SEOUL, South Korea — On Monday, South Korea’s Justice Ministry announced a travel ban on President Yoon Suk Yeol as investigations continue into allegations of rebellion and other misconduct linked to his recent declaration of martial law. This significant political shift occurred last week when Yoon’s martial law order on December 3 involved deploying special forces troops in the streets of Seoul, leading to nationwide unrest and concern among international allies.
Over the weekend, Yoon narrowly escaped an impeachment attempt spearheaded by opposition parties, as many members of the governing party chose to abstain during the parliamentary vote. However, opposition leaders have pledged to pursue a new impeachment motion in the coming days. During a parliamentary inquiry, Justice Ministry official Bae Sang-up confirmed that the travel ban on Yoon was enacted following requests from various law enforcement agencies, including police and prosecutors, as they delve deeper into the intricacies surrounding the president’s controversial decision to impose martial law.
In a related context, a senior officer from the National Police Agency indicated that conditions could permit the apprehension of Yoon if necessary. This information was shared with local media in a background briefing. It’s important to note that while a sitting president in South Korea generally enjoys immunity from prosecution during their term, cases involving rebellion or treason are exceptions. Therefore, Yoon might be subject to police questioning and even detention regarding his martial law actions; however, many experts remain skeptical that police would take such steps due to the potential for conflict with his security detail. There are also concerns that the presidential security service may not allow access to Yoon’s office, as they would cite laws preventing searches of locations related to state secrets without appropriate permissions.
Historical precedents exist, such as the case with former President Park Geun-hye, who faced impeachment and later prosecution over corruption allegations. In Park’s situation, her office was not searched, and she only faced questioning after her impeachment was confirmed by the Constitutional Court.
The opposition Democratic Party has condemned Yoon’s imposition of martial law as “unconstitutional” and has filed grievances with the police against at least nine individuals, including the president and his former defense chief, concerning these rebellion allegations. Recently, prosecutors have detained former Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun, who allegedly advocated for the martial law declaration, marking him as the first individual arrested in connection with this case.
Additionally, the Defense Ministry has suspended three high-ranking military officials linked to the martial law imposition amid ongoing investigations. Following the backlash, Yoon offered an apology regarding his martial law decree, asserting that he would accept both legal and political responsibility for his actions, and entrusted his party to navigate the current political crisis.
The conservative leader has faced considerable opposition since his inauguration in 2022, clashing frequently with the parliamentary majority, led by liberal constituents. They have previously attempted various measures to impeach some of his cabinet members while conducting aggressive political campaigns against him and his family related to emerging scandals. In his martial law announcement, Yoon described the parliament as a “den of criminals” obstructing governmental functions, promising to root out forces he considers anti-state.
This martial law declaration was short-lived, lasting a mere six hours, as the National Assembly swiftly voted it down, leading to its revocation before dawn on Wednesday. Some members from Yoon’s party, the People Power Party (PPP), had opposed the decree but subsequently chose to reject the impeachment movement against him.
Political experts suggest that the PPP is concerned about the potential loss of the presidency in a by-election should Yoon be impeached, reminiscent of the fallout faced after Park Geun-hye’s removal. The party’s decision to boycott the parliamentary vote is likely to escalate the protests calling for Yoon’s impeachment. PPP leader Han Dong-hun stated that the party aims for Yoon’s timely and structured exit from office to reduce societal disruptions but refrained from providing a specific timeline. Furthermore, Han commented that Yoon would not engage in state matters, including foreign policy.
Critics of Han’s strategy argue that he may be seeking to buy time to rehabilitate his party’s reputation. His intentions to marginalize Yoon from state activities have also evoked significant worries and accusations of unconstitutional behavior. Meanwhile, the Defense Ministry reiterated during a briefing that the president retains military command, a role designated to the office by the constitution.
