Germany South Korea: Former defense minister arrested
The South Korean public prosecutor's office has arrested former Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun. According to the South Korean news agency Yonhap, Kim is being investigated for treason. The 65-year-old, who tendered his resignation on Wednesday and was replaced by a new minister the following day, was an outspoken supporter of the president's decision to declare martial law, which has since been withdrawn. According to reports, Kim was even the man behind the decision.
08.12.2024, 01:42
SDA
Late on Tuesday evening (local time), President Yoon Suk Yeol surprisingly declared martial law and then lifted it a few hours later after massive political opposition. It was the first time since South Korea's transition to democracy at the end of the 1980s that the country's head of state had imposed martial law.
On Saturday evening, an opposition motion to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol failed in parliament. Shortly before the vote, almost all members of the ruling party had left the chamber to boycott the vote. In the end, only 195 of the 300 MPs cast their vote. The motion therefore fell short of the quorum by five votes.
Yoon therefore remains president for the time being. However, public pressure against the 63-year-old is unlikely to let up in the coming days. According to Yonhap estimates, 100,000 people gathered outside the parliament building on Saturday evening to loudly demand the president's resignation. The opposition accuses Yoon of breaking the constitution.
