South Korea prosecutors seek arrest warrant for ex-minister

The move comes amid fears a key suspect in the failed martial law declaration could flee

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SEOUL - South Korean prosecutors filed an arrest warrant for former defence minister Kim Yong-hyun, accusing him of collaborating with President Yoon Suk Yeol to orchestrate an insurrection in the controversial Dec 3 martial law declaration.

This marks a significant development in the investigation, as prosecutors identify Mr Yoon as the central figure behind the alleged coup attempt.

Kim, summoned by the special prosecution investigation team for questioning on insurrection, abuse of power and other charges, decided to forgo a court hearing on Dec 10. He apologised to the public, stating: "I deeply regret having caused significant unrest and discomfort to the people. All responsibility for this incident rests solely with me."

The court had initially scheduled Kim's pre-detention hearing for 3pm on Dec 10. However, with Kim's decision to waive the hearing, the court will now decide whether to issue the writ for Kim based solely on documents submitted by prosecutors and his legal counsel. The ruling will mark the judiciary's first assessment of whether the martial law declaration constitutes insurrection.

Prosecutors said they are seeking the warrant over concerns that Kim, a key suspect who proposed martial law to Mr Yoon, might attempt to flee or tamper with evidence, given that he changed mobile phones after the martial law announcement.