South Korea’s ex-defense minister attempts suicide; police raid presidential office

A protester holding a cardboard reading “Leader of insurgents” on an image depicting the face of South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol takes part in a protest calling for his ouster outside the National Assembly in Seoul on December 8, 2024. 

Philip Fong | Afp | Getty Images

The fallout from South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s brief imposition of martial law continues amid reports of his office being raided and his former defense minister attempting suicide. 

Police searched the president’s office on Wednesday as part of an investigation into his six-hour martial law declaration last week, which has sparked a massive political turmoil in the country, according to a report from local news agency Yonhap. 

Yoon was reportedly absent from the building when police arrived to gather materials. He has been lying low since publicly apologizing for his actions in a nationally televised address on Saturday.

Raids were also conducted at the offices of the Seoul Metropolitan Police and the National Assembly Police Guards, police told Yonhap. 

Amid the raids, the chief of South Korea’s Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials told reporters that it would seek to detain and arrest Yoon if the necessary conditions are met. South Korea’s Justice Ministry has banned the president from leaving the country.

South Korea’s National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik also told reporters Wednesday that he had invoked his authority to conduct a parliamentary probe into Yoon, calling for the prompt formation of a special committee to handle the investigation.

Yonhap reported on Tuesday that lawmakers passed a bill to appoint a special counsel for the investigation into Yoon and a resolution demanding his swift arrest along with seven other officials.

Already, Yoon’s former defense minister, Kim Yong-Hyun, has been detained on insurrection charges related to an investigation of his part in the martial law imposition after he stepped down last week.

On Wednesday, in his eastern Seoul detention facility, the ex-official made an attempt on his life, according to a Yonhap report.

The head of the correctional center told lawmakers during a parliamentary hearing that Kim has since been placed in a protective cell, and his health remains stable, the report added. 

The events come amid continued calls from lawmakers, backed by thousands of protesters, for Yoon to be removed from office for his surprise martial law declaration that has rocked country.

South Korea’s main opposition Democratic Party is reportedly set to introduce a second impeachment motion against Yoon on Wednesday after the president survived an earlier parliamentary vote on Saturday. 

While members of Yoon’s party left parliament ahead of the first impeachment vote, its leader has since said the president would step down. 

Yoon had announced martial law via a national TV address, accusing the country’s opposition-controlled parliament of paralyzing the government, threatening constitutional order and sympathizing with North Korea.

The move mobilized the military and proclaimed that all political activities, including protests, strikes and the operations of the National Assembly, were prohibited.

Only after defiant parliament members rushed into the National Assembly and voted unanimously to reject the order did Yoon reverse course, ending six chaotic hours, which saw protests erupt in the capital city.

— NBC’s Stella Kim and Jennifer Jett contributed to this report