South Korean Prosecutors Detain Ex-Defense Minister Over Martial Law Imposition
South Korean prosecutors detained a former defense minister, Kim Yong-hyun, on Sunday, making him the first figure to be taken into custody over the case of last week’s brief but surprising martial law imposition. The move comes a day after President Yoon Suk Yeol avoided an opposition-led bid to impeach him in parliament.
Kim, who allegedly recommended the martial law imposition to Yoon, was taken into custody at a Seoul detention facility after undergoing an investigation by prosecutors. The opposition Democratic Party has accused Kim of proposing martial law to Yoon, and a new impeachment motion is being prepared against the president.
The South Korean government faced opposition to the martial law declaration, which was the first of its kind in more than 40 years. The move was met with criticism from key diplomatic partners like the US and Japan, and protests calling for Yoon’s ouster gathered momentum.
The scandal has deepened political chaos in South Korea, with a survey suggesting that a majority of people support Yoon’s impeachment. The ruling People Power Party has announced that it will work with the government to determine an early and orderly exit for Yoon, while the opposition Democratic Party has called for the president and others implicated in the case to be arrested.
