S. Korean leader gets reprieve for now as ruling party seeks to block impeachment

Police begin investigation into President Yoon's attempt to impose martial law

- Wendy Teo

SEOUL - South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol looks set to hang on to office - at least for now - despite a disastrous stab at establishing martial law in the country, with his ruling People Power Party (PPP) rallying around him against the opposition's efforts to impeach him.

That means that the motion to charge him with "violating the Constitution and the law", to be held on Dec 7, may not get its required majority in the legislature to be passed.

Still, a legal guillotine - albeit politically motivated - continues to loom over Mr Yoon's head, with the police now investigating him for treason over his botched attempt that plunged the nation into chaos for six hours on the night of Dec 3.

Mr Yoon has not been seen in public since the early hours of Dec 4, when he repealed the martial law decree, although he had been expected to make a national address on Dec 5 to apologise for the debacle.

At any rate, the anticipated apology - while it would have mollified some - was not expected to significantly change the trajectory of his destiny.

The police complaints were filed by an opposition party and a group of activists on Dec 5 against Mr Yoon, former defence minister Kim Yong-hyun, who is said to have masterminded the martial law move, and the Army Chief of Staff, General Park An-su, who was briefly military commander during the ill-fated self-coup.

The trio are being accused of treason and other related charges for their roles in the short-lived martial rule on Dec 3.

If found guilty, Mr Yoon and the others accused of treason may be sentenced to life in prison, or even death, reported local media.

Mr Kim had resigned earlier on Dec 5 over his role in the midnight bungle, and has been slapped with a travel ban while investigations are ongoing.

It is not clear how long the investigations will take.