In a historic and unprecedented decision, a South Korean court on Tuesday approved an arrest warrant for President Yoon Suk Yeol following his impeachment and suspension from power. The move comes after Yoon imposed martial law in early December, an act that has sparked a political crisis in the country.
The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) confirmed that the Seoul Western District Court granted the arrest warrant as part of an investigation into Yoon’s brief but controversial declaration of martial law. Investigators allege that Yoon led an insurrection, a grave criminal charge for which a sitting South Korean president does not have immunity.
Yoon’s trial on impeachment charges is ongoing at the Constitutional Court, while the arrest warrant remains valid until January 6. If executed, Yoon is expected to be detained at the Seoul Detention Center, according to Yonhap news agency.
The situation has plunged South Korea, Asia’s fourth-largest economy and a key U.S. ally, into a deepening political crisis. After Yoon’s impeachment, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo briefly assumed the role of acting president but was also impeached by the opposition-controlled parliament. Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok, now serving as acting president, is grappling with the aftermath of the Jeju Air Flight 7C2216 crash, South Korea’s deadliest air disaster, which killed 179 people.
Meanwhile, Yoon’s legal team has challenged the arrest warrant’s validity. Yoon Kab-keun, his lawyer, argued that the CIO lacks the authority under South Korean law to request such a warrant. The president’s legal team plans to file an injunction with the Constitutional Court to block its enforcement.
Yoon’s martial law declaration on December 3, aimed at banning political activities and censoring the media, marked South Korea’s first such move since the 1980s. Troops entered the National Assembly in Seoul that night but were pushed back by aides wielding fire extinguishers. Lawmakers swiftly rejected the martial law, and Yoon rescinded the order hours later amidst public outrage.
The fallout was immediate and severe. Yoon narrowly survived an initial impeachment attempt, but his party members later joined opposition lawmakers to impeach him on December 14. The Constitutional Court is set to hear the next arguments in Yoon’s impeachment trial on Friday.
The district court approved the arrest warrant, citing a significant likelihood that Yoon would avoid responding to summonses and strong evidence supporting the allegations against him. The court also authorised a search of Yoon’s residence, though attempts to raid the presidential office have been blocked by the presidential security service.
Yoon has repeatedly ignored investigators’ summonses since declaring martial law, heightening tensions. His former defense minister, Kim Yong-hyun, who played a key role in the decree, has already been detained and charged with insurrection and abuse of power.
The arrest warrant has drawn mixed reactions. Kweon Seong-dong, acting leader of the ruling People Power Party, criticised the move as “inappropriate,” while opposition Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Yong-min called for its immediate enforcement.
The unfolding political and legal battles underscore the unprecedented nature of the crisis engulfing South Korea’s leadership, with the country’s stability and international reputation hanging in the balance.
Melissa Enoch
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