South Korea’s President Yoon banned from travelling abroad amid martial law probe

Yoon Suk-yeol survived an impeachment attempt over the weekend, but calls for him to go are growing

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A caricature depicting South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol is seen near the ruling People Power Party’s head office in Seoul on Monday. The sign reads “Arrest”. Photo: AP

Published: 11:07am, 9 Dec 2024Updated: 5:05pm, 9 Dec 2024

South Korea’s Justice Ministry said on Monday that an overseas travel ban was imposed on President Yoon Suk-yeol during an investigation into his short-lived declaration of martial law.

Police, prosecutors and the country’s anti-corruption agency had requested the ban as they expand their investigations into possible rebellion charges over Yoon’s imposition of martial law last week.

A justice ministry official told a parliamentary hearing that the ban was issued.

The police have already placed overseas travel bans on four key figures, including two top military commanders and the former interior minister.

Yoon, who on Saturday survived an impeachment attempt over last week’s martial law debacle, accepted his interior minister’s resignation the day afterwards – a move the opposition said “proves” he had not stepped back from official duties, despite claims from his own party that he was effectively suspended.

“This proves that President Yoon, who is facing charges of fomenting an insurrection, still exercises the presidential right to personnel changes, maintaining his status as the military commander-in-chief,” said Lee Jae-myung of the opposition Democratic Party of Korea.