Former South Korean President Yoon is accused of 'provoking North Korea'.

At a press conference on December 15, special prosecutor Cho Eun-seok said that Yoon sought to provoke North Korea into launching an armed attack in order to create a pretext for declaring martial law in December 2024 and eliminate political rivals.

Mr. Cho said the investigative team has indicted 24 people, including Mr. Yoon and five former cabinet members, on charges of rebellion following a six-month investigation. According to the special prosecutor, the plan was prepared since October 2023 with the goal of suspending the power of the National Assembly and replacing it with an emergency legislative body.

"History shows that justifications for coups are merely a cover, with the sole purpose of seizing and maintaining power," Cho said.

Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol. Photo: CC/Wiki

According to the investigation's conclusions, Yoon and former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun are accused of masterminding an elaborate plan to create military tension. The prosecution team alleges that in order to have a pretext to declare martial law, they sought to provoke North Korea into launching an armed attack, but this plan failed because Pyongyang did not respond militarily.

Previously, special prosecutors accused Yoon and military commanders of ordering a secret drone operation into North Korean territory to escalate tensions between the two sides. Cho then alleged that Yoon also attempted to label political rivals, including the then-ruling People Power Party leader, as traitors to justify the imposition of martial law without legal basis.

Mr. Cho is one of three special prosecutors appointed after Lee Jae Myung won the presidential election in the snap election held following Yoon's impeachment by the Constitutional Court in April. Yoon is currently on trial for sedition, a charge that carries a potential sentence of life imprisonment or the death penalty if convicted. Several other former ministers and high-ranking officials are also facing charges related to the failed attempt to impose martial law.

In related developments, Yoon's wife, Kim Keon Hee, is under separate investigation in a corruption case related to activities during and before her husband's presidency. A spokesperson for the special prosecution team, Park Ji-young, said political pressure from these allegations may have contributed to Yoon's decision, but there is no evidence linking Kim to the martial law plot.

For his part, Yoon asserted that the declaration of martial law was within the president's authority and was issued to warn against what he called the opposition's abuse of control over the National Assembly, which was paralyzing the government's functions. He argued that the decree would not harm the country.

Source: https://congluan.vn/cuu-tong-thong-han-quoc-yoon-bi-cao-buoc-khieu-khich-trieu-tien-10322668.html