South Korea’s impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol has been charged with insurrection following his attempt to declare martial law in December.
This unsuccessful attempt to impose military rule led the country into an unprecedented political crisis, making him the first sitting president in South Korean history to face criminal charges.
The indictment follows a decision by a court in Seoul on Saturday to deny an extension of Yoon’s detention, forcing prosecutors to decide whether to charge or release him before Monday.
“The punishment of the ringleader of insurrection now begins finally,” Han Min-soo, a spokesman from the main opposition Democratic Party told a press conference.
Yoon’s legal team criticised the indictment and pledged to expose any “illegalities in the investigation”.
“The prosecution has made a grave mistake, reducing itself to being the indictment arm of the CIO, and a tool of political interests,” Yoon’s lawyers said, referring to the Central Investigation Office for high-ranking officials.
In South Korea, insurrection is punishable by life in prison or death. However the latter is unlikely, given that the country has not carried out executions in decades.
Separately, the Constitutional Court has begun deliberations on whether to formally dismiss Yoon as president or reinstate him.
The impeached president has largely resisted cooperating with the criminal investigation into his declaration of martial law.
Yoon is set to stand trial alongside his former defense minister and senior military commanders, who are accused of assisting him in planning and attempting to seize absolute power.
In a historic televised address on December 3, Yoon announced he was invoking martial law to safeguard the country from “anti-state” forces sympathetic to North Korea.
At that time, Yoon was facing a deadlock over a budget bill, plagued by corruption scandals, and several of his cabinet ministers were under investigation.
The military suspended all parliamentary activities and attempted to control media outlets.
In response, opposition Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung called for protests at the National Assembly and urged lawmakers to immediately vote to repeal the order.
Within two hours of Yoon’s announcement, 190 lawmakers, including some from his own party, gathered and unanimously voted to block the martial law.
Rifles in hand, soldiers were seen entering the parliament building through broken windows, leading to a tense confrontation.
Thousands of civilians gathered outside the assembly, trying to block the soldiers.
On December 14, Yoon was impeached by parliament and suspended from his duties.
The crisis has triggered the worst political turmoil in South Korea in decades, deeply dividing the nation.
Many of his hard-line supporters have rallied around him. On Friday, tens of thousands gathered to protest, demanding he be released and returned to office.
If Yoon is removed from office, a presidential election would be held within 60 days.
The prosecutors’ office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.