Seoul, Aug 29 (AP) – The political landscape in South Korea faces renewed upheaval as the wife of the imprisoned ex-President Yoon Suk Yeol, along with his former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, has been indicted. These developments arise from investigations into Yoon's administration, particularly his bid to assert control by declaring martial law.
In a dramatic turn on December 3, 2024, Yoon declared martial law to push his agenda through a legislature dominated by opposition forces. Although the period of martial law was brief, lasting merely hours, it unleashed a wave of political turmoil that disrupted the nation for months, impacting foreign policy and unsettling the economy.
Following his impeachment and subsequent removal from office in April, Yoon was arrested again last month after his conservative party lost power in an early election. The newly established government responded by appointing three special prosecutors to investigate Yoon's martial law declaration and persistent allegations of corruption during his tenure.
A team led by Special Prosecutor Min Joong-ki has charged Yoon's wife, Kim Keon Hee, with violations of financial market and political funding laws, alongside accepting bribes, following her recent court-ordered arrest.
Meanwhile, a separate investigation team under Special Prosecutor Cho Eun-suk charged former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo with complicity in Yoon's martial law declaration, which investigators equate to rebellion. Additional charges against Han include falsifying and destroying official documents and perjury.
The fallout from Yoon’s martial law imposition continues to ripple, with dozens being arrested or investigated, including figures involved in a scandal surrounding the drowning death of a marine during a 2023 flood rescue operation. Allegations of corruption involving Yoon's wife have also drawn significant attention.
Among those implicated is former Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun, who stands accused of orchestrating the martial law alongside Yoon and mobilizing troops to obstruct lawmakers' efforts in rescinding the martial law declaration. Over 60 individuals were charged separately for rioting at a Seoul court that initially issued Yoon's arrest warrant in January.
Assistant Special Counsel Park Ji-young highlighted during a televised briefing that Han was the highest-ranking official who could potentially have thwarted Yoon's martial law attempt. Park described Han's role as “active,” alleging he sought to secure “procedural legitimacy” for the martial law through Cabinet Council deliberations.
Han has consistently stated that he communicated his opposition to Yoon’s martial law plan. Despite requests from Cho's team, the Seoul Central District Court declined to issue an arrest warrant for Han, citing little risk of his fleeing or destroying evidence.
Yoon and Kim have become the first former presidential couple in South Korean history to face simultaneous imprisonment due to criminal allegations, extending a pattern of turbulent presidential tenures in the country.
While Yoon’s unexpected declaration of martial law came during a routine standoff with liberal forces, suspicions linger about whether the maneuver was influenced by ongoing allegations against his wife.
Both Yoon and Kim are accused of coercing the conservative People Power Party to nominate a favored candidate in the 2022 legislative by-election, at the behest of election broker Myung Tae-kyun. Myung allegedly conducted opinion surveys with manipulated data, potentially aiding Yoon’s successful presidential primary bid.
Kim extended an apology earlier this month for causing public concern, yet asserted her innocence, framing herself as a person of little consequence. In a Friday statement via her lawyers, Kim expressed her intent to “quietly attend the trials” while criticizing media reports for treating allegations as established facts.
Han, who served as acting Prime Minister after Yoon’s impeachment, was tasked with leading the caretaker government. However, he resigned to pursue the presidential nomination, which he ultimately did not secure.
(AP)
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