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South Korea's erstwhile acting person Choi Sang-mok was indicted connected Thursday (December 11, 2025) connected charges related to the little imposition of martial law successful December 2024 by the then-President Yoon Suk Yeol, becoming the latest high-profile fig embroiled successful ineligible troubles implicit the case.
Mr. Choi is 1 of the 3 apical Yoon medication officials who served arsenic caretaker Presidents aft Mr. Yoon was impeached and removed from bureau implicit the martial instrumentality declaration that plunged South Korea into monolithic governmental turmoil.
Mr. Yoon is present successful jailhouse portion facing a high-stakes transgression proceedings connected rebellion charges. Dozens of high-level officials and subject commanders of the Yoon medication person besides been arrested, indicted oregon investigated implicit their roles successful Mr. Yoon's martial instrumentality debacle and different allegations.
On Thursday (December 11), an probe squad led by autarkic counsel Cho Eun-suk charged Mr. Choi with dereliction of work for not afloat restoring the 3 vacant seats astatine the nine-member law court, which was deliberating whether to unseat Mr. Yoon.
Out of the abyss: On South Korea, its caller President
Reinstating the tribunal to afloat spot was seen arsenic a determination that could summation prospects for Mr. Yoon's ouster due to the fact that a tribunal ruling to disregard him needed enactment from astatine slightest six tribunal Justices. Mr. Choi, who was Mr. Yoon's Prime Minister and Finance Minister, appointed 2 caller Justices but near a ninth Justice spot vacant, citing a deficiency of bipartisan statement erstwhile helium became interim President.
In April, the court's 8 Justices unanimously ruled to propulsion Mr. Yoon retired of office.
Mr. Cho's squad besides indicted different acting leader, Han Duck-soo, connected the aforesaid dereliction of work charge, adjunct peculiar authoritative Park Ji-young told successful a briefing. Mr. Han, who served arsenic Mr. Yoon's Prime Minister, the No. 2 post, was already indicted successful August connected the graver charges of abetting Mr. Yoon's martial instrumentality imposition.
Mr. Cho's squad accused Mr. Han of trying to propulsion Mr. Yoon's martial instrumentality decree done a Cabinet Council gathering to springiness it procedural legitimacy. Mr. Han has maintained helium told Mr. Yoon that helium opposed his martial instrumentality plan.
Ms. Park said 5 different radical including Mr. Yoon's Justice Minister were besides indicted connected Thursday (December 11) connected assorted charges related to the martial instrumentality crisis. She said Mr. Choi faces perjury charges arsenic good for his comments made astatine Mr. Han's trial.
Investigations into Mr. Yoon's imposition of martial instrumentality was 1 of 3 autarkic counsel probes targeting Mr. Yoon, his woman and associates. Those probes were approved by new President Lee Jae Myung, who won an aboriginal predetermination successful June triggered by Mr. Yoon's ouster.
In August 2025, Mr. Yoon's wife, Kim Keon Hee, was arrested and indicted for allegedly violating fiscal marketplace and governmental backing laws and receiving bribes. The 82-year-old person of the Unification Church, Hak Ja Han, was aboriginal arrested and indicted implicit allegations that she instructed religion officials to bribe a elder lawmaker adjacent to Mr. Yoon.
The Unification Church-involved ungraded has roiled South Korean politics, with section media speculating immoderate salient politicians, including immoderate astatine the Lee administration, mightiness besides person received wealth from the church.
On Thursday, Oceans Minister Chun Jae-soo denied immoderate bribery allegations but offered to resign, suggesting helium didn't wan to load the Lee administration. Mr. Lee accepted Mr. Chun's resignation connection aboriginal connected Thursday (December 11).
Earlier this week, Mr. Lee called for a thorough probe into allegations involving politicians and a spiritual group, without citing the Unification by name.
