South Korean police consider new action against President Yoon Suk Yeol

South Korean police announced today, December 9th, that they will consider imposing a travel ban on President Yoon Suk Yeol while investigating him over allegations related to the imposition of martial law last week.

According to Yonhap, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol is under suspicion by both police and prosecutors in investigations into charges of treason, rebellion, and abuse of power against the president and several high-ranking government and military officials involved in martial law activities last week.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol speaks at the presidential office in Seoul, South Korea, on December 7.

"Ensuring the necessary documents is paramount. We are making a decision based on a comprehensive assessment, including the possibility that he may leave the country," a South Korean police officer said at a press conference when asked why Yoon was not banned from traveling, according to Yonhap.

When asked about the possibility of arresting Mr. Yoon without a warrant, the official, who did not reveal his identity, replied that it could be done if the requirements were met.

South Korean police have also not ruled out the possibility of directly questioning President Yoon, according to Yonhap. "There are no restrictions on who can be investigated," Woo Jong-soo, a senior South Korean police officer, told reporters.

The police have formed a special team of approximately 150 investigators to handle this case.

President Yoon declared martial law on December 3rd but revoked it just hours after parliament convened, despite a security blockade aimed at preventing voting.

Kim Hyun-tae, commander of South Korea's Task Force 707, told reporters today that he had received orders to prevent lawmakers from entering the chamber to stop a vote to lift martial law.

Kim Hyun-tae added that his unit had entered the parliament grounds with a lockdown order on the main building to prevent lawmakers from entering, but were stopped by legislative staff inside. "We are all victims of exploitation by former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun," Kim Hyun-tae told reporters outside the Ministry of Defense in Seoul.

Kim Hyun-tae emphasized that he takes full responsibility for the soldiers' raid on the parliament but asserted that he acted on orders from the defense minister. "The members of the group are not guilty. Their only fault is that they followed their commander's orders," Kim Hyun-tae said, struggling to hold back tears.

Former South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun was arrested on December 8th for his role in declaring martial law and ordering the deployment of troops, according to the parliament.

Meanwhile, President Yoon escaped impeachment after the parliamentary vote on December 7 that plunged South Korea into a constitutional crisis.

President Yoon said before the vote that he had entrusted his fate to the ruling party, but he was not offering to resign.

A spokesperson for South Korea's Defense Ministry announced today that President Yoon remains the commander-in-chief of South Korea, according to Reuters.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/canh-sat-han-quoc-can-nhac-hanh-dong-moi-voi-tong-thong-yoon-suk-yeol-185241209102003619.htm