The 180-day long comprehensive special investigation (Special Counsel) into all the cases related to former South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol ended on Monday. Special investigator Kwon Chang-young’s team filed charges against 58 people, including Yoon, during the investigation.
The Special Investigation Team started the investigation in February. Its purpose was to re-examine cases that were not fully investigated by the three previous special investigation teams, including Yun’s failed 2024 martial law attempt, corruption allegations involving his wife Kim Kyong-hee and the death of a Marine soldier in 2023.
Kwon’s team accused Yoon of abuse of power. According to the investigation, he had instructed officials to justify his failed martial law move to the US and other key partner countries.
Former national security adviser Shin Won-sik and former principal deputy national security adviser Kim Tae-hyo have also been charged in the case.
The special investigation team also filed charges against Yoon’s wife, Kim Kyeong-hee. He is accused of allegedly making undue interference in the project related to the relocation of Rashtrapati Bhavan in 2022. According to investigators, he intervened to award the construction contract to a company he considered incompetent.
After the end of the investigation period, the Special Investigation Team handed over 46 cases involving 150 people to the police for further investigation. This means that in all cases, final action was not taken at the Special Investigation Team level and some cases will now be investigated by regular police agencies.
This investigation started in February and later its duration was extended till August 23. In July, the National Assembly had approved increasing the period of investigation by 30 days and increasing the maximum number of government officials deployed in the team from 130 to 150.
The ongoing legal action against Yoon remains a very sensitive issue in South Korean politics. In December 2024, his failed attempt to impose martial law led to a major political crisis in the country and he was ultimately removed from the presidency.