South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo (left) and ruling People Power Party (PPP) leader Han Dong-hoon delivering a joint public address at the PPP headquarters in Seoul on Sunday Dec 8. - PHOTO: EPA-EFE via The Straits Times
SEOUL: South Korea’s leadership crisis deepened on Sunday (Dec 8) as prosecutors named President Yoon Suk Yeol as a subject in a criminal investigation over his bid last week to impose martial law, his former defence minister was arrested, and his interior minister resigned.
Park Se-hyun, head of the office leading the prosecution’s investigation into last week’s martial law turmoil, confirmed the news of the Yoon probe during a press briefing.
“We have received numerous complaints against President Yoon Suk Yeol, and we are conducting investigations accordingly. Procedurally, it is correct that a suspect is booked once a complaint or accusation is filed,” said Mr Park.
Mr Yoon survived an impeachment vote in the opposition-led Parliament late on Dec 7, but the leader of his own party said the President would effectively be excluded from his duties before eventually stepping down.
That proposal, which appeared to win tacit approval from the Yoon-appointed Prime Minister on Dec 8, drew condemnation from opposition lawmakers who said it was another unconstitutional power grab to delegate authority without resignation or impeachment.
Thousands of people rallied in front of the Parliament in Seoul on Dec 8, calling for the impeachment and arrest of Mr Yoon and the disbandment of his ruling People Power Party (PPP).
Mr Yoon’s martial law declaration plunged Asia’s fourth-largest economy, which is also a key US military ally, into its greatest political crisis in decades, threatening to shatter South Korea’s reputation as a democratic success story.
The leader of South Korea’s PPP said on Sunday (Dec 8) that Prime Minister Han Duck-soo will manage the nation’s affairs as the country deals with the fallout from the political crisis sparked by President Yoon’s bungled attempt at imposing martial law.
The party will prepare an orderly exit plan for Mr Yoon, PPP leader Han Dong-hoon said in a prepared statement after meeting the Prime Minister.
“The President will not be involved in any state affairs, including diplomacy, before his exit,” Mr Han Dong-hoon said.
But National Assembly speaker Woo Won-shik said it was unconstitutional to delegate presidential authority to the prime minister and the ruling party without impeachment.
Mr Woo proposed a meeting of rival parties to discuss ways to suspend Mr Yoon’s presidential power immediately.
The main opposition Democratic Party called for the immediate suspension of Mr Yoon’s presidential duties and for stripping him of authority to control the military. It also called for his arrest and that of military officials implicated in the martial law fiasco.
The party also plans to propose a bill seeking a special counsel investigation into Mr Yoon’s declaration of martial law and put it to a parliamentary vote on Dec 12.
Three minority opposition parties filed a complaint with the prosecution against Mr Yoon, former defence minister Kim Yong-hyun and martial law commander Park An-su, accusing them of insurrection.
The crime of leading an insurrection is punishable by death or life imprisonment, with or without prison labour.
Mr Kim, who stepped down on Dec 4 after Mr Yoon rescinded martial law, was arrested on Dec 8. He is seen as a central figure in the debacle, having proposed martial law to the President, according to a senior military official and the impeachment filings.
The national police raided his office and official residence, while the prosecution’s special investigative team seized his mobile phone, it said in a brief statement to reporters. He is being held in a detention centre in the east of Seoul.
Before the arrest, investigators had questioned Mr Kim, who voluntarily appeared at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office around 1.30am local time on Dec 8, Yonhap news agency reported.
Later in the day, the country’s interior minister Lee Sang-min resigned. He said he was stepping down “in grave recognition of responsibility for failing to serve the public and the President well”, according to the JoongAng Ilbo newspaper.
Mr Yoon accepted his resignation, the paper said. Mr Kim and Mr Lee are among those under investigation.
Mr Yoon shocked the nation on the night of Dec 3 when he gave the military sweeping emergency powers to root out what he called “anti-state forces” and obstructionist political opponents.
He rescinded the order six hours later, after Parliament defied military and police cordons to vote unanimously against the decree.
Opposition lawmakers allege Mr Yoon mobilised military forces to block a vote by lawmakers seeking to nullify what they said was an unconstitutional martial law decree.
Military crisis
Hours before the Dec 7 impeachment vote, Mr Yoon addressed the nation in a televised speech to apologise for his martial law decree, saying he would put his fate in the hands of his party.
Mr Han said the comments were effectively a promise to leave office early, adding that the ruling party would consult the prime minister to manage state affairs.
The brief imposition of martial law caught some of South Korea’s closest allies by surprise, and Prime Minister Han said his government will do its best to regain the trust of the international community.
“It is very important that we keep strong ties with the US and Japan in terms of national security, while maintaining the US-Korea alliance firm,” he said.
The ruling party offered few details on their plan to prevent Mr Yoon’s impeachment but have him give up power, and the proposal added more confusion to the crisis over presidential authority.
In an effort to reassure the public, multiple military leaders, including the acting defence minister, have stated they would refuse any orders to impose another round of martial law.
The Defence Ministry did not respond to repeated questions from foreign media on Dec 8 over who is now the commander-in-chief of South Korea’s military, which is one of the largest in the world and operates combined commands with the US.
“I think (military commanders) are very disappointed, some of them are feeling that they have been betrayed. It will take a lot of work to regain the trust of the military,” said Mr Chun In-bum, a retired lieutenant-general in the South Korean army and former commander of the country’s special forces, who blamed politicians for the mess.
“I resent the fact they draw in the military to do their job, and it was a bad decision to try to use the military to solve a political problem,” he added.
The leadership crisis threatens to undermine allied efforts to deter nuclear-armed North Korea, analysts said.
“North Korea will probably take a wait-and-see approach toward these events, but it cannot be ruled out that Pyongyang will attempt to exploit divisions in Seoul,” said professor Leif-Eric Easley from Ewha University in Seoul. - THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK, REUTERS, BLOOMBERG, AFP
