South Korea's jailed ex-leader Yoon Suk Yeol takes off prison uniform, resists questioning
Removed from office in April over his ill-fated imposition of martial law, Yoon was sent back to prison last month as he stands a high-stakes trial over rebellion and other charges.
He faces investigations into other criminal allegations that are not related to his martial law decree in December but target him, his wife and others.
On Friday, Min Joong-ki, a special counsel named by his liberal rival and new President Lee Jae Myung, sent investigators to retrieve Yoon from a detention centre near Seoul after the former president twice defied requests to attend questioning.
The team was tasked with delving into allegations surrounding Yoon's wife, Kim Keon Hee, including that she and her husband exerted inappropriate influence on the then-ruling party's election nomination process in 2022.
The team had a court-issued detention warrant that authorised them to bring Yoon out of his detention facility by force, but said they were hoping for his voluntary cooperation.
"Without wearing his prison uniform, the suspect lay down on the floor and strongly resisted his detention," assistant special counsel Oh Jeong-hee told a televised briefing.
Justice Minister Jung Sung-ho separately told politicians that Yoon took off his shorts and short-sleeved shirt and put them back on after investigators left.
Ms Oh said her team members refrained from using physical means out of safety concerns, but notified Yoon that they would execute the warrant next time.
She urged Yoon to cooperate as the Korean people are closely watching whether the enforcement of law is applied to everyone equally.
Yu Jeong-hwa, a lawyer for Yoon, accused the special counsel team of trampling on his client's dignity and honour by discussing his dress in prison, according to local media reports.
Yoon's defence team earlier said he was unable to attend his trial and undergo questioning by investigators because of heath problems.
They said in a statement on Thursday that Yoon has cardiovascular, autonomic nervous system and eye issues.
They cited an unidentified hospital as saying that Yoon faces the risk of blindness because he failed to receive medical treatment for the past three months.
Yoon's imposition of martial law, which brought armed troops into Seoul streets, lasted only several hours before politicians voted down his decree unanimously.
He argued his decree was a desperate attempt to draw public support of his fight against the "wickedness" of Mr Lee's Democratic Party, then the main opposition party, which had obstructed his agenda, impeached top officials and slashed the government's proposed budget.
AP
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
ABC News
6 hours ago
- ABC News
Donald Trump imposes an additional 25 per cent tariff on Indian goods over Russian oil imports
Donald Trump has imposed an additional 25 per cent tariff on Indian imports as a punishment for the country importing Russian oil, which is a key revenue maker for Moscow's war in Ukraine. The tariff is set to take effect in three weeks and would be added on top of a separate 25 per cent tariff entering into force on Thursday. It maintains exemptions for items targeted by separate sector-specific duties, such as steel and aluminium, and categories that could be hit like pharmaceuticals. The White House said Mr Trump signed an executive order implementing the move on Wednesday, US time. India is yet to comment on the move. It previously described Mr Trump's threats to impose the additional levy as unjustified. Relations between Washington and New Delhi have deteriorated in recent weeks, with a trade agreement yet to be signed between the two countries. India has become a major buyer of Russian oil, providing a much-needed export market for Moscow after it was cut off from traditional buyers in Europe because of the war. The reshaping of energy ties has saved India billions of dollars while bolstering Moscow's coffers. India argued it "began importing from Russia because traditional supplies were diverted to Europe after the outbreak of the conflict". ABC/wires
News.com.au
13 hours ago
- News.com.au
Atomic bombs did not need to be dropped on Japanese cities in WWII, says author
The atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima by the United States was not necessary, an acclaimed novelist and speechwriter has argued as Japan marks 80 years since the devastating day. A silent prayer was held on Wednesday at 8.15am, the moment when US aircraft Enola Gay dropped 'Little Boy' over the western Japanese city on August 6, 1945. The final death toll was around 140,000 people, killed not just by the colossal blast and the ball of fire, but also later by the radiation. Three days later, on August 9, another atomic bomb claimed the lives of 74,000 people in Nagasaki before Imperial Japan surrendered on August 15, bringing an end to World War II. But novelist and speechwriter Dennis Glover claimed the use of nuclear weapons, the one and only time used in armed conflict history, was not needed as Japan was 'militarily defeated' prior to the atomic bombs being released. 'Its surrender was a matter of time,' he told 'The bombs were dropped in some ways to speed up the surrender but they weren't necessary to get Japan to surrender in the foreseeable future and the reason why Japan was refusing to surrender at the time was the allies wouldn't concede to the principal that the emperor would stay on his throne after Japan's surrender. 'So, that was the decisive factor at this stage. Once the Americans accepted that (Emperor) Hirohito could stay on the throne they surrendered and they probably could've done that earlier without having to drop the bomb.' Asked about why then US president Harry S Truman authorised the drop of the two atomic bombs despite Japan's effective defeat, Mr Glover said there were a number of reasons. 'They didn't have the clarity of foresight that we have now looking through the historical records so they were making their decision to drop the bomb based on imprecise information and also emotional reasons to do with revenge and so forth,' he said. 'They had the weapons, which would cost them in today's money possibly trillions of dollars, and they felt compelled to use them... you don't have a pistol on the table without using it.' Another reason he raised included what he described as 'war weariness' in the US, with many American citizens at the time wanting WWII to end and their loved ones to return home. Mr Glover also suggested the bombs were used to speed up the end of the conflict and to 'try and stop the Soviets from having an excuse' to invade Japanese home islands from the north. 'The Americans certainly didn't want that and I think the big emotional reason was the desire for revenge, revenge for Pearl Harbor,' the novelist said to 'But also against Japanese atrocities, I mean these were just becoming clear as the Philippines and the Pacific Islands were being liberated in 1945.' He added there 'was not a lot of love for Japan, especially amongst the American military' when it became clear the extent of the atrocities, such as rape and torture being carried out. There is ongoing debate today, with experts who believe the atomic bombs had to be dropped, while others argued it was not necessary. Mr Glover said there was common belief the US had to carry out the attack to protect the lives of American, British, and potentially Australian and New Zealand soliders who would have been involved in the invasion and occupation of Japan. While he said that was a 'genuine reason' it was also 'slightly erroneous'. 'I think that invasion was getting quite unlikely by August 1945. Japan was going to surrender before they managed to organise to do it,' Mr Glover said. 'I think Hiroshima's become a symbol of the world anti-nuclear movement and a symbol of the world peace movement... who believe that it didn't need to be dropped and I think to some extent I think they're right. They have the stronger case now.' Wednesday's ceremony in Hiroshima included a record of around 120 countries and regions as well as Taiwanese and Palestinian representatives for the first time, AFP reported. The United States - which has never formally apologised for the bombings - will be represented by its ambassador to Japan. Absent will be Russia and China, organisers said earlier this week. Nihon Hidankyo, the grassroots organisation that last year won the Nobel Peace Prize, represented the dwindling number of survivors, known as hibakusha. As of March, there are 99,130 hibakusha, according to the Japanese health ministry, with the average age of 86. 'I want foreign envoys to visit the peace memorial museum and understand what happened,' the group's co-chair Toshiyuki Mimaki told local media ahead of the commemorations. Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui is expected at the ceremony to urge attendees to 'never give up' on achieving a nuclear-free world. Kunihiko Sakuma, 80, who survived the blasts as a baby, told AFP he is hopeful. 'I think the global trend of seeking a nuclear-free world will continue,' he said. 'The younger generation is working hard for that end,' he said before the ceremony.
SBS Australia
14 hours ago
- SBS Australia
Australian Journalist Keith Dalton shares his experiences in the Philippines during Martial Law
Dalton stayed 10 years in the Philippines, between 1977 and 1987. In his book 'Reinventing Marcos', Dalton shared his first-hand accounts of what he saw and experienced during his stay in the Philippines. SBS Filipino requested Malcanang for comment, The Presidential Communications Office replied that while they acknowledge the interest the book has generated, they have no comment on the matter. They added that the issues raised have been adrressed by President Marcos Jr. in previous interviews and forums. LISTEN TO SBS Filipino 25:31 Filipino 📢 Where to Catch SBS Filipino 📲 Catch up episodes and stories – Visit or stream on Spotify , Apple Podcasts , Youtube Podcasts , and SBS Audio app.
