SOUTH KOREA’S Justice Ministry said today that an overseas travel ban has been imposed on President Yoon Suk Yeol during an investigation into his short-lived declaration of martial law.

This comes a day after trade unions threatened to escalate strike action to remove the president.

South Korean police, prosecutors and the anti-corruption agency called for the ban as they expanded their probes into possible rebellion charges over President Yoon’s imposition of martial law last week.

Oh Dong-woon, chief prosecutor of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials, said during a parliamentary briefing that he instructed investigators to seek a travel ban on Mr Yoon. 

Mr Yoon’s martial law decree last Tuesday, which brought special forces onto Seoul streets, plunged South Korea into political turmoil. 

On Saturday, President Yoon avoided an opposition-led bid to impeach him, with most governing party lawmakers boycotting a parliamentary vote. 

Even though opposition parties vowed to submit a new impeachment motion against him this week, the failure to remove the president has provoked a strong reaction from the country’s trade unions.

Unions representing workers at some of South Korea’s largest companies have threatened to take strike action.

Workers at car factories, train operators, schools and hospitals threatened to strike if President Yoon remained in office. 

The Korean Confederation of Trade Union said it plans to hold a candle-lit vigil every day in front of parliament. 

Workers at public trains and subways, who have been striking since before Mr Yoon’s declaration of martial law, said they will “fight until the end” to see his resignation. 

Temporary workers at schools and medical services have also threatened to join the action.