Troops dispatched from the Defense Counterintelligence Command to take control of the National Election Commission of Korea office in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, paused on the way because they felt something was amiss, military sources told The Korea Herald. This is the first time it has been revealed why and how troops slowed down on the way to their targets, and suggests troops may have acted in defiance of the martial law decree that was in effect from 11 p.m. Tuesday until the early hours of W

경기도 수원 중앙선거관리위원회 선거연수원에 투입된 계엄군 130여명 중 국군방첩사령부 소속 일부 요원들이 임무 수행에 적극적이지 않았고 의도적이었다는 주장이 나왔다. 임무를 받은 요원들 본인들도 무언가 이상하다는 느낌을 받았다는 얘기다. 복수의 군 관계자는 본지에 그 이유를 “(도착지로) 가다가 이상해서, 이건 아니다 싶어서”라며 “천천히 가거나 휴게소에 들르거나” 하는 식으로 늦게 연수원에 도착했다고 말했다. 또 “국회 상황을 보면서 대기했다”고 덧붙였다. 지연 과정과 이유가 구체적으로 알려지는 건 이번이 처음이다. 이 관계자는 또 “애초에 (방첩사에서) 출발이 늦었다”며 “과장급 중령들 사이에서 명령에 대한 반발도 있었다”고 말했다. 선관위가 발표한 자료에 따르면 계엄군 병력 130여명은 4일 새벽 0시 50분쯤부터 선거연수원 청사 인근에 대기하다 오전 2시 40분께 철수했

Troops dispatched from the Defense Counterintelligence Command to take control of the National Election Commission of Korea office in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, paused on the way because they felt something was amiss, military sources told The Korea Herald. This is the first time it has been revealed why and how troops slowed down on the way to their targets, and suggests troops may have acted in defiance of the martial law decree that was in effect from 11 p.m. Tuesday until the early hours of W

The exhibition “The Golden Smile of Compassion: The Meeting of Two Bodhisattvas” is running at the Buyeo National Museum through Jan. 9, exploring two ancient bodhisattvas. In Buddhism, a bodhisattva is a being committed to helping others reach spiritual enlightenment. On display are the Avalokitesvara from Baekje Kingdom (18 BC-AD 660) and the Avalokitesvara from the Silla Kingdom (57 BC-AD 935). The two gilt-bronze statues are believed to have been made in the seventh century, the

An exhibition of incense burners from ancient to modern times is running at the Daegu National Museum through March 3. The exhibition “Incense Culture: From Desire to Taste” shows 372 Korean incense-related pieces from the Three Kingdoms period to the Joseon era -- spanning 57 BC to 1910 -- with three National Treasures and 10 Treasures on display. “The exhibition looks at a variety of incense used for different purposes,” a museum official said, citing everyday use and s

The motion to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol failed in the National Assembly on Saturday, as all but three of the 108 members of the ruling People’s Power Party, abstained from voting. The decision sparked widespread fury and frustration among overseas Koreans, who have directed their anger at the ruling party. “I feel profound sadness,” Sun-ju Bully-Noh, who teaches Korean at the University of Burgundy in Dijon, France. "I cannot understand why opinions are so divided in

비상계엄 선포 직후인 3일 밤 국회 지도부 ‘체포조’가 가장 유력하게 검토했던 구금 장소는 서울 관악구에 있는 수도방위사령부 군사경찰단 시설이라는 주장이 나왔다. 한동훈 국민의힘 대표가 6일 긴급 최고위원회의에서 언급한 ‘과천의 수감장소’는 과천 소재 방첩사령부로 이해됐고, 여인형 방첩사령관도 ‘방첩사 구금 시설’만을 얘기해왔다. 그러나 군 관계자는 본지에 “방첩사는 그런 시설을 가지고 있지 않다”며 “수사할 수 있는 시설은 충분히 있는데 구금할 수 있는 시설은 없다”고 주장했다. 그러면서 “인근 주위에 있는 것으로 볼 때 이제 수방사 군사경찰단에 수용할 수 있는 시설을 확인한 것 같다”며 “그곳이 가장 낫다고 본 것 같다”고 덧붙였다. 비상계엄이 발동되면 계엄사령부와 합동수사본부가 편성되고 방첩사령관이 본부장으로 주요 인물에 대한 수

The team allegedly tasked with arresting top lawmakers after Tuesday’s short-lived martial law declaration heavily weighed detaining them at the military command whose job is to protect the capital from outside attack, according to a military source. The source with direct knowledge of the matter said the military police compound at the Capital Defense Command, in Seoul’s southern Gwanak-gu, was considered to be a strong choice option for holding the detainees. Calling for Yoon&rsquo

Light festival at Ansan Star Village A light festival is running year-round in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province. An 8,000 won entrance fee is all it takes to make a tranquil escape to Ansan Star Village, which includes a garden and animal installations. The park, open from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., will light up at 5 p.m. Check out the latest at ansanstar.net. Jeju Folk Village Come and see what life looked like on Jeju Island in the 19th century at Jeju Folk Village. Interactive programs like grindi

국경없는기자회(RSF)는 선포 6시간 만에 해제된 비상계엄을 명령한 윤석열 대통령을 향해 언론 자유를 위협하는 모든 행위에 대해 확실한 태도로 선을 그어 달라 촉구했다. RSF는 계엄 사태 관련 공식 입장을 준비 중이다. 5일 RSF는 본지에 “언론을 통제하려는 시도 자체가 언론 자유가 여전히 위험에 놓여있다는 방증”이라며 “이런 우려 등을 한국 정부가 확실하게 해소할 수 있어야” 한다고 했다. 모든 언론과 출판의 계엄사 통제를 명문화했던 ‘계엄사령부 포고령(제1호)’을 가리키면서다. RSF는 또 “계엄령이 만약 계속 됐다면 윤 대통령은 민주화 이후 처음으로 언론에 대해 완전한 통제권을 행사할 수 있었을 것”이라고 지적했다. 세드릭 알비아니 RSF 아시아·태평양 담당 국장은 “윤 대통령이 평소 정부에 비판적인 언동에 대해 보여왔던 자세로 보아 계엄령이 빠르게 해제되지 않았다면

International media watchdog Reporters Without Borders called on the South Korean government to stop trying to control the media, as the Korean president now faces impeachment vote over imposing a short-lived martial law rule. “The attempt to control the media shows that press freedom is still at risk, and Reporters Without Borders (RSF) calls on the South Korean authorities to put a definitive end to this worrying trend,” the watchdog told The Korea Herald, citing the martial law de

Religious groups in South Korea condemned the short-lived martial law order that lasted about three hours through early Wednesday, demanding President Yoon Suk Yeol explain his decision that led to unrest. “There had been no conspicuous signs of aggression or threat of war. Still, martial law was declared. We have to ask if this was the right course of action by the commander-in-chief,” said the Rev. Matthias Ri Long-hoon, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea.

The traditional Korean ways of making fermented pastes and sauces, known as “jang,” have been listed by UNESCO as a living heritage that needs protection. The UN body on cultural heritage officially added jang-making to its list of intangible cultural heritage at a meeting Tuesday in Asuncion, Paraguay, where a 24-country Intergovernmental Committee approved the latest listing during a six-day gathering that started Monday. “Jang-making is a legacy rooted in everyday Korean cul

The US and South Korea are communicating over Seoul’s emergency martial law declaration Tuesday night. “The Administration is in contact with the ROK government and is monitoring the situation closely,” the White House National Security Council told Voice of America in a statement, referring to South Korea by its official name, the Republic of Korea. South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared emergency martial law late Tuesday.

An interactive exhibition of ceramics from the Joseon era (1392-1910) to Korea’s 1945 independence from the Japanese colonial rule is running through March 30 at the Gyeonggi Ceramic Museum in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province. The exhibition “Touching Ceramics: An Immersive Experience” will enable people with disabilities to touch replicas of some 70 ceramics on view, marking the museum’s first showing geared towards accessibility. Ceramic replicas and fragments will be availab

The Korea Heritage Service will prepare a list of cultural heritage it wants UNESCO to recognize starting next year, the state-run agency said Monday. The preliminary list, shared internally, would serve as a pool of heritage for the Tentative Lists maintained by UNESCO. All nominations must be on the Tentative Lists for consideration. “The reason we’re drawing up the internal list is for us to stay tuned to the latest trends in UNESCO nominations,” an agency official said. &ld

An exhibition of 191 items from paintings to crafts and furniture at the National Museum of Korea in Seoul aims to explore Vienna’s art scene of the early 1900s, which embraced a new art and design movement called modernism. The three-month exhibition entitled “Vienna 1900: The Dreaming Artists,” opening Saturday, will focus on works from pioneers such as painters Gustav Klimt and Egon Schiele as well as architect Josef Hoffmann. The 191 objects on view, all from Vienna’s

The Korea Heritage Service will restore parts of Sajikdan, a Joseon-era (1392-1910) altar in Jongno-gu, Seoul that was destroyed by Japan during the colonial period, according to the state-run agency. Restoration will take place around Anhyangcheong, a building north of the altar where Joseon kings and their subjects prepared for ancestral rites. Musical instruments and other ceremony supplies were kept there as well. The restoration will be complete by 2026, the agency said, adding it will enli

10,000 mums at Hallim Park Hallim Park on Jeju Island, known for showcasing different flower varieties each month, is highlighting over 10,000 chrysanthemums of 50 types for November. Available at the park, open everyday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., are flower beds and smaller gardens with ponds and hiking trails. A shuttle covers major stops on the ground. Admission is 15,000 won for adults. Visit hallimpark.com. All-in-one park in Paju First Garden Park in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, offer

Historic sites in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province, including royal palaces, royal tombs and the Jongmyo royal shrine, will be closed Thursday over safety concerns prompted by record snow. According to the Korea Heritage Service, the four of the five Joseon-era (1392-1910) palaces -- Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Changgyeongung and Deoksugung -- and Jongmyo, all in Seoul, will be closed. The royal tombs in the capital and Gyeonggi Province will also be closed. The state-run agency cited concerns over