South Korean investigators call to formally charge President Yoon

South Korean investigators have asked the country’s prosecutors to indict impeached President Yoon Suk-yeol, accusing him of rebellion, abuse of power and obstruction of parliament during his short-lived martial law order last month that thrust the country into political chaos.

The Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials (CIO) accused Yoon of staging a “riot” and seeking to undermine the constitution when he declared martial law on 3 December and sent troops and police officers to seal the National Assembly.

Lee Jae-seung, deputy chief prosecutor at the CIO, told a televised briefing that Yoon abused his power as leader of the country by mobilising troops for an illegitimate purpose and attempting to obstruct parliament’s right to vote on ending martial law.

Yoon briefly imposed a rare martial law order on South Korea in December, citing the need to “eliminate anti-state forces.” He justified his decision by blaming the country’s opposition — the liberal Democratic Party — of sympathising with North Korea without evidence.

He reversed course only six hours later after 190 lawmakers forcibly entered the shuttered parliament to vote down the decree despite the presence of Yoon’s armed forces.

Yoon has steadfastly maintained that his actions were intended to issue a warning to the opposition-controlled parliament over its obstruction of his agenda, rather than to disrupt its work. He has, however, since been impeached as leader of the country and faced widespread backlash.

The CIO has been leading a probe into Yoon with police and military authorities, and detained him last week.

While the agency can investigate the president and other high-ranking officials it cannot prosecute them, and must refer any case to the prosecutors’ office.

Yoon’s detention is due to end around 28 January, but the CIO expects prosecutors to ask the court to extend it for another 10 days before they formally charge the president.

Yoon has resisted the CIO’s attempts to question him for weeks and used the presidential security service to repel a first attempt to detain him. The former leader has argued that the investigation and his detention are yasa dışı.

Yoon’s defence team have also issued a statement accusing the CIO of “humiliating” Yoon by trying to pressure him to speak to investigators, and abusing his human rights by preventing him from contacting family members.

Appearing at his hearing for the first time on Tuesday, Yoon denied that he ordered the military to drag lawmakers out of the National Assembly to prevent them from voting. Commanders of military units have rebuked his testimony, alleging that Yoon ordered them to pull lawmakers out.

Yoon’s defence team also said a criminal investigation should only be conducted after the Constitutional Court decides whether to remove Yoon from office in its trial on his impeachment.

Yoon’s martial law decree and the subsequent political fallout have shaken South Korean politics and financial markets and hurt its international image.