Latest news with #Yoon
Saudi Gazette
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Saudi Gazette
South Korea's ousted president Yoon questioned over martial law insurrection charges
SEOUL — Ousted South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol appeared for questioning on Saturday before a special prosecutor on charges of insurrection, stemming from his controversial imposition of martial law in December, according to reports from local media. Yoon arrived at the Seoul High Prosecutors Office in southern Seoul, where he once served as a prosecutor, for a formal inquiry into his December 3 declaration of martial law. The move came two weeks after a special counsel investigation was launched into his actions, Yonhap News Agency reported. Despite a request from Yoon's legal team for a private entry to avoid media attention, authorities denied the request and required him to enter through the main entrance. Prosecutors said Yoon had previously ignored three police summonses. The former president was removed from office in April by the constitutional court after it ruled his attempt to impose martial law was unconstitutional. He was subsequently arrested in January and indicted on charges of abuse of power and leading an insurrection making him the first sitting South Korean president to be held in custody while in office. Yoon was released from detention in March when a district court overturned his arrest and permitted him to await trial without being physically held in custody. — Agencies
Korea Herald
7 hours ago
- Korea Herald
Summer survival guide
From cool streams to cold food, Koreans find ways to stay chill Come summer, Korea turns into one giant pressure cooker: blazing heat, monsoon downpours and high humidity with people elbowing for shade right next to you -- literally. To escape the sauna-like weather this time of the year, Yoon Hye-kyung, a Seoul-based office worker in her 50s, heads for the streams and rivers of Gapyeong, Gyeonggi Province, with her husband and two daughters for their summer vacation. "Streams tend to be cooler than the surrounding area, which is a relief from the scorching heat. There, we can enjoy water activities like swimming and unplug from the hustle and bustle of everyday life," she told The Korea Herald. "Cooling off in a mountain valley or stream was one of the ways I beat the heat when I was young," Yoon said. Yoon's approach may well be Korea's most timeless summer survival hack. But even if you can't escape the city, worry not. While Seoul's sweltering summer can really get to you, hidden around the city are little pockets of cool where you can catch your breath -- and a breeze. If you are one of the many tourists visiting Seoul in the summer, you will likely find yourself in Jongno-gu, central Seoul, roaming through royal palaces wearing hanbok, or wandering around the Bukchon Hanok Village and picking up souvenirs in Insadong. For much-needed relief from the heat, head to the nearby Cheonggyecheon stream, where you can find shade and sit by the water to cool off. You can even take off your shoes and dip your feet in the water. The fountains at Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul, just 200 meters away from Exit No. 2 of Gwanghwamun Station, are another spot that is great for cooling off. The fountains, spraying water from the ground, run for 50 minutes every hour from 10 a.m. to 8:50 p.m. until August. You will often find little children running between the jets of water -- and you might be tempted to join them. When Seoul turns into an oven, nothing beats a splash of icy water. And luckily, the city offers several great ways to cool down. Swimming pools and water parks at six locations on the Han River -- Ttukseom, Yeouido, Jamwon, Jamsil, Yanghwa and Nanji Hangang Park -- will welcome visitors until Aug. 31, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government. The water parks, which drew over 310,000 visitors last year, are open every day from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Admission fees range from 1,000 to 5,000 won depending on age, and children under 6 can enter for free. Koreans have a full lineup of summer eats when the heat is on. If you are looking for a cold delight to send shivers down your spine, go for some patbingsu -- a Korean shaved ice dessert topped with red beans and condensed milk -- as suggested by the Korean Food Promotion Institute. It's simple to make. Start by freezing some milk. Next, boil red beans in water at about a 1-to-5 ratio until the beans become soft. Drain the water, add sugar and a pinch of salt. Simmer the beans until most of the liquid is gone and the mixture thickens. Lastly, finely shave the frozen milk into a bowl, then top it with the sweetened red beans, rice cakes, condensed milk or other toppings such as fruit or cereal, according to a recipe from the KFPI. Oinaengguk, or cold cucumber soup, has long been a staple on Korean summer dining tables to help cool the body and stimulate the appetite. The soup appears in a cookbook called "Recipes of Joseon," published in 1939 by Jo Ja-ho, who recommends it for the summer months, when the heat can sap one's desire to eat. Here's how to make oinaengguk: Start by thinly slicing cucumbers, then marinate them in vinegar, soy sauce and chopped scallions. Next, sprinkle them with red pepper powder and let them sit for one to two hours. Finally, add cold water just before serving for a cool, tangy finish. When summer hits hard, it's time for a bowl of ice-cold mulnaengmyeon, or cold noodles served in a chilled broth made from beef. Another choice dish is dongchimi (radish water kimchi) -- both deliver bone-chilling cold. If simmering beef broth for hours in the dead heat of summer isn't your thing, try instead one of the many popular naengmyeon restaurants around town -- a long line means it's good! The number of users making reservations for naengmyeon restaurants on the platform Catch Table rose by 38 percent between May 19 and June 15, according to the platform, reflecting the seasonal trend.
Straits Times
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
South Korea's ex-president Yoon probed over failed martial law bid
South Korea's former President Yoon Suk Yeol arrives at Seoul High Prosecutor's Office to attend questioning, in Seoul, South Korea, on June 28, 2025. PHOTO: REUTERS SEOUL - South Korea's former president Yoon Suk Yeol answered a summons on June 28 by a special prosecutor under a threat of another arrest as an investigation intensified over the ousted leader's failed bid to impose martial law in December. Yoon, through his lawyers, has protested the special prosecutor's demands to appear for questioning under media attention as a violation of his rights and a tactic to publicly humiliate him. His lawyers said in a statement Yoon would respond to the investigation on June 28 and tell the truth. They described the investigation as 'politically motivated' and 'full of falsehood and distortion'. Yoon did not answer questions from reporters as he entered the special prosecutor's office. The martial law attempt in December shocked a country that had prided itself on becoming a thriving democracy, having overcome military dictatorship in the 1980s. Yoon was later oustered in April by the Constitutional Court that upheld his impeachment by parliament. The special prosecutor sought a warrant to arrest Yoon for refusing to answer repeated summons earlier, but it was rejected by a court this week on grounds that he has since expressed willingness to cooperate. The special prosecutor was appointed in early June and has launched a team of more than 200 prosecutors and investigators to take over ongoing investigations of Yoon, a former top prosecutor who was elected president in 2022. Yoon is already on trial for leading the Dec 3 martial law declaration. He had been arrested in January after resisting authorities armed with a court warrant trying to take him into custody, but was released after 52 days on legal technicalities. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
NBC News
17 hours ago
- Entertainment
- NBC News
Talking Shop with Peach & Lily founder Alicia Yoon
Talking Shop is our series where we talk to interesting people about their most interesting buys. Glass skin — you've either used the phrase yourself, seen TikToks about it or Googled how to achieve it. Rooted in K-beauty culture, 'glass skin' refers to a smooth, clear, practically poreless complexion, and while it's a concept that's been around forever, it wasn't trendy until a few years ago. Alicia Yoon, founder and CEO of Peach & Lily, is partially responsible for that. When the brand's Glass Skin Refining Serum came out in 2018, it sparked what she calls the glass skin movement. 'It went so viral, to the point where I actually had to write an e-book on it,' says Yoon. Just because you're the mastermind behind glass skin doesn't mean you're automatically blessed with it, however — Yoon struggles with eczema, keratosis pilaris and sensitive skin just like the rest of us. I talked to the esthetician-turned-entrepreneur about what products she keeps in her skin care (and hair care) routine at all times, in addition to her go-to Peach & Lily products. Want more from NBC Select? Sign up for our newsletter, The Selection, and shop smarter. 'Joanna Vargas is a fellow esthetician, and she was the one person I actually really trusted before my wedding many moons ago to do my skin care,' says Yoon. 'She's very custom in how she does things, and she approaches things in a way that I knew my eczema-prone skin would be safe with her.' Yoon adds Joanna Vargas' The Daily Serum to her skin care routine occasionally, which she says is calming and hydrating since it's made hyaluronic acid. 'Because I have eczema, my body hydration situation is pretty intensive,' says Yoon. 'If it's super humid in Miami, I'll skip some of it, but most of the time, I need to lean into different things for different parts of my body.' She uses a handful of Peach & Lily's moisturizing products, as well as Nécessaire's The Body Lotion. 'It's fragrance-free and no-frills, so I use it head to toe,' says Yoon. 'These days, I've been using Live Tinted's Hueguard, which is a mineral SPF, daily,' says Yoon. 'It's lightweight, matches my skin tone and wears well throughout the day.' The broad-spectrum sunscreen is orange when you dispense it, which prevents it from leaving a white cast. It acts as a moisturizer and primer as well, and makes skin look glowy after application. 'The Soft Services Comfort Cleanse Body Wash is no-frills in the best way, especially when you have eczema' says Yoon. 'It doesn't smell, it doesn't irritate, it's mild, nothing hurts and I feel clean. The body wash has this little oil slip in it, which also helps with shaving. It acts as a two-in-on in that way.' 'When I talk to my friends about Osea's Undaria Algae Body Oil, they say it's too heavy for them, but my body just soaks it up,' says Yoon, who applies it to dry patches as needed in addition to her other favorite lotion. The body oil is infused with seaweed and helps moisturize and improve the look of skin elasticity, according to the brand. 'On beach days, I use the Ultra Violette Future Sunscreen, which is a mineral formula and makes me look glowy,' says Yoon. 'I've layered it over and over and it's quite nice.' The Australian brand's broad-spectrum, lightweight formula (which is one of our team's all-time favorite face sunscreens) is made with zinc, hydrating squalane and calming vitamin E. 'I was honestly a little bit skeptical about this at first because I haven't had great luck with a lot of the waterless shampoos out there, but this one actually leaves my hair very shiny and soft,' says Yoon. 'There's a learning curve because you only need to use a little product at a time, but it's really great, and it's creamy instead of watery. The packaging is sustainable and looks like a little aluminum paint tube, so it doesn't take up much room in your shower and it's easy to travel with.' 'I have naturally wavy hair that gets tangled very easily, and it's fine and brittle,' says Yoon. 'This conditioner is amazing because it gets all my tangles out before I air dry, and it leaves my hair behaving well no matter what the weather is. There's no fragrance in it — it's more like essential oils — so it's very light, airy and beautiful.' 'I've tried so many hair oils and serums because my hair is on the frizzier side, and ever since we moved to Miami last year, it's been out of control,' says Yoon. 'This is one of the most popular hair serums/oils in Korea, and it helps me control my hair without making it look heavy or greasy. The serum has argan, olive, coconut and apricot oils in it, but it doesn't feel oily. It leaves my hair looking shiny, and a little goes a long way. I also don't love heavily fragranced products, and while this has fragrance, it's very light, subtle and doesn't linger.' 'Living in Miami, we go to the beach a lot, and I love how my hair looks after that, so I try to replicate it,' says Yoon. 'When I want to add a little bit more texture to my hair and get that beachy wave, I'll use The Crown Affair Texturing Air Dry Mousse. It doesn't make my hair feel crunchy at all, so I get the look and feel I want.' 'I don't know if it's just me, but when I'm pregnant, my legs will start cramping — I'll literally wake up in the middle of the night because the cramping gets so bad,' says Yoon, who is currently expecting her third child. 'I massage this cream into my calves, which really minimizes cramping since it's made with magnesium chloride, and there's a peppermint version for your feet, too. It's very hydrating, but it's a little oily, so I use bed sheets I don't care about or apply it right before bed to give it time to absorb into my skin.' Why trust NBC Select? I'm a reporter at NBC Select who writes our Talking Shop series, interviewing people like Dorinda Medley, Jing Gao and Sara and Erin Foster. To write this piece, I interviewed Alicia Yoon, founder of Peach & Lily and Peach Slices, about her favorite skin, hair and body care products.
Hans India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Hans India
South Korea: Lee nominates new chief of Constitutional Court
Seoul: South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Thursday nominated a former Supreme Court justice as the new chief of the Constitutional Court, the presidential office said. Former Supreme Court Justice Kim Sang-hwan was picked to replace then acting court chief Moon Hyung-bae, who retired in April. Lee also tapped Oh Young-joon, the presiding judge of the Seoul High Court, to join the court's nine-member bench, presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik told reporters. "The nominations mark the new government's first step toward restoring the Constitutional Court," Kang said. "They aim to end the attempts that had reached a dangerous level to undermine the court, and to further enhance public trust and the independence of its rulings." The top court was in the spotlight as it upheld the impeachment of former President Yoon Suk Yeol in April over his failed martial law bid in December, with some judges facing threats from Yoon's supporters ahead of the ruling. In addition, Lee nominated Lim Kwang-hyun, a lawmaker from the ruling Democratic Party, as commissioner of the National Tax Service. Lim formerly served as Commissioner of the Seoul Regional Tax Service and was elected to the National Assembly last year through a proportional representation seat slot. If appointed, Lim would become the first sitting lawmaker to lead the National Tax Service, Yonhap news agency reported. All such nominees must undergo parliamentary confirmation hearings before they can be formally appointed by the President, but they do not need parliamentary approval to take their posts. Earlier on June 23, Lee Jae Myung named five-term lawmaker Ahn Gyu-back as Defence Minister, the first time in 64 years that a civilian has been nominated for the post. Lee's pick of Ahn is seen as carrying out his election pledge to reform the military, a key promise from his presidential campaign to rebuild a nation fractured by the brief imposition of martial law in December last year under his predecessor, the ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol. The military has come under scrutiny since Yoon deployed troops to the National Assembly when he declared martial law on December 3, allegedly to block lawmakers attempting to stop his brief imposition of martial law decree. Yoon was removed from office in April over the martial law debacle. Ahn is a veteran politician with the Democratic Party who has mostly served on the defence subcommittee of the National Assembly. If confirmed, he will be the first civilian Defence Minister since 1961, when former President Park Chung-hee seized power through a military coup. "As the first civilian Defence Minister in 64 years, Ahn is expected to lead and oversee the transformation of the military that was mobilised during the martial law period," Kang said in a press briefing. Lee also tapped former Vice Foreign Minister Cho Hyun as South Korea's top diplomat, as he announced his picks for 11 Cabinet positions, including ministers for the environment, science and labour, in the latest nominations since he assumed office June 4.
