South Korean investigators are set to request an extension for the arrest warrant against impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol after a failed attempt to execute it last week.
Yoon is under criminal investigation for insurrection following his controversial December 3 martial law declaration, which led to his impeachment and suspension from office.
The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO), which is leading the investigation, has called on the police to take over the execution of the arrest warrant. A police official confirmed that the request is under review.
The arrest warrant is due to expire at midnight on Monday, but the CIO plans to seek an extension in court.
Yoon’s legal team has challenged the investigation, arguing that the CIO lacks the authority to probe insurrection-related cases.
Yoon’s lawyer, Seek Dong-hyeon, said that the bid to transfer execution of the arrest warrant is an admission by the CIO that its probe is “illegal.”
On Sunday, the Seoul Western District Court dismissed an injunction filed by Yoon’s legal team to invalidate the warrants to arrest the president and search his official residence.
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is visiting South Korea to reaffirm the alliance between the two countries amid the ongoing political crisis triggered by Yoon’s martial law declaration.
Yoon’s critics have expressed frustration over the failure to execute the arrest warrant, while his supporters, led by Christian pastor Jun Kwang-hoon, continue rallies, framing the dispute as a global fight for freedom.
As the unprecedented situation unfolds, the CIO’s investigation has become a focal point in South Korea’s tense political landscape.
The CIO, an independent agency launched in January 2021, is tasked with investigating high-ranking officials, including the president, but lacks the authority to prosecute. Any legal action, including indictment, must be referred to the prosecutors’ office for further action.
Follow us on:
