Impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol refused investigators’ calls on Monday to answer questions regarding his failed attempt to declare martial law earlier this month.
Yoon, who was suspended from office by parliament on Saturday, is facing concurrent investigations into alleged insurrection by South Korean prosecutors, along with a joint team comprising police, the defence ministry, and anti-corruption authorities.
South Korea’s Constitutional Court began proceedings against Yoon on Monday and has six months to decide whether to uphold the impeachment. If found guilty, Yoon and some of his inner circle could face life imprisonment or even the death penalty, along with a travel ban.
Prosecutors issued Yoon a second summons on Monday for questioning over accusations of insurrection and abuse of power, after he “refused to comply” with a similar request the previous day.
The joint investigation team also requested Yoon appear to answer questions on Wednesday, but his office rejected the request, according to Yonhap news agency. Should he continue to refuse, investigators could seek a court-issued arrest warrant.
Yoon was removed by South Korea’s parliament on Saturday following his short-lived attempt to suspend civilian rule, plunging the country into political turmoil not seen in years. If the Constitutional Court upholds his removal, fresh elections will need to be held within two months. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo is serving as interim leader in Yoon’s absence.
— ‘Top Priority’ —
A spokeswoman for the court said judges had scheduled a preliminary hearing for December 27, during which Yoon is not required to attend.
“During the preparatory hearing, investigation records from the prosecution, police, and other relevant authorities will be promptly secured,” spokeswoman Lee Jean told journalists.
“This case will be given top priority,” she added.
Protests, both in support of Yoon and against him, have rocked South Korea since his short-lived martial law decree on December 3. Demonstrators from both sides have vowed to continue their pressure as the Constitutional Court weighs Yoon’s fate.
On Sunday, police arrested the current and former heads of the Defence Intelligence Command in connection to the insurrection allegations, according to Yonhap. Prosecutors also arrested Kwak Jong-keun, the head of the Army Special Warfare Command, who is accused of deploying special forces troops to parliament during Yoon’s martial law bid, sparking a confrontation between soldiers and parliamentary staff.
The head of Yoon’s ruling People Power Party (PPP), who has not been linked to the martial law attempt and had supported Yoon’s impeachment, resigned on Monday.
“I sincerely apologise to all the people who have suffered due to the emergency martial law incident,” Han Dong-hoon told a news conference in Seoul.
In his martial law declaration, Yoon had vowed to “eliminate anti-state elements” and suggested South Korea’s electoral system was vulnerable to outside interference.
Han Dong-hoon condemned extremists, such as election fraud conspiracy theorists, warning that “there will be no future for conservatism” if the party embraces such views.
— ‘Ringleader Of Rebellion’ —
Meanwhile, the South Korean government has sought to project a sense of business as usual. Acting president Han Duck-soo held a call with U.S. President Joe Biden on Sunday, who reaffirmed the strength of bilateral ties between the two nations.
Han Duck-soo also directed the military to “enhance vigilance” against North Korea, which remains technically at war with the South.
North Korean state media referred to Yoon as a “ringleader of rebellion” on Monday, its first public reaction to his impeachment. The state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) accused Yoon of trying to shift responsibility for the “foolish emergency martial law declaration” onto opposition parties.
“The investigation into puppet Yoon Suk Yeol, the ringleader of the rebellion, and his accomplices is under way,” KCNA stated.
North Korean media often refers to South Korea’s leadership as being a “puppet” of the United States, Seoul’s treaty ally.
KCNA described South Korea as being “in chaos” following Yoon’s martial law order.
Relations between the two Koreas have hit a low point, with North Korea conducting a series of ballistic missile tests in violation of UN sanctions.
