S. Korea police seek journalist arrest over martial law 'fake report'
Former South Korea president Yoon Suk-yeol's martial law declaration had fuelled a surge in misinformation and conspiracy theories online. - AFP
SEOUL: South Korean police said Tuesday (May 20) they have requested an arrest warrant for a journalist over a false report related to former president Yoon Suk-yeol's brief imposition of martial law.
A reporter for local news outlet Sky eDaily wrote in January in a purportedly "exclusive" report that 99 Chinese spies had been arrested by South Korean troops on the day Yoon suspended civilian rule in December.
Citing unnamed US military intelligence sources, the report claimed the spies were transferred to US military custody in Japan's Okinawa, after being arrested at a facility affiliated with South Korea's National Election Commission (NEC).
The Seoul Metropolitan Police told AFP that it has filed an arrest warrant request for the reporter, on charges of "obstruction of official duties" of the NEC.
The journalist, who has not been named by the police, is accused of publishing a "false article that disrupted" the NEC's operations, its spokesperson added, saying they expect to receive the court's decision on Wednesday.
AFP digital verification reporters have previously debunked the journalist's report and related content.
Both the NEC and the US Forces Korea had refuted the "Chinese spy" report when approached by AFP's Fact Check.
Yoon's martial law declaration -- which he claimed was necessary to break legislative gridlock and "root out" pro-North Korean "anti-state" forces -- garnered support from extreme religious figures and right-wing YouTubers.
It has also fuelled a surge in misinformation and conspiracy theories online, with unverified content spreading unproven claims of electoral fraud and Chinese espionage.
Pro-Yoon rallies turned violent in January when extremist supporters stormed a Seoul courthouse.
At least four of them were handed jail terms, with their charges including vandalising the property and physically attacking members of the press and police officers. - AFP
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
Italian scholars back China's multilateral vision, call for deeper partnership
ROME, June 23 (Xinhua) -- Italian experts hailed China's peaceful development path and called for deeper bilateral cooperation to promote global peace and stability at a seminar marking the 55th anniversary of China-Italy diplomatic relations last Friday. Giancarlo Elia Valori, president of the Foundation for International and Geopolitical Studies of Italy, highlighted the long-standing friendship between the two countries, tracing it back to Marco Polo. He also welcomed the recent UN decision to adopt June 10 as the International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations, an initiative proposed by China. Chinese Ambassador to Italy Jia Guide reviewed the fruits of bilateral ties since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1970, and called for continued collaboration as guardians of peace and security, advocates of shared development, and models of mutual learning. In his remarks, Valori criticized the imbalance of the U.S.-led postwar global order and said China's vision of a shared future offers a fairer and more inclusive framework for international cooperation. Pino Arlacchi, former UN under-secretary-general praised China's peaceful global role and its support for a multipolar world. He expressed hope for stronger Italy-China cooperation within the UN, especially in cultural and intellectual exchange. A special exhibition celebrating 55 years of bilateral diplomatic relations was also held on the sideline of the seminar.
The Star
2 hours ago
- The Star
Romania's broad coalition government wins parliament confidence vote
FILE PHOTO: Romania's Ilie Bolojan walks to attend a European Union summit in Brussels, Belgium March 20, 2025. REUTERS/Yves Herman/File Photo BUCHAREST (Reuters) -Liberal Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan won a parliamentary confidence vote on Monday, ending months of political deadlock with a coalition government that aims to lower the EU's highest budget deficit to avoid losing its investment grade credit rating. The European Union and NATO state has been rocked by political instability in the wake of a presidential election which was canceled in December and re-run in May, with market turmoil boosting borrowing costs and crashing the leu currency. Bolojan's nomination to head a broad pro-European coalition government by centrist President Nicusor Dan, who ultimately won the divisive election at the detriment of the far right, comes after a month of political wrangling over the fiscal measures needed to lower the deficit. While the coalition will have broad support - around 67% of parliament, all but three hard-right groupings - its endurance will depend on unpopular tax hikes and whether the four parties enforce agreed cuts to state spending. "Some of these decisions will not be popular," Bolojan told lawmakers before the vote. "But we must take into account that without the measures Romania would enter decisively into an area of fiscal uncertainty and risk losing touch with European development and higher costs for people and companies." Finance Minister Alexandru Lazare said the government will discuss all proposed measures with the European Commission before approving them from August, adding a mix of spending cuts and tax hikes were needed to restore credibility. The government plans to keep the main value added tax - which Brussels, ratings agencies and analysts said should be raised to lower the deficit - at 19% for now, while two lower 5% and 9% rates will be consolidated in a single 9% one. The government aims to introduce a temporary tax on banks' "excessive profit" from 2026, and introduce new levies on gains from crypto currencies and social media platforms. About a fifth of public sector jobs will be cut. Higher excise duties and property taxes, an increased dividend tax, taxing pensions higher than 4000 lei ($915) monthly and listing minority stakes in state companies on the bourse are among the proposed measures. The government includes Bolojan's Liberal Party, centre-left Social Democrats, centre-right Save Romania Union and ethnic Hungarian party UDMR, with the four parties also backed by national minorities in parliament. The leaders of the four parties agreed to rotate prime ministers before a 2028 parliamentary election, with Bolojan swapping with a leftist Social Democrat in April 2027. The Social Democrats are Romania's largest party and a ruling majority cannot be achieved without them, but the PM rotation could be a destabilizing step as policies and positions are reassessed. ($1 = 4.3738 lei) (Reporting by Luiza Ilie; Editing by Aidan Lewis and Toby Chopra)
New Straits Times
2 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Qatar suspends air traffic, foreigners told to shelter as Iran mulls reprisals
DOHA: Qatar temporarily suspended air traffic across the country on Monday and some Western embassies advised their citizens there to shelter in place after Iran threatened retaliation for US strikes on its nuclear sites. Gas-rich Qatar, which lies 190 kilometres (120 miles) south of Iran across the Gulf, is home to the United States' largest military base in the region, Al Udeid. "The competent authorities announce the temporary suspension of air traffic in the country's airspace, as part of a set of precautionary measures taken based on developments in the region," the foreign ministry said. It added authorities were monitoring the situation "in coordination with regional and international partners." Earlier, the US embassy in Qatar advised Americans there not to go out, with other Western embassies echoing the warning. "Out of an abundance of caution we recommend American citizens shelter in place until further notice," the US embassy said on its website. Britain and Canada later cited the US security alert in their own recommendations to nationals. Iran's armed forces threatened on Monday to inflict "serious, unpredictable consequences" on the US after it joined its ally Israel's campaign against the Islamic republic, carrying out heavy strikes on three nuclear sites. In Bahrain, a close neighbour of Qatar that hosts the US Fifth Fleet, the American embassy "temporarily shifted a portion of its employees to local telework", it said on X. Bahraini authorities had already told most government employees to work from home until further notice, citing "regional circumstances." Following the US warning in Doha, Qatar's foreign ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari said such statements by foreign embassies "do not necessarily reflect the existence of specific or credible threats." "We would like to reassure the public that the security situation in the state remains stable," he wrote on X. "Qatar continues to exert intensive diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions in the region." On Sunday, the US State Department advised Americans worldwide to "exercise increased caution" because of the war between Israel and Iran. After Israel's first strikes on Iran on June 13, the US embassy in Qatar had told its staff and other Americans to exercise caution and "limit non-essential travel to Al Udeid Air Base." — AFP
