International

Former South Korean Defense Minister arrested for his role in martial law

South Korean police arrested former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun on Sunday by order of the South Korean Prosecutor’s Office, as part of the investigation into martial law decreed last Tuesday by the country’s president, Yoon Suk-yeol.

The arrest of Kim, whose resignation became effective last Thursday, came after his testimony with the Prosecutor’s Office within the investigations into the state of emergency that shok the country and before the suspicions that this measure was a crime of treason or sedition, among others.

The special investigation unit of the Prosecutor’s Office appointed for the martial law case announced today the arrest of the former minister and the confiscation of his phone, after Kim appeared a few hours earlier before the media to express his desire to cooperate with the South Korean authorities.

The martial law network in South Korea

The arrest comes after the motion to impeach the South Korean president in the National Assembly failed the day before, due to the boycott of the ruling Yoon party to the vote.

The prosecution has determined the arrest of Kim by emergency means considering that there is a risk of destruction of evidence on the possible crimes of treason or sedition, for which penalties such as life imprisonment are contemplated in the South Korean criminal code.

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Kim, a figure very close to the South Korean president, is one of the senior officials who suggested Yoon to resort to martial law and who led its application.

The former minister submitted his resignation to Yoon last Wednesday for his responsibility in the application of the state of emergency and the chaos triggered by it, and the president accepted it the next day, Kim being pointed out for the measure that has led to the greatest political crisis in South Korea in its recent history.

International

Two killed in shooting at restaurant near Frankfurt Airport

Two people were shot dead early Tuesday at a restaurant in Raunheim, near Frankfurt Airport, according to local police.

Preliminary findings indicate that an armed individual entered the establishment at around 03:45 local time (02:45 GMT) and opened fire on the victims, who died at the scene from their injuries.

The suspect fled and remains at large, while the motive behind the shooting is still unclear, German media reported. Authorities have launched a large-scale search operation.

International

U.S. counterterrorism chief resigns over opposition to war in Iran

Joe Kent, director of the National Counterterrorism Center, announced Tuesday that he has resigned from his post, citing his opposition to the ongoing war in Iran.

In a post on X, Kent said he could not, “in good conscience,” support the conflict, arguing that Iran did not pose an imminent threat to the United States. He also claimed that the war was driven by pressure from Israel and its lobbying influence in Washington.

In a resignation letter addressed to Donald Trump, Kent alleged that at the start of the current administration, senior Israeli officials and influential figures in U.S. media carried out a disinformation campaign that undermined the “America First” platform and fostered pro-war sentiment aimed at triggering a conflict with Iran.

Kent further stated that he could not support sending a new generation of Americans to “fight and die in a war that provides no benefit to the American people and does not justify the cost in American lives.”

Since the United States and Israel launched attacks against Iran on February 28, at least 13 U.S. service members have been killed, while 10 others have been seriously wounded and around 200 have sustained minor injuries, according to a report published by The Wall Street Journal.

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International

German president warns Iran war could spread and disrupt Strait of Hormuz

The president of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, warned Monday that the war involving Iran could expand and further disrupt shipping through the strategic Strait of Hormuz. He urged a swift end to hostilities between Iran, United States and Israel.

Speaking in Panama City during a joint appearance with Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino, Steinmeier said available information suggests Iran has significant capacity to disrupt maritime traffic through the key oil route.

“Iran has considerable potential to interfere with shipping through the Strait of Hormuz,” Steinmeier said through an interpreter. “We should therefore reach an end to the hostilities as soon as possible and call on all parties involved to make that happen.”

The remarks came during Steinmeier’s visit to Panama, the first by a German president to the Central American nation.

The German leader described the possibility of the conflict spreading as “very dangerous,” saying recent developments indicate that such a scenario cannot be ruled out.

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Over the weekend, U.S. President Donald Trump urged allied nations to help ensure safe passage for ships through the Strait of Hormuz after Iran moved to block the waterway in response to U.S. strikes. However, several allies—particularly in Europe—have shown little support for the proposal.

“Some are very enthusiastic, others are not, and some are countries we have helped for many years,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “We have protected them from terrible external threats, and they’re not that enthusiastic. And the level of enthusiasm is important to me.”

Meanwhile, Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s top diplomat, said the Strait of Hormuz falls “outside NATO’s scope” and stressed that “the war involving Iran is not Europe’s war.”