South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol was barred from leaving the country on Monday, the Ministry of Justice confirmed. The development comes less than a week after Yoon caused political turmoil by briefly imposing martial law.
On the night of December 3, Yoon deployed special forces and helicopters to parliament, a move lawmakers swiftly overturned by rejecting his decree. Despite narrowly surviving an impeachment motion in parliament on Saturday, Yoon faces mounting public discontent, with large protests calling for his removal.
The president is now under investigation for alleged insurrection, alongside several close allies. According to immigration services commissioner Bae Sang-up, who addressed a parliamentary hearing on Monday, Yoon is the first sitting South Korean president to face a travel ban.
Others affected by travel restrictions include former Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun, currently in detention, and former Interior Minister Lee Sang-min. General Park An-su, who oversaw the martial law operation, and Defence Counterintelligence Commander Yeo In-hyung are also barred from leaving the country.
Investigators brought General Park in for further questioning on Monday as part of ongoing probes into last week’s events.
