The political turmoil in South Korea has deepened as former Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun, embroiled in a controversial failed martial law order, attempted to take his own life while in detention.
This development follows widespread outrage over the now-rescinded decree by President Yoon Suk-yeol, which has led to calls for his resignation or impeachment.
According to head of the justice ministry’s correctional agency, Shin Yong-hae, Kim was found attempting suicide on Tuesday night in his detention centre, but he remains in stable condition without any serious health complications.
Kim, who stepped down last week alongside other top presidential staff after the martial law scandal broke, had publicly taken responsibility for the controversial move.
His resignation came as part of a broader fallout that saw the detention of key officials linked to the failed directive.
The situation has ignited mass protests across South Korea, with tens of thousands of citizens flooding the streets to express their anger over what many see as an authoritarian overreach by the president.
Critics have also accused the administration of undermining democratic values in the country.
Kim’s attempted suicide highlights the intense pressure facing officials involved in the debacle, as investigations continue into the motivations and planning behind the martial law order.
