Rewind 2024: Korea’s top 10 news stories

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Rewind 2024: Korea’s top 10 news stories

Published: 22 Dec. 2024, 18:03 Updated: 22 Dec. 2024, 18:31

SARAH KIM
[email protected]

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declares an emergency martial law in Korea in an unannounced press conference at the Yongsan presidential office in central Seoul on Dec. 3. [YONHAP]

1. President Yoon declares martial law, gets swiftly impeached

President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law Dec. 3 night, an unprecedented action not seen in 45 years that sent shockwaves across Korea.

Citing threats from “North Korean communist” and “antistate” forces, Yoon defended the surprise measure as a necessary step to counter what he called the liberal Democratic Party’s "legislative dictatorship" of continued impeachment of government officials and railroad multiple bills and budget cuts.

The backlash was immediate. The National Assembly convened urgently and passed a resolution to nullify the martial law. Yoon revoked the order just six hours later, at 4:30 a.m., Dec. 4.

However, the damage was done.

Reports soon surfaced that Yoon had ignored the objections of his Cabinet and advisers, pushing forward with martial law on his own. Testimonies from military officials revealed even more alarming details — Yoon had allegedly ordered the military to seal off the National Assembly and detain key political opponents.

A helicopter carrying troops lands at the National Assembly compound in Yeouido, western Seoul, early Dec. 4. [JOONGANG ILBO]

Despite public outrage, a first impeachment motion collapsed after members of Yoon's People Power Party boycotted the vote.

Yoon's own party suggested that he resign early, while the liberal party vowed to impeach him.

On Dec. 12, Yoon addressed the nation again, apologizing for the chaos but doubling down on his justification for martial law and refusing to step down, instead vowing to "fight to the end."

With growing nationwide protests and mounting anger, on Dec. 14, the National Assembly passed a second impeachment motion with 204 votes in favor, suspending Yoon from office.

Now, Yoon faces a double reckoning: a Constitutional Court impeachment trial and a criminal investigation as the ringleader of an insurrection. It is now up to the Constitutional Court to decide the country's future, which has 180 days to decide on a ruling.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, right, shakes hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin after signing a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty during the latter's visit to Pyongyang on June 18. [NEWS1]

2. North Korea sends troops to Russia after Kim, Putin sign military accord

North Korea and Russia cozied up to each other this year, signing a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty on June 18. The defense treaty, signed as Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Pyongyang for a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, was effectively a military accord that pledged mutual support should either party be attacked.

Following the treaty North Korea deployed approximately 10,000 to 12,000 troops to support Russia’s war with Ukraine, particularly in Russia's Kursk region.

These forces have engaged in combat against Ukrainian troops, suffering significant casualties as a result. Reports indicate that several hundred North Korean soldiers have been killed or wounded, highlighting challenges such as inadequate training and communication barriers with Russian forces.

The international community has expressed concern over this development, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemning the deployment, emphasizing the human cost and potential escalation of the conflict. The United States has also acknowledged the presence of North Korean troops in Ukraine, with Pentagon officials noting the significant casualties suffered by these forces.

Such collaboration between North Korea and Russia marks a significant shift in geopolitical alliances, raising concerns about the broader implications for regional and global security. The deployment of North Korean troops to Ukraine not only intensifies the conflict but also underscores the complexities of international relations in the current geopolitical landscape.

First lady Kim Keon Hee salutes the national flag at a luncheon event for paralympic athletes at the Blue House on Sept. 13. [YONHAP]

3. First lady allegations weigh heavy on Yoon presidency

President Yoon Suk Yeol's chronically dismal public approval ratings suffered another blow at the beginning of the year after the release of a video of first lady Kim Keon Hee accepting a Lady Dior pouch from a Korean American pastor, who filmed their exchange.

The video, which was released by the left-leaning YouTube channel Voice of Seoul late last year but only widely reported on in February, forced the president to address various allegations of impropriety by his wife in an interview with state broadcaster KBS in February and again at his midterm press conference in November.

The president’s remarks on both occasions were seen as falling short of an apology and did little to prevent the People Power Party (PPP) from hemorrhaging support ahead of the April general election.

The presidential couple’s standing took a further hit this year after both she and Yoon were accused of remaining in contact with Myung Tae-kyun, a self-proclaimed power broker who boasted about his influence over the pair.

The first lady was also accused by PPP members of running a clique of current and former Yoon administration officials that allowed her to influence state affairs.

The president’s disagreement with PPP leader Han Dong-hoon over how to handle controversies surrounding the first lady is widely believed to have caused a rift between the two erstwhile allies.

Yoon also vetoed three Democratic Party-sponsored bills to establish a special counsel probe into Kim, with a fourth yet to be considered by the Cabinet since his impeachment.

Doctors walk in a general hospital in Seoul on Feb. 8, two days after the government announced its plan to add 2,000 new seats in medical schools' admissions. [YONHAP]

4. Doctors battle the gov't over expanding medical school enrollment

The impasse between doctors and the government has continued for over 10 months after the Yoon Suk Yeol administration announced a 2,000-seat increase in the medical school admissions quota in early February.

The government pushed the enrollment expansion based on speculation that the country faces a future physician shortage. However, the medical community rejected the increase, arguing that correcting structural flaws — non-essential cosmetic surgeries being lucrative and high-risk surgeries being underpaid — could improve medical accessibility nationwide.

Dissatisfied junior doctors resigned and left their training hospitals, and medical students have boycotted classes with the support of their professors. The mass walkout has made shorthanded tertiary hospitals downsize their services — even emergency and urgent medical care. Emergency patients have had to travel hundreds of kilometers for treatment due to nearby hospitals’ refusal to admit them. According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, thousands of patients reported damages due to the doctors' collective actions, including appointment cancellations and delays.

With the medical community showing no signs of retreat, the government compromised by reducing the quota hike to 1,509 seats for the 2025 academic year, which would still mark the first admissions hike in 27 years. The Health Ministry also withdrew its warnings to punish junior doctors who resigned and striking medical students.

Although doctors have appeared united in their protest against the government, they have suffered a leadership crisis and internal discontent. The leader of the nation’s largest doctors’ group, the Korean Medical Association, was impeached. The direction of medical reform, railroaded by President Yoon, appeared uncertain with Yoon impeached and the medical community mired in a power vacuum.

Democratic Party (DP) leader Lee Jae-myung speaks to reporters as he is discharged from Seoul National University Hospital in Jongno District, central Seoul, on Jan. 10, after his stabbing in the neck. [YONHAP]

5. From stabbing to indictments, Lee Jae-myung's troubled time in politics

Few Korean politicians have experienced as many fluctuations in their personal and political fortunes as Democratic Party (DP) leader Lee Jae-myung, who was stabbed in the neck by a 67-year-old assailant while campaigning in Busan in January.

Upon making a full recovery, Lee tightened his grip over the DP after a slate stacked with his allies dominated the April general election. He further consolidated his control over the DP after winning a second term as the party’s leader in August.

However, Lee continues to face a myriad of criminal cases brought forward by the state prosecution service, which has issued five indictments against him on various charges over the past three years.

In their fifth and latest indictment in November, prosecutors accused the DP leader of misusing his state-issued expenses card while serving as governor of Gyeonggi from 2018 to 2021.

In the first trial verdict in any of the cases in November, the Seoul Central District Court found Lee guilty of violating election law by lying on the campaign trail and sentenced to a one-year suspended prison term.

As any prison sentence would deprive him of his parliamentary seat and bar him from running in elections for five years, Lee has vowed to challenge the ruling.

However, the same court later acquitted Lee of subornation, which the prosecution service said it would appeal.

Lawmakers stand in the legislature's plenary chamber in Yeouido, western Seoul, during the official opening ceremony for the 22nd National Assembly on Sept. 2. [YONHAP]

6. DP wins landslide victory on April 10 general election

The liberal Democratic Party (DP) won a landslide victory in the April 10 general election for the 22nd parliament this year, retaining the majority of the 300-member National Assembly.

The DP, along with its satellite Democratic United Party, secured a total of 175 seats, while the conservative People Power Party (PPP), affiliated with now-impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol, and its sister party, the People Future Party, claimed 108 seats.

This brought the total number of seats held by opposition parties to 192, including 12 seats won by the minor Rebuilding Korea Party, formerly led by ex-lawmaker Cho Kuk who is now serving his two-year prison term.

Following the results of the parliamentary election, Yoon said that he “humbly accepts” the public sentiment reflected in the results and vowed to “communicate more with a humble and flexible attitude.”

The 22nd National Assembly began its term amid deep partisan conflict, with its official opening ceremony held on Sept. 2 despite its inauguration on May 30. This marked the most delayed opening of the National Assembly since Korea began to hold direct elections in 1987.

The ceremony, which was earlier scheduled for July 5, was boycotted by the PPP after the DP said it would push ahead with several controversial bills, including legislation to establish a special counsel probe into the military’s handling of a young Marine corporal’s death, as well as a hearing over Yoon's impeachment petition.

Yoon skipped the National Assembly's opening ceremony, marking it the first time a sitting president has not attended the official opening since 1987.

Trash-laden balloons sent by North Korea spill trash over Mapo District, western Seoul, on Oct. 4.

7. Trash balloons and road destruction, a tumultuous year for inter-Korean relations

The Korean Peninsula faced a tumultuous year, with North and South Korea locked in a cycle of provocation and retaliation, from trash-filled balloons and propaganda exchanges to the dramatic destruction of inter-Korean roads.

One of the most surreal developments was the North's use of balloons to scatter trash, waste and propaganda leaflets across the border into the South. Starting in May, North Korea launched balloons over 32 times, causing disruptions to flights at Incheon International Airport, damaging vehicles, sparking fires and scrambling GPS signals. Pyongyang claimed the actions were in retaliation for sending anti-regime leaflets into the North, mostly by South Korean defector groups.

South Korea responded by reviving loudspeaker broadcasts at the demilitarized zone (DMZ) for the first time in six years, suspending the 2018 inter-Korean military agreement. These broadcasts primarily featured criticism of the North Korean regime, updates on South Korea's progress, K-pop hits and the national anthem. This tit-for-tat escalation heightened tensions and left border residents anxious and inconvenienced.

The standoff peaked on Oct. 15, when North Korea destroyed sections of the Gyeongui and Donghae inter-Korean roads, cutting off overland connections that had symbolized past reconciliation efforts. This act followed Pyongyang's constitutional amendment labeling South Korea as a “hostile state,” cementing the peninsula's deepening divide.

A woman uses a portable fan to beat the heat as she walks near Gwanghwamun in central Seoul on Aug. 11. [YONHAP]

8. Protracted heat, record snowfall: Extreme weather grips nation

Korea saw unusual weather patterns this year, including record snowfall in November, late fall foliage and the longest streak of tropical nights during the summer.

On Nov. 27, Seoul recorded its heaviest November snowfall in 117 years since data collection began in 1907. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA), over 16 centimeters (6.3 inches) of snow had accumulated in the capital by 7 a.m. that day. The previous record for November snowfall was 12.4 centimeters on Nov. 28, 1972.

The record amount of snowfall was brought by unusually warm sea surface temperatures in the Yellow Sea, according to the KMA. The blizzard caused deaths, injuries, power outages and significant transit disruptions, mainly in the greater Seoul area.

Heavy snow blankets the Deoksu Palace in Jung District, central Seoul, on Nov. 27. [YONHAP]

This year, Korea experienced its longest streak of tropical nights, with heat waves gripping the country throughout the summer. The number of tropical nights reached 20.2 days, surpassing previous records of 16.8 days in 1994 and 16.7 days in 2018, based on KMA data compiled since 1973.

A tropical night occurs when nighttime temperatures remain above 25 degrees Celsius (77 degrees Fahrenheit) between 6:01 p.m. and 9 a.m. the following day.

Due to prolonged summer weather, Jeju’s Mount Halla saw its latest start to fall foliage on Oct. 29, the latest since 1991. Mount Seorak in Gangwon also saw its first fall foliage on Oct. 4, six days later than the average year.

A sedan that veered onto a sidewalk near Seoul City Hall is seen after it struck pedestrians on July 1, leading to nine deaths. [NEWS1]

9. Deadly car crash at Seoul City Hall prompts calls for reform

On July 1, a tragic car accident near Seoul City Hall resulted in nine fatalities and four injuries. At approximately 9:27 p.m., a sedan driven by a 68-year-old man veered onto a sidewalk near Exit 12 of City Hall Station, striking pedestrians waiting to cross the street. The driver, apprehended at the scene, claimed that sudden unintended acceleration caused the incident.

The victims included two Seoul city government employees, four bank employees and three workers from a company providing outsourced services to hospitals. Some were returning to work after dinner, while others were celebrating a colleague’s promotion. The sudden loss deeply affected their families, colleagues, and the local community.

An investigation by the Seoul Namdaemun Police Precinct concluded that driver error, not mechanical failure, was responsible for the crash. The National Forensic Service found no defects in the vehicle’s acceleration or brake systems, and data indicated that the brakes were not applied in the moments leading up to the collision.

This incident has reignited discussions about road safety and the competencies of elderly drivers in South Korea. While the driver was 68, current regulations require drivers aged 75 and older to renew their licenses every three years, including cognitive ability tests and traffic safety education. The government is now facing calls to reassess these age thresholds and implement more stringent measures to prevent similar tragedies in the future.

Protestors call for measures to prevent deepfake digital sex crimes near Gangnam Station in southern Seoul on Aug. 29 [NEWS1]

10. SNU students arrested in deepfake porn scandal

The Korean people were shaken when two Seoul National University graduates were arrested for creating deepfake pornography using the images of female students in May.

The incident revealed how serious deepfake sex crimes were in Korean society, with the National Police Agency announcing they have apprehended over 500 suspects, of which 81.2 percent, or 411 people, were teenagers.

Between January and November, police received 1,094 reports related to deepfake sex crimes, with over half of these reports filed following a major police crackdown initiated in late August.

The Anti-Corruption & Civil Rights Commission reported in November that civil complaints concerning deepfake sex crimes have surged more than sixfold over the past year. Data shows that the monthly average of such complaints increased to 50 this year, compared to last year’s average of 30.

In response to the rise of deepfake sex crimes, the National Assembly revised the sexual crimes punishment law in September. The amendment imposes penalties of up to three years in prison or fines of up to 30 million won ($21,000) for those caught possessing, purchasing, storing, or viewing deepfake sexual content and other fabricated videos.

Despite the police launching a special crackdown on deepfake sex crimes last month due to the growing societal outcry, the number of messenger rooms where sexual exploitation materials are produced and shared has increased rapidly on platforms like Telegram. For example, the number of participants in deepfake bot channels has quickly risen from 220,000 to 390,000 as of September.

BY SEO JI-EUN, MICHAEL LEE, LIM JEONG-WON, CHO JUNG-WOO, LEE SOO-JUNG, KIM MIN-YOUNG, SARAH KIM [[email protected]]