Investigators Seek Indictment Of Impeached South Korean Leader For Insurrection, Other

South Korea’s anti-corruption officials on Thursday requested that prosecutors indict impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol for insurrection and abuse of power over his short-lived declaration of martial law.

The Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials (CIO) named Yoon, the first sitting president to be arrested in South Korea’s history, as the ringleader of an insurrection which also involved his defence chief at the time.

LEADERSHIP recalls that Yoon was impeached and suspended from power on December 14, and has been incarcerated since last week pending an investigation into his December 3, 2024 attempt to impose martial law, a move that shocked the nation even though it was overturned within hours by parliament.

The CIO was established in 2021 as an independent anti-graft agency to investigate high-ranking officials including the president and their family members and has led a joint team involving police and the defence ministry, while prosecutors carry out their inquiry.

Under the law, the CIO can only investigate the president, not prosecute, and must refer any case to the prosecutors’ office for further action.

The CIO has said Yoon’s detention is due to end around January 28, but they expect prosecutors to ask the court to extend it for another 10 days before they formally charge the president.

The Supreme Prosecutors’ Office declined to comment.

Prosecutors have already charged Yoon’s defense minister at the time, Kim Yong-Hyun with insurrection alongside Chiefs of the Capital Defense Command, the Defense Counterintelligence Command, the Seoul police and the national police commissioner who have also been indicted.

Yoon has refused to speak to CIO investigators and defied their summons since his arrest.