South Korea’s former defense minister was prevented from attempting suicide while in detention, officials reported on Wednesday, as police sought to search President Yoon Suk-yeol’s office amidst ongoing fallout from last week’s imposition of martial law.
The liberal opposition Democratic Party announced plans to introduce a fresh motion to impeach President Yoon following his December 3 declaration of martial law, marking the first such event in South Korea in over 40 years.
An earlier attempt to impeach Yoon failed on Saturday when ruling party lawmakers boycotted the parliamentary vote.
Yoon’s controversial decision has plunged South Korean politics into turmoil, disrupted foreign policy, and unsettled financial markets. The move has significantly weakened his prospects of completing his five-year presidential term, raising concerns about the stability of one of Asia’s leading democracies.
Shin Yong Hae, Commissioner General of the Korea Correctional Service, informed lawmakers that former defense minister Kim attempted suicide Tuesday night while held at a detention center in Seoul. Detention center staff intervened, and Kim is now in stable condition, according to Shin. Justice Minister Park Sung Jae also confirmed the incident during a parliamentary committee session.
Kim was formally arrested on Wednesday after a Seoul court approved a warrant for his involvement in orchestrating a rebellion and abusing his authority. He is the first individual to be arrested in connection with the martial law decree.
Allegations against Kim include advising Yoon to declare martial law and deploying troops to block lawmakers from entering the National Assembly to vote on the decree. Despite these efforts, enough lawmakers gained access to the chamber to unanimously reject the decree, leading the Cabinet to revoke it by dawn on December 4.
Prosecutors have up to 20 days to decide whether to formally indict Kim.
Later on Wednesday, National Police Agency Commissioner General Cho Ji Ho and Kim Bong-sik, head of Seoul’s metropolitan police agency, were also detained over their roles during the martial law period, police confirmed.
The political and legal reverberations of Yoon’s actions continue to shape South Korea’s volatile political landscape.
