Saturday, July 19, 2025 - Disgraced South Korean ex-president, Yoon Suk Yeol, has been indicted for abuse of power over his declaration of martial law last year.
Yoon plunged South Korea into a political crisis when he
sought to subvert civilian rule on December 3, sending troops to parliament in
a bid to prevent lawmakers from voting down his declaration of martial law.
He became the first sitting president in the country to be
taken into custody when he was detained in January after resisting arrest for
weeks, using his presidential security detail to thwart investigators.
He was released on procedural grounds in March, even as his
trial on insurrection charges continued.
Last week he was detained again after an arrest warrant was
issued over concerns he might destroy evidence in the case.
The prosecution "indicted former President Yoon Suk
Yeol on charges including abuse of power and obstruction of special official
duties", prosecutor Park Ji-young told reporters on Saturday.
Park said Yoon also did not follow the required procedure to
declare martial law, including holding a meeting with all cabinet members of
the government.
Yoon was also charged with "drafting and discarding a
false document" that stated the prime minister and defence minister had
endorsed martial law.
Yoon has refused to attend questioning since he was
detained, but appeared in court on Friday at a hearing to argue for his warrant
to be cancelled.
The ex-president's legal team told reporters that Yoon
defended himself for over 30 minutes, and mentioned his "limited physical
mobility and the challenges he was facing".
The court denied the request.
Yoon is being held in solitary in a cell which has a fan but
no air-conditioning, as a heat wave grips South Korea.
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