Seoul: South Korean prosecutors have indicted former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo for aiding ex-President Yoon Suk-yeol’s failed martial law declaration, and former First Lady Kim Keon-hee on bribery and stock manipulation charges.
Han, 76, faces multiple counts including perjury and falsifying state documents, with prosecutors alleging he actively pushed Yoon’s decree through a Cabinet meeting to give it legitimacy, despite claiming he opposed the plan.
Kim, meanwhile, was charged with accepting gifts and involvement in a stock manipulation scheme, accusations her lawyers dismissed as speculation. Both she and Yoon remain in custody.
The indictments mark another chapter in South Korea’s ongoing political turmoil following Yoon’s impeachment in April. During the crisis, Han briefly served twice as acting president before unsuccessfully seeking his party’s presidential nomination. The June election was eventually won by opposition leader Lee Jae-myung, who rose to prominence after dramatically opposing Yoon’s martial law move.
Following the indictment, Kim apologized for causing concerns and said she would make “no excuses” and face trial, reported CNN. “Just as moonlight shines brightly in the darkest night, I too will endure this time, looking to my truth and heart,” Kim said in a statement relayed by her lawyers.