South Korean prosecutors have renewed their efforts to extend the detention of President Yoon Suk-yeol following his attempted declaration of martial law last month. The move comes after a Seoul court rejected their initial request to prolong his custody, intensifying the legal battle surrounding the embattled leader.
On Saturday, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office announced its second appeal to extend President Yoon's detention period. In a press release, the prosecution emphasized their right to conduct supplementary investigations on cases referred by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO), justifying their renewed request.
Earlier, on Thursday, the prosecution had sought to extend Yoon's detention after the CIO transferred his case to them. However, the Seoul Central District Court dismissed the request on Friday, stating that the prosecution's role was to decide whether to indict the president rather than continue the investigation.
President Yoon was apprehended at the presidential office on January 15, making him the first sitting South Korean president to be arrested. He faces charges of insurrection after allegedly declaring martial law on December 3 last year—a move that was swiftly revoked by the National Assembly hours later.
Following the martial law attempt, the National Assembly passed a motion to impeach President Yoon on December 14. The impeachment was subsequently delivered to the Constitutional Court, which has up to 180 days to deliberate, during which time Yoon's presidential powers are suspended.
On January 19, a separate court issued a warrant to keep Yoon in custody for up to 20 days, including the arrest period. The prosecution and the CIO agreed to jointly investigate the insurrection charge, each questioning the impeached president for ten days.
The prosecution is expected to decide on indicting Yoon for insurrection and other charges this weekend.
By law, investigation and indictment are separated in South Korea to ensure fairness. The court's dismissal of the prosecution's initial request highlighted this principle, suggesting that further investigation was unnecessary at this stage.
The unfolding legal saga marks an unprecedented moment in South Korean politics, with President Yoon becoming the nation's first incumbent leader to face arrest and potential indictment on such serious charges.
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Prosecutors seek to extend Yoon's detention after martial law probe
cgtn.com
