Official announcements from the South Korean government or legal system

South Korea's Ex-Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun Arrested for Martial Law Plot

Dec 9, 2024, 06:57 PM

South Korea's former Defense Minister, Kim Yong-hyun, has been arrested by prosecutors on charges of insurrection and abuse of power, following his involvement in the brief imposition of martial law by President Yoon Suk-yeol. Kim, who had previously suggested the implementation of martial law to President Yoon, resigned after its failure. He is the first high-profile figure detained in this case. The arrest has intensified scrutiny on President Yoon, with South Korean media suggesting that the investigation might extend to him, potentially implicating him as a conspirator in the martial law plot.