Martial law declared

President under investigation for treason

(Bild: AP ( via APA) Austria Presse Agentur/Jeon Heon-Kyun)

The South Korean police authorities have launched an investigation into high treason against President Yoon Suk-yeol. This was in response to complaints filed by an opposition party and 59 activists, the South Korean news agency Yonhap reported on Thursday.

The accusation is that Yoon committed high treason due to the temporary imposition of martial law. The president unexpectedly imposed martial law late on Tuesday evening (local time) and lifted it again a few hours later after massive political resistance.

It was the first time since South Korea's transition to democracy at the end of the 1980s that the country's head of state had imposed martial law.

Vote on impeachment 
In the meantime, the opposition has submitted a motion for impeachment proceedings. It is to be put to the vote in parliament on Saturday. The main opposition party, the Democratic Party, plans to vote on such proceedings against the president on Saturday evening, reported the newspaper "Chosun Ilbo". It accuses the conservative head of state of breaking the constitution and demands his immediate resignation.

The ruling People's Power Party (PPP), on the other hand, wants to keep President Yoon in office, although it has rejected his declaration of martial law. It has announced that it will vote against the impeachment proceedings brought by the opposition Democratic Party, which have little chance of success. Although the Democratic Party has a majority in parliament, it is dependent on the support of at least eight PPP MPs in order to achieve the necessary two-thirds majority for the impeachment proceedings.

According to South Korean news agency Yonhap, PPP leader Han Dong-hoon said: "As party leader, I will work to ensure that this impeachment motion is not passed in order to prevent damage from unprepared chaos among the public and supporters."

Han added, however, that the president must be held accountable for his behavior and that his decision to impose martial law was wrong and unconstitutional.

Ex-defense minister proposed martial law
According to South Korean Interior Minister Lee Sang-min, former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun has suggested that the president declare martial law. Lee made the announcement on Thursday. Deputy Defense Minister Kim Seon-ho had previously stated that Kim Yong-hyun, who has now resigned, was also responsible for sending troops to parliament.

However, he himself had not been aware of the plans. "I fundamentally rejected the mobilization of the armed forces under martial law and spoke negatively about it," he said at a hearing in parliament on Thursday. He apologized and took responsibility for not being able to prevent it.

President Yoon, who is currently fighting for his political future, accepted the resignation of his defense minister on Thursday and appointed the ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Choi Byung-hyuk, as Kim's successor, the presidential office confirmed.