Travel ban on South Korean president Yoon after martial law attempt

South Korean authorities have imposed an entry ban on President Yoon Suk Yeol, who is under investigation for briefly declaring martial law last Tuesday.

Yoon narrowly survived an impeachment move against him over the weekend, after lawmakers from his ruling People’s Power Party (PPP) boycotted the vote.

PPP members said they decided not to support the proposal after Yoon agreed to shorten his term and not get involved in domestic and foreign affairs.

However, the opposition Democratic Party, which holds a majority in parliament, criticized the deal, with floor leader Park Chan-dae calling it “a second illegal, unconstitutional uprising and a second coup”.

Tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets to protest since Yoon’s brief martial law order, calling for him to resign or be impeached.

Since then, despite the failed impeachment move, several key figures involved in martial law have also taken action against them.

Former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, who reportedly proposed declaring martial law to Yoon, was arrested on Sunday. He previously resigned on Wednesday after apologizing and saying he would “take full responsibility”.

Travel bans have been imposed on Kim, Lee, Defense Counterintelligence Commander Yeo In-hyung and Army Chief of Staff Park An-su.

Many others have resigned.

These include former Interior Minister Lee Sang-min, who resigned on Sunday, saying he would take responsibility if he “did not serve the public and the president well”.

And on Wednesday, senior aides in Yoon’s office, including his chief of staff, submitted mass resignations hours after martial law was lifted.

In a public speech on Sunday, PPP leader Han Dong-hoon said Yoon will no longer participate in domestic and foreign affairs until he resigns soon – adding that Prime Minister General Han Duck-soo will manage government affairs in the meantime.

Party leader Han said: “The president will not participate in any state affairs, including diplomacy, before leaving office.”

However, Democratic Party leader Park Chan-dae described the proposed plan as “an illegal, unconstitutional second uprising and a second coup”.

Representative Kim Min-seok of the Democratic Party similarly criticized the plan, saying “no one gave” PPP leader Han the authority to make such decisions.

“The announcement by the prime minister and the ruling party that they will jointly exercise presidential powers that no one has given them is clearly unconstitutional,” he said, according to a report in The Korea Herald.

The Defense Ministry confirmed in a briefing on Monday that the president retains command of the armed forces. That means that in the event of any foreign policy breakdown, including any possible threat from North Korea, Yoon could still theoretically make executive decisions. .

“The president can take the helm again whenever he changes his mind,” Myongji University political science professor Shin Yul told The Korea Herald.

“No one will be able to stop him if Yoon insists.”

On Saturday, Yoon apologized to the nation in his first appearance since the declaration of martial law. He pledged not to impose any more martial law and apologized for the “anxiety and inconvenience” he had caused.

However, the opposition affirmed that they “will not give up” on impeaching Yoon and announced that they will hold a vote to impeach Yoon every Saturday.

“We will definitely bring this country back to normal by Christmas and year-end and give it to you as a Christmas and year-end gift,” Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung told the crowd disappointed after the failed impeachment effort on Saturday. .

He again called for Yoon to resign on Monday, telling a news conference that Yoon’s actions were “destroying” South Korea and its economy.