Former South Korean defence minister Kim Yong Hyun was prevented from taking his own life while in custody over last week's declaration of martial law, officials said on Wednesday, as President Yoon Suk Yeol’s staff resisted a police attempt to raid his office.
The president imposed martial law on South Korea on December 3 for the first time in more than four decades, only for the decree to be overturned hours later by lawmakers.
The country's main liberal opposition Democratic Party is pushing for a new motion to impeach Mr Yoon after a first vote last Saturday failed due to ruling party lawmakers boycotting it.
Mr Yoon’s surprise power grab has upended South Korean politics and unnerved markets. Shin Yong Hae, commissioner general for South Korea's prison service, told lawmakers that former defence minister Mr Kim had tried to take his own life at a detention centre in Seoul on Tuesday. He said correctional officers stopped him and that he was in stable condition.
Mr Kim was arrested by prosecutors early on Wednesday on allegations of abuse of power related to the martial law order. He was one of Mr Yoon’s close associates and has been accused of recommending martial law to Mr Yoon and sending troops to the National Assembly to block lawmakers from voting on it.
Mr Kim issued an apology on Tuesday and said all responsibility for the decree rests with him. He pleaded for leniency for soldiers enforcing the order.
National Police Agency Commissioner Gen Cho Ji Ho and Kim Bong-sik, the head of Seoul’s metropolitan police, have also been detained. They are accused of deploying officers to parliament to block lawmakers from voting.
South Korean police said they sent officers to search Mr Yoon’s office on Wednesday for any evidence related to the case. But investigators had failed to enter as of Wednesday evening, about six hours after their arrival, senior police officer Lee Ho-young told parliament.
Mr Yoon on Saturday also apologised over the martial law decree, saying he would not avoid responsibility. He said he would leave it to his party to chart the way ahead, “including matters related to my term in office”.
The leader of Mr Yoon’s ruling party later vowed to arrange a stable exit from office for the president, saying Mr Yoon would be sidelined from duties and the party would co-ordinate with cabinet members over state affairs.
But the comments were criticised as unrealistic and unconstitutional, and there are widespread questions over who is in charge of South Korea and its military at a time of heightened tensions with North Korea. The justice ministry on Tuesday banned Mr Yoon from leaving the country while investigations proceed.
A Wednesday article from North Korea’s state news agency called Mr Yoon “a traitor” and his military “gangsters”. In his martial law announcement, the conservative Mr Yoon said he was aiming to eliminate “shameless North Korea followers and anti-state forces”, a reference to his liberal rivals who control parliament.
Many experts say North Korea is sensitive to the domestic spread of news on major anti-government protests in foreign countries as its own people have no official access to international news and could be affected by such events.
Opposition parties and many experts say Mr Yoon's martial law decree was illegal. A president is by law only allowed to declare martial law during wartime or similar emergency situations, they argue.
– Agencies contributed to this report
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
SANCTIONED
- Kirill Shamalov, Russia's youngest billionaire and previously married to Putin's daughter Katarina
- Petr Fradkov, head of recently sanctioned Promsvyazbank and son of former head of Russian Foreign Intelligence, the FSB.
- Denis Bortnikov, Deputy President of Russia's largest bank VTB. He is the son of Alexander Bortnikov, head of the FSB which was responsible for the poisoning of political activist Alexey Navalny in August 2020 with banned chemical agent novichok.
- Yury Slyusar, director of United Aircraft Corporation, a major aircraft manufacturer for the Russian military.
- Elena Aleksandrovna Georgieva, chair of the board of Novikombank, a state-owned defence conglomerate.
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
The specs: Lamborghini Aventador SVJ
Price, base: Dh1,731,672
Engine: 6.5-litre V12
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 770hp @ 8,500rpm
Torque: 720Nm @ 6,750rpm
Fuel economy: 19.6L / 100km
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
Company%20profile
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Other workplace saving schemes
- The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
- Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
- National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
- In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
- Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
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Lexus LX700h specs
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Abu Dhabi GP schedule
Friday: First practice - 1pm; Second practice - 5pm
Saturday: Final practice - 2pm; Qualifying - 5pm
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What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
- Cinematography, shots and movement.
- All aspects of post-production.
- Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
- Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
- Tourism industry knowledge.
- Professional ethics.
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The five pillars of Islam
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The biog
Family: Parents and four sisters
Education: Bachelor’s degree in business management and marketing at American University of Sharjah
A self-confessed foodie, she enjoys trying out new cuisines, her current favourite is the poke superfood bowls
Likes reading: autobiographies and fiction
Favourite holiday destination: Italy
Posts information about challenges, events, runs in other emirates on the group's Instagram account @Anagowrunning
Has created a database of Emirati and GCC sportspeople on Instagram @abeermk, highlight: Athletes
Apart from training, also talks to women about nutrition, healthy lifestyle, diabetes, cholesterol, blood pressure
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
The specs
Engine: 2-litre 4-cylinder and 3.6-litre 6-cylinder
Power: 220 and 280 horsepower
Torque: 350 and 360Nm
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Price: from Dh136,521 VAT and Dh166,464 VAT
On sale: now
Profile
Name: Carzaty
Founders: Marwan Chaar and Hassan Jaffar
Launched: 2017
Employees: 22
Based: Dubai and Muscat
Sector: Automobile retail
Funding to date: $5.5 million
