South Korea Arrests Ex-Prime Minister and Spy Chief Over Yoon’s Martial Law Scandal

South Korea’s political reckoning over former President Yoon Suk-yeol’s failed martial law bid has widened, with authorities arresting two of his closest former allies, ex-Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn and former intelligence chief Cho Tae-yong.

According to Yonhap news agency, Hwang was detained on Wednesday on charges of inciting an insurrection after publicly supporting Yoon’s December 2024 martial law declaration. In a Facebook post at the time, Hwang urged the arrest of the National Assembly speaker and called for a purge of those he accused of election fraud.

Cho, who headed the National Intelligence Service (NIS) during the crisis and was once seen as one of Yoon’s most trusted aides, was taken into custody for violating NIS law and dereliction of duty. Prosecutors say he knew about the plans for martial law but failed to alert parliament, despite his legal obligation to do so.

“The NIS Act obliges its director to report to the National Assembly, as well as to the president, if a situation that has a significant impact on national security arises,” Yonhap reported.

Prosecutors allege Cho understood the move was illegal but “chose silence.” He has denied all charges.

The arrests follow fresh indictments against Yoon himself, who was removed from office in April and remains in detention. Prosecutors accuse the former president of attempting to provoke a military clash with North Korea by covertly sending drones across the border to justify martial law. One of the drones reportedly crashed near Pyongyang, allegedly leaking military secrets.

State Prosecutor Park Ji-young said Yoon faces charges of “benefitting the enemy in general and abuse of power.”

Yoon’s declaration of martial law in December 2024 triggered chaos in Seoul, with armed soldiers deployed to parliament to suppress lawmakers opposing his power grab. The move backfired, leading to his arrest in January, the first time in South Korea’s history that a sitting president was detained.

Adding to the unprecedented downfall, Yoon’s wife, Kim Keon-hee, is also behind bars, facing corruption and stock manipulation charges, making them the first former presidential couple to be jailed at the same time.