South Korea’s President, Yoon Suk Yeol, has become the first sitting leader in the nation’s history to face a travel ban, confirmed the Ministry of Justice on Monday. The unprecedented move comes amid escalating political turmoil following Yoon’s brief declaration of martial law on December 3, which sent the country into chaos.
The president’s controversial actions included deploying special forces and helicopters to parliament in an attempt to enforce the decree, which was swiftly overturned by lawmakers. The fallout led to public outrage, massive protests, and a narrowly avoided impeachment vote in parliament last Saturday.
Justice ministry officials confirmed the travel ban during a parliamentary hearing. Bae Sang-up, the immigration services commissioner, stated, “Yes, President Yoon has been banned from leaving the country.”
The martial law declaration has sparked multiple investigations into Yoon and his close allies. Former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, now in detention, and ex-Interior Minister Lee Sang-min are among those barred from international travel. Additionally, General Park An-su, the officer in charge of the martial law operation, and Yeo In-hyung, the defense counterintelligence commander, are also under investigation.
Critics, including the opposition Democratic Party, have labeled Yoon’s actions as unconstitutional. Democratic Party floor leader Park Chan-dae condemned the situation as “a second insurrection and a blatant constitutional violation.”
Yoon, facing mounting pressure, apologized for the “anxiety and inconvenience” caused by his martial law declaration. However, he has not resigned, instead delegating authority to the prime minister and leader of the ruling People Power Party (PPP). This decision has drawn severe criticism, with constitutional law experts calling it an “unconstitutional soft coup.”
Kim Hae-won, a law professor at Pusan National University, emphasized, “There is no constitutional basis for a president to hand over power to unelected party officials while remaining in office. This undermines the rule of law.”
The opposition has vowed to continue pursuing impeachment, with another vote scheduled for Saturday. Public dissatisfaction with Yoon has reached historic levels, as his approval rating plummeted to 11%, according to a Gallup poll.
Protests are expected to intensify, with large crowds likely to gather outside the National Assembly to demand the president’s resignation.
Despite the crisis, Yoon remains the head of South Korea’s security apparatus, as confirmed by Defense Ministry spokesperson Jeon Ha-kyou. However, the political and social vacuum has left the nation deeply unsettled.
