South Korea Bars President From Traveling Abroad

South Korea’s Justice Ministry barred President Yoon Suk Yeol from leaving the country on Monday as officials investigate whether his brief declaration of martial law last week amounted to leading an insurrection.

The justice ministry approved the travel ban on Monday afternoon. Oh Dong-woon, the chief prosecutor who heads the office for investigating high-ranking officials, earlier told lawmakers that he was seeking the ban as they carry out search and seizure operations targeting officials who were involved in the martial law order.

The investigation and travel ban are part of the spiraling fallout of Mr. Yoon’s extraordinary move last Tuesday, which has thrust the country into a leadership vacuum and triggered widespread protests calling for his removal. An attempt on Saturday by opposition lawmakers to impeach Mr. Yoon failed, prolonging the uncertainty over who was at the nation’s helm.

Opposition lawmakers have accused Mr. Yoon and officials including his former defense minister, Kim Yong-hyun, of staging an insurrection when they sent armed soldiers into the National Assembly in an attempt to seize the legislative body after the declaration of martial law.

South Korea’s defense ministry said Monday in a regularly scheduled briefing that command over the country’s military remained with the president.

This is a developing story.