Turmoil in South Korea Puts People at Disadvantage, Security at Risk

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The situation in South Korea is unusual, to say the least. 

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol has been arrested by a joint group of investigators from the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) and the police. The CIO is investigating whether he led an insurrection over his declaration of martial law. Although Yoon is currently suspended from office following impeachment proceedings by the National Assembly, he remains the incumbent president.

In the past, there have been cases of South Korean presidents being assassinated or going into exile while in office. There have been suicides and criminal prosecutions after they left office as well. But this is the first time in South Korea’s history that a sitting president has been arrested.

In South Korea, the president is both the head of state and the head of government. Due to the importance of his position, he enjoys the special right of being immune from criminal prosecution while in office. The only exception is for the crime of insurrection. 

Parallel Impeachment Trial and Investigation

The Constitutional Court has also begun proceedings to decide whether Yoon should be impeached. Currently, the situation in which a separate trial and investigation are happening in parallel is definitely abnormal.

The Joint Investigation Headquarters previously attempted to take Yoon into custody on January 3. However, they gave up when turned back by his presidential security team. This time Yoon issued a video message shortly before his arrest, saying, "I decided to appear before the CIO, even though it is an illegal investigation, to prevent any bloodshed."

Ever since Yoon issued his short-lived declaration of martial law, national politics in South Korea have been nearly paralyzed. It is the Korean people who are suffering the consequences.

Paralyzed Government, Tragic Consequences

At the end of 2024, a passenger plane crashed at Muan International Airport in southwestern South Korea, killing 179 people. It was the worst aviation accident in South Korean history. Moreover, it exposed the abnormal situation in which most of the government's command centers, which should have been in charge of responding to the disaster, were "vacant."

Not only Yoon was impeached and arrested. Prime Minister and Acting President Han Duk-soo was also impeached by the National Assembly, where the opposition holds a majority. Furthermore, the chief of police, who should have been in charge of investigating the accident, was arrested on suspicion of sedition, too. 

That was also true for the former defense minister, even though the military was busy assisting in search and rescue operations at the Muan Airport accident site. He was indicted on several charges, including playing a key role in the aborted insurrection. 

For this reason, criticism is also directed at the opposition parties. Their actions have weakened the government’s administrative functions by simultaneously pursuing multiple impeachments. 

Around 30 Impeachment Motions from the Opposition

South Korean media has been among those criticizing the main opposition Democratic Party. It has submitted around 30 impeachment motions since the Yoon administration came to power. They include one for the prosecutor in charge of the investigation into opposition leader Lee Jae-myung, who has been indicted for misusing public funds. 

South Korea is now looking to Acting President Choi Sang-mok, who is deputy prime minister and finance minister, to bring the serial turmoil under control. But can one person bring such recurrent chaos under control? 

Ruling and opposition parties cannot afford to remain fixated on their political strife and neglect external vigilance. Doing so only invites neighboring autocratic nations to take advantage of the situation. Those nations include North Korea, which is strengthening its nuclear capabilities.

Hopefully, Choi and other South Korean leaders will bear this in mind. 

RELATED:

• INTERVIEW | Why President Yoon Suk-yeol Will Survive and Triumph
• A Political Crisis in South Korea: Who Is the Enemy?
• South Korean President Impeached: What Happened and What Comes Next 

Author: Editorial Board, The Sankei Shimbun

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