South Korea’s impeached President Yoon indicted over martial law

By Aamir Latif and Berk Kutay Gökmen

KARACHI, Pakistan / ISTANBUL (AA) - Prosecutors on Sunday indicted South Korea’s impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol on charges of leading an insurrection over Dec. 3 martial law, according to the Yonhap news agency.

Yoon, 63, has become the first sitting president to be indicted on any charge.

The indictment came just a day before Yoon's detention period was scheduled to end.

The court twice refused to extend Yoon’s arrest time.

The embattled leader was taken into custody by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) on Jan. 15 due to his Dec. 3 martial law declaration.

He was impeached by parliament on Dec. 14 and later formally arrested on Jan. 19.

The indicted president is facing a trial by Constitutional Court which has up to six months to decide on his impeachment.

If the top court upholds impeachment, fresh presidential elections must be held within two months from the date the court order is issued, and if the court decides against it, he will be quickly reinstated as president.