Former South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun He tried to take his life this Wednesday in the Seoul detention center where he is imprisoned accused of insurrection for their participation in the declaration of martial law last week.
After the failed suicide attempt, Kim, considered a key piece of the plan to decree the emergency In the Asian country, he is now in a special cell and his life is not in danger, according to spokespersons for the detention center.
“There was an incident where he (Kim) gave up the moment we rushed into his cell.”explained the commissioner general of the Korean Correctional Service, Shin Yong-haein statements collected by the agency Yonhap. In addition, he mentioned that Kim had tried to commit suicide in the toilet using a string from her clothes.
“The results of the medical examination indicate that The prisoner’s state of health is good, without any abnormalitiesand currently leads a normal life in the center,” the Ministry of Justice revealed in a statement sent to the agency AFP.
Kim, who had been urgently detained over the weekend, was formally arrested this Tuesday when he was accused of insurrection for assisting the president in declaring martial law.
Prosecutors, who feared that Kim — who apparently changed phones and deleted Telegram conversations after the state of emergency was declared — had tried to destroy evidence, accuse him of insurrection and abuse of power to obstruct the exercise of fundamental rights during the six hours that martial law was in effect, between Tuesday and Wednesday of last week.
Kim has been questioned three times in connection with the declaration of martial law and, during his testimony, has maintained that he does not consider his actions to have been illegal or unconstitutional.
With his formal arrest, there is speculation that the investigation into the president, also accused of insurrection and banned from leaving the country, could advance more quickly.
It is important to mention that the former official presented his resignation to the South Korean president, Yoon Suk-yeola week ago. In addition, he expressed his willingness to “assume responsibility for all matters related to martial law,” through a statement published by the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS).
“All soldiers who carried out their duties related to martial law followed the Ministry’s instructions, and all responsibility lies with me,” Kim said. Martial law “has been lifted and the public has returned to their daily lives.”but the domestic political and security situation is not easy,” added the former minister.
(With information from EFE and AFP)
