South Korea ex-defence minister tries to take his own life over failed martial law

South Korea’s former defence minister has tried to take his own life while being held in detention over his role in the failed imposition of martial law, officials have said.

Kim Yong Hyun, along with President Yoon Suk Yeol are the subject of a criminal investigation on insurrection charges.

Mr Kim was arrested earlier on Wednesday after a Seoul court approved a warrant for him on allegations of playing a key role in a rebellion and committing abuse of power.

He became the first person arrested over the 3 December martial law decree.

It comes after reports said police were searching Mr Yoon’s office.

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Police did not immediately confirm the report which comes as the country’s main law enforcement institutions are focusing on finding whether Mr Yoon and others involved in the martial law imposition committed rebellion.

South Korea’s national police chief and top police officer for the capital Seoul have also been detained for their roles in the short-lived decree.

Police said National Police Agency commissioner general Cho Ji Ho and Kim Bong-sik, head of Seoul’s metropolitan police agency of the capital, were being held at Seoul’s Namdaemun police station.

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The development comes hours before the main liberal opposition Democratic Party submits a new motion to impeach Mr Yoon on the martial law introduction.

The party said it aims to put the motion on a floor vote on Saturday.

There was political chaos and soldiers on the streets of the capital when Mr Yoon made the surprise martial law announcement.

The state of emergency only lasted about six hours as parliament voted to block the decree and people took to the streets in protest.

In his martial law announcement, the conservative Mr Yoon stressed a need to rebuild the country by eliminating “shameless North Korea followers and anti-state forces”, a reference to his liberal rivals who control parliament.

Since taking office in 2022, he has had near-constant friction with the main liberal opposition Democratic Party.

Mr Yoon avoided impeachment on Saturday after most governing party lawmakers boycotted a floor vote in the National Assembly.

If he is impeached, his presidential powers would be suspended until the Constitutional Court decides whether to restore them or remove him from office.