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1. The Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials said Thursday that it has transferred President Yoon Suk Yeol’s martial law case to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office, to indict Yoon on charges of insurrection and abuse of power in connection with his botched martial law move on December 3.

2. According to data from the Bank of Korea on Thursday, South Korea's real gross domestic product expanded two percent in 2024 from a year earlier, amid slowing export growth, sagging domestic demand and a political crisis.

3. South Korea‘s Foreign Ministry said Thursday that Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul held his first phone call with new U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The two reportedly agreed to maintain close cooperation on North Korea's nuclear issues.

1. Investigators arrived at the Seoul Detention Center on Wednesday to make their third attempt to forcibly bring in President Yoon Suk Yeol for questioning over his failed martial law bid. The CIO is considering questioning Yoon at the detention center if their repeated attempts fail.

2. According to the Korea Health Personnel Licensing Examination Institute on Wednesday, only 269 people passed the National Medical Examination this year, which is 8.7 percent of last year's figure.

3. U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday he is considering imposing a 10% tariff on imports of Chinese-made goods as soon as February 1st. Trump also vowed to hit the European Union with tariffs.

1. President Yoon Suk Yeol appeared for the first time at his impeachment trial at the Constitutional Court on Tuesday, speaking of his long-held belief in "liberal democracy" and asking the bench to consider him favorably.

2. Donald Trump took office as the United States' 47th president on Monday, renewing his vow to "put America first" and tariff foreign countries to enrich Americans, while signaling an intent to refrain from military involvement in conflicts overseas.

3. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration on Tuesday, the concentration of fine dust across the country, excluding Jeju Island, reached "bad" levels.

1. Impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol was formally arrested early Sunday for his failed martial law bid, marking the first such detention of a sitting South Korean president. The Seoul Western District Court issued the arrest warrant citing concerns over destroying evidence.

2. The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said Monday that 90 people have been detained in connection with the violent disorder that occurred at the Seoul Western District Court and the Constitutional Court over the weekend. The police will first seek an arrest warrant for 66 of the detained individuals.

3. A six week ceasefire between Israel and Hamas went into effect on Sunday at 11:15 AM, local time, after a three hour delay. Hamas released three Israeli hostages and Israel released 90 Palestinian prisoners as part of the exchange under the ceasefire deal.

1.The Seoul Central District Court on Thursday rejected a petition challenging impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol's detention in the ongoing investigation into his botched martial law bid. The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials said Friday it is "highly likely" to file for a warrant to formally detain Yoon.

2.In its monthly economic report, the Green Book, the Ministry of Economy and Finance said the South Korean economy faces "increasing downward pressure" due to heightened uncertainties both at home and abroad, leading to weakened economic sentiment and a slowdown in employment.

3.The Israeli Prime Minister’s office confirmed Friday that a deal has been agreed upon with Hamas to release the hostages held in Gaza. U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said he expects the ceasefire to start on Sunday.

1.The Seoul Central District Court announced Thursday that a hearing to review the legality of the warrant used to arrest impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol is scheduled for 5 p.m.

2.Despite weak growth momentum, the monetary policy committee of the Bank of Korea on Thursday kept its benchmark interest rate frozen at three percent. The decision comes in the wake of the weak local currency amid political chaos and uncertainties stemming from the new Trump administration.

3.President Biden and other leaders announced on Wednesday that Israel and Hamas have agreed to a 42-day cease-fire and hostage release in Gaza. Qatari Prime Minister told reporters the cease-fire is set to take effect on Sunday, a day before Donald Trump returns to office as U.S. president.

1.Investigators arrested impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol at his residence on Wednesday at 10:33 a.m. during their second attempt to detain him for questioning over his brief declaration of martial law. The arrest occurred 43 days after Yoon’s attempt, and marks the first time a sitting South Korean president has been taken into custody.

2.The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials said Wednesday that impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol underwent questioning for 2 1/2 hours at CIO headquarters during the morning session of the investigation. Yoon is reportedly refusing to testify.

3.According to data compiled by Statistics Korea on Wednesday, South Korea's on-year employment growth slowed significantly in 2024 as the number of new hires fell in the manufacturing and retail sectors, and among young people.

1.The first hearing of Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment trial on Tuesday ended after four minutes in his absence. The Constitutional Court dismissed Yoon's request to exclude Justice Chung Kye-sun from the impeachment trial.

2.The Joint Chiefs of Staff said Tuesday that North Korea launched multiple short-range ballistic missiles toward the East Sea at 9:30 a.m. in a provocation staged just days before U.S. President-elect Donald Trump takes office.

3.The United States' Biden administration on Monday announced new restrictions on artificial intelligence chip exports, just a week before its term ends, to block the flow of advanced technologies into China, Russia and other "countries of concern" on national security grounds.

1. The first preparatory hearing of Prime Minister Han Duck-soo’s impeachment trial was held on Monday. The hearing discussed witness and evidence selection, among other procedures.

2. The South Korean government announced plans to release a record number of agricultural products into the market to stabilize prices and ease the financial burden on people ahead of the Lunar New Year.3.

According to the Foreign Ministry, South Korea’s foreign minister Cho Tae-yul and his Japanese counterpart Takeshi Iwaya met on Monday in Seoul to discuss ways to advance bilateral ties, as well as trilateral cooperation with the U.S., ahead of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration.

1.The chief of the Presidential Security Service (박종준)Park Chong-jun on Friday appeared for police questioning over the security team’s actions to prevent the arrest of impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol last week. Addressing reporters, Park called for investigation procedures appropriate for a sitting president.

2.Acting President Choi Sang-mok held a phone call with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday and expressed his intent to manage state affairs and foreign relations in a stable manner. The UN Chief reportedly expressed confidence in South Korea’s robust democratic system and resilience.

3.According to AFP on Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that North Korean forces fighting alongside Russian troops against the Ukrainian military have suffered four-thousand casualties.

1.Acting President Choi Sang-mok on Thursday pledged to focus efforts on normalizing state affairs amid lingering domestic political turmoil. Choi also said the government will execute 358 trillion won, or roughly 245-point-7 billion U.S. dollars, worth of the budget in the first half of the year to bolster domestic consumption.

2.Second Vice Health Minister Park Min-soo on Thursday expressed hope for engaging in talks with the new head of the Korean Medical Association amid a prolonged deadlock over medical reform.

3.According to Bloomberg on Thursday, President Joe Biden’s administration plans to introduce new export restrictions on artificial intelligence chips just days before leaving office. If implemented, only U.S. allies will face no import restrictions, while purchases by other countries will likely be restricted.

1.The National Assembly on Wednesday rejected two special counsel bills targeting impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol over his failed martial law bid and allegations surrounding first lady Kim Keon Hee, after putting them to a revote.

2.The government and the ruling People Power Party agreed Wednesday to designate January 27 as a temporary holiday this year to boost private consumption and domestic tourism, extending the Lunar New Years holiday to six days.

3.The Korea Meteorological Administration said Wednesday a cold wave advisory will take effect across Seoul at 9 p.m. before the temperature falls to a morning low of minus 12 degrees Celsius on Thursday.

1.The National Assembly’s legal team stated Tuesday that the Constitutional Court will assess whether President Yoon Suk Yeol’s alleged "insurrection acts" violate the Constitution, with criminal liability to be determined separately.

2.North Korea said Tuesday it has successfully test-fired a new intermediate-range ballistic missile tipped with a hypersonic warhead, claiming that the weapons system will reliably deter any rivals in the Pacific region.

3.According to state media, a 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck Tibet in southwestern China on Tuesday morning, killing at least 53 and destroying many buildings.

1.The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials said Monday it has asked the police to take over the execution of a warrant to detain impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol over his failed martial law bid.

2.The Joint Chiefs of Staff said Monday that North Korea fired a suspected intermediate-range ballistic missile at 12 PM into the East Sea, marking its first provocation this year. The missile reportedly flew some 1-thousand-100 meters before falling into waters.

3.South Korea’s acting Interior Minister announced Monday that the government will complete handing over the remains of all 179 victims of the Jeju Air plane crash to their families.

1.The Corruption Investigation Office for High Ranking Officials on Friday suspended its attempt to detain impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol over his short-lived imposition of martial law, following a long standoff between investigators and the Presidential Security Service.

2.The Constitutional Court on Friday began its second preparatory hearing for President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment trial. The Constitutional Court is to hold a formal trial on January 14th.

3.According to data released by the Interior Ministry on Friday, the number of babies born in South Korea increased in 2024 for the first time in nine years, reaching 242-thousand-334.

1. The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials are set to cooperate with the police to execute the arrest warrant against Yoon Suk Yeol, which was issued by a Seoul court three days ago.

2.The finance ministry forecasts the country’s economy to grow 1.8% on year in 2025, a zero-point-four percentage point downgrade from its forecast from July. Meanwhile, Acting President said Thursday that the government will consider additional measures to stimulate the economy in the first quarter, if necessary.

3.The Jeonnam Provincial Police on Thursday raided Muan International Airport, the office of Jeju Air and other locations. The search warrant was issued on charges of professional negligence resulting in the death of 179 passengers on Sunday.

1.Acting President Choi Sang-mok on Tuesday issued a New Year's message, and pledged comprehensive efforts to help stabilize state affairs, highlighting what he called an "unprecedentedly" grave situation facing the country.

2.The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters confirmed Wednesday that all 179 victims of the tragic Jeju Air plane crash have been identified, four days after the accident.

3.According to data compiled by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy on Wednesday, South Korea's exports advanced 8.2 percent on-year in 2024 to set a new annual record on robust shipments of semiconductors. Outbound shipments came to 683-point-eight billion U.S. dollars last year.

1.The Seoul Western District Court on Tuesday approved a request from the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials to issue a warrant to detain impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol over his botched martial law imposition, making him the first sitting South Korean president to face arrest.

2.The Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said Tuesday 174 of the 179 victims of the Jeju Air plane crash had been identified as of 9 a.m.

3.According to data compiled by Statistics Korea on Tuesday, consumer prices, a key gauge of inflation, increased 2.3 percent on-year in 2024, the slowest pace in four years.

1.A Jeju Air passenger jet carrying 181 people from Bangkok sped off the runway and burst into flames at Muan International Airport on Sunday morning. Two crew were rescued in what was the country’s worst air disaster in decades.

2.Acting President Choi Sang-mok on Monday mourned the victims of the tragic Jeju Air plane crash as he visited a memorial altar in the southwestern county of Muan. The government has declared a seven-day national mourning period until midnight Saturday.

3.A joint investigation team said Monday it has sought an arrest warrant for President Yoon Suk Yeol over his short-lived imposition of martial law, making him the first sitting president to face arrest.

1. A motion to impeach acting President Han Duck-soo passed unanimously in a 192-0 vote at the National Assembly, marking the first time an acting president was impeached by the parliament.

2.The South Korean currency dipped further against the U.S. dollar to its lowest level in nearly 16 years Friday, amid deepening political crisis. The Korean won opened at 1,467.5 won per dollar, and fell further to 1,480.2 won at around 10:58 a.m. The dollar was quoted at 1,467.5 won, as of 3:30 p.m.

3.South Korea's National Intelligence Service said Friday that a North Korean soldier was captured by Ukraine, but died due to worsening wounds. The information was reportedly confirmed through real-time information sharing with intelligence authorities of one of its allies.

1.The opposition-controlled National Assembly on Thursday passed motions to appoint three Constitutional Court justices. The main opposition Democratic Party also submitted an impeachment motion against acting President Han Duck-soo and reported it to a parliamentary plenary session.

2.The South Korean currency continued its depreciation against the U.S. dollar on Thursday, dipping to its lowest level in more than 15 years. The won was quoted at one-thousand-464-point-8 per dollar at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, down eight-point-four won from the previous session.

3.According to local officials, an Azerbaijan Airlines flight with 67 people onboard crashed Wednesday near the Kazakhstani city of Aktau, killing 38 people and leaving 29 survivors.

1.Churches and cathedrals across South Korea on Wednesday, Christmas Day, celebrated the birth of Baby Jesus while reflecting on the meaning of democracy in light of the recent December 3rd martial law crisis.

2.Yoon Suk Yeol on Wednesday defied summons for questioning by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials over his short-lived declaration of martial law, marking the second time he has refused to comply with the joint investigation team’s request.

3.Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul and his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, reaffirmed efforts to advance bilateral ties in a phone conversation Tuesday. It was their first discussion following Yoon Suk Yeol's botched martial law imposition in South Korea.

1.Acting President Han Duck-soo on Tuesday urged the National Assembly to produce a solution regarding two special counsel bills targeting Yoon Suk Yeol and Kim Keon-hee as well as the appointments of three justices to the Constitutional Court.

2.According to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety on Tuesday, South Korea has formally become a "super-aged" society, as the share of its population aged 65 or over surpassed 20 percent.

3.South Korea's Vice Foreign Minister Kim Hong-kyun and U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell on Monday held their first talks in Washington after Yoon Suk Yeol’s short-lived martial law imposition. The two countries agreed they should prepare against the possibility that Pyongyang could "misjudge" the current political situation in Seoul.

1.The Constitutional Court said Monday it will hold the first preparatory hearing in Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment trial on Friday as planned. The Court said Yoon will be considered to have been served the necessary documents regardless of whether he received them, as they were delivered by the postal service last Friday.

2.South Korea's first vice foreign minister Kim Hong-kyun, who is visiting the United States, said the government has explained the country's situation related to Yoon Suk Yeol’s botched martial law attempt and his impeachment to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's team.

3.The Korea Electric Power Corporation said Monday it plans to freeze the adjusted fuel cost for the first quarter of 2025. KEPCO said it will keep the adjusted unit fuel cost, a key part of the country's electricity rates, unchanged at five won per kilowatt-hour for the January-March period.

1.A spokesperson for the Constitutional Court said Thursday that documents the Court had sent to President Yoon Suk Yeol regarding his impeachment trial were returned and refused for the third time. The court will announce next Monday how the failed document deliveries would reflect in the trial proceedings and consider alternatives.

2.The South Korean currency stayed near its lowest level in more than 15 years Friday as political turmoil continues in South Korea. The won was quoted at 1,451.4 per dollar at 3:30 p.m., up 0.5 won from the previous session.

3.During a UNSC briefing on Thursday, South Korea's Ambassador to the UN Hwang Joonkook said that if artificial intelligence is utilized by irresponsible actors such as North Korea, it could exacerbate the risks of Weapons of Mass Destruction proliferation or advanced cyberattacks.

1.The South Korean won weakened past one-thousand-450 won against the U.S. dollar on Thursday, reaching its lowest point in 15 years. The local currency opened at one-thousand-453 won per dollar, following a U.S. rate cut made the previous day.

2.During an extraordinary Cabinet meeting on Thursday, Acting President Han Duck-soo vetoed six contentious bills, marking his first use of presidential power since assuming interim leadership after President Yoon Suk Yeol was impeached and suspended from office over a failed martial law bid.

3.The National Intelligence Service briefed the parliamentary Intelligence Committee in a closed-door meeting Thursday morning and reportedly said at least 100 North Korean troops dispatched to Russia for combat in Ukraine were killed and 1,000 injured.

1.The Supreme Prosecutors Office said Wednesday the prosecution has decided to transfer its martial law-related investigation into President Yoon Suk Yeol and former Interior Minister Lee Sang-min to the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials, amid concerns that multiple agencies handling the same case could lead to overlap issues.

2.The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution on Tuesday condemning human rights violations by North Korea and called for efforts to address the issue. The resolution was passed by consensus without a vote, making it the 20th of its kind since 2005.

3.According to Reuters and AFP, a U.S. military official said Tuesday that hundreds of North Korean troops have been killed or wounded in battle against Ukrainian forces in Russia’s Kursk region.

1.President Yoon Suk Yeol’s legal defense team said Tuesday that Yoon will state his position in court if a public hearing is held in his impeachment trial, and that the president believes he is innocent of the crime of insurrection.

2.The ruling and main opposition parties remained at odds Tuesday over whether to fill in three vacancies of the nine-member Constitutional Court that will handle President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment trial.

3.South Korea on Tuesday said it will impose sanctions on North Korean military officers that have been deployed to Russia in support of its war against Ukraine. The announcement came after South Korea, the U.S., and EU condemned deepening military cooperation between North Korea and Russia.

1.The National Assembly on Saturday passed an impeachment motion against President Yoon Suk Yeol over his short-lived imposition of martial law on December 3rd, suspending his presidential powers as of 7:24 PM. The motion passed 204-85, with three abstentions and eight invalid ballots.

2.The Constitutional Court said it will hold its first meeting of its justices on Monday to review the parliamentary impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol, and hold the first preparatory hearing on December 27th.

3.Acting President Han Duck-soo held phone talks with U.S. President Joe Biden on Sunday and vowed to maintain and develop the two countries' alliance. Biden voiced confidence in South Korea's democracy while also noting its resilience, according to Han's office.

1.The Ministry of Economy and Finance said Friday in its monthly economic report, the Green Book, that the South Korean economy faces "downside risks" due to uncertainties at home and abroad despite signs of stabilizing inflation.

2. A court decision on the formal arrest of Cho Ji-ho, the commissioner-general of the Korean National Police Agency, and Kim Bong-sik, the head of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, is expected to be made late on Friday. The two have been accused over their roles in President Yoon's martial law imposition.

3.The U.S. State Department released the 2023 Country Reports on Terrorism on Thursday, and has kept North Korea on its list of state sponsors of terrorism, noting the reclusive regime repeatedly supported acts of international terrorism.

1.President Yoon Suk Yeol on Thursday defended his botched martial law declaration as an act of governance and denied insurrection charges facing him, while vowing to fight until the last moment against whether it is impeachment or a martial law probe.

2. Six opposition parties on Thursday submitted a second impeachment motion against President Yoon Suk Yeol over his botched martial law declaration last week, with a vote scheduled for December 14th.

3.The National Office of Investigation under the police agency said on Wednesday that it decided to conduct a joint investigation with the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials and the defense ministry for a prompt and efficient probe into the December 3rd Martial law incident.

1.South Korean novelist Han Kang has made history as the first South Korean and first Asian woman to receive the Nobel Prize in literature. Han received a diploma and a Nobel medal on Tuesday at the Concert Hall in Stockholm, Sweden.

2.The Democratic Party said Wednesday they plan to submit a second impeachment bill against President Yoon Suk Yeol on December 12th, citing the delay to ongoing revelations of his alleged acts of insurrection. A vote on the second impeachment bill against Yoon will be held at 5 p.m. Saturday.

3.Police raided the presidential office Wednesday to investigate charges that President Yoon Suk Yeol staged an insurrection by briefly imposing martial law last week. A warrant for the search listed Yoon as the suspect.

1.The Seoul Central District Court is set to convene a hearing to review whether to arrest former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun on charges of colluding with President Yoon Suk Yeol to commit insurrection. The result is expected to come out as early as late Tuesday.

2.The National Assembly on Tuesday passed a bill mandating a permanent special counsel to investigate treason charges against President Yoon Suk Yeol over his attempt to impose martial law.

3.The benchmark KOSPI rose 57-point-26 points on Tuesday to close at two-thousand-417-point-84. A bill to abolish the financial investment income tax also passed Tuesday's plenary session.

1.A motion to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol over his short-lived attempt to impose martial law was scrapped Saturday due to a lack of quorum, raising uncertainties about South Korea’s political future.

2.Leader of the ruling People Power Party Han Dong-hoon vowed to work toward an "orderly retreat" of President Yoon Suk Yeol following a failed impeachment motion against him. National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik condemned a joint public statement made by Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and PPP leader Han Dong-hoon.

3.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index dipped 67-point-58 points, or two-point-78 percent, on Monday to close at two-thousand-360-point-58. The tech-heavy KOSDAQ shed five-point-19 percent to close at 627-point-01.

1.Leader of the ruling People Power Party Han Dong-hoon said Friday that President Yoon Suk Yeol's duties should be promptly suspended, revealing that Yoon ordered the arrests of politicians during his aborted martial law declaration. Han added that the president might take drastic action again if he stays in office.

2.U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday welcomed the lifting of martial law in South Korea and expressed his expectation for the Asian country's "democratic process to prevail" during a call with South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul.

3.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index dipped 13-point-69 points, or zero-point-56 percent, on Friday to close at two-thousand-428-point-16.

1.President Yoon Suk Yeol on Thursday accepted the resignation of Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, who had proposed the martial law declaration to Yoon. Yoon has nominated Choi Byung-hyuk, a retired four-star Army general currently serving as the ambassador to Saudi Arabia, to succeed Kim.

2.The Korean Central News Agency reported Thursday that the comprehensive strategic partnership treaty between North Korea and Russia went into effect on December 4th.

3.The Bank of Korea chief said Thursday that the current political climate surrounding President Yoon’s declaration of martial law is unlikely to affect South Korea’s sovereign ratings and growth momentum.

1.South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said on Wednesday he would lift a martial law declaration he had imposed just six hours before, backing down after 190 lawmakers present in the National Assembly unanimously passed a motion to reject the decree.

2.The main opposition Democratic Party and five other minor opposition parties submitted a motion to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol on Wednesday after Yoon's declaration of martial law was blocked by lawmakers.

3.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index dipped 36-point-one points, or one-point-44 percent, on Wednesday to close at two-thousand-464-point-zero. The tech-heavy KOSDAQ lost 13-point-65 points, or one-point-98 percent, to close at 677-point-15.

1.President Yoon Suk Yeol and Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov have agreed to elevate bilateral relations between the two countries and form a comprehensive partnership, after a summit at the presidential office on Tuesday.

2.According to data released by Statistics Korea on Tuesday, South Korea's consumer price index stood at 114-point-four last month, up one-point-five percent from a year earlier in November. Prices of agriculture, livestock and fisheries products went up 1 percent on-year last month.

3.After the U.S. Commerce Department on Monday announced restrictions on exports to China of advanced high-bandwidth memory chips used in artificial intelligence,...South Korea's trade ministry said Tuesday it expects the latest export controls to have little impact on the country's chip industry.

1.National Assembly speaker Woo Won-shik on Monday decided to put an opposition-led downsized budget bill for next year on hold, urging the ruling and opposition parties to reach an agreement by next week.

2.The Korea Central News Agency reported Saturday that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un met Russia’s visiting defense minister and expressed his support for Russia’s war in Ukraine.

3.According to local health authorities, at least 200 people were killed in Israeli airstrikes on northern Gaza Saturday, as the United Nations said it would pause aid deliveries through the enclave’s main crossing after more of its trucks were stolen.

1.The European Union announced Thursday that it has given the final approval for a 1.8 trillion-won, or roughly 1-point-4 billion U.S. dollar, merger deal between Korean Air and Asiana Airlines.

2.The Korean Medical Association on Thursday urged members of the consultative body on the doctors’ walkout to withdraw from talks, after People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon supported establishing new medical schools. A decision on their continued involvement is expected to be made today.

3.The defense ministry said Friday that South Korea has completed the development of a homegrown Long-range Surface-to-Air Missile system, in a feat that will help bolster the military's air defense capabilities against North Korea's nuclear and missile threats.

1.The Korea Meteorological Administration said Thursday that 28-point-6 centimeters of snow blanketed Seoul as of 8 a.m. at the official weather observation point. This marks the third-heaviest figure from the same location in central Seoul.

2.The Bank of Korea‘s Monetary Policy Board held a meeting Thursday and cut its benchmark interest rate for the second consecutive session to three percent, representing a zero-point-25 percentage point cut, in a surprise move that defied market expectations.

3.Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul said Thursday the government will continue urging Japan to hold a "sincere" memorial ceremony starting next year for Korean victims of wartime forced labor at the UNESCO-listed Sado mine complex in Japan.

1.The Korea Meteorological Administration said that more than 16 centimeters of snow blanketed Seoul on Wednesday, marking the biggest November snowfall since modern weather observations began in 1907.

2.An Ukrainian delegation led by Kyiv’s Defense Minister is expected to visit Seoul and meet with President Yoon Suk Yeol as early as Wednesday.

3.A ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took effect at 4 a.m. local time in Lebanon on Wednesday, bringing an end to more than a year of cross-border strikes that has killed thousands. The deal stipulates a 60-day halt in hostilities.

1.South Korea's foreign ministry said Tuesday that Seoul has expressed regret over Japan’s attitude during bilateral consultations ahead of a memorial event for the Korean and Japanese victims of wartime forced labor at Japan’s newly UNESCO World Heritage-listed Sado mines.

2.President Yoon Suk Yeol on Tuesday vetoed a bill calling for a special counsel investigation into corruption allegations involving first lady Kim Keon Hee, the third time he has rejected the opposition-led bill.

3.The Israeli cabinet will meet on Tuesday to discuss approval of a ceasefire to temporarily end hostilities with the Lebanese militia Hezbollah.

1.The South Korean government on Monday held its own ceremony in Japan to honor Korean forced labor victims of Japan’s Sado mines during World War II, after boycotting a memorial event that Japan hosted the previous day over Tokyo’s apparent insincerity in delivering its pledge to remember the victims.

2.Main opposition Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung was acquitted Monday of charges of suborning a formal mayoral secretary to make a false court testimony in his favor.

3.An Ukrainian media outlet reported Sunday that about 500 North Korean troops were killed in a missile strike by Kyiv in Russia’s western Kursk region.

1.The emergency committee of the Korean Medical Association on Friday called on the government to suspend the recruitment of medical school freshmen for the 2025 academic year.

2.According to the North Korea's state media said Friday, Kim Jong-un has said that his country went to every length in negotiations with the United States, but it only confirmed Washington's unwavering hostile policy toward Pyongyang.

3.The International Criminal Court on Thursday issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and a senior Hamas official, accusing them of war crimes during and after the October 7 attacks on Israel last year.

1.A U.N. General Assembly committee on Wednesday passed a resolution on North Korean human rights for the 20th consecutive year, calling for the U.N. system as a whole to continue to address the North's "grave" situation "in a coordinated and unified manner."

2.The Korean Railway Workers' Union on Thursday said they will launch an indefinite general strike on December 5th to demand higher pay and a bigger workforce.

3.A number of Western embassies in Kyiv said they would close on Wednesday for security reasons, with the American delegation saying it had received a warning of a potentially significant Russian air attack on the Ukrainian capital. The U.S. said it had reopened its embassy in Kyiv late on Wednesday.

1.President Yoon Suk Yeol wrapped up visits to Peru and Brazil on Tuesday, where he met with leaders of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation gathering in Lima and joined the Group of 20 summit in Rio de Janeiro during the six-day trip.

2.The International Monetary Fund said Wednesday that South Korea's economy is forecast to grow 2 percent next year, citing downside risks including a slowdown in trade and heightened geopolitical tensions.

3.According to the French news agency AFP on Tuesday, Ukraine has reportedly fired the U.S.-supplied Army Tactical Missile System into Russia for the first time since U.S. President Joe Biden authorized their limited use.

1.President Yoon Suk Yeol pledged Monday that South Korea will provide 10 million U.S. dollars worth of humanitarian aid to address the hunger crisis in Africa as a member of the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty, which was launched at the start of the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

2.The Suwon District Prosecutors Office on Tuesday indicted opposition leader Lee Jae-myung on charges of embezzling 106.53 million won, or roughly 76-thousand-600 U.S. dollars, from the Gyeonggi provincial government by misusing corporate cards and an official car during his term as governor.

3.The presidential office said Monday that South Korea was given prior notice by the United States on its reported decision to allow Ukraine to use long-range missiles to strike inside Russia.

1.The leaders of South Korea, the United States, and Japan on Friday held a trilateral meeting in Lima on the sidelines of the APEC summit. In a joint statement, they announced the establishment of a secretariat for trilateral cooperation, and condemned North Korea and Russia’s decision to “dangerously expand” the war in Ukraine.

2.The Joint Chiefs of Staff on Monday condemned North Korea for “crossing the line” with its continued sending of trash-filled balloons to South Korea, and warned that all responsibility “lies within the North.”

3.U.S. President Joe Biden on Monday authorized Ukraine to use long-range missiles supplied by the U.S. for limited strikes inside Russia in response to North Korea’s deployment of troops to aid Moscow’s war effort.

1.The Seoul Central District Court on Friday sentenced opposition Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung to a suspended one-year prison term for violating the Public Official Election Act during his previous presidential campaign.

2.According to a U.S. Treasury Department report on Thursday, the U.S. has put South Korea back on its list of countries to monitor for their foreign exchange policies, a year after the Asian country's exclusion from the list.

3.President Yoon Suk Yeol landed in Lima, Peru, on Thursday to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. On the sidelines of the multilateral forum, President Yoon is set to hold separate talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.