JOHANNESBURG: South Africa condemned on Saturday US President Donald Trump’s decision to freeze aid to the country over a law he alleged allows land to be seized from white farmers.
“We are concerned by what seems to be a campaign of misinformation and propaganda aimed at misrepresenting our great nation,” the government said.
“It is disappointing to observe that such narratives seem to have found favor among decision-makers in the United States of America.”
The law would “enable the government of South Africa to seize ethnic minority Afrikaners’ agricultural property without compensation,” Trump alleged in an executive order, which also noted foreign policy clashes between the two countries over the war in Gaza.
South Africa said it “has taken note” of Trump’s executive order, but added: “It is of great concern that the foundational premise of this order lacks factual accuracy and fails to recognize South Africa’s profound and painful history of colonialism and apartheid.”
Land ownership is a contentious issue in South Africa, with most farmland still owned by white people three decades after the end of apartheid and the government under pressure to implement reforms.
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South Africa condemns ‘misinformation’ after Trump freezes aid
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South Africa condemns ‘misinformation’ after Trump freezes aid
- “We are concerned by what seems to be a campaign of misinformation,” the government said
- South Africa said it “has taken note” of Trump’s executive order
Former South Korean interior minister jailed for 7 years in martial law case
- Lee Sang-min is the second member of Yoon’s cabinet to be sentenced for their role in the martial law declaration
SEOUL: A South Korean court on Thursday sentenced former Interior Minister Lee Sang-min to seven years in prison for his role in ex-President Yoon Suk Yeol’s botched attempt to place the country under martial law in December 2024.
The Seoul Central District Court found Lee, 61, guilty of taking part in an insurrection by relaying instructions to police and fire agencies to cut power and water to media outlets. He also committed perjury by denying he had taken these actions during Yoon’s impeachment proceedings, the judge said.
“Using physical force against media outlets critical of the government weakens public opposition to the insurrection, making it easier for the plot to proceed,” judge Ryu Kyung-jin said.
Special prosecutors last month sought a 15-year prison sentence, arguing the former interior minister played a critical role in enabling the insurrection — allegations Lee denied.
Lee has been in custody since August after a court approved his arrest.
He is the second member of Yoon’s cabinet to be sentenced for their role in the martial law declaration, after former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo was sentenced to 23 years in jail in January.
The Seoul Central District Court found Lee, 61, guilty of taking part in an insurrection by relaying instructions to police and fire agencies to cut power and water to media outlets. He also committed perjury by denying he had taken these actions during Yoon’s impeachment proceedings, the judge said.
“Using physical force against media outlets critical of the government weakens public opposition to the insurrection, making it easier for the plot to proceed,” judge Ryu Kyung-jin said.
Special prosecutors last month sought a 15-year prison sentence, arguing the former interior minister played a critical role in enabling the insurrection — allegations Lee denied.
Lee has been in custody since August after a court approved his arrest.
He is the second member of Yoon’s cabinet to be sentenced for their role in the martial law declaration, after former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo was sentenced to 23 years in jail in January.
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