South Korea’s former president, Yoon Suk Yeol, was indicted on Saturday for abuse of power related to his declaration of martial law in December of the previous year, as investigators expanded their probe into allegations of insurrection. This marks a significant escalation in the legal challenges facing the former leader.
Yoon triggered a political crisis in South Korea on December 3 when he attempted to undermine civilian governance by declaring martial law. His decision included deploying troops to parliament to block lawmakers from voting against the declaration, an unprecedented move that stunned the nation.
Yoon made history as the first sitting South Korean president to be detained when he was taken into custody in January, following weeks of resisting arrest with the assistance of his presidential security detail. He was released on procedural grounds in March, though his trial on insurrection charges proceeded. Last week, authorities detained him again after securing an arrest warrant, citing concerns that he might tamper with evidence.
Prosecutor Park Ji-young announced the indictment on Saturday, stating that Yoon faces charges of abuse of power and obstruction of special official duties. The prosecutor highlighted that Yoon failed to adhere to the required protocol for declaring martial law, notably by not convening a full cabinet meeting. Additionally, he was charged with creating and discarding a fraudulent document claiming that the prime minister and defense minister had supported the martial law declaration.
Since his latest detention, Yoon has refused to participate in questioning but appeared in court on Friday to contest the validity of his arrest warrant. His legal team reported that he spoke for over 30 minutes in his defense, citing limited physical mobility and the difficulties he is encountering. The court, however, rejected his plea to cancel the warrant.
Currently, Yoon is held in solitary confinement in a cell equipped with a fan but lacking air conditioning, amid a severe heat wave sweeping across South Korea.
Source: AFP
