South Korea’s impeached president, Yoon Suk Yeol, was taken to the detention centre near Seoul on Wednesday night afte𒆙r being questionඣed by anti-corruption officials investigating his imposition of martial law in December.
With this, Yoon became the first sitting preওsident to be arrested in S꧅outh Korean history.
A high-stakes law enforcement operation at the presidential compound in Seoul, where anti-corruption officers, accompanied by police, took Yoon into custody after a standoff with his security detail. The detention warrant for Yoon, issued by the Seoul Western District Court, said there were substantial reasons to ᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚsuspect that he committed crimes as a “ringleader of a rebellion”.
Despite being arrested, Yoon defiantly claimed that the investigation was unlawful, asserting that the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials lacked the authority to 🍸probe his actions. However, Yoon ult💞imately complied, citing the need to avoid violence.
In a video message recorded before his detention, Yoon lamented that the “rule of law has completely c😼ollapsed” in South Korea while continuing to defend his actions as necessary to confront an “anti-state” opposition. He denied rebellion charges, instead describing his impeachment as a “fraud.”
As news of Yoon’s detention spread, protests erupted near the anti-corruption agency’s office, with hundreds of his supporters rallying in his defence. Lawmakers from Yoon’s People Power Party condemned the move𝐆 as unlawful, accusing the anti-corruption agency of overstepping its bounds.
Meanwhile, opposition figures hailed the detention as a victory for democracy and the rule of law. Park Ch🐬an-dae, a prominent leader of the liberal opposition Democratic Party, described it as the “fi🌠rst step” toward restoring constitutional order.
What next for Yoon?
Yoon could be helꦬd in custody for weeks, possibly even months or longer.
If the Corruption Investigation Office does not obtain a court order for his formal arrest within 48 hours, he will be released. However, if he is formally charge🅰d, he could be held for up to 20 days before the case is transferred to prosecutors. Legal experts indicate that if convicted of rebellion or abuse of power, Y📖oon could face life imprisonment or even the death penalty under South Korean law.
Yoon's defence minister, police chief and several top mil𝓰itary commanders already had been arrested over their ♏roles in the enforcement of martial law.
His defence team has already expressed concerns over 🍬the validity of the detention warrant, citing legal protections for military lo🍸cations. They have also criticised the anti-corruption agency’s authority to investigate him.
Yoon Seok Yeol declared martial law as the President of South Korea on December 3 to suppress opposition parties’ efforts to block his policies. His martial law declaration, which involved deploying troops around the National Assembly, lasted only hours before lawmakers lifted the measure. Subsequently, the opposition-led parliament voted to impeach him o🍷n December 14, accusing him of attempting a coup.
Yoon’s impeachment now lies in the hands of South Korea's Constitutional Court, which could either uphold the impeachment and remove hi🍎m from office or dismiss the case and reinstate him. A hearing on the impeachment case took place on Tuesday, but it lasted less than five minutes due to Yoon's refusal to attend. The next hearing is scheduled for Thursday.
