Ex-Defense Minister Attempts Suicide Amidst Insurrection Charges Against President Yoon

South Korean Ex-Defense Minister Attempts Suicide Amidst Insurrection Charges

Former South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun attempted suicide while in detention, according to Yonhap News Agency. This incident comes amidst intensive investigations into President Yoon Suk-yeol's short-lived imposition of martial law, which has led to accusations of insurrection.

Kim was formally arrested earlier on Wednesday on charges of assisting Yoon in staging an insurrection through the imposition of martial law. The Seoul Central District Court issued a warrant for his arrest after prosecutors accused him of engaging in "essential" activities related to the insurrection and abusing his power to obstruct the exercise of rights during the six-hour period of martial law last week.

Kim is the first individual to be formally arrested in connection with these events. His arrest is expected to accelerate the prosecution's investigation into the insurrection charges against President Yoon, who has been booked as a suspect and barred from traveling overseas.

National Police Commissioner Cho Ji-ho was also arrested on Wednesday on similar charges. Under South Korean law, a president is immune from prosecution while in office, except in cases of insurrection.

The head of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, Oh Dong-woon, has expressed his willingness to arrest President Yoon if necessary. Meanwhile, police have conducted raids on multiple locations, including the presidential office and the police headquarters.

The National Assembly passed a resolution on Tuesday calling for the immediate arrest of President Yoon and seven other officials over the botched martial law declaration. While this resolution does not have legal effect, the parliament also passed a bill to mandate the appointment of a permanent special counsel to investigate treason charges against Yoon. This bill cannot be vetoed by the president, allowing the Assembly to immediately begin the process of recommending a special counsel candidate.