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Ex-President Yoon Indicted for Perjury Amid Wife's Corruption Trial

Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol is facing additional legal trouble, now indicted for perjury. The charges stem from his testimony about a key Cabinet meeting held before his failed martial law declaration last December. Meanwhile, his wife, former first lady Kim Keon Hee, could face 15 years in prison for separate corruption and bribery charges. These twin legal battles represent a significant fall from grace for the country's former first family.

Key Points: South Korea Indicts Ex-President Yoon Suk Yeol for Perjury

  • New perjury charges allege Yoon gave false testimony about a Cabinet meeting before declaring martial law
  • Prosecutors suspect the meeting was only held to legitimize the controversial martial law declaration
  • Separately, a special counsel requested a 15-year prison term for former first lady Kim Keon Hee on bribery charges
  • Kim is accused of stock manipulation and receiving illegal campaign benefits worth millions of won
3 min read

South Korea: Special counsel additionally indicts ex-President Yoon on charges of perjury

Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol faces new perjury charges related to a martial law trial, as his wife's corruption case concludes with a 15-year sentence request.

"Cabinet members are not dolls who came to create an outward appearance. - Yoon Suk Yeol"

Seoul, Dec 4

A special counsel team of South Korea said on Thursday that it has additionally indicted former President Yoon Suk Yeol on charges of giving false testimony during former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo's insurrection trial.

Yoon, who is already standing trial on insurrection and other charges stemming from his failed imposition of martial law last December, is accused of giving the false impression that the Cabinet meeting he convened before declaring martial law was planned even before Han suggested it.

"We filed charges of perjury over the testimony given by former President Yoon during former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo's trial," assistant special counsel Park Ji-young said during a press briefing.

During Han's trial last month, Yoon was asked as a witness whether the then prime minister had proposed convening a Cabinet meeting to make the martial law declaration appear legitimate.

Yoon protested that the question was loaded and retorted, "Cabinet members are not dolls who came to create an outward appearance."

Special counsel Cho Eun-suk's team suspects Yoon initially had no plans to hold a Cabinet meeting but changed his mind after Han said it would give his martial law declaration more credibility, Yonhap news agency reported.

Separately, a special counsel team had demanded a 15-year prison term for former first lady Kim Keon Hee on charges of corruption and bribery.

Special counsel Min Joong-ki's team had made the request during the final hearing of Kim's trial at the Seoul Central District Court, after indicting her in August on charges of violating the Capital Market Act, the Political Funds Act and a law on the acceptance of bribes for mediation.

The wife of ousted former President Yoon Suk Yeol is accused of conspiring with a former head of Deutsch Motors, a BMW dealer in South Korea, as well as a close associate, to manipulate the company's stock price and make 810 million won (US$552,670) in illegal profits between 2010 and 2012.

For that charge, the special counsel team requested 11 years in prison, a fine of 2 billion won and a forfeit of some 811 million won.

Kim is also accused of receiving free opinion polls worth 270 million won together with her husband from a self-proclaimed power broker ahead of the presidential election in 2022 in exchange for securing the nomination of former People Power Party Rep. Kim Young-sun for a parliamentary by-election later that year.

int/jk/

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Martial law, perjury, stock manipulation... the entire family seems to be in trouble. It's sad to see leaders fall from grace like this. Hope South Korea finds stability soon.
V
Vikram M
The scale of corruption is shocking! 810 million won in illegal stock profits? And then trying to impose martial law? This is a textbook case of power abuse. Respect to the prosecutors for pursuing this.
S
Sarah B
Reading this from an Indian perspective, it's interesting. We often see our politicians in legal battles, but a former president and first lady facing such serious charges together is quite something. Shows the judiciary is active.
R
Rohit P
"Cabinet members are not dolls" – what a statement to make under oath! If the special counsel's suspicion is true, it's a serious breach of trust. Leaders must be held accountable, no excuses.
M
Michael C
While it's good to see accountability, one has to wonder about the timing and political motivations. These special counsel investigations can sometimes be weaponized. Due process must be followed fairly.
K
Kavya N
The wife involved in stock manipulation and bribery too... it's a family enterprise of corruption. Feel for the common people of South Korea who voted for them. This is why we need transparency in political funding.

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