On Sunday, South Korean prosecutors detained former Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun for his supposed involvement in President Yoon Suk Yeol’s announcement of martial law on Tuesday, according to Yonhap News Agency.
Kim, who submitted his resignation on Wednesday, was regarded as a key player in Tuesday’s short martial law announcement. A high-ranking military official and impeachment documents from opposition members indicated that Kim had suggested the proposal to Yoon.
Yoon endured an impeachment vote in parliament on Saturday, triggered by his brief effort to enact martial law, yet the head of his party stated that the president would ultimately need to resign.
According to the report, Kim voluntarily arrived at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office around 1:30 am on Sunday (10 pm IST on Sunday) to be questioned by the prosecution’s special investigative team. The office was not available for comments at that moment.
Three opposition parties representing minorities lodged a complaint with the prosecutor against Yoon, Kim, and martial law leader Park An-su, alleging treason.
According to Yonhap, Kim is subject to a travel ban while prosecutors conduct their investigation.
The national police are currently looking into allegations of treason involving Yoon and high-ranking ministers.
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On Tuesday night, Yoon stunned the country by granting the military extensive emergency powers to eliminate what he referred to as “anti-state forces” and obstructive political adversaries. He revoked the order six hours later, after parliament ignored military and police barriers to vote unanimously against the decree.
Yoon’s announcement of martial law sent South Korea, the fourth-largest economy in Asia and an important military ally of the US, into its most severe political crisis in years, jeopardizing the nation’s standing as a democratic success.
