Space Industry and Business News
DEMOCRACY
South Korean president banned from leaving country
South Korean president banned from leaving country
By Hailey JO, Hieun SHIN
Seoul (AFP) Dec 9, 2024

South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol was banned Monday from travelling abroad, the justice ministry said, less than a week after he plunged the country into chaos by briefly imposing martial law.

Yoon sent special forces and helicopters to parliament on the night of December 3 before lawmakers forced him to rescind the order by rejecting his decree.

The unpopular leader narrowly survived an impeachment motion in parliament on Saturday even as huge crowds braved freezing temperatures to call for his ouster.

Despite remaining in office, a clutch of investigations has been closing in on Yoon and his close allies, including a probe for alleged insurrection.

The ministry of justice confirmed on Monday that Yoon had become the first sitting South Korean president to be banned from leaving the country.

A lawmaker was asked at a parliamentary hearing on Monday whether Yoon had been banned from leaving the country. "Yes, that's right," Bae Sang-up, an immigration services commissioner at the ministry, replied.

Also under travel bans for their roles in last week's events are former defence minister Kim Yong-hyun -- currently in detention -- and ex-interior minister Lee Sang-min.

General Park An-su, the officer in charge of the martial law operation, and defence counterintelligence commander Yeo In-hyung are also barred from leaving the country.

Investigators hauled Park in for further questioning on Monday, and Yonhap news agency reported late Monday that prosecutors had asked for a warrant for Kim's formal arrest.

- 'Second coup' -

The impeachment push failed to pass after members of Yoon's own People Power Party (PPP) walked out of parliament, depriving it of the necessary two-thirds majority.

The PPP says that in exchange, the 63-year-old Yoon has agreed to hand power to the prime minister and party chief, prompting howls of protest from the opposition.

"This is an unlawful, unconstitutional act of a second insurrection and a second coup," Democratic Party floor leader Park Chan-dae said on Monday.

Under South Korea's constitution, the president remains head of government and commander in chief of the army unless he or she is incapacitated, resigns or steps down.

In such a case, power would then be handed to the prime minister on an interim basis until elections could be held.

Claiming that Yoon can remain in office but has delegated his powers to the prime minister and leader of his ruling PPP -- who is not an elected official -- is "a blatant constitutional violation with no legal basis", Park said.

"Their attitude of placing themselves above the constitution mirrors that of insurrectionist Yoon Suk Yeol," he said.

- Power vacuum? -

The defence ministry confirmed on Monday that the embattled Yoon remained at the head of the country's security apparatus, despite the apparent power vacuum in a country that remains technically at war with nuclear-armed North Korea.

"Legally, (control of military forces) currently lies with the commander in chief," defence ministry spokesperson Jeon Ha-kyou said.

Yoon has apologised for "anxiety and inconvenience" caused by his declaration of martial law but has not stepped down, saying instead he would entrust decisions about his fate to his party.

He also said he would accept all political and legal responsibility for the martial law fiasco.

There is no constitutional basis supporting the ruling party's claim that Yoon can stay in office but hand over his power to unelected party officials, said Kim Hae-won, a constitutional law professor at Pusan National University Law School.

"It seems to resemble an unconstitutional soft coup," he told AFP.

"If there are issues with the president, there are ways laid out in the constitution such as suspending the president from his duties, and then move on to proceedings set out in the constitution, such as impeachment," he said.

The opposition has already said they would try again to impeach Yoon, with leader Lee Jae-myung saying another vote would be held on Saturday.

Huge crowds are expected to gather again outside the National Assembly building.

Yoon's approval rating hit 11 percent, a historic low for the unpopular president, according to a new Gallup poll commissioned by local media.

burs-stu/ceb/sst/bgs

Related Links
Democracy in the 21st century at TerraDaily.com

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
DEMOCRACY
Hong Kong court rejects first legal challenge to new security law
Hong Kong (AFP) Dec 6, 2024
A senior Hong Kong judge sided with the government on Friday and dismissed the first legal challenge to the city's newly enacted national security law, which had been brought by a jailed protester. Ma Chun-man - known as "Captain America 2.0" for carrying a replica of the Marvel superhero's shield during democracy rallies in 2019 - was imprisoned for "inciting secession" under a national security law imposed by Beijing in 2020. He had hoped to receive a one-third sentence remission - typicall ... read more

DEMOCRACY
Unlocking the potential of collagen modulation for biomaterials in human health

How Deinococcus Radiodurans thrives in extreme radiation

Scientists create coral-inspired material for effective bone repair

A new way to create realistic 3D shapes using generative AI

DEMOCRACY
China launches communication technology satellite aboard Long March 3B

Orbit secures $9M contract to provide satellite communication systems for Israeli defense forces

Airbus to deliver advanced satellite modems to UK MoD for Skynet comms

Fleet Space Centauri 6 advances resilient SATCOM for defence

DEMOCRACY
DEMOCRACY
Deciphering city navigation AI advances GNSS error detection

GPS alternative for drone navigation leverages celestial data

China advances next-generation BeiDou satellite navigation system

Space Systems Command and U.S. Navy achieve major MGUE program milestone

DEMOCRACY
Study defines sustainable aviation and provides framework for progress

Qatar to invest 1 bn pounds in climate technologies with UK

Macron says Paris, Riyadh have 'will' to progress fighter jet sale

South Korea scrambles jets as Chinese, Russian warplanes approach

DEMOCRACY
New AI cracks complex engineering problems faster than supercomputers

Researchers design new materials for advanced chip manufacturing

Superconducting quantum processors enable precise insights into quantum transport

US clean energy, defense to be impacted by China export curbs

DEMOCRACY
SatVu secures ESA funding for high-resolution thermal imaging project in energy sector

Lessons from Earth's ancient climate show risks of shrinking tropical rain belts

Revealing regional variations in Earth's upper atmosphere during May 2024 superstorm

The Amazon rainforest and its role in cloud formation through plant emissions and thunderstorms

DEMOCRACY
President's push to scrap gold mining ban causes outcry in El Salvador

What bees reveal about environmental contamination through honey

Rio Tinto's Bougainville mine poses ongoing threats: report

With blasts and grit, Colombia fights gold mines run by crime gangs

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.