South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has been barred from traveling abroad as an investigation into whether he led an insurrection last week unfolds. The Ministry of Justice issued the ban after a chief prosecutor sought it, citing search-and-seizure operations targeting officials involved in the martial law declaration.
The move deepens South Korea’s political dysfunction, with widespread protests calling for Mr. Yoon’s removal and opposition lawmakers accusing him of staging an insurrection. No sitting president has ever been arrested in South Korea, but the ban suggests that the allegations against Mr. Yoon are serious enough to limit his movements.
Mr. Yoon had declared martial law last Tuesday, sparking a leadership vacuum and protests nationwide. The country’s currency lost value, and the benchmark stock index tumbled 2.8 percent following the news.
A former defense minister is also facing investigation for questioning by prosecutors after he claimed that troops were exploited during the military’s actions in the National Assembly. The situation has raised concerns about the health of South Korea’s democracy.
The constitutional crisis comes as the country faces policy challenges abroad and at home, with opposition groups accusing Mr. Yoon of making a power grab.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/09/world/asia/south-korea-yoon-travel-ban.html