South Korea’s former president Yoon Suk Yeol faced new charges on July 19 as a special prosecutor expanded the investigation into his brief declaration of martial law last December. According to the prosecutor’s office, the latest charges include abuse of power to obstruct others’ rights, ordering the deletion of official records, and preventing the execution of arrest warrants.
Yoon, currently detained at the Seoul Detention Center, could face life in prison or even the death penalty if convicted.
The crisis began on December 3, 2024, when President Yoon abruptly declared martial law during a period of declining public support. Justifying the decision with unsubstantiated claims that pro-North Korea “anti-government” groups were threatening national security, Yoon bypassed several cabinet members in a secretive emergency meeting. His actions sparked mass protests and fierce opposition from lawmakers, eventually leading to his impeachment in April 2025.
Click through to learn more about this unprecedented political drama that has shaken one of Asia’s most prominent democracies.