The political brouhaha in South Korea took another turn on Sunday as President Yoon Suk Yeol was identified by prosecutors as the subject of a criminal investigation linked to the martial law declaration last week.
The political issue gained momentum when the arrest of Yoon’s former defense minister was made.
Although the president slightly escaped an impeachment vote on Saturday in the parliament that is controlled by the opposition, which may affect his future in the political space. Leader of Yoon’s People Power Party, Han Dong-hoon, made a statement that he claimed that the president would step back from state and foreign affairs ahead of his eventual resignation.
The move appears to have received a nod from Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, which caused a sharp attack from opposition legislators, who called it unconstitutional.
Protesters in their thousands gathered on Sunday in front of the National Assembly, calling for the impeachment of Yoon’s arrest and the dissolution of his party.
Among the opposition parties that have criticized Yoon is the Democratic Party, which is calling for his immediate suspension and also asked that his military authority be removed immediately.
The political crisis started when Yoon on Tuesday declared martial law, providing authority for the military broadly to counter “anti-state forces.”
The decree that has currently generated controversy was rescinded hours after the declaration was made because of the unanimous rejection from the lawmakers, marking a significant challenge to South Korea’s democratic principles.
