South Korea Police Probe President Yoon Suk Yeol Amid Martial Law Controversy

South Korea Police Probe President Yoon Suk Yeol: South Korean police are currently investigating President Yoon Suk Yeol for possible insurrection due to his proclamation of martial law. This announcement by Yoon provoked huge national hullabaloo and political upheaval. Woo Jong-soo, chief of the National Investigation Headquarters of the National Police Agency, confirmed that the case was assigned for investigation during a parliamentary session.

Martial law-imposing decision by Yoon on Tuesday that banned political activity and censored the media sparked outcry both at home and abroad. The events drew considerable drama when armed military troops attempted to enter the National Assembly building in Seoul to quell the mounting unrest. Only after armed parliamentary aides confronted the soldiers with fire extinguishers to retreat from the site was the situation de-escalated.

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Following the turmoil, opposition lawmakers of the Democratic Party have vowed to vote impeaching President Yoon this coming week. According to the party, the declaration of martial law produced general confusion and fear among South Koreans. "The Yoon Suk Yeol regime's declaration of emergency martial law caused great confusion and fear among our people," declared Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Seung-won in an early morning session of the National Assembly.

The impeachment motion, if successful, would need at least eight members of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) to support the bill to reach two-thirds majority in the 300-seat parliament. The PPP, however, is opposed to impeachment overwhelmingly and several key party members have expressed their continued backing for Yoon at this significant challenge to his presidency.

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Resignation of Minister for Defense followed by Yoon amid insistency of martial law declaration to the President by Kim Yong-hyun . Kim had even deployed troops to parliament without informing vice-defense minister Kim Seon-ho who soon regretted for not averting military intervening. "I have fundamentally opposed the mobilization of military forces under martial law and have expressed negative opinions about it," Kim Seon-ho said at a parliamentary hearing on Thursday.

The martial law fiasco has brought sharp condemnation from international allies. The US Secretary of State also expressed concern over the fact that the martial law had not been beforehand informed to the US in an expression of concern by Antony Blinken while Deputy Secretary Kurt Campbell went ahead to cite Yoon as having "badly misjudged" the situation.

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