South Korea’s Yoon defies summons as prosecutors probe martial law declaration, vows to ‘fight to the end’
File photo of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol
South Korea’s conservative president, Yoon Suk Yeol, has reportedly ignored summons from prosecutors investigating him on charges of insurrection as he faces impeachment after imposing martial law.
According to the Yonhap news agency, Yoon was summoned on Wednesday to appear for questioning at 10:00 AMlocal time on Sunday (December 15), but did not attend. Prosecutors are now expected to issue another summons and are also seeking arrest warrants for senior military officials, including the head of the army’s special warfare command and the chief of the capital defence command.
Yoon’s presidential powers have been suspended while the constitutional court deliberates on whether to remove him from office or reinstate him. If he is dismissed, a national election to select his successor will need to take place within 60 days. The court will start reviewing the case on Monday and has up to 180 days to deliver its decision.
Opposition parties have accused Yoon of rebellion, arguing that under South Korean law, martial law can only be declared during war or extreme emergencies.
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Yoon has denied all allegations and has vowed to “fight to the end”. He defended his decision, claiming the troop deployment to the national assembly was meant to warn the Democratic Party, which he described as an “anti-state force”.
Although Yoon has presidential immunity from most criminal prosecutions, it does not cover accusations of rebellion or treason. He has been barred from leaving South Korea, though his arrest is unlikely, given the risk of clashes with his presidential security service.
Han Duck-soo, Yoon’s appointee and acting president, has instructed the military to strengthen its security measures against North Korea. On Sunday, Han held a phone call with US President Joe Biden to discuss South Korea’s political situation and regional security concerns, including North Korea’s nuclear threat. Biden praised South Korea’s strong democratic resilience and reiterated the “ironclad commitment” of the US to its ally, according to official statements from both nations.
(With inputs from agencies)
