Your support helps us tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to big tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the finances of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word,’ which shines a light on American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know the importance of analyzing the facts of messaging. .
At such a critical moment in American history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to continue sending journalists to tell both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to block Americans from our reporting and analysis with a paywall. We believe that quality journalism should be available to everyone, and paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes a difference.
South Korean police have launched an investigation into President Yoon Suk Yeol over allegations of a “rebellion” following his sudden and short-term declaration of a state of emergency earlier this week.
The decree, which lasted six hours and plunged the country into political chaos, could have dire consequences for Mr. Yoon because sedition is a crime that bypasses presidential immunity and is punishable by death.
The investigation follows two complaints filed by the opposition Korean Restoration Party and 59 activists, and prosecutors have also opened an investigation into Interior Minister Kim Seon Ho and former Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun for their roles in the crisis, according to the Yonhap news agency.
President Yoon declared a state of emergency in an extraordinary late-night televised address on Tuesday, citing unnamed security threats.
The emergency measure suspended the civil government, deployed soldiers and helicopters to the National Assembly and caused widespread shock. But declaring a state of emergencythe first in South Korea in more than 40 years, it was recalled within six hours after opposition MPs voted against it early Wednesday morning. Opposition parties condemned the move as a violation of the constitution and announced plans to impeach the president.
A parliamentary vote is scheduled for Saturday evening, with Democratic Party spokesman Jo Seoung Iae urging conservative lawmakers to consider what he described as an “unconstitutional, illegal rebellion or coup”.
South Korea’s military leaders distanced themselves from Yoon’s actions. Gen. Park Ahn Soo, the military chief in charge of overseeing the state of emergency, told parliament on Thursday that he only learned of the declaration when the president announced it on live television, reports Financial Times.
“I found out about the declaration of emergency by watching Yoon’s press conference,” General Park said, adding that the role of the military was led by Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun, who has since resigned. Vice Defense Minister Kim Seon Ho similarly claimed he was informed of the president’s plans only after the announcement.
“Although we are military experts, we are not martial law experts,” General Park said during his testimony.
Lee Jae Myung, leader of the opposition Democratic Party and Yoon’s main rival in the 2022 presidential election, described his disbelief after seeing the announcement.
He told CNN, “That night, after I got off work, I was lying in bed with my wife … when she showed me a YouTube video and said, ‘The president is declaring a state of emergency.’ I replied: ‘It’s a deepfake. Must be a deepfake. There’s no way that’s real.’” He recalled being shocked when he realized the post was true.
This was previously claimed by the country’s deputy defense minister South Korean soldiers distributed in the National Assembly after President Yoon declared a state of emergency it carries no live ammunition.
Speaking at a defense ministry briefing, Kim Seon Ho said they were soldiers ordered to parliament by Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun, but were essentially unarmed.
The deputy minister, however, accepted responsibility for failing to prevent the imposition of a state of emergency, which is caused national outrage and political crisis, the BBC announced.
The Minister of Defense quit earlier Thursday. He apologized for the disturbance and concern of the public. “All the troops that performed duties related to the state of emergency acted according to my instructions and all responsibility rests with me,” he said in a statement from the Ministry of Defense.
Resignation of the Minister of Defense increased pressure on the presidentwhich appears to be set at inevitably face a recall motion.
At a parliamentary hearing on Thursday, the deputy defense minister said he had not been informed of Mr Yoon’s decision to impose martial law. He learned about it from the media.
He did not know who was the author of the military proclamation on the suspension of the activities of political parties after the declaration of a state of emergency, but he claimed that it was not from the Ministry of Defense.
However, the decision to send troops to the National Assembly was made by the former Minister of Defense. “I was basically opposed to the deployment of troops because of this state of emergency and I expressed a negative opinion about it,” he claimed. “I would like to apologize once again to our citizens, and on a personal level I feel devastated.”
Mr. Yoon quickly named Choi Byung Hyuk, a retired general and ambassador to Saudi Arabia, as the new defense minister.
The president has remained out of the public eye since Thursday and has yet to address growing calls for his resignation and impeachment.
The main opposition Democratic Party, backed by smaller parties, filed a motion to impeach Mr Yoon on Thursday, accusing him of violating constitutional limits by mobilizing the military in a “coup”. It alleges that Mr. Yoon sought to suppress political opposition and block parliamentary office, which is considered unconstitutional.
The the proposal must be adopted by a two-thirds majority in the National Assembly of 300 deputies.
Opposition parties have 192 seats and need eight MPs from Mr. Yoon’s People Power Party to pass the vote. The ruling party has vowed to oppose the proposal, but could suffer internal divisions over the issue.
Jo Seoung Lae, a spokesman for the Democratic Party, said he would push for a National Assembly vote on the impeachment motion on Saturday night to give lawmakers from the conservative ruling party enough time to consider their position on what he described as “unconstitutional, illegal rebellion or coup”.
Han Dong Hoon, a member of the People’s Power Party who criticized the state of emergency decision, warned of political instability if the recall were to happen. “We must prevent harm to citizens and supporters caused by unprepared political turmoil,” he said.
If impeached, Yoon would be stripped of his powers while the Constitutional Court examines the parliamentary vote, with Prime Minister Han Duck Soo taking over presidential duties in the meantime.
Yoon’s declaration of a state of emergency evoked memories of South Korea’s authoritarian past, when military regimes imposed such measures to suppress dissent. South Korea, however, has not witnessed such scenes since its transition to democracy in the late 1980s.
After Mr. Yoon’s statement, troops in full combat gear tried to keep protesters away from the National Assembly as helicopters flew overhead and landed nearby.
U chaotic scenes, opposition MPs climbed the walls to access parliament chamber because the soldiers initially blocked the entrance.
It was not clear how the 190 deputies managed to enter the hall to vote on the state of emergency decree. Opposition leader Lee Jae Myung and National Assembly Speaker Woo Won Shik were seen climbing over the walls.
Soldiers and police blocked some deputies from entering, but did not aggressively restrain or use force against others.
Additional agency reporting.