South Korean prosecutors indict impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol over his martial law

South Korea’s impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol arrives for his impeachment trial at the Constitutional Court in Seoul, South Korea on January 21, 2025. File
| Photo Credit: Reuters

“South Korean prosecutors on Sunday (January 26, 2025) indicted the impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol over his imposition of martial law last month,” news reports said.

Yonhap news agency reported that the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office indicted Yoon over rebellion in connection with his December 3 decree that plunged the country into massive political turmoil. Other South Korean media outlets have carried similar reports.

Repeated calls to the prosecutors’ office were unanswered.

Mr. Yoon was earlier impeached and arrested over the martial law decree. The Constitutional Court is separately deliberating whether to formally dismiss Mr. Yoon as President or reinstate him.

Mr. Yoon, a conservative, has steadfastly denied any wrongdoing, calling his martial law a legitimate act of governance meant to raise public awareness of the danger of the liberal-controlled National Assembly which obstructed his agenda and impeached top officials.

During his announcement of martial law, Mr. Yoon called the assembly “a den of criminals” and vowed to eliminate “shameless North Korea followers and anti-state forces”.