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New Acting President Han chose to resign after being impeached. Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok Is now the acting President of Korea. May he reign in prosperity.
 
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All but 2 of 181 passengers and crew presumed dead in Muan plane crash

My thoughts and prayers go out to all the affected families.
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All but 2 of 181 passengers and crew presumed dead in Muan plane crash: Authorities

All but two out of 181 passengers and crew aboard a plane that crashed while landing at Muan International Airport on Sunday morning are presumed dead, according to emergency authorities.
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The plane that crashed was Jeju Air Flight 7C 2216, a Boeing 737-800 returning from Bangkok.

The aircraft veered off the runway and crashed into a perimeter fence at Muan International Airport in South Jeolla at around 9:07 a.m., according to local news reports. The National Fire Agency said authorities had recovered122 dead bodies as of 2:30 p.m. Korean time. . The figure is almost five times the initial estimated death toll of 28. 171 dead bodies confirmed 7:30 p.m Korean Time.

Just two flight attendants, one male and one female, have been rescued alive thus far, according to the fire agency.

The aircraft departed from Bangkok at 1:30 a.m. and was scheduled to arrive in Muan at 8:30 a.m.

Prior to the crash, the aircraft attempted an unsuccessful first landing on runway No. 1, which led the pilot to perform a go-around before trying a second time.

However, the plane's landing gear malfunctioned on the second landing attempt, leading to an emergency belly landing near the end of the runway, according to authorities. A belly landing is an aircraft landing without the proper extension and operation of the landing gear.

Although it is unclear why the landing gear failed, local media reported that a bird strike may have been the cause.

In footage aired by local broadcaster MBC, the aircraft appeared to land on its underside on the runway and subsequently hit a fence after skidding off the tarmac. The collision caused the plane to burst immediately into flames.
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One Experts opinion:
He says it's "a pretty neat emergency landing."
- It doesn't seem to be desperation. The nose is a little higher and it glides nicely on the runway. But then sparks form and smoke starts coming from one of the engines. And for some reason the plane crashes into a fence or wall, says Ohlsson.
He considers it "horribly inappropriate" to have a wall that won't give way on a runway.-
– During a belly landing, a foam mat is usually placed on the runway to avoid sparking. It is impossible to see in the pictures if there is any, but there appears to be quite a lot of sparking, says Ohlsson.
- This is an unusual fatal outcome of an emergency landing that looks like it went pretty well. The fence, or whatever it hits, seems to play a role
– But there could also be something with the engines, that they end up exploding or leaking fuel.
Belly landings are something that pilots practice in simulators and that, according to Ohlsson, "usually go well".
– People usually walk away from a belly landing without any injuries, he says.
According to Ohlsson, for a bird strike to cause serious damage to an aircraft, it is necessary that it involves larger birds, or a large flock. One or two birds are not enough.
– It is unusual for bird strikes to lead to a total failure with such a large aircraft.
Ohlsson also says that we do not know if it is a bird strike.

– South Korea has a conflict with North Korea, so just like with the case in Azerbaijan, you have to keep in mind that there is a risk that something else could have hit the engine.
According to him, the fact that Boeing has had accidents in recent years has nothing to do with the accident.
– It has no significance. This is a proven aircraft that is 15 years old, which is the average age for aircraft.
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CNNs Opinion:
Experts told CNN that the plane's undercarriage – specifically, the wheels used for takeoff and landing – appeared not to have fully deployed before landing. But what caused this failure to deploy is still unclear.

Aviation analysts said more evidence is needed before South Korean authorities can definitively pinpoint what might have caused Sunday's crash, including speculation from local officials about a possible bird strike prior to the crash landing.

The comments came after Lee Jeong-hyun, the head of the Muan Fire Department, briefed the media that the cause was "estimated to be the occurrence of a bird strike or bad weather." Footage of the crash showed clear skies at the time.

David Soucie, former Federal Aviation Administration safety inspector, said that "speculation is the worst enemy of an investigator."

"In fact, that's why it's so protected when there is an aircraft accident investigation, the information is protected. They're not supposed to be making any speculation about this type of thing," Soucie told CNN's Paula Newton.
Sunday's crash is "very perplexing" given that both the aircraft and carrier have a strong safety record and flying conditions were excellent, an aviation journalist said.

The Boeing 737-800 is one of the most widely used aircraft in the world and each one is used for about four or five flights per day, Geoffrey Thomas, editor of Airline News, told CNN's Paula Newton.

"It is the most reliable aircraft in the world, and it's been in service for 20 years," he said. "Everybody knows how it works. And it works really, really well. And the maintenance done in [South] Korea is as good as it gets around the world."

"It's a little bit unclear whether or not the undercarriage collapsed on landing or whether the undercarriage was not deployed at all. This is a really serious issue that obviously investigators will be very much focused on," Thomas added.

He added "it is perplexing" that the crash happened, given it was landing under dry and sunny conditions at a good airport.

Jeju Air's chief executive said the aircraft had shown "no signs of issues" prior to Sunday's accident.
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BBC Summery:

A South Korean transport official earlier gave details about what happened to the plane as it approached the airport.

  • The plane had been attempting to land but then air traffic control gave a bird strike warning forcing the plane to hold off, the official says
  • About two minutes later, the pilot called a Mayday - and air traffic command gave permission for the plane to land from an opposite direction
The pilot accepted - video shows the plane touched down without wheels or any other landing gear and skidded down the runway before crashing into a wall, causing a fiery explosion.

The transport department notes that the head pilot had been in this role since 2019 and had more than 9,800 hours of flight experience.
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A brief history of fatal aviation crashes in South Koreapublished at


As we've been reporting, the plane crash at Muan International Airport could be the worst aviation accident in South Koreanhistory. We've taken a look at other such crashes in South Korea:

  • In 2002, a Boeing 767-200 operated by Air China crashed into a hill near near South Korea's port city of Busan. The crash killed 129 people and injured 37.
  • In September 1983, a Korean Airlines Flight was shot down by a Soviet jet, after straying into Soviet airspace over Sakhalin island. All 269 people on board were killed.
  • In 1997, a Korean Air jumbo jet crashed on the Pacific island of Guam, killing 228 people out of the 254 people on board.
The crash this morning is unusual for South Korea, which has had a good flight safety record in recent years, and this appears to be the only fatal crash that Jeju Air has had in its nearly 20 year history, writes BBC's Seoul correspondent Jean Mackenzie, who is at the scene of the crash at Muan Airport.
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Acting President Choi Sang-mok Actions in response:
Acting President Choi Sang-mok declared Muan County, South Jeolla, a special disaster area Sunday after a Jeju Air passenger plane crashed at Muan International Airport that morning, killing almost everyone on board.

In his opening remarks at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters at Muan County Office on Sunday, Choi said all relevant organizations "would cooperate and make every effort to rescue survivors."

"I express my deepest condolences for the many casualties in this accident," said Choi. "I pray for the souls of the victims and offer my sincere condolences to their bereaved families."

Choi said the government would focus its capabilities on recovery efforts and providing support through the on-site integrated support headquarters, with authorities "investing all necessary resources" through the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters.

"We will thoroughly investigate the cause of the accident and prepare preventive measures to prevent similar accidents from happening again," stressed Choi.
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Former President Yoon arrested for masterminding martial law plot

The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) on Wednesday arrested impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol, marking the first time a sitting president has been arrested in Korean history.

The CIO said, in coordination with the police, it apprehended Yoon at his official residence in Hannam-dong, Yongsan District, central Seoul, at 10:33 a.m. nearly six hours after investigators arrived at the scene. The arrest followed a second attempt, the first having failed 12 days ago.
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President Yoon arrested for masterminding martial law plot

The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) on Wednesday arrested impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol, marking the first time a sitting president has been arrested in Korean history.
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Angry pro-Yoon protesters call for 'storming' Gwacheon after president's arrest

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Angry pro-Yoon protesters call for 'storming' Gwacheon after president's arrest

Feverish shouts by pro-Yoon Suk Yeol protesters ripped through the cold morning air in front of the presidential residence in Hannam-dong, when Yoon was arrested on Wednesday.
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The crowd outside of Hangangjin Station in Yongsan District, central Seoul, repeatedly chanted two words, "President Yoon," which could be heard from miles away. The protesters occupied one side of the street and marched along the overpass above. Police estimated there were 6,500 protesters present.

Placards handed out by the right-wing Liberty Unification Party were seen in the hands of people seemingly in their 50s and 60s, often wearing red or occasionally black MAGA (Make America Great Again) hats.

South Korean and U.S. flags flooded the streets, with banners calling for an "expeditious trial for Lee Jae-myung," referring to the leader of the liberal Democratic Party (DP). Banners condemning China and "commies" were seen strewed on trees and lampposts. Conservatives in Korea emphasize ties with the United States, while liberals are perceived to prioritize ties with China.

The pro-Yoon protesters displayed a range of different emotions, from a sobbing woman running down the sidewalk yelling, "The people are fooled!" with a "Stop the Steal" sign in her hands, while others set up spots to play adult contemporary trot music to dance along in glee.
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The criminal trial of South Korea's ousted president Yoon Suk-Yeol began on Thursday morning. He is accused of attempting a military coup in connection with his temporary imposition of martial law in the country in December. If convicted, he faces prison or the death penalty. Yoon's lawyers say he had the right to declare martial law in his role as head of state.

The hearing, which began at 10 a.m. and ended just 13 minutes later, was presided over by Judge Ji Gwi-yeon amid heightened security at the Seoul Central District Court.

The president's lawyers told the judge they and Yoon had not yet decided how he would plea because they had "not yet reviewed the record" of charges and corresponding evidence submitted by the prosecution.

Prosecutors at the hearing said they had prepared approximately 70,000 pages of documentary evidence alone for the case.

The president's lawyers said they have not decided whether they want Yoon's trial to be consolidated with that of former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, who is accused of acting as the president's accomplice in implementing his martial law decree.

Prosecutors, on the other hand, said they oppose holding a joint trial for Yoon and Kim, saying separate proceedings would be more efficient.

However, they said they support parallel proceedings for the pair and called on the court to hold intensive examinations two to three times a week "in light of the significance of the case."

The Seoul Central District Court said that it would hold another preliminary hearing at 10 a.m. on Feb. 24 before commencing oral arguments in Yoon's trial.

After the hearing, the court held a separate, hour-long session to hear arguments about whether Yoon should remain in jail during his trial.

Yoon's lawyers claim the arrest warrant against him expired at midnight on Jan. 25, but prosecutors believe it was valid until Jan. 27.

Prosecutors filed their indictment against Yoon on Jan. 26, allowing them to keep him in pre-trial detention.

The court said it would give each side 10 days to submit more documents before reaching a decision as to whether he should remain in official custody.
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Source: Korea JoongAng Daily
 
South Korea's air force accidentally dropped eight bombs over a town named Pocheon near the Korean DMZ border, injuring 15 people, four seriously. A church and several houses were destroyed. The air force has apologized for the mistake, which occurred during a military exercise with the United States. An investigation has been launched and a special committee will handle the compensation issue. Residents in the area have protested about the disturbance and potential danger from nearby training grounds for years.
Sorce: Reuters
 
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SEOUL: A South Korean court on Friday (Mar 7) cancelled the arrest warrant of impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol, paving the way for his release from jail.

The Seoul Central District Court said in a statement that its ruling was based on the timing of the indictment that came after the initial detention period had expired, and noted "questions about the legality" of the investigation process that involved two separate agencies.

The suspended president's lawyers had filed a request to cancel his arrest last month, arguing his detention was unlawful because the prosecution waited too long to indict him.

Yoon was arrested in mid-January on insurrection charges over his brief imposition of martial law.

"It is reasonable to conclude that the indictment was filed after the defendant's detention period had expired," said a document from the Seoul Central District Court.

"To ensure procedural clarity and eliminate any doubts regarding the legality of the investigative process, it would be appropriate to issue a decision to cancel the detention," the court added.

Yonhap News Agency earlier reported that Yoon had been released.

"South Korea's rule of law is still alive," Yoon's legal counsel said, according to broadcaster YTN.

Yonhap said the ruling People's Power Party welcomed the cancellation of Yoon's arrest warrant.
Yoon, a former prosecutor, plunged democratic South Korea into turmoil in December by briefly suspending civilian rule and sending soldiers into parliament.

Lawmakers voted down the martial law declaration within hours, before impeaching him.
The 64-year-old resisted arrest for two weeks in a tense stand-off between his security team and investigators at his official residence in Seoul, but was finally taken into custody on Jan 15.

Yoon's botched attempt to impose martial law plunged the country into political turmoil, and despite widespread opposition, he had doubled down and vowed to stay on.

The Constitutional Court must now decide whether to formally end Yoon's presidency or reinstate him.

If it upholds Yoon's impeachment, he will be officially thrown out of office and a national election will be held to choose his successor within two months
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Source: Channel News Asia
 
South Korean President Yoon Suk-Yeol is ousted after the country's Constitutional Court ruled that his imposition of martial law in December was illegal. The unanimous ruling means that South Korea must now hold new elections within two months. Yoon is already in custody and also faces life imprisonment or the death penalty on a separate charge of sedition.
 
Who do you think will win? My understanding is the former president's party got a boost after this impeachment's proceedings.
 
gral said:
Who do you think will win? My understanding is the former president's party got a boost after this impeachment's proceedings.
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It's hard to say for certain, but the Liberal Democratic Party (DP) will probably take it home. The People Power Party (PPP) faces a tough fight ahead. They lost seats in the last election and only secured the presidential vote by a small margin. Yoon's impeachment may rally conservative voters to the PPP, but the DP has a clear leader in Lee Jae-myung and the support of their small coalition. While there are other, less likely candidates, Lee remains the frontrunner.

Meanwhile, the PPP has been embroiled in internal conflicts long before Yoon's impeachment. The party has been loosely divided between the pro-Yoon (Old Guard) and the Non-Yoon (New Guard) factions. The fromer party leader was part of the Non-Yoon faction, while former President Yoon was primarily aligned with himself. This divide has only deepened with the impeachment.

Likely presidential candidates for the PPP include Minister of Employment and Labor Kim Moon-soo, former party leader Han Dong-hoon, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, and Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo. However, the party remains in a state of disarray.

Though Yoon's impeachment has been decried by many loyal PPP voters has unjust, more casual voters see the martial law as a attempt by Yoon to undermine Korean democracy. This may make them more reluctant to vote for the PPP, especially if the candidate is openly aligned with Yoon or one of his supporters.

Likely PPP candidates:
Minister of Employment and Labor Kim Moon-soo, though part of Yoon's administration, was against the declaration of martial law, if I remember correctly.
Former party leader Han Dong-hoon was also vocally opposed to martial law and supported impeachment—this was the reason he was removed as party leader. He is also young 50 years old and was a anti-corruption candidate.
Hong Joon-pyo is an old-school conservative who supports conglomerates and wants to crack down on unions. He maintains a hawkish stance on defense and advocates for increasing Korea's nuclear deterrent. He also seeks to expand the use of the death penalty. He has been reported to be in the Yoon camp.
Oh Se-hoon was against martial law, though not in favor of impeachment, if I remember correctly. He openly supports South Korea developing its own nuclear weapons program, independent of the United States.
This was the 4 most likely candidates there at least 15 candidates from PPP how has shown interest. I personally would go with Han Dong-hoon as the PPP's presidential candidate—he has been openly anti-corruption and his young. But that's exactly why I don't think he will be chosen. Otherwise Oh Se-hoon will probly be a good canditate.

Likely DP candidates:
Liberal Democratic Party (DP) leader Lee Jae-myung, who is currently the front-runner for the party, is expected to step down as party leader to enter the presidential race. While he is not legally required to resign, most people anticipate that he will do so to ensure a fair party primary process. He is alleged embroiled in bribery, corruption, breach of trust, and conflict of interest charges. He has also been fined for refusing to testify in corruption cases. Additionally, there are alleged connections to local Seongnam mafia organizations as well as North Korea. He has more scandals attached to him than usual for a top Korean politician. With all that being siad Lee has high approval ratings.
Former South Gyeongsang Governor Kim Kyoung-soo is best known for his involvement in the 2018 opinion-rigging scandal in South Korea. He was jailed for two years on charges related to online-rigging operations at both the first and second levels.
Gyeonggi Governor Kim Dong-yeon is relatively clean but not well-known or popular, making him an unlikely candidate. His focuse would probly be on the econmy,

The wild card candidates:
Lee Jun-seok is the party leader of the New Reform Party (NRP), a moderate conservative big-tent party that split from the PPP and includes politicians from other parties such as the DP and JP.
At just 40 years old, Lee is known for his staunch anti-feminism and support for South Korean Idaenam. He was removed from PPP leadership after police investigated him for sexual bribery and evidence destruction, though the charges were later dropped. Following his removal, he left the PPP to establish the NRP.
The South Korean liberal newspaper Hankyoreh has compared Lee to Donald Trump, noting that while their political views differ, both appeal to voters dissatisfied with the established system.


Also worth noting is that the PPP has not done any campaigning so far, while the DP has already started. This is because the PPP had been holding the official position that the impeachment would fail. At the same time thime New Reform Party may split the conservative vote. PPP is pro USA and DP is in border strokes more pro PRC.
 
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Honestly we will actually see how the US actions effect it, and if Korea goes for a more pro China or pro US stance
 
GooseElite said:
It's hard to say for certain, but the Liberal Democratic Party (DP) will probably take it home. The People Power Party (PPP) faces a tough fight ahead. They lost seats in the last election and only secured the presidential vote by a small margin. Yoon's impeachment may rally conservative voters to the PPP, but the DP has a clear leader in Lee Jae-myung and the support of their small coalition. While there are other, less likely candidates, Lee remains the frontrunner.

Meanwhile, the PPP has been embroiled in internal conflicts long before Yoon's impeachment. The party has been loosely divided between the pro-Yoon (Old Guard) and the Non-Yoon (New Guard) factions. The fromer party leader was part of the Non-Yoon faction, while former President Yoon was primarily aligned with himself. This divide has only deepened with the impeachment.
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Hmm. Next question: to my understanding, the DP kept going aggressively at PPP members(and at the PPP itself) during the impeachment proceedings. Assuming the DP wins, will this continue?
 
gral said:
Hmm. Next question: to my understanding, the DP kept going aggressively at PPP members(and at the PPP itself) during the impeachment proceedings. Assuming the DP wins, will this continue?
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One important thing to remember is that the DP-led coalition held a majority in the National Assembly,. However, they couldn't pass many policies because the president kept vetoing them. This created a strange situation where the DP coalition was just a few seats short of overriding those vetoes. Since they didn't have the numbers, they were forced to compromise, and as a result, not much got done.

Meanwhile, the PPP also couldn't pass their own policies because they were in the minority. This led to a political stalemate where neither side could push their agendas forward. Worth remembering is presidential election was very close, with Yoon (PPP) winning by only 0.73%. His approval ratings in the years that followed hovered around 30–40%, and when he declared martial law, his approval had dropped to around 26%.

Some of the compromises that were made like increasing the number of medical students in the hospitals to address healthcare shortages and aging workforce sparked controversy. The move led to continued medical strikes by doctors, who argued it was dangerous, lowered professional standards, and threatened their jobs with an influx of younger, cheaper labor. These issues became political flashpoints, with each party blaming the other even though both had supported the law.

Budget approvals stalled due to the PPP's minority status not being able to get the votes and DPs budget geting vetoed making governance even harder. The same thing happened in the Supreme Court, where half the bench was left vacant because neither side could agree on appointing judges.

As the president continued to veto DP-backed bills, tensions rose. In response, the DP began impeaching the president's ministers and department heads. This forced the PPP to constantly defend and replace those officials. When impeached and removed, these figures left gaps in governance, effectively paralyzing parts of the civil service. The DP used impeachment with mixed results sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn’t. Overall, the threat didn't stop the presidential veto as they had hoped.

Impeachment itself isn't new in Korean politics, but its frequent use especially against ministers and civil officials was highly controversial. In theory, civil servants should be able to do their jobs without constant political interference. The DP resorted to this tactic largely because they couldn't pass their policies through normal legislative channels, which was as harmful to the functioning of government. At one point, the DP even attempted multiple times to impeach the president's wife, who was involved in a major insider trading and bribery scandal.

This aggressive use of impeachment came to be seen as a political weapon. It's one of the reasons many people now oppose the impeachment of the president even though he declared martial law they believe it's just another political maneuver, similar to how the DP treated ministerial posts and that martial law was the only way for the government to function.

That said, I believe the DP would stop using impeachment so aggressively if they win the upcoming election. If they control both the presidency and the Assembly, there would be no reason to go after the PPP with such intensity. It wouldn't make sense politically.

The reason things got so intense before was because the president came from a party that didn't control the legislature and was not that popular with the average Joe. Ideally, the president should have been forced to compromise with the DP-led Assembly and DP compromise with presidential budget, but instead, the both stonewalled almost everything. This created a deadlock where no one could govern effectively, and both sides became increasingly desperate. And Yoon lashed out in desperation with declaring martial law.

I don't think that kind of situation will happen again at least not if the DP wins. But if the PPP wins and nominates a candidate who refuses to compromise, we could see a repeat of the similar gridlock though unlikely to be this extreme.
 
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