South Korean President Withdraws Martial Law Order Hours After Declaring It

SEOUL, Dec 3: Within six hours of announcing a martial law in the country, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said he will withdraw it.

In a 4:30 am (local time) special address to the nation, President Yoon said, "Just a moment ago, there was a demand from the National Assembly to lift the state of emergency, and we have withdrawn the military that was deployed for martial law operations. We will accept the National Assembly's request and lift the martial law through the Cabinet meeting."

South Korean MPs had voted unanimously against the imposition of martial law at a midnight session of the National Assembly to denounce the President's decision.

The President then agreed to honour the vote, as did the army chief. Shortly after the President withdrew the order and addressed the nation, the South Korean cabinet convened for a 5 am (local time) meeting to approve a motion to officially lift what turned out to be one of the shortest-ever martial laws in history.

As events unfolded in the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday in Korea, President Yoon's decision for a national emergency and martial law was vehemently opposed by parliamentarians who rejected the decision to ban political activity and censor the media.

Explaining his move, President Yoon had said that the decision was taken to crush "anti-state forces". This was the first time in nearly five decades that South Korea had imposed a martial law - the last one being in 1980.

Politicians and protesters had assembled outside the National Assembly (Parliament) shouting slogans in defiance of the martial law that was in place at the time. Security forces had to fire tear gas shells to disperse the crowd. The country's currency also went on a downward spiral. However, the situation improved after President Yoon agreed to the vote in Parliament and said he will announce the withdrawal shortly.

South Korea is one of the major economies of Asia and is a key ally of the United States. It has also been a democracy for more than four decades. The move to enforce a martial law had therefore caused international alarm.

Though South Korea is under a constant threat from its northern nuclear-armed neighbour North Korea, President Yoon did not suggest any specific threat from Kim Jong-Un that could have led to this sudden decision.

President Yoon has been under pressure in domestic politics after his party - People Power Party - suffered a massive defeat in the general election held in April this year. The result left the opposition with more than two-thirds majority in Parlaiment. President Yoon has also been rather unpopular in recent times, with his national rating falling to just around 20 per cent.

Taiwan president's Hawaii trip draws Chinese anger

HAWAII, Dec 2: Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te has arrived in the US state of Hawaii for a two-day visit, drawing a furious reaction from China.

The trip is being billed as a stopover as part of a Pacific tour, but comes amid long-running tensions between the US and China and growing concerns about the possibility of conflict over Taiwan.

After arriving in Hawaii, Lai said war would have "no winners" and that "we have to fight together to prevent war".

China's foreign ministry said it "strongly condemns" the visit and that it had "lodged serious protests with the US".

China considers Taiwan - which broke away in 1949 following the Chinese Civil War - to be part of its own territory, and opposes any diplomatic engagement with it by other countries.

The US has long maintained a deliberately ambiguous policy towards the island, declining to recognise its independence but maintaining informal relations with its government.

Speaking before his departure for Hawaii, Lai said the trip marked "the beginning of a new era of value-based diplomacy".

"Democracy, prosperity and peace are the expectations of the people of Taiwan, and they are also the values that I, as president, must actively promote," he said.

He said he wanted to show the world that Taiwan is "not only a model of democracy, but also a key force in promoting global peace, stability, and prosperity".

Speaking at a dinner on Saturday attended by state officials, members of Congress, and Taiwanese residents of Hawaii, he added that a visit that day to Pearl Harbour - whose bombing by Japan in 1941 brought the US into the Second World War - had served as a reminder of "the importance of ensuring peace".

"Peace is priceless, and war has no winners. We have to fight, fight together to prevent war," he said.

The rest of the trip will see Lai visit Marshall Islands, Tuvalu, and Palau, the only Pacific island nations among the 12 countries that recognise Taiwan's independence. He will also stop for one night in the US territory of Guam.

In a statement ahead of the trip, a spokesperson for the Chinese defence ministry said China would "firmly oppose official interaction with China's Taiwan region in any form" and "resolutely crush" attempts secure Taiwanese independence.

Gaza Ceasefire And Hostage Deal 'Not There Yet': White House

WASHINGTON, Dec 1: The White House is working on a ceasefire and hostage release deal in Gaza but is "not there yet," the US National Security Advisor told NBC on Sunday, with fighting in the conflict raging on as regional leaders meet to discuss the crisis.

"We are working actively to try to make it happen. We are engaged deeply with the key players in the region, and there is activity even today," said Jake Sullivan, according to a transcript released by the broadcaster.

"There will be further conversations and consultations, and our hope is that we can generate a ceasefire and hostage deal, but we're not there yet," he added.

Sullivan's comments came a day after Israel hit Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, days into a fragile ceasefire in its conflict with the Iran-backed group.

Addressing that conflict, Sullivan lauded the ceasefire deal and said the US was working with Lebanon's military to ensure it was implemented "effectively."

"We need to protect it and ensure that it is fully implemented," he told NBC.

In an apparent reference to the Israeli strikes, Sullivan said both parties "have the right, consistent with international law, to take action in self-defense if they're facing imminent threats."

Speaking in Jerusalem on Sunday, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said there were "indications" progress could be made on a deal securing the release of hostages by Hamas in Gaza.

"There are signs we may see a greater degree of flexibility from Hamas as a result of circumstances that have developed, including the agreement with Lebanon," he said.

"There is a desire to move forward on this. I hope it can progress. We are committed to the return of the hostages -- it's a responsibility we must uphold."

Saar asserted, however, that Hamas "cannot be allowed" to continue to rule Gaza.

Speaking to US broadcaster CBS, Sullivan said US President Joe Biden was in close coordination with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government.

"He also spoke with Prime Minister Netanyahu that day (of the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire), and Prime Minister Netanyahu told him he agreed, the time is right. The moment is now," said Sullivan, referring to the need for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.