Ousted president Yoon's wife and political associate charged by investigative prosecutors

The Seoul Central District Court has dismissed a request to issue a warrant for the arrest of former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, citing little chance that he would flee or destroy evidence. This decision comes amidst a series of developments in the ongoing martial law scandal that engulfed South Korea during the presidency of Yoon Suk Yeol.

Han Duck-soo, who served as the No. 2 post in Yoon's administration, has been indicted for allegedly abetting Yoon's imposition of martial law, falsifying and destroying official documents, and lying under oath. The special prosecutor leading the investigation, Cho Eun-suk, announced the indictment.

Meanwhile, Yoon's wife, Kim Keon Hee, has found herself at the centre of the scandal. She was arrested earlier this year, marking her as the first former first lady to be jailed in South Korea. Special Prosecutor Min Joong-ki has charged Kim with violating financial market and political funding laws, receiving bribes, and other alleged wrongdoings.

The martial law debacle is not the only controversy that Yoon's administration is embroiled in. Dozens of people, including election broker Myung Tae-kyun, have been arrested or investigated for various allegations, ranging from rioting at a Seoul court to corruption allegations involving Kim Keon Hee.

Myung is accused of conducting free opinion surveys for Yoon Suk Yeol that used manipulated data, which is suspected of helping Yoon win the People Power Party's presidential primaries. The conservative party is also under scrutiny for being allegedly influenced by Yoon and Kim Keon Hee in the 2022 legislative by-election.

The indictment of Han Duck-soo is significant as he is believed to have been the highest official who could have blocked Yoon's attempt to impose martial law. Assistant special prosecutor Park Ji-young stated that Han was in a position to prevent the imposition of martial law, but instead, he allegedly abetted Yoon's actions.

Han has maintained that he opposed Yoon's martial law plan. Despite the indictment, there is no information indicating that Han was arrested at any time, nor any details about a court decision related to his arrest in the search results.

Former Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun is among the key suspects, accused of planning martial law with Yoon and sending troops to the National Assembly to block lawmakers from voting to lift it. The investigation into the martial law scandal continues, with more revelations expected in the coming weeks.

Ousted president Yoon's wife and political associate charged by investigative prosecutors