Top Asian News 4:55 a.m. GMT

Yoon replaces the defense minister as South Korea’s parliament nears a vote on their impeachments

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea’s president replaced his defense minister Thursday as opposition parties moved to impeach both men over the stunning yet short-lived imposition of martial law that brought armed troops into Seoul streets. The main opposition Democratic Party and other small opposition parties submitted a joint motion to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol on Wednesday over his martial law declaration the previous night. Martial law lasted about six hours, as the National Assembly quickly voted to overrule the president, forcing his Cabinet to lift it before daybreak Wednesday. On Thursday, Yoon’s office said he decided to replace Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun with Choi Byung Hyuk, a retired four-star general who is South Korea’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia.

What’s next: South Korean leader’s martial law declaration threatens his political career

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — President Yoon Suk Yeol’s stunning martial law declaration lasted just hours, but experts say it raised serious questions about his ability to govern for the remaining 2 1/2 years of his term and whether he will abide by democratic principles. Parliament unanimously overturned the edict, and opposition parties have begun proceedings to impeach him. One analyst called his action “political suicide.” Yoon’s political fate may depend on whether a large number of people in coming days take to the streets to push for his ouster. Here’s a look at the political firestorm caused by the martial law declaration, the first of its kind in South Korea in more than 40 years.

6 hours of anger, bravery and defiance during martial law in South Korea

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol shocked the nation when he declared martial law and called in troops to secure the National Assembly building where parliament sits. The announcement sent citizens streaming to the streets on a cold December night to call for Yoon to resign and martial law to be lifted. The subsequent hours were tense with cameras capturing the moments of anger, bravery and defiance before Yoon was forced to back down. Here’s how it played out: Leaning forward on a lectern, President Yoon tells a national television audience he is declaring martial law, giving his government sweeping powers to prevent anti-government demonstrations, ban political parties and control the media.

Rescuers search for 13 workers missing after a railroad construction site collapses in south China

BEIJING (AP) — Rescuers in southern China were searching Thursday for 13 workers missing after a railroad construction site caved in in the business center of Shenzhen. An emergency management bureau’s statement said the collapse occurred at about 11 p.m. Wednesday at a construction site on a section of the Shenzhen-Jiangmen Railway in Bao’an district. The line will link Shenzhen, a tech hub, and Jiangmen, both cities in Guangdong province neighboring Hong Kong. Residents living nearby have been evacuated. An investigation into the cause was underway. State broadcaster CCTV reported some roads were closed during the operation. China has seen collapses of a highway and a bridge that killed dozens of people earlier this year.

Taiwan President Lai says Taiwan and US territory Guam should defend freedom in region

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Taiwan and Guam should work together to defend freedom and democracy in the region, Taiwan President Lai Ching-te said Thursday on a visit to the American territory. Guam was Lai’s second U.S. stop on an ongoing tour of the Pacific islands, following a visit to Hawaii last weekend. China’s authoritarian government claims Taiwan as its territory and says the self-governing island must come under its control at some point in the future. Lai, in a speech to Guam’s legislature, emphasized the shared values and strategic importance of Taiwan and Guam in the Indo-Pacific region. “Let us together become the crucial force in defending freedom, democracy in the first island chain,” he said, referring to a string of islands off the Asian continent that includes Japan, Taiwan and part of the Philippines.

Afghan economy shows modest signs of growth but recovery remains fragile, says World Bank

Afghanistan’s economy is showing modest signs of growth after two years of severe contraction, the World Bank said. In its latest development update issued late Wednesday, the financial institution said modest GDP growth of 2.7% was driven by private consumption. The partial recovery, coupled with falling food prices, helped to gradually improve household welfare. Before the Taliban returned to power in August 2021, Afghanistan’s economy relied heavily on foreign aid and corruption was rife. Their takeover three years ago sent the economy into a tailspin, as billions in international funds were frozen, and tens of thousands of highly skilled Afghans fled the country and took their money with them.

Weather hampers a search for 3 American and Canadian climbers missing on New Zealand’s highest peak

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand authorities have “grave concerns” for three mountain climbers from the U.S. and Canada who are missing after a planned ascent of the country’s highest peak, Aoraki, as efforts to find them stalled for a third day amid bad weather. Strong winds meant an aerial search for the men could not resume as anticipated on Thursday, Police Area Commander Inspector Vicki Walker said in a statement. The Americans — Kurt Blair, 56, from Colorado and Carlos Romero, 50, of California — are certified alpine guides, according to the website of the nonprofit American Mountain Guides Association.

Armed ethnic rebels in northeast Myanmar declare ceasefire and seek talks with military government

BANGKOK (AP) — A major ethnic rebel group in Myanmar has announced a unilateral ceasefire in its conflict with the ruling military and called for a dialogue under Chinese auspices to help restore peace in the country’s northeast. China’s Foreign Ministry said Wednesday it welcomed the initiative. China is the military government’s most important foreign ally. Myanmar’s military government did not immediately comment. The announcement Tuesday by the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, or MNDAA, came a week after its battlefield ally, the Ta’ang National Liberation Army, or TNLA, declared its readiness for peace talks with the military government. Myanmar has been in turmoil since the army’s 2021 takeover ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi, which led to nationwide peaceful protests that escalated into armed resistance and what now amounts to civil war.

Philippines says China’s coast guard fired water cannons and sideswiped its patrol vessel

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Chinese coast guard vessels backed by navy ships fired powerful water cannons and blocked and sideswiped a Philippine patrol vessel on Wednesday in renewed aggression at a disputed shoal in the South China Sea, Philippine officials said. Philippine coast guard and bureau of fisheries vessels were on routine patrol to protect Filipino fishermen at Scarborough Shoal when several Chinese coast guard and navy ships approached and staged “aggressive actions” after dawn, the Philippine coast guard said. The Chinese coast guard said the Philippine vessels encroached into China’s territory prompting it to take action based on a law, which it did not specify.

Japan’s famous sake joins UNESCO’s cultural heritage list, a boost to brewers and enthusiasts

LUQUE, Paraguay (AP) — Sake is perhaps more Japanese than the world-famous sushi. It’s brewed in centuries-old mountaintop warehouses, savored in the country’s pub-like izakayas, poured during weddings and served slightly chilled for special toasts. The smooth rice wine that plays a crucial role in Japan’s culinary traditions was enshrined on Wednesday by UNESCO on its list of the “intangible cultural heritage of humanity.” At a meeting in Luque, Paraguay, members of UNESCO’s committee for safeguarding humanity’s cultural heritage voted to recognize 45 cultural practices and products around the world, including Brazilian white cheese, Caribbean cassava bread and Palestinian olive oil soap.