Yoon Suk-yeol’s martial law case in South Korea falls on prosecution

South Korea’s anti-corruption agency has referred the case of suspended president Yoon Suk-yeol to the prosecution, requesting that he be indicted on insurrection charges over his failed martial law bid.

Calling for charges against Yoon over his abuse of power, the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials (CIO) said in a statement on Thursday: “We have decided to request the Seoul Central District Prosecution Office to charge [Yoon] as the mastermind behind the insurrection [on December 3].”

Although the CIO has the authority to investigate corruption and abuse of power cases involving high-ranking officials, it cannot directly file charges, which is the sole responsibility of state prosecutors.

After a failed attempt to arrest Yoon on January 3, the CIO succeeded in taking him into custody on January 15 during a dramatic raid of his presidential residence in Seoul.

However, its efforts to grill him have been repeatedly thwarted by Yoon, who has refused to comply with orders to appear at the Seoul Detention Centre on Monday and Tuesday for questioning.

Yoon’s lawyers have challenged the CIO’s legal authority, arguing the case exceeded its purview.