A South Korean court granted the authorities permission on Tuesday to arrest impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol in connection with a criminal probe into his brief declaration of martial law. This is the first time that a sitting president will face arrest in the country’s history.
The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) confirmed that the Seoul Western District Court issued the arrest warrant after investigators sought to question Yoon about his role in declaring martial law on December 3. The imposition, which attempted to ban political activity and censor the media, was reversed within hours due to backlash. Yoon has faced allegations of insurrection, a charge to which South Korean presidents are immune and one of the few cases for which immunity is not available. The impeachment trial of Yoon is being tried at the Constitutional Court.
The arrest warrant plunges South Korea into a political crisis as Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who had acted as president briefly after Yoon’s suspension, was also impeached by the opposition-controlled parliament. The new acting president, Choi Sang-mok, faced challenges with the deadly crash of Jeju Air flight 7C2216.
The warrant is valid until January 6, giving investigators only 48 hours to detain Yoon once arrested. The investigators then have the choice of applying for further detention or releasing him. Yoon’s lawyer, Yoon Kab-keun, has labeled the arrest warrant illegal, as the CIO does not have the power to request one. Legal action will be made to stop the warrant at the Constitutional Court.
Hundreds of supporters of Yoon gathered outside his residence on Tuesday to protest, some clashing with police. Authorities have also issued a search warrant for his home as part of the investigation. Meanwhile, several defense officials implicated in the martial law decree are under indictment.
South Korea’s political turmoil continues as authorities prepare for further developments, including the next hearing in Yoon’s Constitutional Court case.
