Authorities in South Korea have arrested the country’s former Prime Minister and the ex-head of its intelligence agency over their alleged involvement in plans to declare martial law during a past political crisis.
According to reports, the arrests followed an investigation by a special prosecution team, which found that the two officials were part of a covert plan to grant the military emergency powers during mass protests demanding the resignation of then-President Park Geun-hye in 2017.
Investigators allege that the plan aimed to use the armed forces to suppress protesters and maintain political control if the situation escalated. However, the plan was never implemented.
Both men have denied the accusations, claiming that the proposal was merely a “temporary security measure” intended to preserve national stability at the time.
Political analysts have described the arrests as a major step in South Korea’s ongoing efforts to uphold democracy and accountability, as the country has a long history of investigating high-ranking officials after they leave office.
The two suspects are expected to appear in court in the coming weeks to face formal charges.