South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun attends a joint press conference at the State Department in Washington, DC, on October 31. Leah Millis/Reuters/File
CNN NEWS | Published December 8, 2024
South Korean prosecutors on Sunday detained a former defense minister who allegedly recommended last week’s brief but stunning martial law imposition to President Yoon Suk Yeol, making him the first figure detained over the case.
The development came a day after Yoon avoided an opposition-led bid to impeach him in parliament, with most ruling-party lawmakers boycotting a floor vote to prevent the two-thirds majority needed to suspend his presidential powers. The main opposition Democratic Party said it will prepare a new impeachment motion against Yoon.
On Sunday, ex-Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun was taken into custody at a Seoul detention facility after undergoing an investigation by prosecutors, a law enforcement official said, requesting anonymity in line with privacy rules.
The official gave no further details. But South Korean media reported that Kim voluntarily appeared at a Seoul prosecutors’ office, where he had his mobile phone confiscated and was detained. The reports said police searched Kim’s former office and residence on Sunday.
Repeated calls to Seoul prosecutors’ offices and police agency were unanswered.
Senior prosecutor Park Se-hyun said in a televised statement Sunday that authorities launched a 62-member special investigation team on the martial law case. Park, who will head the team, said the probe would “leave no suspicions.”
READ FULL ARTICLE
SOURCE: www.edition.cnn.com
RELATED: South Korea’s ex-defense chief is detained over martial law episode
South Korean Defense Minister Kim Hong-yun attens a joint news conference during a “two-plus-two” meeting at the State Department in Washington on October 31.
JAPAN TIMES | Published December 8, 2024
SEOUL – Kim Yong-hyun, the former defense minister of South Korea, was taken into custody early Sunday as prosecutors investigated his role in President Yoon Suk Yeol’s short-lived effort this past week to impose martial law. That episode set off political upheaval in South Korea, including an opposition-led attempt to impeach the president and huge protests.
Kim is the first person to be detained as prosecutors begin their investigation into allegations made by Yoon’s political opponents. The opposition asserts that Yoon and his followers in the government and military committed insurrection and other crimes when they sent soldiers and police officers into the National Assembly to seize the legislature shortly after the president declared martial law Tuesday night.
Kim, who surrendered himself to investigators early Sunday, was arrested without a court warrant. Police and prosecutors can use such an “emergency arrest” when they have grounds to suspect a person committed a serious crime and there is risk of them fleeing or destroying evidence. They must apply for a court warrant within two days to formally arrest the suspect.
Kim, a key supporter of Yoon’s martial law plan, resigned after the extraordinary move fell through. The military rule lasted only six hours, after the National Assembly voted against it early Wednesday and forced Yoon to back down.
It was unclear whether Kim had a legal representative. Before his arrest, in an interview with the daily Dong-A Ilbo, he said he had been involved in Yoon’s declaration of martial law, but that it was imposed according to legal procedures.
For most of the 2 1/2 years he has been in office, Yoon has endured low approval ratings and has been in a near-constant political standoff with the opposition. They have tussled especially over his refusal to accept their demands that a special prosecutor be appointed to investigate allegations of corruption involving his wife.
READ FULL ARTICLE
SOURCE: www.japantimes.co.jp
Be the first to comment