The magistrates accompanied their decision with an order to maintain the detention of the South Korean president arrested last week during a raid.
Suspended South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, under impeachment proceedings since his failed declaration of martial law, was indicted Sunday for leading a «insurrection» and remains in detention. Prosecutors leading the investigation announced in a statement that they had “indicted Yoon Suk Yeol (…) on the accusation of being the leader of an insurrection”.
Yoon Suk Yeol plunged South Korea into political chaos by attempting, on December 3, to decree martial law, a measure which lasted only six hours before being rejected by the deputies, who managed to meet in emergency in Parliament. He was suspended soon after, and on January 15, he became the first sitting South Korean head of state to be arrested. This arrest came after several weeks of detention in his residence, where his bodyguards had resisted attempts at his incarceration. Yoon Suk Yeol is now in the Seoul Detention Center.
Trial in six months
The deposed president has refused to cooperate with the criminal investigation into his declaration of martial law, with his lawyers arguing that investigators have no legal authority. His formal detention charge means he will now be kept behind bars until his trial, which is due to take place within six months. His indictment was widely expected after a court twice rejected prosecutors' requests to extend his arrest warrant while the investigation continued.
“After a thorough review of the evidence obtained during the investigation, prosecutors concluded that it was entirely appropriate to charge the defendant”they added in their press release. The need to keep Yoon Suk Yeol behind bars was justified by a “continued risk of destruction of evidence”they further indicated. “The charge of leading an insurrection is not covered by presidential immunity”they stressed. The opposition welcomed this indictment.
-“Fight to the end”
“We must arrest not only those who plotted to carry out an illegal insurrection, but also those who fomented it by spreading misinformation.”said Han Min-soo, member of Parliament. Without providing evidence, Yoon Suk Yeol and his legal team cited alleged electoral fraud and legislative gridlock in the opposition-controlled parliament to justify the declaration of martial law.
Yoon Suk Yeol in promis “fight to the end”attracting support from his supporters who adopted the rhetoric «Stop the steal» (“Stop the steal”), borrowed from Donald Trump voters, convinced that their leader was cheated in the American presidential election which he lost in 2020. “This indictment will bring a sense of relief, reaffirming that the constitutional order is functioning as it should”said Bae Kang-hoon, co-founder of policy think tank Valid.
Yoon Suk Yeol also faces a series of hearings by the Constitutional Court, which will decide whether to uphold his indictment and formally strip him of the presidency. If the Court rules against him, he will lose the presidency and an election will be held within 60 days. Yoon Suk Yeol remains the head of state of South Korea for the moment despite his detention.
