South Korean authorities prohibit the travel of two ex-acting presidents, Han Duck-soo and Choi Sang-mok, due to investigations into their involvement in last year's disturbances under martial law.
South Korean authorities have barred two former acting presidents, Han Duck-soo and Choi Sang-mok, from traveling abroad, as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged insurrection linked to ex-president Yoon Suk-yeol's controversial martial law declaration last year.
On May 15, police questioned Han and Choi, together with another two former ministers, as part of the investigation. According to local reports, Yonhap news agency reported on Tuesday, both Han and Choi were being investigated as suspects in the insurrection case.
Yoon, who served as president for three years, declared martial law in the capital in December 2024, claiming that antigovernment and North Korean forces had infiltrated the government. The declaration was revoked hours later by parliament, plunging South Korea into an unprecedented constitutional crisis.
Since his impeachment, there have been questions over whether Han and Choi had resisted the martial law move as they claimed. If found guilty, they could face severe penalties, according to legal experts.
Former president Yoon is currently on trial on insurrection charges, potentially facing life imprisonment or the country's maximum penalty—the death sentence. If convicted, he would become the third South Korean president to be convicted of insurrection after two military leaders in connection with the 1979 coup.
The investigation is focusing on the alleged misuse of emergency powers by Yoon and his administration, with a particular emphasis on the roles of high-ranking officials during the martial law crisis. Yoon was stripped of office last month, with a judge at South Korea's Constitutional Court ruling that he had overstepped his authority.
Senior military and police officials testified they were ordered to detain rival politicians during the crisis. South Koreans go to the polls next week to elect Yoon's successor, capping months of political turmoil triggered by the martial law declaration.
Han was a candidate for the ruling conservative People Power Party’s presidential nomination but had to withdraw earlier this month due to internal disputes within the party, leading to the selection of Kim Moon-soo as the candidate.
Breaking news: The investigation into South Korea's former acting presidents, Han Duck-soo and Choi Sang-mok, and other high-ranking officials, linked to the controversial martial law declaration of ex-president Yoon Suk-yeol, is intensifying, focusing on policy-and-legislation and politics. General-news and war-and-conflicts outlets are closely monitoring the unfolding events, as the suspects could face severe penalties, with Yoon potentially facing life imprisonment or the death sentence, making it a significant case in South Korea's history.
