South Korean prosecutors charge impeached president Yoon for insurrection

Sunday 26 January 2025 - 13:26

South Korean prosecutors have indicted former President Yoon Suk Yeol on charges of leading an insurrection, following his brief declaration of martial law on December 3. The indictment stems from his actions, which the prosecution claims amounted to an attempt to incite political upheaval.

A spokesperson for the Democratic Party, Han Min-soo, confirmed the decision, emphasizing that the prosecution's action marks the beginning of legal proceedings against Yoon, who is accused of being the primary instigator of the insurrection. Under South Korean law, the charge of insurrection is one of the few crimes for which a president does not enjoy immunity, carrying severe penalties, including life imprisonment or death, though the country has not executed anyone in decades.

The recommendation to charge Yoon came from anticorruption investigators, who had already arrested him on January 15, making him the first sitting president in South Korean history to be detained. Yoon’s defense team has urged for his immediate release, claiming his detention is unlawful.

During his impeachment trial, Yoon and his legal team argued that his decision to impose martial law was not intended to fully implement such a measure, but rather to break a political deadlock. They stated that it was merely meant as a warning.

The Constitutional Court will also weigh in on whether to uphold the impeachment or reinstate Yoon’s presidential powers, with a decision expected within 180 days. On December 14, South Korea’s opposition-majority parliament voted to impeach Yoon, marking him as the second conservative president to face such a fate.

The martial law declaration was quickly rescinded after about six hours, following dramatic scenes in which opposition legislators, confronting soldiers who entered the parliament building, voted against the decree. The soldiers, equipped with rifles and night-vision gear, had entered through shattered windows, heightening the tension during the confrontation.