International
JUST IN: South Korea Issues More Foreign Trip Ban On Top Officials
South Korean authorities on Tuesday banned more top officials from leaving the country, Yonhap reported, in the wake of President Yoon Suk Yeol’s bungled attempt to impose martial law.
A day after Yoon himself was hit with a travel ban, his party was forging a “resignation roadmap” that reportedly could see him step down in February or March before fresh elections.
Yoon suspended civilian rule a week ago and sent special forces and helicopters to parliament, before lawmakers forced him to rescind the decree in a country assumed to be a stable democracy.
Investigators are probing the president and a cabal of allies — many from the same school — for alleged insurrection over the sequence of extraordinary events.
On Tuesday Cho Ji-ho, commissioner general of the Korean National Police Agency, and two other top police officials became the latest to be banned from foreign travel, the Yonhap news agency reported.
Already confined to South Korean territory are the former defence and interior ministers, martial law commander General Park An-su and defence counterintelligence commander Yeo In-hyung.
– All my fault –
Kim Yong-hyun, the former defence minister, was detained on Sunday and late Monday prosecutors filed a formal arrest warrant against him.
Charges included “engaging in critical duties during an insurrection” and “abuse of authority to obstruct the exercise of rights”.
A Seoul court will hold a hearing later Tuesday to rule on whether to issue the warrant for Kim, the first court decision to be made related to the martial law chaos.
Kim issued contrite comments Tuesday saying that “all responsibility for this situation lies solely with me”.
Kim “deeply apologised” to the South Korean people and said that his subordinates were “merely following my orders and fulfilling their assigned duties”, in a statement made through his lawyers.
– ‘Second coup’ –
Yoon narrowly survived an impeachment effort in parliament on Saturday as tens of thousands braved freezing temperatures to call for his ouster.
Civic groups held further candlelight vigils across the country on Monday, with several thousand outside parliament in Seoul.
The motion failed after members of Yoon’s own People Power Party (PPP) walked out of parliament, depriving it of the necessary two-thirds majority.
The PPP says that in exchange Yoon, 63, has agreed to hand power to the prime minister and party chief, prompting the opposition to accuse it of a “second coup”.
Local media reported on Tuesday that the PPP will announce a “resignation road map” soon in order to head off a new impeachment motion, which the opposition wants to put before lawmakers on Saturday.
The party’s task force was also reportedly reviewing two options, including for Yoon to resign in February with an April election, or to step down in March with a vote in May.
AFP
International
China’s Foreign Minister visits four African countries on annual tour
Beijing has sent hundreds of thousands of workers and engineers to the continent and gained strategic access to its vast mineral riches, including copper, gold and lithium.
China’s top diplomat kicks off a New Year trip to Africa on Wednesday, the foreign ministry said, seeking to boost trade on a four-country circuit that includes several recent political hotspots.
Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s tour of the continent’s east and south will take him to Ethiopia, Somalia, Tanzania and Lesotho, concluding on Monday, the ministry said in a statement.
The visits are in keeping with the Chinese diplomatic convention of recent decades, whereby the foreign minister’s first overseas trip of the year is to Africa.
The current tour “aims to deepen political mutual trust with all parties… (and) strengthen exchanges and mutual learning”, foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said Wednesday at a regular news conference.
China is Africa’s top business partner, with trade reaching $296 billion in 2024, according to Chinese state media.
Beijing has sent hundreds of thousands of workers and engineers to the continent and gained strategic access to its vast mineral riches, including copper, gold and lithium.
International
Trump Announces Venezuela to Turn Over Up to 50 Million Barrels of Oil to United States
U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that interim authorities in Venezuela will turn over between 30 and 50 million barrels of high-quality sanctioned oil to the United States, following the recent U.S. military operation that removed Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from power.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump stated: “I am pleased to announce that the Interim Authorities in Venezuela will be turning over between 30 and 50 Million Barrels of High Quality, Sanctioned Oil, to the United States of America.
This Oil will be sold at its Market Price, and that money will be controlled by me, as President of the United States of America, to ensure it is used to benefit the people of Venezuela and the United States!
“The president added that he has directed Energy Secretary Chris Wright to execute the plan immediately, with the oil to be transported via storage ships directly to U.S. unloading docks.
The announcement comes amid ongoing developments in Venezuela, where the oil—previously held in storage due to U.S. sanctions—is estimated to be worth up to $2.8 billion at current market prices around $56 per barrel.
Analysts note that this volume represents a modest addition to global supply but could divert exports previously destined for China.U.S. crude futures dipped slightly following the news, closing lower by about 1.3%. Major U.S. oil companies, including Chevron, ExxonMobil, and ConocoPhillips, are reportedly monitoring the situation, with meetings planned between industry representatives and the administration to discuss future investments in Venezuela’s vast oil reserves.
The deal marks a significant step in Trump’s stated goal of revitalizing Venezuela’s oil sector, which holds the world’s largest proven reserves but has seen production decline sharply in recent years due to sanctions, underinvestment, and mismanagement.
International
Nicolas Maduro, wife plead not guilty in New York court
Maduro, 63, told a federal judge in Manhattan that he had been “kidnapped” from Venezuela and said, “I’m innocent, I’m not guilty; I’m still the president of my country.”
Deposed Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro pleaded not guilty to charges of narco-terrorism in a New York court on Monday, two days after being snatched by US forces in a stunning raid on his home in Caracas.
Maduro, 63, told a federal judge in Manhattan that he had been “kidnapped” from Venezuela and said, “I’m innocent, I’m not guilty; I’m still the president of my country.”
Maduro’s wife Cilia Flores likewise pleaded not guilty.
The pair were snatched by US commandos in the early hours of Saturday in an assault backed by warplanes and a heavy naval deployment.
(AFP)
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