By Muhammad Mamman
On Saturday, former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was indicted for abuse of power and obstruction of official duties, stemming from his controversial declaration of martial law on 3 December 2024.
The move, which plunged South Korea into a political crisis, involved deploying troops to parliament to block lawmakers from overturning his martial law decree, an action prosecutors claim was an attempt to undermine civilian rule.
Yoon, the first sitting president in South Korea’s history to be detained, was initially arrested in January 2025 after weeks of resisting authorities, leveraging his presidential security detail to evade investigators. Released on procedural grounds in March, he continued to face trial on insurrection charges. Last week, he was detained again following the issuance of an arrest warrant, prompted by concerns he might tamper with evidence.
Prosecutor Park Ji-young announced the charges, stating that Yoon failed to follow mandatory procedures for declaring martial law, including consulting the full cabinet. Additionally, he faces allegations of creating and destroying a fraudulent document falsely claiming endorsement from the prime minister and defence minister.
Yoon has refused to cooperate with questioning since his latest detention but appeared in court on Friday to challenge the arrest warrant. His legal team reported that he spoke for over 30 minutes, citing physical limitations and personal challenges. The court rejected his request for release. Yoon is currently held in solitary confinement in a cell equipped with a fan but no air conditioning, amid a heatwave in South Korea.
The ongoing investigation has widened, with authorities examining the broader implications of Yoon’s actions in what has been described as a significant breach of democratic norms.
