S. Korean police consider travel ban for President Yoon amid martial law probe

South Korean police will consider imposing a travel ban on President Yoon Suk Yeol, a senior officer said at a news conference Monday local time.

Additionally, they have not ruled out questioning Yoon as part of their ongoing investigation into the illegality of last week’s declaration of martial law, the officer said.

“There are no human or physical restrictions on the subject of an investigation,” said Woo Jong-soo, a senior police officer in charge of investigating the declaration of martial law, before describing the scope of the current investigation.

He explained that originally 120 members of the Security Investigation Division were tasked with reviewing five reports related to Yoon’s enforcement of martial law on December 3.

As of Sunday, about 150 people were working on the investigation team he leads, he said.

So far, the team has “conducted searches and seizures in the office, official residence and home of former Minister of National Defense Kim Yong-hyun, a key suspect in the case,” it said. Woo, adding that investigators were also interviewing key witnesses. , notably the National Electoral Commission and the Ministry of National Defense.

“In the future, we plan to closely investigate the decision-making process related to the declaration of martial law, the damage caused to the National Assembly and the National Election Commission, as well as the police measures,” Woo said.

“In addition, we will focus on proving the charges through forensic analysis of seized items and analysis of call recordings,” he added.

Woo also explained that his team, which he called “the main investigators of the crime of sedition”, feels a heavy sense of responsibility and therefore promised the public: “We will investigate thoroughly, without doubt.”

He said they would do so by “mobilizing all available resources in accordance with the law and principles.”