Former South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun was hospitalized in stable condition Wednesday after an attempted suicide incident in detention, where he faces charges related to last week’s controversial martial law declaration.
Kim became the first person formally arrested in the investigation of the Dec. 3 decree, facing allegations of rebellion and abuse of power. Prosecutors, who have up to 20 days to determine whether to indict him, accuse the former minister of recommending martial law to President Yoon Suk Yeol and deploying troops to block parliamentary votes.
“I deeply apologize for causing significant anxiety,” Kim said Tuesday in a statement, accepting responsibility while asking for leniency toward soldiers who carried out orders.
The Democratic Party plans to submit a new impeachment motion Thursday against President Yoon, after their first attempt failed when ruling party lawmakers boycotted Saturday’s vote. The political crisis has frozen South Korean foreign policy and unsettled financial markets, though North Korea’s state media has only just begun reporting on the turmoil.
