians have conceived a plan to deal with the new North Korean threat most effectively, turning the North Korean reliance on overwhelming attacks through their superiority in numbers, into a stark disadvantage. By putting North Korean forces in a tactically disadvantageous position and destroying their forces accumulations in bulk, Ukrainians managed to break the forward momentum of their attacks, and launch a series of successful counterattacks.

As North Koreans actively continue to funnel more troops into the forests, it is expected that Ukrainians will need to rinse and repeat their operation, till they have either completely drained the North Koreans of their reserves, or have forced the North Koreans to pull back for reorganization, creating a win-win scenario in both cases.

In our regular frontline report, we pair up with the military blogger Reporting from Ukraine to keep you informed about what is happening on the battlefield in the Russo-Ukrainian war.

13. South Korea's leadership crisis in hands of Constitutional Court

South Korea's leadership crisis in hands of Constitutional Court

The Constitutional Court on Friday held its first hearing in a case to decide whether to reinstate President Yoon Suk Yeol or remove him permanently from power.

27 Dec 2024 06:43PM

(Updated: 27 Dec 2024 08:31PM)

channelnewsasia.com

SEOUL: South Korea's leadership crisis will play out in the Constitutional Court, which will decide the fate of President Yoon Suk Yeol and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, both impeached and suspended from power over a short-lived martial law.

Han, who was impeached on Friday (Dec 27), had taken over as acting president from Yoon, impeached on Dec 14. Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok now becomes acting president under the law.

Also on Friday, the court held its first hearing in a case to decide whether to reinstate Yoon or remove him permanently from power.

The ruling conservative People Power Party filed a court injunction after the vote to impeach Han, saying a simple majority was not sufficient to impeach an acting president.

WHAT NEXT?

After being impeached on Dec 14, Yoon's presidential powers were suspended but he remains in office, retaining his immunity from most charges except insurrection or treason.

The Constitutional Court must decide within 180 days whether to remove him from office or reject the impeachment and restore his powers. If it removes Yoon or he resigns, a presidential election must be held within 60 days.

Opposition Democratic Party lawmaker Jung Chung-rae, the head of parliament's Legislation and Judiciary Committee, is leading the case for removing Yoon.

Yoon's legal counsel included former Constitutional Court spokesperson Bae Bo-yoon and former prosecutor Yoon Kab-keun, who appeared at Friday's hearing.

The court is also expected to hold a trial on whether to remove Han from office or restore him to his role.

South Korea's ruling People Power Party lawmakers (bottom) protest at National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik (top) during the plenary session for the impeachment vote of acting president Han Duck-soo at the National Assembly in Seoul on Dec 27, 2024. (Photo: AFP/JUNG YEON-JE)

Lawmakers of the ruling People Power Party protest to South Korea's National Assembly Speaker Woo Won Shik during a plenary session for the impeachment motion against South Korean acting President Han Duck-soo at the National Assembly in Seoul, South Korea, Dec 27, 2024. (Photo: AP/Ahn Young-joon)

HURDLES TO A COURT RULING?

South Korea's constitution requires six justices to agree on the ouster of an impeached president. But the nine-member court has three vacancies, so the current justices would have to vote unanimously to remove Yoon.

The court has said it can deliberate and hear arguments with just six justices.

The three vacancies are to be filled by parliament, controlled by the main opposition Democratic Party, which approved three nominees this week, although the ruling People Power Party boycotted them.

However, Han refused to appoint the justices without bipartisan agreement, saying to do so would exceed his powers in the acting role.

Then the opposition-controlled parliament impeached him.

There is precedent for an acting president to appoint a Constitutional Court justice, as when former President Park Geun-hye was impeached in late 2016.

WHAT HAPPENS IN COURT?

In South Korea's only previous presidential removal by impeachment, the court took three months to oust Park in 2017.

This time, the terms of two court justices expire in April, and legal experts predict it may seek to rule before that to minimise uncertainty.

On Friday Justice Cheong Hyung-sik of the Constitutional Court said it would move swiftly in the case, considering its gravity.

In the past, academics say, the justices have not voted predictably by political leaning but have decided case by case, going by their interpretation of the constitution.

Conservative attempts to rally popular support for Yoon are not expected to affect the court's ruling, as Park was removed from office despite continued conservative rallies to keep her in power, warring with candlelight rallies seeking her removal.

South Korea's opposition Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung casts his ballot during a plenary session for the impeachment motion against South Korean acting President Han Duck-soo at the National Assembly in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, Dec 27, 2024. (Photo: AP/Ahn Young-joon)

In the case of Park, who like Yoon was from a centre-right party, the court voted unanimously to remove her, including some justices viewed as conservative and two Park appointees.

Yoon also faces criminal investigations related to the martial law decision.

If charged, he could ask the Constitutional Court to suspend the 180-day clock on the impeachment ruling. The court denied a similar request by Park.

In 2004, then-President Roh Moo-hyun, from a centre-left party, was impeached for falling short of the political neutrality required of a high public official, but finished his five-year term after the court rejected the motion within two months.

channelnewsasia.com

14. How the Impeachment of South Korea’s President Will Continue

Please go to the link to view the graphics.

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/12/04/world/asia/south-korea-impeachment-vote-president-yoon.html?unlocked_article_code=1.kk4.Lq_Q.8k3_chzGyjLD&smid=url-share

How the Impeachment of South Korea’s President Will Continue

By Pablo Robles Updated Dec. 27

Share full article

President Yoon Suk Yeol of South Korea was impeached on Dec. 14, after his brief declaration of martial law on Dec. 3 plunged the country into a political crisis. The Constitutional Court will decide whether to reinstate Mr. Yoon or formally remove him, a process that could take up to six months. Here’s how the process unfolded and what lies ahead for him.

Motion to impeach

Opposition lawmakers submitted an impeachment bill on on Dec. 4.

President Yoon Suk Yeol

If Mr. Yoon

resigned

Mr. Yoon did

not resign

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo

serves as acting president

A successor will need to

be elected within 60 days

1st National Assembly vote

Only 195 of the 300-member National Assembly voted on the impeachment motion on Dec. 7, five short of the number needed to count the votes. The motion failed.

Voted 195

did not vote 105

Opposition party

175 votes

Other

parties

17 votes

Yoon’s party

105 did not vote

Only three members of Mr. Yoon’s People Power Party voted.

2nd National Assembly vote

A week later, Mr. Yoon was impeached by the National Assembly in a vote with 204 lawmakers in favor, surpassing the 200 votes needed.

Forfeited

or invalid

Voted in favor 204

AGAINST 85

Opposition party

175 votes

Other

parties

17 votes

Yoon’s party

85 voted against

12 lawmakers from Mr. Yoon's party joined the opposition and voted to impeach him.

LESS THAN 200 VOTES

200 VOTES OR MORE

Vote fails

Vote passes

Mr. Yoon stays

in office

Impeachment motion passes,

Mr. Yoon is now suspended

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo

was impeached while serving

as acting president.

Deputy Prime Minister

Choi Sang-mok now serves as

acting president.

Constitutional Court ruling

The court will decide whether Mr. Yoon is guilty of the crimes that the National Assembly claims he committed and whether they are serious enough to merit impeachment.

The Constitutional Court will

have 180 days to rule on whether

to impeach Mr. Yoon.

Justices vote on impeachment

If at least six members of the nine-judge court vote to impeach, Mr. Yoon will be removed from office.

Moon Hyungbae

Appointed by

Moon Jae-in

Lee Mison

Appointed by

Moon Jae-in

Kim Hyungdu

Appointed by

Mr. Yoon

Kim Bok-hyeong

Appointed by

Mr. Yoon

Jung Jungmi

Appointed by

Mr. Yoon

Cheong Hyungsik

Appointed by

Mr. Yoon

Vacant

The Constitutional Court has three vacancies. Woo Won-shik, the speaker of the National Assembly, said after the impeachment vote that the Assembly would try to name three justices as soon as possible.

LESS THAN SIX VOTES

SIX VOTES OR MORE

Vote fails

Vote passes

Mr. Yoon

is reinstated

as president

Mr. Yoon is impeached

and removed from office

New election

South Korea would have 60 days to elect a successor.

Only two previous presidents have faced impeachment proceedings in South Korea since the end of military rule in the 1980s.

A former leader of Mr. Yoon’s party, Park Geun-hye, was impeached and removed from office in 2017 on charges related to a sprawling corruption scandal. And in 2004, Roh Moo-hyun was impeached on charges of illegal campaigning, but the Constitutional Court later overturned that decision and reinstated him as president.

Additional work by Agnes Chang.

15. A night of chaos: Inside South Korea’s six hours of martial law

If he had been planning for months he must have had some good operational security. It seems unlikely that something like this could be maintained in secrecy for so long.

Note the importance of school connections/relationships. You will find similar connections among all the political parties as well.

Excerpts:

Kim’s appointment also drew attention to the use of powerful school connections, which raised flags even in a nation that strongly values alumni networks.

The men in the three most powerful positions under a martial law setup — Yoon, Kim and the interior minister — all went to the same prestigious boys high school in Seoul. And the top military and intelligence commanders authorized to execute martial law were all alums of the military academy Kim attended.

A night of chaos: Inside South Korea’s six hours of martial law

Yoon Suk Yeol, South Korea’s since-impeached president, had been planning for months to impose martial law and target political opponents, according to accounts.

https://wapo.st/4gwyq8u

December 27, 2024 at 3:06 a.m. ESTToday at 3:06 a.m. EST

9 min

Police escort a military vehicle as people try to block it outside the National Assembly in Seoul on Dec. 4. (Lee Jin-man/AP)

By Michelle Ye Hee Lee and So Jin Jung

SEOUL — It seemed far-fetched this summer when some opposition lawmakers here began warning that South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol might declare martial law.

Some said it was just a gut feeling. Others said they saw ominous signs, like the way Yoon abruptly installed an old high school friend as his defense minister.

Get concise answers to your questions. Try Ask The Post AI.

But the concerns proved warranted. Yoon imposed martial law in the middle of the night on Dec. 3, plunging South Korea into its worst political crisis in decades — with the defense minister playing a critical role.

Much is still unknown about exactly what prompted Yoon, a conservative who was new to politics, to declare martial law — the first such decree in South Korea in more than four decades. Lawmakers swiftly voted to reject it, and Yoon rescinded his order less than six hours after issuing it.

Yoon was impeached 11 days after that disastrous gambit. The Constitutional Court must decide whether to remove Yoon from office. He is also under criminal investigation seeking to determine whether his actions amounted to insurrection.

Following World news

Following

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who took over from Yoon as interim president, was himself impeached Friday amid criticism from the opposition that he was stalling judicial appointments at the Constitutional Court that are needed to continue Yoon’s impeachment process. Choi Sang-mok, South Korea’s deputy prime minister and finance minister, will assume the country’s acting presidency.

South Korean lawmakers impeach interim president

1:01

Lawmakers in South Korea's National Assembly voted to impeach acting President Han Duck-soo on Dec. 27, prompting protests from the majority party. (Video: Reuters)

In the days since the extraordinary night of Dec. 3, the National Assembly has convened hearings to gather testimony about who did what when. Investigators have been questioning key officials, and South Korean press has obtained some witness statements.

Piecing together their accounts shows that Yoon’s plan had probably been months in the making and that he intended to use martial law to target political opponents and pursue baseless election fraud claims — a much more extensive agenda than he has claimed.

The testimonies contradict Yoon’s assertions, made in a speech defending his decisions, that he simply meant to “warn” lawmakers, that he deployed fewer than 300 unarmed soldiers, and that he never directed them to “paralyze” the National Assembly.

In fact, more than 1,000 troops, mostly special forces, were dispatched to the National Assembly that night. Some units brought live ammunition, although it was not distributed to individual soldiers on the scene, according to the Chosun Ilbo, South Korea’s largest newspaper.

Soldiers attempt to enter the National Assembly in Seoul on Dec. 4. (Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)

The signs that Yoon would take the nuclear option were always there, said Park Sun-won, a lawmaker from the progressive opposition Democratic Party who had warned since August about the risk of martial law.

There was Yoon’s increasingly sharp rhetoric about his opponents. Then came the surprise appointment of his friend as defense minister. Then that minister surrounded himself with loyalists at the top of the chain of command. It seemed as if something as extreme as martial law could be in the works, said Park, formerly the nation’s deputy intelligence chief.

“We knew they were an extremely right-wing force, and they would do things we cannot imagine,” he said. “I warned this is a dangerous situation, it’s going to change quickly.”

Election fraud claims

All year, South Korea’s domestic political scene had been consumed by scandals — relentlessly targeted by the opposition — alleging corruption involving Yoon’s wife. The government declined to investigate, and the opposition blocked government initiatives, including budget measures, in response.

Yoon became increasingly isolated as he grew more frustrated, analysts say, leaning on a tiny group of loyalists, including Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun. This made Yoon more volatile, said Park Sung-min, a veteran political consultant.

Yoon’s decision in September to appoint Kim as the top defense official had prompted concerns, Park said. Not only was Kim known to be close to Yoon, the change was highly unusual ahead of the U.S. presidential election, given Seoul’s dependence on Washington for its security, the political consultant said.

Protesters carrying posters bearing images of President Yoon Suk Yeol and former defense minister Kim Yong-hyun, center, march to the presidential office in Seoul on Dec. 5. The signs read: “Arrest the rebellion criminals.” (Ahn Young-joon/AP)

Kim’s appointment also drew attention to the use of powerful school connections, which raised flags even in a nation that strongly values alumni networks.

The men in the three most powerful positions under a martial law setup — Yoon, Kim and the interior minister — all went to the same prestigious boys high school in Seoul. And the top military and intelligence commanders authorized to execute martial law were all alums of the military academy Kim attended.

“The motive, logic, authority, political circumstance and organizational cohesion started to all come together toward one direction,” Kim Min-seok, another opposition lawmaker who raised the alarm about the potential for martial law, said in a local radio interview this month.

All the while, Yoon, who was barely halfway through his five-year term, appears to have grown increasingly concerned about election security.

Yoon repeated conspiracy theories from far-right commentators on YouTube about an allegedly corrupt and weak National Election Commission. They say the commission has manipulated vote counts in favor of the opposition party going back as many as four years.

A months-long police investigation this year concluded that there was no evidence to support those claims.

But Yoon was not convinced.

So Kim, the defense minister, put his men into action, he said in a Dec. 5 interview with Donga Ilbo, another major South Korean newspaper.

Four current or former military intelligence officials met Dec. 1 at a hamburger joint outside Seoul and sketched out a plan to take over the commission, according to a written statement issued by the attorney for one of those men.

The plan went like this: Once martial law was declared, troops would enter the commission’s office and move employees to the basement — using zip ties and masks if necessary. Then, the troops would check the election machines for any security breaches.

Police stand guard in front of the National Assembly in Seoul on Dec. 3, the night martial law was declared. (Lee Jin-man/AP)

On the night martial law was declared, troops were deployed to the commission even before the president issued his decree, the commission’s head testified on Dec. 5.

Soldiers entered the building just minutes after the decree was issued at 10:28 p.m.

They proceeded according to the plan. They seized night shift employees’ cellphones — but did not move them to the basement or tie them up. The soldiers began photographing the election machines, apparently to gather evidence.

Yoon faces cabinet opposition

South Korean law requires the president to discuss any decision to impose martial law with his cabinet. That’s what he was doing as the soldiers were preparing to enter the election commission.

At 8:40 p.m. on Dec. 3, Yoon told his prime minister that he intended to declare martial law. Han disagreed with Yoon and convened a cabinet meeting to try to persuade the president to change his mind, Han later told lawmakers.

The meeting began at 10:17 p.m. There was no agenda, and no minutes were taken, according to records released by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety.

The ministers warned Yoon of the potential for economic and diplomatic fallout. But Yoon would not be dissuaded. The cabinet meeting ended at 10:22 p.m., records show.

Six minutes later, Yoon was on television, announcing the imposition of martial law.

Some military leaders — including the chairman of South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff — said they learned of the decree only when the president spoke on TV.

Gen. Park An-su, chief of the South Korean army, answers questions during a Dec. 10 emergency session of the parliamentary defense committee relating to the martial law saga. (Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Images)

Chaos ensued.

Gen. Park An-su, the army chief of staff, was one of those who found out about the martial law imposition only with the president’s broadcast. After the announcement, the defense minister told Park that he would serve as the martial law commander.

“In that short period, we really had to organize the situation room, call in martial law experts to discuss our mission and role,” he told lawmakers days later.

Immediately after the declaration, Yoon ordered the arrest of top lawmakers from both the ruling and opposition parties, a senior intelligence official said at a closed hearing, according to a committee member present.

‘Drag out all the lawmakers’

The scene outside the National Assembly was frantic as protesters, lawmakers and law enforcement converged there in the final hour of Dec. 3.

Around 11:30 p.m., Park, as the newly named martial law commander, ordered troops to the National Assembly. At the same time, about 2,100 Seoul police officers were deployed there, too.

The troops and the police officers were trying to control protesters outside, but the scene was so confusing that some officers didn’t know what they were supposed to do, according to news articles and police logs provided to The Post.

Lawmakers, meanwhile, were trying to get through the crowds and into the legislature to vote to reverse the president’s decision.

Throughout, Yoon was repeatedly calling top officials to check on their progress and order them to ensure lawmakers couldn’t form a quorum in the voting chamber, according to statements made publicly and to investigators.

Yoon called the police commissioner six times in the hours between the declaration of martial law and the vote, asking him to arrest lawmakers, according to the Hankyoreh newspaper, which obtained the commissioner’s testimony.

A barricaded room that soldiers broke through to enter the National Assembly is cordoned off on Dec. 4. (Youngrae Kim for The Washington Post)

As soldiers struggled to enter the National Assembly, Yoon called their commanders and demanded that the men “break down the door right now, get in there, and drag out the people inside,” one commander said at a hearing.

Some commanders debated whether to shoot blanks or cut off electricity but decided that went too far. Troops with the special forces broke windows so they could enter parliament — and some lawmakers climbed through the now-open windows to get to the chamber.

It soon became clear that it wasn’t possible to blockade the National Assembly as the president had ordered, another commander said at a news conference.

Ultimately, authorities could not stop lawmakers from reversing Yoon’s decree only 155 minutes after it was imposed.

16. After South Korean president’s impeachment, acting president suffers same fate

This illustrates the immaturity of the DPK. it members are only instructed in destruction.

Post-impeachment, the DPK mood was triumphalist.

A note sent from the International Committee of the DPK to foreign reporters, addressing Mr. Han, reads, in part: “After playing Acting President for a few days, did you start to feel like you were actually elected to the role? Watching you cling to your position, twisting yourself in knots to dodge responsibility, almost inspires pity. Almost. But let’s face it. You are not qualified to act as Acting President.”

After South Korean president’s impeachment, acting president suffers same fate

Political crisis accelerates as Legislature overpowers Executive

washingtontimes.com · by Andrew Salmon

By - The Washington Times - Friday, December 27, 2024

SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea’s opposition-controlled National Assembly voted on Friday to impeach acting President Han Duck-soo, just 13 days after impeaching President Yoon Suk Yeol.

Following Mr. Han’s dismissal, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok is expected to be the third man to take South Korea’s national helm in less than a month.

Though the country comfortably managed two presidential impeachments in 2004 and 2016, in neither prior case was the acting president also booted. This means a key U.S. Indo-Pacific ally and pivotal node in global supply chains is sailing into uncharted political waters.

Since democracy was fully established in South Korea in 1987, power has been split between the executive and legislative branches.

Friday’s development suggests that, for the near future at least, the right-leaning presidency is at the mercy of the National Assembly, controlled by the left-leaning Democratic Party of Korea.

Despite widespread demonstrations, there is no apparent social chaos, but there are economic strains and diplomatic challenges.

The national currency, the won, is trading at 15-year lows, causing problems for Korean businesses, travelers and overseas residents.

And with the presidency disempowered — possibly for eight months or longer — Cabinet officials lack the mandate to establish links with figures in U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s administration in Washington.

President booted, acting president booted

Formerly the prime minister, Mr. Han was an appointee of Mr. Yoon. Mr. Yoon astounded the nation when, citing anti-state forces and parliamentary obstructionism, he declared martial law late on Dec. 3.

Amid public rage, his decree was nullified within three hours by a countervote at the National Assembly.

Mr. Yoon was impeached on Dec. 14. Twelve members of his own People Power Party joined opposition lawmakers, generating the two-thirds majority vote needed for a presidential impeachment.

Mr. Yoon’s powers were suspended. He is not communicating, appearing or responding to police summonses.

Per constitutional protocols, Mr. Han, an experienced political operator who has worked for both left and right-wing administrations, took power seamlessly. However, the DPK warned Mr. Han on Tuesday that it would impeach him if he used the presidential veto to nullify bills promoted by the party and if he refused to sign off on the appointment of three Constitutional Court judges.

Mr. Han ignored those warnings. On Friday, a noisy House plenary was held.

The speaker criticized Mr. Han of slow-walking the judicial appointments and ruled that a simple majority was needed to impeach an acting president, rather than the two-thirds majority needed to impeach an elected president.

Furious, the PPP boycotted the vote, granting main and minor opposition parties a free run. They voted to impeach Mr. Han, 192-0.

The lop-sided political situation will not rebalance in the near future.

The Constitutional Court, tasked with judging Mr. Yoon’s impeachment, has six months to decide. If it votes to uphold it, a presidential election must be held within two months.

The court has yet to sit. Its bench accommodates nine judges, but only six seats are filled. Three are empty after their occupants’ terms expired.

A vote of at least six is required to uphold an impeachment. In its current state, it would have to vote unanimously to boot Mr. Yoon.

The appointments to fill the three seats became a tug-of-war in the Assembly. The president is tasked with signing off on the appointments, and Mr. Han refused to do so unless the governing and opposition parties agreed on them, which they had not.

The Assembly on Friday approved three judges. Their appointments must be agreed upon by the incoming acting president, Mr. Choi, whose stance on the matter is unclear.

Uncharted waters

Observers are unsure what to make of affairs. One, who has been watching Korea since democratization, revealed the extreme positions adopted by current players.

Another expressed concern at politics, but suggested that public discontent with economic woes will pressure the political and judicial sectors to move swiftly.

“There seems to be a systemic issue where everybody is overreaching,” said Mike Breen, author of “The New Koreans.” “Yoon himself deserved to be impeached for martial law, but the opposition have now wrecked the system.”

He added: “The opposition party has thought since April that they had a mandate to rule — which is why the president lost it with martial law — and that is what they are doing now.”

Mr. Yoon’s PPP suffered a crushing defeat in the April National Assembly elections, though the DPK failed to gain an overall majority.

Subsequently, the DPK voted to impeach a number of Mr. Yoon’s appointees — an exercise of power criticized by both Mr. Yoon and Mr. Han — and shot down major budget proposals.

The DPK has also been pushing repeatedly to investigate Mr. Yoon’s wife, widely accused of corruption and interference in appointments. Mr. Yoon vetoed these proposals.

Another observer expressed concern at the political situation, but suggested public discontent with economic woes will compel both political and judicial sectors to move swiftly.

“The opposition now has whole power over the Assembly and the Executive branch: that’s what it is, right now,” said Yang Sun-mook, who formerly advised the DPK international affairs. “But the general public are more concerned about the downturn, as we are getting into deeper s—- economically.”

Post-impeachment, the DPK mood was triumphalist.

A note sent from the International Committee of the DPK to foreign reporters, addressing Mr. Han, reads, in part: “After playing Acting President for a few days, did you start to feel like you were actually elected to the role? Watching you cling to your position, twisting yourself in knots to dodge responsibility, almost inspires pity. Almost. But let’s face it. You are not qualified to act as Acting President.”

• Andrew Salmon can be reached at asalmon@washingtontimes.com.

washingtontimes.com · by Andrew Salmon

De Oppresso Liber,

David Maxwell

Vice President, Center for Asia Pacific Strategy

Senior Fellow, Global Peace Foundation

Editor, Small Wars Journal

Twitter: @davidmaxwell161

Phone: 202-573-8647

email: david.maxwell161@gmail.com

De Oppresso Liber,

David Maxwell

Vice President, Center for Asia Pacific Strategy

Senior Fellow, Global Peace Foundation

Editor, Small Wars Journal

Twitter: @davidmaxwell161

email: david.maxwell161@gmail.com

If you do not read anything else in the 2017 National Security Strategy read this on page 14:

"A democracy is only as resilient as its people. An informed and engaged citizenry is the fundamental requirement for a free and resilient nation. For generations, our society has protected free press, free speech, and free thought. Today, actors such as Russia are using information tools in an attempt to undermine the legitimacy of democracies. Adversaries target media, political processes, financial networks, and personal data. The American public and private sectors must recognize this and work together to defend our way of life. No external threat can be allowed to shake our shared commitment to our values, undermine our system of government, or divide our Nation."

Access NSS HERE

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South Korea Impeaches Acting President, Prolonging Political Upheaval

Han Duck-soo declined to make judicial appointments needed to advance the impeachment of his predecessor

(4th LD) Nat'l Assembly votes to impeach acting President Han | Yonhap News Agency

(2nd LD) Acting President Choi Sang-mok vows to prioritize stabilizing state affairs | Yonhap News Agency

Foreign ministry holds phone talks with U.S., Japanese, Chinese envoys after impeachment | Yonhap News Agency

Acting President Han says respects Nat'l Assembly's impeachment decision | Yonhap News Agency

Acting President Han says respects Nat'l Assembly's impeachment decision

(2nd LD) N.K. soldier captured by Ukraine dies from worsening wounds: S. Korea's spy agency | Yonhap News Agency

US Congress fails to extend North Korean Human Rights Act

U.S. Senate Armed Services and Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Lee Shi-Wicker Nominated… Calls for Nuclear Redeployment in Indo-Pacific Region

(News Focus) Deadlocked politics over successive impeachments fuel concerns over prolonging of economic instability, FX woes | Yonhap News Agency

The geopolitical landscape in the region may soon become less friendly to the U.S.

Frontline report: Ukrainian forces decimate column of outnumbered North Korean soldiers in Kursk forest

South Korea's leadership crisis in hands of Constitutional Court

WHAT NEXT?

HURDLES TO A COURT RULING?

WHAT HAPPENS IN COURT?

How the Impeachment of South Korea’s President Will Continue

A night of chaos: Inside South Korea’s six hours of martial law

Election fraud claims

Yoon faces cabinet opposition

‘Drag out all the lawmakers’

After South Korean president’s impeachment, acting president suffers same fate​

After South Korean president’s impeachment, acting president suffers same fate