Lawmakers in South Korea are set to vote on a motion to impeach President Yoon Suk-yeol following his surprise attempt to impose martial law.
The lawmakers are scheduled to vote during a plenary session on Saturday.
The motion is being led by the main opposition Democratic Party. The bill needs a 2/3 majority to pass.
It requires the support of at least 8 ruling party members. The ruling People Power Party held a meeting to discuss how to deal with the bill earlier in the day.
Local media report that the party decided to vote against the bill. Yoon apologized after his attempt to impose martial law.
In his televised address, Yoon also said it's up to the ruling party to decide how to stabilize the political situation, including if he will stay on.
Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myeong held a news conference after Yoon's speech and strongly condemned him.
It disappointed me very much.
Now the country's biggest risk is the president himself. The solution is his swift resignation or impeachment. There's no other way.
What he said didn't seem like much of an apology. It sounds like he wants to hold on to his position. It would've been better if he hadn't apologized at all.
I think he only apologized because there will be a vote on impeaching him.
Yoon plunged South Korea into chaos late on Tuesday after declaring emergency martial law. The measure was lifted after being overturned in parliament. Yoon's approval rating has plummeted to 16 percent. That's the worst it's been since he took office.
South Korean novelist Han Kang has expressed dismay about the short-lived period of martial law in her country earlier this week. Han is this year's Nobel Literature Prize laureate. She was speaking in Stockholm on Friday ahead of the awards ceremony.
One of Han's books is based on a deadly military crackdown in Gwangju in 1980, when South Korea was under martial law.
The novelist expressed hope that South Korea won't return to times when free speech was controlled and suppressed.
No matter what happens in the future, the truth will continue to be told.I think the power of speech will not change.
Han said winning the Nobel Prize encouraged her to write without any pressure, and she says she's ready to write again now.
The Philippine military has conducted a joint drill with the Japanese Self-Defense Forces and the U.S. military in the South China Sea. The exercise took place within the Exclusive Economic Zone of the Philippines. The drill also brought together Japan's Maritime self-defense Force destroyer Samidara and U.S. Navy patrol aircraft. It was the fifth time since last year that the three countries have held what they call a maritime cooperative activity in the drill, the forces. During the drill practiced working together by confirming tactical and technical cooperation, the exercise is seen as an apparent attempt to keep China in check, given its increasing assertiveness in the region.Romania's Constitutional Court has annulled the results of the first round of the country's presidential election, which was won by a pro-Moscow candidate. The move follows allegations that Russia interfered in the vote.
Colin Georgescu ran as an independent and campaigned heavily on TikTok. His victory took many by surprise in Romania. Georgescu responded on Friday to the court's announcement, saying the decision is a betrayal of democracy. A runoff vote has been scheduled for Sunday, but authorities must now set a new date for the election.
The court says it will seek to ensure that the process is fair and legal.
People in the capital, Bucharest, say they feel uneasy over what comes next for Romania.
On Wednesday, the Romanian government declassified documents that say Georgescu's election campaign videos were systematically promoted on social media to spread pro-Russia sentiment.
A Chinese envoy has learned the hard way about pressuring Paraguay's lawmakers in their own backyard. He reportedly urged them to sever ties with Taiwan, so they canceled his visa and kicked him out. Paraguay's foreign ministry said on Thursday that Xuwei was given 24 hours to leave he was visiting for a UNESCO meeting. Paraguay is the only South American country, and one of just 12 worldwide, that has diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Beijing bristled at the decision to expel Xu.
The accusations and demands by Paraguay against the Chinese delegation are completely unreasonable and unfounded, seriously violating international norms.
China firmly opposes this.
China is attempting to further isolate Taiwan, where the administration of President Lai Ching-te does not accept the One China principle.
Russia is continuing its invasion of Ukraine, but that isn't stopping people from celebrating Christmas in Kiev. A huge Christmas tree was lit up in the Ukrainian capital on Friday.
The 12 meter tall tree has been installed in a square in front of Saint Sophia Cathedral. One woman who stopped to have a look expressed her hope for peace.
Her brother is serving in Ukraine's military. She says in the past her family got together to celebrate Christmas, but these days they just come to see the tree. Ukraine used to observe Orthodox Christmas on January 7th, according to the Julian calendar, like Russia. But last year, Ukraine officially changed the date to December 25th. To align with the Gregorian calendar amid mounting anger against Russia's aggression.
Those were the main stories for thishour.♫
That's the news this hour. I'm Gene Otani.From all of us here at NHK Newsline to all around the world, thanks very much for joining us.
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