SEOUL, South Korea — South Korean prosecutors on Sunday indicted impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol on rebellion in connection with his short-lived imposition of martial law, a criminal charge that could incur the death penalty or life imprisonment if convicted.

South Korean prosecutors charged President Yoon Suk Yeol for his failed attempt last month to place the country under martial law, forcing the impeached leader to remain in detention as they build a case against him.

South Korea's impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol was indicted on insurrection charges on Sunday after he briefly declared martial law last month, prosecutors told local media. Why it matters: Yoon is the first sitting president to both be arrested and indicted on criminal charges.