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Protests Call For South Korean President To Quit Over Martial Law Order; Israel Threatens To Expand War If Hezbollah Truce Collapses; Georgia Police Use Water Cannon, Tear Gas At Pro-EU Protest. South Korean President Yoon Pressured to Resign After Martial Law Fiasco; Pentagon Monitoring Possible Reaction from North Korea; FBI Arrests Chinese National Allegedly Trying to Send Weapons to North Korea; Notre Dame Cathedral Set to Reopen; Paris Flight Stowaway to Return to U.S. Wednesday. Aired 1-2a ET

Aired December 04, 2024 - 01:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LYNDA KINKADE, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome. I'm Lynda Kinkade. Ahead here on CNN Newsroom, calls are growing for South Korea's president to resign after he declared martial law and then lifted it, triggering massive protests.

Plus, Israel is warning it will go deeper into Lebanon if the ceasefire with Hezbollah does not hold. And Syrian rebels are advancing on another key city as the Syrian army sends in reinforcements in the anticipation of the assault.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Live from Atlanta. This is CNN Newsroom with Lynda Kinkade.

KINKADE: We begin in South Korea where pressure is mounting on the president to resign after he declared martial law. Right now, protesters are out in force in Seoul a day after Yoon Suk-yeol declared martial law before reversing the decision hours later. He claimed he was doing it to protect against anti-state forces and threats from North Korea.

His chief of staff and several senior secretaries have already resigned and opposition leaders say they'll soon start impeachment proceedings against the president. The country's largest labor union is planning to strike until the president steps down.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PARK CHAN-DAE, DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF KOREA FLOOR LEADER (through translator): He should step down, resign immediately. This is the mandate of the people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KINKADE: Many are questioning what was truly behind the martial law declaration which led to clashes between protesters and security forces. Hundreds of police officers remain on guard outside South Korea's national assembly building. For more now, I want to welcome CNN's Kristie Lu Stout, who's following the developments live from Hong Kong. Good to see you, Kristie.

So this was a dramatic turn of events with the president forced to end the declaration of martial law almost as soon as he began it. What's the situation in South Korea now?

KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Very dramatic turn of events, Lynda. Resignations are rolling in from the president's senior staff. You have workers from South Korea's largest union protesting in downtown Seoul. Security is tight around the parliament building after protests broke out over the president's declaration of martial law, declaration that hours later he reversed due to South Korean law.

Here is what went down. Late on Tuesday night about 10:30 p.m. local time, that was when the South Korean president Yoon Suk-yeol declared martial law. In this prize address, he accused the main opposition party of anti-state activities and sympathizing with North Korea. And the backlash was fast and furious. His move sparked demonstrations. Thousands of people turned out to protest outside the National Assembly and lawmakers voted to block the martial law decree.

And in the early hours of this day on Wednesday, the president backtracked he withdrew the order along with the troops deployed to carry it out. Now, resignations have been submitted by the President's chief of staff and as well as more than 10 senior secretaries and lawmakers. They are calling for more.

In a statement to reporters on Wednesday, we heard from the leader of the ruling party, the People's Power Party, who apologized to the public and called for the Defense Minister to be fired. Let's bring up the statement for you. This is what we heard from Han Dong-hoon, saying this. Quote, the President must directly and thoroughly explain this tragic situation. The Minister of Defense who recommended this martial law should be immediately dismissed, and all those responsible must be held strictly accountable, unquote.

The main opposition party is calling for the president, President Yoon, to step down or face impeachment. We heard from a senior Democratic Party member of Parliament who said this. Let's bring up the statement. Quote, even if martial law is lifted, he cannot avoid treason charges. It was clearly revealed to the entire nation that President Yoon could no longer run the country normally. He should step down.

Now, workers from South Korea's largest union, they are, and they have been protesting in downtown Seoul, and they say that they will continue to do so until the President steps down. Look, this is South Korea's biggest political crisis in decades. This was a move by the President that stunned allies. It stunned observers around the world. It plunged. The South Korean won against the U.S. dollar.

President Yoon may have lifted martial law, but questions are swirling about him, about his political fate, about what will happen next in South Korea, one of the world's most important economies. Back to you, Lynda.

KINKADE: And Kristie, not only do people in South Korea, not only do they feel like they were completely caught off guard, so did South Korea's closest ally, the U.S. who was unaware of the situation. How is the U.S. and other allies viewing this?

[01:05:00]

LU STOUT: Yes, absolutely. South Korea's allies, including the United States, completely taken off guard. We heard from a senior U.S. official, a Biden administration official, saying that they were notified in advance of President Yoon's plan to declare martial law. The United States has said that they have expressed grave concern over the situation in South Korea.

But we also heard from the Deputy Secretary of State, Kirk Campbell, saying that the alliance, the relationship between the U.S. and South Korea remains, quote, ironclad. Lynda.

KINKADE: Kristie Lu Stout for us in Hong Kong. Good to have you with us. Thank you.

LU STOUT: Thank you.

KINKADE: Well, I want to welcome Ellen Kim, a senior fellow at the center for Strategic and International Studies. She joins us live from Seoul. Good to have you with us.

ELLEN KIM, SENIOR FELLOW, CSIS KOREA CHAIR: Thank you.

KINKADE: So this is far from the first time a South Korean government has declared martial law, or at least a president in this case. Historically speaking how significant is this?

KIM: So this is not the first time a South Korean government declare martial law. As you said, historically, there have been 16 martial law declarations since the country was founded. However, the sudden announcement of martial law by President Yoon last night, seemingly to resolve this political standoff with the opposition party in the National Assembly, is unprecedented and even quite shocking to many Koreans, as many Koreans have a painful memory of the military dictatorship in 1970s and 80s.

KINKADE: And in declaring martial law, President Yoon accused the opposition of sympathizing with North Korea. Has he ever made those sort of claims before?

KIM: Yes. If you remember President Yoon's speech, major speech on the unification policy in August, he actually indicated that there are some anti-state forces in South Korea that he designated. And I think that this was reflected in the same line of thinking is reflected in President Yoon's declaration martial law yesterday.

KINKADE: But it was interesting considering he's made those claims before, that this came across as a pretty rush decision. Even people in his own party were unaware that this was coming. And certainly he hadn't discussed this with his closest ally with the US. So what was his objective? What was he hoping to achieve? KIM: yes, that's something that really unclear at this moment because

I mean, it is largely tied to a deep political polarization in South Korea after the -- this opposition party won the majority seats in the national assembly in the general election in April this year. There has been a month of political standoff with the president and the opposition party over several political scandals involving the first lady and some political leaders.

But last week the tension escalated with the opposition party deciding to cut the government budget and stated that they are going to start impeachment proceedings for some of the key officials. And President Yoon saw this strongly, condemned this as a legislative dictatorship, and saw this as a threat to his own government.

So President Yoon may have felt that he didn't have a choice but to act to break this paralysis by caused by this opposition party holding a majority in the National Assembly. But Yoon's declaration martial law is reminiscent of the old days when the military government ruled the country. And Yoon has been a strong advocate of freedom and democracy. But all the things that he -- all the measures that he chose to implement yesterday with the declaration of martial law actually go against that. So it's really difficult to understand what he's trying to achieve with that.

KINKADE: And given the strong opposition, the calls for impeachment, the fact that we've already seen resignations within his own party, is he no longer considered fit for office?

KIM: I mean, there's a great uncertainty about President Yoon's presidency. I think the main opposition party already demanded his resignation, accusing of causing a national crisis. And even his party, and even if he doesn't comply, then they said that they are going to start impeachment process. And the opposition party already have a majority in the national assembly.

And the key will be what will be the stance of the ruling party. But it seems like the situation doesn't really. The ruling party doesn't seem to be siding with the President Yoon at the moment. And I think that political vacuum which could potentially be created by Yoon's departure will create a political instability in South Korea that we saw in 2016 with the impeachment of then President, Park Geun-hye.

KINKADE: And speaking of that impeachment, I mean, what sort of charges could President Yoon face, do you think?

[01:10:00]

KIM: Well, the opposition party already mentioned that his declaration martial law on the ground is actually grounded for the treason. We really have to wait and see how the court makes the judgment on that. But it's actually quite frightening to hear that we South Korea have another impeachment crisis over the conservative governments in power.

KINKADE: And of course, U.S. President Joe Biden sort of held up President Yoon, as someone that was such a big advocate for democracy, how does this situation affect its relations now with the US? KIM: Well, I think that Biden administration will carefully watch the situation. Obviously, as you said, the Southern (INAUDIBLE), that martial law by President Yoon puts the Biden administration in a very awkward situation -- awkward position. The Biden administration have been very supportive of the President Yoon. They saw the President Yoon as a strong partner of the U.S.-South Korea alliance, but also the promotion in the Pacific alignment, democratic alignment in the Pacific region in the face of this rise of the authoritarianism led by China, Russia and North Korea. So Yoon's decision last night is a major shock to the Biden administration.

KINKADE: Yes, it certainly is a shock to in the U.S. and of course, across South Korea. Ellen Kim in Seoul, good to have you with us. Thanks so much.

KIM: Thank you.

KINKADE: Well, Israel is warning Lebanon of dire consequences if the ceasefire with Hezbollah falls apart. Israel's defense minister visited troops near the border Tuesday, a day after Israel and Hezbollah both carried out attacks despite the ceasefire. Here's what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ISRAEL KATZ, ISRAEL DEFENSE MINISTER (through translator): If we go back to war, we will penetrate deeper. And the most important thing they should know is that there will be no immunity for the state of Lebanon. Until now, we made a distinction between Lebanon and Hezbollah. It will no longer be the case.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KINKADE: The U.S. says it believes the truce, quote, continues to be largely holding in place despite tit for tat strikes between the two sides. An Israeli minister says both the French and American governments have privately told Israel that they believe it is violating the agreement. One more now from CNN's Jeremy Diamond reporting from Tel Aviv.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: One week after Israel and Hezbollah agreed to a ceasefire, we are now witnessing the most tenuous moments of this very fragile truce. That's because over the course of the last week, we have seen near daily accusations of violations of the ceasefire on both sides of the equation. And the past 48 hours have seen an uptick in violence between Israel and Hezbollah.

On Monday night, after Hezbollah fired two rockets towards Israeli occupied territory, Israel responded with a series of airstrikes that resulted in the deadliest stay in Lebanon since the beginning of the ceasefire. Nine people were killed in Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon. But they are not the only airstrikes that we've seen from Israel. Every single day of the ceasefire, Israel has actually carried out some kind of airstrike.

They say that they are doing so in order to enforce this ceasefire, claiming that those strikes were targeting Hezbollah operatives who were violating this cease fire agreement. But we do know that not only has the Lebanese government accused Israel of violating the cease fire, but also U.S. and French officials who are part of this monitoring mechanism, have raised serious questions with Israel about these potential violations.

There have also been concerns about the fact that Israel appears to be flying drones very low over Beirut, which could also be a violation of this ceasefire. A source with UNIFIL says that there have been more than 100 Israeli violations of this ceasefire over the course of the last week.

And now there is a new warning from the Israeli Defense Minister, Israel Katz, who is saying that should this ceasefire break down, should Israel return to a state of war with Hezbollah, then this time will be different. Israel will not only strike deeper into Lebanese territory, he says, but will also go after the Lebanese government itself, meaning not just going after Hezbollah targets, but also going after the Lebanese government, the Lebanese military, which would be a dramatic escalation of this conflict.

Now, that's not something that we're foreseeing right now at this stage. It seems like the political will is still there to maintain this ceasefire, but the question is, for how long as we watch this very fragile moment of this truce. Jeremy Diamond, CNN, Tel Aviv.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KINKADE: Rebel forces are still on the move in Syria, seizing more areas despite strikes by Russia and the Syrian army.

[01:15:00]

Opposition fighters are now on the doorstep of Hama in central Syria, the latest location in their lightning offensive that began in the north last week. The areas in green show the territory already taken by the rebels, which includes much of Aleppo and Idlib province. And you can see Hama is just a bit further to the south. CNN's Ben Wedeman explains why this city is strategically significant to both sides.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Forces loyal to the Syrian government remain on the defensive, with attention now focused on the central Syrian city of Hama. The rebels have taken up positions north of Hama, a city where in 1982 the army and intelligence services of then President Hafez Al Assad, the father of today's Bashar al-Assad, killed more than 10,000 people during an uprising led by the Muslim Brotherhood. Hama was also the scene of huge anti-Assad regime protests at the start of the revolt against Bashar in 2011.

Syria's official news agency reported Tuesday evening that government reinforcements had been deployed in the city in anticipation of a rebel assault. Now the rebel offensive is spearheaded Hayat Tahrir al- Sham, formerly known as Jabhat al-Nusra, considered by the U.S. to be a terrorist organization. Meanwhile, the rebels are consolidating their grip over most of Aleppo, Syria's second biggest city.

Regime forces largely abandoned the city without much of a fight. The area under the control of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham has more than doubled in less than a week, while the United Nations reports almost 50,000 people have been displaced as a result of the renewed fighting.

Now the Syrian Defense Ministry has vowed to launch a counteroffensive, but apart from strikes by the Syrian and Russian Air Forces, that counteroffensive has yet to materialize. I'm Ben Wedeman, CNN, reporting from Rome.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KINKADE: The U.S. says it cannot confirm a New York Times report that Israel is building bases in Gaza, but it adds that if true, it would be inconsistent with American policy. The presence of Israeli forces in Gaza has been a sticking point in the poor ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Israel's Strategic Affairs Minister Monday to discuss a hostage deal and the need for plans for a post-war Gaza. Here's more now from a State Department official.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VEDANT PATEL, DEPUTY SPOKESPERSON, U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT: If they are true, certainly they would be inconsistent with a number of the principles that Secretary Blinken laid out in Tokyo about a year ago of what our viewpoint is when it comes to the region and the future of the region.

So firstly that would most certainly be the case and I think key among them is that there cannot be any reduction in territory of Gaza beyond that. There can also be no forced displacement of Palestinians from their home and they must be allowed to return safely to their homes in the north as soon as the conditions allow.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KINKADE: Well, protests in Georgia show no signs of slowing down as thousands marched through the streets accusing the ruling party of turning away from the west and cozying up to Russia. Plus, world leaders are practically lining up outside Donald Trump's home. Find out who's on the guest list and what they're hoping to accomplish.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[01:20:40]

KINKADE: For a sixth straight night, police in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi clashed with pro-European Union protesters, using water cannons and teargas to push them away from the parliament building. The former Soviet republic has been rocked by demonstrations after the ruling Georgian Dream Party announced it would delay EU membership talks until 2028. Most Georgians support joining the EU and critics are accusing the government of following authoritarian and pro-Russian policies. More now from CNN's Matthew Chance.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Another night of mayhem on the streets of Tbilisi. The capital of the former Soviet republic of Georgia is now torn between Russia and the West. Protesters here, furious their government, seen as increasingly close to the Kremlin, is delaying further talks to join the European Union.

NIA TIKHELIDZE, PROTESTER: We should be the members of European family and unfortunately our government tries their best not to let us and not to allow us.

GIORGI BAGRATION DAVITASHVILI: I think the Georgian government thinks that Georgia is Russian and we will act as the Russian peoples do and no one will come out in the street if others are beaten, if others are disrespectful. But they are wrong in this. You know, this is Georgia, and Georgian people are not like that.

CHANCE (voice-over): For years now, the conservative ruling party, the Georgian Dream, has denied any formal links with the Kremlin. But by passing repressive laws like limiting civil society and gay rights similar to those in Russia, it's thrown into question the country's future with the West.

Over in Ukraine, a daily sobering reminder for Georgians of the price of defying Moscow. Georgia suffered a brief war of its own with Russia in 2008, but avoiding this devastation of their Ukrainian neighbors, conflict that began with a popular uprising known as the Maidan is what the Georgian ruling party says now justifies its crackdown.

IRAKLI KOBAKHIDZE, GEORGIAN PRIME MINISTER: So the attempt to organize the Maidan in Georgia is already over. I would call everybody to keep quiet, let's say, and to keep peace in this country, so we are responsible for that. I can assure everybody that there will be peace in this country.

CHANCE (voice-over): But that's not how it looks on the streets of the Georgian capital, with police and pro-Western protesters outside the embattled parliament in what looks like a pivotal standoff. Matthew Chance, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KINKADE: Ukraine is pressing NATO's foreign ministers to extend an invitation for membership, but their meeting in Brussels will likely end today without a decision. Ukraine's foreign minister is insisting on membership to guarantee its security in the future and says an invitation would erase one of Russia's main arguments for starting the war to keep Ukraine out of the alliance. Ahead of that meeting, NATO chief Mark Rutte touted support for Kyiv, arguing Moscow is not interested in peace.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARK RUTTE, NATO SECRETARY-GENERAL: Ukraine is entering another crucial winter and Russia's aggression shows no sign of abating. Just the opposite. Putin is ramping up his rhetoric and reckless actions. He is using Ukraine as a testing ground for experimental missiles and is deploying North Korean soldiers in this illegal war.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KINKADE: On the sidelines of that meeting, Latvia's foreign minister told Reuters that in principle, leaders will have agreed Ukraine will be a member. But she says some members aren't comfortable bringing a country currently at war. And they're also waiting to see where Donald Trump stands on the issue once he takes office. Trump has said he could end Russia's war in Ukraine on day one, but hasn't explained how.

Some world leaders are not waiting until Trump takes office. They're lining up to get on his calendar now.

[01:25:02]

As CNN's Brian Todd reports, heads of state around the world are likely planning for how to approach a new Trump administration, knowing what the previous one was like.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): He was the first world leader to congratulate President-Elect Trump on his victory in November. And now France's 46-year-old President Emmanuel Macron is preparing to flatter Trump again, inviting Trump to Paris this weekend for the unveiling of the newly restored Notre Dame Cathedral.

MAX BOOT, COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS: I think President Macron is basically reprising his first term playbook of trying to get chummy with President Trump.

TODD (voice-over): Not many leaders were as deferential to Trump as Macron was during Trump's first term, laying on the charm, treating Trump to the fanfare of a Bastille Day parade in Paris in 2017, which impressed Trump so much that Trump said.

DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT-ELECT: We're going to have to try and top it.

BOOT: Trump came back and demanded that his military stage their own parade through Washington, which the armed forces were not eager to do.

TODD (voice-over): In recent days, another world leader, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, went to Mar-a-Lago to meet with Trump to appeal to Trump to back down on his threat to impose tariffs on Canada. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Prime Minister, was it a productive meeting with

the President-elect?

JUSTIN TRUDEAU, CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER: it was an excellent conversation.

TODD (voice-over): A conversation that, according to two sources briefed on it included Trump joking to Trudeau that if the tariffs were too tough on Canada, maybe Canada should join the U.S. as a 51st state? Trump then posting on social media an AI generated image of him standing next to a Canadian flag in the mountains. But Trump's audiences aren't just with Macron and Trudeau.

Even before his win in November, Trump met this year with Poland's president and Britain's foreign minister, had phone calls with Saudi Arabia's crown prince and the king of Bahrain, and staged a glamour gilded event at Mar-a-Lago with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban gushing over Orban's autocratic style.

TRUMP: He said this is the way it's going to be and that's the end of it, right? He's the boss and now he's a great leader, fantastic leader.

TODD (voice-over): Analysts say the scramble of world leaders clamoring to meet with Trump may only intensify.

JOSH ROGIN, WASHINGTON POST COLUMNIST: The Trump administration is making a list and checking it twice. They want to know who's on board and who's not on board. No matter what country you're from a dictatorship, a democracy. This is just the beginning of what will be four years of people traveling to Mar-a-Lago and Washington to kiss the ring.

TODD (voice-over): And the reelected president may rekindle his kinships with strongmen. Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel said this to CNN's Christiane Amanpour about her impressions of Trump during his first term.

ANGELA MERKEL, FORMER GERMAN CHANCELLOR (through translator): Well, in the way that he spoke about Putin, the way that he spoke about the North Korean president. Obviously, apart from critical remarks he made, there was always a kind of fascination at the sheer power of what these people could do.

TODD: The analyst we spoke to said, as chummy as these relationships with Trump are right now, these bromances all have the potential to go sour, as Macron's friendship with Trump did during Trump's first term when the two leaders clashed over the idea of a European army. And Trump then mocked Macron's low approval rating and tweeted support for his political opponents.

Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KINKADE: Well, still to come, the FBI arrests a man accused of trying to shift military grade weapons and technology to North Korea. We'll see some of the items found in his home.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[01:30:50]

LYNDA KINKADE, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back.

You're watching CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Lynda Kinkade. Good to have you with us.

So according to South Korean media, six opposition parties have now submitted a bill to impeach President Yoon Suk-yeol. That's after he made the shocking decision to declare martial law late Tuesday night triggering widespread backlash only to rescind that decision hours later.

Labor unions have been chanting that they'll never go back to a dictatorship, which last happened back in the 1980s. Protesters have been rallying outside parliament demanding Mr. Yoon's resignation.

The embattled president postponed his first public meeting Wednesday, while likely mulling his next move. His chief of staff and many senior secretaries have already resigned.

Well, more on the dramatic events in Seoul from CNN's Will Ripley.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WILL RIPLEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: South Korea's biggest political crisis in decades ending almost as quickly as it began.

President Yoon Suk-yeol vowing to overturn his surprise declaration of martial law hours after parliament voted unanimously against it.

South Korea's first declaration of military rule in more than 40 years, igniting massive protests in Seoul. Despite months of political gridlock, bitter clashes with opposition leaders and mounting public frustration, almost nobody saw this coming.

JOHN NISSSON-WRIGHT, HEAD OF JAPAN AND KOREAS PROGRAM, UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE: This is an enormous overreaction by the president to say the very least. But for him to escalate in this way is really frankly, bizarre.

RIPLEY: Chaos outside the national assembly; inside, an emergency session. Parliament voting unanimously 190 to zero to overturn martial law just 150 minutes after Yoon's shocking order.

The vote, a rare moment of unity in South Korea's deeply divided legislature.

Opposition leaders described the president's move as an unprecedented assault on democracy.

LEE JAE-MYUNG, SOUTH KOREAN OPPOSITION LEADER (through translator): Tanks, armored personnel carriers and soldiers with guns and knives will rule the country. The judicial system is suspended and an emergency martial law regime where soldiers deliver a summary judgment, has begun.

RIPLEY: Veteran South Korean journalist Kenneth Choi says the nation is in collective shock.

KENNETH CHOI, SOUTH KOREAN JOURNALIST: Everybody is flabbergasted. The very essence of our democracy has probably come to a halt.

RIPLEY: The road ahead is uncertain. President Yoon's popularity was already plummeting. Now, some are calling for him to resign.

Underlying issues, political polarization, economic struggles, and public discontent remain unresolved. South Korea's democracy may have withstood this test, but serious questions remain.

The immediate question, how much longer can President Yoon stay in office? He's being accused of treason by some. There are growing calls for his impeachment. South Korea does have a long history of holding its leaders accountable. They've been a democracy for the last 40 years or so and four South Korean presidents have gone to jail on various charges after leaving office, either corruption and bribery or abuse of power and human rights violations.

Now we watch to see what happens in Seoul.

Will Ripley, CNN -- Taipei.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KINKADE: Well, the situation in South Korea caught U.S. officials off guard. According to a National Security Council spokesperson, who noted there were concerns about the lack of notice.

President Joe Biden was asked about the issue while traveling in Angola.

[01:34:46]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. President, anything on South Korea martial law?

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Just getting briefed on it. Just getting briefed. I haven't heard (ph) anything. Thank you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KINKADE: Secretary of State Antony Blinken issued a statement after the martial law order was lifted, saying in part, "We welcome President Yoon's statement that he would rescind the order declaring emergency martial law after the national assembly's unanimous vote to reject the declaration.

We continue to expect political disagreements to be resolved peacefully and in accordance with the rule of law."

U.S. Defense officials say the martial law declaration had no real impact on American forces stationed in South Korea. Our Pentagon correspondent Oren Liebermann has more on that.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: The Pentagon has been watching the situation in South Korea very closely, at least partially because of the massive U.S. military presence there at Camp Humphreys. Some 28,500 U.S. troops there in addition to all these civilian DoD personnel and the families that are there. So it is a major U.S. military presence as well as a critical U.S. military alliance.

U.S. Forces Korea is led by a four-star general, General Paul Lacamera so that is part of the critical nature of the relationship between the U.S. and the South Koreans there. The U.S. of course, has been in touch with the South Korean government, and that includes military to military conversations here according to the Pentagon, although they haven't detailed the extent of those conversations.

There were -- throughout the hours that this took place, there were no changes to U.S. military force posture there and no additional rules or curfews that were imposed on U.S. service members there, according to the Pentagon.

But this is a situation they're obviously watching and continue to watch very closely. And that, of course, includes because of North Korea. This is sort of a situation where you might expect to see Kim Jong-un try to take advantage of this and carry out a ballistic missile launch or a drone launch or a military exercise that would sort of flex his muscle especially because the South Korean president blamed what he called North Korean communists for the situation that led him to declare martial law.

But at least as of now, the Pentagon says they haven't seen any indication of any major change from North Korea. But of course, given -- frankly given how sensitive the entire region is and given Kim's history of sort of taking advantage of a situation and -- or a perceived insult and carrying out some sort of military test or exercise, this is something the Pentagon is still watching very closely.

Oren Liebermann, CNN -- in the Pentagon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KINKADE: U.S. Federal authorities say they have foiled a sophisticated scheme to ship restricted weapons, ammunition and military grade technology to North Korea. A Chinese national now under arrest reportedly said the items were to be used in a surprise attack against South Korea.

CNN's Josh Campbell has the details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) JOSH CAMPBELL, CNN SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: The FBI has arrested a man they say was part of a scheme to illegally obtain weapons and military grade technology for shipment to the North Korean regime.

Shenghua Wen, an undocumented Chinese national living unlawfully in Ontario, California first came to the U.S. in 2012 as a student, but before arriving authorities allege he met with North Korean officials and was later provided $2 million to help Pyongyang obtain prohibited items.

Wen is charged with conspiracy to violate U.S. export control laws. His alleged co-conspirators were not named in the criminal complaint against him.

Now, CNN is attempting to locate Wen's attorney for comment.

During interviews with the FBI, Wen allegedly said, quote, "He believed the North Korean government wanted the weapons, ammunition and other military related equipment to prepare for an attack against South Korea, as well as military uniforms, which subsequently would be used by the North Korean military to disguise their soldiers to conduct a surprise attack on South Korea."

Prosecutors allege Wen established an export company in Texas, where firearms and ammunition were procured and transported to the Los Angeles area, and then ultimately packed in cargo containers bearing fake inventory manifest for shipment to the North Koreans as recently as 2023.

The criminal complaint alleges Wen and his co-conspirator sent at least two shipments of firearms and ammunition from Long Beach, California to North Korea via Hong Kong and China.

While executing a search warrant at Wen's home in September, authorities say they seized 50,000 rounds of ammunition, sophisticated chemical detection equipment, and a tool used for detecting listening devices, which Wen allegedly said he intended to also ship to North Korea.

AKIL DAVIS, HEAD OF FBI'S LOS ANGELES DIVISION: Not only did the investigative team prevented additional restricted items from going to the North Korean regime, but they gathered valuable intelligence for the United States and all of our allies.

This case is a success for the United States and no doubt dealt a significant blow to the North Korean government.

CAMPBELL: Now, if convicted of violating U.S. Export control laws, authorities say Wen could face up to 20 years in federal prison.

Josh Campbell, CNN -- Los Angeles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[01:39:48] KINKADE: U.S. officials are still working with the country's major telecom providers to evict Chinese-backed -- government-backed hackers from their networks. Officials say there is no timeline for when that will be done, as it remains unclear how deeply they have penetrated the networks.

A senior FBI official says the agency began investigating the hacking activity late spring or early summer. And that a large amount of bulk phone records were stolen, including the call and text data of a limited number of people in politics and government.

The alleged Chinese hackers have also gone after President-Elect Donald Trump, with the issue shaping up to be a top national security challenge for the incoming administration.

Still to come, a look inside Notre Dame Cathedral as she prepares to open her doors after more than five years. I'll speak with a writer who got a look at the landmark's final stages of restoration.

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KINKADE: Welcome back.

President Joe Biden addressed America's horrific history of slavery while speaking at the National Museum of Slavery in Angola on Tuesday. While acknowledging that slavery linked the two nations, Biden's message is hopeful for the future.

Angola was the point of departure for millions of enslaved Africans, and Biden said his visit to the country is, quote, "a reminder that no nation needs to be permanently the adversary of another.

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BIDEN: Our people lie at the heart of the deep and profound connection that forever binds Africa and the United States together. We remember the stolen men and women and children who were brought to our shores in chains, subjected to unimaginable cruelty.

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KINKADE: Biden's Angola visit is likely his final foreign trip as president. It's aimed at highlighting U.S. investments in Angola and in the continent in the face of deepening Chinese influence in the region.

First lady Jill Biden is making trips of her own this week, including stops in Italy, the U.A.E. and France. While in Paris, she is set to attend the reopening ceremony of Notre Dame Cathedral which was badly damaged by a mysterious fire more than five years ago. She may even cross paths with President-Elect Donald Trump, who is also set to attend.

It has been a grueling process to try and restore the famous cathedral after what investigators believe was just an accidental fire. Restoration efforts have added up to more than $737 million, according to the group overseeing the project. But even more money was raised in donations from donors coming from more than 150 countries.

Well before reopening to the public, the Archbishop of Paris will lead a ceremony of rites, blessings and performances marking the historic event.

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KINKADE: But National Geographic gained exclusive access to the cathedral ahead of its reopening and those pictures can be found in this month's issue of the magazine alongside its top photos of 2024.

Writer Robert Kunzig visited Notre Dame for the first time since the fire in the summer of 2021. And he returned earlier this year with a photographer to capture these images of the cathedral's final preparations ahead of its reopening.

And I'd like to welcome now Robert Kunzig who joins us now live from Birmingham, Alabama. Good to have you with us.

ROBERT KUNZIG, WRITER, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC: Thanks for having me. So you were in Paris the moment Notre Dame Cathedral caught fire. Just take us back to that moment. Where were you? What did you see?

KUNZIG: Yes, I was.

And by pure coincidence, I lived in France for a long time. But when the fire happened, I'd been back in the states for some years.

But we happened to be on vacation that week in Paris with some old friends. And on the night of the fire, at the hour of the fire, we happened to be driving in a taxi in front of the cathedral.

And looking out our window, stopped in traffic, noticed just a small knot of flames on the -- on the roof and really couldn't believe it at first but as the traffic was stopped, we were stalled and watched and stayed there for long enough to see the flames engulf the spire. And that's when we knew that the disaster was really happening.

KINKADE: And it was so mysterious at the time, right. What more do we know about how that fire started before we get to the renovations.

KUNZIG: Well, it's been kind of frustrating. The investigation has been going on and it seemed very thorough at first, they -- the police investigation, but no results have been released and very, very little has even been leaked.

But they they've ruled out that it was anything intentional, as you said earlier. It was definitely an accident and the most likely has always been some sort of an electrical failure, or possibly you know, a stray cigarette butt.

But I think the electrical failure is -- short circuit of some kind is probably the most likely. But I'm not sure we'll ever really know.

KINKADE: So the renovations to rebuild the cathedral started about five and a half years ago. President Macron wanted to make the cathedral better than ever, but it was a balancing act between preserving this medieval monument and improving it, right?

KUNZIG: Yes it was. And Macron at first, he set this very ambitious goal for five years. And people at the time thought it couldn't be done. He turned out to be right. It could be done.

But he also suggested at first that maybe some new modern gesture, as he called it would be a good idea that they might build a whole different kind of spire. But that -- he was quickly shouted down by the very powerful, monuments preservation establishment in France. And I think that that's a good thing.

And so in the end what they've done is they've done what they know how to do better than just about anybody. They've restored it really almost exactly as it was before the fire happened with some few exceptions.

KINKADE: Quite amazing. So you obviously work with National Geographic, granted this special access throughout the process of renovation, able to witness the work of the architects, the craftspeople, the scientists.

What struck you most during your visits?

KUNZIG: I think what struck me most on this I went there first in 2021, in the summer when they were just about -- they had spent nearly two years just cleaning the thing and keeping it and making sure that it wouldn't fall down. There was actually serious danger after the fire that it might still collapse.

And so they hadn't really started the restoration proper. And then when I returned this past summer, it was just breathtaking to see the transformation.

I mean the place that had been filled with scaffolding and, you know, still hadn't really gotten under way when I went the first time, was now just transformed.

And it's just bright and clean and more beautiful than anyone alive has ever seen it, I would say. The brightness of the stained glass and everyone is just captivated by the brightness of the stone.

It's -- we're seeing these stones of a color than they would have been back in the 13th century. So in some sense we're seeing the church as it was close to what it was meant to be seen by the people who built it.

KINKADE: Wow. Quite remarkable. And talk to us more, if you can, about the history the significance of Notre Dame Cathedral.

[01:49:46] KINKADE: It's more than 800 years old, having stood in the heart of

Paris and really having withstood like various wars and disasters right. Until this fire, it kind of -- it survived. It had survived quite a long time without any damage.

KUNZIG: Yes it's really stood at the center of French life since before -- since the time when France was really just becoming a nation, just becoming a country ruled by one king.

It was built in -- it started in 1163. It took a century, really, to complete and they were working on it for another century after that really. And it is -- it's the center of French life.

It's the place where King Louis, Saint Louis brought the Crown of Thorns in the 13th century. It's where Napoleon crowned himself emperor. The revolutionaries stormed it a little bit before that.

And it's also the place where the very notion of preserving historic monuments was really pioneered in the 19th century because after the revolution, it was kind of falling down. And the and the French really pioneered this sort of systematic preservation of historic monuments. And they did it at Notre Dame.

And then -- it's now become the most visited monument in France and perhaps in Europe, one of the most visited monuments in the world. And it's become kind of a global treasure, which is why I think this fire had such a global impact.

KINKADE: Yes, exactly.

I mean, we certainly saw those donations from more than 160 countries around the world, just really quite remarkable and amazing that you got to see the transformation from the fire until now.

Robert Kunzig from National Geographic, great to have you with us. Thanks so much.

KUNZIG: Thank you.

KINKADE: And of course, you can find more on National Geographic's rare access to Notre Dame cathedral by going to NatGeo.com.

Well, still to come, new details are emerging about how a Russian woman was able to stowaway aboard a flight from New York to Paris. We'll have details on how she avoided security when we come back.

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KINKADE: Welcome back to CNN NEWSROOM.

I'm Lynda Kinkade.

A Russian woman who stowed away on a flight from New York to Paris last week will be flown back to the U.S. in the coming hours.

CNN's Polo Sandoval reports.

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POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Another failed attempt in France as authorities again tried to send back a woman accused of stowing away on a flight from New York to Paris last week, evading multiple security checkpoints.

A Paris airport official tells CNN she boarded a Delta flight at Charles de Gaulle airport, but that the airline refused to fly her.

It was not the first attempt to return the 57-year-old Russian national and U.S. green card holder to the United States. Passenger cell phone video captured the woman causing a disturbance before flight took off from Paris on Saturday.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't want to go to United States.

SANDOVAL: She was also removed from that New York bound flight, recalls Gary Treichler who was sitting right across the aisle.

GARY TREICHLER, DELTA FLIGHT PASSENGER: What I saw was basically this lady that was progressively getting more and more irate and raising her voice louder and louder and was ultimately restrained with handcuffs and yellow twist ties and held down by three individuals.

[01:54:46]

SANDOVAL: Delta Airlines, not commenting about its decision to kick her off today's flight or elaborating on the initial security breach.

In a previous statement, a spokesperson for the airline wrote in part, "Delta is conducting an exhaustive investigation of what may have occurred."

TSA says before stowing away on this flight last week, the woman slipped past TSA officers at JFK's checking boarding passes. They add she and her carry-on bags were screened, but that she somehow bypassed id verification at the gate.

A source familiar with the incident said she evaded detection in flight because the plane wasn't full though passengers previously told CNN she hid by moving between lavatories.

And investigators have had a chance to actually review surveillance video from JFK from just a little over a week ago. They say they now have a better idea of what actually happened here.

According to one law enforcement official who was briefed on this investigation. He says that authorities have been able to establish that this woman likely blended with two separate groups that were traveling at JFK the day that she stowed away on that flight.

And they believe that one of the contributing factors were the massive crowds that were traveling just days before Thanksgiving.

Polo Sandoval, CNN -- New York.

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KINKADE: Well, severe weather has forced rescuers to suspend their search for two Americans and a Canadian climber who went missing while trying to summit New Zealand's highest mountain.

Curt Blair, Carlos Romero and a Canadian man who has not been identified were last seen Saturday when they flew by helicopter to a camp on Mount Cook.

Rescuers say they found climbing gear believed to belong to the three men, before they had to put the search on hold. They hope to resume on Thursday once conditions improve.

A small asteroid lit up the sky over eastern Russia on Wednesday. The asteroid sped through the early morning sky producing a spectacular fireball.

Astronomers with the European Space Agency spotted the space rock about 12 hours before it hit earth's atmosphere. They estimate it was a little over two feet wide. Emergency officials issued an alert, but no damage has been reported so far.

Well, that does it for this edition of CNN NEWSROOM.

I'm Lynda Kinkade.

Stay with us. Rosemary Church has much more news in just a moment.

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