South Korean President banned from leaving the country, may be detained

(CLO) On December 9, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was banned from leaving the country and may be detained during an investigation related to treason and other charges.

The South Korean Ministry of Justice issued the ban shortly after the Corruption Investigation Office for Senior Officials (CIO) submitted a request for the ban.

Speaking at a National Assembly hearing on December 9, Bae Sang-eop, a senior official at the Ministry of Justice, said that exit bans are usually issued after reviewing formal requests submitted, adding that the ban on President Yoon was implemented around 3 p.m. after the formal request was submitted.

President Yoon Suk Yeol apologizes for declaring martial law. Photo: Yonhap

President Yoon is considered a suspect in an investigation being conducted simultaneously by police, prosecutors and the CIO. The investigation is related to his surprise declaration of martial law on December 3, a move that shocked South Korean politics.

Yoon's martial law declaration lasted only about six hours and was lifted after the National Assembly voted to end it. However, the move still created great controversy, prompting the main opposition Democratic Party and other opposition parties to propose impeachment of the President. The impeachment proposal was dropped on December 7, after all but three lawmakers from the ruling People Power Party (PPP) decided to boycott the vote.

CIO Director Oh Dong-woon said his office was committed to conducting a thorough investigation into “the ringleader and key criminals involved in treason.” Mr. Oh stressed that, in principle, the suspects would be detained during the investigation.

When asked whether the CIO plans to request an exit ban for First Lady Kim Keon Hee, Mr. Oh said the order is still under review and no official decision has been made.

Ngoc Anh (according to Yonhap)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/tong-thong-han-quoc-bi-cam-xuat-canh-co-the-bi-giam-giu-trong-qua-trinh-dieu-tra-post324774.html