South Korea’s imprisoned former President Yoon Suk Yeol was indicted on new charges on Saturday as a special prosecutor probes his brief December martial law declaration.
The new charges include obstruction of the exercise of others’ rights by abuse of authority, ordering the deletion of records and blocking the execution of arrest warrants, the prosecutor’s office said in a briefing.
Yoon has been on trial on charges of insurrection, which is punishable by death or life imprisonment, facing additional charges since the special prosecutor was appointed in June to take over the cases against him.
Yoon has denied all wrongdoing. His lawyers did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the new charges.
The impeached and deposed former leader has been jailed at Seoul Detention Centre since earlier this month, and a court earlier this week rejected his request to be freed from detention.
Yoon Returns To Jail
Earlier on July 10, Yoon was sent back to jail after a court approved a warrant sought by prosecutors over his alleged attempt to impose martial law.
The Seoul Central District Court’s decision bolstered the special counsel investigation into allegations that Yoon’s move in December represented obstruction of justice and abuse of power.
The court said in a statement it granted the request because of concerns Yoon could seek to destroy evidence.
Potential Capital Punishment
The conservative politician already faces criminal charges of insurrection over his martial law decree, and that could carry a sentence of life in prison or death.
The former president returned to confinement in the Seoul Detention Centre about 20 km (12 miles) south of the capital after the decision. He spent 52 days in jail earlier in the year but was released four months ago on technical grounds.
The Constitutional Court ousted him as president in April, upholding parliament’s impeachment for the martial law bid, which shocked South Koreans and triggered months of political turmoil.
The special prosecution team launched its investigation after new leader Lee Jae Myung was elected in June, and it has been looking into additional charges against Yoon.
(With inputs from Reuters)
