South Korean police raided President Yoon Suk Yeol‘s office on Wednesday as they expanded their investigation into his failed attempt to impose martial law.
“Raids were also conducted at the offices of the Seoul Metropolitan Police and the National Assembly Police Guard,” the police said in a statement.
Police also reportedly came to search the headquarters of the South Korean Army Special Forces Command, the headquarters of the National Police Agency and the Seoul Police Headquarters.
Earlier on December 9, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was banned from leaving the country amid an investigation into his order to temporarily impose martial law. Earlier in the day, police were also reported to have imposed a travel ban on former South Korean Interior Minister and Minister of Public Administration and Security Lee Sang-min.
Former ROK Armed Forces counterintelligence commander Yeo In-hyung and Army Chief of Staff Park Ahn-soo, who was appointed martial law commander, were also banned from leaving the country.
On December 8, Korean Newsis reported that South Korea’s Minister of Internal Affairs and Security Lee Sang-min resigned. His decision was approved by the country’s President Yoon. On the same day, the South Korean prosecutor’s office assigned Yoon the status of a suspect in the case of rebellion against the state system. The Prosecutor’s Office of the Republic has launched an investigation into the statement of opposition MPs about the treason of the Korean president.
Before that, on December 7, the National Assembly (Parliament) of the Republic of Korea failed to gather the necessary number of votes to impeach the President of the country. To declare impeachment, 200 deputy votes were needed, but only 195 deputies voted.
On December 3, Yoon announced the imposition of martial law in the republic. He explained this decision by the need to “eradicate pro-North Korean forces and protect the free constitutional order.” At the same time, journalists linked the actions of the head of state with the attempts of his political opponents to conduct impeachment proceedings against him.
