SEOUL: South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, several Cabinet ministers, military commanders and police officials face criminal investigations over the president’s botched attempt last week to impose martial law.
Prosecutors, the police and the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials have all launched probes into Yoon and the officials, seeking to pursue charges of insurrection and abuse of power, among others.
Here is what we know about the investigations so far:
WHO IS UNDER INVESTIGATION?
Besides Yoon, his former defence minister Kim Yong-hyun, former interior minister Lee Sang-min and army chief Park An-su, who was named martial law commander, face investigations.
Others involved in the case include the chiefs of the Capital Defence Command, the army’s Special Warfare Command and the Defence Counterintelligence Command, as well as several other military generals and senior police officials, including the national and Seoul police chiefs, who are accused of playing a role in the martial law plan.
The main opposition Democratic Party said on Monday (Dec 9) that it has also filed a complaint against Prime Minister Han Duck-soo to be included in the investigations for failing to block Yoon’s attempt at martial law.
Yoon, Kim, Lee, the national and Seoul police chiefs and 10 military commanders have been banned from leaving the country.
Prosecutors summoned Kim for questioning for a third time on Monday since arresting him a day before, and carried out raids of the Defence Counterintelligence Command’s headquarters and offices nationwide, according to the Yonhap news agency.
Police also raided the defence ministry and the Capital Defence Command on Thursday, seeking to seize Kim’s secure phones and related materials, Yonhap said.
