Global News Podcast - South Korea stand-off outside presidential office

Episode Date: December 11, 2024

Security guards at presidential office in Seoul try to stop police from getting martial law documents. Also: new Syrian PM promises to guarantee rights for all religions, and humpback whale makes epic migration.

This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the UK. Whether it's Good Bad Billionaire or any of your other favourite BBC World Service podcasts, find the show on your podcast app and then just click follow or subscribe. And if you switch on notifications, you'll get a reminder too. It's that easy. Follow or subscribe and never miss an episode. This is the Global News Podcast from the BBC World Service. This is the Global News Podcast from the BBC World Service. I'm Nick Miles. And at 14 Hours GMT on Wednesday, the 11th of December, these are our main stories. There's been a standoff in South Korea between security officers and the police at the president's

office. The new Syrian leadership promises to guarantee the rights of all religious groups. Cases of dengue fever in Central and South America have surged to a record high. Also in this podcast, the trial has begun in Amsterdam of seven men accused of violent disorder against Israeli football fans last month and... Alphabet shares are higher after announcing a quantum computing breakthrough, unveiling its new chip Willow. Google says its new quantum computing chip is far faster than the world's best computers.

But what practical use does it have? We start in South Korea, where for many hours police were locked in a standoff with security guards outside the presidential office in Seoul. They wanted to search the building to investigate President Yoon Suk-yul's declaration of martial law last week, but the guards refused to let them in. Outside the National Assembly in Seoul, thousands of protesters cheered and waved glowsticks demanding the president is arrested, some holding signs that say dismantle the People Power Party.

Well the spokesman for the opposition Democratic Party, Jo Song Lai, told journalists that President Yoon and the officials helping him were breaking the law. What the office of the President and the Secret Service are protecting right now is not a head of state, but an insurgent. Therefore interfering with a police raid constitutes participation in the insurrection by protecting the insurgents. Celia Hatton got the latest from our correspondent in Seoul, Jean McKenzie.

Today police officers have tried to raid the President's office. They've been there to try and get hold of the minutes of the meetings, two crucial meetings that he held. One before he decided to impose martial law in the minutes beforehand and then meetings he held in the very small period of time that martial law was in effect here back last Tuesday night but it's been a bit of a standoff between the police and the president office security officials so they were able to get into the presidential compound but they haven't been able to conduct the searches that they wanted to. We've just heard actually Celia in the last few minutes that the officers have left the compound after about eight hours they haven't been able to get the material they wanted they apparently got got some little fraction of information, but not what they were looking for. And the presidential office has been saying today that actually there are no minutes of these meetings. But this is reflective of a much bigger investigation or bigger set of investigations against the

president that's ongoing. He's now being investigated from so many different angles. You've got a police investigation, prosecutors, corruption officials are looking into him. The opposition have managed to get an independent investigation. So you really get the sense now that this legal sort of net is closing in on him. Indeed, the pressure is mounting on all of those, and those around him who took part in declaring martial law. We're hearing the former defense minister tried to kill himself. Yeah, so the former defense minister is the most senior high ranking official that has been implicated in this so far that's actually been arrested. He was in

custody. Now he is seen as playing quite a key role in implementing this martial law. And he'd actually come out and taken responsibilities for some of the chaos that has ensued. He was in prison and we heard from the justice ministry this morning that he had tried to take his own life. He was transferred to hospital and he is said to be fine now. But yeah. AMT – What are the prospects, Jean, for an impeachment vote against the president? We saw last weekend an impeachment motion put forward by the opposition. It failed because the ruling party boycotted that vote. But does it look like it might have a chance of succeeding if the opposition tries again?

Well, the opposition is trying again. They've put this motion forward today. So we now know that the next vote is going to happen at five o'clock here in Seoul on Saturday. So really a rerun of last week. Now, whether the ruling party will change their mind this time and decide to impeach the president, that is the huge question here. The opposition party needs eight members of the ruling party to cross the floor and to vote with them. Now, we've had a couple of MPs come out over the past couple of days, the ruling party MPs, and saying they are going to impeach the president but not enough to get this vote through. At the moment the ruling party here is in total disarray honestly it just doesn't know what to do next.

I've been speaking to a couple of the lawmakers and they say it's just there is no kind of agreed position on what on earth they're going to do. The party is so divided right now. You have this faction who does not want to impeach the president, right? They want to hold out. They want the president to resign himself. They think if they impeach him, they are committing political suicide. They're not going to be re-elected themselves. The people in their party will not forgive them. That's where they're at, and that is why they don't want to impeach the president. But there are this handful coming around and thinking that impeachment is inevitable really they see the public anger

They see the tens of thousands of people on the street Not just on Saturday, but every single night and they realize that this is going to have to happen But will enough of them get to that place by Saturday? That's what we don't know Jean Mackenzie in Seoul After the extraordinary events of recent days There is a sense that Syrians are waiting with bated breath to see what comes now. One restaurant owner says he's hopeful for the future. We opened the shop because we wanted our lives back.

We are happy that our country is safe again. I'm very optimistic. The country was full of injustice and oppression. That's over now. But another resident in the capital says she's concerned about what will happen next. Life without Assad is beautiful, but we don't feel enough safe yet. We need to be more safe. I just need things to quiet down.

The children are afraid from all those arms, bullets in the air. There have been more conciliatory words from Syria's new prime minister. Mohammed al-Bashir said the Islamist-led alliance will guarantee the rights of all religious groups and called on the millions who fled the war to return home. I asked our correspondent in Damascus, Lena Sinjab, how people there were feeling. It's really a celebratory mood today. I've started the early hours of the morning going to the fruits and vegetable market and it's just like it's picking up, they're receiving all their products from rural areas, from the coastal side, a sign that the traffic is back normal into the city.

And then we moved to the old city in the Umayyad Mosque. People are going in in big numbers, taking pictures in the bazaar. It's filled up with people, visited the famous ice cream shop. We can hardly made our way in and out because of how much people are out in the streets. And that's a sign that people are relaxed, people have confidence. As we were there, there were lots of rebels coming in and out and people were posing with pictures with them. You know, they're treating them as heroes, as winners, and they're in really celebratory mood. And of course, you know, that's on a public level, but when I talk to other people,

they are having the concerns about the Islamist agenda that these rebels are coming with, especially the formation of this interim government happened from one sided, which is the group who won this war and toppled Assad, appointed them without consultation with other opposition. However, they're hoping that in the future, after this interim government is finished, it's time that there will be more consultation and inclusion of the Syrian society, women, Christians,

minorities, different political groups. That's what they're hoping for and pushing for. And anecdotally, there are concerns on the streets, one of the BBC correspondents was there, was told by an HTS soldier, look I'm going to give you brotherly advice, wear a veil. So these concerns will perhaps come to the forefront of people's minds about freedoms in the new Syria. Well I think these are really things to watch for because I also had a friend who was in

an area and a couple of men with arms came up to her and said you should wear a veil. And she went to the main checkpoint with HTS and complained and they said sorry about that and these are not with us. You need to give us time until we stop all the ones who are irregular holding up arms and making orders. And they went and talked to the men and pushed them away. So it's really early days, it would only be in three days. We need to watch and see how they're doing. Their leadership is saying that they won't be forcing anyone about

any different dress code that the country would be inclusive of everyone but the actions that will matter at the end. Lina Sinjab. There's been a record outbreak of dengue fever in Central and South America. The Pan American Health Organisation says the number of cases of the mosquito-borne disease has nearly trebled this year, affecting 12.6 million people and almost 8,000 people have died. Most cases of dengue are mild, but it can cause severe muscle and joint pain and a high temperature. Rob Young spoke to Professor Peter Hotez, Dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at

Baylor College in Houston, Texas. Those are the ones that are being counted, almost 13 million cases, probably a lot more and we're looking at more than 20,000 severe cases and 8,000 deaths. This has been a general increase in what we call arbovirus infections, viruses transmitted by mosquitoes. So it not only includes dengue, but also there's been a rise in yellow fever, chikungunya virus infection. And the reasons behind it are not entirely clear. It's believed that climate change is a big factor because mosquitoes of course like a warm climate and faster virus development. Another big factor though is deforestation and urbanization. So expanded areas where mosquitoes are coming into closer contact with people.

And what impact does dengue fever generally have on people? We know there's a very high death toll from it over the last year but what does the impact on most? Well it's a very unpleasant infection to have. One of the older names for it is called breakbone fever because of the joint pain and other myalgias associated with the virus, but in severe cases that causes hemorrhagic disease, bleeding and then subsequently significant level of mortality in some patients. So children tend to be more vulnerable and interestingly among adults, those with underlying diabetes and hypertension, kind of similar to what we learned about COVID as well.

Are there not enough vaccinations in the various countries that have been affected by this large rise in the number of dengue fever cases for people to be inoculated? No, the problem is the dengue vaccines are still experimental. There's several prototype vaccines that have been put forward by the big pharmaceutical companies. There's another one that hopefully will come online soon that will show even better protection. So for now, it relies heavily on mosquito control. And the problem with the mosquitoes that transmit dengue in the Americas is called the Aedes aegypti mosquito.

It lives in close association with human habitats, so small containers of water in pots of water that are in the homes, around the homes, so it's very labor-intensive to control. So we're looking at alternative methods of vector control, mosquito control, including using genetically modified mosquitoes or modifying mosquitoes with a type of pathogen, a bacterial pathogen known as Wolbachia. And by the way, this is not going to stay contained in Brazil or in neighboring Colombia and Argentina. Interestingly, we're seeing an increase in dengue cases as well as other mosquito transmitted infections,

even malaria now on the Gulf Coast of the US in South Texas and South Florida and we're also seeing similar examples of this in southern Europe as well. So I think this acceleration of climate change, urbanization, those two are working hand in glove to cause this significant rise. Peter Hotez, a new study has found that a male humpback whale traveled more than 13,000 kilometres in search of a mate. The whale's epic journey began off the coast of Columbia and finished near Zanzibar in the Indian Ocean. It is one of the longest and most unusual migrations ever recorded and was confirmed by photographs taken by whale watchers. Helen Briggs has the details. Humpback

whales are known for having one of the longest migrations of any mammal, migrating from their summer feeding grounds to breed in warmer waters closer to the equator. But international researchers say this adult male humpback had one of the longest and most unusual migrations ever recorded, visiting breeding grounds in both the Pacific and the Indian Ocean over the course of several years. They think this epic journey might be down to climate change shrinking populations of krill the tiny shrimp-like creatures humpback whales feed on, or it could be an ocean odyssey to find a mate. The researchers hope a citizen science project analysing hundreds of thousands of photographs of whales through artificial intelligence will help give an answer. Whales can be identified through the individual shapes

and patterns of their tails, allowing their movement around the globe to be mapped. I was shocked. I started to cry and begged her to let me go. I had to sleep with my makeup on and you always had to be in your underwear, ready for any customer who will arrive. The growing impact of sex trafficking around the world. My name is Ken Morioka and I somehow found myself trapped in my grandpa Alan's 18-year-old body in World War II. Purple Heart Warriors, the new time-bending drama series from the BBC World Service. Maybe the whole reason I was there was to change something.

Listen now by searching for dramas wherever you get your BBC podcasts. The trial has begun of seven men charged with violent disorder against Israeli football supporters in Amsterdam last month before and after a match between IAX and Maccabee Tel Aviv. The first five suspects are appearing in court on Wednesday. Two more will appear on Thursday. Our correspondent in Amsterdam, Anna Holaghan, is following the case. Just to remind you of the context, after the match between Maccabee Tel Aviv and IAX in the Dutch capital Amsterdam, Israelis were chased and assaulted. The mayor said they were hit and run attacks. In many instances, they were carried out by men on scooters. So these targeted

attacks you will probably remember because they ignited this international outcry and accusations of anti-Semitism. The day before that, Israeli football fans had been caught on camera tearing down a Palestinian flag. They'd also vandalised taxis which are often driven here in the Netherlands by Arab immigrants. So that's the kind of background to all of this. And you mentioned five suspects appearing in court today. The first couple have already appeared. This is going to be a full day of hearings because each suspect is appearing individually before a panel of three judges. Now there are consequences for the Netherlands with regards to the politics of all this

and concerns about migration and the position of Arabs within society there. But what about the consequences for the men on trial? That's exactly right. So at the time both Israeli officials and the Dutch government had urged the prosecution service here to treat these attacks on Israeli fans as terrorism, but actually the prosecutor said there wasn't enough evidence that the perpetrators had intended to instill fear within the Jewish community. That's alluding to the idea that this was more about football violence. It was more a direct response to to the idea that this was more about football violence, it was more a direct response to the violence carried out the night before by the Maccabi Tel Aviv fans. So in terms of these suspects, youngest of the seven has been the first to appear in court in Amsterdam. 19-year-old,

he has been named by the prosecution as Lucas D. They only gave the first initial of surnames under Dutch law. He's accused of possessing heavy illegal fireworks near the Johan Cruyff Arena, the stadium where the match was being played, and being a member of a Snapchat group that called for violence. He's also suspected of being part of a group that threw stones at police near the stadium. So prosecutors in that case have asked for judges to impose a sentence of six months with three suspended. Second suspect, he hasn't been named, 32 years old. He is charged also with public order offences and prosecutors have asked for him to be given two years and we're expecting a verdict in

the case of all seven suspects on the 24th of December. Anahole in Amsterdam. In another case of alleged anti-Semitism, Australian police say they're looking for two people suspected of painting anti-Israeli graffiti in Sydney and setting a car on fire. It comes a few days after a suspected arson attack on a synagogue in Melbourne. Both incidents have been condemned by the Prime Minister as hate crimes. Our Australia correspondent Katie Watson reports from Sydney. New South Wales police say that in the early hours of Wednesday morning they were called to an address in Wallara which has a long established Jewish community. They found two vehicles, one on fire. Both had been graffitied with anti-Israel slogans as had the fence of two homes

and a footpath. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the attack was an outrage and that there was no place for anti-Semitism in Australia. This is quite horrific. It is something that is, I think, quite shocking. And I think that what we're seeing needs to be a very clear message. That it's completely unacceptable. It needs to stop. And people who are the perpetrators of these crimes need to be brought to justice.

Meanwhile, police in Melbourne are still hunting for three people suspected of setting a synagogue on fire on Friday. Katie Watson in Sydney. Human trafficking thrives on chaos and instability. And given the number of conflicts and climate-induced disasters facing the world at the moment trafficking is at record levels. The majority of people targeted are women and girls who were detained for the purpose of sexual exploitation and thousands of these people are trafficked into Europe via Spain. BBC 100 Women series followed one elite unit of police detectives as they rescue women and help them rebuild their lives.

Blanca Munoz reports. It all starts with a friendly voice on the phone offering you an opportunity when you need it the most. When you realize what's going on it's too late. Life will never be the same. For Victoria this moment came when she first saw the room, which she would spend the next three years. It was a metal lock on the door that made her shiver. I was shocked. I started to cry and begged her to let me go. The trafficker who had lured Victoria to Spain from Colombia responded with two simple words – no way. Spain is both a transit country and often the final destination for thousands of victims,

mainly from Latin America and Africa, who are trafficked into Europe. Instead of starting her promised job as a cleaner, Victoria was immediately forced into prostitution. I had to sleep with my make-up on and you always had to be in your underwear, ready for any customer who will arrive. Victoria lived with the fear that no one would come to save her. An elite team of mainly female investigators was already on her traffickers' trail. At a secret location in the middle of the night, the police is preparing to raid a property where a gang is suspected to hide their victims. Cristina is part of an elite unit of Guardia Civil Detectives

who fight organized crime and rescue traffic victims. It's minutes, seconds even before you can enter the property but it feels like an eternity. The team's investigation shows the sex trafficking has gone further underground after the pandemic, with most victims now kept in private apartments supplied by criminal gangs. The state of these flats affects even experienced investigators like Cristina. You are ready to throw away the clothes you wear during a raid as you won't be able to wash the smell off. It's so distressing and the stench often makes you sick. Her deputy, Lydia, agrees. When you go inside these flats and see the conditions in which victims had to work and

live for so long, it's terrifying. It was Cristina and Lydiaidia's team who rescued Victoria from one of these floods a few years ago. We can't give details of her rescue because as a protective witness, we need to conceal her identity. But Victoria remembers it was a funny morning. I look at them, hug them and cried.

I go out on the street and breathe and I say, my God, thank you, I'm alive. I feel free and that's the best feeling. That report was by Blanca Munoz and you can watch the BBC 100 Women documentary Raid on the Brothel next door on the BBC World Service YouTube channel from Saturday 14 December. And finally... Alphabet shares are higher after announcing a quantum computing breakthrough, unveiling its new chip Willow, which can perform a milestone computing in just five minutes time that would take a classic supercomputer. Yes, Google's new quantum computing chip called Willow can solve problems in

minutes that would take one of today's fastest supercomputers 10 septillion years to complete. That's a one and 25 zeros. But what practical use does it have now? Rahul Tandon asked professor of theoretical physics John Prescott. Well it can't really do anything useful yet. Really, all they have is one well-protected qubit, the analog of a bit, and you can't do a computation with just one qubit. You'll have to have many. Now, they've also tried to run applications

without using quantum error correction using this device. It has 105 qubits, and they make the case that they can solve problems with the device far faster than we could with conventional computers, but these are not problems of any practical interest. They're problems which they chose to solve, applications they ran just for the purpose of benchmarking the device. But their estimate is that to emulate what their quantum processor has done with

the most powerful supercomputers that currently exist would take much longer than the age of the universe. So from what you're saying, whilst this is important conceptually, in terms of commercially, we're a long way from it being able to do things like that? I think that's correct. I think the technology has gotten to the stage where it's quite interesting to scientists. We can explore the way complicated quantum systems behave in ways that we couldn't before and that can lead to commercial applications down the road. But we're not sure how long it's going to take. Go on, give us a guess. I mean, are we talking in the next 50 years?

Yeah, I would say 20 years is a reasonable estimate for substantial impact. We're clearly some way from this being commercially valuable, but the fact that so many big companies like Google are investing in it does seem to show that they think at some point this could be worth a lot of money for them. I think that's right. The big question is what's the time scale? And the truth is we don't really know but unless we make ambitious Attempts to advance the technology. It's never going to happen. So it's a good thing that the companies and also

various research groups national labs and so on are investing in deeper understanding and better hardware for Using this quantum technology that will make it happen faster. Will it need a lot more power is that going to become an issue do you think in terms of the amount of electricity it will take? It's a potential issue but I don't think the power requirements will be nearly as large as for advances in AI where the power we need is really extremely daunting. That was John Prescott.

And that's all from us for now, but there will be a new edition of the Global News podcast later. If you want to comment on this podcast or the topics covered in it, you can send us an email. The address is globalpodcast at bbc.co.uk. You can also find us on X at Global News Pod. This edition was produced by Judy Frankel and mixed by Pat Sissons. The editor is Karen Martin. I'm Nick Miles and until next time, goodbye. Hello. Simon Jack here from Good Bad Billionaire, the podcast from the BBC World Service exploring the minds, the motives and the money of some of the world's richest individuals.

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