The South Korean president is banned from leaving the country.

The ban was imposed by the South Korean Ministry of Justice shortly after the Office of Investigation of Corruption Against Senior Officials (CIO) announced that it had filed a request for the order to be implemented.

Reuters also reported that a South Korean Justice Ministry official said on December 9 that President Yoon Suk Yeol had been barred from leaving the country in connection with his failed attempt to impose martial law, amid growing calls for his resignation and a deepening leadership crisis.

Mr. Yoon apologized for the failed attempt and stated that he would leave his political and legal fate to the ruling People Power Party (PPP), but he has not yet resigned. According to local media sources, he has become the subject of a criminal investigation.

On December 9, South Korea's Defense Ministry said that Yoon remains the legally appointed Commander-in-Chief, but his control over the government is being questioned amid growing opposition from senior military officers, and his party announced it would form a working group to handle his eventual resignation.

Oh Dong-woon, head of the Office for Investigating Corruption of High-Ranking Officials, said he ordered a travel ban on Yoon when questioned at a National Assembly session about actions taken against the troubled president.

Justice Ministry official Bae Sang-up told the committee that the travel ban had been enforced.

This commission was established in 2021 to investigate high-ranking officials, including the president and members of their families, but it does not have the power to prosecute the president. Instead, by law, the commission must refer the matter to the prosecutor's office.

Although Yoon survived an impeachment vote in Parliament on December 7, his party's decision to hand over presidential powers to the prime minister has plunged a key U.S. ally into a constitutional crisis.

Mr. Yoon has rejected calls to resign, including from some members of the ruling party, and his future became even more uncertain over the weekend when Yonhap news agency reported that he was under criminal investigation on charges of treason.

According to Yonhap, on December 8, prosecutors arrested former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun for his role in declaring martial law on December 3.

On December 3, Yoon granted the military broad emergency powers to crack down on what he called "anti-state forces" and obstructive political opponents. However, he revoked the order just six hours later, when the National Assembly, defying military and police blockades, voted to reject the decree.

Amidst the wave of protests, many military officials, including the acting Secretary of Defense, have declared that they will not comply with any new orders imposing martial law again.

The main opposition Democratic Party has called for Yoon to be stripped of his control over the military. The party also demanded the arrest of Yoon and any military officials involved in the imposition of martial law.

Yoon's People Power Party (PPP) has established a working group to address, among other issues, "political stabilization following martial law and Yoon's orderly early resignation," a spokesperson said on December 9.

On December 8, PPP leader Han Dong-hoon announced that the president would not be involved in foreign and national affairs, and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo would run the government until Yoon officially resigned.

This proposal has drawn criticism from the opposition, who argue that it is unconstitutional. The opposition maintains that Yoon must be impeached or resign and face legal prosecution, and plans to introduce another impeachment bill later this week.

Professor Chang Young-soo of Korea University Law School said that the president can delegate authority to the prime minister, particularly control over the military, but there is still debate about whether the prime minister has the power to act as head of state in diplomatic matters.

"Unlike the US vice president, the South Korean prime minister is not elected, which means their democratic legitimacy is weak. Therefore, it will also be a question of how long this system can last," he said.