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WORLD NEWS Monday 27 January 2025
South Korean prosecutors indict impeached President Yoon Suk

Yeol over his martial law

By HYUNG-JIN KIM face a life sentence or capi- it can investigate Yoon’s re-
Associated Press tal punishment. bellion allegation because
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) Yoon, a conservative, has it’s related to his purported
— South Korean prosecu- steadfastly denied any abuse of power and other
tors on Sunday indicted wrongdoing, describing his allegations.
impeached President Yoon declaration of martial law The CIO handed over
Suk Yeol on rebellion in con- as a legitimate act of gover- Yoon’s case to the Seoul
nection with his short-lived nance meant to raise public prosecutors’ office on Friday
imposition of martial law, a awareness of the danger of and asked it to indict him on
criminal charge that could the liberal-controlled Na- charges of rebellion, abuse
incur the death penalty or tional Assembly, which ob- of power and obstruction
life imprisonment if convict- structed his agenda and of the National Assembly.
ed. This is the latest blow to impeached top officials. Prosecutors said they indict-
Yoon, who was impeached During his announcement ed Yoon only on rebellion,
and arrested over his Dec. of martial law, Yoon called considering that Yoon had
3 martial law decree that the assembly “a den of presidential immunity from
plunged the country into criminals” and vowed to South Korea's impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol attends other charges.
political turmoil, shook its fi- eliminate “shameless North the fourth hearing of his impeachment trial over his short-lived Yoon’s defense minister, po-
nancial markets and hurt its Korea followers and anti- imposition of martial law at the Constitutional Court in Seoul, lice chief and several other
South Korea, Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025.
international image. Sepa- state forces.” Associated Press. military commanders have
rate from criminal judicial After declaring martial law already been arrested on
proceedings, the Constitu- on Dec. 3, Yoon sent troops 19 approved a formal arrest to question or detain him. alleged rebellion, abuse of
tional Court is now deliber- and police officers to the warrant to extend Yoon’s He then was apprehended power and other charges
ating whether to formally assembly, but enough law- detention, dozens of his sup- on Jan. 15 in a huge law en- related to the martial law
dismiss Yoon as president makers still managed to en- porters stormed the court forcement operation at his decree.
or reinstate him. ter an assembly chamber to building, destroying win- presidential compound. If the Constitutional Court
Yoon has become South vote down Yoon’s decree dows, doors and other prop- Leading Yoon’s investiga- rules to drive Yoon out of of-
Korea’s first president who unanimously, forcing his erty. They also attacked po- tion was the Corruption In- fice, a national election to
has been indicted while in Cabinet to lift it. lice officers with bricks, steel vestigation Office for High- choose his successor must
office. He will remain jailed The martial law imposition, pipes and other objects. Ranking Officials, but Yoon be held within two months.
and be escorted from a the first of its kind in South The violence left 17 police has refused to attend CIO Recent public surveys show
detention facility to a Seoul Korea in more than four de- officers injured, and police questioning sessions since that governing and oppo-
court for hearings in the trial, cades, lasted only six hours. said that they detained 46 being detained, saying it sition party candidates are
which is expected to last However, it evoked painful protesters. has no legal authority to in- running neck-and-neck in
about six months. memories of past dictatorial Yoon earlier resisted efforts vestigate rebellion allega- a possible presidential by-
Prosecutors said in a state- rules in South Korea in the by investigative authorities tions. The CIO has said that election race.q
ment that they indicted 1960s-80s when military-
Yoon on charges that he backed rulers used martial
directed a rebellion when laws and emergency de-
he imposed martial law. In- crees to suppress oppo-
vestigative authorities have nents.
earlier alleged that Yoon’s South Korea’s constitution
imposition of martial law gives the president the pow-
amounted to rebellion, be- er to declare martial law to
cause he staged riots with keep order in wartime and
the purpose of undermining other comparable emer-
the constitution. gency states, but many ex-
Yoon's defense team lashed perts say the country wasn’t
out at the indictment, call- under such conditions when
ing it “the worst decision” Yoon declared martial law.
by prosecutors who they Yoon insists that he had no
say are trying to curry favor intentions of disrupting as-
with political forces who sembly work, including its
want Yoon's exit. floor vote on his decree and
“Today's indictment of the that deploying troops and
president will remain as police forces was meant to
a shame in the history of maintain order. But com-
South Korean prosecutors manders of military units sent
that they cannot erase,” to the assembly have told
Yoon's defense team said assembly hearings or inves-
in a statement. “We stress tigators that Yoon ordered
once again that a presi- them to drag out lawmakers
dent's declaration of martial to prevent them from over-
law can never be rebellion." turning his decree.
Yoon has presidential im- Investigations on Yoon have
munity from most criminal intensified the country’s al-
prosecutions, but the privi- ready serious internal divi-
lege doesn't extend to alle- sion, with rival protesters
gations of rebellion or trea- regularly staging rallies in
son. By law in South Korea, downtown Seoul.
the leader of a rebellion can After a local court on Jan.