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Ex-South Korean President Yoon Indicted for Insurrection
Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol indicted for insurrection over 2024 martial law plot, accused of provoking North Korea to consolidate power.
MH
by Muhammad Hashir
2025-12-15
Ex-South Korean President Yoon Indicted for Insurrection

Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and several associates have been indicted for insurrection, accused of attempting to provoke military aggression from North Korea to strengthen Yoon’s grip on power.

Special Prosecutor Cho Eun-seok announced on Monday that Yoon, five former cabinet members, and 18 others were charged following a six-month investigation into Yoon’s controversial declaration of martial law in December 2024.

“To create justification for declaring martial law, they tried to lure North Korea into mounting an armed aggression, but failed as North Korea did not respond militarily,” Cho stated.

The martial law declaration sparked nationwide protests, with lawmakers and citizens swarming parliament to block the measure. The Supreme Court later declared the decree unconstitutional, resulting in Yoon’s impeachment, removal from office, and subsequent imprisonment.

Cho revealed that Yoon and his supporters had been planning the martial law scheme since at least October 2023. The plot involved strategically placing allies in key military positions and removing officials opposed to the plan. Dinner gatherings were also held to garner support from military leaders.

The investigation found that Yoon, his former Defence Minister Kim Yong Hyun, and Yeo In-hyung, then commander of the military counterintelligence agency, had directed provocative military actions against North Korea from October 2024, aiming to trigger a response that could justify martial law.

Earlier, Yoon was indicted for ordering drone flights with propaganda leaflets into North Korea. According to Cho, Yoon labeled his political opponents as “anti-state forces” to legitimize his power grab, despite North Korea not responding to provocations.

Under South Korean law, insurrection carries severe penalties, including life imprisonment or the death penalty. Yoon has maintained that his martial law declaration was aimed at combating what he perceived as obstruction by the opposition Democratic Party.

Cho concluded, “Yoon declared emergency martial law to monopolize and maintain power by taking control of the legislative and judiciary branches and eliminating his political opponents.”
Tagged:

southkorea

MartialLaw

YoonSukYeol

Insurrection
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