Why South Korea Is Charging Its Ex-President with Treason

Disgraced former South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol has been formally indicted on multiple charges, including abuse of power and obstruction of duty, prosecutors announced Saturday, July 19, 2025.

The indictment stems from Yoon’s controversial declaration of martial law in December 2024.

On December 3, he reportedly ordered troops to storm parliament to stop lawmakers from voting against his martial law decree.

The unprecedented move plunged South Korea into a full-blown political crisis.

Yoon became the first sitting president in the country’s history to be arrested while in office.

He had initially evaded arrest in January by using his presidential security to block investigators.

After weeks of resistance, he was eventually detained but later released in March due to procedural issues, even as his insurrection trial continued.

However, fresh concerns over evidence tampering led to his rearrest last week.

Prosecutor Park Ji-young confirmed the new charges include not only abuse of power but also obstruction of official duties and the falsification of government documents.

According to Park, Yoon forged a document claiming that the prime minister and defense minister had approved martial law when in fact, no such consensus existed.

Park also pointed out that Yoon bypassed legal procedures by failing to convene a cabinet meeting before imposing martial law, as required by law.

Yoon has refused to cooperate with investigators since his latest detention. Still, he did appear in court Friday to argue for his release, citing health concerns and limited mobility.

The court, however, denied his request and upheld the arrest warrant.

He is currently being held in solitary confinement, without air-conditioning, despite an ongoing heat wave gripping the country.

This indictment marks a dramatic chapter in South Korea’s political history, as the nation reckons with the fallout from one of its most controversial presidencies.

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