S. Korean ex-minister jailed for role in martial law, attempts to take his life in detention
Trigger warning: This article contains mentions of suicide.
South Korea's former defense minister attempted suicide after his arrest over his role in President Yoon Suk Yeol's short-lived attempt at martial law.
The South China Morning Post reported that Kim Yong-hyun, who is facing charges of rebellion and abuse of power, tried to take his life at a detention center in Seoul but was thwarted by staff.
“A control room staff member intervened, and when they opened the door, he immediately gave up the attempt,” Shin said. Kim is currently being held in a secure location under close supervision.
Kim, Yoon's close ally, allegedly played a central role in planning and executing the martial law decree on the night of Dec. 3, Tuesday.
He was also slapped with a travel ban.
Kim had already resigned after the brief imposition of martial law, which saw soldiers and helicopters sent to parliament.
Kim issued an apology through his lawyers on Dec. 10, saying, "all responsibility for the situation lies solely with me."
He also said his subordinates were "merely following my orders and fulfilling their assigned duties."
On Sunday, Dec. 8, Kim voluntarily appeared at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office for interrogation by the Emergency Martial Law Special Investigation Division.
The interrogation came amid conflicting statements from military commanders responsible for enforcing the martial law.
Yoon's declaration was the first time in South Korea since 1980, shocking the nation and catching everybody off guard.
He cited the need to eradicate "shameless pro-North Korean anti-state forces" and restore order. (North and South Korea remain technically at war since the Korean War broke out in the 1950s. Hostilities only ceased via an armistice, not a peace treaty.)
Opposition parties accuse Kim of seeking to provoke a conflict with North Korea to justify the martial law.
The decree would give the South Korean military sweeping emergency powers. Under martial law, all political activities, assembly, and rallies would be banned; all news media and publishing would be under government control; and all trainee doctors, who have resigned in protest over the government's healthcare reform plan, were ordered to report back to work.
The declaration sparked nationwide protests, with thousands of South Koreans taking it to the streets.
The parliament, surrounded by protesters and police, voted to lift martial law hours later, forcing Yoon to rescind the order.
Last Dec. 7, Saturday, opposition parties filed a motion to impeach Yoon.
The motion needed 200 votes in the 300-member parliament to pass, but a near-total boycott by Yoon’s People Power Party (PPP) blocked the impeachment.
The PPP said it had done so to avoid “severe division and chaos." Instead, it would “resolve this crisis in a more orderly and responsible manner."
PPP leader Han Dong-hoon said the party had “effectively obtained” Yoon’s promise to step down. In the meantime, Han said Yoon would “be effectively excluded from his duties," leaving the prime minister and party to manage state affairs.
The impeachment outcome disappointed the huge crowds—numbering 150,000 according to police and one million according to organizers—demonstrating outside parliament for Yoon's removal.
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If you or anyone you know is considering self-harm or suicide, you may call the National Mental Health Crisis hotline at 1553 (Luzon-wide, landline toll-free), 0966-351-4518 or 0917-899-USAP (8727) for Globe/TM users, or 0908-639-2672 for Smart users.
