logo
South Korea investigators seek to arrest former president Yoon again

South Korea investigators seek to arrest former president Yoon again

CNA2 days ago
The special council questioned Yoon on Saturday over his resistance during a failed arrest attempt in January, as well as allegations that he authorised drones to fly to Pyongyang as a justification for declaring martial law.
Yoon's legal team slammed the warrant as "excessive and unwarranted".
"We have thoroughly refuted the allegations and demonstrated that, as a matter of law, no crime can be established," his legal team said in a statement.
"The special counsel failed to present any objective evidence during the investigation, and even based on witness testimony, the charges do not hold," they added.
Last week, the court dismissed an arrest warrant requested by the special counsel after Yoon initially refused to appear for questioning, citing that he had since expressed a willingness to comply with future summons.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Trump to put 25% tariffs on Japan and South Korea, new import taxes on 12 other nations
Trump to put 25% tariffs on Japan and South Korea, new import taxes on 12 other nations

CNA

timean hour ago

  • CNA

Trump to put 25% tariffs on Japan and South Korea, new import taxes on 12 other nations

US President Donald Trump unveiled higher tariffs for Japan, South Korea and a dozen other countries in a push for new trade deals - but extended the deadline until August for the steeper levies to kick in. Letters were sent to countries including Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Myanmar, informing them of duties on their products ranging from 25 per cent to 40 per cent. These mark a step up from the 10 per cent levy he earlier imposed on almost all trading partners. Follow live:

Trump unveils 25% tariffs on Japan, South Korea in letters to leaders
Trump unveils 25% tariffs on Japan, South Korea in letters to leaders

CNA

time3 hours ago

  • CNA

Trump unveils 25% tariffs on Japan, South Korea in letters to leaders

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump on Monday (Jul 7) began telling trade partners - from powerhouse suppliers like Japan and South Korea to minor players - that sharply higher US tariffs will start Aug 1, marking a new phase in the trade war he launched earlier this year. The 14 countries sent letters so far, which included smaller US exporters like Serbia, Thailand and Tunisia, hinted at opportunities for additional negotiations while at the same time warning that any reprisal steps would be met with a like-for-like response. Trump said on Monday that the United States would impose 25 per cent tariffs on Tunisia, Malaysia and Kazakhstan; 30 per cent on South Africa, Bosnia and Herzegovina; 32 per cent on Indonesia; 35 per cent on Serbia and Bangladesh; 36 per cent on Cambodia and Thailand and 40 per cent on Laos and Myanmar. "If for any reason you decide to raise your Tariffs, then, whatever the number you choose to raise them by, will be added onto the 25 per cent that we charge," Trump said in letters, released on his Truth Social platform, to Japan and South Korea. The higher tariffs take effect Aug 1, and notably will not combine with previously announced sector tariffs such as those on automobiles and steel and aluminium. That means, for instance, that Japanese vehicle tariffs will remain at 25 per cent, rather than the existing 25 per cent sector tariff climbing to 50 per cent with the new reciprocal rate as has occurred with some of Trump's tariffs. The clock has been ticking for countries to conclude deals with the United States after Trump in April unleashed a global trade war that has roiled financial markets and sent policymakers scrambling to protect their economies. Trading partners got another reprieve as Trump signed an executive order on Monday extending the Wednesday deadline for negotiations to Aug 1. Trump has kept much of the world guessing on the outcome of months of talks with countries hoping to avoid the hefty tariff hikes he has threatened. The rate for South Korea is the same as Trump initially announced, while the rate for Japan is 1 point higher than first announced on Apr 2. A week later, he capped all of the so-called reciprocal tariffs at 10 per cent until Wednesday. Only two agreements have so far been reached, with Britain and Vietnam. South Korea said it planned to intensify US trade talks and considers Trump's plan for a 25 per cent tariff from Aug 1 as effectively extending a grace period on implementing reciprocal tariffs.

Trump unveils first wave of steeper US tariffs in push for deals
Trump unveils first wave of steeper US tariffs in push for deals

CNA

time3 hours ago

  • CNA

Trump unveils first wave of steeper US tariffs in push for deals

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump announced tariffs of 25 per cent on Japan and South Korea on Monday (Jul 7), ramping up pressure on the two key US allies and a dozen other economies to reach trade deals with Washington. Trump issued similar letters to a dozen other trading partners, including Indonesia, Bangladesh, Thailand, South Africa and Malaysia, saying he would slap duties on their products ranging from 25 per cent to 40 per cent. But their starting date of Aug 1 marks a delay in Trump's reimposition of steeper levies, originally due to take effect Wednesday. In near-identically worded letters to Japanese and South Korean leaders, Trump said the tariff hikes came as their trading relationships with Washington were "unfortunately, far from Reciprocal." He warned of further escalation if countries retaliated against these duties. Currently, the affected partners have been hit with a 10 per cent levy that Trump imposed on almost all trading partners. But the president said he was ready to lower the new levels if others changed their trade policies: "We will, perhaps, consider an adjustment to this letter." Japan's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said Sunday that he "won't easily compromise" in trade talks with Washington. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Monday that Trump would sign an order later in the day to delay his original July 9 deadline for steeper tariffs to take effect - formally postponing their imposition to Aug 1. According to letters posted to Trump's Truth Social platform, products from Indonesia will face a 32 per cent tariff, while the level for Bangladesh is 35 per cent and Thailand, 36 per cent. With the deadline extension, Leavitt noted that Trump would set out the "reciprocal tariff rate" for partners in the coming month as negotiations continue. Trump originally announced sweeping tariffs on world economies during what he called "Liberation Day" on April 2, claiming the United States was being "ripped off." Amid market turmoil, he then suspended higher tariffs affecting dozens of economies for 90 days, a deadline that would have expired Wednesday without the latest extension. All countries receiving letters on Monday were originally slated to face these steeper duties. While the Trump administration had signalled hopes of striking dozens of deals by July, there have been limited results so far. Washington has unveiled pacts with only Britain and Vietnam, while the United States and China agreed to temporarily lower tariff levels on each other's products that earlier reached three-digit levels. "CHANGE THEIR TUNE" Asked why Trump opted to start with South Korea, Leavitt said: "It's the President's prerogative, and those are the countries he chose." "This announcement will send a chilling message to others," said Asia Society Policy Institute Vice President Wendy Cutler, referring to Trump's initial announcements on Tokyo and Seoul. "Both have been close partners on economic security matters," she said, adding that companies from Japan and South Korea have made "significant manufacturing investments in the US in recent years." US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Monday that there would be more deals coming up: "We are going to have several announcements in the next 48 hours." "We've had a lot of people change their tune in terms of negotiations. So my mailbox was full last night with a lot of new offers," Bessent told CNBC. He added that he would meet with his Chinese counterpart in the coming weeks. Both sides have so far held high-level talks in Geneva and London. But Washington and Beijing's pause on higher tit-for-tat tariffs is due to expire in mid-August. Major US stock indexes fell from records Monday on Trump's fresh threats. The Dow tumbled 0.9 per cent and the S&P 500 lost 0.8 per cent. Trump has also threatened another 10 per cent tariff on countries aligning themselves with the emerging BRICS nations, accusing them of "Anti-American policies" after they slammed his duties at a summit. But partners are still rushing to avert Trump's tariffs altogether.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store