Martial Law Scandal Rocks South Korea: Former President Under Investigation for Abuse of Power and Rebellion

A special investigation unit is looking into Mr. Yoon for alleged abuse of power and involvement in a rebellion after his brief declaration of martial law. The declaration, which lasted only a few hours on December 3, aimed to ban political activity and censor the media, sparking weeks of political chaos. It also brought South Korea's democracy to a standstill and rattled the country's financial markets.

The Corruption Investigation Office, which is pushing for an arrest warrant, is leading the probe into Mr. Yoon and other top officials with help from police and military authorities. Mr. Yoon has ignored multiple requests to be questioned and blocked searches of his offices, which has only intensified the investigation.

Although he’s been impeached, Mr. Yoon isn't immune from criminal charges like rebellion or treason. It’s still unclear whether the court will approve the arrest warrant or force him to testify.

As tensions rise, Mr. Yoon maintains that his martial law decree was needed to break through political deadlock, even though he initially justified it as a move to “eradicate pro-North Korean anti-state forces.” There’s even footage of South Korean troops trying to storm the parliament building after he declared emergency martial law.

On top of that, he’s accused of trying to block a parliament vote that overturned the martial law and allegedly ordered defense officials to detain key opponents. Last week, acting president Han Duck-soo, who’s been under fire for not filling vacant seats on the Constitutional Court, was impeached for allegedly acting in favor of insurrection.

In the middle of all this, South Korea’s acting president, Choi Sang-mok, is dealing with the aftermath of a tragic plane crash that claimed 179 lives, just days after stepping into office. Meanwhile, former defense minister Kim Yong Hyun, arrested on December 11 for his role in the martial law decree, was reportedly so distressed by the situation that he tried to take his own life.

To make matters worse, South Korea’s national police chief and the police head of Seoul have also been detained for their involvement in the short-lived decree.

It’s clear that the political drama in South Korea isn’t over yet!