Prosecutors open investigation into South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol over martial law

SEOUL - South Korean prosecutors have opened an investigation into President Yoon Suk Yeol, his interior minister, and the

now-former defence minister

over their roles in an attempt to impose martial law, Yonhap news agency reported on Dec 5.

Mr Kim Yong-hyun, who resigned as South Korean defence minister over his involvement in the Dec 3 martial law order, also faces a travel ban as prosecutors investigate, Yonhap said. The other two do not face such bans.

Citing unspecified threats from "anti-state forces" and obstructionist political opponents,

Mr Yoon imposed martial law

for about six hours before reversing course after Parliament voted to oppose the move.

The leader of South Korea’s ruling party said on Dec 5 he had asked President Yoon to leave the party, even as he vowed to block an

opposition-led impeachment motion.

Mr Han Dong-hoon told reporters he had “demanded the president’s resignation from the party”. He added that his party was “not trying to defend the president’s unconstitutional martial law”.

The floor leader of South Korea’s ruling party vowed on Dec 5 that all their lawmakers would “unite” to defeat an opposition-led motion to impeach Mr Yoon over his brief declaration of martial law.

“All 108 lawmakers of the People Power Party will stay united to reject the president’s impeachment,” Mr Choo Kyung-ho said at a live-streamed party meeting.

The opposition needs eight ruling party lawmakers to vote with them for the impeachment bill to pass.

Mr Yoon now faces

an impeachment vote

on Dec 7.

If the motion passes, Mr Yoon will be suspended pending a verdict by the Constitutional Court. If the judges give the nod, Mr Yoon will be impeached and new elections must happen within 60 days. REUTERS, AFP