
Will South Korea expel the US?
The embattled leader of the conservative-leaning People Power Party faces both criminal charges of insurrection and removal from office after his Dec. 14 impeachment.
The political turmoil in the Republic of Korea could result in a takeover by those sympathetic to China, North Korea and communism. It is even possible that leftists could merge the South Korean state into the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the Kim regime of North Korea.
At risk, therefore, is America's alliance with the South.
Yoon was impeached by the National Assembly for his Dec. 3 declaration of martial law, the first such declaration in the South since 1980. Martial law, although in force for only six hours, was widely condemned in South Korean society, and even conservatives in the leftist-dominated National Assembly voted to impeach.
Yoon declared martial law because leftists, led by the Democratic Party of Korea, had blocked almost all his attempts to govern since he was elected president in 2022. He justified the action by saying he was breaking a deadlock to stop "anti-state activities plotting rebellion."
"The martial law is aimed at eradicating pro-North Korean forces and to protect the constitutional order of freedom," Yoon stated in a televised address.
"Although it might be considered bad political judgment, I think his decision to implement martial law was for the good of the nation because of the malign influence activities of China and North Korea," David Maxwell of the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Asia Pacific Strategy told me last week. "When the National Assembly voted to not approve martial law, he respected the vote and withdrew the martial law order. This demonstrated that he puts the rule of law for the nation ahead of any other intent."
Yoon's low popularity – polls showed that less than 20% of South Koreans had approved of his performance as president before December – plummeted after he declared martial law.
Minjoo, as the Democratic Party of Korea is known, then overreached, impeaching the acting president on Dec. 27 and moving hard against conservative figures. Leftists made a grab for total power, "employing gangster tactics to seize control of all branches of government," Lawrence Peck, advisor to the North Korea Freedom Coalition, told me in December.
As Greg Scarlatoiu, president of the Committee for Human Rights in North Korea, stated in e-mail comments, the impeachment of the president and acting president was an attempt to undermine "checks and balances and the very fabric of democracy."
The public rejected Minjoo's attempt for total power. Yoon's approval rating soared to 46.6% by the middle of January.
Whether Yoon is popular or not, the country's Constitutional Court will soon decide whether to remove him. If he is removed, citizens will head to the polls within 60 days to select the 14th president of the Republic of Korea.
Minjoo wants an election. There is evidence that the party has, with China's help, changed balloting in at least the last three national elections, starting in 2020. Its "uniformly narrow" wins in district after district in the National Assembly contests in 2020 were "statistically improbable." As one observer said, "Either God did it, or it was rigged."
In all probability, it wasn't God.
The South's early-balloting system was vulnerable to manipulation, especially with servers supplied by China's Huawei Technologies and, possibly, algorithms developed by Minjoo in coordination with China's Communist Party. Last year, the National Election Commission hired Chinese nationals to count votes. No wonder the results in 2020 and those in 2022 and 2024 were substantially different than late polling suggested, another indication of fraud.
South Korea's National Election Commission, dominated by Minjoo, has repeatedly denied its electronic voting system could be hacked to change votes, but as Tara O of the East Asia Research Center reports, North Korea breached the commission's servers multiple times and the South's National Intelligence Service was also able to do so in tests.
"The chance of vote rigging in Korea is extremely high," says Tara O, referring to an election following a removal of Yoon.
Due to balloting fraud, the next president of South Korea is likely to be Minjoo's Lee Jae-myung, who was convicted last November of violating the country's election law.
"Lee Jae-myung has sounded like a Communist-style socialist or Kim Jong Un himself," said Sung-Yoon Lee, author of "The Sister: North Korea's Kim Yo Jong, the Most Dangerous Woman in the World." "For example, Lee has called the Democratic People's Republic of Korea 'our North Korea' and referred to Kim Jong Il and Kim Il Sung as 'our predecessors,' whose 'efforts' must 'not be slandered and undermined.'" Lee says that the world should expect "extreme appeasement of Kim Jong Un and Xi Jinping and a determined crackdown of North Korea human rights organizations and activists."
Minjoo's Lee Jae-myung is virulently anti-American. He has recently expressed support for continuation of South Korea's alliance with America, but South Koreans doubt his sincerity given his radical views. He has, for instance, called the U.S. an "occupying force" and blames Washington for Japan's annexation of Korea 115 years ago. If given the chance, he would almost certainly expel American troops and line up with China and North Korea.
Lee Jae-myung, as his comments suggest, believes there is only one Korea and would therefore seek unification of the two Korean states.
So on the Korean peninsula freedom is at risk, democracy is at risk, everything is at risk.
South Koreans can now lose their country.
"Only South Koreans themselves can save South Korea from the looming calamity," says Sung-Yoon Lee. "May God give them the wisdom and strength to save themselves."
Hashtags

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


UPI
8 hours ago
- UPI
Vance, Hegseth, Miller laud Guard troops, denounce capital protesters
A Humvee is parked in front of Union Station in Washington as members of the National Guard patrol on Monday after President Donald Trump last week deployed the National Guard to assist in crime prevention. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo Aug. 20 (UPI) -- As protesters chanted nearby, U.S. Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller visited National Guardsmen in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday amid what the Trump administration says is a crime crackdown. The three Trump administration officials greeted National Guard troops at the capital's Union Station while positioned near a table containing hamburgers for the troops, PBS News reported. "In just the past nine days, we've seen a 35% reduction in violent crime," Vance told those in attendance. "We've seen over a 50% reduction in robberies," he added. "We're seeing really substantial effects because these guys are busting their a*****." Vance said he wanted to thank the National Guard troops in person and hand out some hamburgers to show his appreciation for their efforts. Hegseth said the National Guard deployments in Washington are needed to ensure residents, visitors and those who work in the capital are safe. "The American people, the residents of D.C., deserve a safe and beautiful city," Hegseth said. "That's our mission." He called the National Guard troops "patriots who serve the country" and want to make Washington a "beautiful, safe capital." The National Guard troops are "proud of this mission" and making sure "law and order is established here in the capital," Hegseth added. He said the Defense Department is providing the resources that the troops need and working with law enforcement partners to ensure safety in Washington. Pro-Palestinian protesters gathered and chanted near Union Station, which drew a rebuke from Vance. He said the protesters "hate the idea that Americans can enjoy their communities," according to PBS News. Vance said he went to Union Station with Hegseth and Miller because criminal activity was very high there, which local officials deny. Miller added to Vance's criticism of the protesters by calling them "stupid white hippies" and said they do not represent Washington, D.C.'s residents, The Hill reported. "We are not going to let the communists destroy a great American city, let alone the nation's capital," Miller said. "All these demonstrators you've seen out here in recent days, all these elderly white hippies, they're not part of the city and never have been," Miller said. "We're going to ignore these stupid white hippies that all need to go home and take a nap because they're all over 90 years old," he added. Trump last week put the federal government in control of Washington's Metropolitan Police Department, which has been accused of falsifying crime data. Though Trump administration officials have characterized crime in the city as out of control, in actuality, crime in the district has fallen in recent years or remained flat. An agreement on Friday put the police department under local control, but Trump sought and received National Guard deployments from West Virginia, South Carolina, Mississippi, Ohio, Tennessee and Louisiana. About 1,200 National Guard troops are slated for deployment in the capital, in addition to 800 Washington National Guard troops who already are there, according to The Washington Post.
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Yahoo
JD Vance Heckled At Photo Op With National Guard In DC
WASHINGTON — Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller visited with National Guard troops at Shake Shack in Union Station on Wednesday. 'Free D.C.' and pro-Palestinian activists heckled Vance loudly as he entered the restaurant, where he thanked the National Guard soldiers for their work. 'We appreciate everything that you're doing,' Vance said. 'You guys bust your ass all day, we give you a hamburger. Not a fair trade, but we're grateful for everything you guys do.' President Donald Trump took over the local police and deployed troops in Washington in response to a supposed 'crime emergency,' despite D.C. police data suggesting crime has fallen in recent years. The protesters remained audible even inside the restaurant, according to a video feed from the Defense Department. 'It's bizarre that we have a bunch of old, primarily white people out there protesting the policies that keep people safe when they've never felt danger in their entire lives,' Vance said. Outside the building, law enforcement mounted an overwhelming show of force. Dozens of National Guard troops and enormous armored vehicles, Drug Enforcement Administration agents, U.S. marshals, Capitol Police officers, D.C.'s Metropolitan Police, Amtrak police, and Secret Service agents stood guard as gawking visitors got in and out of Uber cars and tourists boarded double-decker sightseeing buses. Related: Nan Raphael, a D.C. resident and veteran who showed up to protest Trump's takeover of the district, said she feared other states were next. 'If the capital goes down, so does the rest of the country. That's how authoritarian regimes work. So we have to keep our city free,' she told HuffPost. 'This, I think, is a waste of our taxpayer money. They're just here for a show of force, to harass, and they can't really do anything,' she added. Related: Republicans have routinely complained about homeless people and aggressive panhandlers at Union Station, where many visitors first enter the district. The White House has trumpeted reports that the building feels safer since the federal takeover, but Vance's first return visit may not have felt as triumphant as he'd hoped. Related: 'It's couch fucker. You gonna fuck a couch, buddy? ... Go fuck a couch,' one person was heard shouting at the vice president, a reference to a made-up internet meme that went viral last year. This is a developing story. Please check back for updates. Trump Moves To Use The Levers Of Presidential Power To Help His Party In The 2026 Midterms 'Guilty Conscience': Trump's Raw Confession About 'Heaven' Has People Wondering J.D. Vance Booed At Firefighters Union ConferenceSolve the daily Crossword


UPI
13 hours ago
- UPI
Korea at a crossroads: Two visions of liberation collide
South Korean President Lee Jae-Myung speaks after receiving letters of appointment during a "people's appointment ceremony," which is essentially the inauguration ceremony, at Gwanghwamun square in Seoul on Friday. Photo by Jeon Heon-kyun/Pool/EPA SEOUL, Aug. 20 (UPI) -- On the 80th anniversary of Korea's liberation from Japanese colonial rule, two voices offered radically different interpretations of what a vision for the peninsula should look like. One seeks accommodation with permanent division; the other proclaims unification as a historic calling. In his Liberation Day address, President Lee Jae Myung departed from the long tradition of framing the national destiny around reunification. He declared: "Liberation Day is not only a holiday for the South; it is also a day the North celebrates. ... We will recognize the North's system and will not interfere in its internal affairs." By effectively endorsing a "two-state" reality, Lee signaled that his administration would accept permanent division so long as Pyongyang demanded it. For critics, this was nothing less than an abdication of the historical mission of unification, one that independence fighters saw as inseparable from liberation itself. The dissonance deepened later that evening, when Lee presided over what was billed as a "people's inauguration" in Gwanghwamun. The spectacle was less a unifying celebration than a partisan rally, capped by his controversial pardons of political allies. The controversy over Lee's Liberation Day pardons was sharpened by the identities of those he chose to absolve. Cho Kuk, a former justice minister, was convicted of academic fraud and abuse of power stemming from efforts to secure elite university placements for his daughter. Yoon Mee-hyang, a former lawmaker and activist, was indicted on charges of embezzling funds from a civic group that supported surviving "comfort women" --Korean women forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese military during World War II. For many citizens, forgiving such figures on a day meant to honor national sacrifice and liberation struck a jarring note. A day earlier, on Thursday, another vision had been articulated before an international audience in Seoul. Hyun Jin Preston Moon, chairman of the Global Peace Foundation, framed Korea's division as a foreign construct that could -- and must -- be overcome. "Thus, the division of the peninsula was a 'foreign construct' that had nothing to do with the aspirations of the Korean people and their movement for independence and self-determination," he said. "Their dreams and aspirations were brushed aside like a sacrificial pawn on the global chessboard of great powers seeking to shape the future of Northeast Asia." Moon emphasized that North Korea itself already has abandoned unification as a national goal, underscoring the bankruptcy of the regime's vision. "The world should view the DPRK's efforts ... as a feeble effort to gain global legitimacy in pursuing a permanent two-state solution on the peninsula. The only real path to denuclearization is the peaceful unification of the two Koreas," he said. Rather than clinging to a Cold War framework, Moon called on Koreans to recover their ancient mandate of Hongik Ingan -- "to live for the benefit of humanity." He presented the Korean Dream as a unifying vision capable of renewing national identity, overcoming economic and demographic crises, and inspiring the world. "The vision for this new age is the Korean Dream. It will not only engender a rebirth of Korean culture and historical heritage, but reconnect all Koreans to the providential calling of our people rooted in our founding ideals," Moon said. The Korean Dream, he argued, transcends left-right ideological divides by grounding itself in Korea's history and in universal values. It offers a framework not only to heal the wounds of division, but also to address the internal crises facing both North and South -- from the South's demographic collapse and overreliance on export-driven conglomerates to the North's political repression, poverty and isolation. By providing a common vision that speaks to both sides of the 38th parallel, it holds the potential to overcome obstacles that ideology and power politics have failed to resolve. Concluding his address, Moon underscored the gravity of the moment: "We live at a historic crossroads in a time when the fate of the peninsula and our people lie in our hands. ... I believe that divine providence is guiding us to undo the mistakes of the past and lead our people to the promised land of unification centered upon the Korean Dream." A shifting global order Korea today stands at a decisive inflection point. The U.S.-led liberal order that shaped the post-Cold War era is being remade. Under President Donald Trump, Washington has reasserted economic nationalism, redrawing trade rules and demanding fairer burden-sharing from allies. For a nation like South Korea, where exports account for nearly half of gross domestic product, U.S. tariffs and global supply-chain realignments strike at the heart of its economic model. At the same time, China's slowdown and mounting confrontation with the United States leave Seoul with shrinking room to maneuver. Compounding these external pressures is an internal crisis: the world's lowest fertility rate, the erosion of the traditional family structure and an export-driven economy still dominated by a handful of conglomerates. Without a new animating vision, Korea risks demographic decline, economic stagnation and growing irrelevance in the face of global upheaval. Beyond old ideologies Against this backdrop, Lee's decision to legitimize permanent division appears out of step with the scale of the challenges. It reflects the lingering habits of South Korea's progressive camp -- approaching the North through a lens of coexistence while ignoring the deeper shifts transforming the international system. Yet, what Korea needs today is not an outdated ideological posture, but a forward-looking national purpose that can unite its people, rally allies and meet a rapidly changing world. The Korean Dream offers such a vision. It ties the nation's destiny not to resignation or division, but to renewal -- a chance to overcome historical wounds, restore national unity and provide a model of reconciliation for the world. Eighty years after liberation, the true vision for the Korean people remains contested. Whether Korea's future is defined by resignation to division or by a bold embrace of unification will determine not only its national destiny, but also its standing in the world.