Thursday Briefing: An impeachment motion in South Korea

December 5, 2024

	By Gaya Gupta

Good morning. We’re covering an impeachment motion in South Korea and France’s prime minister failing a no-confidence vote.

Plus, what’s your most cherished holiday tradition?

South Korean lawmakers protesting on the steps of the National Assembly holding white signs with red writing on them.

Members of South Korea’s opposition parties protesting on the steps of the National Assembly in Seoul yesterday. Chang W. Lee/The New York Times

South Korea’s president is facing an impeachment vote

Members of South Korea’s political opposition yesterday moved to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol. The motion could be put to a vote as early as tomorrow, and comes after his declaration of martial law on Tuesday ended in spectacular failure.

Several opposition parties filed the impeachment motion together. If the vote is successful, Yoon would be suspended from office and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo would become the interim president. Yoon’s fate would then go to the Constitutional Court, where the justices could uphold the impeachment and remove him from office, or reject it and reinstate him. Here’s how the process could unfold.

Collateral damage: Yoon’s defense minister, chief of staff and other top aides had tendered their resignations, South Korean news media reported. Yoon will address the nation today, according to an official familiar with his plans.

Context: Yoon’s surprise declaration of martial law on Tuesday was the first effort to impose military rule in more than four decades. The audacious move was an attempt to break a gridlock in government that has hobbled Yoon’s nearly three years in power.

Several people in suits walk down a hallway carpeted in red.

Prime Minister Michel Barnier of France, center, after the no-confidence vote yesterday. Sarah Meyssonnier/Reuters

France’s prime minister lost a no-confidence vote

French lawmakers passed a no-confidence measure against Prime Minister Michel Barnier and his cabinet yesterday, sending France into a fresh spasm of political turmoil. Barnier is expected to resign soon.

France’s lower house of Parliament passed the measure with 331 votes — well above the required majority of 288 votes — after Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally joined the chamber’s leftist coalition. The move leaves France without a clear path to a new budget and threatens to further unsettle credit markets. It could also create a wider opening for the far right.

What’s next: Barnier is likely to remain as a caretaker until President Emmanuel Macron names a new prime minister, but weeks of instability are on the horizon.

Context: It was the first successful no-confidence vote in France in over 60 years, making Barnier’s three-month-old government the shortest-tenured in the history of France’s Fifth Republic.

A head-and-shoulders portrait of Pete Hegseth.

Pete Hegseth after meetings on Capitol Hill yesterday. Haiyun Jiang for The New York Times

Senators waver on Hegseth for defense secretary

A small but pivotal group of Republican senators expressed concern yesterday about Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to be defense secretary. Hegseth has been accused of sexual assault, public drunkenness and mismanagement while running veterans’ nonprofits.

“Some of these articles are very disturbing,” Senator Lindsey Graham, one of Trump’s closest allies in Congress, told reporters. “He obviously has a chance to defend himself here, but, you know, some of this stuff is going to be difficult.”

Trump yesterday named a senior counselor for trade and manufacturing and a possible overseer of NASA. Here are his latest picks.

What’s your most cherished holiday tradition?

For many of us, the holidays are full of traditions. Which ones are you most looking forward to this year? Maybe it’s something your family or friends have been doing for decades or a more recent creation that you can’t wait to repeat. Either way, we’d love to know about it.

To share your thoughts, fill out this form. We may use your response in an upcoming newsletter. We won’t publish your submission without contacting you first.

MORE TOP NEWS

A police officer walks on the other side of yellow caution tape marking off a crime scene.

New York City police officers at the crime scene yesterday. Karsten Moran for The New York Times

U.S.: The head of one of the nation’s largest health insurers was fatally shot in what the police called a “brazen targeted attack.” A manhunt is underway for the gunman.
Business: The annual DealBook summit commenced in Manhattan with some of the biggest newsmakers in business and global politics. Follow here for live updates.
Tech: Google debuted an A.I. that aced 15-day forecasts, outperforming the world’s best predictions of deadly storms and everyday weather.
Gaza: The Israeli military said that six hostages found dead this summer were probably shot in February by their captors as an Israeli strike hit near where they were being held.
Bangladesh: The new head of the country’s central bank said the deposed prime minister siphoned about $17 billion from the financial system over 15 years.
Georgia: Security agents arrested and dragged away a leading member of the country’s political opposition as the country plunged deeper into political crisis.
Syria: The rebel attack may have crippled efforts by the U.S. and Gulf countries to weaken President Bashar al-Assad’s alliance with Iran.
Iran: Prosecutors will allow Narges Mohammadi, the jailed activist and Nobel laureate, to leave prison for 21 days to recover from surgery, her foundation said.
Sumo: The Grand Sumo Tournament, the sport’s top tier, will bring some of the world’s best wrestlers to London in October for the circuit’s first event in Britain since 1991.

Media: Journalists at the Guardian and the Observer newspapers in Britain began a 48-hour strike over plans to sell The Observer to a digital media start-up.

Sports

FIFA: The organization secured a $1 billion broadcast deal with the streaming company DAZN, after other networks balked at FIFA’s demands.
Tennis: Novak Djokovic will start his 2025 tennis season in Brisbane, Australia, without his new coach, Andy Murray.
Basketball: Who will win the NBA Cup? Predicting the knockout rounds and beyond.

MORNING READ

A performer is in spotlight near a full audience seated in red chairs.

“You [Romance],” a play chronicling the lives of the “Executed Renaissance,” in Kyiv, Ukraine, in October. Brendan Hoffman for The New York Times

In the 1930s, the Soviet Union killed a generation of Ukrainian writers, poets and directors known as the “Executed Renaissance.” Their legacy was nearly erased — until now.

Russia’s invasion has brought new relevance to the Executed Renaissance as many Ukrainians seek to reclaim their cultural heritage in musicals, films, books and even fashion. They view the fate of the movement as a warning of what could happen if Ukraine loses: the silencing of their culture, once again.

Lives lived: Debbie Nelson, the mother of the rapper Eminem who inspired some of his early hits, has died at 69.

CONVERSATION STARTERS

From left: Alamy (2); Getty

Pulp fiction: Lurid paperbacks aimed at a lesbian audience, which thrived in the 1950s and ’60s, offer today’s readers a portal to an early era of furtive queer expression.
His real job: Kieran Culkin could rule Oscar season with his film “A Real Pain.” He’d rather stay at home being a dad.
On the move: Pete Buttigieg, the departing transportation secretary, talked to us about holding airlines accountable and whether you should check a bag.

We hope you’ve enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times .

STYLE

Nearly a dozen models on a catwalk with a motif of trees in the background.

Chanel

Chanel goes all out in China

Chanel recently hosted the first mega-show by a luxury brand in Hangzhou, China, for their V.IC.s — very important clients. These are the customers who spend at least $20,000 a year with the company.

It was a bit of glamorous outreach for a customer base whose spending has been slowing down, shrinking the fortunes of many global fashion brands, Chanel included. The label invited about 1,100 guests, including Tilda Swinton, Lupita Nyong’o, Liu Wen and about 600 local V.I.C.s

“It’s the right time to focus on our Chinese customers,” said Bruno Pavlovsky, Chanel’s president for fashion. Read more about the show here.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Christopher Testani for The New York Times

Bake: Lemon bars are a childhood classic, but a little olive oil and sea salt helps them grow up.

Design: A home library can tell your life story.

Listen: Here are our critics’ picks for the best jazz albums of the year.

Watch: “Mystery Cuddlers” is a new animated series perfect for fans of “Adventure Time.”

Play: Spelling Bee, the Mini Crossword, Wordle and Sudoku. Find all our games here.

That’s it for today. See you tomorrow. — Gaya

We welcome your feedback. Send us your suggestions at briefing@nytimes.com.

Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance.

You received this email because you signed up for Morning Briefing: Asia Pacific Edition from The New York Times.

To stop receiving Morning Briefing: Asia Pacific Edition, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. To opt out of updates and offers sent from The Athletic, submit a request.

Subscribe to The Times Get The New York Times app

Connect with us on: