By SEOUL, South Korea — Police faced off with security officials as they sought to raid South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s office Wednesday and one of his top lieutenants attempted suicide after being arrested, in a dramatic escalation of the crisis engulfing the key U.S. ally after the failed attempt to impose martial law.
Investigators said they had been unable to enter Yoon’s office due to the standoff. Raids were also being conducted at the offices of the National Police Agency, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency and the National Assembly Police Guards.
The raids came as opposition lawmakers were set to resubmit a motion to impeach Yoon over his short-lived martial law declaration, which plunged the East Asian democracy into chaos last week.
On Wednesday, former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun became the first person to be formally arrested in connection with the martial law declaration. Kim, whose resignation Yoon accepted last week, is accused of playing a key role in the episode. Kim was in stable condition after attempting suicide at a Seoul detention center on Tuesday night, Shin Yong Hae, commissioner general of the Korea Correctional Service, told lawmakers.
The martial law declaration has deeply shaken South Korea, which has a long history of military-authoritarian rule. It has left its leadership mired in uncertainty, while a combination of opposition lawmakers and police pursue actions that could yet see Yoon forced out. Large crowds of protesters have come out in recent days demanding Yoon’s removal from office, while smaller rallies have been held by supporters.
Yoon, 63, who took office in 2022 for a single five-year term, is barred from traveling overseas as he faces investigation on possible rebellion charges. Though Yoon has apologized for the martial law order, which he rescinded about six hours after announcing it, he has declined to resign.
Yoon’s party says he has been effectively suspended from duty and that it will “restore order” by ensuring his early departure from office. In the meantime, the party says it is working closely with Prime Minister Han Duck-soo to manage state affairs.
That has fueled the uncertainty about who is in charge of South Korea, the world’s 10th-largest economy.
Asked earlier this week who was running the country of 50 million people, the presidential office declined to comment.
