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South Korea’s former defense minister, Kim Yong Hyun, attempted suicide while in detention over the president’s martial law declaration before officials stopped him.
This, as police raided President Yoon Suk Yeol’s office Wednesday amid the investigation into the president’s declaration.
The main liberal opposition Democratic Party plans to hold a second impeachment vote against Yoon on Saturday for his declaration to impose martial law after the first impeachment attempt failed last weekend.
Shin Yong Hae, commissioner general of the Korea Correctional Service, told lawmakers Wednesday at a parliament committee meeting that Kim attempted to kill himself overnight at a detention center in the capital of Seoul but that the attempt to end his life was unsuccessful after officials stopped him.
SOUTH KOREA IMPOSES A TRAVEL BAN ON PRESIDENT YOON OVER MARTIAL LAW DECLARATION
South Korea’s Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun speaks during a news conference in Ottawa, Ontario, on Nov. 1, 2024. (AP)
Kim is listed in a stable condition.
Justice Minister Park Sung Jae also confirmed Kim’s failed suicide attempt during the parliament committee meeting.
Kim was detained early Wednesday after a Seoul court approved a warrant for his arrest on allegations of playing a key role in a rebellion and committing abuse of power. Kim was the first person formally arrested over the president’s Dec. 3 martial law decree.
A close associate of Yoon, Kim is accused of recommending martial law to the president and sending troops to the National Assembly to block lawmakers from voting on the motion. Lawmakers eventually managed to enter a parliament chamber, where they unanimously rejected Yoon’s decree, forcing it to be lifted just hours after it was declared.
Prosecutors have up to 20 days to decide whether to indict Kim in the case.
Cho Ji Ho, commissioner general of the National Police Agency, and Kim Bong-sik, head of the metropolitan police agency of Seoul, were detained over their actions during martial law on allegations of deploying police forces to the National Assembly to block lawmakers from voting.
SOUTH KOREA’S PRESIDENT YOON SURVIVES IMPEACHMENT ATTEMPT AFTER HIS PARTY BOYCOTTS VOTE
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol speaks at the presidential office in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024. (AP)
The country’s main law enforcement agencies are centering on whether Yoon, Kim and others involved in the martial law decree committed the crime of rebellion, for which a conviction carries a maximum sentence of death.
Yoon, a conservative, apologized on Saturday for the martial law declaration, saying he would not seek to avoid legal or political responsibility for the motion. He also said he would leave it to his party to lead the country through its political turmoil, “including matters related to my term in office.”
In declaring martial law, Yoon said he wanted to rebuild the country by eliminating “shameless North Korea followers and anti-state forces,” a criticism of his liberal rivals who control parliament.
Opposition parties and many experts say the martial law decree was unconstitutional. This was the first time martial law was imposed in South Korea in more than 40 years.
During a parliamentary hearing Tuesday, Kwak Jong-keun, commander of the Army Special Warfare Command whose troops were sent to parliament, testified that Yoon called him and requested that troops deployed at parliament “quickly destroy the door and drag out the lawmakers who are inside.”
Kwak said he did not follow Yoon’s order.
Participants gather to stage a rally demanding South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment, in front of the headquarters of the ruling People Power Party in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024. (AP)
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Senior officer Kim Dae-woo of the military’s counterintelligence agency said at the same hearing that his commander, Yeo In-hyung, asked him if an army bunker in Seoul had space to detain politicians and other figures after martial law was declared. Yeo is considered a close associate of Kim.
If Yoon is impeached, his powers will be suspended until the Constitutional Court decides whether to remove him from office. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, the second in command in the South Korean government, would take over his presidential responsibilities.
Should the president be removed, an election to replace him must be held within 60 days.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
