A court in South Korea has authorized officials to detain President Yoon Suk Yeol for questioning regarding his declaration of martial law earlier this month, which has led to a political crisis and raised allegations of insurrection.
The court order does not constitute a formal arrest warrant, but permits investigators to detain Mr. Yoon for a limited time. A separate warrant would be required for a formal arrest. This development indicates growing frustration among officials due to Mr. Yoon's reluctance to respond to inquiries about his actions, potentially paving the way for an arrest and indictment.
The response from Mr. Yoon and his secret service bodyguards to a detention attempt remains uncertain, and there has been no immediate comment from him or his legal representatives.
Mr. Yoon, who was impeached by parliament on December 14, is the first sitting president in South Korea to face a criminal investigation.
His lawyer, Yoon Kab-keun, stated that Mr. Yoon plans to request the Constitutional Court, which is currently reviewing his impeachment trial, to invalidate the detention warrant and will pursue an injunction against it.
The opposition has accused Mr. Yoon of insurrection following his martial law declaration on December 3, citing his actions of sending troops to the National Assembly in an attempt to prevent lawmakers from voting against his order.
Images of armed soldiers disembarking from military helicopters and attempting to seize the National Assembly sparked widespread shock and outrage in South Korea, a nation with a historical background of political violence and military governance.
Lawmakers successfully convened and voted against the martial law, compelling Mr. Yoon to rescind his order within hours. Despite this retreat, the incident has galvanized the opposition, leading to his impeachment and has incited significant public protests against him.
Supported by his People Power Party, Mr. Yoon initially survived an impeachment vote in the National Assembly on December 7; however, a second vote a week later resulted in his impeachment after several lawmakers from his party joined the opposition.
Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who lacks an electoral mandate, took over as interim leader but was subsequently impeached on December 27 following a dispute with parliament regarding judicial appointments. Choi Sang-mok, the finance minister and deputy prime minister, is currently serving as interim leader.
If convicted of insurrection and found to have led it, Mr. Yoon could face the death penalty. His former defense minister has been arrested on similar charges, while the heads of the national police agency and the Seoul metropolitan police are also under investigation for their involvement during the martial law crisis.