https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/rss/512607/feed Latest news and updates on Yoon Suk-yeol who was sworn in as president of South Korea on May 10, 2022. en https://assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg The Korea Times The Korea Times South Korea’s Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-won withdrew his nomination on Saturday following allegations concerning his involvement in a Covid-19 treatment and approval of its clinical trials. “After much deliberation, I decided to step down as the nominee for minister of the justice ministry. I apologise for failing to live up to your expectations,” Kim said during a press conference at the National Assembly. Kim, who said he did not want to add any burden to Lee Jae Myung’s... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3368088/south-korea-justice-minister-nominee-withdraws-over-covid-19-drug-trial-scandal https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3368088/south-korea-justice-minister-nominee-withdraws-over-covid-19-drug-trial-scandal Sat, 19 Sep 2026 03:17:15 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A Seoul court ordered Pyongyang on Wednesday to pay roughly US$32.5 million for blowing up in 2020 an office in North Korea that was intended to foster relations between the two Koreas, Yonhap news agency reported. The lawsuit over the destruction of the Inter-Korean Liaison Office marks the first time the South Korean government has sought damages directly from the North, according to media reports. South Korea’s previous conservative government, led by former president ‌Yoon Suk-yeol, filed... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3367655/south-korean-court-orders-pyongyang-pay-us325m-destroying-border-office https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3367655/south-korean-court-orders-pyongyang-pay-us325m-destroying-border-office Wed, 16 Sep 2026 02:23:49 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Former South Korean president Yoon Suk-yeol was acquitted on Friday in a case related to a marine’s drowning death in a rare reprieve in one of the criminal cases brought against him following his ousting for imposing martial law. The independent counsel’s indictment had alleged Yoon deliberately appointed former defence minister Lee Jong-Sup as his ambassador to Australia to help him leave the country and evade a criminal investigation into the death of Corporal Chae Su-geun, who drowned during... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3367225/yoon-suk-yeol-acquitted-case-linked-south-korean-marines-death https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3367225/yoon-suk-yeol-acquitted-case-linked-south-korean-marines-death Fri, 11 Sep 2026 10:12:31 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A South Korean court sentenced the leader of the secretive and powerful Unification Church on Monday to two years in prison on charges of bribing officials, including the then-president’s wife. Han Hak-ja, 83, was accused of providing luxury items, including a designer handbag, to former first lady Kim Keon-hee while her husband, Yoon Suk-yeol, was president, in an attempt to secure policy favours. She arrived for sentencing at court on Monday in a wheelchair, wearing pyjamas and a surgical... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3365824/south-koreas-unification-church-leader-han-hak-ja-jailed-2-years-bribing-officials https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3365824/south-koreas-unification-church-leader-han-hak-ja-jailed-2-years-bribing-officials Mon, 31 Aug 2026 07:22:10 +0000 Alyssa Chen Alyssa Chen Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called on South Korea on Thursday to exercise “genuine strategic autonomy”, and urged Seoul to develop ties with Beijing and Washington in parallel, rather than taking sides in major-power rivalries. According to a statement by the Chinese foreign ministry, Wang told South Korean national security adviser Wi Sung-lac that Beijing hoped Seoul would “achieve strategic autonomy, refrain from bloc confrontation or taking sides, and develop relations with major powers... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3364699/seoul-meeting-wang-yi-south-korean-president-voices-hope-closer-china-ties https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3364699/seoul-meeting-wang-yi-south-korean-president-voices-hope-closer-china-ties Thu, 20 Aug 2026 09:37:45 +0000 Reuters Reuters For decades, the three days of summer considered the hottest of the year were among the busiest for South Korea’s dog meat restaurants, as diners sought traditional stamina-boosting foods to endure the heat. The third “boknal”, or hot day, of 2026 on Friday carried an added sense of finality. It was the last before a nationwide ban on the breeding, slaughter and sale of dogs ‌for meat takes full effect in February 2027. At the Moran Market in Seongnam, once the country’s best-known hubs for dog... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3364141/south-korea-some-savour-last-season-legal-dog-meat https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3364141/south-korea-some-savour-last-season-legal-dog-meat Sat, 15 Aug 2026 08:18:34 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran Japan and South Korea’s prominent roles in this year’s US-led Rim of the Pacific (Rimpac) military exercises have fuelled speculation over whether the two neighbours might set aside their historical grievances and deepen defence cooperation. Held in waters off Hawaii, this year’s Rimpac is the world’s largest maritime exercise, involving 30 nations, more than 30,000 troops and an armada of aircraft, surface ships and submarines. Running from June 24 to July 31, the exercise saw South Korean Rear... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3362437/us-led-drills-edge-japan-and-south-korea-closer-defence https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3362437/us-led-drills-edge-japan-and-south-korea-closer-defence Fri, 31 Jul 2026 00:00:32 +0000 Reuters Reuters A South Korean ⁠court on Monday sentenced former ⁠president Yoon Suk-yeol ⁠to 18 months in prison, suspended for three years, after finding him guilty of violating the election law by making false statements during his 2022 presidential campaign. The sentence, if upheld through appeals, could force Yoon’s People Power ‌Party to return 39.7 billion won (US$27.1 million) in election expenses reimbursed by the National Election Commission following his presidential election victory. The Seoul... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3361972/former-south-korea-president-yoon-handed-suspended-term-over-campaign-lies https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3361972/former-south-korea-president-yoon-handed-suspended-term-over-campaign-lies Mon, 27 Jul 2026 07:43:27 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong A South Korean court’s conviction of Seoul’s mayor for illegal polling payments threatens to put an end to his presidential ambitions just weeks after he won a historic fifth term. Oh Se-hoon, the 65-year-old conservative who has led South Korea’s capital on and off for nearly two decades, was fined 10 million won (US$6,800) on Wednesday for violating the Political Funds Act ahead of the mayoral by-election in 2021. Under South Korean law, any elected official fined more than 1 million won for... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3361483/south-koreas-top-conservative-wounded-lame-duck-after-guilty-verdict https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3361483/south-koreas-top-conservative-wounded-lame-duck-after-guilty-verdict Thu, 23 Jul 2026 00:00:12 +0000 Reuters Reuters A South Korean court sentenced former president Yoon Suk-yeol on Monday to two years in prison for illegally receiving free opinion polls in exchange for political support, adding to his growing legal woes. Yoon, 65, is already in detention while appealing against a separate life sentence for leading an insurrection through his declaration of martial law in 2024. In a separate case, a court handed Yoon a 30-year prison sentence for sending drones into North Korea to “manufacture” a crisis ahead... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3360366/seoul-court-sentences-ex-president-yoon-2-years-jail-over-political-funding https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3360366/seoul-court-sentences-ex-president-yoon-2-years-jail-over-political-funding Mon, 13 Jul 2026 08:29:48 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A South Korean court sentenced former first lady Kim Keon-hee, already serving time behind bars for corruption, to another seven years’ imprisonment on Friday in a jobs-for-gifts scandal. Kim, 53, was found guilty of accepting “high-value precious metals” in exchange for favours in personnel appointments, according to the live-streamed ruling. The court said she “unhesitatingly accepted valuables of a kind that the average citizen would struggle to acquire even once in a lifetime”. Kim is... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3358479/south-korean-ex-first-lady-kim-keon-hee-gets-7-years-jail-bribery https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3358479/south-korean-ex-first-lady-kim-keon-hee-gets-7-years-jail-bribery Fri, 26 Jun 2026 07:55:29 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A court has sentenced a former South Korean justice minister to 25 years in prison for his role in ex-president Yoon Suk-yeol’s brief and disastrous declaration of martial law in 2024. Park Sung-jae was found guilty of involvement in “insurrection”, the Yonhap news agency reported from the Seoul Central District Court on Monday. Yoon’s December 2024 martial law declaration lasted only about six hours as lawmakers raced to the assembly building and voted it down in an emergency session. He has... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3357906/south-koreas-ex-justice-minister-jailed-25-years-over-martial-law-bid https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3357906/south-koreas-ex-justice-minister-jailed-25-years-over-martial-law-bid Mon, 22 Jun 2026 07:38:09 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times South Korean first lady Kim Hea-kyung remains largely out of the spotlight one year into President Lee Jae Myung’s administration, adopting a low-key public role that contrasts sharply with the high-profile approach of her predecessor, Kim Keon-hee. Kim Hea-kyung has limited her public appearances and stayed away from political issues – a strategy political observers describe as prudent, given that presidential spouses, despite holding no official constitutional role, can shape public... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3357042/wife-south-koreas-lee-shuns-limelight-reduce-first-lady-risk https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3357042/wife-south-koreas-lee-shuns-limelight-reduce-first-lady-risk Sun, 14 Jun 2026 05:57:45 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A South Korean court sentenced ex-president Yoon Suk-yeol to 30 years in prison on Friday for sending military drones into North Korea, saying he planned the action as pretext for his disastrous martial law declaration in 2024. The drone flights two months before Yoon suspended civilian rule had sparked anger in North Korea, which accused the South of dropping propaganda leaflets as well. Judges said Yoon intended to provoke Pyongyang “into carrying out armed or equivalent acts against South... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3356833/south-korean-court-sentences-ex-president-yoon-30-years-over-pyongyang-drone-plot https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3356833/south-korean-court-sentences-ex-president-yoon-30-years-over-pyongyang-drone-plot Fri, 12 Jun 2026 02:31:46 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times A South Korean protest calling for a redo of last Wednesday’s local election over ballot shortages at polling stations has taken an unexpected turn, with some protesters demanding that actress and singer IU send coffee to the rally. The demand appears to stem from IU’s decision in 2024 to provide prepaid food and drinks for demonstrators calling for the impeachment of former president Yoon Suk-yeol over his failed martial law bid. The protesters calling for a new election, who are widely seen as... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3356315/k-drama-stars-iu-lee-dong-wook-dragged-south-korean-ballot-protest https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3356315/k-drama-stars-iu-lee-dong-wook-dragged-south-korean-ballot-protest Mon, 08 Jun 2026 05:58:23 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong South Korean President Lee Jae Myung’s ruling party swept most of the country’s major local elections, but a narrow defeat in Seoul has given conservatives a foothold to challenge his reform agenda. The loss in the capital, South Korea’s political and property-market centre, has taken the shine off an otherwise dominant performance by the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), dealing a blow to Lee’s plans for tougher real estate taxation, according to observers. Across the country, the DPK won... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3355947/south-korean-ruling-partys-flawed-landslide-election-win-dents-lees-reform-drive https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3355947/south-korean-ruling-partys-flawed-landslide-election-win-dents-lees-reform-drive Thu, 04 Jun 2026 09:00:14 +0000 Reuters Reuters South Korea’s ruling Democratic Party is projected to make sweeping gains in local elections on Wednesday, an exit poll showed, but a close race in the key city of Busan left it unclear whether President Lee Jae-myung’s party could claim a landslide victory. Voting had ‌largely closed in the first nationwide ballot since Lee’s snap presidential election victory last year. Voters were choosing mayors and governors in 16 cities and provinces in a contest widely seen as an assessment of Lee’s first... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3355846/south-koreas-ruling-party-set-local-election-gains-exit-poll-shows https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3355846/south-koreas-ruling-party-set-local-election-gains-exit-poll-shows Wed, 03 Jun 2026 10:38:15 +0000 Gabriela Bernal Gabriela Bernal South Korea has made peaceful coexistence the central objective of its North Korea policy. As outlined in a recent white paper, Seoul has not formally abandoned reunification but has chosen to prioritise the more immediate and achievable objective of establishing a stable framework for coexistence. The document articulates three guiding principles: respect for North Korea’s political system, rejection of unification by absorption, and avoidance of hostile actions. Underscoring the urgency of... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3355673/what-seoul-must-do-achieve-peaceful-coexistence-north-korea https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3355673/what-seoul-must-do-achieve-peaceful-coexistence-north-korea Wed, 03 Jun 2026 08:30:05 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong A top US general’s description of South Korea as a “dagger in the heart of Asia” aimed at China has laid bare the differences in how Washington and Seoul view their alliance and Beijing. US Forces Korea commander General Xavier Brunson made the blunt remarks in a podcast interview hosted by the US Army War College on May 22, drawing a backlash both from Beijing and from Seoul itself. South Korea’s presidential office said on Saturday that it was “aware” of Brunson’s remarks and that close... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3355650/us-generals-dagger-remark-tests-south-koreas-china-balancing-act https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3355650/us-generals-dagger-remark-tests-south-koreas-china-balancing-act Tue, 02 Jun 2026 05:43:11 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A South Korean appeals court reduced the sentence of former prime minister Han Duck-soo on Thursday by eight years for crimes relating to ex-president Yoon Suk-yeol’s martial law declaration. Yoon’s decree in December 2024 briefly suspended civilian rule and plunged South Korea into chaos, but only lasted around six hours as opposition lawmakers moved quickly to overturn it in a vote. A lower court had sentenced Han in January to a heavier-than-expected jail term of 23 years for engaging in the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3352689/south-korean-court-cuts-former-prime-minister-han-duck-soos-jail-term-15-years https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3352689/south-korean-court-cuts-former-prime-minister-han-duck-soos-jail-term-15-years Thu, 07 May 2026 02:40:52 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong A South Korean appellate court judge who presided over a high-profile case involving former first lady Kim Keon-hee was found dead early Wednesday morning, police said. Shin Jong-oh, who had overturned a lower court’s not guilty verdict and imposed a harsher sentence on Kim, was discovered with severe injuries in a flower bed near the Seoul High Court building in Seocho district, southern Seoul. He was pronounced dead upon arrival at a nearby hospital. Police suspect the 55-year-old died after... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/people/article/3352562/south-korean-judge-who-handed-kim-keon-hee-4-year-term-found-dead-days-after-verdict https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/people/article/3352562/south-korean-judge-who-handed-kim-keon-hee-4-year-term-found-dead-days-after-verdict Wed, 06 May 2026 03:39:55 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong South Korea’s jailed former president Yoon Suk-yeol had his prison sentence increased on Wednesday in a separate case linked to his failed martial law decree, in what analysts said could be a “bellwether” for the trials still unfolding from the crisis. The Seoul High Court raised Yoon’s sentence from five years to seven for obstruction of justice and other offences after finding that he used presidential security agents to block investigators trying to arrest him over the December 2024... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3351820/south-koreas-yoon-given-longer-sentence-obstructing-justice https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3351820/south-koreas-yoon-given-longer-sentence-obstructing-justice Wed, 29 Apr 2026 07:18:45 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have selected seven stories from the SCMP’s coverage of Asia over the past week that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Singapore balances national interest with rising anti-US sentiment In a rare public protest in Singapore, hundreds gathered in Hong Lim Park over the weekend to denounce the “US war machine”. They brandished placards and banners, including one with horns drawn on US... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/article/3350808/singapores-us-interest-balancing-act-viral-songkran-clash-7-asia-highlights https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/article/3350808/singapores-us-interest-balancing-act-viral-songkran-clash-7-asia-highlights Tue, 21 Apr 2026 07:15:10 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong For the first time in nine months, former South Korean president Yoon Suk-yeol finally saw his wife again on Tuesday. He was the defendant. She was the witness. She barely looked at him. The reunion, their first since his arrest following a failed martial law declaration that ended his presidency, lasted all of 30 minutes. The couple made eye contact only once. Yoon looked visibly thinner, his face gaunt and marked with age spots, his once-dark hair now almost entirely silver. Kim Keon-hee wore... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/people/article/3350122/south-koreas-kim-keon-hee-ignores-yoon-frosty-courtroom-reunion https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/people/article/3350122/south-koreas-kim-keon-hee-ignores-yoon-frosty-courtroom-reunion Wed, 15 Apr 2026 04:24:08 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong South Korea’s jailed former president Yoon Suk-yeol has drawn sharp criticism for an Easter message from prison that opponents say amounted to comparing his downfall to the suffering of Jesus and showing his lack of remorse for his criminal acts. Yoon, who was removed from office a year ago after his short-lived imposition of martial law in December 2024, released the message on Sunday through his lawyer, Bae Ui-cheol, urging the public to “hold onto the hope of salvation even if times are... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3349150/south-koreas-yoon-slammed-invoking-jesus-his-message-sent-prison https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3349150/south-koreas-yoon-slammed-invoking-jesus-his-message-sent-prison Mon, 06 Apr 2026 08:09:31 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse South Korean President Lee Jae Myung expressed regret to Pyongyang on Monday over drones sent into North Korea earlier this year, actions he called “irresponsible”. South Korea initially denied any official role in the January drone incursion – with authorities suggesting it was the work of civilians – but Lee said an investigation had revealed government officials had been involved. “Although this was not the intention of our government, we express our regret to the North that unnecessary... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3349113/south-koreas-lee-regrets-drones-sent-north-irresponsible-and-reckless https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3349113/south-koreas-lee-regrets-drones-sent-north-irresponsible-and-reckless Mon, 06 Apr 2026 03:12:19 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong In Seoul last week, South Koreans were stripping shop shelves of plastic bin bags. Not food, not medicine. Bin bags. Nearly 2.7 million of the city’s mandatory “pay-as-you-throw” bags were sold each day, almost five times the normal volume, as residents scrambled to stockpile what they feared might soon become scarce. City by-laws mandate that the prepaid bags – made from naphtha, a petroleum derivative – be used to throw away household waste. But with oil supplies under strain amid the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3348485/bin-bag-panic-grips-south-korea-huge-iran-war-crisis-budget-agreed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3348485/bin-bag-panic-grips-south-korea-huge-iran-war-crisis-budget-agreed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 04:33:37 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong The death of one of South Korea’s most notorious police officers, known for his torture methods on prisoners, has revived painful memories of human rights abuses during the country’s era of military-backed authoritarian rule. Lee Geun-an, dubbed the “torture expert”, succumbed to multiple organ failure on Thursday at the age of 88. He had faced lifetime criticism for never expressing remorse and referring to himself as a “patriot”, once comparing his interrogation methods to “art”. Survivors of... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/people/article/3348204/death-south-korean-torture-expert-reopens-authoritarian-era-wounds https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/people/article/3348204/death-south-korean-torture-expert-reopens-authoritarian-era-wounds Sat, 28 Mar 2026 01:30:10 +0000 David D. Lee David D. Lee It began with a late-night declaration of martial law and has ended, for now, with a gavel. In the 443 days between those two moments, South Korea’s democracy was tested in ways most countries never experience. Citizens formed human chains to block troops from reaching the National Assembly. Lawmakers rushed through corridors in the dead of night to kill the martial law decree by vote. The Constitutional Court upheld a president’s impeachment. Millions took to the streets in protest. A new... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3344617/what-yoons-life-sentence-means-south-korean-democracy https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3344617/what-yoons-life-sentence-means-south-korean-democracy Thu, 26 Feb 2026 00:00:13 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong He called himself a spiritual guide. Prosecutors called him a fixer. This week, a court in Seoul called him something else: guilty of accepting bribes – a verdict that may yet determine the fate of South Korea’s disgraced former first lady Kim Keon-hee. The man at the centre of it all is Jeon Seong-bae, a high-profile shaman better known as “Monk” Gunjin who was convicted on Tuesday of acting as a go-between for Kim and senior figures of the Unification Church – channelling luxury gifts, cash... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/people/article/3344562/kim-keon-hee-shamans-bribery-verdict-strikes-legal-blow-south-koreas-ex-first-lady https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/people/article/3344562/kim-keon-hee-shamans-bribery-verdict-strikes-legal-blow-south-koreas-ex-first-lady Wed, 25 Feb 2026 06:38:19 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have selected seven stories from the SCMP’s coverage of Asia over the past week that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. South Korea’s ex-president Yoon sentenced to life in prison for insurrection A South Korean court on Thursday found former president Yoon Suk-yeol guilty of insurrection and sentenced him to life in prison over his short-lived martial law decree that plunged the country... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/article/3344403/south-korean-ex-president-sentenced-buddhas-early-life-7-asia-highlights https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/article/3344403/south-korean-ex-president-sentenced-buddhas-early-life-7-asia-highlights Tue, 24 Feb 2026 04:30:08 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse South Korea’s former president Yoon Suk-yeol has filed an appeal against his life sentence for insurrection stemming from his 2024 martial law declaration, his lawyers said on Tuesday. The Seoul Central District Court on Thursday found Yoon guilty of leading an insurrection designed to “paralyse” the National Assembly, sentencing him to life in prison. “We believe we have a responsibility to clearly place on record the problems with this ruling – not only in the court’s records, but also before... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3344401/south-korean-ex-president-yoon-appeals-against-excessive-life-sentence-insurrection https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3344401/south-korean-ex-president-yoon-appeals-against-excessive-life-sentence-insurrection Tue, 24 Feb 2026 03:13:55 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Ousted South Korean president Yoon Suk-yeol on Friday remained defiant in his first reaction to a life sentence for rebellion handed down by a Seoul court the previous day. In a statement released by his lawyers, Yoon maintained that his abrupt and short-lived declaration of martial law in December 2024 was done “solely for the sake of the nation and our people”, and dismissed the Seoul Central District Court as biased against him. Yoon, who was removed from office amid a political crisis set... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3344132/south-koreas-yoon-calls-court-biased-after-life-sentence-rebellion-fight-not-over https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3344132/south-koreas-yoon-calls-court-biased-after-life-sentence-rebellion-fight-not-over Fri, 20 Feb 2026 08:47:39 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have selected seven stories from this week’s news across Hong Kong, mainland China, the wider Asia region and beyond that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Why the growing network of American MQ-9 drones is a challenge for China America’s increasing use of MQ-9 drones near China poses a challenge to Beijing and makes it more urgent for the People’s Liberation Army to improve... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/article/3344059/us-drone-presence-worries-china-top-neuroscientist-moves-shenzhen-scmps-7-highlights https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/article/3344059/us-drone-presence-worries-china-top-neuroscientist-moves-shenzhen-scmps-7-highlights Fri, 20 Feb 2026 04:34:09 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong A South Korean court on Thursday found former president Yoon Suk-yeol guilty of insurrection and sentenced him to life in prison over his short-lived martial law decree that plunged the country into its most serious constitutional crisis in decades. The verdict, delivered by a three-judge panel of the Seoul Central District Court’s Criminal Division 25, was the harshest and most consequential ruling yet stemming from Yoon’s brief imposition of martial law on December 3, 2024, and the events... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/people/article/3343989/south-koreas-ex-president-yoon-found-guilty-insurrection https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/people/article/3343989/south-koreas-ex-president-yoon-found-guilty-insurrection Thu, 19 Feb 2026 06:58:05 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong Two recent convictions tied to Yoon Suk-yeol’s short-lived 2024 martial law decree have effectively sealed his fate, some legal observers say, as judges prepare to rule on the insurrection charge against the former South Korean president. On Thursday, a three-judge panel at the Seoul Central District Court’s Criminal Division 25 is set to deliver its verdict and sentence on the 65-year-old, weighing the prosecution’s request for the death penalty and any mitigating factors. The ruling will test... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3343837/south-koreas-yoon-awaits-verdict-insurrection-rulings-mount-game-over https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3343837/south-koreas-yoon-awaits-verdict-insurrection-rulings-mount-game-over Wed, 18 Feb 2026 00:00:11 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse North Korea on Friday threatened a “terrible response” if it detects any more drones buzzing across the border from the South. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has sought to repair ties with North Korea since taking office last year, criticising his predecessor for allegedly sending drones to scatter propaganda over Pyongyang. But North Korea said it shot down a surveillance drone just last month, an incident which threatens to blight Lee’s efforts to patch things up. Kim Yo-jong, the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3343409/north-korea-threatens-dire-consequences-if-seoul-doesnt-stop-drone-incursions https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3343409/north-korea-threatens-dire-consequences-if-seoul-doesnt-stop-drone-incursions Fri, 13 Feb 2026 04:40:08 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong A South Korean court sentenced former first lady Kim Keon-hee to 20 months in prison for corruption on Wednesday but acquitted her of alleged stock manipulation and other charges. While the ruling marked the first time that both members of a presidential couple were convicted of crimes in South Korea, analysts described Kim’s lighter punishment as a “courtroom victory” after prosecutors sought a 15-year jail term, a 2 billion won (US$1.4 million) fine and 948 million won in forfeiture for the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3341511/south-koreas-ex-first-lady-kim-keon-hee-gets-20-months-jail-corruption https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3341511/south-koreas-ex-first-lady-kim-keon-hee-gets-20-months-jail-corruption Wed, 28 Jan 2026 06:27:00 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong Former South Korean prime minister Han Duck-soo’s conviction and unexpectedly harsh prison sentence have sent shock waves through the political establishment and darkened the outlook for impeached ex-president Yoon Suk-yeol, who faces his own insurrection verdict next month. Analysts say the ruling dismantles Yoon’s legal narrative that his short-lived martial law decree was a legitimate exercise of presidential authority and signals that the courts are prepared to impose heavy penalties for... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/people/article/3340769/fate-south-koreas-yoon-almost-foregone-conclusion-after-hans-shock-prison-term https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/people/article/3340769/fate-south-koreas-yoon-almost-foregone-conclusion-after-hans-shock-prison-term Thu, 22 Jan 2026 04:00:18 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A South Korean court sentenced former prime minister Han Duck-soo to 23 years in prison on Wednesday for aiding and abetting a declaration of martial law that briefly suspended civilian rule. The defendant “disregarded his duty and responsibility as prime minister until the very end”, said Judge Lee Jin-gwan of the Seoul Central District Court. “We sentence the defendant to 23 years in prison.” The sentence is eight years longer than prosecutors’ demand. The 76-year-old career technocrat was... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3340661/south-koreas-ex-pm-han-gets-23-years-prison-insurrection-tied-martial-law https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3340661/south-koreas-ex-pm-han-gets-23-years-prison-insurrection-tied-martial-law Wed, 21 Jan 2026 06:26:49 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday ordered an investigation into claims that the country’s military intelligence command supported a civilian accused of sending drones into North Korea. The civilian at the centre of the allegations, a graduate student in his thirties identified only by his surname Oh, claims he flew drones into North Korea three times since September last year. He previously worked in ex-president Yoon Suk-yeol’s office and allegedly received – according to local... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3340527/south-korea-probes-if-spies-funded-drones-flown-north-student https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3340527/south-korea-probes-if-spies-funded-drones-flown-north-student Tue, 20 Jan 2026 07:27:00 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong Impeached former South Korean president Yoon Seok-yeol was sentenced to five years in prison on Friday after being found guilty of resisting arrest and other offences linked to his attempted imposition of martial law in 2024. The verdict marks Yoon’s first conviction among eight ongoing criminal trials, in one of which prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for his alleged role as the “ringleader” of an attempted insurrection. The 2024 decree unleashed a wave of political unrest, triggering... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3340120/south-koreas-yoon-gets-5-years-prison-obstructing-justice-during-martial-law-bid https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3340120/south-koreas-yoon-gets-5-years-prison-obstructing-justice-during-martial-law-bid Fri, 16 Jan 2026 06:08:56 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong When prosecutors in South Korea demanded the death penalty for ex-president Yoon Suk-yeol, he shook his head in disbelief and let out a contemptuous laugh – a moment that encapsulated his defiant posture throughout nine months of hearings. Yoon stands accused of being the “ringleader” of an insurrection stemming from his failed martial law bid in 2024 that plunged the country into political chaos. The public gallery, packed with Yoon’s supporters, erupted into protests, forcing the presiding... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3339807/south-koreas-yoon-could-become-martyr-if-given-death-penalty-observers https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3339807/south-koreas-yoon-could-become-martyr-if-given-death-penalty-observers Wed, 14 Jan 2026 02:58:49 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press An independent counsel on Tuesday demanded the death sentence for former South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol on rebellion charges in connection with his short-lived imposition of martial law in December 2024. Yoon, who was removed from office last April and is in jail, faces eight trials over various criminal charges related to his martial law debacle and other scandals related to his time in office. Charges that he directed a rebellion are the most significant ones. Independent counsel Cho... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3339781/south-korean-prosecutors-demand-death-penalty-yoon-suk-yeol-over-martial-law https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3339781/south-korean-prosecutors-demand-death-penalty-yoon-suk-yeol-over-martial-law Tue, 13 Jan 2026 13:18:58 +0000 Reuters Reuters A South Korean government-commissioned report found the Jeju Air plane crash in December 2024 that killed ‍179 people might not have been deadly if there had not been a concrete mound at the end of the runway, an opposition lawmaker said. The Boeing 737-800 coming from Bangkok belly-landed and overran the runway at Muan International Airport, killing almost everyone on board after it struck a concrete support for a localiser antenna. The ⁠only survivors were two flight attendants at the far rear... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3339343/jeju-air-crash-man-made-179-deaths-may-have-been-avoided-report-finds https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3339343/jeju-air-crash-man-made-179-deaths-may-have-been-avoided-report-finds Fri, 09 Jan 2026 09:28:38 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong South Korea’s conservative People Power Party (PPP) has issued a belated apology for Yoon Suk-yeol’s failed attempt to impose martial law – more than a year after it sparked a constitutional crisis that toppled his government. Yet analysts described the gesture as a tactical retreat by the ex-president’s former party, aimed at salvaging electoral fortunes rather than confronting its role in the fiasco. Delivered on Wednesday by PPP chairman Jang Dong-hyuk, the apology laid bare the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3339055/south-koreas-conservatives-attempt-break-yoon-martial-law-apology https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3339055/south-koreas-conservatives-attempt-break-yoon-martial-law-apology Thu, 08 Jan 2026 00:00:13 +0000 Fan Chen,Alyssa Chen Fan Chen,Alyssa Chen South Korean President Lee Jae-myung will make a state visit to China next week as the two countries try to find a way through their intense economic rivalry to improve ties. The trip will make Lee the first sitting South Korean president to travel to China since 2019, and will include a three-day stop in Beijing from Sunday, a presidential official in Seoul said on Tuesday. Lee will meet President Xi Jinping in the Chinese capital before heading to Shanghai and then back to Seoul. The talks... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3338188/south-koreas-lee-jae-myung-visit-china-economic-and-nuclear-mission https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3338188/south-koreas-lee-jae-myung-visit-china-economic-and-nuclear-mission Tue, 30 Dec 2025 11:26:10 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong Long-rumoured allegations surrounding South Korea’s former first lady, Kim Keon-hee, were laid out in unprecedented detail after a special prosecutor concluded a six-month investigation into her conduct, offering official clarity but leaving key questions unresolved. The findings, presented to the public on Monday, offered the clearest official account yet of claims that Kim, the wife of ousted former president Yoon Suk-yeol, abused her proximity to power – from accepting luxury gifts to... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3338064/probe-south-koreas-kim-keon-hee-ends-unresolved-issues https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3338064/probe-south-koreas-kim-keon-hee-ends-unresolved-issues Tue, 30 Dec 2025 00:00:20 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong Prosecutors on Friday demanded a 10-year prison sentence for former South Korean president Yoon Suk-yeol in the first of four trials linked to his failed attempt to impose martial law, as a potential ruling against Yoon next month could keep him behind bars even before his most serious case is concluded. This first case focuses on Yoon’s actions before and after the martial law decree was issued on December 3 last year, including obstructing his arrest, bypassing Cabinet procedures and forging... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3337790/south-koreas-ex-president-yoon-faces-10-year-jail-over-first-4-failed-coup-trials https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3337790/south-koreas-ex-president-yoon-faces-10-year-jail-over-first-4-failed-coup-trials Fri, 26 Dec 2025 07:08:07 +0000 Hannan Hussain Hannan Hussain Seoul has been putting its weight behind lowering the temperature on stalled US-North Korea denuclearisation talks. The issue remains fraught with tension: Washington has grown increasingly sceptical of the prospect of Pyongyang’s complete denuclearisation and attempts to engage North Korean leader Kim Jong-un have met with limited success. For Pyongyang, any discussion of its nuclear programme appears to be a red line. Kim has brooked no compromise on the issue, which is domestically important... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3336536/seoul-holds-key-us-north-korea-denuclearisation-talks https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3336536/seoul-holds-key-us-north-korea-denuclearisation-talks Wed, 24 Dec 2025 21:30:08 +0000