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That of South Korea Former Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun attempted suicide while in custody over the president’s declaration of martial law before officials stopped him.
This came after police raided President Yoon Suk Yeol’s office on Wednesday while investigating the president’s statement.
The main liberal opposition Democratic Party plans to hold a second impeachment vote against Yoon on Saturday over his declaration to impose martial law after the first impeachment attempt failed last weekend.
Shin Yong Hae, commissioner general of the Korea Correctional Service, told lawmakers at a parliament committee meeting on Wednesday that Kim tried to commit suicide overnight at a detention center in the capital of Seoul, but that the attempt to take his life was unsuccessful after officials stopped him. .
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South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun speaks during a press conference in Ottawa, Ontario, on November 1, 2024. (AP)
Kim is in a stable condition.
Justice Minister Park Sung Jae also confirmed Kim’s failed suicide attempt during the parliament committee meeting.
Kim was arrested early Wednesday after a Seoul court approved a case order for his arrest on charges of playing a key role in an uprising and committing abuse of power. Kim was the first person to be formally arrested under the December 3 martial law decree.
Kim, a close associate of Yoon, is accused of recommending martial law to the president and sending troops to the National Assembly to prevent lawmakers from voting on the motion. Lawmakers eventually managed to force their way into a parliament chamber, where they unanimously rejected Yoon’s decree, forcing it to be withdrawn just hours after it was promulgated.
Prosecutors have 20 days to decide whether to charge Kim in the case.
Cho Ji Ho, Commissioner General of the National Police Corps, and Kim Bong-sik, Chief of Police metropolitan police station from Seoul, were arrested for their actions during martial law on charges of deploying police forces at the National Assembly to prevent lawmakers from voting.
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South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol speaks at the presidential office in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, December 7, 2024. (AP)
The country’s top law enforcement agencies are focusing on whether Yoon, Kim and others involved in the martial law decree committed the crime of rebellion, a conviction for which carries the maximum death penalty.
Yoon, a conservative, apologized Saturday for the declaration of martial law and said he would not try to avoid legal proceedings political responsibility for the motion. He also said he would leave it to his party to lead the country through the political turmoil, “including matters related to my term in office.”
In declaring martial law, Yoon said he wanted to rebuild the country by eliminating “shameless North Korean followers and anti-state forces,” a criticism of his liberal rivals who control parliament.
Opposition parties and many experts say the martial law decree was unconstitutional. This was the first time martial law had been declared in South Korea in more than forty years.
At a parliamentary hearing Tuesday, Kwak Jong-keun, commander of the Army Special Warfare Command whose troops were sent to Parliament, testified that Yoon called him and requested that troops deployed to Parliament “quickly destroy the door and block the lawmakers who were inside.” are dragging them out. .”
Kwak said he didn’t follow Yoon’s order.
Participants gather for a rally demanding the ouster of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol in front of the headquarters of the ruling People Power Party in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, December 10, 2024. (AP)
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Senior Army Counterintelligence Officer Kim Dae-woo said at the same hearing that his commander, Yeo In-hyung, asked him whether an army bunker in Seoul had space to hold politicians and other figures after martial law was declared. Yeo is considered a close associate of Kim.
If Yoon is impeached, his powers will be suspended until the Constitutional Court decides whether to remove him from office. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, the second in command in the South Korean government, would take over his presidential responsibilities.
If the president is impeached, elections to replace him must be held within 60 days.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
