Yoon Suk Yeol Indicted for Abuse of Power Over Martial Law Declaration

Disgraced former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has been formally indicted on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of official duties, as authorities deepen an ongoing investigation into alleged insurrection.

Yoon sparked a constitutional crisis on December 3 last year when he attempted to undermine civilian rule by deploying troops to the National Assembly in an effort to block lawmakers from voting down his declaration of martial law.

He made history as the first sitting South Korean president to be taken into custody when he was arrested in January after weeks of resisting detention, reportedly using his presidential security detail to obstruct law enforcement. Though released on procedural grounds in March, his trial on insurrection-related charges has continued.

He was re-arrested last week following the issuance of a fresh warrant amid fears he might tamper with evidence.

“The prosecution indicted former President Yoon Suk Yeol on charges including abuse of power and obstruction of special official duties,” prosecutor Park Ji-young told journalists on Saturday.

Park further revealed that Yoon bypassed the legal process for imposing martial law, failing to convene a mandatory cabinet meeting prior to the announcement. He was also charged with “drafting and discarding a false document” which falsely claimed that both the Prime Minister and Defence Minister had endorsed the declaration.

Since his re-arrest, Yoon has refused to attend questioning sessions but appeared in court on Friday to request that his detention warrant be revoked. His lawyers said the former president defended himself for more than 30 minutes, citing his “limited physical mobility and the challenges he was facing”.

Yoon is currently being held in solitary confinement in a cell equipped with only a fan, without air-conditioning, as South Korea faces an ongoing heat wave.