Ex-defense chief in South Korea tried to kill himself after being arrested over martial law
Officials said that the previous South Korean defense minister, who was detained over the declaration of martial law last week, was prevented from attempting suicide. The President’s Office, however, resisted any police attempts to search their compound.
The Democratic Party, the main liberal opposition party, is pushing a new motion for Yoon to be impeached for his Dec. 3, 2013 decree which imposed martial laws in South Korea for more than 40 years. The first attempt to impeach Yoon, which was made last Saturday, failed because ruling party legislators boycotted it. The party plans to present the new motion to be voted on Saturday on Thursday.
Yoon’s power grab, which was ill-conceived, has paralyzed South Korean political life and frozen the country’s foreign policy. It has also roiled financial markets. The rival North Korean state media reported on Wednesday for the first-time about the unrest across the border. However, the country has not shown any suspicious activity.
Shin Yong Hae told lawmakers the former Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun had attempted suicide the night before at a Seoul detention center. He claimed that correctional officers had stopped him, and he was in a stable condition.
|
Kim was arrested early Wednesday morning by prosecutors on charges of having played a major role in a revolt and of abusing power. He was the first person to be formally arrested in relation to the martial law order.
Kim, a close associate of Yoon, is accused of recommending martial laws to Yoon, and of sending troops to the National Assembly in order to prevent lawmakers from voting. The Cabinet lifted the martial law before dawn on December 4 after enough lawmakers managed to enter a chamber of parliament and unanimously reject Yoon’s order.
Kim apologized in a Tuesday statement for “causing significant anxiety” among the public. He claimed that he was solely responsible for the imposition of martial law and asked for leniency from soldiers who were deployed to enforce it.
The Prosecutors can decide whether or not to indict Kim within 20 days.
Yoon’s Office blocks the search of the presidential compound
On Wednesday afternoon, the police arrested Cho Ji Ho, commissioner general of the National Police Agency, and Kim Bong Sik, chief of Seoul’s Metropolitan Police. They were accused by police of sending forces to the parliament to prevent lawmakers from voting.
Investigating whether Yoon and Kim, as well as others involved with the imposition of martial law, committed rebellion is at the forefront of this investigation. The maximum punishment for a conviction of rebellion is death.
The South Korean police confirmed that they sent officers on Wednesday to Yoon’s workplace to search for evidence related to martial law. Lee Ho-young, a senior police officer, told the Parliament that investigators had not entered the office by Wednesday evening, six hours after they arrived.
Some observers said earlier that the presidential service would not likely allow searches of Yoon’s office. They cited a law prohibiting searches of sites containing state secrets without prior approval from those responsible for those areas.
Yoon apologized on Saturday for the martial law order, saying he would not avoid his legal or political responsibility. He said that he would let his party decide how to navigate the political turmoil in Korea, including “matters related to my tenure as president.”
Later, the leader of Yoon’s ruling party vowed that the party would coordinate with cabinet members on state affairs and Yoon would be removed from his duties.
The comments were criticised as unconstitutional and unrealistic, and raised questions about the authority of South Korea’s military and government at a time when tensions are high with North Korea. Yoon was banned from leaving South Korea by the Justice Ministry Tuesday as he is under investigation.
Vice Defense Minister Kim Seon Ho confirmed Wednesday that Yoon is still in charge of the Military. Yoon, however, has not been involved in major official activities since the lifting of martial law. This includes accepting resignations from officials involved in the case and appointing a head for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
View from North Korea
An article published by the North’s official news agency on Wednesday reported the South Korean political chaos, including the protests that were sparked by Yoon’s martial law declaration. The report mainly attempted to explain South Korean events. However, it called Yoon a “traitor” and his army “gangsters.”
Experts say that North Korea is sensitive to news about major anti-government demonstrations abroad, as its people do not have official access to such news and may be affected by them. U.S. State Department stated Monday that Washington remains committed to peace and security on the Korean Peninsula and the U.S. South Korean alliance is “ironclad”.
In declaring martial law, conservative Yoon emphasized the need to rebuild the nation by eliminating his liberal opponents who control the parliament and “shameless North Korea supporters.” Yoon, who took office in 2022 has been at odds with the Democratic Party since then. The party introduced motions against some of Yoon’s top officials, and launched a campaign to remove them.
Many experts and opposition parties say that the martial law order was unconstitutional. According to them, a president can only declare martial law in wartime or other emergency situations. South Korea was not in such a situation. They claim that sending troops to the National Assembly in order to stop its political activities was a form of rebellion, because the constitution does not allow the president to use military force to suspend parliament.
If Yoon were to be impeached his powers as president would be suspended, until the Constitutional Court decided whether or not to restore them. If he were to be removed from office, there would need to be a new election for the presidency.
No Comments