In the shadow of gleaming skyscrapers and a bustling democracy, a dark chapter in South Korea’s history is currently unfolding.
On September 8, 2025, just two days after meeting with Charlie Kirk at Build Up Korea — an event similar in style and purpose to Turning Point USA’s signature events here in the United States — Pastor Son Hyun-bo was arrested and imprisoned by the South Korean government.
His crime? Preaching from the pulpit, organizing prayer rallies, and daring to critique politicians in sermons that touched on moral issues like anti-discrimination laws and Biblical marriage.
This is clearly Christian persecution cloaked in the language of &#8220;election law violations.&#8221; It echoes the tyrannical playbooks of communist regimes past. And it is a stark reminder that the forces arrayed against Christianity are global, insidious, and relentless.
Pastor Son, the 63-year-old leader of Segero Church in Busan, is no radical agitator. He&#8217;s a man of unyielding faith who transformed a tiny, struggling, rural congregation of 20 members into a thriving megachurch with over 4,000 weekly attendees. Starting in 1993, he baptized around 1,000 souls annually for more than 15 years. During his military service in the 1980s under a dictatorial regime, he endured brutal beatings for insisting on Sunday worship, yet evangelized his entire Special Forces unit that he served in, earning the nickname &#8220;Special Forces Pastor.&#8221; Even amid COVID-19 lockdowns in 2021, he defied government bans, holding outdoor services to preserve the right to gather in faith.
<a class="c-link" href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_campaign=fall40&amp;utm_content=fallsale&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_campaign=fall40&amp;utm_content=fallsale&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial" data-sk="tooltip_parent">Get 40% off new DailyWire+ annual memberships with code FALL40 at checkout!</a> 
But Pastor Son&#8217;s boldness extended beyond the sanctuary. He organized massive &#8220;Save Korea&#8221; prayer rallies, including a 2024 event that drew over a million participants online and in person, decrying threats to religious freedom and national values. In 2025, during elections for Busan&#8217;s education superintendent and the presidency, Son’s sermons and events addressed candidates&#8217; stances on issues dear to Christians.
Prosecutors twisted these into &#8220;illegal electioneering,&#8221; citing the use of microphones, YouTube uploads, and even hymns as evidence of &#8220;disguised rallies.&#8221; The arrest warrant, issued by Judge Eom Sung-hwan on September 9, absurdly claimed a &#8220;flight risk&#8221; for a man who&#8217;s lived openly in Busan for three decades, cooperated with investigations, and left all his sermons publicly online.
This isn&#8217;t an isolated miscarriage of justice — it&#8217;s a calculated assault on religious liberty.
South Korea&#8217;s constitution guarantees freedom of religion under Article 20, and international covenants like the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights protect against arbitrary detention and suppression of faith. Yet here we see a pastor jailed for what amounts to moral commentary, while pro-North Korea activists have received leniency from the same judiciary.
Conservative leaders like Han Dong-hoon, Na Kyung-won, Kim Moon-soo, and Choi Jae-hyung have decried it as excessive, political retaliation, and a threat to democracy. The General Assembly of Presbyterian Churches in Korea called it a &#8220;grave situation that threatens the freedom of religion.&#8221; Pastor Son&#8217;s real offense? Criticizing leftist President Lee Jae-myung and standing firm against policies that erode Christian values.
Enter Charlie Kirk, whose tragic assassination just days after his visit to South Korea leaves his mission unfinished. On September 6 and 7, Kirk headlined the &#8220;Build Up Korea&#8221; event, rallying thousands of young Koreans to defend freedom and faith in a nation where Christianity comprises about 25% of the population. Backstage, he met Pastor Son, who had organized massive protests against a pro-trans bill and faced government raids for his activism.
Kirk promised that if Son were arrested, he&#8217;d alert President Donald Trump and mobilize America against this &#8220;weaponization&#8221; of law against Bible-believing Christians. In his speech, Kirk warned: &#8220;If you don’t focus on the second thing — making sure you can spread Jesus — then we will all be sharing the Gospel from a prison cell one day!&#8221;
Kirk&#8217;s words were prophetic. This is the communist tactic in action: ostracize Christians by painting them as threats to the state; characterize them as &#8220;others&#8221; who disrupt social harmony; terrorize them through raids, arrests, and imprisonment; and normalize that terror until dissent vanishes. We&#8217;ve seen it in Mao&#8217;s China, Stalin&#8217;s Russia, and now creeping into South Korea under a president cozying up to Beijing and Pyongyang. The Left doesn&#8217;t debate faith; it silences it, turning pulpits into crime scenes and prayers into indictments.
American Christians, this is our wakeup call. We&#8217;re in a revival moment, but revival without resolve is fleeting. We must channel Kirk&#8217;s unfinished work: amplify Pastor Son&#8217;s plight, pressure South Korea through diplomatic channels, and support organizations like the Free Press Foundation that expose such injustices. Petition your representatives to condemn this; pray for Son&#8217;s release; and demand that President Lee reverse course before South Korea slides further into authoritarianism.
Pastor Rob McCoy of Calvary Chapel in Thousand Oaks, and Pastor Stephen Martin of Vintage Church in Harker Heights, Texas, just returned from a visit to Segero Church, where they encouraged leaders to stand strong, speak out, and not go silently into persecution. They are seeking to carry out Charlie Kirk’s mission, which he had promised to return and complete. He would have undoubtedly done so had he not been martyred. These courageous pastors are working to draw attention to this unfinished mission of Charlie, protect Christian freedom in South Korea, and warn a slumbering church that we must not be silent.
After all, the church isn&#8217;t a bystander in history, it&#8217;s the bulwark against tyranny. As Charlie urged, put Jesus first, but fight for the freedom to do so. Pastor Son languishes in a cell for preaching truth; let&#8217;s ensure his suffering ignites a global stand. South Korea, turn back from this persecution. The world is watching, and the God of justice will not be mocked.
Daniel Hayworth is the Lead Pastor of Vintage Church Harker Heights near Fort Hood, Texas, where he lives with his wife and four children. 
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

South Korea Charlie Kirk

The Unfinished Fight: Charlie Kirk, A South Korean Pastor, And The Global War On Christians

Charlie Kirk

Donald Trump

North Korea

Religious Freedom

South Korea

SEOUL (Reuters) &#8211; South Korea will send a chartered plane to Atlanta as early as Wednesday to bring back workers detained in a huge immigration raid last week on a car battery plant in the U.S. state of Georgia, a Korean Air spokesperson said on Tuesday.
President Lee Jae Myung said Seoul would negotiate with Washington to achieve a reasonable resolution to the situation based on the spirit of their alliance, adding at a cabinet meeting that he felt a &#8220;heavy responsibility&#8221; for the detained nationals.
A Korean Air Boeing 747-8i plane with 368 seats will fly from South Korea&#8217;s Incheon to Atlanta, according to the spokesperson.
During the U.S. immigration raid about 300 South Koreans were arrested along with 175 others at the site of the $4.3 billion Hyundai Motor and LG Energy Solution project to build batteries for electric cars.
South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun is in Washington to negotiate on points such as seeking assurances that the Koreans returned home will be allowed to re-enter the United States.
The raid &#8211; the largest single-site enforcement operation in the history of the Department of Homeland Security&#8217;s investigative operations &#8211; sent shockwaves through South Korea, a U.S. ally that has been trying to finalise a trade deal agreed with Washington in July.
A Realmeter opinion poll published on Tuesday showed that nearly 60% of South Koreans felt disappointed by what they viewed as excessive action by U.S. authorities in the raid, while about 30% regarded the action as unavoidable.
Two Japanese nationals and up to nine Chinese citizens were among the detainees, the Nikkei business daily reported.
James Rim, who heads the Korean-American Association of Southeast Georgia and runs guesthouses used by Korean workers near the Hyundai plant, said two of his residents had been detained after being found to be on a visa-waiver programme that prohibits employment in the country.
On Thursday evening after the raid they did not come back for dinner, Rim said, noting two other colleagues had made it back to the guesthouse after screening during the raid.
&#8220;I heard two of them saw an officer that didn&#8217;t let them go, while the other two managed to leave after talking to another officer,&#8221; said Rim.
Details on how U.S. immigration rules may have been breached have not been released by the authorities or companies involved, but South Korean lawmakers say some may have overstepped the boundaries of a 90-day visa-waiver programme or a B-1 temporary business visa.
Foreign Minister Cho said he would discuss with Washington creating a special work permit for Korean professionals.
Korean businesses have complained about what they consider strict U.S. limits on visas for skilled foreign workers, making it difficult for them to oversee the construction of factories or to train the local workforce.
According to workers, officials and lawyers, many South Korean workers were sent to the U.S. on questionable documents despite their misgivings and warnings about stricter U.S. immigration enforcement.
After the raid, Rim said some of the 20 subcontractors working at the plant and also staying at his guesthouse had returned to South Korea early.
&#8220;Not everyone, but some of the workers came here on a visa waiver,&#8221; Rim said, adding that this had long been a standard practice.
&#8220;It should have been done earlier but I think now is a good chance to give some kind of a special work permit to Koreans. Otherwise, it would be difficult to build factories only with a local workforce,&#8221; he said.
(Reporting by Ju-min Park and Jack Kim; Editing by Ed Davies and Hugh Lawson)

South Korea to send chartered plane to Atlanta to bring back workers detained in US

South Korea Sending Plane To Retrieve Workers Detained In Georgia Raid

Georgia

Hyundai

Immigration

Politics

Hundreds of South Korean nationals detained during an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raid at a Hyundai site in Georgia last week will soon be repatriated as President Donald Trump called for foreign companies to “respect” America’s laws. 
The roughly 300 workers were detained during a massive immigration enforcement operation on September 4 at a Hyundai plant in Bryan County, leading to the apprehension of around 475 people who the Trump administration <a href="https://x.com/ATFAtlanta/status/1963734241105072512?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1963734241105072512%7Ctwgr%5E6ce0eebffc1436a997e529d21c8e5ca5671ad8b4%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wsbtv.com%2Fnews%2Flocal%2Fus-immigration-officers-raid-georgia-site-where-hyundai-makes-electric-vehicles%2FMREDNL2DRNGNDPAG3S5JDN5QHM%2F">said</a> were illegally working in the country. 
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung&#8217;s chief of staff, Kang Hoon-sik, said on Sunday that the South Koreans detained during the operation would be returning home soon. 
“As a result of the swift and united response … negotiations for the release of the detained workers have been concluded,” he said, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/sep/07/300-south-koreans-detained-at-hyundai-plant-in-us-to-be-released-says-seoul">according</a> to the Guardian. “Only administrative procedures remain. Once these are completed, a chartered flight will depart to bring our citizens home.”
Responding to the raid on Sunday night, Trump urged all foreign companies working inside the United States to follow immigration laws and hire American workers. 
“Following the Immigration Enforcement Operation on the Hyundai Battery Plant in Georgia, I am hereby calling on all Foreign Companies investing in the United States to please respect our Nation’s Immigration Laws,” Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115165715028507857">wrote</a> on Truth Social on Sunday. “Your Investments are welcome, and we encourage you to LEGALLY bring your very smart people, with great technical talent, to build World Class products, and we will make it quickly and legally possible for you to do so. What we ask in return is that you hire and train American Workers. Together, we will all work hard to make our Nation not only productive, but closer in unity than ever before.”
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agent Steven Schrank <a href="https://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/us-immigration-officers-raid-georgia-site-where-hyundai-makes-electric-vehicles/MREDNL2DRNGNDPAG3S5JDN5QHM/">said</a> last week that the raid was the largest single-site enforcement operation in the history of the HSI, which serves as the principal investigative arm of ICE.
U.S. Attorney Margaret Heap said that the goal of the operation was to “reduce illegal employment and prevent employers from gaining an unfair advantage by hiring unauthorized workers” and protect unauthorized workers from exploitation.
Hyundai stated that none of the detained individuals worked directly for the company. 
“Hyundai is committed to full compliance with all laws and regulations in every market where we operate,” the company said in a statement. “This includes employment verification requirements and immigration laws. We expect the same commitment from all our partners, suppliers, contractors, and subcontractors.&#8221;

President Trump Travels To New York To Attend U.S. Open Finals

300 Hyundai Plant Workers To Be Sent Back To South Korea As Trump Demands ‘Respect’

Illegal Immigation

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday he wanted to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un this year and that he was open to further trade talks with South Korea even as he lobbed new criticisms at the visiting Asian ally.
&#8220;I&#8217;d like to meet him this year,&#8221; Trump told reporters in the Oval Office as he welcomed South Korea&#8217;s new president, Lee Jae Myung, to the White House. &#8220;I look forward to meeting with Kim Jong Un in the appropriate future.&#8221;
Despite clinching a trade deal in July that spared South Korean exports harsher U.S. tariffs, the two sides continue to wrangle over nuclear energy, military spending, and details of a deal that included $350 billion in promised South Korean investments in the United States.
After meeting with Trump, Lee attended a business forum with senior U.S. administration officials and CEOs of South Korean companies and more than 20 U.S. firms, including the Carlyle Group, Nvidia, Boeing, GE Aerospace, Honeywell, and General Motors.
Sources told Reuters South Korea&#8217;s flag carrier, Korean Air, was expected to announce an order for about 100 Boeing aircraft.
North Korea did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Trump&#8217;s remarks.
Since Trump&#8217;s January inauguration, Kim has ignored Trump&#8217;s repeated calls to revive the direct diplomacy he pursued during his 2017-2021 term in office, which produced no deal to halt North Korea&#8217;s nuclear program.
North Korea&#8217;s rhetoric has ramped up, with Kim pledging to speed his nuclear program and condemning joint U.S.-South Korea military drills. Over the weekend, Kim supervised the test firing of new air defense systems.
In the Oval Office, Lee avoided the theatrical confrontations that dominated a February visit by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and a May visit from South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Lee, deploying a well-worn strategy by Trump&#8217;s foreign visitors, talked golf and lavished praise on the Republican president&#8217;s interior decorating and peacemaking. He told reporters earlier that he had read the president&#8217;s 1987 memoir, &#8220;Trump: The Art of the Deal,&#8221; to prepare.
The liberal South Korean encouraged Trump to engage with North Korea.
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_campaign=summer&amp;utm_content=editorialsummersale&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">End of Summer Sale – Get 40% off New DailyWire+ Annual Memberships</a>
&#8220;I hope you can bring peace to the Korean Peninsula, the only divided nation in the world, so that you can meet with Kim Jong Un, build a Trump World (real-estate complex) in North Korea so that I can play golf there, and so that you can truly play a role as a world-historical peacemaker,&#8221; Lee said, speaking in Korean.
South Korea&#8217;s economy relies heavily on the U.S., with Washington underwriting its security with troops and nuclear deterrence. Trump has called Seoul a &#8220;money machine&#8221; that takes advantage of American military protection.
Trump has been pressing Seoul on the trade deal they already reached and on issues related to the bilateral military alliance.
After meeting with Lee, Trump told reporters: &#8220;I think we have a deal done&#8221; on trade. &#8220;They had some problems with it, but we stuck to our guns &#8230; They&#8217;re gonna make the deal that they agreed to make.&#8221; He did not elaborate, and the White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Trump said while sitting with Lee he would raise &#8220;intel&#8221; he had received about South Korean investigations he said targeted churches and a military base. The White House did not respond to a request for more information.
This month, Seoul police raided Sarang Jeil Church, headed by evangelical preacher Jun Kwang-hoon, who led protests backing Lee&#8217;s ousted predecessor Yoon Suk Yeol.
In July, prosecutors investigating Yoon&#8217;s attempt to declare martial law served a search warrant on the Korean part of a military base jointly operated with the United States. South Korean officials have said U.S. troops and materials were not subject to the search.
South Korea&#8217;s far-right movement, especially evangelical Christians and Yoon supporters, sees him as a victim of communist persecution.
Trump was expected to pressure Lee to commit to more defense spending, including toward upkeep of the 28,500 U.S. troops in South Korea.
Asked if he would reduce those numbers to give the U.S. more regional flexibility, Trump said: &#8220;I don&#8217;t want to say that now,&#8221; but that maybe Seoul should give the U.S. ownership of the &#8220;land where we have the big fort,&#8221; an apparent reference to Camp Humphreys, a U.S. Army garrison in South Korea.
Before the meeting, Lee told reporters it would be difficult for Seoul to accept U.S. demands to adopt such &#8220;flexibility&#8221; &#8211; a reference to using U.S. forces for a wider range of operations, including China-related threats.
Lee wants to chart a balanced path of cooperation with the U.S., while avoiding antagonizing China, Seoul&#8217;s top trade partner. Even as he headed to Washington, he sent a special delegation to Beijing, which delivered a message calling for normalized ties.
Lee will highlight some of South Korea&#8217;s expected U.S. investments when he visits a shipyard in Philadelphia owned by the country&#8217;s Hanwha Group on Tuesday.
Trump is expected to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in South Korea on October 30-November 1.
(Reporting by David Brunnstrom, Idrees Ali, Steve Holland, Trevor Hunnicutt and David Shepardson in Washington and Josh Smith, Hyun Joo Jin, Ju-min Park and Jack Kim in Seoul; Writing by Josh Smith and Trevor Hunnicutt; Editing by Lincoln Feast, Ed Davies, Michael Perry, Rod Nickel)

Kim Jong Un North Korea

Trump Wants To Meet North Korea’s Kim This Year, He Tells South Korea

Global Politics

Kim Jong Un

World

President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that the United States has struck a trade agreement with South Korea just days ahead of his August 1 deadline.
As part of the deal, South Korea will “give to the United States $350 Billion Dollars for Investments owned and controlled by the United States, and selected by myself, as President,” said Trump in a post on <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114944494894008041">Truth Social</a>.
“Additionally, South Korea will purchase $100 Billion Dollars of LNG, or other Energy products and, further, South Korea has agreed to invest a large sum of money for their Investment purposes,” he added.
Trump said goods from the United States to South Korea would not be subject to tariffs, while South Korean goods sold in the United States would be subject to a 15% tariff. 
South Korea will be “completely OPEN TO TRADE” with the United States, Trump declared.
The 15% tariff is a reduction from the 25% tariff the president had placed on goods from South Korea previously, though both are significantly higher than the tariffs on South Korean goods prior to Trump’s negotiations. The United States-Korea Free Trade Agreement ratified in 2011 <a href="https://kagc.us/biden-vs-trump-where-do-they-stand-on-u-s-korea-trade/">removed</a> tariffs from 95% of goods over its first five years.
The deal came just hours after the president <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/other-countries-are-making-offers-trump-announces-oil-reserve-deal-with-pakistan">announced</a> an agreement with Pakistan for a joint United States-Pakistan agreement to develop the latter’s oil resources.
“We have just concluded a Deal with the Country of Pakistan, whereby Pakistan and the United States will work together on developing their massive Oil Reserves,” said Trump in another social media post. “We are in the process of choosing the Oil Company that will lead this Partnership. Who knows, maybe they’ll be selling Oil to India some day!”
Trump, who recently scored <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-secures-biggest-of-all-trade-deals-with-eu" target="_blank" rel="noopener">breakthroughs</a> in talks with the European Union and Japan, suggested that other deals may come soon as negotiators rush to strike agreements ahead of his August 1 deadline to raise tariffs again. 
“Likewise, other Countries are making offers for a Tariff reduction,” Trump said. “All of this will help reduce our Trade Deficit in a very major way. A full report will be released at the appropriate time. Thank you for your attention to this matter. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”

Trump Unveils South Korea Trade Deal, Boasting $350B Investment In U.S.

Trump Says New Trade Deal With South Korea Includes $350B Investment In U.S.

Free Trade

United States

President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that Pakistan had agreed to a deal with the United States that involved &#8220;developing their massive Oil Reserves,&#8221; and said that several other countries were already waiting in the wings to offer trade deals in exchange for lower tariffs.
Trump shared the news first via his Truth Social platform, saying that in addition to the deal with Pakistan, he planned to speak with a trade delegation from South Korea later in the day.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://t.co/hGckifMCWB">pic.twitter.com/hGckifMCWB</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1950646261696151619?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 30, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;We are very busy in the White House today working on Trade Deals. I have spoken to the Leaders of many Countries, all of whom want to make the United States &#8216;extremely happy,'&#8221; Trump began his post. &#8220;I will be meeting with the South Korean Trade Delegation this afternoon. South Korea is right now at a 25% Tariff, but they have an offer to buy down those Tariffs. I will be interested in hearing what that offer is.&#8221;
&#8220;We have just concluded a Deal with the Country of Pakistan, whereby Pakistan and the United States will work together on developing their massive Oil Reserves,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;We are in the process of choosing the Oil Company that will lead this Partnership. Who knows, maybe they’ll be selling Oil to India some day!&#8221;
The president went on to say that other countries were lining up to make similar deals — an important detail given that the imminent tariff deadline, August 1, is less than two full days from taking effect. Several other eleventh-hour deals have already been inked in the last week before the deadline, including one with the European Union during Trump&#8217;s weekend trip to Scotland.
&#8220;Likewise, other Countries are making offers for a Tariff reduction,&#8221; Trump concluded. &#8220;All of this will help reduce our Trade Deficit in a very major way. A full report will be released at the appropriate time. Thank you for your attention to this matter. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!&#8221;

‘Other Countries Are Making Offers’: Trump Announces Oil Reserve Deal With Pakistan

'Other Countries Are Making Offers': Trump Announces Oil Reserve Deal With Pakistan

Economy

Pakistan

Tariffs

trade

President Donald Trump announced on Monday that the United States would impose 25% tariffs on imports from Japan and South Korea, following his extension of the &#8220;Liberation Day&#8221; tariff deadline, initially scheduled for April.
On Truth Social, Trump posted letters addressed to the leaders of both countries informing them of the new tariffs. The 25% blanket tariffs will be in addition to sector-specific tariffs already in place. The tariffs on Japan and South Korea will go into effect on August 1.
&#8220;Please understand that the 25% number is far less than what is needed to eliminate the Trade Deficit disparity we have with your Country,&#8221; Trump wrote to both Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and South Korea&#8217;s new president, Lee Jae-myung. Trump added that Japanese and South Korean companies can avoid the tariffs if they manufacture their products in the United States.
Trump then warned the countries against retaliating against the United States with reciprocal tariffs, stating that he would respond by increasing tariffs on them, in addition to the 25% blanket tariffs.
&#8220;If you wish to open your heretofore closed Trading Markets to the United States and eliminate your Tariff, and Non Tariff, Policies and Trade Barriers, we will, perhaps, consider an adjustment to this letter,&#8221; Trump wrote to both nations. &#8220;These tariffs may be modified, upward or downward, depending on our relationship with your Country. You will never be disappointed with the United States of America.&#8221;
<iframe class="truthsocial-embed" style="max-width: 100%; border: 0;" src="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/114812856757774700/embed" width="600" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><script src="https://truthsocial.com/embed.js" async="async"></script>
<iframe class="truthsocial-embed" style="max-width: 100%; border: 0;" src="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/114812854233087572/embed" width="600" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><script src="https://truthsocial.com/embed.js" async="async"></script>
Trump posted the letters shortly after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/bessent-promises-several-trade-announcements-over-the-next-48-hours">told</a> CNBC on Monday morning that &#8220;several&#8221; trade announcements would come &#8220;in the next 48 hours.&#8221; Trump hinted last week that he would soon send letters to countries outlining their new tariff rates. Japanese economy minister Ryosei Akazawa has <a href="https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/stock-market-today-dow-sp-500-nasdaq-06-30-2025/card/trump-says-japan-will-get-letter-outlining-new-tariff-rate-11aR4lQ9f3AsmCBVtOq8?mod=article_inline">traveled</a> to Washington, D.C., seven times in recent weeks for ongoing trade talks with the Trump administration, but so far, the talks have yielded no results.
Last week, Trump said that there likely wouldn&#8217;t be a trade deal with Japan, calling the country &#8220;spoiled,&#8221; The Hill <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5381161-trump-japan-trade-deal-tariffs-rice/">reported</a>.
“We dealt with Japan. I’m not sure if we’re going to make a deal. I doubt it with Japan — they’re very tough. You have to understand, they’re spoiled. I love Japan. I really like the new prime minister, too,&#8221; he said, adding, “But they and others are so spoiled from having ripped us off for 30, 40 years that it’s really hard for them to make a deal. You know, it’s very hard. As an example, with Japan, they won’t take rice, and yet they desperately need rice,” he said. “They won’t take any cars, but they’ll sell millions. So, we told them, ‘Sorry you can’t do that.’”
South Korean Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo met with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in D.C. over the weekend, where he called on the United States to eliminate or reduce tariffs on steel and vehicles, Bloomberg <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-06/south-korea-seeks-us-trade-deadline-extension-as-tariffs-loom">reported</a>. Yeo&#8217;s meeting with Greer marked his second trip to D.C. since the new administration took over in South Korea.

Trump Slaps 25% Tariff On Japan, South Korea, Warns Against Retaliation

Executive

Japan

Trade War

Trump Administration

A deal with India is &#8220;very close,&#8221; Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Tuesday, signaling what could be a major breakthrough in negotiations with a significant trade partner.
Many foreign countries, including India, face a 10% baseline tariff after President Donald Trump announced a 90-day pause for harsher &#8220;Liberation Day&#8221; tariffs he unveiled at the beginning of April. The tariffs for India could rise to 26%, which was the initial rate, if a deal is not reached.
At a White House press briefing, a reporter asked Bessent if he had anything to share on whether &#8220;something could happen&#8221; this week or the next. He <a href="https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2025/04/29/bessent_trade_talks_with_india_korea_japan.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">chose</a> to focus on India.
&#8220;I think we’re very close on India,&#8221; Bessent said. &#8220;India — just a little inside baseball. India, in a funny way, is easier to negotiate with than many other countries because they have very high tariffs and lots of tariffs.&#8221;
He added: &#8220;So, it’s much easier to confront the direct tariffs when, as we go through these unfair trade deals that have been put in over decades, that the non-tariff trade barriers can be much more insidious and also harder to detect. So, a country like India, which has the posted and ready tariffs, it’s much easier to negotiate with them. I think the India negotiations will move well.&#8221;
Last week, Vice President JD Vance travelled to India and met with the country&#8217;s prime minister, Narendra Modi.
Vance <a href="https://x.com/EricLDaugh/status/1914650218940805207" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> the United States and India finalized the “terms of reference” for a trade negotiation, adding that he believed it was a &#8220;vital step toward realizing President Trump&#8217;s and Prime Minister Modi&#8217;s vision because it sets a roadmap toward a final deal.&#8221;
India, along with Japan and South Korea, seem to be making the greatest amount of headway in talks with the United States.
These &#8220;Asian trading partners and allies,&#8221; Bessent said, &#8220;have been the most forthcoming in terms of doing the deals &#8230; Vice President Vance was in India last week. I think that he and President Modi made very good progress, so I could see some announcements on India. I could see the contours of a deal with the Republic of Korea coming together, and then we&#8217;ve had substantial talks with the Japanese.&#8221;
Because Japan and South Korea have elections coming up in the months ahead, Bessent sees an opportunity to reach agreements with them sooner rather than later.
&#8220;I think from our talks that these governments actually want to have the framework of a trade deal done before they go into the elections to show that they have successfully negotiated with the United States,&#8221; Bessent said. &#8220;So, we’re finding that they’re actually much more keen to come to the table, get this done, and then go home and campaign on it.&#8221;
Trump implemented the &#8220;Liberation Day&#8221; tariffs by declaring a <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/04/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-declares-national-emergency-to-increase-our-competitive-edge-protect-our-sovereignty-and-strengthen-our-national-and-economic-security/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">national emergency</a> to combat what his administration says are unfair trade practices, protect American workers, and strengthen national security. While most countries received a 90-day reprieve, the United States <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-issues-90-day-pause-on-most-tariffs-raises-chinas-to-125" target="_blank" rel="noopener">increased</a> the overall tariff level on China to 145%. Beijing responded by <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/04/11/china-strikes-back-with-125percent-tariffs-on-us-goods-starting-april-12.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">raising</a> tariffs on U.S. goods to 125%.
Bessent would not say during the briefing whether Trump administration officials have been talking with their counterparts from China about tariffs, but he did <a href="https://grabien.com/story?id=525096" target="_blank" rel="noopener">express</a> the view that, &#8220;over time, we will see that the Chinese tariffs are unsustainable for China.&#8221;

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent

Sorry, China: Bessent Says Deal With Massive Trade Partner ‘Very Close’

China

India

Scott Bessent

The Supreme Court hands President Donald Trump two wins – one on deportation and another on downsizing the government. The stock market sees another turbulent day, leading to China increasing its reciprocal tariffs on U.S. imports to 84%. And, Trump is set for nuclear negotiations with Iran but warns that the regime might be in jeopardy if talks go south.
It’s Wednesday, April 9, and this is the news you need to know to start your day. If you’d rather listen to your news, today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below:
&nbsp;
<iframe style="width: 100%; max-width: 660px; overflow: hidden; border-radius: 10px;" src="https://embed.podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/scotus-trump-wins-stock-market-tariff-turbulence-4-9-25/id1576594336?i=1000702839221" height="175" frameborder="0" sandbox="allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation"></iframe>
&nbsp;
<h2>Supreme Court Clears The Way For Deportations &amp; DOGE</h2>
<div id="attachment_905039" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-905039" class="size-large wp-image-905039" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/SCOTUS-Facade-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/SCOTUS-Facade-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/SCOTUS-Facade-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/SCOTUS-Facade-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/SCOTUS-Facade-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/SCOTUS-Facade-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/SCOTUS-Facade-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/SCOTUS-Facade-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />(Photo by Al Drago/Getty Images)</div>
Topline: The Supreme Court on Monday cleared the way for the Trump administration to deport alleged illegal alien gang members under a 1798 law. 
The Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that President Trump may use the Alien Enemies Act to deport suspected gang members –  but the court also said those potential deportees have a right to due process. The decision had both sides of the case claiming victory.
“Today is a bad day to be a terrorist in the United States of America,&#8221; Kristi Noem, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, said on Monday. “Today, the Supreme Court came out with a decision that reaffirmed that President Trump was correct in using his authority on using the Alien Enemies Act to deport terrorists out of this country. Thank you President Trump for your leadership in making America safe again.”
However: The justices unanimously agreed that in each case, the alien has a right to have his deportation order reviewed by a judge. 
The case was brought by a group of Venezuelan nationals. They filed suit in the D.C. District Court and the case fell to Judge James Boasberg – who has frequently ruled against the administration. Boasberg put a freeze on not only the deportations. The Supreme Court said the lawsuit should have been filed in Texas, where the deportees were being held.
The illegal immigration case was related to a lower court judge’s deadline for the administration to return a mistakenly deported Salvadoran national to the United States. Kilmer Abrego Garcia, 29, was mistakenly deported to El Salvador – he had previously said he would face violence if deported back to his home. A judge had given the Trump administration until midnight on Monday to get him back to the United States. The administration said that timeline was impractical, and the Supreme Court agreed.
In other news: The Supreme Court knocked down a lower court order that blocked Trump from cutting 16,000 probationary workers from the federal government
&nbsp;
<h2>The Trade War Continues: Allies Seek Detente, Rivals Escalate</h2>
<div id="attachment_905041" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-905041" class="size-large wp-image-905041" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Trade-War-NYSE-Floor-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Trade-War-NYSE-Floor-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Trade-War-NYSE-Floor-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Trade-War-NYSE-Floor-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Trade-War-NYSE-Floor-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Trade-War-NYSE-Floor-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />(Photo by ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images)</div>
Topline: One week after Liberation Day, President Trump says he is gearing up for formal tariff negotiations with trade partners, offering optimism for consumers and markets as China raises its reciprocal tariffs on U.S. goods to 84%. 
On Tuesday, the president announced major developments on a trade deal with South Korea, America’s sixth-largest trading partner. Writing on Truth Social, Trump said he’d just finished a “great call” with acting President Han Duck-soo, <a href="https://x.com/annmarie/status/1909597238260625410">adding,</a> “We have the confines and probability of a great DEAL for both countries. Their top TEAM is on a plane heading to the U.S., and things are looking good.” 
According to the South Korean government, they’re willing to import more American products, particularly natural gas, in exchange for reduced tariffs. Likewise, the president said <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/news/trump-spoke-ishiba-set-tough-141853292.html">Japan</a>, our fourth-largest trade partner, is sending a negotiating team to Washington to meet directly with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
In the coming days, the Trump administration will host representatives from Vietnam, our tenth-largest trading partner. And on April 17, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni will visit the White House to negotiate on behalf of the European Union. All told, the White House says nearly 70 countries have expressed a desire to negotiate.
“To countries around the world, bring us your best offers and [President Trump] will listen,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/1909660284568109505">told</a> reporters on Tuesday. “Deals will only be made if they benefit American workers and address our nation’s crippling trade deficits. America does not need other countries as much as other countries need us and President Trump knows this.”
However: Beijing appears to be digging its heels in for a drawn-out trade war. On Wednesday, China, America’s largest trading partner, said it would increase its reciprocal tariffs on U.S. imports to 84%. This was after China had doubled down, saying it would “never accept such treatment” before slapping additional 34% tariffs on U.S. imports. China accused the White House of economic “blackmail,” and Trump responded with a 50% tariff on top of those already in place — starting at midnight on April 9, when the Chinese began facing 104% tariffs on all goods coming to America. It’s not exactly breaking news that the U.S. imports a lot of stuff from China — the expected price increases on those goods are clearly spooking investors.
&nbsp;
<h2>Trump Announces “Top Level” Talks With Iran</h2>
<div id="attachment_905047" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-905047" class="size-large wp-image-905047" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Trump-with-Netanyahu-Co-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Trump-with-Netanyahu-Co-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Trump-with-Netanyahu-Co-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Trump-with-Netanyahu-Co-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Trump-with-Netanyahu-Co-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Trump-with-Netanyahu-Co-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Trump-with-Netanyahu-Co-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Trump-with-Netanyahu-Co-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />(Photo by Yuri Gripas/Abaca/Bloomberg via Getty Images</div>
Topline: On Monday, President Trump announced that his administration will have “top-level” direct talks with Iran.
During a meeting in the Oval Office with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Trump announced that he would be open to negotiations with Iran on Saturday. If these talks do not go well, Trump said that the Iranian regime will be in “great danger.”
“It’s not a complicated formula,” Trump <a href="https://x.com/KassyAkiva/status/1909339143026663769?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1909339143026663769%7Ctwgr%5E7d8fe0700f7a5f78c5fbe98930a68e6e11b7c20f%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailywire.com%2Fnews%2Ftrump-says-iran-will-be-in-great-danger-if-saturdays-nuclear-talks-fail">said</a>. “Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon, that’s all there is. Right now we have countries that have nuclear power that shouldn’t have it but I’m sure we will be able to negotiate out of that too as part of this later and down the line. But Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon and if the talks aren’t successful, I actually think it will be a very bad day for Iran.”
President Trump said the talks would be high-level and direct but declined to say where they would occur. However, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi later said the talks would take place in Oman and be indirect. In a post on <a href="https://x.com/araghchi/status/1909381747709546786">X</a>, Araqchi wrote, “It is as much an opportunity as it is a test. The ball is in America’s court.” Iranian state-run media gave some more <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx25e5rd2v9o">purported details</a> – they reported that the talks would be between Araqchi and U.S. Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff, with Oman’s foreign minister Badr al-Busaidi as a mediator.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Iran and the United States will meet in Oman on Saturday for indirect high-level talks.
It is as much an opportunity as it is a test. The ball is in America&#39;s court.
&mdash; Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) <a href="https://twitter.com/araghchi/status/1909381747709546786?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 7, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&nbsp;
Remember: Trump was an outspoken critic of former President Barack Obama’s 2015 nuclear deal with the Iranian regime, calling it “one of the worst and most one-sided transactions the United States has ever entered into” and withdrew from it in 2018. Throughout his entire first term, Trump waged a “maximum pressure” campaign on Iran in hopes of curbing both its nuclear program and its support of terror around the world. Under President Joe Biden, Iran’s various proxy groups in the Middle East ramped up their aggression: in Yemen, the Houthis began attacking shipping vessels in the Red Sea, and in Gaza, Hamas launched the October 7 terror attacks, killing roughly 1,200 people in Israel. 
Trump is pursuing a deal now because Iran is reportedly <a href="https://isis-online.org/isis-reports/detail/the-iran-threat-geiger-counter-extreme-danger-grows">weeks away</a> from producing a nuclear weapon. The Trump administration has taken<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-shares-footage-of-military-strike-on-houthis-they-will-never-sink-our-ships-again"> extensive military action</a> against the Houthis, which could be construed as a show of force against their Iranian backers, and American military assets have <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/irans-military-commanders-locked-and-loaded-for-preemptive-strike-on-u-s-bombers-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">surged</a> to the region in preparation for a possible strike.

Gavel And U.S. Supreme Court Building

Morning Brief: Trump SCOTUS Wins, Trade War & Nuclear Talks With Iran

European Union

Iran

Iran Nuclear

Israel

Media

Morning Wire

Supreme Court

Impeached <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/south-korea" target="_blank" rel="noopener">South Korean</a> President Yoon Suk Yeol was taken into custody on Wednesday, more than a month after his martial law declaration sent shockwaves through the country.
Yoon <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/impeached-south-korean-president-defies-arrest-warrant-as-his-supporters-block-police" target="_blank" rel="noopener">defied</a> a previous arrest attempt as his security forces and thousands of his supporters stood between the police and his presidential compound in Seoul. In a second attempt to detain Yoon, more than 3,000 police officers were sent to the president&#8217;s compound and arrested him with &#8220;no significant physical clashes,&#8221; the Corruption Investigation Office for High Ranking Officials (CIO) said, according to <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/01/15/south-korean-president-yoon-suk-yeol-detained-local-media-reports-.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CNBC</a>. The CIO added, &#8220;This time, there were no individuals or security staff actively obstructing the execution.&#8221;
Yoon was questioned by officials and sent to a detention center after his arrest, the Associated Press <a href="https://apnews.com/article/south-korea-yoon-martial-law-detain-8dd7f03661be39729741de9a3b5d1714" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. Before his arrest, Yoon said in a recorded video that the “rule of law has completely collapsed in this country,” arguing that the CIO investigation into his actions was &#8220;illegal.&#8221; The president added that he would willingly appear before the CIO for questioning to “prevent an unpleasant bloodshed.”
Hundreds of Yoon&#8217;s supporters showed up outside the CIO office where he was being questioned, with some protesters holding signs that read, &#8220;We will fight alongside President Yoon Suk Yeol,&#8221; according to the AP.
The CIO was granted an arrest warrant for Yoon by a Seoul court late last month. Yoon is accused of abusing his power when he declared martial law and dispatched the military to the National Assembly as lawmakers gathered to undo the martial law decree on December 3. He was later <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/south-korean-lawmakers-move-to-impeach-president-over-short-lived-martial-law-order" target="_blank" rel="noopener">impeached</a>, and his presidential powers were suspended. To be removed from office, six of the nine justices on South Korea’s Constitutional Court must vote in favor of his removal.
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?_gl=1*1lail3r*_gcl_aw*R0NMLjE3MzIyMDEyNDkuQ2owS0NRaUEwZnU1QmhEUUFSSXNBTVhVQk9JSkM0VnNsMFVreURxYXUxVWVEVWdOdjZkNzR2Y1pEeEZQeHVBcGl2R3BLaTdBMjVzT1p5TWFBdG1nRUFMd193Y0I.*_gcl_au*NDUxNDQ0NzYwLjE3MzY3ODI2NDY.*_ga*MTc2NzM0NDQ2NS4xNzI4OTA5Nzkx*_ga_CZKR9ZYKJP*MTczNjk1NzYwMy4zNDAuMS4xNzM2OTU3NzE2LjYwLjAuMA.." target="_blank" rel="noopener">CELEBRATE #47 WITH 47% OFF DAILYWIRE+ MEMBERSHIPS + A FREE $20 GIFT</a>
The CIO has 48 hours to request a court order for Yoon&#8217;s formal arrest, which, if granted, could lead to the impeached president being detained for up to 20 days before his indictment. An indictment on rebellion and abuse of power charges could keep Yoon in police custody for up to six months or when the court makes its initial ruling on the case, the AP reported.
Yoon declared martial law last month, arguing it was necessary “to defend the free Republic of Korea from the threats of North Korean communist forces and to eradicate the shameless pro-North Korean anti-state forces.”
Yoon cited an unworkable relationship with the opposition-led National Assembly, which had targeted 22 officials for impeachment since Yoon took office in 2022 and, according to Yoon, planned to target 10 more officials. The president also cited National Assembly reductions in the national budget, which he said “undermined the essential functions of the state and turned Korea into a drug paradise and a public order panic.”
Tim Pearce contributed to this report.

President Yoon Suk Yeol

South Korean President Arrested After Thousands Of Police Officers Sent To His Residence

arrest

Impeachment

Police

The impeached <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/south-korea" target="_blank" rel="noopener">South Korean</a> conservative president, Yoon Suk Yeol, is defying an arrest warrant as his supporters stand between the police and his presidential compound in Seoul.
Yoon is accused of abusing his power when he sent shockwaves through the country on December 3 by declaring martial law. The Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials was granted an arrest warrant for Yoon by a Seoul court on Tuesday. The president was impeached last month after he declared martial law and dispatched the military to the National Assembly as lawmakers gathered to undo the martial law decree.
Thousands of Yoon&#8217;s supporters, some of them waving South Korean and American flags, have gathered near his residence this week where they voiced support for Yoon and blocked police from arresting the impeached president. Officers arrested some of the supporters who lay down on the road in front of Yoon&#8217;s residence.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
&quot;South Korean citizens gather in front of the presidential residence to prevent the arrest of President Yoon Suk-yeol immediately after a warrant was issued for his arrest.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/Hrw2TRFgGS">pic.twitter.com/Hrw2TRFgGS</a>
&mdash; 김정현 (Alfred J Kim) (@AJKim38836296) <a href="https://twitter.com/AJKim38836296/status/1874226744850596205?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 31, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Yoon addressed his supporters in a written message on Wednesday, vowing to “fight to the end” against “anti-state forces,” the Associated Press <a href="https://apnews.com/article/south-korean-yoon-martial-law-impeachment-detention-1779809dc6b2c7e5a9478bac17ca7585" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. Yoon&#8217;s lawyers warned on Thursday that law enforcement officers who attempt to arrest Yoon could be detained by the president&#8217;s security team or even by civilians. The president&#8217;s legal team argues that warrants for the arrest of Yoon and for the search of his residence violate the country&#8217;s constitution and criminal laws, according to the AP.
In Yoon&#8217;s message to supporters, he called out forces “violating our sovereignty” and thanked his supporters for fighting for “liberal democracy and constitutional order.” When he announced martial law last month, Yoon said it was necessary “to defend the free Republic of Korea from the threats of North Korean communist forces and to eradicate the shameless pro-North Korean anti-state forces.”
Yoon also cited an unworkable relationship with the opposition-led National Assembly, which had targeted 22 officials for impeachment since Yoon took office in 2022 and, according to Yoon, planned to target 10 more officials. The president also cited National Assembly reductions in the national budget, which he said “undermined the essential functions of the state and turned Korea into a drug paradise and a public order panic.”
The National Assembly voted 190-0 to end martial law shortly after it was declared. The Democratic Party&#8217;s floor leader Park Chan-dae has called for the immediate arrest of Yoon, arguing that the &#8220;presidential security service must cooperate with the lawful execution of the detainment warrant.&#8221;
“They should be aware that obstructing the execution of the detainment warrant could result in punishment for interference with official duties and complicity in rebellion,” he said.
Nine justices of South Korea’s Constitutional Court must determine whether to remove Yoon from office following his impeachment. Six justices must vote in favor of the impeachment for Yoon to be removed from office. Yoon&#8217;s presidential powers were suspended when he did not fill three Constitutional Court vacancies for the court to review his case. Deputy Prime Minister Choi Sang-mok, the acting president, filled two of the court vacancies on Tuesday.
Tim Pearce contributed to this report.

South Korea protest

Impeached South Korean President Defies Arrest Warrant As His Supporters Block Police

South Korean President Defies Arrest Warrant As His Supporters Block Police

General

Martial Law

Law enforcement officials in South Korea requested a court warrant to detain President Yoon Suk Yeol on Monday, nearly a month after the country&#8217;s National Assembly unanimously struck down the president&#8217;s martial law decree.
The arrest warrant was requested by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials, which is leading a joint investigation with police and military into Yoon&#8217;s martial law decree, the Associated Press <a href="https://apnews.com/article/south-korea-yoon-martial-law-detain-rebellion-d00aa71be342df39b9775e49f90f5756" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. Yoon was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/south-korean-lawmakers-move-to-impeach-president-over-short-lived-martial-law-order" target="_blank" rel="noopener">impeached</a> by the National Assembly on December 14, and now, the nine justices of South Korea’s Constitutional Court must determine whether to remove Yoon from office.
Yoon&#8217;s lawyer slammed the arrest warrant request and filed a challenge in the same court, according to the AP.
“An incumbent president cannot be prosecuted for abuse of power,” the lawyer said. “Of course, there are differing academic opinions on whether a president can be investigated for abuse of power and some assert that investigations are possible. But even when investigations are allowed, the prevailing opinion is that they should be exercised with the utmost restraint.”
Yoon, a conservative, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/south-korea-declares-martial-law-to-guard-against-communist-forces" target="_blank" rel="noopener">declared</a> martial law on December 3 in what he said was an effort &#8220;to defend the free Republic of Korea from the threats of North Korean communist forces and to eradicate the shameless pro-North Korean anti-state forces.” The declaration sent shockwaves across the country and the world.
Yoon was also accused of sending the military to prevent the National Assembly from voting to undo the president&#8217;s martial law decree. The National Assembly eventually voted 190-0 to end martial law.
Former South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun was arrested following the martial law decree and <a href="https://apnews.com/article/south-korea-martial-law-3210438b8663fe609bfe4cb8b748a114" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> tried to commit suicide while in detention. Kim is accused of urging Yoon to declare martial law. The former defense minister was the first official arrested over the martial law decree. He said in a statement that he “deeply apologizes for causing significant anxiety.”
Yoon maintains that martial law was necessary and said he did not send the military to disrupt the National Assembly. The president argued that the martial law decree was a warning to the liberal Democratic Party, which has the majority in the National Assembly.
In a speech announcing martial law, Yoon cited an unworkable relationship with the opposition-led National Assembly, which had targeted 22 officials for impeachment since Yoon took office in 2022 and, according to Yoon, planned to target 10 more officials. The president also cited National Assembly reductions in the national budget, which he said “undermined the essential functions of the state and turned Korea into a drug paradise and a public order panic.”
Last April, liberals won the parliamentary elections in a landslide, strengthening the Democratic Party&#8217;s hold on the National Assembly.
Tim Pearce contributed to this report.

Yoon Suk Yeol

Authorities Seek To Arrest South Korean President Over Martial Law Decree

Menu