South Korean President Yoon formally arrested over martial law
Police officers stand guard as supporters of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol try to enter the Seoul Western District Court in Seoul, on Jan. 18, 2025
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has formally been arrested over his short-lived imposition of martial law in December, local media reported Sunday, marking the first time for a sitting leader of the country.
Investigators arrested Yoon after obtaining a court-issued warrant, Yonhap News Agency reported. The president has been detained since Wednesday over the Dec. 3 martial law declaration, through which he is accused of inciting an insurrection.
An anti-corruption agency leading the probe into Yoon’s case said Friday that it filed the warrant request at the Seoul Western District Court to allow his detention for up to 20 days.
The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials sought the warrant due to “the seriousness of the crime” and the risk of the president repeating it.
Following his arrest, the agency plans to continue its investigation and refer the case to prosecutors for indictment.
Staging an insurrection, the sole charge for which South Korean presidents are not immune from prosecution, is punishable under the law by up to life imprisonment or the death penalty.
The president had ignored three summonses from a joint investigation team comprising the anti-corruption agency, the police and the Defense Ministry for questioning over his declaration of martial law, which lasted six hours starting on the night of Dec. 3 before being rescinded through a vote by lawmakers.
After being detained and transported from the official presidential residence to the headquarters of the agency outside Seoul on Wednesday, Yoon underwent questioning. But the president, who is staying at a detention center, refused to appear for questioning on Thursday and Friday.
Yoon issued a message to the public through his lawyers on Friday, saying, “I heard many people are out on the streets to come together for the sake of our country. I sincerely thank you for your passionate patriotism,” referring to his supporters who have gathered outside the detention center and called for his release.
His presidential authority has been suspended since Dec. 14, when parliament passed an impeachment motion submitted by opposition parties who accused him of failing to meet constitutional requirements when he declared martial law.
