- Former PM Han Duck-soo and ex-Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok face travel bans.
- They’re being investigated over alleged insurrection linked to ex-President Yoon.
- A snap presidential election is scheduled for June 3 amid the unfolding crisis.
South Korean authorities have placed former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and ex-Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok under a travel ban as part of a widening investigation into an alleged insurrection attempt tied to former President Yoon Suk Yeol.
Han and Choi, who each briefly served as acting president after Yoon’s removal, are under scrutiny for their roles during the chaos. While both claimed they resisted Yoon’s attempt to override democratic processes, investigators are now questioning whether they were complicit.
Martial Law Fallout: Former South Korean Leaders Face Legal Clampdown
The South Korean police have escalated their investigation into the December 2024 constitutional crisis by banning two of the nation’s former top officials from leaving the country. Han Duck-soo and Choi Sang-mok, who held the posts of prime minister and finance minister respectively, are now central figures in the probe of former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s martial law declaration following his impeachment.
The martial law, although short-lived, marked a shocking attempt to override democratic mechanisms. Yoon’s declaration—widely seen as an effort to retain power—was revoked within hours due to parliamentary resistance, but it exposed serious vulnerabilities in the country’s political framework. Both Han and Choi were left to navigate the aftermath as acting presidents.
Now under investigation for possible insurrection, the two are being questioned about their knowledge of and involvement in Yoon’s attempt. Their public stance that they opposed the move is being challenged by investigators, who are trying to establish whether that resistance was genuine or performative.
The snap presidential election scheduled for June 3 has only heightened public interest in the case. As citizens prepare to vote in a post-Yoon era, questions about accountability, the rule of law, and political loyalty are shaping the national conversation.
As South Korea heads toward a crucial election, the investigation into Han and Choi underscores the nation’s struggle to confront a stunning breach of democratic order and reassert institutional integrity.
“The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.” – Thomas Jefferson
