South Korea’s former defence minister Kim Yong Hyun, who has been arrested for his role in the president’s botched attempt to impose martial law, attempted to kill himself in custody, officials from the correctional service told parliament.
Mr Kim tried to kill himself at a detention centre in Seoul but his attempt failed, said Shin Yong Hae, commissioner general of the Korea Correctional Service. The former minister is in a stable condition now, he added.
Mr Kim was the first person to be detained following president Yoon Suk Yeol’s brief declaration of martial law last week, which plunged the East Asian country into a political crisis. Mr Kim allegedly advised the president to declare martial law and resigned as defence minister soon after.
He was arrested after a Seoul court approved a warrant for him on allegations of playing a key role in a rebellion and committing abuse of power.
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