South Korea bans President Yun Seok-yol from leaving the country

South Korean President Yun Seok-yol has been banned from leaving the country amid an investigation into his order to temporarily impose martial law. As reported on December 9, the relevant instruction was given by the country's Ministry of Justice, Yonhap News Agency noted.

The agency also specified that the national police said that the head of state has been brought in as a suspect to investigate a case of treason, rebellion and abuse of power. It is being conducted jointly with the South Korean prosecutor's office.

"The investigation team of the National Police Investigation Headquarters investigating the 'emergency incident related to martial law on Dec. 3' announced, President Yun Seok-yol is a suspect and is considering banning him from leaving the country," the media outlet pointed out.

It is noted that the controversy over the president's powers continues. For now, the head of state under investigation still retains his legal powers, including the right to command the armed forces. The charges are not only against Yoon Seok-yeol, but also against several other high-ranking government and military officials who were involved in martial law operations.

Coup d'état: South Korea has imposed and lifted martial law

Military vehicles have appeared on the streets of Seoul

Earlier in the day, it was also reported that police imposed a travel ban on former South Korean Interior Minister Lee Sang-min. Former Minister of Public Administration and Security Lee Sang-min, former ROK Armed Forces counterintelligence commander Yeo In-hyun, and Army Chief of Staff Park Ahn-soo, who was appointed martial law commander, were also banned from leaving the country.

Earlier on Dec. 8, Korean Newsis reported that South Korea's Minister of Internal Affairs and Security Lee Sang-min resigned. His decision was approved by the country's President Yun Seok-yol. On the same day, the South Korean prosecutor's office assigned Yoon Seok-yol the status of a suspect in the case of rebellion against the state system. The Prosecutor's Office of the Republic has launched an investigation into the statement of opposition MPs about treason of the Korean president.

Before that, on December 7, the National Assembly (Parliament) of the Republic of Korea failed to get the necessary number of votes to impeach the president of the country. It needed 200 parliamentary votes to declare impeachment, and only 195 people voted.

Yun Seok-yol declared martial law in the country on Dec. 3. He cited the threat of power paralysis caused by attempts to conduct impeachment proceedings as the reason for the move. Commander of the emergency regime, Chief of Staff of the Ground Forces Park Ahn-soo noted that until martial law is lifted in the republic, the activities of the parliament, political parties and associations are prohibited. Military equipment was brought to the streets of Seoul.

The opposition party of the republic, in turn, demanded the resignation of the head of state and said it intended to charge Yoon Seok-yeol with treason. At the same time, all heads and senior secretaries of the presidential administration of South Korea resigned. In addition, the trade unions of the republic announced a general strike.