Prosecutors Indict Former South Korean President For Rights Abuse, Power Misuse
Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has been indicted by prosecutors for abuse of authority, adding to his mounting legal woes following earlier charges of insurrection over his failed martial law attempt in December.
According to Yonhap news agency, Yoon was indicted without arrest.
The charges stem from his alleged order to military and police forces to block access to the National Assembly on December 3, 2024, during an effort to enforce martial law without valid grounds.
The special prosecution team said Yoon has been charged without physical detention for both abuse of authority and obstruction of rights.
Attempts to reach the prosecutor’s office for comments were unsuccessful, and no official statement has been issued.
This development follows Yoon’s indictment on January 26 for leading an insurrection — a crime not protected by presidential immunity.
At the time, he became the first sitting president in South Korea’s history to be indicted while in detention.
Prosecutors initially delayed filing abuse of power charges due to his immunity but moved forward after the Constitutional Court removed him from office in early April.
Authorities say they have sufficient evidence to support the new charge and have requested the Seoul Central District Court to merge it with the ongoing insurrection trial for a joint hearing.
Yoon is accused of conspiring with former Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun and others to declare a state of emergency in the absence of any legitimate threat, and of deploying military forces to obstruct lawmakers from rejecting the martial law order.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
