In another criminal case against the ex-leader, South Korea’s ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol was indicted today, Friday, November 21, 2025, on allegations that he and others tried to manipulate the investigation into a marine’s drowning.
His latest indictment comes on top of earlier charges related to his brief martial law decree.
In Yoon’s latest indictment, one of the independent counsels charged Yoon, his former Defense Minister and 10 other figures with abuse of power, alleging they tried to alter an investigation report on the death of Cpl. Chae Su-geun, who died during a search-and-rescue operation for flood victims in 2023.
Yoon was questioned by a special counsel over suspicions that he ordered the presidential office and the defence ministry to overturn the initial findings in the death of Cpl Chae Su-geun to shield a Marine commander from responsibility. The special counsel believes that he issued unlawful instructions that exceeded his presidential authority.
Yoon will stand trial on charges of abuse of power and tampering with official documents.
Assistant special counsel Choung Min-young told a briefing that the marine corps’ early investigation report held one of the corps’ division commanders and seven other people responsible for Chae’s death.
However, Yoon expressed fury over the commander’s inclusion, prompting top presidential and Defense Ministry officials to pressure the marine corps to revise the report to exclude the Commander.
Choung said that Park Jung-hun, the Head of the marine corps’ investigation team, defied the pressure and sent the report to police but Yoon ordered officials to retrieve the report from police and dismiss Park and investigate him on charges of insubordination.
Choung said that Park’s investigation was conducted in line with law and principle, but Yoon and other indicted “systemically” committed abuse of power that “undermined fairness and independence” of the marine corps’ investigation team.
The special counsel said that the President as the Head of the government has the authority to oversee investigative agencies through the Heads of each ministry, but “this is of a general and declaratory nature, which should be exercised in accordance with the rule of law and principles of due process.”
“Going beyond this and making specific instructions for a specific case undermines the fairness and independence of investigations and infringes upon people’s basic rights through arbitrary law enforcement that is not permitted.”
Special Council
Yoon earlier this year was removed from office after being indicted on a rebellion charge related to his December 3 martial law decree that plunged the country into political turmoil.
After taking office in June, new President Lee Jae Myung appointed three independent counsels to investigate Yoon’s martial law imposition and other allegations involving him, his wife and associates.
The trial over charges that he masterminded a rebellion is ongoing and a verdict may come early next year. A conviction on that charge carries the possible penalty of capital punishment or life imprisonment.
Earlier this month, Yoon was indicted on charges alleging he ordered drone flights over North Korea to deliberately create military tensions and justify martial law.
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