South Korean law enforcement authorities will demand that impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol appear for questioning this week over his short-term martial law order as they expand an investigation into whether the power grab was abusive. his as a revolution.
A joint investigation team comprising the police, an anti-corruption agency and the Ministry of Defense plans to send a request to Yoon's office that he appear for questioning on Wednesday, police said Monday.
Yoon was impeached by the opposition-controlled National Assembly on Saturday over his Dec. 3 martial law order. His presidential powers will be suspended until the Constitutional Court decides whether he should be formally removed from office or reinstated. If Yoon is rejected, an election for his successor must be held within 60 days.
Yoon has justified the imposition of martial law as a necessary administrative act against an opposition he described as “anti-state forces” pushing down his agendas and vowed to “fight to the end” of the in the face of attempts to dismiss him.
Hundreds of thousands of protesters have poured into the streets of the nation's capital, Seoul, in recent days, demanding Yoon's arrest and detention.
South Korea's parliament voted on Saturday to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol over his short-term martial law order, a historic rebuke that was cheered by a crowd that described the outcome as another challenging time. in the country's fast democratic journey.
It is unclear whether Yoon will grant the request from investigators for an interview. South Korean prosecutors, who are pushing for a separate investigation into the incident, reportedly asked Yoon to appear at the prosecutor's office for questioning on Sunday, but he refused to do so. Repeated calls to the prosecutor's office in Seoul were not answered.
Yoon's office has also resisted a police effort to search the building for evidence.
The request came before the Constitutional Court to discuss the matter later on Monday. The court has up to 180 days to rule, but observers say a court decision could come sooner.
Regarding the parliamentary impeachments of former presidents – Roh Moo-hyun in 2004 and Park Geun-hye in 2016 – the court spent 63 days and 91 days, respectively, before deciding to reinstate Roh and Park dismissed.
In the past 24 hours, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law, only for his decision to be unanimously rejected by a parliamentary vote. Andrew Chang explains the turmoil caused by the president's announcement, and what it says about the state of South Korean politics. Images provided by Reuters and Getty Images.
Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who will serve as the country's acting leader while Yoon's powers are suspended, and other government officials have sought to reassure allies and markets after Yoon's stunning paralyzing stunt politics , halting high-level diplomacy and complicated efforts to revive it. a declining economy.
Liberal opposition leader Lee Jae-myung, whose Democratic Party has a majority in the National Assembly, urged the Constitutional Court to quickly rule on Yoon's impeachment and proposed a special council for cooperation. policy between the government and the parliament.
Lee, a firebrand lawmaker who for years waged a political campaign against the Yoon government, is seen as the front-runner to replace him. He lost the 2022 presidential election to Yoon by a razor's edge.
Kweon Seong-dong, floor leader of Yoon's Conservative People's Power Party, criticized Lee's proposal, saying it is “not right” for the opposition party to be the ruling party.
Kweon, a Yoon loyalist, said his party will use PPP-government dialogue channels “to continue to take responsibility as the ruling party until the end of President Yoon's term.”
