Former South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol has been charged without detention for abuse of power in connection with the declaration of martial law, prosecutors said, further strengthening the legal threat of impeachment against the former leader.
The new charge comes as Yoon is on trial for organizing an insurrection with his attempt to declare martial law on December 3, which aimed to suspend civilian rule in democratic South Korea, AFP reported.
Armed soldiers were deployed in front of the parliament under the decree, but the order lasted only about six hours as it was quickly rejected by opposition lawmakers who jumped over the fences to enter the building. They later impeached Yoon for declaring martial law.
The 64-year-old Yoon was stripped of all powers and privileges in April by the Constitutional Court, which upheld the impeachment proposal. He was soon forced to leave the presidential residence.
The prosecution first charged Yoon in January, while he was still president, as the "leader of an insurrection," a charge not covered by presidential immunity.
"Since then, we have continued with the (rebellion) proceedings, conducting additional investigations into the charges of abuse of power, which led to this additional charge," prosecutors said.
The new charge comes a day after investigators searched Yoon's private residence in Seoul as part of an investigation into bribery allegations involving his wife, Kim Kyung-hee, and a shaman accused of receiving expensive gifts on behalf of the former first lady.
If found guilty of the rebellion charge, Yoon could face life in prison or the death penalty, although South Korea has had an unofficial moratorium on executions since 1997.
Yoon is the second South Korean president to be removed from office and the third to be impeached by parliament.
With Yoon's removal from office, South Korea will hold early elections on June 3. | BGNES