South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol has announced his intention to comply with an indictment or a preliminary detention warrant, his defense counsel stated on Wednesday. This follows the extension of an arrest warrant against the impeached president issued the previous day.
Speaking to local reporters, Yoon’s defense counsel conveyed that the president is prepared to face a court trial should he be indicted or if prosecutors seek a preliminary detention warrant. The preliminary warrant is typically sought when immediate detention of a suspect at large is not possible, allowing for detention of up to 20 days. A judge determines the warrant’s valid period, often set at 10 days.
However, the counsel emphasized that Yoon would not comply with investigations conducted under what they termed an “invalid” arrest warrant, insisting that any detention warrant should be issued by the Seoul Central District Court.
Yoon Kab-keun, one of Yoon’s lawyers, dismissed allegations from some members of parliament claiming that the president had fled the official residence. He affirmed that he had met with Yoon at the presidential residence on Tuesday, labeling the claims as “malicious rumors” intended to slander the president.
On Tuesday, the Seoul Western District Court issued a second warrant to arrest Yoon for up to 48 hours, extending the validity of the first arrest warrant that expired on Monday. Investigators had attempted to arrest Yoon at the presidential residence on January 3, but were thwarted when the presidential security service blocked the execution of the warrant.
The joint investigation unit pursuing the case comprises the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, the National Office of Investigation, and the defense ministry’s investigative headquarters.
The National Assembly passed an impeachment motion against Yoon on December 14 last year, forwarding it to the constitutional court for deliberation of up to 180 days. During this period, Yoon’s presidential powers are suspended.
Yoon has been named by investigative agencies as a suspected ringleader in an insurrection charge. Notably, he declared martial law on the night of December 3, a move that was revoked by the National Assembly just hours later.
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Yoon Suk-yeol to comply with indictment, preliminary detention warrant
cgtn.com
