Jamaine Punzalan

This handout photo taken and released on December 7, 2024 by the South Korean Presidential Office shows South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol bowing after the end of his address at the Presidential Office in Seoul. South Korean Presidential Office/AFP

Article (news)

Agence France-Presse

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1737960019332Screenshot 2025-01-27 at 2.38.32 PM.png" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">This handout photo taken and released on December 7, 2024 by the South Korean Presidential Office shows South Korea&#x27;s President Yoon Suk Yeol bowing after the end of his address at the Presidential Office in Seoul. South Korean Presidential Office/AFP</span></span></span></div><p>Impeached South Korean President Yoon Seok Yeol was indicted for his martial law declaration that plunged the country into political turmoil, with prosecutors accusing him of being a &quot;ringleader of insurrection&quot;.</p><p>His indictment on Sunday <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2025/1/26/south-korean-president-indicted-as-ringleader-of-an-insurrection-1938">makes him the country&#x27;s first sitting head of state to face a criminal trial</a> for his short-lived martial law declaration on December 3.</p><p>Yoon has been ordered to remain in a 12-square-metre (129-square-foot) cell at a detention centre in Seoul for the duration of his trial.</p><p>AFP takes a look at what lies ahead.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>What happens to Yoon now? </strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Yoon has been charged with insurrection for his martial law declaration, which lawmakers voted down hours later before impeaching him.</p><p>The 64-year-old resisted arrest for two weeks in a tense stand-off between his security team and investigators at his official residence in Seoul but was finally<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2025/1/14/clashes-as-s-korean-investigators-attempt-to-arrest-president-yoon-0609"> taken into custody</a> on January 15.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2025/1/20/mug-shot-solitary-cell-for-south-koreas-president-yoon-1345">Mug shot, solitary cell for South Korea&#x27;s President Yoon</a></div><p>The court must rule on the case within six months, or he will be released.</p><p>If Yoon is found guilty of insurrection, he faces the death penalty or life imprisonment.</p><div><iframe width="1440" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lfdGGCAvD9g" title="Angry protesters storm South Korean court after it extends Yoon&#x27;s detention | ABS-CBN News" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><p>Prosecutors previously raised concerns about the risk of evidence destruction, citing it as a reason to detain him.</p><p>But Yoon&#x27;s lawyers said the investigation lacked legitimacy from the start and have challenged the legality of his indictment.</p><p>&quot;We are discussing a bail request (for Yoon) with the court,&quot; his lawyers told AFP on Monday, without giving any further details.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>Where is Yoon now? </strong></div><div><br/></div><p>For now, Yoon is housed in a cell equipped with a television, sink, and a single-person desk that doubles as a dining table.</p><p>There is also a toilet, folding bed and Yoon has been provided with an electric mat to stay warm during the winter.</p><p>Meals are served in his cell and the impeached president must clean his dishes in the sink in accordance with prison regulations.</p><p>His solitary cell -- which typically holds several inmates -- resembles those occupied by two former presidents, Park Geun-hye and Lee Myung-bak, who also served jail time.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>Is he still president? </strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Yoon remains head of state, but he is not in charge -- his duties have been suspended and delegated to acting President Choi Sang-mok.</p><p>Separate from the court deciding on his insurrection charges, the country&#x27;s Constitutional Court has also been deliberating whether Yoon should be removed from office ever since MPs voted to impeach him.</p><p>Their ruling could come as early as February or as late as June, and is the only official way to remove Yoon from office.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2025/1/23/south-korea-s-yoon-attends-impeachment-trial-1705">South Korea&#x27;s Yoon attends impeachment trial</a></div><p>Six of the eight sitting judges must approve the impeachment for this to happen.</p><p>Shin Yul, a professor of political science at Myongji University, said the Constitutional Court is expected to conclude its deliberations before two of the judges finish their terms mid-April.</p><p>If the court rejects impeachment and finds that Yoon&#x27;s martial law declaration was lawful, he will be reinstated.</p><p>But if it is upheld, an election must be held within 60 days.</p><div><iframe width="1440" height="496" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3hX5h5iaQ6M" title="WATCH: South Korea President Yoon apologizes for martial law declaration | ABS-CBN News" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>Who would win? </strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Leading in recent polls is Lee Jae-myung, the leader of the opposition Democratic Party -- with all the other rivals lagging behind, according to the latest Gallup poll.</p><p>But analysts caution that it is too early to say whether Lee will emerge victorious, as approval ratings for his party and Yoon&#x27;s remain closely aligned.</p><p>&quot;It will ultimately come down to moderate voters to determine the country&#x27;s next phase,&quot; South Korean newspaper Hankook Ilbo reported Monday.</p><div><strong>© Agence France-Presse</strong></div>

<p>Impeached South Korean President Yoon Seok Yeol was indicted for his martial law declaration that plunged the country into political turmoil, with prosecutors accusing him of being a "ringleader of insurrection".</p>

Impeached South Korean President Yoon Seok Yeol was indicted for his martial law declaration that plunged the country into political turmoil, with prosecutors accusing him of being a "ringleader of insurrection".

South Korea president's indictment: what happens next?

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South Korea president's indictment: what happens next?

Agence France-Presse

Published Jan 27, 2025 02:46 PM PHT

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