Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has been formally indicted on charges including abuse of power and obstruction of official duties, stemming from his controversial declaration of martial law last year.
The political crisis began on December 3, when Yoon deployed military forces to the National Assembly in an attempt to block lawmakers from voting against his martial law decree—a move widely condemned as an effort to undermine civilian governance.
Yoon made history in January as the first sitting South Korean president to be taken into custody, after weeks of evading arrest with the help of his presidential security team. Although he was released in March on procedural grounds, his trial on charges of insurrection has continued.
He was re-arrested last week after a new warrant was issued, citing fears he might tamper with evidence.
Prosecutor Park Ji-young announced the indictment on Saturday, stating that Yoon had bypassed legal protocols by failing to convene a full cabinet meeting before declaring martial law. He is also accused of fabricating and then destroying a document that falsely claimed support for the decree from the prime minister and defense minister.
Yoon has refused to cooperate with investigators since his re-arrest but did appear in court on Friday to challenge the warrant. His legal team said he spoke for over 30 minutes, citing his limited mobility and difficult conditions in detention.
The court denied his request for release. Yoon is currently being held in solitary confinement in a cell equipped with a fan but no air conditioning, as a heat wave grips the country.
