Fire in Guryong Village rapidly spreads south, displacing over 100 residents
A fire in Guryong Village, a well-known illegal settlement in Gaepo-dong, Gangnam, quickly spread due to strong winds, leaving over 100 residents homeless. Fire authorities have issued a high-level response and deployed helicopters and a large number of personnel for an all-out firefighting effort.
According to fire authorities and the Gangnam District Office, the fire broke out around 3:50 PM in a temporary structure within Guryong Village's second district. The flames rapidly spread to nearby areas, fueled by the lightweight, flammable materials used in the housing structures and the strong winds.
Initially moving west toward Guryongsan, the fire changed direction with the wind and quickly spread south to the first, third, fifth, and seventh districts. Approximately 40 minutes after the fire started, at 4:29 PM, authorities declared a Level 2 response and immediately dispatched 232 firefighters, six helicopters, and 110 pieces of equipment to the scene.
Xi Jinping congratulates Brazil's Lula on fourth term, emphasizes strategic cooperation
Chinese President Xi Jinping recently sent a congratulatory message to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the newly re-elected President of Brazil.
According to Xinhua News Agency on the 27th, Xi congratulated Lula on his successful re-election. In his message, Xi noted, "Recently, President Lula and I have maintained close communication in various ways, working together to build a 'China-Brazil community of shared destiny' for a fairer world and a sustainable planet, achieving new progress together."
He further praised the increasingly global, strategic, and long-term nature of the bilateral relationship, stating it has become a model for unity and cooperation among Global South countries.
Xi emphasized the importance of developing China-Brazil relations, expressing his willingness to work with President Lula to elevate their community of shared destiny to a new level and expand the horizons of comprehensive strategic cooperation to enhance the welfare of both nations' citizens.
Supreme Court issues additional arrest warrant for Kim Geon-hee, citing flight risk
The Supreme Court has issued an additional arrest warrant for Kim Geon-hee, the wife of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, just four days before her current detention was set to expire.
On the afternoon of the 27th, the Supreme Court's second division, led by Justice Oh Kyung-mi, held a hearing for Kim and issued the additional warrant after approximately 45 minutes of questioning. The court stated, "There is a concern that she may destroy evidence or flee," clarifying the grounds for the arrest. Consequently, Kim's detention period, originally set to expire on October 31, has been extended to December 31 of this year.
Previously, Kim was arrested and indicted in August last year by the special prosecution team led by Min Jung-ki for three major allegations: stock manipulation involving Deutsche Motors, polling irregularities with Myungtaekyun, and receiving funds from the Unification Church. She was sentenced to four years in prison in a second trial on April 28, but the Supreme Court postponed the ruling on the polling irregularities case by referring it to the full bench.
As the maximum legal detention period for the three major allegations approached (October 31), the special prosecution team requested the issuance of an additional warrant on the 15th to prevent her release, following a separate case where she was sentenced to five years in prison for bribery in the 'Mae-gwan-mae-jik' case.
Yoon Suk Yeol defends martial law declaration during appeal hearing
Former President Yoon Suk Yeol defended his declaration of martial law during an appeal hearing related to charges of insurrection, stating that it was an unavoidable decision in a national crisis. He reiterated that there was no intention for long-term rule or dictatorship, asserting that it was a necessary measure to inform the public of a government crisis in response to the actions of a major opposition party.
During the appeal hearing held on the 27th at the Seoul High Court, Yoon reiterated his claim that the martial law declaration was justified.
When asked by his defense team about the background of the December 3 martial law declaration, Yoon responded, "I thought it was time to politically address the behavior of the opposition party," adding, "There was no other choice."
Yoon strongly denied allegations of undermining constitutional order or staging a coup. In response to questions about whether he aimed for long-term dictatorship, he remarked, "Being president is a tough job, and I thought I wouldn't live long if I served more than five years. Would I be crazy enough to sit here and do this for the long term?"
* This article has been translated by AI.
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