South Korean police said Wednesday that they raided President Yoon Suk Yeol’s office, as the investigation into his declaration of martial law gathers pace.
“The Special Investigation Team has conducted a raid on the presidential office, the National Police Agency, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, and the National Assembly Security Service,” the unit stated in a message sent to AFP.
Yoon is already under a travel ban as part of an “insurrection” probe into his inner circle after his short-lived suspension of civilian rule on December 3.
Former defence minister Kim Yong-hyun was formally arrested late Tuesday on charges of “engaging in critical duties during an insurrection” and “abuse of authority to obstruct the exercise of rights”.
On Wednesday, Yonhap reported that Kim had attempted to kill himself shortly before the arrest.
A spokesperson for the Seoul Central District Court told AFP earlier in the day that Kim had been arrested amid concerns that evidence might be destroyed.
Kim said through his lawyers that “all responsibility for this situation lies solely with me” and that subordinates were “merely following my orders and fulfilling their assigned duties”.
Kim, who was detained Sunday, has been slapped with a travel ban along with the former interior minister and the general in charge of the martial law operation.
The operation saw troops and helicopters sent to parliament in an apparent — but failed — attempt to prevent lawmakers from voting down Yoon’s martial law declaration.
Cho Ji-ho, commissioner general of the Korean National Police Agency, and Kim Bong-sik, head of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, were also arrested early Wednesday, police said.
North Korean state media Wednesday made its first comments on what it called “chaos” in the South.
“The shocking incident of the puppet Yoon Suk Yeol, who is facing impeachment and a governance crisis, suddenly declaring a martial law decree and unhesitatingly wielding the guns and knives of its fascist dictatorship wrought chaos across South Korea,” a commentary said.
Yoon had said his declaration of martial law was intended, in part, to safeguard South Korea “from the threats posed by North Korea’s communist forces and eliminate anti-state elements plundering people’s freedom and happiness”.
Relations between the two Koreas have been at one of their lowest points in years, with the North launching a flurry of ballistic missiles in violation of UN sanctions.
Former defence minister Kim had been accused by opposition lawmakers of calling for strikes on sites from which North Korea was launching trash-carrying balloons, an order reportedly refused by his subordinates.
He also allegedly ordered drones sent to the North Korean capital of Pyongyang in an apparent attempt to provoke a conflict as a pretext for declaring martial law.
Yoon survived an impeachment motion in parliament on Saturday even as tens of thousands of South Koreans braved freezing temperatures outside to demand his ouster.
Further smaller protests have continued every evening since with polls showing record-low public support for Yoon.
A special task force within Yoon’s People Power Party (PPP) on Tuesday proposed a plan for the president to resign in February or March, followed by fresh elections in April or May.
But the proposal has not yet been adopted by the party as a whole.
Even if it is approved, the roadmap is unlikely to head off another attempt by the opposition to impeach Yoon on Saturday.
The motion only needs eight members of Yoon’s People Power Party (PPP) to secure the necessary two-thirds majority.
Last week, two PPP lawmakers — Ahn Cheol-soo and Kim Yea-ji — voted in favour, and two more said Tuesday they would support the motion this time.
