On December 11, North Korea’s Central News Agency (KCNA) published Pyongyang’s first comments on martial law in South Korea, criticizing President Yoon Suk Yeol for causing instability nationwide, according to AFP.
Soldiers enforced martial law inside the Korean parliament late on December 3
According to KCNA, the shocking incident of Mr. Yoon’s administration, “who is facing impeachment and a governance crisis”, has caused chaos throughout Korea.
“The international community is closely watching with assessments that the martial law event has exposed the vulnerabilities in Korean society. Commentators describe Mr. Yoon’s sudden declaration of martial law as Mr. Yoon Suk Yeol’s desperate actions and political life may face an early end,” KCNA wrote.
Mr. Yoon declared martial law late on December 3 and sent military forces to the parliament, but was soon forced to withdraw this situation because the parliament voted to pass a resolution invalidating martial law.
On December 7, he temporarily escaped impeachment when the bill proposed by the opposition failed to pass because ruling party lawmakers boycotted the voting session.
According to Yonhap, the opposition Democratic Party today, December 11, will announce a new impeachment bill against President Yoon, one day later it will be presented to the National Assembly and push for a vote on December 14. The bill is said to include accusations that Mr. Yoon directly directed soldiers to block parliament and arrest lawmakers, which is equivalent to an act of insurrection.
The first person arrested in connection with the martial law incident
Mr. Kim Yong-hyun, former South Korean Defense Minister, was the first person officially arrested in connection with martial law.
According to the latest information, former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun was officially arrested on December 11 on charges of helping President Yoon rebel. Mr. Kim was the first person arrested in connection with the incident, according to Yonhap. President Yoon has been listed as a suspect and banned from traveling abroad.
By law, the president is immune from prosecution while in office, except in cases of insurrection. The mastermind of this act can face the death penalty or life imprisonment, while the participants can face the death penalty, life imprisonment or a minimum prison sentence of 5 years.
Also on December 11, Director of the Korean National Police Agency Cho Ji-ho and Director of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Kim Bong-sik were arrested in connection with the investigation of the martial law incident.
According to Yonhap, Mr. Cho and Mr. Kim Bong-sik were urgently arrested without an arrest warrant at dawn on charges of insurrection. Both are banned from traveling abroad.
Police outside the Korean parliament building in the early morning of December 4
Mr. Cho and Mr. Kim are suspected of instructing the police to blockade the parliament building to prevent lawmakers from entering to vote to invalidate martial law. That night, many lawmakers climbed over the wall of the parliament building to get inside. Mr. Cho is also suspected of sending police to the National Election Commission to assist the military in carrying out orders under martial law.
