South Korean ex-defense chief arrested on martial law charges

South Korean ex-defense chief arrested on martial law charges

On Sunday, South Korean prosecutors arrested a former defense minister who allegedly recommended the introduction of martial law to President Yoon Suk Yeol last week. He is the first person to be arrested in connection with this case.

Impeachment attempt against President Yoon

The development came a day after Yoon escaped an opposition-led attempt to impeach him in parliament. Most ruling party lawmakers boycotted the vote to prevent the two-thirds majority needed to suspend his presidential powers. The main opposition party, the Democratic Party, announced that it would initiate new impeachment proceedings against Yoon.

Arrest of the former defense minister

On Sunday, former defense minister Kim Yong-hyun was detained at a detention center in Seoul after being questioned by prosecutors. A law enforcement official who spoke on condition of anonymity said no further details about the arrest could be provided. South Korean media reports said Kim voluntarily appeared at a prosecutor's office in Seoul, where his cellphone was confiscated and he was taken into custody. The police also searched Kim's former offices and living quarters on Sunday.

Investigations against Kim Yong-hyun

Repeated requests to prosecutors in Seoul and the police went unanswered. In a televised speech on Sunday, senior prosecutor Park Se-hyun said authorities have set up a 62-member special investigation team for the martial law case. Park, who will lead the team, stressed that the investigation will “leave no suspicions.”

Consequences of the martial regulation

Yoon accepted Kim's resignation request on Thursday after opposition parties filed a separate impeachment inquiry against him. Kim plays a central role in Yoon's enforcement of martial law, which resulted in special command troops surrounding the National Assembly building and army helicopters hovering over the building. The military withdrew after parliament voted unanimously to repeal Yoon's decree, forcing the government to withdraw it before dawn on Wednesday.

Accusations against Kim and the opposition

In the impeachment document, the Democratic Party and other opposition parties accused Kim of proposing martial law. Deputy Defense Minister Kim Seon-ho told parliament that Kim Yong-hyun had ordered the deployment of troops to the National Assembly.

The Democratic Party called Yoon's imposition of martial law an "unconstitutional, illegal insurrection or coup." She filed a complaint with police against at least nine people, including Yoon and Kim Yong-hyun, over the alleged riot.