A South Korean court issued an arrest warrant on Tuesday for impeached President Yoon Suk-yeol over his imposition of martial law, according to the joint investigation unit.
The joint investigation unit, comprising the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, the National Office of Investigation, and the Defense Ministry’s investigation headquarters, confirmed the issuance of arrest and search warrants against Yoon earlier in the morning.
The unit stated that no schedule has been set for the execution of the warrants, which are typically valid for one week from the date of issuance.
This marks the first time in South Korea’s modern history that an arrest warrant has been issued against a sitting president.
On the previous day, the investigation unit requested the warrants from the Seoul Western District Court on charges of insurrection and other offenses.
The unit had summoned Yoon for questioning on three occasions—December 18, December 25, and December 29—but the impeached leader refused to receive the summonses or submit documents for the appointment of his defense counsel.
Hours after the request for the issuance of the warrants, Yoon’s representatives submitted a written opinion and appointed defense counsel to the Seoul Court.
Investigative agencies have named Yoon as a suspected ringleader on insurrection charges.
In a televised address on December 12, Yoon stated that he would not avoid legal and political responsibility for his declaration of martial law on the night of December 3—a move that was revoked by the National Assembly just hours later.
The National Assembly passed the impeachment motion against Yoon on December 14, delivering it to the constitutional court for deliberation. The court has up to 180 days to make a decision, during which time Yoon’s presidential powers are suspended.
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South Korean court issues warrant to arrest impeached President Yoon
cgtn.com
