Kim Yong-hyun, the former defense minister of South Korea, was taken into custody early Sunday as prosecutors investigate his involvement in President Yoon Suk Yeol’s recent attempt to impose martial law. This incident has led to significant political turmoil in South Korea, including an opposition-led impeachment effort and widespread protests.
Mr. Kim is the first individual detained as part of the investigation initiated by President Yoon’s political opponents, who allege that he and his associates in the government and military committed insurrection and other offenses. These allegations stem from actions taken shortly after President Yoon declared martial law, which included deploying soldiers and police officers to the National Assembly.
Mr. Kim surrendered to investigators and was arrested without a court warrant, a procedure known as an “emergency arrest.” This is permissible when authorities suspect serious criminal activity and believe there is a risk of the suspect fleeing or destroying evidence. Prosecutors are required to apply for a court warrant within two days to formalize the arrest.
A key supporter of the martial law initiative, Mr. Kim resigned after the plan was abandoned. The military rule lasted only six hours, as the National Assembly voted against it, forcing President Yoon to retract his declaration.
It remains unclear whether Mr. Kim had legal representation at the time of his arrest. In a prior interview, he acknowledged his role in the martial law declaration but insisted that it was executed in accordance with legal protocols.
Throughout his presidency, Mr. Yoon has faced low approval ratings and ongoing political conflict with the opposition, particularly regarding their calls for a special prosecutor to investigate corruption allegations related to his wife.
In a surprising announcement, President Yoon stated that he declared martial law to eliminate “shameless North Korean followers and anti-state forces” from the National Assembly. Following the backlash, he apologized for his “desperate” action and proposed a compromise, allowing his party, the People Power Party (P.P.P.), to determine the duration of his presidency and the governance of the country. This compromise led the P.P.P. to boycott the impeachment vote, with only three of its 108 lawmakers participating.
The failed martial law attempt, which marked the first effort to impose military rule in South Korea in over forty years, has prompted a series of lawsuits from the opposition.
In related developments, the Defense Ministry suspended three Army lieutenant generals as part of the investigation into their roles in the martial law declaration. Lt. Gen. Kwak Jong-geun claimed that Mr. Kim ordered him to deploy special forces to the National Assembly and to remove lawmakers from the assembly hall, although he did not comply with the order.
The Defense Ministry has also requested that the Justice Ministry prevent the three generals and seven other military officers from leaving the country.
Since the impeachment effort failed, President Yoon has remained silent publicly. However, P.P.P. leader Han Dong-hoon indicated that the party would advocate for Mr. Yoon’s “early resignation.”