Politics South Korea's ex-minister: suicide attempt in custody
South Korea's imprisoned ex-Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun has attempted suicide in his prison cell. According to the Ministry of Justice, the 65-year-old, who is accused of treason, was initially in a stable state of health, as South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported.
11.12.2024, 09:05
11.12.2024, 14:08
SDA
Kim is currently being held in a detention center in Seoul. He was an outspoken supporter and possible mastermind behind President Yoon Suk Yeol's controversial decision to impose martial law on his country - which sparked mass protests.
On Tuesday, the former defense minister said he wanted to take sole responsibility. "The entire responsibility for the situation lies solely with me. My subordinates simply faithfully followed my orders and the instructions given to them. I ask for leniency for them," Yonhap quoted a statement from Kim's lawyer's office as saying.
On Wednesday, police wanted to raid President Yoon's offices as part of their investigation into him, but were prevented from entering the building by presidential security forces. Yoon was not present during the raid, according to Yonhap. His exact whereabouts are currently unclear.
The South Korean president unexpectedly imposed martial law on Tuesday last week and lifted it hours later after massive political resistance. On Saturday evening, an opposition motion to impeach Yoon failed in parliament. However, public pressure against the 63-year-old continues.
