South Korean police have searched President Yoon Suk-yeol’s office over the declaration of martial law last week, a move that plunged Asia’s fourth-largest economy into crisis and caused alarm among its allies.
South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported that Wednesday’s search was part of an attempt by police forces to determine whether Yoon’s actions, supported by other senior officials in his administration, constituted insurrection, a crime that does not carry presidential immunity and can carry the death penalty.
A special investigation unit confirmed that it had raided the presidential office and other agencies. “The special investigation team has carried out a raid on the presidential office, the National Police Agency, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency and the National Assembly Security Service,” the unit stated in a message sent to the Agence France-Presse.
News of the raid came as authorities reported that Yoon’s former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun had attempted suicide at the Seoul detention center where he had been held since Sunday.
Kim, who was formally detained early Wednesday after a court approved an arrest warrant against him for alleged key role in a rebellion and abuse of power, was in stable condition, Shin Yong-hae told lawmakers. , Commissioner General of the Korean Prison Service.
Kim became the first person detained under the Dec. 3 martial law decree and now faces charges including “engaging in critical tasks during an insurrection” and “abusing authority to obstruct the exercise of rights.”
A spokesman for the Seoul Central District Court told AFP that Kim’s formal detention had come out of concern that evidence could be destroyed.
Two senior police officials were also detained in the early hours of Wednesday, as the investigation into the political unrest sparked by the declaration of martial law accelerated.
At least several hundred protesters gathered late Tuesday in front of the National Assembly, waving glow sticks and carrying signs that read: “Impeach Yoon Suk Yeol, the criminal insurrection.”
Local media reported Tuesday that the offices of ruling party lawmakers had been vandalized, with one image showing a door covered in what appeared to be ketchup, and eggs and flour scattered on the floor.
Protesters also sent flowers of condolence to offices, normally reserved for funerals, to express their opposition to the boycott, with signs reading: “Accomplices of the insurrection.”
Local police in Seoul’s Dobong district told AFP that an unspecified “weapon” had been found outside the residence of PPP lawmaker Kim Jae-sub, who has requested additional security.
Yoon suspended the civilian government a week ago and sent special forces and helicopters to Parliament, before lawmakers forced him to annul the decree in a country that is presumed to be a stable democracy.
Kim expressed remorse on Tuesday, stating through his lawyers that “all responsibility for this situation falls exclusively” on him. He apologized “deeply” to the South Korean people and stated that his subordinates “were simply following my orders and carrying out the tasks assigned to them.”
Earlier on Tuesday, Army Special Warfare Command chief Kwak Jong-geun told deputies that Yoon had ordered him to prevent a sufficient number of deputies from gathering in Parliament to vote against the martial law decree. .
“The president called me directly through a discreet line. He mentioned that quorum had not yet been reached and ordered me to quickly break down the door and remove the people (legislators) inside,” Kwak said.
Deputies on Tuesday approved a motion to appoint a special counsel to investigate the martial law case.
Yoon’s ruling party has announced that it is drawing up a “resignation roadmap” that could see him resign in February or March, before new elections are held, while the opposition plans to organize a recall vote all on Saturdays.
A day after Yoon was banned from traveling abroad, authorities banned other senior officials from leaving the country, including Cho Ji-ho, commissioner general of the Korean National Police Agency, police told AFP.
Cho and Kim Bong-sik, head of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, were detained early Wednesday without a warrant, Yonhap news agency reported. They can be held for up to 48 hours for questioning before formal arrest.
Former defense and interior ministers and martial law commander Gen. Park An-su, who along with other senior officials was questioned by lawmakers on Tuesday, are already banned from traveling.
Yoon narrowly survived an impeachment attempt in Parliament on Saturday, when tens of thousands of people braved frigid temperatures to call for his ouster. The motion failed after members of Yoon’s ruling party, People Power (PPP), prevented the two-thirds majority needed.
The PPP claims that Yoon, 63, has agreed to hand over power to the prime minister and party chief, prompting the opposition to accuse him of a “second strike.”
A party working group was reportedly studying two options moving forward, including Yoon resigning in February with an election in April, or resigning in March with a vote in May.
Given that the opposition has 192 seats in Parliament, out of 300, it is enough for eight members of the PPP to vote in favor of a new impeachment motion for it to be approved.
Last week, two PPP lawmakers – Ahn Cheol-soo and Kim Yea-ji – voted in favor, and two others said on Tuesday that they would support the motion this time.
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