South Korean President banned from leaving country

South Korea’s Ministry of Justice on Monday, December 9 said President Yoon Suk Yeol has been banned from leaving the country less than a week after he plunged the country into chaos by briefly imposing martial law.

Yoon sent special forces and helicopters to parliament on the night of December 3 before lawmakers forced him to rescind the order by rejecting his decree.

On Saturday he narrowly survived an impeachment motion in parliament even as huge crowds braved freezing temperatures to call for his ouster.

But even though he remained in office, investigations have been closing in on Yoon and his close allies, including a probe for alleged insurrection.

The Ministry of Justice confirmed on Monday that Yoon had become the first sitting South Korean president to be banned from leaving the country.

Also, under travel bans for their roles in last week’s events are former defence minister Kim Yong-hyun, who is currently in detention and ex-interior minister Lee Sang-min.