SEOUL: Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol left the presidential residence in Seoul on Friday for his private home, a week after the Constitutional Court removed him from office over his ill-fated imposition of martial law in December.
In recent days, moving trucks were seen driving in and out of the walled presidential compound in the Hannam-dong district, the site of a massive law enforcement operation in January that led to Yoon’s detainment. Yoon, who is facing a criminal trial on rebellion charges, was released from custody in March after a Seoul court canceled his arrest.
Yoon and his wife, Kim Keon Hee, along with their 11 dogs and cats, returned to their private apartment in affluent southern Seoul. As his black van arrived at the gate of the presidential compound, Yoon stepped out, smiling and waving to his supporters, shaking hands and embracing dozens of them, before getting back into the vehicle and leaving the site.
Arriving at the apartment complex where his private residence is located, Yoon stepped out of the van again and walked slowly through a crowd of supporters, shaking their hands as they chanted his name, as his wife closely followed.
Dozens of both supporters and critics of Yoon rallied in nearby streets amid a heavy police presence, holding signs that ran from “Your excellency Yoon, we will carry on with your spirit” to “Give Yoon Suk Yeol the death penalty!”
In a separate public message, Yoon expressed gratitude to his supporters who had protested for months calling for his reinstatement, and stressed that he will “continue to do my utmost” to build the “free and prosperous Republic of Korea that we have dreamed of together,” invoking South Korea’s formal name.
Yoon, a conservative who narrowly won the 2022 election, declared martial law on late-night television on Dec. 3, vowing to eradicate “anti-state” liberals whom he accused of abusing their legislative majority to obstruct his agenda. Yoon also declared a suspension of legislative activities and sent hundreds of troops to surround the National Assembly, but lawmakers still managed to form a quorum and voted to lift martial law just hours after it was imposed.
Yoon’s powers were suspended after the Assembly impeached him on Dec. 14. The Constitutional Court upheld impeachment and formally removed him from office last week, triggering a presidential election the government set for June 3.
Despite his self-inflicted downfall, it’s unlikely that Yoon will fade into the background, experts say. With the country entering election mode, he may try to rally his supporters while seeking to tighten his grip on the conservative People Power Party, whose leadership is stacked with loyalists.
Facing a separate criminal trial on rebellion charges, which are punishable by death or life in prison, Yoon would strongly prefer a conservative president who could pardon him if convicted and is likely to push to ensure the party’s primaries are won by a candidate he supports, experts say.
Ousted South Korean President Yoon embraces supporters after leaving presidential residence
https://arab.news/25ydc
Ousted South Korean President Yoon embraces supporters after leaving presidential residence
- Constitutional Court removed him from office over his ill-fated imposition of martial law in December
- Yoon and his wife, Kim Keon Hee, returned to their private apartment in affluent southern Seoul
Linking Macao to Hong Kong, world’s longest sea bridge grows into travel hotspot
- Spanning 55 km, the bridge cost $20bn and took 9 years to complete
- It recorded over 25m passenger trips so far in 2025
MACAO: Stepping onto a shuttle departing from Hong Kong, passengers are struck by the scale of the bridge, as it carries them toward Macao. Behind them, the land quickly fades, and for the next half hour, only open sea stretches on either side of the bus.
The 55 km-long passage is the world’s longest bridge-tunnel sea-crossing, spanning the waters of the Lingding Channel in the Pearl River Estuary, a key waterway in southern China that flows into the South China Sea.
It connects China’s two special administrative regions — Macao and Hong Kong — and the mainland city of Zhuhai.
When it opened in October 2018, the new link cut travel time by roughly 70 percent. Today, it is not only a convenient route but also a growing tourist attraction.
“It is really exciting, especially seeing the vast stretch of sea from inside the bus as it moved across the bridge. At first, I didn’t expect it to be that long, but the ride felt comfortable and smooth. Seeing the sea on both sides felt calm and stunning at the same time,” said Fitrinaz, a young public relations consultant from Indonesia, who was visiting Macao for the first time.
“What moved me the most was the scenery. The sea was incredibly wide and looked peaceful from above. I loved seeing the ships and boats passing beneath the bridge, which made the view feel more alive.”
Before the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, her journey would take up to four hours by land.
“I only found out later that this is actually the longest sea bridge in the world, and it felt incredible to cross it in person,” Fitrinaz told Arab News.
“This trip made me even more amazed at how Macao and Hong Kong are connected through such massive infrastructure. For me, it became one of the most memorable experiences during my visit to Macao.”
Built by a consortium of Chinese state-owned construction companies, the $20 billion bridge took nine years to complete and was designed to withstand earthquakes and typhoons. According to HZMB Authority data, over 420,000 tons of steel went into the project, which is enough to make nearly 60 Eiffel Towers.
Around 30 km of the bridge stretches across the waters of the Pearl River Delta. A 6.7 km section in the middle dips into an undersea tunnel, running between two artificial islands, to allow ships to pass.
The rest of the structure consists of link roads, viaducts, and land tunnels that connect Zhuhai, Hong Kong, and Macao to the main bridge.
Xinhua, China’s official state news agency, reported in late October that the HZMB had handled more than 93.34 million passenger trips in total, including 25 million so far in 2025. More and more of them are international tourists.
Budy Santoso, a celebrity photographer from Jakarta, was visiting the region for the first time. Unsure of what to expect in Macao, he initially worried about navigating the entry and the language barrier.
“Thankfully, it turned out not to be as difficult as I imagined … Macao seems to be developing itself into a tourist destination. From the bridge, you can already see colorful lights as evening approaches,” he said.
“I was greeted by a beautiful city as I crossed that long bridge. I entered a modern city with all its expensive facilities.”
