
S.Korea's ousted president Yoon indicted on additional criminal charges over martial law
Yoon's additional indictments mean he will remain in jail for up to six months as he faces a trial at the Seoul Central District Court on his Dec. 3 martial law declaration that plunged South Korea into huge political turmoil. Yoon was sent back to prison last week after the Seoul court approved his arrest warrant requested by a team of investigators headed by independent counsel Cho Eun-suk.
Cho's team indicted Yoon on abuse of power that obstructed the rights of some of his Cabinet members. The charge was imposed because Yoon summoned only select Cabinet members to approve his emergency martial law when South Korean law requires approval of all Cabinet members for such a measure, Park Ji-young, a senior investigator at Cho's team, told a briefing.
Park said Yoon was also charged with fabricating an official document in an attempt to satisfy a formal requirement for a martial law declaration before he eventually destroyed it.
After declaring martial law, Yoon sent troops and police officers to the opposition-controlled National Assembly, but enough lawmakers managed to enter an assembly chamber and voted down his decree, forcing his Cabinet to lift it. Yoon was later impeached by the assembly, with some of his ruling party lawmakers voting to suspend his presidential powers.
Yoon has argued his decree was a desperate attempt to draw public support of his fight against the "wickedness' of the main liberal opposition Democratic Party, which had obstructed his agenda, impeached top officials and slashed the government's budget bill. He earlier called the National Assembly "a den of criminals' and "anti-state forces.'

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Arab Times
9 hours ago
- Arab Times
Trump's meeting with a key European official comes as tariff deadline nears
EDINBURGH, Scotland, July 27, (AP): Donald Trump is meeting Sunday with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, taking a break from golfing in Scotland to discuss trade as both sides seek an agreement on tariff rates now that the White House's deadline to impose stiff tariff rates is looming. Trump played golf Saturday at his course in Turnberry on the southwest coast of Scotland and is expected to hit the links again frequently during his five-day visit. On Tuesday, he'll be in Aberdeen, in northeast Scotland, where his family has another golf course and is opening a third next month. Trump and his son Eric are planning to help cut the ribbon on the new course, where public tee times starting Aug. 13 are already on offer. The visit with von der Leyen is expected to be behind closed doors and few further details have been released. Leaving the White House on Friday, Trump said "we have a 50-50 chance, maybe less than that, but a 50-50 chance of making a deal with the EU.' He said the deal would have to "buy down' the currently scheduled tariff rate of 30% on the bloc of 27 member states. Later, von der Leyen posted on X that, "Following a good call' with Trump, the pair had 'agreed to meet in Scotland on Sunday to discuss transatlantic trade relations, and how we can keep them strong.' The US and EU seemed close to reaching a deal earlier this month, but Trump instead threatened a 30% tariff rate on the bloc of nations. Still, Trump's original deadline for beginning such tariffs has already passed, and is now delayed until at least Friday. Flying to Scotland to enjoy his golf courses hasn't stopped the president from talking trade. After going to Turnberry to play nine holes, have lunch, then play nine more, Trump posted that he'd block any trade deals between the US and Cambodia and Thailand since the two southeast Asian countries remain locked in violent clashes in long-disputed border areas. Trump wrote that he spoke with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Phumtham Wechayachai, the acting prime minister of Thailand, to call for a ceasefire. "I am trying to simplify a complex situation!' he wrote on Truth Social after disclosing his conversation with the Cambodian leader. After speaking with Wechayachai, Trump said both countries want peace and added: "Ceasefire, Peace, and Prosperity seems to be a natural.' The actual likelihood of a deal with the EU, meanwhile, remains to be seen. Trump recently said he thought the odds of reaching a framework with Japan was 25% - but the U.S. and Japan subsequently announced an agreement this past week.


Arab Times
9 hours ago
- Arab Times
Strong bomb explosion targets Greek prison guard's home
THESSALONIKI, Greece, July 27, (AP): A bomb explosion targeted the home of the president of the Greek association of prison guards early Saturday morning in the country's north. The guard, named Konstantinos Varsamis on the association's website, was left unharmed after about 3 kilograms (about 6.6 pounds) of explosives went off at 2:10 am local time, police said. Two people suffered minor injuries from shattered glass. The explosives were placed outside his apartment building's front door in Sykies, a suburb in the northern city of Thessaloniki, where he lives on the first floor, according to authorities. The blast damaged three apartment buildings, shattering their windows and collapsing a shared wall, according to an Associated Press reporter on-site. "I woke up because of the very loud bang of the explosion," Tzetno Kelo, 52, who lives in an adjacent apartment building, said. "Shattered glass from a window fell on my bed and I was covered in blood." He was treated at a hospital before being discharged Police said a witness saw a man walking in the densely built street shortly before the explosion. Varsamis has worked for many years at Diavata prison, west of Thessaloniki, known for housing many criminal gang members as well as convicted terrorists. Two police officers said they are focusing their efforts on criminal gangs rather than terror groups. Both spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not supposed to comment on an ongoing investigation. The police have already deposed Varsamis, they said. The police's Organized Crime Unit is leading the investigation.


Arab Times
10 hours ago
- Arab Times
Thailand and Cambodia agree to ceasefire talks after Trump steps in
SURIN, Thailand, July 27, (AP): Thailand and Cambodia on Sunday signaled their readiness to negotiate an end to a deadly border dispute following mediation efforts by US President Donald Trump. The fighting, now in its fourth day, has killed at least 34 people and displaced more than 168,000. Trump posted on Truth Social on Saturday that he spoke to the leaders of Thailand and Cambodia and suggested he would not move forward with trade agreements with either country if the hostilities continued. He later said both sides agreed to meet to negotiate a ceasefire. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said Sunday his country agreed to pursue an "immediate and unconditional ceasefire.' He said Trump told him that Thailand had also agreed to halt attacks following Trump's conversation with Acting Thai Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai. "This is positive news for the soldiers and people of both countries,' Hun Manet said in a statement. He said he tasked his deputy, Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn, to coordinate next steps with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and to engage directly with Thailand's foreign minister to implement the ceasefire. Thailand expressed cautious support. Phumtham thanked Trump and said that Thailand agreed in principle to a ceasefire but stressed the need for "sincere intention' from Cambodia, the Thai Foreign Ministry said. Phumtam called for swift bilateral talks to discuss concrete steps toward a peaceful resolution, it said. The fighting first flared Thursday after a land mine explosion along the border wounded five Thai soldiers. Both sides blamed each other for starting the clashes. Both countries recalled their ambassadors and Thailand closed its border crossings with Cambodia. Despite the diplomatic efforts, fighting continued Sunday along parts of the contested border, with both sides refusing to budge and trading blame over renewed shelling and troop movements. Col. Richa Suksowanont, a Thai army deputy spokesperson, said Cambodian forces fired heavy artillery into Surin province, including at civilian homes early Sunday. He said Cambodia also launched rocket attacks targeting the ancient Ta Muen Thom temple claimed by both countries, and other areas in a bid to reclaim territory secured by Thai troops. Thai forces responded with long-range artillery to strike Cambodian artillery and rocket launchers. Richa said Trump's efforts to mediate was a "separate matter.' The battlefield operations will continue and a ceasefire can only happen if Cambodia formally initiates negotiations, he added.