December 9, 2024 – South Korean authorities are weighing the possibility of issuing an overseas travel ban against President Yoon Suk Yeol as he faces an investigation into alleged rebellion tied to his recent imposition of martial law, media reports said Monday.
Yoon’s brief decree of martial law last Tuesday—placing armed special forces on the streets of Seoul—has plunged the nation into a deep political crisis. The order sparked nationwide outrage and prompted swift political fallout, including an unsuccessful impeachment attempt over the weekend. While Yoon managed to avoid the first opposition-led impeachment vote on Sunday, opposition parties have vowed to introduce another motion this week.
According to reports from Yonhap news agency and other local media, police are considering preventing Yoon from leaving the country as they investigate charges of rebellion. The National Police Agency did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Mounting Legal and Political Pressure
The main opposition Democratic Party has denounced Yoon’s martial law declaration as an “unconstitutional, illegal rebellion or a coup.” It has filed multiple complaints against at least nine individuals—among them Yoon himself and a former defense minister—alleging their involvement in the unconstitutional move. Although a sitting president in South Korea typically enjoys immunity from prosecution, that protection does not extend to serious crimes like rebellion or treason.
Over the weekend, prosecutors detained former Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun, who reportedly advised Yoon to impose martial law. Kim is the first official taken into custody in the unfolding investigation. Separately, the Defense Ministry has suspended three top military commanders for their alleged roles in enforcing martial law. All three are among the group accused of rebellion by the opposition bloc.
Apology Amid Turmoil
President Yoon issued a public apology on Saturday, expressing regret for the martial law order and stating that he would not avoid either legal or political responsibility. “I will leave it to my party to chart a course through the country’s political turmoil, including matters related to my term in office,” he said. Yoon’s apology, however, has done little to pacify public anger or diminish calls for his removal.
Since taking office in 2022 for a single five-year term, Yoon has faced ongoing challenges in pushing his legislative agenda through an opposition-controlled parliament. His approval ratings have faltered amid multiple scandals, some involving himself and his spouse. Tensions reached a breaking point last Tuesday when Yoon, decrying parliament as a “den of criminals,” declared martial law and vowed to eliminate what he called “shameless North Korea followers and anti-state forces.”
Uncertain Future
The prospect of a travel ban against a sitting president marks unprecedented territory for South Korea’s young democracy. As Yoon’s opponents prepare a fresh impeachment motion, the nation’s political landscape remains in flux. Should police enforce a travel ban, it would signal a dramatic escalation in the standoff between the president and a restive opposition, testing the resilience of the country’s legal and democratic institutions.
