SEOUL (Kyodo) -- South Korean prosecutors arrested the country's former defense chief late Tuesday in connection with his alleged involvement in last week's short-lived martial law declaration by President Yoon Suk Yeol, local media reported.

Kim Yong Hyun, as defense minister, is suspected of having colluded with Yoon to stage a rebellion via the president's invocation of the emergency law, according to the reports.

The prosecutors also alleged that Kim ordered his deputies to deploy military personnel to parliament and the National Election Commission, the reports said.

The state of martial law, declared for the first time since the country's democratization in 1987, was in place for just six hours starting the night of Dec. 3 before being rescinded through a vote by lawmakers at parliament.

Kim has been detained by prosecution authorities since he reported to them Sunday. The prosecutors served an arrest warrant late Tuesday issued by the Seoul Central District Court.

Kim resigned as defense chief on Thursday, saying he will take full responsibility for the situation related to the declaration of the hours-long martial law.