South Korea: Ex-President Yoon indicted for abuse of power over failed martial law bid

Seoul, May 1 (IANS) South Korean prosecutors said on Thursday that they have indicted former President Yoon Suk Yeol for abuse of power over his failed martial law bid, marking the latest indictment against the ousted leader who is undergoing an insurrection trial.

The prosecution's special team investigating the case said Yoon was indicted without physical detention for allegedly abusing his authority and obstructing the exercise of rights as he ordered soldiers and police to block the National Assembly on December 3 last year over his botched martial law decree.

The new indictment comes about three months after Yoon was first indicted on January 26 on charges of leading an insurrection -- an offence not protected under the constitutional immunity granted to sitting presidents.

At that time, Yoon became the first sitting president in South Korea's history to be indicted under detention.

Prosecutors had initially refrained from including the charge due to his presidential immunity, but decided to indict him for abuse of power after Yoon was removed from office by the Constitutional Court early last month.

A prosecution official said prosecutors have secured sufficient evidence to charge him with power abuse, Yonhap news agency reported.

Prosecutors requested that the Seoul Central District Court handling Yoon's insurrection trial merge the new case for joint deliberation.

Yoon is accused of conspiring with former Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun and others to incite an insurrection on December 3 by declaring an unconstitutional and illegal state of emergency, despite the absence of any signs of war, armed conflict or a comparable national crisis.

He is also alleged to have deployed military forces to parliament in an attempt to prevent lawmakers from voting down the martial law declaration.

Earlier in the day, South Korean Acting President Han Duck-soo resigned, indicating he would run for the June 3 presidential election.

Han announced his decision during a Press briefing at the government complex in Seoul, ending weeks of speculation over whether he would enter the election triggered by the impeachment of his former boss -- former President Yoon Suk Yeol.

--IANS

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