South Korea ex-leader Yoon accused of plotting martial law

South Korea’s former president Yoon Suk Yeol was accused by special investigators on Monday of having meticulously planned the declaration of martial law a year ago.

Yoon deliberately attempted to provoke a military response from North Korea to create a pretext for imposing emergency rule at home, special prosecutor Cho Eun Suk said.

Cho said Yoon sought to use such a provocation to justify declaring martial law and secure his political power domestically.

On the evening of December 3, 2024, the 64-year-old Yoon unexpectedly declared martial law, plunging the country into a deep political crisis.

The move was officially triggered by a dispute over the national budget. The conservative politician said at the time that the drastic step was necessary to protect South Korea from the opposition, which he accused of acting against the state and of being infiltrated by China’s Communist Party. No evidence was presented to support those claims.

The team led by Cho now said its investigation showed Yoon had been plotting to impose martial law via another method since at least October 2023.

Investigators allege that Yoon and his then-defence minister ordered a covert drone operation inside North Korean territory in an attempt to provoke retaliation and justify emergency rule – though Pyongyang never responded militarily.

Yoon is now standing trial, facing charges including insurrection, a serious offence under South Korean law and one that can carry the death penalty.

South Korea has been led since June by President Lee Jae Myung, a centre-left politician and longtime rival of Yoon.