South Korea’s president charged with insurrection over declaration of martial law

The ultimate reason is the elites themselves fuelling them by openly bringing them into the public arena. Yoon has fully declared his beliefs in election fraud, despite having had the power to lay it bare if there was any evidence,

says Kim

President Yoon declared martial law to expose election fraud. It was his constitutional right

says a female protester outside the constitutional court in Seoul, where judges are weighing whether to uphold parliament’s impeachment vote

When I see people making speeches at these rallies, there’s no logic, just incitement. And watching the crowds respond, I realise these aren’t just fringe beliefs any more

says one of its journalists, speaking anonymously due to safety concerns

We’ve been instructed that if any dangerous situation arises, we must abandon coverage and evacuate immediately,

says one camera operator from a different network, also speaking on condition of anonymity

So, I think the average voter in South Korea is now seeing that the centre left is probably trying to overly politicise this process for their own benefit, and is therefore not all that better than Yoon was on the right,

said Chan

The only difficulty at this time for the prosecution is to have some extended detention time to prepare and also cross-check the evidence that they have already collected with the testimony of President Yoon,

Baik told CNA’s Asia Now

I think that the prosecutor's office was trying to indict Yoon on the strongest charge before them. And there was also a timing matter at play here as well,

said Jeremy Chan, senior analyst at political risk consultancy Eurasia Group’s China and Northeast Asia team

But more fundamentally, the prosecutor's office is trying to accelerate the removal of Yoon formally from office,

he told CNA’s Asia First, though he said

But I think the defence attorneys will have some difficult times, and they may have some other strategies,

he added

More fundamentally, you saw (in) the constitutional court last week, a legal strategy whereby the sort of inner circle that enabled and helped Yoon to carry out martial law, particularly the former defence minister – there's a sort of circling-the-wagons effect that's happening now.”

He added

There could be some kind of a division and also competition against each other, and maybe even some kind of chaotic situation. So, a lot of political turmoil is still being expected,

he added

I think there is a lot of proof that what he has done – and also what the (former) minister of defence and supporters of the martial law have done – are obvious,

she said

It will ultimately come down to moderate voters to determine the country's next phase,

South Korean newspaper Hankook Ilbo reported Monday

We are discussing a bail request (for Yoon) with the court,

his lawyers told AFP on Monday, without giving any further details

The prosecution has made a grave mistake, reducing itself to being the indictment arm of the CIO, and a tool of political interests,

Yoon's lawyers said, referring to the Central Investigation Office for high-ranking officials

The punishment of the ringleader of insurrection now begins finally,

Han Min-soo, a spokesman from the main opposition Democratic Party told a press conference

Today's indictment of the president will remain as a shame in the history of South Korean prosecutors that they cannot erase,

Yoon's defense team said in a statement

Yoon's declaration of martial law cannot be recognised as insurrection,

they said in a statement

The prosecution has decided to indict Yoon Suk Yeol, who is facing charges of being a ringleader of insurrection,

Democratic Party spokesman Han Min-soo told a press conference

This indictment will provide a sense of relief, reaffirming that the constitutional order is functioning as it should,

said Bae Kang-hoon, co-founder of political think tank Valid