South Korea martial law fallout deepens as prosecutors close in on president, ex-defence minister | U.S. & World [Video]

By Hyunjoo Jin and Josh Smith

SEOUL (Reuters) -South Korea’s leadership crisis deepened on Sunday as prosecutors named President Yoon Suk Yeol as a subject of a criminal investigation over last week’s martial law attempt, a media report said, and his former defence minister was arrested.

Yoon survived an impeachment vote in the opposition-led parliament late on Saturday, prompted by his short-lived attempt to impose martial law on Tuesday, but the leader of his own party said the president would effectively be excluded from his duties before eventually stepping down.

That proposal, which appeared to win tacit approval from the Yoon-appointed prime minister on Sunday, drew condemnation from opposition lawmakers who said it was another unconstitutional power grab to delegate authority without resignation or impeachment.

Thousands of people rallied in front of the parliament in Seoul on Sunday, calling for the impeachment and arrest of Yoon and the disbandment of his ruling party.

Yoon’s martial law …