South Korea's Yoon Suk Yeol indicted over martial law attempt

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, who was impeached, has been charged with insurrection for attempting to declare martial law last December. His failed attempt to impose military rule has plunged the country into an unprecedented political crisis, and he has become the first sitting president in South Korean history to be charged with a crime.

The indictment comes after a Seoul court refused to extend Yoon's detention on Saturday. This means prosecutors must decide by Monday whether to indict or release him. "The punishment for the ringleader of the insurrection is now finally beginning," said Han Min-soo, a spokesman for the main opposition Democratic Party, at a press conference.

Meanwhile, the Constitutional Court has begun deliberations on whether to formally remove Yoon from the presidency or reinstate him. The impeached president has largely refused to cooperate with the criminal investigation into the martial law order. Yoon will stand trial alongside his former defense minister and senior military commanders, who are accused of helping him plot and execute the attempt to seize total power.

In an unprecedented televised address on December 3, Yoon said he was invoking martial law to protect the nation from "anti-state" forces sympathetic to North Korea. At the time, the embattled leader was struggling with a budget impasse, plagued by corruption scandals, and had several of his cabinet ministers under investigation. The military announced a suspension of all parliamentary activity and attempted to control the media.

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the opposition Democratic Party, urged people to protest at the National Assembly and called on his fellow lawmakers to immediately vote to overturn the order. Less than two hours after Yoon announced martial law, 190 assembled lawmakers, including some from the president's own party, unanimously voted to block the order. A dramatic confrontation ensued as soldiers, armed with rifles, entered the parliament building through smashed windows. Thousands of civilians gathered in front of the parliament to try to stop the soldiers.

Yoon was impeached by parliament and suspended from office on December 14. The event has triggered the most serious political crisis in South Korea in decades and has deeply polarized the country. Many of his hardline supporters have rallied around him. On Friday, tens of thousands gathered in protest, demanding his release and reinstatement. If Yoon is removed from office, a presidential election will be held within 60 days.

The prosecutor's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.