South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol has been indicted on charges of insurrection, making him the country’s first sitting president to be formally arrested and charged with such a crime.
The prosecution announced the indictment on Sunday, accusing President Yoon of conspiring with former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun to declare unconstitutional martial law and deploy armed forces to the National Assembly. Kim Yong-hyun has already been indicted and is currently in detention.
President Yoon was apprehended at the presidential office on January 15. Following his arrest, the prosecution requested an extension twice for supplementary investigation, but the Seoul Central District Court denied both requests, aiming to expedite the trial process.
On January 19, another Seoul court issued a warrant to keep President Yoon in custody for up to 20 days, including the arrest period. The trial is expected to proceed swiftly due to the gravity of the charges.
The National Assembly had previously passed a motion to impeach President Yoon on December 14 of last year. The motion was forwarded to the constitutional court, which has up to 180 days to deliberate. During this period, President Yoon’s presidential powers are suspended.
The impeachment proceedings were prompted by President Yoon’s declaration of emergency martial law on the night of December 3. The National Assembly revoked the martial law hours later, deeming it unconstitutional and illegal.
The charges against President Yoon have sparked widespread discussion across the Republic of Korea, with citizens and political analysts closely watching the developments.
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South Korean prosecutors indict Yoon over insurrection charge
cgtn.com
