South Korean prosecutors accused President Yun of sedition, according to Reuters

SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korean prosecutors on Sunday indicted President Eun Suk-yeol on Sunday, accusing him of leading an uprising that briefly imposed martial law on Dec. 3.

“The prosecution has decided to indict Yeon Suk-yeol, who is accused of being the leader of the rebellion. The punishment of the leader of the rebellion will now finally begin,” Democratic Party spokesman Han Min-soo said at a press conference.

The case was also reported by South Korean media.

Anti-corruption investigators last week recommended indicting the jailed Yoon, who was impeached by parliament and suspended over the scandal.

Yoon’s lawyers have urged him to be immediately released from what prosecutors say is an illegal prison.

He has been in jail since his first arrest as president on January 15 under criminal investigation.

Sedition is one of the few crimes for which South Korea’s president does not have immunity. Although South Korea has not executed anyone for decades, it is punishable by life imprisonment or death.

Yun and his lawyers argued at a constitutional court hearing last week that he did not intend to impose full martial law, but merely acted as a warning to end the political controversy.

In parallel with the criminal proceedings, the Supreme Court will have 180 days to decide whether to remove Yeon from office or restore his presidential powers.

South Korea’s opposition-led parliament impeached Yoon on December 14, making him the country’s second conservative president to be impeached.

Yun repealed the martial law after lawmakers from the main opposition party rejected the bill by confronting the military in parliament.

Soldiers armed with rifles, body armor and night vision equipment were seen entering the parliament building through broken windows during the dramatic clashes.