South Korean police considering overseas travel ban on president

Police in South Korea are considering an overseas travel ban on President Yoon Suk Yeol as they investigate possible rebellion charges over his brief imposition of martial law last week, according to reports.

Mr Yoon’s martial law decree last week, which brought armed special forces troops into Seoul streets, is plunging South Korea into huge political turmoil.

On Sunday, he avoided an opposition-led bid to impeach him, with most ruling party lawmakers boycotting a floor vote.

But the opposition parties vowed to submit a new impeachment motion against him this week.

On Monday, Yonhap news agency cited police as saying they are considering banning the president from leaving the country as they investigate charges of rebellion. Other South Korean media carried similar reports.

The National Police Agency did not answer calls for comment.

The main opposition Democratic Party called Mr Yoon’s martial law imposition “unconstitutional, illegal rebellion or a coup.” It has filed complaints with police against at least nine people, including Mr Yoon and the former defence minister, over the alleged rebellion.

While the president mostly has immunity from prosecution while in office, that does not extend to allegations of rebellion or treason.

South Korean prosecutors on Sunday detained former defence minister Kim Yong Hyun, who allegedly recommended the martial law declaration. He became the first person detained over the martial law case.

The Defence Ministry said it has separately suspended three top military commanders over their alleged involvement in imposing martial law. They were among those facing the opposition-raised rebellion allegations.

On Saturday, Mr Yoon issued an apology over the martial law decree, saying he would not shirk legal or political responsibility for the declaration. He said he would leave it to his party to chart a course through the country’s political turmoil, “including matters related to my term in office”.

Since taking office in 2022 for a single five-year term, Mr Yoon has struggled to push his agenda through an opposition-controlled parliament and grappled with low approval ratings amid scandals involving himself and his wife.

In his martial law announcement on Tuesday night, Mr Yoon called parliament a “den of criminals” bogging down state affairs and vowed to eliminate “shameless North Korea followers and anti-state forces”.