Former South Korean Leader Charged with Power Abuse

Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has been indicted on charges of abuse of power related to his martial law declaration last year, as investigators deepen their examination of a suspected insurrection.

Yoon sparked a political crisis in South Korea when he attempted to undermine civilian governance by deploying troops to parliament on December 3, aiming to prevent lawmakers from rejecting his martial law declaration.

In January, he became the first serving president in South Korea’s history to be arrested after evading capture for several weeks, using his presidential security to resist authorities.

He was released in March on procedural grounds while his trial on insurrection charges continued.

Just last week, he was taken into custody again following the issuance of an arrest warrant due to concerns that he might tamper with evidence.

Prosecutor Park Ji-young announced on Saturday, “We have indicted former President Yoon Suk Yeol on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of official duties.”

Park pointed out that Yoon failed to adhere to the necessary protocols for declaring martial law, which required a meeting with his entire cabinet.

Additionally, Yoon faces charges for creating a falsified document claiming that both the prime minister and the defense minister had approved the martial law.

Although Yoon has not participated in questioning since his arrest, he did appear in court on Friday to contest the warrant against him.

His legal team reported that he defended himself for over 30 minutes, citing “limited mobility and the difficulties he is experiencing.”

The court ultimately denied his request.

As temperatures rise in South Korea, Yoon is being held in solitary confinement in a cell equipped with only a fan and no air conditioning.