Nearly a week after his abortive attempt to impose martial law, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol is now subject to a ban on leaving the country, an immigration official announced on Monday, December 9. Ministry of Justice. The head of state is also under investigation for “rebellion”. Read also | Article reserved for our subscribers South Korea is sinking a little deeper into political uncertainty, after the rejection of the impeachment of its president Read later During a hearing on Monday, a parliamentarian asked if Mr. Yoon had was banned from leaving the country. “Yes, that’s correct,” replied Bae Sang-up, an immigration services official at the Justice Ministry. The unpopular 63-year-old leader is the first sitting South Korean president to face this sanction. South Korea has been plunged into political chaos since Mr. Yoon unexpectedly declared martial law late on December 3, before being forced to repeal it after just six hours, under pressure from Parliament and the the street. The former Minister of Defense, Kim Yong-hyun, in office at the time of this coup and arrested Sunday morning, had already been banned from leaving the country. The Minister of the Interior, Lee Sang-min, also in office during the short-lived martial law, resigned. Mr. Yoon presented his “sincere apologies” Yoon Suk Yeol, however, survived on Saturday evening an impeachment motion submitted to a vote by Parliament, dominated by the opposition, his party, the People’s Power Party (PPP), having boycotted the ballot, invalidated for lack of quorum. The PPP then explained that it had “obtained” from Mr. Yoon, in exchange for this blockage, his “promise” that he would withdraw and that he would leave governance to his party as well as to the Prime Minister. Shortly before the impeachment motion was considered, the South Korean head of state appeared on television screens Saturday to present his “sincere apologies.” “I will not shy away from my legal and political responsibilities regarding the declaration of martial law,” he said. The opposition nevertheless castigated on Monday “illegal and unconstitutional maneuvers” to keep power. “No matter how they try to justify it (…) it is a second act of rebellion and a second coup d’état, illegal and unconstitutional,” criticized Park Chan-dae, head of the Democratic Party (main force of opposition) in Parliament. By Saturday, the opposition plans to present a new impeachment motion against Mr. Yoon. Read also | Article reserved for our subscribers Kim Ou-joon, a political commentator targeted by martial law in South Korea: “President Yoon wanted to set up a National Assembly under his orders” Read later The authorities also summoned him for questioning on Monday the commander of the short-lived martial law, also banned from leaving the country, as was the head of counter-espionage. The president, Yoon Suk Yeol, could himself be summoned, police said. The latter will conduct its research “in accordance with the law and rules, without any exception,” assured Woo Jong-soo, head of investigations of the national police. Despite his setbacks, the defense ministry nevertheless affirmed on Monday that Mr. Yoon remained at the head of the country’s security apparatus, highlighting the complexity of the political situation. “Legally, [le contrôle des forces armées] is currently in the hands of the Commander-in-Chief [Yoon] “, said Jeon Ha-kyou, spokesperson for the ministry. Le Monde with AFP Reuse this content
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