Seoul [South Korea], August 20 (HBTV): A group of over 12,000 South Korean citizens has filed a lawsuit against former President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife, Kim Keon Hee, seeking compensation for damages allegedly caused by his imposition of martial law in December the previous year, Yonhap News Agency reported.

The suit, submitted on Monday to the Seoul Central District Court by lawyer Kim Kyeong-ho of law firm Hoin, represents 12,225 plaintiffs. Each is demanding KRW 100,000 (approximately USD 72) in damages from Yoon and his spouse. The number of claimants is expected to rise, as the case remains open for additional participants until a final verdict is reached.

The plaintiffs argue that the martial law declaration violated basic constitutional rights and severely harmed their dignity as citizens of a democratic society. They further claim that Yoon's actions were deliberate and criminal, carried out at the expense of the public's freedoms.

Yoon's wife, Kim Keon Hee, is also named in the lawsuit as an alleged accomplice. The plaintiffs assert that she played a role in influencing or supporting the controversial decision and should also be held financially accountable.

‘The claimants have effectively requested the court deliver a symbolic ruling demonstrating that if public officials commit criminal acts for financial gain, the profits can be confiscated accordingly,’ lawyer Kim Kyeong-ho told reporters, as quoted by Yonhap News Agency.

This legal action follows a ruling last month where the Seoul Central District Court ordered Yoon to pay KRW 100,000 to 104 individuals in a similar case. Yoon has since appealed the decision and filed for an injunction to halt enforcement of the ruling, a request that the court conditionally approved.

The wave of lawsuits reflects growing public backlash against Yoon's martial law decision, which critics view as a serious violation of democratic principles, Yonhap News Agency reported.

(ANI)