Ex-South Korean Defense Chief Attempts Suicide Amid Scandalp

The Democratic Party of Korea, the main opposition, has announced plans to introduce a new motion for Yoon’s impeachment, following his December 3 declaration that led to the imposition of martial law. The declaration, widely criticized as an overreach of presidential power, has paralyzed South Korean politics, frozen foreign policy, and unsettled financial markets, severely diminishing Yoon’s prospects of completing his five-year term and raising questions about the health of South Korea’s democracy.

Shin Yong Hae, commissioner general of the Korea Correctional Service, informed lawmakers Wednesday that Kim Yong Hyun, who played a key role in enforcing martial law, tried to take his own life at a detention center in Seoul. Center officials intervened in time, and Kim is now in stable condition. Justice Minister Park Sung Jae also confirmed the suicide attempt during a parliamentary hearing.

Kim’s arrest, which occurred earlier that day after a Seoul court approved a warrant, marks him as the first person formally detained in connection with the martial law order. Kim faces allegations of rebellion and abuse of power, and his arrest is part of a broader investigation into those responsible for the decree.

Later that afternoon, National Police Agency Commissioner General Cho Ji Ho and Kim Bong-sik, head of Seoul’s metropolitan police, were detained over their roles in suppressing opposition to the martial law. Police forces had been deployed to prevent lawmakers from voting to repeal the decree, sparking further investigations into the conduct of law enforcement during the crisis.

Reports also surfaced Wednesday of a police search of President Yoon’s office, although neither the police nor the presidential office immediately confirmed the raid. Authorities are now focused on determining whether Yoon and other key figures involved in the martial law decree should face charges of rebellion.

Despite narrowly surviving an impeachment attempt last Saturday, Yoon's position remains precarious. The ruling party’s boycott of the vote ensured the motion's failure, but the Democratic Party is preparing to submit a new motion for a vote on Saturday. Opposition leaders have criticized a proposal by Yoon’s conservative party to allow for a "stable exit," in which Yoon would be sidelined during a transition to an early election. Critics argue that this move is unconstitutional, as only impeachment can suspend presidential powers, and Yoon retains sole command over the military.

The decision to deploy armed troops to the National Assembly, which blocked lawmakers from entering and voting on the martial law order, has drawn widespread condemnation. Military commanders testified that they were acting under orders from Kim Yong Hyun, the former defense minister, to prevent parliament from overturning the decree. The testimony detailed orders from Yoon to use force to remove lawmakers, though the troops ultimately did not carry out such orders.

In a further twist, senior military officers revealed that they were instructed to consider detaining political figures in a bunker after martial law was declared. One officer testified that Yoon had directed him to help with these plans, though he ignored the orders.

If Yoon is impeached, his presidential powers would be suspended until the Constitutional Court rules on the matter. A dismissal would trigger a new presidential election.

Critics argue that the martial law order was unconstitutional. South Korea's constitution permits a president to declare martial law only in times of war or national emergency, neither of which was present. The use of military force to block parliament's functioning has been labeled as an act of rebellion by legal experts.

In his controversial martial law address, President Yoon framed the move as a necessary step to eliminate “anti-state forces” within the country, a veiled reference to his liberal political opponents. Tensions between Yoon and the opposition Democratic Party have escalated since he took office in 2022, with multiple impeachment motions and scandals involving Yoon and his administration.

On Wednesday, North Korea’s state news agency commented on the domestic turmoil in South Korea, using its typical rhetoric to condemn Yoon as a “traitor” and his military as “gangsters.” North Korea is often sensitive to news of internal unrest in neighboring South Korea, where the flow of information is tightly controlled, fearing its citizens could be influenced by such events.