SAEDNEWS: Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol tried to provoke North Korea into mounting an armed aggression to justify his December 2024 martial law declaration and eliminate political opponents, a special prosecutor said on Monday.
The special prosecutor, Cho Eun-seok, told a briefing that his team had indicted 24 people—including former President Yoon Suk-yeol and five cabinet members—on insurrection charges following a six-month investigation, Reuters reported.
“We know well from historic experience that the justification given by those in power for a coup is only a facade; the sole purpose is to monopolize and maintain power,” Cho said.
Cho said his team had confirmed an elaborate scheme allegedly orchestrated by Yoon and his defense minister, Kim Yong-hyun, dating back to October 2023, aimed at suspending the powers of parliament and replacing it with an emergency legislative body.
“To create justification for declaring martial law, they tried to provoke North Korea into armed aggression, but failed as North Korea did not respond militarily,” he said.
The special prosecutor’s team had previously accused Yoon and his military commanders of ordering a covert drone operation into the North to heighten tensions between the two Koreas.
Subsequently, Yoon allegedly conspired to brand political opponents—including the then-leader of his conservative People Power Party—as anti-state forces and declared martial law without justification, Cho said.
Cho was one of three special prosecutors appointed after President Lee Jae-myung took office following a snap election called after Yoon’s removal by the Constitutional Court in April.
Yoon is currently on trial for insurrection, which, if convicted, carries a penalty of life imprisonment or even the death penalty. His former ministers and other officials face various charges related to the failed martial law attempt.
Parliament, controlled by the liberal Democratic Party, voted to void Yoon’s decree within hours of his late-night declaration on December 3 last year and later impeached him for violating his official duties.
His wife, Kim Keon-hee, is under a separate special prosecutor investigation for corruption linked to activities during and before Yoon’s presidency.
“Yoon may have been compelled to act partly due to the relentless political pressure from allegations of bribery against his wife, but there is no evidence to suggest Kim was involved in the conspiracy,” said Park Ji-young, a spokesperson for the special prosecutor’s team.
The ousted president’s spy chief was reportedly scheduled to travel to the U.S. the day after the decree to preemptively counter Washington’s objections, Park added, noting that December 2023 was likely chosen to exploit the distraction of the presidential transition after Donald Trump’s election victory.
Yoon has defended his actions, saying declaring martial law was within his presidential powers and aimed at sounding the alarm over opposition parties’ abuse of parliamentary control, which he claimed was crippling government operations. He insisted that no harm was caused to the country by his decree.
