Yoon's party says he will be excluded from duties before eventually resigning
*
Opposition says impeachment is only legal recourse
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Yoon survived impeachment but faces pressure to step down
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Arrested ex-defense minister seen as central figure
in martial law debacle
(Recasts, new throughout with report of Yoon investigation,
quotes from assembly speaker, analysts)
By Hyunjoo Jin and Josh Smith
SEOUL, Dec 8 (Reuters) - South Korea's leadership crisis deepened
on Sunday as prosecutors named President Yoon Suk Yeol as a subject of a criminal investigation over last week's martial law attempt, a media report said, and his former defense minister was arrested.
Yoon survived an impeachment vote in the opposition-led parliament
late on Saturday, prompted by his short-lived attempt to impose martial law on Tuesday,
but the leader of his own party said the president would effectively be excluded from his duties before eventually stepping down.
That proposal, which appeared to win tacit approval from the Yoon-appointed prime minister on Sunday, drew condemnation from opposition lawmakers who said it was another unconstitutional power grab to delegate
authority without resignation or impeachment.
Thousands of people rallied in front of the parliament in Seoul on Sunday,
calling for the impeachment and arrest of Yoon and the disbandment of
his ruling party.
Yoon's martial law declaration on Tuesday plunged Asia's
fourth-largest economy and a key U.S. military ally into its greatest political crisis in decades,
threatening to shatter South Korea's reputation as
a democratic success story.
The leader of Yoon's People Power Party, Han Dong-hoon, told a press conference
alongside the prime minister on Sunday that Yoon would
not be involved in foreign and other state affairs before his early resignation.
But National Assembly speaker Woo Won-shik said it was unconstitutional to delegate presidential authority to the prime minister
and the ruling party without impeachment. Woo proposed a meeting of rival parties to
discuss ways to suspend Yoon's presidential power immediately.
The main opposition Democratic Party called
for the immediate suspension of Yoon´s presidential duties
and for stripping him of authority to control the military.
The DP called for the arrest of Yoon and related military officials implicated in the martial law
fiasco.
Yoon shocked the nation on Tuesday night when he gave the military sweeping emergency powers to root out what he called "anti-state forces" and
obstructionist political opponents. He rescinded the order six
hours later, after parliament defied military and police cordons to
vote unanimously against the decree.
CRIMINAL PROBE
Yonhap news agency reported that prosecutors had "booked" Yoon, a process
in South Korea that involves formally naming subjects of investigation.
Prosecutors could not immediately be reached for comment on the report.
Three minority opposition parties filed a complaint
with the prosecution against Yoon, ex-Defence Minister Kim
Yong-hyun and martial law commander Park An-su, accusing them of insurrection. The crime
of leading an insurrection is punishable by death or life imprisonment,
with or without prison labor.
Kim, who stepped down on Wednesday after Yoon rescinded martial law, was seen as a central figure in the debacle.
He had proposed martial law to the president, according to a
senior military official and the impeachment
filings.
The prosecution's special investigative team arrested Kim
on Sunday and seized his mobile phone, it said
in a brief statement to reporters. Before the arrest, investigators questioned Kim, who voluntarily appeared at the Seoul
Central District Prosecutors' Office around 1:30 a.m.
on Sunday (1630 GMT on Saturday), Yonhap news agency reported.
The national police raided Kim's office on Sunday as part of an investigation into claims of treason against Yoon and top ministers, Yonhap said.
Opposition lawmakers allege Yoon mobilized military forces to block a vote
by lawmakers seeking to nullify what they said was an unconstitutional martial law decree.
MILITARY CRISIS
Hours before Saturday's impeachment vote, Yoon addressed the
nation in a televised speech to apologize for his martial law decree, saying
he would put his fate in the hands of his party.
Han said the comments were effectively a promise to leave office early, adding
that the ruling party would consult with the prime minister to manage
state affairs.
Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said on Sunday the cabinet would
do its best to "maintain trust with our allies," referring to the United States and Japan.
The ruling party offered few details on their plan to prevent Yoon's impeachment but have him give up power, and the proposal added more confusion to the crisis over presidential authority.
In an effort to reassure the public, multiple military leaders, including the acting defense minister, have stated they would refuse any orders to impose another round
of martial law.
The defense ministry did not respond to repeated questions from foreign media on Sunday over who is now the commander-in-chief of
South Korea's military, which is one of the largest in the world and operates combined commands with the United States.
"I think (military commanders) are very disappointed, some of them are feeling that they have been betrayed. It will take a lot of work to regain the trust of the military," said
Chun In-bum, a retired lieutenant general in the South Korean army
and former commander of the country´s special forces, who blamed politicians for the mess.
"I resent the fact they draw in the military to do their job, and it was a bad decision to try to use the military to solve a political problem," Chun said.
The leadership crisis threatens to undermine allied efforts to deter nuclear-armed
North Korea, analysts said.
"North Korea will probably take a wait-and-see approach toward these events, but it cannot be ruled out that Pyongyang will attempt to exploit divisions in Seoul," said Leif-Eric
Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul.
(Reporting by Hyunjoo Jin, Josh Smith, Hyunsu Yim, Ju-min Park and Eduardo Baptista;
Editing by Sandra Maler and William Mallard)
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