Impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol will receive a scheduled pay increase, official documents revealed on Monday, despite facing an impeachment trial and an investigation into his controversial martial law declaration.
On December 3, Yoon suspended civilian rule, deploying soldiers to parliament and plunging South Korea into its worst political crisis in decades. The move was quickly reversed within hours but has left lasting political and legal consequences.
Yoon has since been impeached by lawmakers and is awaiting a final ruling from the Constitutional Court that could permanently remove him from office. Separately, he faces an insurrection investigation, with authorities seeking to detain him for questioning.
Nevertheless, official documents from the Ministry of Personnel Management, seen by AFP, confirm that Yoon will receive a three percent salary increase for 2025. His annual salary will rise to 262.6 million won ($178,400) even as he remains confined to the presidential residence, relying on his security detail to resist arrest.
The report clarifies that Yoon’s impeachment motion is still under deliberation by the Constitutional Court, meaning he retains his status as president and is entitled to his salary and security benefits.
Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, serving as acting president but also currently suspended following his own impeachment, will also receive a three percent salary increase, bringing his total to 203.5 million won ($138,350).
The news has sparked public outrage. One viral post on the social media platform X read, “It makes my blood boil. He’s (Yoon) getting paid for doing nothing.”
Meanwhile, Yoon has refused to cooperate with prosecutors and investigators probing his martial law declaration. His presidential guard recently thwarted an arrest attempt after a tense, hours-long standoff. Investigators are reportedly preparing a second attempt to detain him.
Protests both for and against Yoon have been staged almost daily in Seoul, highlighting the deep divisions in the country as the political crisis continues to unfold.