Investigators looking into South Korea’s Yoon Suk Yeol regarding his brief declaration of martial law have announced their intention to secure an arrest warrant for the suspended president after he failed to show up for questioning.
This month, Mr. Yoon temporarily suspended civilian governance, resulting in South Korea’s most severe political crisis in decades.
Parliament has removed him from his presidential responsibilities because of this act, though a constitutional court ruling is forthcoming to determine whether the impeachment will be upheld.
The conservative leader is also facing criminal charges of insurrection, which could lead to life in prison or potentially the death penalty.
Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law in an unannounced televised address on 3 December
“The Joint Investigation Headquarters has submitted an arrest warrant for President Yoon Suk Yeol to the Seoul Western District Court,” the investigation team stated in an announcement.
This request from investigators represents the first instance in the nation’s history where a president is sought to be forcibly detained prior to the completion of the impeachment process.
Mr. Yoon is under investigation by prosecutors along with a joint task force that includes police, the defense ministry, and anti-corruption officials.
A 10-page report from prosecutors, reviewed by AFP, indicated that Mr. Yoon authorized military action to use weapons if necessary to gain access to parliament during his unsuccessful attempt at martial law.
Mr. Yoon’s lawyer, Yoon Kab-keun, has rebutted the prosecutors’ findings, describing it as “a one-sided narrative that does not align with objective facts or common sense.”
Yoon Suk Yeol is being investigated by prosecutors as well as a joint team comprising police, defence ministry, and anti-corruption officials
‘Drag them out’
On 3 December, Mr. Yoon declared martial law without prior notice during a televised address, claiming it was intended to eradicate “anti-state elements.”
In response, politicians hurried to parliament within moments to vote against the declaration.
Simultaneously, armed troops invaded the building, scaling fences, shattering windows, and landing via helicopter.
The prosecution’s indictment report revealed that Mr. Yoon instructed the chief of the capital defense command, Lee Jin-woo, that military personnel could use firearms if needed to enter the National Assembly.
“Have you still not gotten in? What are you doing? Break down the door and drag them out, even if it means shooting,” Mr. Yoon allegedly told Mr. Lee, according to the report.
Additionally, he purportedly instructed General Kwak Jong-keun, head of the Defence Counterintelligence Command, to ” quickly enter” the National Assembly as the quorum to lift the martial law declaration had not been met.
Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok has taken over as the new acting president
“So swiftly get inside the National Assembly and bring out the individuals in the chamber, and if necessary, break down the doors with an axe and drag everyone out,” the report attributes to Mr. Yoon at the time.
The report further suggested that Mr. Yoon had been contemplating the martial law declaration with senior military leaders as early as March.
As the investigations against Mr. Yoon commenced, attempts by prosecutors to search his offices were obstructed by the presidential security personnel.
Last week, South Korea’s political instability escalated when Mr. Yoon’s successor, Han Duck-soo, was also impeached by parliament for failing to approve bills related to investigations into Mr. Yoon.
Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok has stepped in as the new acting president, immediately confronting a crisis with the Jeju Air plane crash that resulted in 179 fatalities.
