South korea: South Korea's President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday called for severe punishment for those who stage military coups, speaking on the eve of the first anniversary of the short-lived martial law that ousted his predecessor, Yoon Suk Yeol. Addressing a Cabinet meeting, Lee emphasized that statutes of limitations should not apply to 'state violent crimes.'

According to Anadolu Agency, Lee stated, 'Those who stage military coups to overturn the nation or infringe upon individuals' human rights through state power should be punished as long as they are alive, just as Nazi war criminals were handled.' Yoon imposed martial law late on December 3 last year, but parliament overturned it within six hours. He was later impeached and removed from office, leading to Lee's election in June.

Lee further asserted that 'as long as there are inherited assets, heirs should also be held fully accountable,' emphasizing the necessity to prevent recurrence. The president also highlighted the importance of 'separation of church and state,' directing officials to review 'institutional responses' to 'organized political intervention' by religious foundations. He described the principle as 'a truly significant constitutional decision.'

Lee cited examples from Japan, where the controversial Unification Church was dissolved due to its alleged involvement in a political funds scandal linked to the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. His remarks coincided with the indictment of controversial Unification Church leader Han Hak-ja in South Korea on charges of bribery, embezzlement, and evidence tampering related to former first lady Kim Keon Hee and the ruling People Power Party.

The former Democratic Party leader also addressed the issue of 'fake news,' expressing concern that it 'destroys democratic order' and calling for government-wide countermeasures. He questioned whether the government was neglecting the 'organized and systematic production of fake news.'

On the matter of data protection, Lee advocated for tougher penalties and the introduction of a punitive damages system. This call to action was in response to a major breach at e-commerce giant Coupang that exposed the personal information of nearly 34 million customers.