North Korea labels Yoon the 'ringleader of rebellion' amid South Korea's political crisis
Impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol
After the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol, North Korean state media on Monday (Dec 16) branded him the "ringleader of rebellion" following his suspension over a short-lived martial law decree.
What did North Korea say?
Days after South Korea's parliament voted to impeach Yoon for "insurrection," North Korea's state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that the "puppet" Constitutional Court would decide on Yoon's removal.
Also read |South Korean constitutional court officially kicks-off impeachment proceedings against Yoon
"The investigation into puppet Yoon Suk Yeol, the ringleader of the rebellion, and his accomplices is under way," said KCNA, adding "The puppet Constitutional Court will finally decide," on whether to remove Yoon.
KCNA also accused Yoon of attempting to deflect blame for the "foolish emergency martial law declaration" onto opposition parties.
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The use of "puppet" to describe Yoon and the court is nothing new. As per AFP news, North Korean state media often refers to the South's leaders and institutions as "puppets" of the United States, its treaty ally.
What's happening in South Korea?
South Korea's political turmoilstems from Yoon's controversial martial law decree on December 3, which, although short-lived, led to a political firestorm in the country.
On Saturday (Dec 14) Yoonwas impeached by the South Korean parliament, in the second move after the first one failed. A 204-vote majority resulted in the motion passing, leading to Yoon's suspension.
The embattled leader is now awaiting a verdict from South Korea's Constitutional Court, which has up to 180 days to decide his political future. On Monday, the court officially began its proceedings. In the interim, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo has assumed the role of acting president.
Watch |South Korea: PM Han Took Charge As Interim President, Calls For Military Bolster Ties With US
South Korean prosecutors have summoned Yoon for questioning over insurrection allegations, though he has reportedly refused to comply.
On Sunday, authorities arrested the current and former heads of the Defence Intelligence Command and sought an arrest warrant for Army Special Warfare Command chief Kwak Jong-keun, who allegedly deployed special forces to parliament during the decree, triggering a stand-off with parliamentary staff.
(With inputs from agencies)
