1.Churches and cathedrals across South Korea on Wednesday, Christmas Day, celebrated the birth of Baby Jesus while reflecting on the meaning of democracy in light of the recent December 3rd martial law crisis.

2.Yoon Suk Yeol on Wednesday defied summons for questioning by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials over his short-lived declaration of martial law, marking the second time he has refused to comply with the joint investigation team’s request.

3.Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul and his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, reaffirmed efforts to advance bilateral ties in a phone conversation Tuesday. It was their first discussion following Yoon Suk Yeol's botched martial law imposition in South Korea.