Category: WORLD

Seoul, Dec 13 (IANS) A second motion to impeach South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol over his botched martial law declaration was reported to the National Assembly on Friday, with the nation reeling from Yoon’s December 3 invocation of martial law that triggered unprecedented political turmoil.

Yoon has remained defiant, saying on Thursday that declaring martial law was “within the realm of executive authority, which is not subject to judicial review” and he would fight “until the last moment.”

The main opposition Democratic Party (DP) and other opposition parties had originally planned to begin voting on the motion as of 5 p.m. on Saturday, but the office of National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik brought forward the timing to 4 p.m., reports Yonhap news agency

DP leader Lee Jae-myung urged ruling party lawmakers to vote in favour of the motion, stressing that impeachment is the “fastest and surest way to end this chaos.”

At least eight lawmakers from the ruling party are needed to vote on Saturday if the second impeachment motion is passed. So far, seven ruling party lawmakers have publicly said they would do so.

By law, an impeachment motion must be put to a vote between 24 and 72 hours after it is reported to a plenary session.

The first motion to impeach Yoon was scrapped last Saturday as most ruling party lawmakers boycotted the vote. Following the scrapping of the first motion, the DP vowed to push for the passage of Yoon’s impeachment every week.

The second motion includes allegations that martial law troops and police attempted to arrest lawmakers under the leadership of the president.

Allegations against First Lady Kim Keon Hee, including her suspected involvement in a stock manipulation scheme and interference in election nominations through a power broker, have been removed from the latest motion.

Later on Friday, the newly elected floor leader of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) said the party would decide on its official stance regarding the impeachment vote on Saturday.

“Currently, the party’s official position is to vote down the impeachment, but it’s an outcome of discussions among lawmakers,” Kweon Seong-dong, a key confidant of Yoon, told reporters.

During the vote on the first motion, 108 PPP lawmakers, with the exception of three, exited the parliamentary chamber in line with the party’s official decision to boycott the vote.

For the motion to pass, at least eight PPP lawmakers would need to support it. So far, seven have publicly stated they intend to vote in favour of impeachment.

“If the party adopts an official position, as floor leader, all I can do is appeal to lawmakers to respect and adhere to it,” Kweon said. He also noted that there is no way to forcibly compel lawmakers to comply with the party’s stance.

In another sign of mounting public outrage over the martial law bid, Yoon’s approval rating fell to a record low of 11 per cent, according to a survey conducted by Gallup Korea on 1,002 adults.

In the same survey, 75 per cent of respondents supported Yoon’s impeachment, while 21 per cent opposed it.

If the motion is passed, the Constitutional Court will decide whether to reinstate or remove Yoon from office.

If upheld by the court, Yoon would be the second president in South Korea’s history to be removed from office through impeachment after former President Park Geun-hye in 2017.

–IANS

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Kyiv, Dec 13 (IANS) Explosions were heard all over Ukraine on Friday morning as Russia launched a large-scale missile attack on its energy infrastructure, Ukrainian media reported.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Telegram that preliminary reports showed 93 missiles and almost 200 drones were launched against Ukraine in “one of the largest strikes on our energy sector.”

Explosions sounded in the northern Kyiv region, the southern Odesa region, and the western regions of Lviv and Ivano-Frankivsk, reported Xinhua, quoting the Interfax-Ukraine news agency.

Ukraine’s state-run energy company, Ukrenergo, announced plans to toughen power supply restrictions in the wake of the attack.

Russia’s defence ministry said the massive strike, which involved high-precision long-range air- and sea-based weapons and drones, was in response to Ukraine’s attack on its territory with US-made missiles.

Earlier on Wednesday, the ministry said Ukrainian forces used six US-made ATACMS ballistic missiles to attack the Taganrog military airfield in Russia’s Rostov region. Moscow had vowed to respond with “appropriate measures.”

In a major shift of policy on the Ukraine crisis, the United States in November authorized Ukraine to use US long-range missiles to strike targets in Russia, triggering an escalation of tension around the conflict.

Meanwhile, on Thursday, the administration of US President Joe Biden announced another tranche of weapons worth $500 million to Ukraine.

According to a statement from the US Department of Defense, the latest military assistance to Ukraine is the 72nd time Biden has used his executive authority to approve the fund since August 2021.

Weapons in the latest tranche included air defence capabilities, munitions for rocket systems and artillery, and anti-tank weapons, among others.

Earlier in the day, John Kirby, coordinator for strategic communications at the US National Security Council, told a daily press briefing at the White House that the Biden administration, with just weeks remaining in office, will “continue to provide additional packages right up until the end of this administration.”

President-elect Donald Trump, who will take over the White House on January 20, said in an interview aired on NBC News on Sunday that Ukraine “probably” should prepare for reduced American aid when his administration is sworn into office.

Trump said he considered it unfair that the United States spent more than triple the amount of money that European nations spent on supporting Ukraine.

“Why isn’t Europe in for the same as us?” Trump said. “The one thing that should happen is that Europe should come in for — they should equalise.”

–IANS

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Ankara, Dec 13 (IANS) Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken held a meeting on Friday on combating terrorism and achieving stability in Syria, calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

“Our priorities include ensuring stability in Syria and preventing the dominance of terrorist organisations such as IS (Islamic State) and the PKK (Kurdistan Workers’ Party),” Fidan said at a joint press conference with Blinken in the capital, Ankara.

Fidan stressed the alignment between the two nations in addressing key challenges in the region and said their talks focused on exploring solutions to Syria’s ongoing crisis and broader regional issues, reports Xinhua news agency.

“We agreed that a ceasefire in Gaza should be reached as soon as possible,” Fidan said.

Blinken, for his part, acknowledged Turkey’s role in influencing Hamas to reach a hostage ceasefire agreement, adding that there’s broad agreement on expectations for the interim government in Syria — one that is inclusive, protects minority rights, rejects extremism, and poses no threats to its neighbours.

The two officials also reiterated their commitment to ongoing counter-IS efforts.

Blinken arrived in the Turkish capital on Thursday following a visit to Jordan. Upon his arrival, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held a meeting with him on the situation in Syria.

The visit comes as Syria navigates a critical juncture, with a newly formed transitional government assuming power after al-Assad’s departure to Russia for asylum.

Turkey has long expressed concerns over the role of Kurdish groups in Syria. Ankara views the US-backed Syrian Kurdish People’s Protection Units as an extension of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party, which it has battled for decades.

Blinken’s regional tour will also include a stop in Jordan, where he is expected to meet officials in Aqaba to build consensus on Syria’s future and address other pressing issues across the Middle East, the US State Department said on Wednesday.

–IANS

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Tehran, Dec 13 (IANS) A senior Iranian diplomat took a swipe at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi for his “political” remarks about the “potential of nuclear proliferation” by Tehran.

Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Kazem Gharibabadi made the remarks in a post on social media platform X while reacting to part of Grossi’s speech at the Nobel Peace Prize Forum in Norway, where he pointed to the risks of the “ignition of smouldering tensions between Israel and Iran” and their exchange of attacks with each other.

He described the IAEA chief’s emphasis on Iran’s “potential for nuclear proliferation” as entirely “unprofessional and political,” stating that Grossi should refrain from making comments based solely on possibilities and speculation, reports Xinhua news agency.

Gharibabadi said Iran was committed to its safeguards obligations, stressing that while the “cruel” sanctions against the country were still in place, Tehran would not accept inspection and monitoring by the IAEA beyond its obligations.

He called on the IAEA’s director general to report any “observed deviation” based on evidence instead of uttering “speculations” through media.

This comes days after Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have expressed their determination to continue bilateral interactions and collaborations.

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi and IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi exchanged views on the latest state of cooperation between the two sides within the framework of the safeguards agreement in a phone conversation, said the Iranian Foreign Ministry.

During the phone conversation, Araghchi strongly criticised the “unconstructive” actions by some of the members of the IAEA Board of Governors in late November to pass an anti-Tehran resolution, saying it undermined Grossi’s efforts to achieve progress towards resolving the safeguards issues between Iran and the agency.

He emphasised that while Iran did not hesitate to respond decisively to such actions, the country was still ready and determined to cooperate constructively with the agency within the defined technical framework.

The IAEA chief, for his part, highlighted the agency’s determination to continue “serious” interactions with Iran, stressing that he had held consultations with other sides within the framework of his responsibilities and authority to prepare the ground for the resolution of the existing problems.

The Board of Governors of the IAEA on November 21 passed a resolution that orders Iran to urgently improve cooperation with the agency and requests a “comprehensive” report aimed at pressuring Iran into fresh nuclear talks.

In response to the resolution, Iran announced the following day the activation of a “substantial” number of new “advanced” centrifuges.

Iran signed the nuclear deal known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with several major countries in 2015. The agreement imposed restrictions on Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.

However, the US government under then President Donald Trump withdrew from the agreement unilaterally in May 2018, reinstating sanctions and prompting Iran to scale back some of its nuclear commitments.

–IANS

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Seoul, Dec 13 (IANS) The martial law turmoil has caused “serious damage” to South Korea’s diplomacy, its top diplomat said on Friday, amid concerns over a foreign policy vacuum as President Yoon Suk Yeol faces another impeachment vote in parliament.

Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul made the remark as he appeared at a parliamentary hearing to answer lawmakers’ questions regarding the controversial Cabinet meeting held shortly before Yoon declared martial law on December 3, reports Yonhap news agency.

“I think there has been serious damage,” Cho said in the interpellation session of the National Assembly when asked by Rep. Cho Jung-sik of the main opposition Democratic Party whether he thinks the current situation amounts to a diplomatic emergency.

“We will maintain a firm South Korea-US alliance and focus on restoring the trust of the international community,” Cho said.

Yoon has been banned from leaving the country since law enforcement agencies launched investigations into his short-lived martial law imposition.

The political turmoil has effectively put all top-level and other key diplomatic engagements with other countries at a halt, including the cancelled trips to Seoul by US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and a Swedish delegation led by its prime minister.

Cho said he believes diplomacy will be back on track once “constitutional order is restored.”

“What matters most is to restore constitutional order through democratic procedures and respecting the will of the people to recover and stabilize state affairs,” Cho said.

Asked why he avoided phone calls from US Ambassador Philip Goldberg on the night of the martial law, Cho said he didn’t want to “mislead” the ally about the situation.

“I felt it was more important to consider what to communicate to the US,” Cho said.

Cho was one of the Cabinet members who strongly opposed Yoon’s martial law.

Cho said he told Yoon many times to rethink his decision.

“I repeatedly urged him to reconsider, not only in terms of the impact on foreign policy but since it is a serious matter that could undo everything this country has achieved over the past 70 years,” Cho said.

“But (the president) said it was urgent and that he couldn’t take it back,” Cho said.

Yoon also gave Cho a paper briefly outlining what he had to do as the foreign minister when martial law was imposed, Cho said, without revealing what was written on the note because he doesn’t remember it.

Cho confessed that from the moment martial law was declared until it was lifted, he was in “deep anguish” and thought about stepping down.

“I was torn between my personal conviction of whether to resign as foreign minister and my sense of duty to fulfil my responsibilities,” Cho said.

–IANS

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Seoul, Dec 13 (IANS) South Korea’s Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok vowed on Friday to implement additional market stabilisation measures in case of excessive market volatility, the finance ministry said, as the government braces for possible economic impacts of another impeachment vote against President Yoon Suk Yeol.

Choi made the remarks during an emergency meeting with Bank of Korea (BOK) Gov. Rhee Chang-yong and other top financial officials, which has been held on a daily basis for over a week to discuss ways of minimising the economic impacts of Yoon’s short-lived imposition of martial law last Tuesday, reports Yonhap news agency.

The officials shared the need to maintain beefed-up market monitoring and continue implementing market stabilisation measures, such as injecting unlimited liquidity, though the stock market has largely recovered and other indexes have now stabilised, according to the finance ministry.

“We will closely watch the political situation this weekend and be fully prepared. In case of excessive volatility, we will implement additional market stabilisation measures in a timely manner,” it added.

The government and relevant financial institutions will continue all-out efforts to fully explain the situation to partner nations and foreign investors to reassure that South Korea’s economic fundamentals remain strong and the political issue can be seen separate from economic dynamics, the ministry said.

Following the martial law fiasco, the stock market had tumbled before paring most of the earlier losses in recent sessions. The Korean won weakened markedly to stay well below the 1,400 won level.

The opposition side filed a new impeachment motion against Yoon on Thursday, set to be put to a vote on Saturday, as their first vote to remove him from office failed last week due to a lack of quorum.

Despite mounting pressure to step down, Yoon has denied insurrection charges and vowed to “fight to the end,” claiming that his martial law declaration was an act of governance partly aimed at sending a warning to the liberal Democratic Party.

–IANS

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Tokyo, Dec 13 (IANS) The Bank of Japan (BOJ) survey released on Friday revealed mixed business sentiment among Japan’s large companies, with manufacturers showing signs of recovery and non-manufacturers facing notable challenges.

The business index for large manufacturers improved for the first time in two quarters, rising by 1 point to plus 14 for the October-December period, according to the quarterly Tankan survey by the Bank of Japan.

A positive number indicates that more companies are optimistic about business conditions than those pessimistic, reports Xinhua news agency.

The growth was attributed to a recovery in automotive production, previously impacted by certification issues and increased demand for semiconductor manufacturing equipment driven by artificial intelligence advancements.

Despite the positive developments, large non-manufacturers experienced a slight decline in sentiment, with the business index slipping to plus 33 from plus 34 in the previous quarter, marking the first drop in two quarters.

Retail sentiment dropped significantly, reflecting weaker demand for fall and winter clothing following extended late-summer weather conditions.

Accommodation and food services also reported a decline in sentiment, despite strong inbound tourism, due to rising labour costs and material prices.

Furthermore, the index for large manufacturers is expected to fall by 1 point to plus 13 in the next three months, reflecting cautious sentiment amid concerns about slowing overseas demand and potential policy changes under US President-elect Donald Trump.

Trump recently threatened to impose tariffs on goods imported from key US trading partners.

Meanwhile, this might lead to US consumers adjusting their behaviour as the holiday season progresses and the new year begins amid concerns about new tariffs. The adjustment of consumers’ behaviour would depend on the item and the expense, based on what they’re seeing and hearing in the external environment.

US holiday spending in the last two months of 2024 is expected to reach record levels and will grow between 2.5 per cent and 3.5 per cent over 2023, totalling 979.5 billion to $989 billion, according to forecasts by the NRF.

–IANS

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Houston, Dec 13 (IANS) Texas, the second-largest US state, is suing companies including DuPont and 3M, charging them of having made products containing toxic “forever chemicals” commonly known as per-and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) and falsely advertising over their safety.

DuPont’s Teflon and 3M’s Scotchgard were among products sold to Texans and concealing “substantial risks from consumers and the State,” Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said in the lawsuit.

“Defendants marketed products containing harmful PFAS chemicals for over 70 years and were aware of the harmful effects of PFAS chemicals for over 50 years,” the lawsuit said.

Texas has found PFAS contamination in some drinking water systems, reports Xinhua, citing the Texas Tribune, noting that nearly 50 public water systems across the state have reported exceeding the US Environmental Protection Agency’s newly released PFAS limits for drinking water.

According to a report by The Hill, several states have already filed lawsuits over the chemicals. Some of these suits have alleged false advertising, while others have sought compensation for alleged contamination.

In 2022, 3M reportedly announced plans to exit PFAS manufacturing by 2025 in response to growing environmental and legal pressures. According to The Hill report, DuPont spun off its division that makes PFAS-containing products in 2015.

PFAS, or per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances, is the name of a family of manmade chemicals widely used in a range of consumer products.

Known as “forever chemicals” because of their persistence in the human body and environment for long periods, PFAS refers to a group of over 10,000 synthetic chemicals that are used in products, including food packaging, cosmetics, clothing and cooking equipment.

Recently, Australia’s peak health authority, the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), published new draft guidelines revising the safe limit of four PFAS and significantly cutting the country’s acceptable limits of “forever chemical.”

–IANS

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Wellington, Dec 13 (IANS) New Zealand’s overseas visitor arrivals were 240,200 in October 2024, an increase of 14,200 from October 2023, with the biggest changes in arrivals from Australia, the United States, Singapore, and Britain, the statistics department Stats NZ said on Friday.

The total number of overseas visitor arrivals in October 2024 was 85 per cent of the 283,800 in October 2019, which was before the Covid-19 pandemic, Stats NZ said.

Of the 240,200 overseas visitor arrivals in October 2024, 46 per cent were from Australia, 9 per cent from the United States, 7 per cent from China, 5 per cent from Britain, 3 per cent from India, and 3 per cent from Germany, statistics show.

In terms of annual arrivals, New Zealand’s overseas visitor arrivals were 3.25 million in the October 2024 year, an increase of 413,000 from the October 2023 year, with the biggest changes in arrivals from China, Australia, the United States, South Korea and Japan, Stats NZ said, Xinhua news agency reported.

New Zealand-resident traveller arrivals were 2.97 million in the October 2024 year, an increase of 383,000 from the October 2023 year, it said.

Regarding border crossings, there were 1.07 million border crossings in October 2024, made up of 569,900 arrivals and 504,400 departures. In October 2023, 1.02 million border crossings were recorded, Stats NZ said, adding New Zealand’s October 2024 border crossings were 92 per cent of the 1.17 million in October 2019, before the Covid-19 pandemic.

New Zealand has seen a strong boost in international student enrolments, according to the latest statistics.

New Zealand’s international education sector was rebounding strongly, Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds said earlier this month.

The country saw 73,535 enrolments between January and August 2024, more enrolments achieved in just two terms this year than in all of last year, Simmonds said.

The strong growth in international student enrolments has enriched New Zealand campuses and significantly boosted the economy, contributing to jobs, local businesses, and communities nationwide, she said, adding it is a testament to the country’s global reputation for high-quality education.

“International education is not just about numbers, it’s about building lasting global connections, fostering innovation, and positioning New Zealand as a leader in education and research,” the minister said.

New Zealand universities saw a 14 per cent increase in international student enrolments year on year, and school enrolments of international students rose 33 percent, with 69 percent surge in primary school enrolments, the statistics showed.

–IANS

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Ottawa, Dec 13 (IANS) A senior official in the government of Ontario, Canada, recently warned that the province might ban US-made alcohol and restrict electricity exports to several American states if President-elect Donald Trump imposes tariffs on all Canadian products, according to media reports.

This warning, along with others issued by Canadian officials, has heightened concerns about a potential trade war between the United States and one of its most important trading partners.

Additionally, according to a senior official, Canada’s most populous province is considering imposing export bans on critical minerals essential for electric vehicle batteries and barring US-based companies from participating in Ontario’s government procurement processes, reports Xinhua news agency, citing the Associated Press.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford confirmed on Thursday that the province is considering cutting energy supplies to the US states of Michigan, New York, and Wisconsin. “We power 1.5 million (US) homes, and if they impose tariffs, it will become unaffordable for Americans to buy electricity,” Ford told reporters.

“If you come and attack Ontario, you attack the livelihoods of people in Ontario and Canadians; we are going to use every tool in our toolbox to defend Ontarians and Canadians,” said Ford.

Commenting on Ford’s warnings, Trump said on the same day, “That’s OK if he does that. That’s fine.”

“I have so many friends in Canada, but we shouldn’t have to subsidise a country,” said the US President-elect, who announced in late November his intention to impose a sweeping 25 per cent tariffs on all imports from Canada and Mexico.

Earlier this week, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with provincial premiers to coordinate a response to the potential tariffs. Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland revealed that several premiers supported “a robust Canadian response,” including restricting exports of critical minerals and metals to the United States.

Freeland also noted that Canadian business and labour leaders are engaging with their US counterparts to address the issue.

The proposed tariffs on Canada and Mexico would significantly impact US consumers, driving up prices for automobiles, vegetables, fuel, prepared foods, and animal products, according to a Peterson Institute report cited by CNN on Thursday.

“American consumers and firms will bear the effect of higher tariffs, with the substantial cost for the average American household, and a burden that falls more heavily on lower-income households,” said Peterson Institute researchers.

Meanwhile, a Nanos Research survey commissioned by CTV News earlier this month revealed that approximately 65 per cent of Canadians would be “less likely” or “somewhat less likely” to purchase US products if the proposed tariffs were implemented.

A model by the Canadian Chamber of Commerce estimates that a 10 per cent tariff alone would shrink Canada’s GDP by 0.9 to 1 per cent, costing approximately 30 billion Canadian dollars ($21.3 billion) annually, while the United States could lose 125 billion ($88.8 billion) a year. A 25 per cent tariff would likely amplify these losses, according to a Canadian Press report in November.

–IANS

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