Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has been formally indicted by prosecutors on charges of abuse of authority, adding to his mounting legal troubles. This latest indictment follows his impeachment and removal from office earlier this year, as well as an ongoing trial for insurrection related to his brief declaration of martial law in December 2024.
The abuse of authority charges stem from allegations that Yoon misused his presidential powers during his tenure. Prosecutors announced the indictment without arrest, citing supplementary investigations conducted alongside the insurrection trial. The indictment comes just one day after investigators raided Yoon's private residence in Seoul as part of a probe into bribery allegations involving his wife, Kim Keon-hee, and a shaman accused of receiving lavish gifts on her behalf.
Yoon Suk Yeol, who was stripped of all presidential powers and privileges by the Constitutional Court in April, is the second South Korean president to be removed from office and the third to be impeached by parliament. If convicted of the insurrection charge, Yoon could face life imprisonment or even the death penalty, although South Korea has maintained an unofficial moratorium on executions since 1997.