South Korea's former Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun, who took responsibility for President Yoon Suk Yeol's failed attempt to impose martial law last week, has reportedly attempted to take his own life, an official at a correctional facility has confirmed.
According to the local Korean Yonhap news agency, Kim was discovered during the suicide attempt at his detention centre says Shin Yong-hae, head of the Justice Ministry's Correctional Service.
The details were revealed during a parliamentary session. Authorities at the facility immediately intervened, forcing their way into Kim’s cell, preventing him from causing further harm to himself or others.
As a result of the incident, Kim has been placed in a protective cell to ensure his own safety. "His health remains stable, and we are closely monitoring him," Shin said to attending lawmakers.
The failed imposition of martial law has sent shock waves through South Korea. The attempt, allegedly orchestrated under President Yoon's leadership, aimed to curtail civil liberties amidst political unrest. In the days following, political critics and tens of millions of Koreans have decried the move as an overreach of executive power.
Kim’s arrest marked him as the first individual detained in the expanding investigation into the failed plan.
Prosecutors are now intensifying their probe into the insurrection charges against President Yoon, who has been officially booked as a suspect and is currently prohibited from leaving the country.
South Korean law grants immunity to a sitting president, except in cases of insurrection or treason, adding gravity to the ongoing investigation. Analysts predict the legal and political ramifications of this case could be profound, potentially reshaping the nation's governance and public trust in its institutions.
The events surrounding the failed martial law declaration continue to dominate national discourse, as citizens and lawmakers alike demand accountability for what has been described as a direct threat to South Korea's democratic framework.