South Korean Police have initiated an investigation into President Yoon Suk Yeol for potential insurrection following his declaration of martial law, which has sparked widespread criticism and political turmoil.
the head of the National Investigation Headquarters of the National Police Agency, Woo Jong-soo confirmed that the case had been assigned for investigation during a parliamentary session.
Yoon’s controversial decision on Tuesday to impose martial law – aimed at banning political activities and censoring the media – ignited outrage both domestically and internationally.
The move, intended to quell mounting unrest, prompted a dramatic standoff when armed military troops attempted to enter the National Assembly building in Seoul.
The situation only de-escalated when parliamentary aides, armed with fire extinguishers, confronted the soldiers, forcing them to retreat.
In response to the chaos, opposition lawmakers from the Democratic Party announced plans to hold a vote this week to impeach President Yoon.
The party claimed that the martial law declaration caused widespread confusion and fear among South Koreans.
“The Yoon Suk Yeol regime’s declaration of emergency martial law caused great confusion and fear among our people,” Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Seung-won said during an early morning session in the National Assembly.
If successful, the impeachment motion will require at least eight members of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) to support the bill, securing a two-thirds majority in the 300-seat parliament.
However, the PPP is largely opposed to impeachment, with key figures expressing their support for Yoon as he faces one of the most significant challenges to his presidency.
In an attempt to stabili#e the situation, Yoon accepted the resignation of Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun, who had advised the president to declare martial law.
Kim had also ordered the deployment of troops to parliament, a decision that was made without the knowledge of the vice-defense minister, Kim Seon-ho, who later expressed regret for failing to prevent the military intervention.
“I have fundamentally opposed the mobilization of military forces under martial law and have expressed negative opinions about it,” Kim Seon-ho said at a parliamentary hearing on Thursday.
The martial law declaration also drew sharp reactions from international allies.
United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed concern that the White House had not been notified in advance of the martial law declaration, with Deputy Secretary Kurt Campbell critici#ing Yoon for “badly misjudging” the situation.