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South Korea’s former acting leader Choi Sang-mok was indicted on Thursday on charges related to the then-president imposing a brief martial law in December 2024. yoon suk yeolShe has become the latest high-profile celebrity embroiled in legal troubles over the matter.
Choi is one of three top officials of the Yoon administration who served as acting president after Yoon was impeached and removed from office following the martial law declaration that plunged South Korea into massive political turmoil.
Yoon is now in jail and facing a high-risk criminal trial on charges of rebellion. Dozens of high-level officials and military commanders in the Yun administration were also arrested, convicted, or investigated for their roles in Yun’s martial law debacle and on other charges.
On Thursday, an investigative team led by independent lawyer Cho Eun-suk accused Choi of dereliction of duty for not fully restoring three vacant seats on the nine-member council. constitutional courtWhich was considering whether or not Yoon should be removed from office.
Restoring the court to full capacity was seen as a move that could increase Yoon’s chances of being removed because a court decision to dismiss him requires the support of at least six court judges. Choi, who was Yun’s prime minister and finance minister, appointed two new judges, but left the seat of the ninth judge vacant, citing the lack of bipartisan agreement on becoming interim president.
In April, the court’s eight judges unanimously ruled to remove Yoon from office.
Cho’s team also blamed another acting leader, He Assistant Special Prosecutor Park Ji-young told a briefing that Duk-soo faces charges of the same dereliction of duty. Han, who served as Yun’s No. 2 position as prime minister, had already been convicted in August on a serious charge of helping Yun impose martial law.
Cho’s team accused Han of trying to push Yun’s martial law decree through a Cabinet Council meeting to give it procedural legitimacy. Han said he told Yun that he opposed his martial law plan.
Park said five other people, including Yun’s justice minister, were also indicted on Thursday on various charges related to the martial law crisis. Choi is also charged with perjury for comments he made at Han’s trial, he said.
The investigation into Yun’s imposition of martial law was one of three independent counsel investigations targeting Yun, his wife and associates. Those investigations were approved by the new President lee jae myungWho won the primary election held in June due to Yun’s expulsion.
In August, Yoon’s wife, Kim Keon Hee, was arrested on charges of violating financial market and political funding laws and accepting bribes. The 82-year-old leader of the Unification Church, Hak Ja Han, was later arrested and charged with directing church officials to bribe a senior legislator close to Yoon.
The scandal involving the Unification Church has rocked South Korean politics, with local media speculating that some prominent politicians, including some in the Lee administration, may have received money from the church.
On Thursday, Oceans Minister Chun Jae-soo denied any allegations of bribery but offered to resign, suggesting he did not want to burden the Lee administration. Lee accepted Chun’s resignation offer later Thursday.
Earlier this week, Lee called for a thorough investigation into the allegations involving politicians and a religious group, without naming unification.