Connect with us

World

South Korean lawmakers support suspending president’s powers after short-lived martial law declaration

Published

on

South Korean lawmakers support suspending president’s powers after short-lived martial law declaration

Join Fox News for access to this content

You have reached your maximum number of articles. Log in or create an account FREE of charge to continue reading.

By entering your email and pushing continue, you are agreeing to Fox News’ Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, which includes our Notice of Financial Incentive.

Please enter a valid email address.

Having trouble? Click here.

South Korean lawmakers are calling for suspending the constitutional powers of President Yoon Suk Yeol after his short-lived martial law declaration earlier this week, raising the prospects of impeachment. 

Opposition parties are pushing for a parliamentary vote on Yoon’s impeachment on Saturday, calling his martial law declaration an “unconstitutional, illegal rebellion or coup.” 

Advertisement

President Yoon shocked democratic allies by declaring martial law late Tuesday night, sending the East Asian country into chaos. South Korea’s parliament voted to cancel martial law just six hours later, but the episode has effectively frozen the country’s politics. Thousands of protesters have marched in the streets of Seoul since Wednesday, calling for Yoon to resign and be investigated. 

Still, passing an impeachment motion would need support from some members of the president’s People Power Party to get the required two-thirds majority. The opposition parties who jointly brought the impeachment motion have 192 seats combined. PPP has 108 lawmakers.

SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT’S MARTIAL LAW DECLARATION A ‘BLUNDER,’ COULD EMBOLDEN NORTH KOREA, EXPERT SAYS

South Korea’s main opposition Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung, bottom center, shouts slogans during a joint press conference with members of civil society and the five opposition parties to condemn the ruling People Power Party at the National Assembly in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, Dec. 6, 2024.  (Park Dong-ju/Yonhap via AP)

During a party meeting, PPP leader Han Dong-hun said it was important to suspend Yoon’s presidential duties and power quickly, saying he poses a “significant risk of extreme actions, like reattempting to impose martial law, which could potentially put the Republic of Korea and its citizens in great danger.”

Advertisement

CNN PANEL SEES ‘PARALLELS’ BETWEEN SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT DECLARING MARTIAL LAW AND TRUMP, JAN. 6 RIOTS

Han said he had received intelligence that the president had ordered the arrests of unspecified politicians based on accusations of “anti-state activities” during martial law. 

South Korea’s ruling People Power Party leader Han Dong-hun, right, speaks during a press conference at the National Assembly in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, Dec. 6, 2024. (Jo Sung-bong/Newsis via AP)

Han leads a minority faction within the ruling party, and 18 lawmakers in his faction voted with opposition lawmakers to overturn Yoon’s martial law decree. 

JAPAN SAYS IT WILL WATCH CHINA’S MILITARY ACTIVITY AFTER BEIJING ADMITS VIOLATING JAPANESE AIRSPACE

Advertisement

If Yoon is impeached, he would be suspended until the Constitutional Court rules on whether to remove him from office or restore his presidential power. 

The main liberal opposition Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung said in a televised speech Friday that it was crucial to suspend Yoon as “quickly as possible.”

Protesters march to the presidential office after a candlelight vigil against South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

Lee said Yoon’s martial law enforcement amounted to “rebellion and also a self-coup.” He said Yoon’s move caused serious damage to the country’s image and paralyzed foreign policy, pointing to criticism from the Biden administration and foreign leaders canceling their visits to South Korea. 

Advertisement

President Yoon has issued no response to Han’s comments. Nor has he made any public appearances since he made a televised announcement that his martial law was lifted. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

World

Family demands answers in death of young Black man in Mississippi

Published

on

Family demands answers in death of young Black man in Mississippi
A mother on Friday pleaded for anyone to come forward with information about what happened to her son, a young Black man whose body was found on an island off the coast ​of Mississippi after he traveled there over the Fourth of July weekend with three white friends.
Continue Reading

World

Gunfire shatters Toronto Latin street festival, leaving at least 2 dead and multiple wounded

Published

on

Gunfire shatters Toronto Latin street festival, leaving at least 2 dead and multiple wounded

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

The Toronto Police Service is investigating after gunfire broke out Saturday night at a large Latin street festival in Midtown Toronto, leaving at least two people dead and four others wounded.

Police said they received reports of a shooting at St. Clair Avenue West and Arlington Avenue at 8:12 p.m. local time and discovered an active shooter situation.

First responders found six people suffering from gunshot wounds, officials said. Two of the victims were pronounced dead at the scene.

Police respond to an active shooter at the Salsa on St. Clair event in Toronto, Saturday, July 11, 2026. (Keito Newman/The Canadian Press via AP)

Advertisement

USPS WORKER ARRESTED AFTER ALLEGED MASS SHOOTING THREAT AGAINST TEXAS PRIDE EVENT, FBI SAYS

It is unclear what led to the shooting, and authorities said suspect(s) are still “outstanding.” No arrests have been made as of Saturday evening, police said. 

Toronto Police Deputy Chief Frank Barredo said during a news conference there seemed to be an “exchange of gunfire” between two individuals targeting each other.

“This is a very chaotic scene,” he said. “I think we had something in the neighborhood of 13,000 people participating in this festival.”

Police initially described the incident as an active shooter situation before later determining that was not the case.

Advertisement

Police officers stand guard at the site of a deadly shooting at a salsa-themed street festival in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, July 11, 2026. (REUTERS/Cole Burston)

“There was some concern of an active shooter. That turned out not to be the case,” Barredo said.

Barredo said authorities were managing three separate crime scenes connected to the shooting. Two firearms have been recovered, he added.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he was “horrified” by the shooting.

“My prayers are with the families grieving their loved ones, those who are in critical condition, and everyone who has been affected by this horrific event,” he said in a statement.

Advertisement

“My thanks to the police officers and other first responders whose courage and fast action prevented further tragedy,” he continued. “Police have my full support as they work to apprehend the perpetrators and bring them to justice.

Paramedics respond to an active shooter at the Salsa on St. Clair event in Toronto, Saturday.  (Keito Newman/The Canadian Press via AP)

FOUR DEAD AND 29 SHOT IN CHICAGO WEEKEND VIOLENCE AS LEADERS TOUT CRIME PROGRESS

Following the shooting, the Toronto Transit Commission suspended train stops at the nearby St. Clair West station on Line 1 Yonge-University due to what officials described as a “security incident.”

Regular transit service has since resumed.

Advertisement

Authorities urged the public to avoid the area and follow all directives from police at the scene.

The TD Salsa on St. Clair Festival, Toronto’s biggest Latin culture celebration, was celebrating its 22nd annual event in Toronto’s Hillcrest Village.

Emergency Task Force vehicles and police officers are seen on the site of a shooting in Toronto on Saturday. (Jorge UZON / AFP via Getty Images)

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

The Toronto Police Service told Fox News Digital no further information is available.

Advertisement

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

World

Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, architect of modern Qatar

Published

on

Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, architect of modern Qatar

Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the former emir of Qatar who transformed the small Gulf state into one of the world’s wealthiest and most influential nations through its vast natural gas wealth and an ambitious programme of political, economic and social reforms, has died. He was 74.

A charismatic figure with a friendly demeanor, the father Emir assumed the reins of power in 1995. Regarded as the architect of modern Qatar, he embarked on forging development and reform plans and education programs.

Recommended Stories

list of 3 itemsend of list

During his reign, Qatar’s GDP increased more than twenty-fourfold, while production from the North Field turned the country into the world’s largest exporter of liquefied natural gas by 2006. After four years, the small nation’s LNG production capacity reached 77 million tons per annum, according to government’s figure.

His tenure also saw the establishment of the Qatar Foundation, the launch of Al Jazeera News Channel in 1996, the promulgation of Qatar’s first permanent constitution in 2004 and the introduction of municipal elections in which women were granted the right to vote and stand as candidates. Under his leadership, the Gulf nation also adopted the Qatar National Vision 2030 and secured the right to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Advertisement

Born in Doha in January 1952, Sheikh Hamad graduated from the British Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst before becoming commander of Qatar’s armed forces. He became heir apparent and defence minister in 1977, assumed power as emir on June 27, 1995, and handed over leadership to his son, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, on June 25, 2013.

“The future lies ahead of you, the children of this homeland, as you usher into a new era where young leadership hoists the banner,” Sheikh Hamad said as he announced his abdication and the carefully crafted transition to his son, the British-educated crown prince Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, who was then 33.

The peaceful, voluntary transfer of power was rare in a region where such change usually results from death or overthrow.

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending