Ex-South Korean defence minister attempts suicide amid martial law scandal

Kim Yong-Hyun, the former defence minister of South Korea, accused of advising President Yoon to impose martial law, attempted suicide before his arrest. He now faces rebellion charges

South Korea’s former defence minister Kim Yong-Hyun, who is accused of recommending the imposition of martial law on President Yoon Suk Yeol, reportedly attempted suicide ahead of his formal arrest, reported The Associated Press.

 

Kim attempted to take his own life by using his undergarment to suffocate himself. The police intervened just in time during a search conducted at the president’s office on Wednesday. The former defence minister was arrested early on the same day, following a warrant issued by the court. Kim now faces serious charges, including playing a key role in an alleged rebellion and contributing to the abuse of power by the President.

 

 

Kim, a close aide of President Yoon, is further implicated in the scandal for allegedly deploying armed forces to the National Assembly, South Korea’s Parliament, in a bid to prevent lawmakers from voting to lift Yoon’s declaration of martial law. The intense political drama saw lawmakers eventually breaking through and successfully voting to revoke the martial law by early morning on December 4.

 

Investigation into high-level rebellion 

Prosecutors now have up to 20 days to decide whether they would indict Kim on charges related to a potential rebellion. The severity of these charges cannot be overstated, as a conviction for rebellion could lead to a death sentence. South Korea’s investigative agencies are also scrutinising whether President Yoon, Kim, and other associates were involved in conspiring to overthrow the government.

 

Meanwhile, Kim expressed deep remorse on Tuesday, publicly apologising for the ‘significant anxiety’ caused to the South Korean public. He took full responsibility for the controversial martial law episode and pleaded for leniency toward the soldiers deployed under his orders to enforce it.

 

Presidential apology and political crisis 

The martial law debacle has pushed President Yoon Suk Yeol into the eye of a storm, and over the weekend, he issued an apology for the public distress caused by the situation. However, he refrained from offering his resignation, instead saying he would defer that decision to his political party. Despite his apology, the political fallout continues to unfold.

 

In response, a leader from Yoon’s ruling party has vowed to facilitate a ‘smooth exit’ for the President from office, should the situation escalate further. The ruling party is reportedly coordinating with other government officials to manage South Korea’s affairs, effectively sidelining President Yoon from his presidential duties while the crisis continues.