International News
Martial Law: South Korean President Survives Impeachment
South Korean President, Yoon Suk Yeol narrowly avoided impeachment on Saturday after a brief and controversial declaration of martial law.
Despite widespread protests outside parliament, lawmakers from Yoon’s ruling People Power Party (PPP) boycotted the vote, effectively preventing the motion from reaching the required two-thirds majority for approval.
Yoon’s martial law declaration, which saw troops deployed to parliament, shocked the nation and drew international criticism.
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The decree, announced late Tuesday, aimed to “eliminate anti-state elements,” but was quickly reversed after a wave of backlash.
His party’s lawmakers staged a near-total boycott during the impeachment vote, resulting in its failure.
National Assembly speaker Woo Won-shik confirmed that the vote was invalid due to insufficient participation.
“The number of members who voted did not reach the required two-thirds majority,” Woo said. “It is very regrettable that a vote could not even be held on such a significant national issue,” he added, criticizing the PPP for its failure to engage in the democratic process.
The decision disappointed the massive crowds that had gathered outside parliament, with some protestors numbering up to one million according to organizers.
As PPP lawmakers left the chamber without voting, demonstrators expressed their frustration.
“Even though we didn’t get the outcome we wanted today, I am neither discouraged nor disappointed because we will get it eventually,” said Jo Ah-gyeong, a 30-year-old protester. “I’ll keep coming here until we get it,” she told AFP.
Opposition leaders vowed to continue their fight, promising to push for a new impeachment motion as early as Wednesday.
Many protesters also pledged to keep demonstrating until Yoon is removed from office. “I will impeach Yoon Suk Yeol, who has become the worst risk for South Korea, at any cost,” said opposition leader Lee Jae-myung.
Before the vote, Yoon, 63, apologized for the turmoil caused by his actions. “I caused anxiety and inconvenience to the public. I sincerely apologise,” he said, adding that he would leave decisions about his political future to his party. “I will entrust the party with measures to stabilise the political situation, including my term in office,” he said.
Despite Yoon’s apology, the PPP’s internal divisions remain apparent. Only three PPP lawmakers—Ahn Cheol-soo, Kim Yea-ji, and Kim Sang-wook—cast votes in favor of the impeachment motion.
The party defended its stance, saying it blocked the vote to avoid “severe division and chaos” and pledged to resolve the crisis in a “more orderly and responsible manner.”
Yoon’s approval rating has plummeted to a record low of 13%, and public frustration continues to mount.
“The public will not forgive him,” said 63-year-old retiree Lee Wan-pyo. “I just want him to step down,” said 70-year-old housewife Han Jeong-hwa.
The martial law episode, which included soldiers sealing off the National Assembly and helicopters landing on the roof, has drawn comparisons to South Korea’s autocratic past.
Nearly 300 soldiers were sent to lock down parliament, but MPs managed to resist the move, with some climbing walls to enter the building.
The martial law order was voted down after members of parliament successfully thwarted the military intervention.
As investigations into alleged insurrection unfold, experts suggest the failure of the impeachment vote signals a prolonged political crisis for Yoon.
“We will have a politically dead president—basically unable to govern any longer—and hundreds of thousands coming to the streets every week until Yoon is removed,” said Vladimir Tikhonov, a professor of Korean Studies at the University of Oslo.
The international community, including the United States, has expressed concern over the unfolding crisis.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged South Korea’s government to uphold democratic processes in a call with his Korean counterpart, Cho Tae-yul.
In a significant political development, John Dramani Mahama was officially sworn in as Ghana’s President today, January 7, succeeding Nana Akufo-Addo.
The 65-year-old leader begins his second tenure in the role, having previously served as president from July 2012 to January 2017.
During the inauguration ceremony, Mahama made an unexpected slip, mistakenly referring to Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the “President of Ghana.”
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The statement, made in front of a global audience, quickly went viral.
This marks Mahama’s second time at the helm.
He initially assumed office in July 2012, following the passing of then-President John Evans Atta Mills. After completing Mills’ term, Mahama won the 2012 presidential election, serving a full term before stepping down in 2017.
Today’s inauguration was attended by dignitaries and citizens eager to witness Mahama’s return to power.
Despite the momentary gaffe, the ceremony was hailed as a testament to Ghana’s vibrant democracy.
See video below:
A powerful earthquake struck China’s remote Tibet region on Tuesday, leaving at least 53 people dead and 62 injured, state media reported.
The quake, which hit Dingri County near the Nepal border, also caused significant damage, with over 1,000 buildings affected and many completely destroyed.
The tremor, measured at 6.8 magnitude by the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC) and 7.1 by the US Geological Survey, occurred at 9:05 a.m. local time (0105 GMT).
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It is the strongest earthquake recorded within a 200-kilometer radius in the past five years, according to CENC.
Videos aired by China’s state broadcaster CCTV showed homes reduced to rubble and streets filled with debris.
Surveillance footage from a local store captured the moment of impact, with shelves violently shaking and items like toys crashing to the floor.
In the town of Lhatse, visuals verified by AFP revealed rubble scattered outside shops and eateries.
Rescue workers are seen navigating through the devastation, distributing thick blankets to residents struggling with subzero temperatures.
The China Meteorological Administration warned that temperatures in Dingri could drop to minus 18 degrees Celsius (0 degrees Fahrenheit) by nightfall.
“Dingri County and its surrounding areas experienced very strong tremors, and many buildings near the epicenter have collapsed,” state broadcaster CCTV reported.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for “full-scale search and rescue efforts, minimizing casualties to the greatest extent possible, properly resettling affected residents, and ensuring their safety and warmth through the winter.”
Disaster relief, including tents, quilts, and other essential supplies, has been dispatched to the affected areas.
Local authorities are continuing efforts to assess the full impact of the quake, Xinhua News Agency reported.
The earthquake’s tremors extended into neighboring Nepal and parts of India.
Residents of Kathmandu and areas near Everest in Nepal’s high mountains reported strong shaking.
“It shook quite strongly here, everyone is awake,” said Jagat Prasad Bhusal, a government official in Nepal’s Namche region. However, no casualties or damage were reported in Nepal, according to Nepali Home Ministry spokesman Rishi Ram Tiwari.
Some tremors were also felt in India’s Bihar state, though no injuries were reported.
The Himalayan region, situated on a major tectonic fault line where the Indian and Eurasian plates collide, is highly prone to earthquakes.
This latest quake follows other recent seismic disasters, including a 7.8-magnitude quake in Nepal in 2015 that killed nearly 9,000 people and injured more than 22,000.
In China, a 7.0-magnitude earthquake along the China-Kyrgyzstan border in January 2024 killed three people, while a December 2023 quake in Gansu Province claimed 148 lives and displaced thousands.
The extreme weather conditions in Tibet are complicating rescue and relief efforts.
Temperatures in the affected region are already below freezing, and survivors face further hardships as authorities work to restore order and safety.
Xinhua reported that “local authorities are reaching out to various townships in the county to assess the impact of the quake.”
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced his decision to resign, bringing an end to his nearly 10-year tenure as leader of the country.
Speaking to reporters in Ottawa on Monday, Trudeau said he will step down as soon as the ruling Liberal Party selects a new leader.
RELATED NEWS: Growing Internal Dissent Moves Canada PM Towards Resignation
“I intend to resign as party leader, as prime minister,” Trudeau declared, signaling the conclusion of a political career that began with his election as prime minister in 2015.
The announcement follows months of internal pressure and a political crisis that saw top Liberal Party members urging Trudeau to step aside.
More to follow……….
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