South Korean investigators have requested an arrest warrant for impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol after he failed to appear for questioning regarding his brief declaration of martial law, which triggered a major political crisis.
Yoon, who suspended civilian rule earlier this month, was removed from office by parliament, although the constitutional court is still deciding whether to confirm the impeachment.
The president is also facing criminal charges of insurrection, a serious offense that could result in life imprisonment or the death penalty.
Investigators have summoned him three times, but Yoon has not complied, missing a key deadline on Sunday.
“The Joint Investigation Headquarters filed an arrest warrant for President Yoon Suk Yeol with the Seoul Western District Court,” the investigative team stated.
This marks a historic move, as it would be the first time in South Korea’s history that a president could be forcibly detained before the completion of an impeachment process.
Yoon is being investigated by a team consisting of prosecutors, police, anti-corruption officials, and the defense ministry.
However, his legal team has contested the arrest request, claiming it is unjustified.
Yoon’s lawyer, Yoon Kab-keun, argued that the request was made by an unauthorized agency and did not meet legal requirements for an arrest under South Korea’s Criminal Procedure Act.
He also pointed out that, by law, a sitting president cannot be prosecuted for abuse of power.
The investigations stem from Yoon’s declaration of martial law on December 3, which he claimed was necessary to remove “anti-state elements.”
His decision quickly plunged South Korea into a political crisis, with lawmakers voting to reject the martial law declaration and military troops storming parliament. The prosecution claims that Yoon authorized the use of force, instructing military officials to break into the National Assembly, even if it meant using weapons.
Yoon allegedly told the chief of the capital defense command to “break down the door and drag them out, even if it means shooting.”
The report also suggests that Yoon had been in discussions about declaring martial law as early as March.
Investigators have faced challenges in their probe, including blocked searches of Yoon’s offices by presidential security.
The political crisis deepened last week when Yoon’s successor, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, was also impeached by parliament for failing to push forward investigations into Yoon.
In the midst of the turmoil, Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok has assumed the role of acting president, and has quickly been faced with managing the fallout from a deadly plane crash in Jeju.
